That was fun, Portland!

July 19, 2009 11:06 AM

Holy shit, that was fun right? Triple thanks to dersins for picking the great location, getting the food and beer picked out, and overall making it really easy for us to have a good time last night.

I got there a little later than I wanted to but I had a good time meeting everyone. We might have ordered a bit too much food, but otherwise I think it all worked out well. I gave away about 30 blue tshirts and got my special shirt signed (which I plan to frame with the ugliest site-matching matte job imaginable to put up in my office).

I liked the space, wished we had better wifi, and wished I thought of some sort of speech to give beforehand, but cortex thankfully filled in the boring parts with excellent slightly drunken MCing. I haven't seen any photos on flickr from the Portland meetup, so be sure to add them to the main portland thread page!

posted by mathowie to Portland, OR at 11:06 AM (48 comments total)

Thank you everyone!! I had a great time! It was great to meet so many of you in the actual world.

Its a good night when two wine glasses get shattered, Cortex says fuck a lot, there 's a fadora, and JaiMahadora and I cover Man in the Mirror on a melodica.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:05 PM on July 19, 2009

I had a great time; it was fun meeting a bunch of new people, both out-of-towners and local first-timers.

I've got pictures in the works, but Flickr seems to have chosen this exact moment to go flakey, so it'll be a bit yet.
posted by cortex at 2:21 PM on July 19, 2009

Agreed, it war a blast. Sorry about the drunken marshmallow tangent, everybody.
posted by geckoinpdx at 2:29 PM on July 19, 2009

I was really rooting for you somehow finding a way to make the marshmallow thing work. Your drive was inspiring.
posted by cortex at 3:19 PM on July 19, 2009

The entire thing was an absolute joy. Cat was a saint and every mefite I met was wonderful. I adore you people.

To ten more years! I will be over this crushing hangover by then, hopefully, and we can do it all over again.
posted by churl at 4:21 PM on July 19, 2009

Great meetup, had a great time, enjoyed the marshmallow derail. Can we do this again next year too? We'll bring another Tex-Ass donut and make sure pics get taken with it!

Thanks mathowie and dersins, and cortex and pb and everybody for a memorable (and I mean that in a good way) night.
posted by rtha at 4:26 PM on July 19, 2009

Incidentally, "Marshmallow Derail" is the name of my new band.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:54 PM on July 19, 2009

That was a fantastic meetup. I can't say enough good things about it. You people are awesome, fedoras and all. I stayed the whole time, which is practically unheard of for this crowd-averse, socially awkward introvert. Can't wait for the next one!

MeFi is really something special. I'm proud to be a part of this community. And have I mentioned lately how much I love hanging out with fellow nerds?

There was some talk about the possibility of arranging casual, impromptu mini-meetups via MeFi mail in between the "regular" ones. I'm definitely up for that - I need to get out more! Feel free to contact me anytime if interested.

And hey, mysterious man, you're cool and we'd love to have your company, but we can't contact you to let you know that unless you tell us who you are, so how 'bout it, eh?
posted by velvet winter at 8:48 PM on July 19, 2009

Thanks, everyone, for putting this meetup together, and for all the hospitality shown to the visiting San Franciscans. We'll be coming back for another visit soon. Despite having beer poured on me and not getting the t-shirts we were promised, it was a whole lot of fun.
Cat was awesome and kept bringing around pitchers of excellent beer. I met someone from Metafilter who grew up in my hometown, got to buy a giant donut for cortex, and *almost* got to roast marshmallows in the middle of the table!
posted by gingerbeer at 9:27 PM on July 19, 2009

Thanks a lot, ya'll. That was a total blast. It was great to meet everybody. I'd be way down with some mini meetups.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 9:31 PM on July 19, 2009

pb's video from the night is fucking magic.

And sorry dw and gingerbeer for forgetting the shirts. If either of you are still in town, I could drop them somewhere on Monday...
posted by mathowie at 10:35 PM on July 19, 2009

No worries, mathowie. We're headed back to SF tomorrow morning. Just send 'em in the mail.

And thanks for metafilter!
posted by gingerbeer at 11:06 PM on July 19, 2009

Yeah, that was an awesome time. This was my first meetup, so I was a bit nervous going in, but once I started meeting people and talking, that evaporated completely; everyone was super friendly and nice. And, seriously, velvet winter's mini-pre-meetup thing was a great idea, and helped a ton, especially going into (what became) such a large group. Shallow end of the pool, and toe-dipping, and all that. So, hooray for MeFi, and hooray for meetups!

Also, yeah, Mysterious Guy, who I'm pretty sure was called Ioa, is definitely cool and should totally pipe up if he's around. What's weird is that although he wrote what looks like a user number on his nametag (you can see it on the original size for that photo), the user with that number doesn't sound like our meetup friend at all. So, I think Mysterious Meetup Guy is a Mefite, but from the MetaFilter of a parallel universe. I mean, just look at his shirt.
posted by maqsarian at 11:11 PM on July 19, 2009

I heart all you people so very much.

And yeah, um, mysterious man? I really want to memail you about some of the book recommendations you were throwing out. But I can't. Dammit! Ah, well. You're still marvellous.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 12:51 AM on July 20, 2009

All right you people, I capitulate! Well, somewhat. I am rather mystified that this user-name was still available for the plucking, perhaps there is something to be said for tampering with parallel universes after all. I knew that my research would not be for nought.
posted by MysteriousMan at 6:41 AM on July 20, 2009

At least you didn't choose the name "Ford Prefect".
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:00 AM on July 20, 2009

I had a great time, and regret that I could only stay for a couple hours. It had been probably three years since the last time I went to a meet-up, and while Cortex was the only person I recognized from those days it was great meeting so many new people.
posted by togdon at 8:40 AM on July 20, 2009

Well now.
posted by rtha at 8:51 AM on July 20, 2009

tampering with parallel universes

I knew it!
posted by maqsarian at 9:17 AM on July 20, 2009

Also? Among the many many great things about Portland is the awesome shower in this hotel room at the Westin. If any of you natives need to recommend a hotel to an out-of-towner, tell them to priceline their way in to the Westin. Extremely comfy beds and a shower you just want to live in. I've taken two a day since we got here to try to store up the awesomeness for when I return home to my drought-stricken state with its lo-flo showers.
posted by rtha at 9:32 AM on July 20, 2009

And sorry dw and gingerbeer for forgetting the shirts. If either of you are still in town, I could drop them somewhere on Monday...

I'm already back in Sea-town, so you can just mail it on, thanks. And sorry I didn't come up and say hi. I was pretty non-social the last hour or so because I discovered the hard way that alcohol and Zyrtec don't mix. Well, they do mix if you want to be asleep on your feet.
posted by dw at 10:56 AM on July 20, 2009

And it was an awesome party. Thanks to dersins for setting it up, big thanks to #1 for paying for it (by my count there were 24 pitchers of beer, so over 11 gallons of beer consumed), and thanks to everyone for tolerating all the Seattleites who came down.

And I really hope #1 tipped Cat well, because that lady was busting her ass taking care of us and did it all with a smile.
posted by dw at 11:05 AM on July 20, 2009

Oh, man. I'm glad you guys had fun. I really, really wish I could have been there. I hate my fucking job.
posted by dersins at 12:17 PM on July 20, 2009

I thought about creating a separate thread for this, but whatever.

It really sucked a lot less than I thought it would. I'd be quite interested in doing this (on a smaller, informal scale) more regularly, say, monthly or semimonthly. Anyone else game?

The first couple of pitchers are on me.
posted by geckoinpdx at 12:46 PM on July 20, 2009

In my experience, the biggest roadblock to Portland meetups is someone bothering to post a meetup thread suggesting one, because every time that happens we all end up shambling toward the venue, thirsty for beer.

So, yeah, someone just needs to suggest one next month.
posted by cortex at 1:03 PM on July 20, 2009

How does the 15th of August, same time, same place sound?
posted by geckoinpdx at 1:05 PM on July 20, 2009

I'm there already.
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:06 PM on July 20, 2009

Yeah, it was a lot of fun. (Roasting marshmallows on the fire pit would have given it that little extra oomph, but it was already pretty well over the top I think, and gecko gets props for trying at least.)

It was great meeting all of you (well, a bunch of you, anyway). I could see doing something like this more frequently myself, count me in for that.
posted by Two unicycles and some duct tape at 1:12 PM on July 20, 2009

I would just like to say for the record that I made special arrangements to have somebody rick-roll mathowie at the meetup in a particlarly devious fashion, but apparently it didn't happen, or I imagine I would have heard about it by now. Too bad. Nonetheless, I was thinking about y'all, and drank The Macallan 18-year-old (Sherry Oak cask, of course) in your honor. Yeah, pretty much all of it. Sorry. You were probably saving it for breakfast.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:19 PM on July 20, 2009

I'll bring two bags next then, I WILL NOT BE OUTDONE.

I doubt we would get the little house/room this time around; does EastBurn still work? Or do we want to move it someplace else?

I'm happy to organise if'n y'all tell me whatcher want.
posted by geckoinpdx at 1:23 PM on July 20, 2009

Gecko - as long as it's on the bus line and they sell alcohol, it's all good.
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:46 PM on July 20, 2009

Absolutely; anything accessible via public transit (which, Portland, so, yeah), and I'm there.
posted by maqsarian at 2:55 PM on July 20, 2009

Having sampled probably every pitcher they brought in, my head is just now starting to clear. Thanks to Matt for picking up the tab. I felt liked I'd skipped out on the bill, so if we rang up an excessive amount I'd be happy to kick in.

I think a soonish meetup is a great idea, as long as dersins can make it and we can all buy him thank you drinks. And EastBurn works for me.
posted by turbodog at 3:33 PM on July 20, 2009

Secretariat and I had and interesting (to me anyway) conversation about the possibility of a future daylight picnic style meetup that was perhaps more kid/non-drinker friendly.

I like bars, and will try to be better about going to PDX meetups ('cause I miss them). I also doubt that I'd make a picnic with the bambinos in the very near future, but say, next summer it'd be all sorts of fun to get together at some centrally located park (we're awfully eastsidist, which I love since I live on the eastside, but I feel bad for the Beaverton, Willsonville, etc. folks...) that was tri-met friendly and near enough to bars that when the fogeys with kids leave the rest of y'all can take the party indoors for much revelry of the drinky-drinky variety. Etc.
posted by togdon at 4:08 PM on July 20, 2009

I'd totally be down for an August 15th meet-up. And East Burn is totally cool with me - I mean, they sell booze right?

Drinks for Cat on me.
posted by Lutoslawski at 4:17 PM on July 20, 2009

How does the 15th of August, same time, same place sound?

So very tempting....
posted by rtha at 5:28 PM on July 20, 2009

I'd love to go back to the East Burn, but can't make it on Aug. 15 (graduation day/family plans). Having more regular meetups is a great idea, though. I'll definitely be there whenever I can.
posted by velvet winter at 5:46 PM on July 20, 2009

"future daylight picnic style meetup that was perhaps more kid/non-drinker friendly."

DW and I had an interesting conversation where we discussed a camping meetup. If someone wanted to plan a camping meetup in the PNW (WA, OR, BC) I'd enthusiastically be there.
posted by silkygreenbelly at 6:18 PM on July 20, 2009

Velvet: Does the following Saturday, the 22nd work for you?

I want to make it accessible to as many as possible. Ultimately, though I'm deferring to dersins, who was sorely missed.

Do I need a separate thread on this, or maybe in the grey in case others don't check here? I'm not sure what's appropriate.
posted by geckoinpdx at 7:06 PM on July 20, 2009

gecko: Thanks for asking. I think the 22nd would work. I have family visiting for a few weeks, though, so I'd better not make promises since I'll be scheduling things around them.

Might as well start a planning thread in the grey, eh?
posted by velvet winter at 7:38 PM on July 20, 2009

Might as well start a planning thread in the grey, eh?

Done.
posted by geckoinpdx at 9:48 PM on July 20, 2009

I had a blast meeting all of the PDX people!

I'll have all the photos uploaded in the next day or two.
posted by fnord at 9:04 PM on July 21, 2009

I really want to know the YouTube playlist. I've been searching for that awesome '80s rap video with the guy with the mullet but have been thwarted so far.
posted by fiercekitten at 8:47 AM on July 22, 2009

That video was The Average Homeboy.
posted by dw at 1:32 PM on July 22, 2009

That video was The Average Homeboy.

We couldn't figure out what meme it represented. Now that I've seen it, I think it represents lame white guys who think they're rappers/musicians and want to put their "works of art" on YouTube.
posted by fiercekitten at 4:10 PM on July 22, 2009

The story behind The Average Homeboy.
posted by dw at 4:25 PM on July 22, 2009

And now the photos are uploaded!
posted by fnord at 6:45 AM on July 23, 2009

Fnord I had a feeling your pictures would be worth the wait! This one is hilarious.
posted by churl at 1:44 PM on July 23, 2009