"What's your estrip story?" written by Jim on estrip.org

Category: meta

09/11/07 11:32 - 55ºF - ID#41057

What's your estrip story?

So, I was wondering today how everyone came to find this site: tell your story if you don't mind, doesn't have to be too long, but I'd love to hear it. And, you can read about everyone else... see the comments below!

james writes at 10:14:20 09/13/07 - Comment #24405: five minutes. I started writing a story and scrapped it twice and then wrote that one. I am king of bullshit.

fellyconnelly writes at 10:08:39 09/13/07 - Comment #24404: james how long did it take for you to come up with that?

james writes at 10:02:37 09/13/07 - Comment #24402: I was living in a tiny apartment on the fault line between the nice west side and the horrible west side. My kitchen was the largest room in the house, and the most useless room. The linoleum floor and the drafty windows made sure that the floor was cold in the months with no t-shirt weather.
The most obnoxious feature of that kitchen was the sink. On top it was all aluminum, new and flashy, the sort of think that keeps you from checking underneath it before signing a lease. I had many problems with my life while I lived in that apartment. I love of whiskey and opium would turn out to be lesser problems than the perpetual leak from that sink. Leaking, leaking, always leaking like 16 year old cock in the woman's department.
As it leaked it collected into a old brown plastic bucket, cracked from the years of wet and dray, bleach and vomit. It was a storied bucket, epics are written in some indecipherable language into it's chewed corners, in the filth stuck to the chalk outline of where a price tag used to be. Well, the drip, drip sound continued and was then accompanied by the sound of water overflowing.
I kneeled down on that cold December floor and opened the cabinet to dump out the grey, viscous fluid in the tub. And that is when I saw them. Little KGB agents.

The had been bread by Kremlin scientists to fit between the walls of heads of state's homes. To use their tiny stature to go where no man could. Thy had been waiting for years for a response from the Premier with nothing. Too small to leave and travel home they were stranded. The Cold War ended, the Soviet Union fell. And they were forgotten.

I would bring them food and vodka. We would try and talk but they spoke no English, peculiar as they were spies. Mostly we would laugh and nod our heads as we ate and drank. But when we were done I would see them hide their sadness behind a stoic face and close the cabinet door. I am sure they saw the same face on me.

Seeing them like that would make me feel helpless, a bug on a windshield. To cheer myself up I would masturbate. Estrip wasn't the porn-acopia I was looking for, but it makes me not think about the men stranded in my old kitchen.

libertad writes at 09:30:11 09/13/07 - Comment #24398: comment #23 WOW! I wanted to include a pic in my story so i made my own journal about how i found estrip. :::link:::

jenks writes at 09:24:27 09/12/07 - Comment #24351: Well, I may not be *THE* reason he (they) left the site, but the child-bride definitely WAS in the picture at the time.

mike writes at 08:46:44 09/12/07 - Comment #24347: my story is boring, (e:paul) made me do it. ISn't that the story of so much of my life? I was here back in September '03 when estrip was merely a blog of a few people! adn wowsa (e:jenks) I never knew your story!

theecarey writes at 08:44:42 09/12/07 - Comment #24346: my story is more or less similar to (e:jenks) and (e:ladycroft). Then I lurked for quite awhile before officially joining. I remember initially thinking (and actually being kinda turned off) that it had something to do with "forever elmwood". Obviously I was wrong and rather delighted in what I did see here- the chat was fun, the local/community relevance, the get-togethers, etc. In that sense, it was LadyC that finally pulled me in to making my first post.
haha, LC, I forgot about the anorexic lady!

jbeatty writes at 07:42:19 09/12/07 - Comment #24342: Mine is boring. I am the 2nd degree of separation from (e:carolinian) the first being my sister-in-law (e:lizabeth).

metalpeter writes at 07:25:28 09/12/07 - Comment #24341: I will admit I'm not sure why I was on Elmwood, if I had a guess it was to go get concert tickets at new world records not sure. So in front of a couple stores I saw the chalk ads (oh bye the way Those on the streets during a festival might be a good way to advertise the site). I will admit I had no idea it was an internet community I figured that it was a way to go online and find out about stores and things along the strip and maybe even see what stores different people liked. That is correct that I thought it was store sponsored. I'm not sure how much I posted or how often back then I would have to go back and look at the dates. I won't really get into the parties or get to gathers here, all I'll say is the first (e:peep) I met in person was (e:ladycroft) and for those that I didn't and I should have met or meet earlier I'm sorry (you rock, and that may have been a factor).

tinypliny writes at 07:05:00 09/12/07 - Comment #24339: Believe it or not, my greatest concern about moving into Buffalo was not the lack of suitable apartments, potential muggings, grocery shops, the weather or the transport. It was finding a dirt-cheap friendly Hair Cut place. Googling turned up one major hair-cut-rambler - (e:lilho). Her google snippets had about a million exhortations to "get a haircut" and I clicked right through and landed on (e:strip).

Quite ironically, she left town as soon as I arrived. :/ ...and I haven't found a nice haircutter yet. I am going for an experimental one today.

drew writes at 05:33:10 09/12/07 - Comment #24335: When I was researching the job I now have, I hunted around on the internets for everything I could find out about the Elmwood strip. I found this place, read it for a while, posted once or twice once I decided to move, and a bunch once I got here.

jim writes at 05:32:11 09/12/07 - Comment #24334: I was over visiting (e:Matthew) one day years ago and he and (e:Paul) told me about the site - the page's background looked like notebook paper I remember. I am not sure why I didn't sign up back then, but couple years later I took the plunge and here we are :)

lauren writes at 05:14:41 09/12/07 - Comment #24327: Well, my lovely partner/lady friend (e:fellyconnelly) started doing buffalo research and found this group. I picked on her extensively for blogging with strangers but was ultimatly curious about what it was that she was doing. I signed up and made one post and that was that. After about 2 weeks of living in Buffalo I joined her for an (e:strip) gathering at India Gate and found that the people were actually kinda cool and so I signed up and now I come here more often then myspace!

paul writes at 05:05:21 09/12/07 - Comment #24325: It was the server's fault. Should be back now.

jim writes at 03:26:26 09/12/07 - Comment #24317: I didn't touch it! I'll ask Paul.

ladycroft writes at 03:24:10 09/12/07 - Comment #24315: what happened to my comment- it disappeared?

fellyconnelly writes at 03:20:36 09/12/07 - Comment #24312: wow what excellant stories!

when lauren decided to attend UB for grad school and I started doing online research for neighborhoods and places to live and all, I found that Elmwood was the hip and happenin place. So I googled it and (e:strip) was there! the rest is history!

lizabeth writes at 02:37:59 09/12/07 - Comment #24299: In my case, it is all (e:carolinian)'s fault. I really just joined so I could comment on his journals. But I'm trying to be more involved here, 'cause y'all are cool, and I wanna be one of the cool kids, too.

p.s. - I can think of at least 5 people who have joined this site because of (e:carolinian) (even if only 2 of us blog regularly), so (e:paul), give the boy a commission or something. ;)

jason writes at 02:18:42 09/12/07 - Comment #24297: PS - (e:Jenks)!! GASP GASP GASP GASP GASP. Excellent story.

jason writes at 02:17:05 09/12/07 - Comment #24296: I think I saw the sidewalk chalk advertising. I signed up to try to connect with neighborhood peeps. I knew nobody on the site. Personally, I think without my brave decision to step into the arena, I think e-strip would be far too homogenous. My value is immeasurable. I mean, you guys would get pretty fucking bored just agreeing with each other all the time about everything.

=P

Josh is right about my hesitation to see him join. I at least make an attempt to temper my rhetoric. Certainly I think I've gotten MUCH better about that. He pretty much will say whatever, whenever, however, which is respectable in its own right, I guess.

hodown writes at 12:42:36 09/12/07 - Comment #24292: Paul is my BFF, he signed me up when he first started the site it was me, mike, paul and then lilho and Terry and Matt. Basically he created accounts for everyone and then we caved in and started blogging. Im still a little bitter about my user name. It reminds me of a rodeo.

ladycroft writes at 12:10:40 09/12/07 - Comment #24291: Hahahahahahahaha....skeletons in the closet. Oh my, my - if you only knew......

Let's see. I met drchlorine. We were watching a movie one night and he wanted to make a quick post. So I said, "don't forget to burn me that cd, and what are you talking about a post?" So he gave me a tutorial and I signed up. Remember the days of radio and song dedications....

Yes leetee, he was an avid enthusiast of tonsil hockey and massages.

And I must lay to rest once and for all jenks, you are not the reason he left. Teen queen alison wasn't the gf yet,it was that anorexic girl from arkansas.

zobar writes at 10:20:21 09/12/07 - Comment #24290: One day (e:paul) came into the office and convinced my boss that we wanted to host his site in our basement. I don't really know why we agreed, except maybe that my boss was trying to be cool and digital. Around that time I was sort of trying to blog vicariously through (e:dragonlady7), but I secretly harbored the feeling that she was mangling my humor. I met (e:paul) and a couple (e:strip)pers at the underplanned Geek Meet [thank Christ there was only one] and decided to start up one of these, how you say, 'blogs.'

- Z

leetee writes at 09:44:55 09/12/07 - Comment #24288: I had no idea that *he* was the guy, (e:jenks)! I vaguely knew the story, and found out months later that it was about a guy. But until just now, i didn't know it was him. He got around with the makeout sessions, didn't he? I always thought he was kinda creepy...

The story of how i became an (e:strip)per isn't really all that interesting. But, since you asked, (e:Jim), here it is.

My husband, (e:Uncutsaniflush) told me about it. He joined back in '05 shortly after we moved to Buffalo. He might want to tell the story, but i think he found (e:strip) through a Google search.

Our first (e:strip) gathering was the going away for (e:Ajay). At the Old Pink. Of course, still being relatively new to Buffalo and not the barfly types, we had no idea where it was and could not find it. Only through walking up and down Allen and a process of elimination did we find it. We also found out that 9, 10 or even 11pm does not mean that is the time people will arrive, at least on (e:strip) time.

After meeting a few (e:strip)pers there and talking to what i now know was a drunk (e:Paul) telling me i simply *MUST* join (e:strip), "like totally, now" outside, i signed up. I think the next day.

joshua writes at 09:40:46 09/12/07 - Comment #24287: Oh hahah! Damn (e:jenks), that is one juicy skeleton! Fucking hell! Anyway that is a great story.

My introduction to (e:strip) was through my brother. At the time he begged me not to sign up because it was around the '04 election and he thought that I'd embarrass him by being too impolite to his new friends. I told him to fuck off and that he couldn't censor me, thus proving that I'd only be impolite to him - haha! His reasons... that was true but I am only kidding about the last part there. I then signed up and couldn't log in. A month later (e:paul) wrote me a random e-mail asking if I were trying to sign up - I told him my issue, he fixed it, and that was that.

You know I don't even know why or how (e:jason) got involved with (e:strip). Maybe he'll post.

My story is far less cool than (e:jenks) and hers!

jenks writes at 09:19:19 09/12/07 - Comment #24286: haha, I've never told mine publicly- guess i might as well since it's kind of a funny story.
Bottom line- a guy started flirting with my on myspace. We talked back and forth a little. He made the comment that 'anyone who's anyone is on estrip'. I didn't know what estrip was, and figured I'd check it out. Then this guy told me that he had a girlfriend, and we can't talk anymore. Yet somehow came over to my house later that night, and we made out a little bit. Then I signed up for estrip, using my first name. Well he got in a big panic that his GF would figure everything out... he called me, but said I can't call him, and asked me to quit estrip. So I sort of did. Then decided that was stupid. I was not going to censor myself b/c a 30yo was afraid his 17yo girlfriend would figure out who I am [yeah- you all know who I'm talking about]. So I signed back up, under a new name- my middle name. Took me a while to really 'identify' myself, though- I kept things really vague and anonymous for a while. But then I met ladycroft for lunch one day, and was 'outed'- and the rest is, as they say, history. ;)

museumchick writes at 11:45:57 09/11/07 - Comment #24282: I found out it randomly about a year and a half ago as a link from one of the Buffalo-related sites. I noticed that one or two people I knew was on the site, and started to follow different journals. I enjoyed reading all kinds of journals on here and joined. I'm glad I did!

Permalink: What_s_your_estrip_story_.html
Words: 42
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: photos

09/09/07 02:07 - 70ºF - ID#41013

Friday (I mean, Saturday!)

Permalink: Friday_I_mean_Saturday_.html
Words: 4
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: photos

09/07/07 06:04 - 89ºF - ID#40991

More With the New Lens and Flash

Doesn't (e:James) have a nice uvala?

Permalink: More_With_the_New_Lens_and_Flash.html
Words: 13
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: life

09/07/07 02:25 - 89ºF - ID#40988

A Vacation About Programming

Ruby Conf 2007 here I come!

I got permission from (e:James) and we are headed down to Charlotte NC at the beginning of November for 3 days of geekery!

James will just lounge pool-side while I soak in such topics as these:

With a keynote by Matz, the creator of Ruby. FYI, Ruby is a programming language.

I've got the hotel booked and my registration for the conference all set, thankfully 'work' is paying for it :)

Permalink: A_Vacation_About_Programming.html
Words: 83
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: programming

09/07/07 10:24 - 77ºF - ID#40985

RubyConf 2007

Registration just opened for Ruby Conference 2007. Hmm... a vacation about programming? In North Carolina in Buffalo's cold November?

I think I might just have to go...

Permalink: RubyConf_2007.html
Words: 26
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: hobbies

09/06/07 05:29 - 91ºF - ID#40973

Camera !!!

I got a new lens today, it is a 30mm normal/wide prime lens that I adore already. Here is my first photo from it:

(bigger size here)

I sold some other stuff to pay for this but man oh man it was worth it!

Permalink: Camera_.html
Words: 48
Location: Buffalo, NY

09/06/07 12:20 - 88ºF - ID#40968

Meow

Permalink: Meow.html
Words: 2
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: namesake

09/05/07 11:13 - 65ºF - ID#40944

C is for Cookie

Permalink: C_is_for_Cookie.html
Words: 7
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: life

09/04/07 06:37 - 74ºF - ID#40934

This is totally not like me at all.

I am never like that.

Permalink: This_is_totally_not_like_me_at_all_.html
Words: 12
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: buffalo

09/03/07 05:01 - 77ºF - ID#40918

Dream House

Considering...

1. I love mansard roofs
2. I am jealous of not have a mansion like (e:MPT)
3. I think I could afford the mortgage, but probably not the heating bills

This is my dream house:

Huge double lot, brick, second empire house. A bit in a bad area maybe though... Niagara Street near the college and armory.

matthew writes at 10:25:28 09/04/07 - Comment #23831: $333! that's crazy. what temp do you keep it at? 85 degrees? :) We kept it at 70 during the day and 65 at night. It can be chilly but you could just throw on a sweater. Do you have storm windows?

tinypliny writes at 08:23:11 09/04/07 - Comment #23818: If "Mansard Roofs" are the ones with the hexagonal/pentagonal tiles, I adore them! They are perfect.

carolinian writes at 06:53:54 09/04/07 - Comment #23806: $450 a month in a 4000 sq. foot 100 year-old house? I have an 850 sq foot apartment in 100 year-old house. My highest heating bill was $333. Did I mention I did the whole plastic thing and caulked the windows? That's just not right. Not right at all, I say!

matthew writes at 05:33:00 09/04/07 - Comment #23804: very nice! The heating might not be as bad as you think, if you're careful. Our house is about 4,000 sq feet. and our highest heating bill last winter was $450. We had a new high efficiency furnace installed this summer, so this winter's heat bill should be even lower. and just imagine if we tweaked our windows! i remember everyone telling me i was crazy when we bought our Linwood house because the heating bills would be "crazy". But they were wrong. if the house is built well (which i have no doubt an 1860's buffalo 2nd empire is) it contains the heat well and keeps the cold out for an 100 year old house. Just heat the main rooms during the day and the bedrooms at night. Also, it says that one of the fireplaces is in working order. Score!

jim writes at 05:02:09 09/04/07 - Comment #23802: Now if only it stays on the market until the spring!

jason writes at 04:00:05 09/04/07 - Comment #23801: Looks like a fantastic (although freaking giant) home. Living in a little apartment for so long, I think I might feel odd having so much space.

joshua writes at 10:22:58 09/04/07 - Comment #23789: That heating bill has to be murder though. Murder, I say!

fellyconnelly writes at 09:36:42 09/03/07 - Comment #23778: oh thats great!
buy it and invite me for parties!

drew writes at 08:22:46 09/03/07 - Comment #23760: Wow! This seems like a great deal.

jim writes at 05:20:34 09/03/07 - Comment #23747: Yeah... I think we'll end up staying in Buffalo just so we can buy an awesome house and waste all the earth's resources in keeping it warm through winter.

joshua writes at 05:19:38 09/03/07 - Comment #23746: Hmm - that is in very good condition for its age, at least from the outside.

Personally, my dream house is a beach home in California... but I'm still saving my nickels.

Permalink: Dream_House.html
Words: 70
Location: Buffalo, NY