Your memorable mefi moments

February 4, 2005 5:52 PM

Despite some recent messiness, snarking and call-outs on the green and the grey, I (as a noob) am impressed with the recent examples of true connection and "kinship" as exhibited by the life altering experiences thread in Ask MetaFilter (and discussed further here) and the heartfelt advice given to a frightened 20-year old who is about to enter a treatment center.

In the same spirit of recalling favorite migs moments, can some of the longer-term folks share memorable moments where MeFi has demonstrated such “poignancy” and support to fellow MeFites?
posted by ericb to MetaFilter-Related at 5:52 PM (34 comments total)

Well there was that time people tried to dare me into eating tainted crab meat . . .
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 6:05 PM on February 4, 2005

Yes, that was heartwarming. I remember it well.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 6:05 PM on February 4, 2005

good times, good times ; >

there are so many: life advice for Keyser and many others, stav's friend in that Bali explosion, i_cola's relative in the tsunami....
posted by amberglow at 6:21 PM on February 4, 2005

On preview: what amberglow said.

A comment from the tsunami thread here, and the Bali explosion here.

The Bali explosion thread was before my time here, but I remember watching the tsunami thread unfold and that event really made me realize how global metafilter is. It did something to help me move a little farther away from my self-centered USA worldview.
posted by marxchivist at 6:26 PM on February 4, 2005

Then there was the time someone recommended mixing bleach and ammonia...
posted by dhoyt at 6:37 PM on February 4, 2005

The first quonsar ban was memorable.
posted by five dollars worth of thank you cake at 7:08 PM on February 4, 2005

Plane crashes in to the world trade center..
posted by five dollars worth of thank you cake at 7:09 PM on February 4, 2005

The support I received in the thread that Marxchivist links to and in the thread that was posted when my friend Rick died about 10 days later virtually guaranteed that I'll never be able to leave this community entirely.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:19 PM on February 4, 2005

Well, this post came to mind. Unfortunately, I don't think there's a copy of the web page in question. The Mefi Mob came to Matt's assistance real quick. For all I know, because it was one of my first Metafilter "events," perhaps I exaggerate. But it sure seemed like such, perhaps because the whole .com thing was still, like yesterday.
posted by ParisParamus at 7:26 PM on February 4, 2005

What about the "login" incident? Classic. (if anyone can find the threads in question, that would be awesome!)
posted by Quartermass at 7:47 PM on February 4, 2005

Never mind.
posted by Quartermass at 7:56 PM on February 4, 2005

that one's no good anymore--all of login's comments are gone.
posted by amberglow at 7:58 PM on February 4, 2005

I wonder if the new user named login knows anything of the legacy of his username?
posted by jessamyn at 8:01 PM on February 4, 2005

This is instructive. I'd never read the the 9/11 thread, though I'd heard of it. The Rick-in-Bali thread -- very sweet.

Metafilter: Poignant, poignant, asshole-ish, poignant.
posted by mudpuppie at 8:30 PM on February 4, 2005

I joined MeFi just five days before September 11, 2001. On that day, almost every major online news source faltered and MeFi was the most consistant source of news, perspective, support and comfort available. That earned enough trust capital to last through all the brilliance, hilarity and snarkiness since.
posted by grabbingsand at 9:01 PM on February 4, 2005

I felt bad for a long time after the Bali thread, because of the event but also because I felt like I had personally caused Stav pain by making the post. It would have been far better for him to hear about it from a family member or friend than bluntly written on a screen.

There were some comments by quonsar that also hit a nerve with me.
posted by Tarrama at 9:20 PM on February 4, 2005

You shouldn't have felt bad, Tarrama. It was better to have known sooner.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:29 PM on February 4, 2005

Note that the formative moments thread was technically ChatFilter; another example of something suited for a MetaParlor forum as it certainly wouldn't be suited to #mefi or 9622.
posted by abcde at 10:21 PM on February 4, 2005

I was impressed by how Matt responded to users' concerns about the SG ad...but now I'm just in awe of him and this amazing thing that he's created.

I thought that the life-altering-experiences thread was the best of the web. I mean that literally--I thought it was just about the best thing that's ever happened on the web. Now that I've read the 9/11 thread, the Bali thread, and even the web-hoster-copies-Mefi thread, I'm...uh...in awe. I can't think of another way to express my appreciation for this community.

I lurked for awhile before signups were turned on, and I've been reading pretty actively since then, so I thought I already understood the greatness that is Mefi. I understood nothing! My deepest, most heartfelt thanks go to Matt and everyone else who has contributed to Metafilter. (Although only Matt gets the awe-induced Paypal donation.)
posted by equipoise at 10:21 PM on February 4, 2005

What, no one's mentioning burnouts? Those kick ass! neu/bunnyfire/sonofminya/badcommie/etc/etc
posted by graventy at 11:12 PM on February 4, 2005

The cliches thread is a favourite.

And let's not forget one of Investigativefilter's finest hours: This girl is, literally, fighting for her life.
posted by jokeefe at 11:43 PM on February 4, 2005

Ah, just to add to the above: I see the original post was looking for instances of Mefi's community spirit.

Well, I guess those might qualify, if you stretched the definition of 'community support'...
posted by jokeefe at 11:45 PM on February 4, 2005

Are we all having makeup sex now? Is that was this is?
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:47 PM on February 4, 2005

Another addition: Those who are interested in the reading the fallout from thread 3259, linked above, can continue it here.
posted by jokeefe at 11:57 PM on February 4, 2005

Yes, stupidsexyFlanders. Yes, we are.

Despite the depths of awful exposed in some of the comments in the SG thread, I remain powerfully impressed by the debate, and by how Matt handled it all. *kisses Mefi*
posted by jokeefe at 11:59 PM on February 4, 2005

MetaParlor forum I wish we had one too, abcde
posted by Tarrama at 12:11 AM on February 5, 2005

It's in the works.
posted by abcde at 12:22 AM on February 5, 2005

The report of Oolong the rabbit's death, and his owner's eventual reply, is one that still brings a tear to the eye this day.
posted by chronic sublime at 1:22 AM on February 5, 2005

I just read the Oolong thread and saw the pictures and I'm crying like a baby. When my sister-in-law died recently I didn't cry this hard. Oi. This is messed up.
posted by pookzilla at 5:49 AM on February 5, 2005

I'm still bitter that bondcliff's proudest internet moment has vanished without trace. It was one of the funniest things I've ever read on MeFi. Oh, the self-righteous policing! Ah, the mock innocence! And then: "I'm beginning to think this was posted before. I'm such an ass." Beautiful. Just beautiful. And all that beauty, all that crazed frothing and happy baiting, is no more.
*sheds tear, gets his war on*
posted by languagehat at 7:19 AM on February 5, 2005

I knew someone would post the Oolong thread again. *sniffles*
posted by FunkyHelix at 8:18 AM on February 5, 2005

My favorite moment was when we suddenly realized Keyzer was either several different people, or he simply imploded. You go mefi!

But I'm kind of cynical.
posted by justgary at 11:36 AM on February 5, 2005

Now this is braw so it is , a lovely heartwarming metafilter thread ...i think we need more of these.......anyway my fave mefi moment was in a bar with amber in new york being serenaded by a drag queen.

I think i may have told this story before , but its a good one.
posted by sgt.serenity at 5:07 PM on February 5, 2005

I just reread that September 11 thread (I joined Mefi a week before September 11) and it gave me the chills.
posted by SisterHavana at 9:48 PM on February 5, 2005