So why hang around for the deed to be done
You can give it all up for a place in the sun
When the postman calls we'll be miles away
On a plane to New York and another day

21ST CENTURY BLURB

I'm late again...

I can't quite figure out why it always seems like I'm rushing, rushing, rushing to get whatever it is I'm trying to get done...done, but once again that appears to be the case.

For two weeks, I've known that I was going to uncork this bottle, but even with all that built-in extra time, I've managed to stall here, procrastinate there, and visit websites and the ezboard when I should be producing my own content *everywhere*.

Thus, I find myself sitting here shortly before 9am on Monday the 9th looking at an empty screen (save three plus sentences) and wondering just how the heck I'm going to put into words what I've experienced over two years and how I FEEL, MAN about the whole thing.

Of course, it's well nigh impossible NOW and I can't, so I'm going to just halfass it and hope that's good enough. ;-)

First, this technically ISN'T the second anniversary - that was Saturday, but I KNEW (1) I wasn't going to be ready on a Saturday because I wouldn't want to be spending a lot of time on the computer and (2) Monday is usually a "down" day anyway, so it seemed like a good day to schedule it, and (3) most importantly, since I was late LAST year, it only seems proper to continue the streak.

Call it a "first anniversary of the 'first anniversary'," if you like.

Here's a bit of what I wrote last year, 'cause if you're gonna steal, might as well steal from yourself 'cause you're already caught and the guy you're stealing from probably won't put up much of a fuss:

I can't believe it's been just over a year since I cobbled together some beginner's HTML and put this thing out there. Haven't changed all that much, really. I am in awe that over half a million hits later, you and I are still dancing this dance - no ads, no fancy logo (well, except for the one up there - thanks J!), hardly ever any breaking news, a motley cast of irregulars, and li'l ol' me. Who could ask for anything MORE?

Well, it's 1.2 million hits by now - and I don't have a "pretty" logo, either. Aaron forgot to send me a logo in time, so this year you have to settle for my "fun with PhotoShop techniques" rendering. Still, in that I'm happy to unveil my loving tribute to the Pet Shop Boys in adopting the enigmatic "Two Divided By Zero" catchphrase for as long as I feel like it. In addition to being the first track off the first PSB album, it's also a neat way of summing up how this site has operated, and (cross your fingers) hopefully WILL operate in the future.

It's not just about the fact that the two years the [slash] has been in full effect have gone undivided by petty corporate interests, style over substance, overarching feuds of epic proportions (plenty of little ones, though! :) ), and countless other plagues and problems that have brought all too many otherwise fine sites to disrepute and/or ruin - it's not just that my two weekly reports haven't been divided more than zero times into multiple sections :) - it's not just that I'm running out of ways to use "two divided by zero" before my big point...

But ultimately, in my mind, the phrase "two divided by zero" cuts to the very heart of the matter, one very near and dear to me - a concept I firmly believe in and hold as an ideal: the CONNECTION between a writer and a reader, with nothing separating them but the space between the synapses.

In those rare instances when a writer can make a point in a way you haven't heard before...

in a way that infuriates you to the point of taking action...

in a way that resonates so strongly you have to pound your fist to the table and say "yes, FINALLY that's it..."

in a way that takes everything you believe in and makes it dance on the head of a pin...

when that can happen between you as a reader and someone who has made a contribution to this site,

or if you've written something that has reached ten thousand readers - or a few hundred - or one,

that's the SHIT, man.

That's the stuff.

I can't say whether it's happening more now than it was before, just as often, or not at all - but I personally still feel it every time I add something to the body of work that makes up everything under the /wrestling subdirectory on this server. I hope you feel it too - as a reader, as a writer. If you're not, we gotta find out how we CAN, 'cause it's all about LOVE.

Well, that or wrestling. Who can say?

There are so many people I need to thank and so many people I've forgotten to thank so many times - and this is going to be another, because all I have time for right now is a blanket thanks. I hope that everyone who has contributed has gotten out of it what I get out of it - the satisfaction that comes with knowing your opinion is out there, is read, is listened to and, even if not acted upon immediately, may still bear fruit down the line in ways you or I cannot possibly imagine.

Wow - now I think *this* is the most pretentious thing I've ever written.

I would like to single out seven people, though, who have made the greatest prolonged impact on this site despite not having their name in the URL for much of slashwrestling.com's existence.

To Michaelangelo, Sharon Austin, Rebecca Cerese, Jerry Root and Matt Spaulding, for having contributed sixty columns or more...thank you for being the very best at providing the heart and soul of this site on non-TV-show days. I couldn't have asked for better writers if...well, if I'd asked. ;-) Also, a lot of you have STOPPED writing - come back! I miss you!

To The Cubs Fan for consistently being the best television recapper never to receive his just due - not only for me, but for DDT Digest and for his own site as well. When you can make me want to watch Rollerjam just from writing a report, I think it's safe to say that you can rest assured...and KNOW you've got it. I promise to you that I'LL always be reading...even if it seems I never bother to write you back. ;-)

Finally, to E.C. Ostermeyer - it's UNBELIEVABLE to look at the body of work you've done for the site - almost 120 reports! - and think that somehow, it all started with a couple of emails between a couple of guys thousands of miles apart who NEVER would have otherwise met, and probably would have crossed the street to avoid each other in real life thanks to our *crushing* generation gap. It's funny how things turn out, eh? Also, let me know if you ever need that WXO tape back. ;-)

I hope you've gone to the bathroom, and picked up a snack and a drink on the way back - we've got some very special stuff lined up here and it's more than enough to keep you on your keister and at this site for at least an hour if you're so inclined - or reclined, if you've got a special seat!

First up are thirteen very special anniversary themed pieces from your old favourites, some new ones, and some people who have NEVER written opinion pieces for this site before! (I know, I can't believe it either!) They are listed in the order in which they were received, so don't read anything into the highly coincidental placement of certain people. ;-)

Next up is a special exclusive feature by the fine folks at DDT Digest - Bill made the unfortunate mistake of catching me on AIM at JUST the right moment for me to ask him for content! But fortunately for me - and for you - he came through with flying colours and proved once again that nobody knows WCW - or at least, WCW As We Knew It - like Bill and the DDT Digest guys.

I don't know WHY I thought it'd be fun to scour through almost two thousand guest columns and whittle it down, but it turns out it was, even if I did a heck of a lot more skimming than I'd like. The 25 I've picked may not be the best or the funniest...but then again, they may be! All of these columns are special to me, personally, in some way - so if you don't like 'em, well, it's too bad YOU aren't running this site. ;-)

Last but not least, it wouldn't be an anniversary if I weren't going full bore into completely pissing someone off with a pseudo-invasion (hey, there's that word "invasion" - man I almost made it all the way through without it!) of their "privacy." In retrospect, knowing the targets choose themselves makes it even funnier...if you're into that sort of thing. Fortunately for me, I am! If you aren't, well it's down at the bottom so just kinda skip it.

When you're done here, if you would like to add a memory of your own, the ezboard is open 24/7, like it or not!

I also encourage you to share your feelings directly with the people who have put the words on your screen - there is a mailto: link on EVERY page.

Let me say one more time what a thrill it is to have you right here, right now. Two divided by zero - sharing what we love with the space between us getting closer with every new rearrangement of the electrons. Can it get better? YOU BETCHA! STICK AROUND - 2.0 AND COUNTING...