I posted a bulletin about this a while back ago, but I never fully explained it, so I'll use one of these 30 daily blogs to do it.

I browse the forums on themeparkreview.com occasionally just to keep up with the goings-on in the roller coaster industry/community and converse with people who don't think I'm entirely crazy. (It's that last one that really keeps me coming back day after day.) But my shyness isn't limited to real life, so even with the anonymity of the internet (if that's even possible) I'm mostly a lurker on the site, and I only pipe up when I am suddenly and spontaneously overcome with inspiration to add in my 2 cents.

Luckily, inspiration struck at just the right time when I opened my mouth around page 13 of the 2008 Hersheypark Attraction Speculation Thread.

I'll spare you the numerous details and just sum it up for you by pointing you here where you can read about the viral marketing campaign I inadvertently found myself a part of. It's a Wiki about Hershey's new roller coaster (Fahrenheit), and it discusses the elaborate virtual "treasure hunt" of sorts that led me to be one of eleven people across the US to win a spot on the ride's inaugural circuit on opening day. By the way, I'm mentioned in the Wiki! You see that person known as natatomic? Yep, that's me! And I didn't even have to write myself in there! Someone did it for me! I love exclamation points! Go Planet!

Also, I was interviewed a few days ago by IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions), as were a few of the other winners I believe, and I should have a short quote or two in their Dec/Jan issue of their magazine. It may not be Time or the Wall Street Journal, but it's my little 15 minutes of fame. Though when I say "fame" I mean "being known by an extra 5 or 6 three-hundred-pound men* who get turned on by words like 'cobra roll' and 'POV' and 'all-you-can-eat buffet'." But it's still my 15 minutes, so I'm going to enjoy it.

*You could say I'm a rare specimen in the roller coaster community.