I learned of this from Elisson.

Damned shame that Zonker has called it quits, but I’m really not all that surprised, because it appears that Life 101 has significantly cut into his blogging time. It could also be that blogging didn’t seem to be enough fun to be worth the time. In either case, despite my sadness at seeing Thunder and Roses close down, I completely understand.

Typically, bloggers “meet” online and become cyber friends. In rare cases, cyber friends get to meet in the real world (sometimes called, unflatteringly, the “meat world”). For me, it was the other way around with Zonker. I met him for the first time in Helen, Georgia in 2004, where he showed up without knowing a soul, and no one there (including me) had ever read his blog. Within minutes, he was one of the gang.

Since that time, I have been in his company at blogmeets in Jekyll Island, Tennessee (a couple times), Austin, New York City and most recently again in Helen. He manages to be a consummate gentleman and an ass-kicking party animal all at the same time, which is to say that he can seamlessly move from a serious discussion to wearing a mullet wig, fake tattoos or, most recently, devil horns, and it all works. Zonker is the guy who bought the dirndl that Velociman sported to everyone’s side-splitting delight in Helen last year (pic creds to Sam).

As a writer, he is among the best. He could dash off hilarious material, fire off a memorable rant, and occasionally tear someone a new asshole. Good stuff – all of it.

I will miss him in the Blogosphere, but he will remain a good friend in the “meat world,” and that’s a good thing.