[patio11]

As long as we're on the love boat: I've met at least three good friends here. Y'all have collectively pushed my career in a quite different direction than it was probably on when I started. I think I'd probably have ended up quitting ye olde day job and putting the BCC phase of my life in the "That was fun and I learned a lot, but time to get serious, what is next?" bucket. Then I would have done what everyone other than the Internet always suggested I do: get a job at a megacorp. I think I literally know the exact office I'd be working at in Tokyo. It is a nice office, and a nice megacorp, but it is still a megacorp.

I'd probably be a lot less happy doing that, because my current gig is pretty much everything I could ask for in a job. More importantly, the most consequential thing to ever happen to me was meeting my future wife. It is likely that I would have been in a soul-deadening crunch in Tokyo rather than at the BBQ where that happened.

So, thanks.

[thestoicjester]

I feel like we're past due for somebody to come in here and complain about there being too much meta-discussion of HN these days.

[sneak]

I think you just did. Careful, don't look directly at the aperture!

[btilly]

Funny how that works. There are no shortage of people who would like to talk to you. Heck, if you're ever in the Los Angeles area, drop me a line. I'm [e-mail].

For me the best moment was when I met pg at SXSW in 2010, said my name, and he knew who I was. I've been reading his stuff since before Hacker News existed, so that was a thrill.

[hv23]

Grubwithus is hosting a dinner/meetup later this month in LA for HN'ers to get together offline- you should come! https://www.grubwithus.com/meals/hacker-news-956e459396fe

(disclosure: I work @ GWU)

[btilly]

It depends on my wife's schedule. I'm responsible for children, and so generally can't commit to anything in the evening. (As a medical resident, her life is crazy.)

[zio99]

It would be interesting then to do a Hacker News meetup, at least in Toronto, and we can reminisce on the recent HN front page articles. How great would that be? Thanks for the inspiration patio11. +1. Any one here from Toronto?

[patio11]

The Tokyo meetups -- which take me about 3 hours to get to -- generally are some of the most fun I have all month. I strongly recommend starting something like that for your area if there isn't anything -- meeting people in the flesh is very worthwhile, too.

[tlear]

I was visiting Tokyo last February and ended up coming to the meetup, was a ton of fun! Really interesting mix of people

[zio99]

Actually, there's Hackernest: http://www.meetup.com/hackernest/ in Toronto on Monday, August 27, 2012 (8 pm EST). I'll be there promoting my book: Ice Cream Startups http://sellfy.com/p/9j2z The event's free, and if there's anyone in Toronto in the startup scene, esp. if you tried applying to YC S12 like I did this summer: (http://startupframework.tumblr.com/post/29634915106/what-i-l...) I'd be interested in hooking up.

[zacharycohn]

I run the monthly Seattle Meetups. If you want to chat about what I've learned in the past year running them, shoot me an email (in my profile).

[zio99]

Thanks Zach, will email you this afternoon, or in case I forget aaron [at] brownieinmotion [dot] ca. We def should connect.

[raganwald]

Nope, nobody from Toronto.

(Written at Coxwell & Queen) ;-)

[allardschip]

Toronto as well. Couple of blocks north!

[jfb]

I'd be down, once my work permit comes through.