I won’t miss it this year, not on your life. My blog was only two months old last year when TotC: 2007 went down and it was a downright tortuous (and mildly OCD)¹ experience whereby I found myself checking my RSS feed far too frequently, watching my billable hours drop like a rock on behalf of seeing Paul’s, Rick’s, Darcy’s, and many notable others’ sites updated with pictures of swag, events, and general awesomeness of which I couldn’t take part. So, instead I grimly posted my heart out about glassware and vodka. Yes, folks, it was that bad…

But not this year, the hotel reservations are made² , the Prius is gassed up (or as gassed up as it’s going to get) and the wife and I are preparing our wardrobes for a long hot time in New Orleans, a city I’ve not yet been to but am anxiously looking forward to experiencing.

And, as part of this journey, Paul Clarke has been foolish kind enough to ask my involvement on the first TotC shared blog experiment. This is what Paul has to say about the entity he’s wrought:

In the months to come, these bloggers will use this site to preview some of the many sessions and events that will take place in New Orleans this summer. In addition, guest bloggers will use this space to give a glimpse of the sessions, dinners and parties they have planned. In July, these bloggers will convene in New Orleans to enjoy all that Tales of the Cocktail has to offer. In between Sazeracs, they’ll document many of their experiences on this site for the enjoyment of everyone who likes a good drink. And this site isn’t just for regular bloggers: Tales veterans and participants are invited to share their own thoughts and experiences related to this remarkable event.

I am among great and humbling company and am terribly excited about taking this on, though I have a feeling my asking quasi-professional questions about editorial standards and style guides may earn me a quiet, and hopefully gentle, mocking should I persist. Please keep an eye on talesblog.com and keep informed via the previews for the TotC: 2008 events and experience all of the drunken kindly smiles as I get to meet these wonderful people and share a fantastic time. I may be starstruck for the first time in my life.

Cheers, y’all.

1. please don’t write me on how OCD is a crippling and debilitating disease and I really shouldn’t poke any sort of fun at anything ever and how I’m a soulless cynical bastard-it’s a fucking cocktail website people [↩]
2. shout out to Steve “Show me how you make a Richmond Gimlet again…” Rh**** for that one, my eternal thanks buddy, half the swag is yours, I promise [↩]