Well, as Genghis said a couple of weeks ago CTLP is in transition. Part of that transition is that I’m moving to Boston to take a job at Act Blue as their Netroots Coordinator. It’s a bittersweet move. I’m excited about the new job, but sad to leave Connecticut. And I’m even more sad to be leaving the front page of CTLP.
Blogging at CTLP has been a life-changing experience for me. I signed onto the front page thinking that I’d write a couple of posts a week. But as you all know I got a bit more into it than that. I’m very proud of what CTLP has become and the small role I played in the site’s evolution.
Thanks so much Genghis, for bringing me on, supporting all of my crazy political whims, and being such a great friend. Gabe: there is no one I’d rather crash a party with, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend, co-blogger, or pub quiz partner. D_R: thank you for being my friend, sounding board, and devil’s advocate so often. Headless: you scare me sometimes but I admire your guts. To our dedicated community of commenters, I’m going to miss being part of the back and forth. I know of no other blog where political junkies of all persuasions come together the way CTLP does. It’s a unique community and I’m proud to be a part of it.
In addition to CTLP I’ve made many wonderful friends through the CT blogging community. Thanks to Branford Boy, CTBlogger, MBH and everyone over at MLN for always making a “nonpartisan” blogger feel welcome. Maura: you are my hero and I wish I could be more like you. CT Bob you are a rock star. TrueBlueCT, Spazeboy, and tparty: Chicago was an absolute blast. Let’s do it again next year. Tim Tagaris and Tom Swan: I have learned so much from you both. Thank you for your encouragement, guidance, and mentoring.
CTLP is the only blog I know of that caused someone to be placed on a watch list, was investigated by the FBI, and sued for $100 million dollars. We’ve won a grant, an award and many cheers & jeers from around the state. But I’m most proud of the dialog we’ve opened up here and I hope it continues into 2008, 2010, and beyond.
Cheers,
CGG
aka Melissa Ryan
32 responses so far ↓
Melissa,
I am sorry to see you go. While we are certainly not of the same political stripe, I respect your dedication to your cause, and you will be missed.
Best of luck in your new endeavors!
Good luck. Your posts always enforced the distinct differences between a liberal and a conservative, which is exactly the “job” of a great liberal blogger. I hope you enjoy Boston.
Best of Luck! While your politics are, you know… I’ve gotta like someone who promotes both caffeine and geekdom!
Good Luck!!! ActBlue scored bigtime by hiring you. Go take Boston by storm. I am so glad that we have been able to actually meet.
Well you’ll be all set now.
Boston has a Dunkin on every corner, and a Starbucks on every other!
The place is like heaven I tell ya!
I have no doubt that Connecticut’s devastating loss will be ActBlue’s gain…. not to mention the coffee shops in Cambridge.
(Forget the chains, try this one.)
Best of luck to you! And I’m still here if you need me as a “friend, sounding board, and devil’s advocate”. Especially a devil’s advocate
LOL
CTLP ain’t gonna be the same without CGG. She’s an exemplary blogger, both actively participating in the online discourse and wading through the political muck in real life.
That said, on to the serious business* of this comment. It’s clear that there is only one person woman enough to succeed CGG on the front page at CTLP: Lee Whitnum.
I think she’d bring a more unconventional “liberal” perspective than CGG while maintaining the gender diversity at the front page level on CTLP. So what do you say?
Lee Whitnum for FP?
*by serious business, I mean the opposite
Yeah, Lee Whitnum baby. We need her for “balance”.
CGG, glad you’re moving out and up, but you will be missed. Go Pats!
Spazeboy is right–the place won’t be the same without you. Best of luck.
Best of luck. We’ll all miss you. Hope the folks at ActBlue appreciate what they’re gaining as a result of our loss!
Good luck! And don’t worry, there will be plenty of parties to crash in Boston!
This just off the wires:
(AP) The attempted departure of a Connecticut blogger from the state has sparked a $100 million dollar lawsuit. Melissa Ryan, known to her thousands of online fans as CGG, announced today on the Connecticut Local Politics blog that she would be moving to Boston to begin a job with Act Blue, an organization that specializes in online fundraising for Democratic candidates.
The announcement sparked an outcry from her readers, one of whom, MikeCT, has threatened ActBlue with $100 million class action lawsuit on behalf of readers and Connecticut residents for “pain, suffering, and economic damages.”
“ActBlue has not only crushed the hopes and aspirations of Connecticut’s political observers and participants,” said MikeCT. “They are also threatening massive economic damages to the state.” The plaintiffs point to the massive advertising revenues that Ryan has earned for the Connecticut Local Politics blog.
“Connecticut was just beginning to emerge from a long-term recession in recent years,” said MikeCT. “Melissa’s departure could have a devastating impact on job growth. And taxes generated from the site now make up about 10% of state government revenues. We’re looking at the potential for massive program cuts.”
“My legal team is confident that we can reach an amicable settlement with the plaintiffs,” responded Ryan. “We’ve grown accustomed to this sort of thing on the blog and have established more than enough in our corporate reserves to compensate the Connecticut victims.”
Wow, I’m really going to miss your posts. I love to watch you kick the wasps nest. Best of luck in Boston. I love that city. I had one of the best times ever on the Duck Tour there. Lot’s of great history. Lots of great concerts at the Fleet Center (assuming they still call it that).
Didn’t you just get elected to something in your town recently or am I having a brain cramp?
CGG, I first got to know you as the only other member of this exclusive club of women political bloggers in CT (front-pagers, anyway!) and have since been privileged to call you a friend. I’m going to miss your writing at CTLP, MyDD, and MLN, but most of all I’m going to miss our offline adventures…particularly the daunting task of advancing local pubs to evaluate their suitability for campaign events!
One of your most amazing traits as a role model for other bloggers and political activists (regardless of ideology) is that you exemplify the best in political blogging: you’re NOT an armchair pundit whose political engagement exists only of ranting through your keyboard from the comfort of your basement. You’re a dedicated volunteer, organizer, Democratic Town Committee member, canvasser, fund-raiser, letter-writer, candidate for elected office, and now elected official. You’re the greatest, most prized asset for any campaign or town committee: a GSD Volunteer - that is, someone who Gets Shit Done. That you do so with creativity, enthusiasm, energy, passion, and a great sense of fun only makes your move to Boston more of a loss for us in CT.
I know you’ll do great things with ActBlue and you’ll be helping campaigns all around the country, but we sure will miss you here!
I wish you luck, joy, and great adventures in Boston, and I’m grateful that email, IM, text, and mobile technology mean we’ll probably be in touch as much as ever.
One of the best decisions I ever made about this site was bringing you on board, Melissa. Without your incredible drive, focus and commitment, CTLP would never have become what it is today.
Thank you for pushing me to turn this little site into something better than I ever expected. And thank you for being my friend. I’m really going to miss having you around here. It really isn’t going to be the same without you.
That said, I know you’re going to do great things at ActBlue. Someday I hope we’ll all get to come visit you at your posh D.C. offices, and say we knew you when!
Best of luck. Never forget how amazing you are.
MikeCT
>>This just off the wires:
Superb post.
Melissa,
I’m sad to see you go, but CTLP needs one person living in Boston at all times. I just came back to Connecticut, and there is a real void up there. I’ve really enjoyed fighting with you for the heart and soul of the Democratic party. You’re an outstanding blogger, and you’ll be missed. I hope we see you in the comments, at least. Maybe you can live blog from a Celtics game for us? Or the Super Bowl champion’s parade?
Good luck with everything. ActBlue is really fortunate to have you.
I’m saddened about you taking your leave of us, but I am heartened by the knowledge that we’ll all be seeing you often in the future. And you’ll be doing some great work for ActBlue, which will go a long way towards ensuring good government by helping elect quality candidates.
I only WISH I was half the “rock star” you were always kind enough to call me. But know this for certain:
YOU are the true “rock star”!
All the best to you.
Melissa,
Best of luck in Boston. Your witty, charming and insightful comments will be sorely missed — here and at MLN too. I have a feeling the nickname Beantown will take on new meaning, as the demand for coffee beans jumps in Boston.
Slainte!
You’re in the big leagues now, kiddo. Boston was where we Irish invented retail politics. So just remember, you can accomplish more with a kind word and a shillelagh than you can with just a kind word.
Hugs,
Kelly
Boston is a great fit for you — good luck! As you raise funds for Dems, don’t forget to raise lots of $$$ for our favorite Senator, Joe Lieberman!
I suspect that you’ll visit CTLP as a Commenter, so I’m sure that we’ll all hear from ya.
We have lost a real activist, in the best sense of that word, and an uber blogger. Sorry, no way to create an umlaut here.
I’ve been trying to respond to all of your kind words all day. Hours later I’m still at a loss for words. Thank you so much.
We’ll miss you!
But all is not lost…with my Man living up in Boston, I now have *two* people to visit in the frozen North!
And I second Spazeboy… Lee Whitnum for front-pager! We need someone to express the views of the Pat Robertson wing of the Democratic Party.
This is my very first comment here on CT Local! CGG I am so glad we got to be friends this year, and through all the craziness on the Fairfield DTC and having fun at the pub quiz blograisers for Jim Himes, we definitely had a blast! I wish you weren’t leaving CT, but I wish you the best up in Boston and remember that you are welcome here in Fairfield anytime, the door is always open! Oh yes, I have you to blame for getting “addicted” to blogging….teehee!!!
(at least over on MLN anyway)
You will be missed greatly! Lots of hugs and a never-ending cup of java
(maybe a lifetime pass to Las Vetas?) to you!
Best of luck in your new endeavors, CGG!
There’s not much philosophically that I agree with you on, but I do always welcome the opposing view. Congrats, health and happiness!
BTW Start working on a ticket to Sen. Jack Hart’s St. Paddy’s day breakfast in Southie, it’s the politico event of the year in MA.
Here’s wishing you all the best! It was fun chatting with you (at least for me).
Hey Melissa!
Will miss you!! Had a lot of fun campaigning for RTM with you and standing all day in the pouring rain! I’ll also miss sitting with you at DTC meetings making running commentary on the speakers–one in particular comes to mind. Those darn immigrants!!!!
You are an awesome person and will have a great career in Boston. Someday when I feel I need an IQ boost, I’ll come visit you in Harvard Square. You will LOVE it.
Well that’s yet another Connecticut citizen who has seen the light.
I have been thinking of setting up a blog/ website called “formerlyofConnecticut.com”.
That way all of us who have abandoned Connecticut’s high cost of living, higher taxes and general lack of opportunity for greener pastures can keep in touch.
Question is, will our former homestate lose two House seats in 2010 or just one again?
To the last person to leave: please turn out the lights.
CGG–
Your insightful and often funny posts will be missed on this site. You are one of those talented people who could diagree without being disagreeable.
best of luck to you in Beantown…
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