So, JournalCon. As you've surely already read seveteen times by now, there is no way to remember everyone and everything and if I fail to mention you, it's my own failing and not that you weren't totally charming and friendly and hilarious. And pretty.
We arrived Friday afternoon, a bit later than expected, because I went to buy cat food and it took more than an hour (I broke the register at check-out. I don't know...) MarigoldMind immediately recognized us checking into the hotel and was just as friendly as could be. It was a very good start, being greeted by name before even getting to check-in.
We got all checked in by Mo Pie and Pratt, and Steady and Pratt finally got to speak to one another after so many months of hearing from me about the other. We headed out to smoke and chatted with the crowd out there for a minute before heading back up to the room.
We headed down to dinner. I had a nice conversation with Jecca and Meg and MarigoldMind, and then it was off to dinner with us.
I immediately gravitated to the one person besides my boyfriend who I knew, Pratt. And so I was introduced to Carrie. Pratt's been talking about this girl as a font of wonderful and "the other person" who helped with his early journalling adventures since, well, I met him. She's totally as cool as he insisted she'd be. Also at the table was Mary who is actually the same age as my mom and every bit as cool as my mom (that's a high compliment. My mom is so much cooler than I'll ever be.)
Later, PoolaGirl and her houseguests joined us. What PoolaGirl didn't know during the incessant and gregarious babbling from me that she found so hilarious was that I was so nervous I actually dug a fingernail into my thumb past the point at which it was bleeding profusely under the table.
chaosdaily was really polite and seemed so genuinely interested in everyone at the table, asking us all lots of questions and listening really intently at every answer.
I will say that at JournalCon, one thing that most of the people (absolutely including myself) are is sort-of self-obsessed and there are times when everyone is chiming in with their "me too!" and their stories and rather than a conversation, you're more having story-sharing time, and seriously, these people are elegant storytellers, I mean, most of them practice on a near-daily basis, but it was really a nice change of pace to have someone just ask questions of everyone and then listen intently to the answers.
art was also at our table, and it seems that everyone has already seen what he had to say about the experience, and I left him a comment apologizing for seeming rude, that it was not my intention, blahblahblah. It seems that he's now deleted it and so whatever. At the panel on popularity, there was a mention that a good way to get readers is to start a big controversy and that must've been the moment he was awake for. I was at that table and it was not what he said it was.
So, after dinner, Steady went to the room, and I toddled off with a group of folks to a bar. I think while we were leaving, Mare and I had a whole conversation about how no one shortens my name to "Mare" and why that would be weird since I am from Kentucky where there are so many horses. I'm not sure I made any sense and it took a really whole lot of words to answer a simple question and in hindsight, I might ought to have stopped drinking at that point.
I talked with dichroic and I had a nice chat. She rows on the lake right near our apartment; where Steady has been taking Learn to Row. And she was really nice about it when I asked if she was also taking it (she's a competitive rower who I believe has actually coached that class.)
Also in attendance were LA, Meg, Pratt, Arianne, purplefishy, and Minarae. Pratt bought us all sparkly flowers on the way back to the hotel, where we headed to the sports bar. I opted at that point to stop drinking... I had a short conversation with TranceJen and various other folks who were outside smoking. It all gets a little blurry here. I remember seeing Beth, wanting to go inside and introduce myself and then concluding that I was not nearly sober enough not to make an ass of myself.
Saturday morning, I woke up at eight without an alarm clock or a hangover. I had a nice breakfast of goldfish crackers and Coca-Cola and Steady and I laid in the big bed watching some Superman movie. Twice there was a knock on the door and I ran to answer it while Steady yelled "Stop! You're not wearing any pants!" After that time that I accidentally took out the trash in my bra and underwear (the chute is just down the hall and no one saw me), I don't doubt that he feels compelled to remind me. It was just housekeeping and I didn't open the door.
I missed the welcome session and the first panel. When I got downstairs, everyone was in the panel and I didn't want to walk in by myself so instead I went outside and smoked while trying to find someone to talk to on the phone so I would look like I was out there by myself on purpose. I'm so neurotic.
Anyway, the invited readings were really good. And then it was time for lunch with Pratt and Carrie and Mary. Pratt's already mentioned how entertaining that was. The afternoon panel about being popular was delightful.
And then it was time for Pratt and me to FINALLY play a game of Scrabble in person. I forgot my Scrabble board; I realized I forgot somewhere around the CA border. Steady ran right out after we'd checked in and bought another one. So, now I have Deluxe Scrabble and Super Scrabble.
So, now Pratt knows that I do NOT cheat and handing his ass to him in Scrabble is something that I just do on my own.
Steady and I had dinner at a nice Thai place and then I got us misplaced on the way back. We hung out in the room some more before heading down to Karaoke. I got money from the ATM in the lobby for the cash bar, put it in my pocket and then immediately put on a skirt. Without removing the cash from my pocket. So, I walked up to the bar, ordered us drinks and then spent for-fucking-ever looking for my cash before Steady saved my ass by having some handy.
It wasn't the easiest room to be social in, but it was really fun to watch. I did not sing, and for that everyone is grateful. It's not even that I can't sing; I also wouldn't put on a great show. Really, outside with the smokers was a much easier time for chatting and what-not. And so that is what we did. And then Steady went upstairs and I ended up having a real long talk with DebSiobhan about Catholicism and stuff.
Karaoke was over and I headed off with a group of folks including Science Girl, Mr. ScienceGirl, Mo Pie, Chauffi, Meg, TranceJen, Arianne and Pratt (I believe I dragged those two bodily away from the hotel and to the bar). Mr. SG and I actually do similar things and we talked shop over the loud, loud music for awhile. Eventually, when the table was pretty empty the bar closed and off we went.
I think someone paid for the drinks. I'm not sure. I threw a twenty on the table for just in case... Anyway, if you bought my drinks Saturday night, um, thanks! I left a great tip!
ScienceGirl, Mr SG, TranceJen, someone else, and I decided to go in search of carbs for the morning. A word about poor "someone else"... It seems I am such an asshole, y'all. Because as we were standing outside the hotel, I turned to her and said "I don't think we've met" and, well, actually we had. And then she reintroduced herself, even telling me which page she writes, and it was Cruel Irony and when I went up to the room, I started to leave her a long, drunken, rambling apology comment, but then I thought better of it, and so now I'm gonna say I'm sorry. I honestly do not remember meeting you before that moment...
And then after some near orgasms in the pastry section of Ralph's it was off to bed with me. Sunday morning, I missed the first panel, I think I slept through it, but I made it to the open readings... everyone made great choices and read well and they were good...
After that, without really properly saying goodbye to anyone, I ran back upstairs, packed and was out of the hotel in less than twenty minutes. It was an amazingly drunk, social weekend. Having written this, I feel like I must have linked to every person who ever wrote anything on the internet... but I'm sure I've forgotten someone...
