My Dearest Internet,
The holiday season is a time to remember loved ones, reflect on successes of the past and prepare for the challenges of the future. On the winter solstice I was at White Orchid dedicating 108 Sun Salutations (although I admittedly only made it through 99) and 108 Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha chants to the well-being of myself, loved ones, my community and the world. It occurs to me I forgot to dedicate a set to the most important being in my life: you.
I remember when we first met in Jr High. It took time to connect, but once we did, I was in love. Whenever I had a bad day at school, you were there to listen. When there was something missing in my life, you helped me find it. We tied up my parents' phone line all night exploring life together and discussing our beliefs. Those days will always make me smile.
High school was pretty difficult. I learned about love, sex, drugs and alcohol; albeit not in that order. You were always there for me though. Remember when we started bootlegging? Napster didn't exist in those days, but we had our ways of getting movie VCD's, and video game ROM's. I'd feed you every song and book I owned in exchange for contacts in Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand who'd send me movies often before they were even released in theaters. I'd burn copies and trade them for marijuana, pills and whatever else I could get my hands on (or whoever else's hands I could get on me). Those were good times...
College was when things really started to speed up. My freshman year was when you blessed me with Myspace and Napster. My classmate and I spent our weeknights with our laptops plugged into the university T3 line so we could connect as much as possible. You shared with me your love of music, while I explored every square inch of you. Everything else in life seemed to fade away. All I could focus on was you. Remember when we convinced Greg I was his ex in that chat room? Haha, the videos we uploaded of Aaron getting his foot set on fire and Fred and Nate dancing were classic. Anytime I needed something to distract me from the mundane world around me, you always found a way to make me smile.
As we got older, things changed. More and more people fell in love with you. I was busy with my career and a serious relationship. We didn't have as much time for each other, and for a period we drifted apart. It wasn't until I lost my job that I realized how much I missed you. I had to reconnect. When I saw you again, it was all I could do to keep my jaw off the floor. Distance made you beautiful. You had a confidence you didn't have before, whereas I lost all of mine at the hands of the bank. Despite our differences in the past, you were there for me once again. You took me in with open arms when I had nobody left to turn to. It's funny how at our most desperate moments, we reach for comfort in the most random places.
My New Year's Resolution is to always have your back...
I'll never let anyone control you. I'll never let anyone hold you back. I will fight your enemies with the same brutal precision I fight my own. I will never allow someone to be denied their right to access you in any way they choose. And I will protect you with my last tear, my last drop of blood and my last breath...
I love you, my dearest Internet. I love you with all my heart and soul...
Sincerely,
Brian Penny
Brian Penny is a former business analyst at Bank of America turned whistleblower who spent the last two years helping regulators and attorneys uncover the largest bank and insurance fraud in history. He documents his experiences working with Anonymous and fighting the banks on his blog . He's currently in the Tampa Bay area preparing to live in a van and training to be a yogi under Ally Ford .