My Personal History on the Web (Credit Where Credit is Due)

I've kicked this idea around for over 12 years, joining into the "blogosphere", and as I've already said, I have no idea if this is going to go anywhere, or what it will become. I lack discipline, "stick-to-it-iveness" and I'm a huge procrastinator. 12 years. Yeah. Go figure. But over those years, there were message boards and bloggers that gave a great deal of inspiration, and were a large help in getting me through some other rough patches in my life and career. Some will go nameless here, as they wish. But a few I would like to give a nod to now.
As an "out" atheist, and amateur skeptic there was a message board that had some wonderful writers and thinkers that opened up and directed me to things I needed to learn about. It was started by Skeptics Magazine fans and hangers-on. It went through quite a few changes (and I still maintain, for the worse), but there are some of the old guard still hanging around and can be found at FACTSforum.org. It's a closed group, and I think that wounded it irretrievably. So I'm not sure you can just wander onto it uninvited. It was glorious in its day.
In the F&B world, Paul Paz, Steve Dublanica, and Helmut Schonwalder among others were crucial in my not throwing in the towel (for awhile, anyway), and a whole other way of looking at work. Look them up. Steve's book Waiter's Rant hit so close to home, and I'm in the middle of rereading it now. Get it, whether you're in the biz or not. Damn good read. It was cool, following a blog of a guy that could write so well  for a few years, commenting, having him respond, then having him become famous, on Oprah and everything....
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Manuel the Waiter of Well Done Filet fame. One of the most entertaining writers I've found on the web for those who toil for tips.
There is a group of servers and restaurant workers that prefer to fly under the radar, and I wish I could give them a nod, but we're a very private cabal. I hope they know to whom I refer...
All of these people have more talent in the biz, and more talent for writing, and far more patience than I, and I'm grateful for their efforts.
I've been very vocal on FaceBook, and met some wonderful people on there, and quite a few assholes, and people I agree with, and people I go to war with on a regular basis. ALL of them have been helpful in ways they can't imagine for focusing me, and unfocusing me over the past ...hmmm...what is it now...3 or 4 years, I think. Anyway, thanks to my FB friends. May some of you rot in hell....
I may have forgotten some others I wanted to mention, but for now...
That's it. Thanks for your time...
http://www.amazon.com/Waiter-Rant-Thanks-Tip-Confessions-Cynical/dp/0061256692

Waiters Rant, The Blog (one of the best on the web)
http://waiterrant.net/?paged=132

FACTs
http://www.factsforum.org/

Paul Paz, Waiter's World
http://www.waitersworld.com/

Manuel, the Waiter
http://welldonefillet.com/black-friday-one-waiter-short-and-counting/

Helmut Schonwalder, The Waiter's Digest, an in depth webpage, really worth going through if you work in the biz:
http://www.schonwalder.org/Menu_Z1_napkin.htm

Did I say 3 or 4 years? I don't know what I was thinking. It's been more like 15 or so....