A Penny For My Thoughts

Next Stop, Ohio

By Paul Wein

Forty-five days after returning from Chicago, and only three days after returning from Florida - I am up, up and away once again tomorrow as I head to Ohio for SPOH - or South Park Ohio.

I am so happy that I am going to Ohio. Of the twenty South Park Digest members that will be there - I have only met eight of them. One of the best things about going to the South Park Conventions is meeting members of the Digest that I have only corresponded with, but never had the pleasure of meeting in person. It is so wonderful to put a face with the name of a person that has shared many e-mails, chats and Digests with me - and as my flight steadily approaches - I grow even more eager to once again meet old friends for the very first time.

The hosts of this particular Convention is Mek, who is a very good friend of mine who has also been a guest at my home - and his newlywed bride Deborah, someone I have corresponded with for years and a person I have longed to meet. These two lovely people, like Dan and Kandice, met through the Digest and have decided to share each other's lives by uniting in marriage. When I heard that they got married, I was ecstatic. Nothing shows me how very important and truly amazing our Digest is then when two complete strangers who would have never met without joining the Digest decide to share their lives together. I am very happy for Mek and Deborah and can't wait to see them together as husband and wife.

In addition to Mek and Deborah, I get to see even more familiar faces, like good old Bob and George, the ones who started the Convention craze, Julie and Summer, who are like my sisters - and also get the opportunity to meet more new old friends like Yal, Erica, and Ralph. It is the friendships I have made through the Digest, the friendships I will make this weekend - and the friendships I will continue to make for the life of the Digest that solidifies becoming the Moderator of Comedy Central's South Park Digest as one of the best things to ever happen to my life.

And now, as I am one day away from traveling to yet another state I have never been in to meet even more Digest members I have never met, I once again thank God that I have been blessed with the extraordinary opportunity to be able to add so many wonderful people's friendships to my life that I would not have had the chance to meet if not for this Digest. The members of the South Park Digest are some of the most genuine and true people I have ever met. Our Digest family grows every day, and I can't wait to add more faces to the names of the people that I have called family for the last few years - and enjoy another weekend of camaraderie, friendship - and happiness.

"I stepped off the plane, and I see familiar faces.
I know all their names, and they come from different places.
But how can I be that these strangers are now my friends?
They never met me until then."

Dan Lins - Old Friends