(no subject)
Nov. 9th, 2006 10:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oakenguySo last night I kinda botched my social skills roll.
I went to a Nanowrimo write-in at the local ice cream shop, and felt immediately awkward: it was eight people with laptops sitting at a central table with no apparent available seats, which immediately gave me a junior high cafeteria flashback. (Come to think of it, I ate all my school lunches in the band room). I walked right by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
wired_lizard without recognizing her, got even more rattled when I realized I'd done *that*, and then the host of the event who'd totally ignored me (though in fairness, I hadn't said a word to identify myself) somehow picked up on the fact that the woman in line behind me was there for the Nano event and began completely fawning over her, finding her a seat, getting her a pen and a goodie bag, being completely gracious and welcoming. I tried through body language to indicate that I found all this fascinating, fascinating like only *another* Nano newbie would...but did I actually speak up and say the magic "Actually, I'm here for Nano too" words?
No. No, I did not.
And after missing that chance, and then waiting the five minutes for my frappe to be done, going over to the table and *then* speaking up just felt That Much Lamer. Which has no rational basis, I know....but again, junior high flashback. So I wound up skulking into a corner booth, turning up my headphones, and pretending there wasn't a write-in going on at all.
Messed. Up.
It looked like a cool pen, too.
But that was then, and this is a new day. And good things have happened recently too.
There's the political situation, of course;
And there's today's used CD purchases: 'The B-52s', 'Mandy Patinkin singing Hammerstein and Sondheim', and 'Brain In a Box: the Science Fiction Collection' from Rhino. All for $10.
I went to a Nanowrimo write-in at the local ice cream shop, and felt immediately awkward: it was eight people with laptops sitting at a central table with no apparent available seats, which immediately gave me a junior high cafeteria flashback. (Come to think of it, I ate all my school lunches in the band room). I walked right by
wired_lizard without recognizing her, got even more rattled when I realized I'd done *that*, and then the host of the event who'd totally ignored me (though in fairness, I hadn't said a word to identify myself) somehow picked up on the fact that the woman in line behind me was there for the Nano event and began completely fawning over her, finding her a seat, getting her a pen and a goodie bag, being completely gracious and welcoming. I tried through body language to indicate that I found all this fascinating, fascinating like only *another* Nano newbie would...but did I actually speak up and say the magic "Actually, I'm here for Nano too" words?No. No, I did not.
And after missing that chance, and then waiting the five minutes for my frappe to be done, going over to the table and *then* speaking up just felt That Much Lamer. Which has no rational basis, I know....but again, junior high flashback. So I wound up skulking into a corner booth, turning up my headphones, and pretending there wasn't a write-in going on at all.
Messed. Up.
It looked like a cool pen, too.
But that was then, and this is a new day. And good things have happened recently too.
There's the political situation, of course;
And there's today's used CD purchases: 'The B-52s', 'Mandy Patinkin singing Hammerstein and Sondheim', and 'Brain In a Box: the Science Fiction Collection' from Rhino. All for $10.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2006-11-09 04:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-09 04:14 pm (UTC)*hands you cookie*
Hey keep the 17th of December open for you and Deb, 'kay :)
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Date: 2006-11-09 04:19 pm (UTC)Anyway, I am still enjoying your juice box analogy from Election day.
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Date: 2006-11-09 04:29 pm (UTC)And go you for doing Nano!
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Date: 2006-11-09 04:46 pm (UTC)I hate botching rolls like that.
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Date: 2006-11-09 05:01 pm (UTC)Pens sound cool! We all got 50 K or bust temporary tats. I've gotta put mine on.
You're doing great with the word count. My morale is lagging.
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Date: 2006-11-09 05:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-09 05:38 pm (UTC)May I befriend you in 'wrimo'? I'm Pho S.
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Date: 2006-11-11 03:20 pm (UTC)I, with a total lack of originality, am Oakenguy over there.
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Date: 2006-11-09 06:37 pm (UTC)You should have just started talking to them and saying things like, "Relax, the wind blows through you like a hollow reed...you are stream becoming one with the ocean of the universe." They would have all instantly relaxed and you could have slipped into the group without their notice.
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Date: 2006-11-09 06:39 pm (UTC)I've done similar things -- all kind of depends on the mood.
Sometimes you just need to prepare yourself with what you're going to say when you show up...
Good luck next time! Get there earlier. :)
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Date: 2006-11-09 07:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-09 07:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-11-11 08:18 am (UTC)That you've, uh, written.
...I'm not very good at innuendo.
--Chris Sims
http://the-isb.blogspot.com
no subject
Date: 2006-11-11 03:22 pm (UTC)