(no subject)

[asthran]

I just got back from Convergence. My Lacing Variations panel on Friday went really, really well. I am completely guesstimating attendance of 30-40 (total seating capacity for the room was 10 rows of 5, and most of the rows had 3-4 people), which, for 3:30 on a Friday afternoon, when most of America's vacation day is Monday, is really damn good, I think. Also, Shayne and crap-I-forgot-his-name-Dan?-maybe? from Xcentricities came and explained how to do training lacing for Victorian corsetry, for which I was very grateful, as I didn't know how to do that, and I-forgot-his-name added a good deal of humor into the presentation as well, which his something I'm horribly shitty at.

I went to a panel on LiveJournaling - "Discuss the positive and negative impacts of social lives moving increasingly online" - which was quite interesting, as it addressed many of the things I've been wondering about. Is this a Update-On-My-Life sort of forum? A Reveal-Inner-Bits-Of-Me forum? Should it be humorous writing, a way to work on my own writing skills, or ... whatever. So, that was really interesting, and I liked it lots, until one guy decided to use it as his own personal psychological dumping ground. Blech.



One thing that really bugs me is when people think a backrub = foreplay. ... I don't know how much I can really elaborate on that, but it really, really pisses me off. Yes, a backrub can certainly be part of foreplay, but to assume that it always is is a logical fallacy, modus ponens. Hell, for me, I more often use backrubs as a way to say "No, I don't want to sleep with you, but you're a nice, neat person, and to physically demonstrate that I am fond of you, I think you deserve a backrub." But really, it's just something nice to do, and there just are not enough backrubs in the world, especially with as many headaches and sore backs and stuff as there are.

So yeah, I gave one backrub and one headrub/scratch this weekend, and when I offered one to someone else, after he expressed that he was in a bad mood, he said he couldn't accept a backrub from me - and this was a couple hours after he had told me that he had promised an ex of mine that he wouldn't have sex with me. (Which is just kind of odd anyway, but it gets tacked under 'weird things that guys do.') So.. yeah... I think he's one of those people who think backrubs = foreplay. Grrrr. Dork.

Meh - my fault too, I guess. Should have gone 'Hey, there's sexual tension here, I should just leave this guy alone for the rest of the Con' or something, but oh well. I know it wouldn't have gone anywhere, and if he didn't, well, he lost out on a backrub, sucks to be him.

*laughs* So, yeah, that put me in a bad mood. Of course, being a sub-head in ConSuite, with a radio and getting all sorts of people squawking in my ear, and other people trying to distract me from my duties, and all that crap contributed too.

Meh - to end on an amusing note, I guess I had an encounter with Drooling Fanboy this weekend. Apparently, D.F. is rather infamous for latching on to attractive women and following them at modest distances, staring. *giggles* I was waiting at the elevators with Renate, Robert, and Forgot-Her-Name-Too-Dammit-Robert's-S.O. (edit - Liz) when I vaguely noticed this guy standing next to the wall and looking in my general direction, and the others discretely tugged me closer over to them. When we got in the elevator, in trying to make more room for others to get in, I moved closer to D.F. and he apparently got this big ole smile on his face. Renate pulled me over to her, and Robert moved between me and D.F, making some sarcastic comment about how much D.F. liked that (he's supposed to be homophobic) and it was just really cute how protective they were. *giggles more* Anyway, D.F. is supposed to be harmless - he just looks, doesn't touch or even talk to the person, to my knowledge, but it was amusing anyway. Poor guy.

Comments

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

I would have offered a backrub but that was only because you looked so frazzled that you needed to get rid of some tension before your head exploded, but you pretty much disappeared after your shift was over.

My main complaint this year involved getting hit on by married women and women whose boyfriends were going to show up at any moment. I never get hit on and then I'm getting hit in the face with that.

You were definitely one of the people that I was happy to see at Con.

oh and check out jourdannex - she's the writer that I begged to contribute something to my anthology only because of her journal.

[asthran.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I thought it was Marlowel! Yay, thanks for finding me!

*hugs* Thanks for the thought .. *laughs* I imagine I would have gone 'But I'm too busy for a backrub!' - well, up until 2 or so, when I crashed.... *sighs*

*ponders* Hrm.... I can't really recall from Cons past, but this year you seemed really happy and content - that could have been part of why that happened, maybe? Just a thought. *shrug*

It was good to see you too!

[marlowe1.livejournal.com]

Definitely happier and more content than the ones you saw me at before. I don't remember seeing you last year when I had come back after staying away for a couple of years and was refamiliarizing myself with myself - to steal a phrase from the self-help movement. I think we met at the 1999 CONvergence when I was still messed up over Nanda leaving me (and I was idealizing her when she thought everything I said or did was stupid and was in a constant state of embarrassment around me.) And 2000 was no better (st. paul radisson, had a crush on a girl that reminded me of Nanda, was trying to go ultra-rightwing in some aspects of Judaism because being even more uptight seemed like a good idea at the time) but I didn't see much of you.

Well give me a call (my phone number is on my lj behind a friends filter) because I do want to see you before September (on the other hand I'll be coming back for CONvergence 2005 - so I'll see you then - and this time I will actually find out when you're getting off high stress work)

[(Anonymous)]

It's me, Jacqui. Just wanted to tell you it was nice seeing you at Con and I was joking about the book thing(I don't want you to feel bad). And Robert's SOs name is Liz. ;)

[asthran.livejournal.com]

*grins* Well, still, God Stalk is in my pile of Stuff By The Door...

Yeah...

[nightjasmine.livejournal.com]

Men are definetly an odd spieces. Glad you had such a good turn out! =)

Re: Yeah...

[asthran.livejournal.com]

Yes, they are! Buncha weirdos all of 'em! *laughs*

Re: Yeah...

[coranax.livejournal.com]

*pokes his head in on another old post*

I agree, but in men's defence there are a few out there that are sensible, smart, good looking and sensitive. The bad news for you ladies out there, they all have boyfriends

WIL

[gem-handler.livejournal.com]

(What I Learned)

You may not know it, but I'm horrid, absolutely dreadful at reading people. I have very little instinct of body language, you practically have to be shouting at me (non-verbally) before I get the picture. And to compound the issue, my psychic sense is nil when it comes to other people. My third eye is not only shut, I think it's astigmatic.

That being said, I've developed a simple way to overcome the whole second-guessing multiple meaning issue. Take everything at face value. What you say, mean. A back-rub is a back-rub, that's as far as it goes. If, during the back-rub, things seem to be going positively, (gasp!) say something? A quiet murmur in the ear, 'Care for a front rub now?' I mean, cheesy, yes, but still!

I'm a fine one to talk, I don't usually have to worry about such things. Anyway, life is complicated enough without intentionally adding complications. First, know yourself. Then, say what you mean. That's the way I live, and I'm pretty happy with my life, so there, nya-nya.

~D
Mentre viviamo, Viviamos!