Introductory Email

N.B. This is the e-mail I sent out introducing the blog. If you got that e-mail, you've read this. -Matt

Hi, all--
First off, as always, sorry for the mass e-mail. You are getting this e-mail either because you were on my South America trip e-mails, or because you were unceremoniously and foolishly left off that list, and I've since learned from my heathen ways. You are also getting this e-mail under the assumption that you have some moderate interest in whether or not I'm presently in a federal penitentiary. If that is not true, feel free to delete this e-mail and return to the epic game of Solitaire you were doubtless playing.

Still here? As many of you know, I can be stubbornly iconoclastic when it games to modern means of staying in touch. I hate Facebook with the irrational fire of a thousand suns, and have sworn off the IM crack. That being said, I wanted to give people a way to keep tabs on me, an have a way to keep in at least relative touch with all of you. My South America e-mails became rather....unwieldy....both to write and I'm sure to read given my tendency to blather so I'm moving to another format. That's right, I'm entering the world of the blogosphere. I'm going to try and post something every day....some days it may just be a random quote or amusing anecdote, other days might get full-fledged Ratner prattle. I'm basically going to play it by ear and see what works. Some important things to know about the blog: much like the trip e-mails, it is serving as a way of forcing me to chronicle my experiences. This means that it won't be nice, pretty and sanitized. (Three words I tend to associate with myself...right after sarcastic.) Your opinion of me will doubtless plummet if you read the blog, so do so at your own peril. Also, if you are reading it, e-mail me and let me know. I actually like the vast majority of you (except that damn Tony Senagore kid...) and am doing this in large part to keep in touch with you. Along those lines:

If you are a recent college grad and switching from your college e-mail, let me know

If you have recently left the world of the living and will not be receiving e-mail in the Nether world, let me know

For those of you who don't know, I decided after graduation that I was just a bit too fried to pick up and move to Argentina, although its still something I would love to do at some point. With the encouragement of my parents, I decided that all of my internal pressure to figure out what to do with my life was bullshit and it would be far better to just start living it. I had been a halfway decent skier about 6" and 100 lbs ago and had always wanted to to cement that skill. I had also taken a bartending course that I really enjoyed about a year ago. Combine the two, and a plan was born. I ate a flan to finalize the plan, and then in August went out to Colorado interviewing for bartending jobs in the Vail Valley. I'm still not quite sure how, but I got one at the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek, and moved out to lovely Edwards, CO about 10 days ago. I've been living an Orwellian nightmare of Hyatt brainwashing since then, but am about to emerge (relatively) unscathed. We had our first big snow the other night, and its absolutely beautiful here. Also, for what its worth, I had to take a two bedroom apartment and have both a very comfortable AeroBed and fold-out couch. More on the new digs and job later, but I think you brave souls have soldiered on long enough.

Most importantly, the blog can be reached and bookmarked at The Rotten Nectarine Yep, I made you read the whole e-mail just to get the link. What a schmuck!

I hope everyone is doing well---do let me know how life is treating you.

All the best,
Matt