April 5, 2009

Let me supply the missing links for that NYT article about the Althouse + Meade love story.

Here's the whole article. What follows are the bits that could do with links to the various blog posts and comments that are mentioned:
... the March 22 announcement on her blog...

“Does she know the guy?” sniggered Mickey Kaus, the Slate blogger, in a bloggingheads.tv interview....

... Andrew Sullivan (who also snickered at her betrothal last week)...

... about three years ago, when Ms. Althouse and her ex had a blog-spat, Mr. Meade, whose marriage was then unraveling, commented on Mr. Cohen’s behalf...

In a January post, Ms. Althouse listed lessons from Clint Eastwood’s film “Gran Torino.”...

The next morning, she posted a harsh review of “The Wrestler,” but didn’t mention the date itself....

On Friday, Feb. 13,... the commentariat buzzed with suspicion. “I think the professor has a boyfriend.” Another wrote: “Has anyone seen Meade lately?”

The next morning, Valentine’s Day, Ms. Althouse posted a photograph of the cafe with the caption, “In the Heartland.”...

On Feb. 28, Ms. Althouse posted a photo of a skillet on a stove, with the headline: “You cook breakfast. I’ll blog it.”...

Two weeks ago, Ms. Althouse put up a series of photos. The final was a close-up of her hand, trying on Tiffany sparklers. The commentariat went wild....

92 comments:

Eli Blake said...

I don't think Ann has ever really felt that Meade was being overly critical.

In that post where she announced I posted a link to one of Ann's old posts that included my favorite Meade comment.

In it, he sized up, sized down, and stuffed George W. Bush in a virtual box (far more eloquently than I, a partisan Democrat who has been bashing Bush for years could ever have done.) Stuffed him in a box and gift wrapped it.

And Ann, for whom praising George W. Bush took on something of a hero-worship undertone never did take umbrage at that comment by Meade.

TechBlogger said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TechBlogger said...

So, Meade is going to uproot himself and move 550 miles?

I think we all know who wears the pants in this relationship.

Sissy boy, Meade.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Thanks professor.

I knew I had said "I think the professor has a boyfriend" but I wasn't sure If had been the only one, since they had no link and the comments ran into the hundreds.. I lashed out insted.

I guess its ok to be on that liberal rag ;)

Synova said...

So...

Just how surreal is it, to have an article about you in the NYT?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Wow, Meade took the time and thanked everybody that had posted congratulation that day.

I guess that makes me a happy commoner ;)

Eli Blake said...

MarAkin:

Back a couple of weeks ago (I'm not going hunting for it) there was a question asked about where the newlywed couple will make their home. Someone referred to the basketball game in which Xavier beat Wisconsin.

Professor Althouse called that an 'astute call.'

In any case, Wisconsin = Cincinnati = cold.

When people get to the point where they can afford to live anywhere, they all end up here in the sunbelt anyway. And from Florida to California we are all here to greet them when they figure it out.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Hehehe

Althouse said obscurantism ;)

blake said...

Who are these people who set up fake blogs and IDs just to drop a load here? How dismal must life be for that to be fulfilling?

Eli said And Ann, for whom praising George W. Bush took on something of a hero-worship undertone...

That has to be one of the weirdest things I've ever read here.

ricpic said...

Although it's never pleasant to be the object of sniggers
The question is: on what basis were the sniggers triggered?
Could it have been the green eyed monster?
My guess is yes. Don't get angry...or even even.
Pity the love deprived blogsters.

Anonymous said...

I think Meade is very cute. You go girl.

Sincerely - Dody Jane

Michael Haz said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michael Haz said...

This blog romance - when exactly did they fall in love - has become its own version of Clue.

I suspect Mr. Meade in the theater while watching Mickey Rourke.

save_the_rustbelt said...

Movie of the Week - for sure.

KCFleming said...

"Let me supply the missing links for that NYT article..."

Seriously, it was a very nice article. However, the absence of simple hyperlinks made it abundantly clear why newspapers are fading.

An army of fact-checkers. Someone ought to write a book about that.

Blogs just may be the missing link to their future. Or are newspapers simply a dead end, in evolution terms?

A local Minneapolis paper, the StarTribune recently announced its bankruptcy. It has been a reliably servile Democrat's paper for 30 years; Conservatives call it the "Star and Sickle".

Are the most leftist papers those doing the worst financially? Seems so to me. And notice CNN just fell to 3rd place for the first time. Third. I haven't seen CNN in 4 years, except walking by it at the airport.

Bailout money may keep these DNC propagandists printing a paper that no one reads, but that's what happens when politics rule over markets.

[/rant]

Peter Hoh said...

An ABC After Blog Special.

traditionalguy said...

The Blogger Princess movie should be a romantic tour de force. The casting will not be easy. Who could play tha Princess of Madison Law School except the Professor herself? Dolly Parton may be too old. In Meade's case the old Walther Matthau movie "Charley Varrick" comes to mind. But who could play such a role today? I guess we are left with Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts. Where have all the great ones gone? Gone to lovers everyone.

MadisonMan said...

It's a very interesting article, but as Pogo notes, a little odd without the links. It's odd to see something written as news that is really old news to me.

Who will write the screenplay? Glenn Close as althouse, but who should play Meade? Tom Skerritt?

Pastafarian said...

traditionalguy -- Tom Cruise? Really? Only Tom Cruise could ruin movies like Valkyrie and War of the Worlds.

How about Billy Bob Thornton and Meryl Streep? I'd pay $7 to see that.

ricpic said...

Are the most leftist papers doing the worst financially?

The answer is yes. But will they change their coverage - not to conservative, merely to straight middle of the road reporting - to survive? The answer is no.
Which leads to one and only one conclusion. If sticking to leftism trumps survival we are talking religion here.

J. Cricket said...

So much for that Carl Dean thing. I guess that lasted about a minute.

So, Larry, did Ann tell you that Dolly has an open marriage? She does.

rhhardin said...

On leftist media: leftism is a business strategy. There's an audience that isn't huge but isn't small, that you can hold easily just by supplying daily pap.

There's lots of daily pap because you can create it deploring wise choices, the wisdom being in foreseeing perverse side effects.

Either that big-but-not-huge audience is enough to support the paper or it isn't. If it isn't, no business strategy will work, because nobody wants actual daily hard news. Think city council meetings.

I identify the audience with soap opera women. It's not leftism in any case that's the root of the problem, but audience and paying the bills.

KCFleming said...

Is there really no paying audience for hard news?

If so, why?

Hard news certainly sold papers in the 50s and 60s.
Are we the people simply stupid or shallow compared to generations past?

Or was it merely that we had become increasingly comfortable, even decadent, in our lives, and chose to focus on trivia and gossip because city council meetings and the federal fol-de-rol seemed to figure only as a mere backdrops to out lives?

If true, perhaps the economic slide will awaken those who now need boring facts to survive.

It is said that one's pending execution has a way of focusing attention and sharpening the senses.

AmPowerBlog said...

"It's a very interesting article, but as Pogo notes, a little odd without the links."

They're lazy at NYT!

But Ann's a thorough blogger!

ricpic said...

Between his soap opera theory of everything and the combined wisdom of dogs and chickens rh pretty much covers the waterfront. With Trooper gone to the monastery there's no one left to say it but me. You're welcome.

Saskia said...

Congratulations, Ann! The NYT article was the first I'd heard of your engagement. I used to read your blog a few years ago, but stopped because of the tone of comments was so often uncivil and clubby. It's delightful that you were able to find love in such a place! Best wishes.

Mom101 said...

After weeks spent reading posts about blog trolls and nasty anonymous commenters, this is a most welcome change. I have met great friends through my blog, and even my business partner. Hell, why not a husband?

Never been here before but read the Times piece and wanted to wish you two the very best. Whoo for love!

PsychoPoet said...

Congratulations Althouse and Meade! I've been meaning to get over here since I watched your conversation with Bob Wright. I found it very illuminating and inspiring. As a man who hasn't had much luck with ladies, it keeps hope alive. Thanks!

David said...

The only person who can play Meade in the movie is Billy Bob Thornton. Dead Ringer.

I haven't finished the casting for Althouse. But Ellen Barkin is the leader in the clubhouse. Woof, woof, woof, Ellen Barkin. (Barking for Barkin.)

Terry Kresge said...

Many congratulations to you both. There's no such thing as a "time frame"; when it's right, just do it!
Maybe I missed something; where's Trooper?
And ALL newspapers are slowly dying.....

Anonymous said...

Who would play Althouse? Julianne Moore. This is old news here.

Meade: Hmmmm. Harrison Ford.

And Diablo Cody must write the screenplay.

Unknown said...

Wow, I missed all the clues that there was a budding love affair. "I am extremely disappointed in myself"* as a commenter.

*I always liked that Caroline Kennedy line for its pretzel logic.

jarhead said...

A dismal attempt at anonymity, not that anyone really cares....

gefillmore said...

Ann-

I have no idea where you are with the tai chi, but may I suggest the rex-kwon-do studio for karate-

The Dude said...

Now that is some funny stuff right there - Michael admits he hasn't had much "luck" with the "ladies".

Insert profanity-filled snark here.

Follow that with comments about his appearance.

Now add some filthy remarks about where and how he lives.

Top it off with a comment about what a drooling left wing douchebag he is.

D'oh - failed to go meta on that last one...

Randy said...

fcai: It's a different Michael. Nice way to welcome a new commenter. /sarcasm

PsychoPoet said...

@fcai Heh

@Randy Thanks

RR Ryan said...

Meade is a total babe. Again, congratulations.

Dick said...

Ann,
I met my wife Kelly through our blogs about three years ago.
It was greatness then, still is, and will always be.
Congratulations!

Dick
http://www.bigdicksplace.com/

Anonymous said...

Ann, congratulations to you and Meade. I think it's fantastic. Wishing both of you much happiness.

XWL said...

I knew this relationship was going to end up in the New York Times (but I thought it would rate a feature in the Magazine, so I was off on that slightly), now we're just waiting for Ira Glass to get off his duff and produce a little piece for "This American Life")

XWL said...

Also, when are news websites going to get the linking thing right? If you reference a series of posts, then link the damn things on your website, surely the author had to do that while composing the piece, so why not just include the links with the article on the web version?

Unknown said...

You gotta smack those guys (MK+AS) down. It's pretty easy, 'cause A's a pervert, and mk's just a f****n' pervert.

Registering To Comment With Blogger Sucks said...

Actually, it was quite nice that the article was not clogged up with a bunch of blue underlined type. The presence of hyperlinks alters, even subtly, the way we process the prose.

More than anything, the lack of links made the story feel less ephemeral, more solid, more timeless and "important," somehow.

Moose said...

I love the oblique swip sully takes at this in his enry "Two Months Salary" regarding the "wedding industrial complex". Not being able to leave well enough alone, he attacks the concept of engagement.

Me personally I feel the concept of bribing your potential mate with an expensive gift is a grand idea, as long as it goes both ways.

Sully stews on...

tree hugging sister said...

I thought it was a lovely story.

All the Swilling's best to the two of you.

The Dude said...

@Randy - let me begin my response with a boilerplate anatomical impossibility here, followed by obscenity-laced tirade, capped off with a "whatevah!"

Dude could modify his handle so as to prevent such confusion in the future. Or he can change his handle to Maxine or Amanda - they are as beloved as Michael.

srfwotb said...

I've told several people who don't read the blog and have no idea who any of the players are about this love story and the guys have universally expressed concern (i.e. who is this guy?) while the women get melty. I've been quite surprised by this since everything has already worked out etc. I think it might be part male watchdog, protective quality rather than always snarkiness.

I've got pretty good good guy/bad guy radar, but the (proven good, smart, evolved etc) guys I know seem to be of the opinion that there are bad guys out there and you can't tell who they are.

I'm not writing this as a swipe at Meade, obviously, but it might explain, say, the Kaus reaction.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Pssst hey, I think that was the professor's ex @ 2:32

shhh ;)

Maxine Weiss said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
blake said...

Wow, Maxine.

It's hard to imagine where to start with all the wrongness there.

But howzabout with the actual picture shown in the Times?

Maxine Weiss said...

" a garden designer and caretaker for a Cincinnati estate. "

Anonymous said...

It's time for Ann to change the masthead of her blog. The "wanting" is now over.

Ernesto Ariel Suárez said...

Although I don't think I commented on any of those threads, I am happy to have read them, and witnessed them. It's always nice to be part of magic in the making. :)

knox said...

Wow! That NYT article is something else. I haven't been able to spend much time at the computer lately and am just now catching up. I am shocked that my comment of yore ended up being at all significant.

Kudos to Meade for unveiling himself. He pretty much looks just like I imagined. I'd say both of you have scored!

Maxine Weiss said...

"So, Meade is going to uproot himself and move 550 miles? "

Of course. By doing that he gains leverage in the divorce, and will have no problem thwarting any prenup.

Wisconson is overwhelmingly a heavily community property state, and especially in the above scenario. Scary if you're one of the adult children.

For the rest of us, this divorce promises to be great fun !

Love,
Maxine

blake said...

Hey, knox!

Where ya been!?!

knox said...

Hi Blake!

I just got done catching up on The Bit Maelstrom!!

I have also been occupied the last couple weeks with my family's move from Knoxville to Ohio. We are living at my parents' house for the next 2 weeks until our house up here is ready. (We all get along pretty well, so it's not as bad as it sounds.) With everything going on, I have hardly had time to keep up with my freelance work, so commenting and keeping up with all my blogs has fallen to the wayside.

Needless to say, I can't wait to get settled in and to stop living in limbo!

1775OGG said...

So, when do we, your loyal (Sometimes?) commentors get the rest of the story?

Enjoy and remember, keep the peace and never go to bed angry! Exceptions allowed!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Everytime Im hesitant to say something, I'm going to think of Maxine.

There is nothing I could say that would not pale in comparison to her comments, constantly testing the boundaries.

Maxine is a cushion, a bitter clinger and for that I'm grateful ;)

former law student said...

Dick said...

I met my wife Kelly through our blogs about three years ago.

http://www.bigdicksplace.com/


It pays to advertise, I guess

[/crass Fifth grade humor]

dick said...

I would choose Ellen Barkin and Dennis Quaid. Remember the two of them in The Big Easy? Sparks galore. Think that would work very well.

kentuckyliz said...

Reese Witherspoon -
we're already accustomed to thinking of her as a lawyer, or law clerk, or law student, in the law school setting - Legally Blonde.

Mel Gibson.
Just because I absolutely swoon...thud over that man. Even before he showed us his beeyootiful bootay.

JAL said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Randy said...

@ knox:

Are you on twitter?

Ralph L said...

Meade said...
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.

7:27 AM
Ann Althouse said...
Lmeade:

"You know nothing of the matter. That is all to be forgot. Perhaps I did not always love him so well as I do now. But in such cases as these, a good memory is unpardonable."
Note she was already using the familiar "Lmeade."

JAL said...

JAL said...
Yeah, Mel, Dennis, -- maybe Harrison, except he really pissed me off with that whole Calista Flockhart (or whoever the chickee was) thing he did.

The professor? Mmmm... little harder. Meryl?

Is this going to be made for TV HBO?

You know -- "You've Got Mail" updated for the boomers, without the she-hates-me drama. Instead of extras, they will have an Army of Commenters. Freeman and Knox get to play themselves, Trooper gets to put in his 2 cents ... Lem gets to participate (clever dot connector that he was). And I guess Simon gets to keep working.

And it will be shot with prolific use of a fish eye lense. And the color purple.

Peter Hoh said...

Moose, I think it's a stretch to believe that Sullivan's "Two Months Salary" was in any way a swipe at Althouse.

And I think it is entirely fair to poke holes in the notion that one is obliged to spend (or borrow) a significant sum on an engagement ring.

IgnatzEsq said...

Since I haven't said it yet, congrats on the engagement and best wishes to you both.

The real question is how to blog one's own wedding ceremony...

JAL said...

matthew -- no "wedding ceremony."

Just getting married.

Which means there is no drunk blogging it, either.

Maxine Weiss said...

Wow, today must be the day for dangling modifiers, split-infinitives, and poor verb conjugation.

As usual, I'm going to assume the commenters with the hideously bad grammar are non-white.

Love,
Maxine

Chip Ahoy said...

How rude. ^^^

Wanna hear something a little bit funny? OK, goes like this: My thumb nail tore beyond what's comfortable. If it tore further I'd be in real pain. Karen told me to keep it in place with super glue and that sounded like a great idea to me. I was sure I had super glue in my little glue drawer but couldn't find any. But I did have ... wait for it ... Liquid Nails.

Apt, in'nit?

Meade said...

Chip: ha ha ha ha ha... ha ha...!

knox: Welcome back home to Ohio! Moving from Knoxville, will you now change your name from knox to Oh? If you're here in Cincinnati, you could be Cin!

Nah! We'll always love you as just plain "knox."

And some of us know and appreciate the significance of your commenting even without reading it in the Paper of Record.

Thanks again to everyone who offered congratulations and well wishes, and to Andrew Sullivan who I hope will soon decide to display a decent amount of graciousness and warmth toward our Althouse - my beautiful bloggerly bride.

save_the_rustbelt said...

Knox:

Welcome to Ohio!

Maxine Weiss said...

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid271557392?bctid=18328570001

-------------

Kev said...

knox: Welcome back home to Ohio! Moving from Knoxville, will you now change your name from knox to Oh?

Aww, Meade, you beat me to the punch! I was going to say the exact same thing...

(And I love that "beautiful bloggerly bride" line. Now say that ten times fast, LOL.)

amba said...

Cyndy Lauper as Althouse.

amba said...

Billy Bob THornton -- good choice! He even managed to be hot in "Monsters' Ball"

amba said...

No no, I take it back, David's right: Ellen Barkin. She's still sexy in an emerita kind of way -- does anyone remember "The Big Easy" and "Sea of Love"?

amba said...

Hmmmmm . . . "The Big Easy" . . . Dennis QUaid

blake said...

Just a shout out for Ellen Barkin, who was plenty sexy at 53 in Ocean's Thirteen.

amba said...

there are bad guys out there and you can't tell who they are.

Yeah, you can. Or if you can't tell the bad guys, you CAN tell the good guys.

There's this thing like body language, or eye contact, but with words.

amba said...

Didn't know Dick had beat me to Dennis Quaid!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

And some of us know and appreciate the significance of your commenting even without reading it in the Paper of Record.

Paper of Record? I dont know Mead.
With a record like Jayson Blair... you must be talking about another paper ;)

Frodo Potter said...

Good call on the Ellen Barkin - Billy Bob Thornton casting. But I just couldn’t resist asking: who will play Sully? How about Paul Giamatti? Any other suggestions?

knox said...

Hi Randy! I am not on twitter, friend. All that shooting stuff back and forth makes me nervous.

Thanks, Rustbelt!

Meade, I am in Tipp City, about 20 min. north of Dayton. But I will stay knox, thank you! ; )


Has there ever been a better time to be part of this group?!! 2009 is going to be great.

dick said...

Knox,

Tipp City is a really nice town. Love it there. Best of the small town and yet you are close to 3 big cities.

Kurt said...

I agree with Synova--neat article.

Now let's hope that my use of the word "neat" doesn't inspire anyone to make that gagging motion with an index finger.

knox said...

dick, it really does seem almost perfect. And we are buying a really cool tri-level Brady Bunch house.

Shanna said...

That was a nice article. It is so strange to being reading this article…it’s like hearing the other side of a conversation where it finally makes sense. I remember vaguely thinking Althouse was doing a lot random traveling (I can’t see the pictures at work, so I don’t pay a lot of attention to those). Anyway, now it all makes sense. Cute!!!

Meade said...

The next morning, she posted a harsh review of “The Wrestler,” but didn’t mention the date itself....

blake said...

And, in video form.