DAY FOURTEEN
Question: Are you waiting for the number one?
Answer: Nope. And to ruin your morning a little more, it just went by. Get here a little faster.
Last night, Craving The Cupcakes and playpen-jessi and I attended a "Calgarys Blogger Meet-Up". In all fairness, it was pretty awkward for people to just jump in and meet people, almost like a blind date. But once you got your coffee and got around to opening up to people who you were and what you do, it turned into something interesting.
Now I say this with pure observance. For the entire night from six to eight I was a total wallflower. Why? I'm shy. I always talk about being a hermit for my entire childhood because I was shy and just not out-going at all and how I regret it. But regret doesn't make change, hense I sat there drinking my mocha watching people just jump right in to the mixing and mingling that was supposed to take place of the night. But I wasn't the only one as my two companions sat there awkwardly, a little shy and a little intimidated like myself. Of course, people have senses for these things and in kindess, tried to interact with the likes of us but it only worked for them really. I sat there with a small smile on my face listening intently to people's stories. There was a person there who described his entire job and how he just "fell in to it" which even right now I don't know what it is. Something about arguing real-estate. I like to aruge so I might have to look in to that. There was also a guy who looked kind of homeless, would rather have had the coffee-shop be a bar and I swear was a conspiracy theroist. And there was even a woman whos been blogging since I was in elementary school. Damn!
Now I understood there has always been bloggers around Calgary and many of them seem to be like myself. They have one, they just never discussed it out of fear of being judged. Even our organizer for the evening over at Merry With Children had said "my friends think I'm weird." My problem is I am weird, I just don't want people thinking I'm as weird as they think I am. That'd just be weird you know? Anyways I think thats what turned me in to a huge Wallflower last night. It was the fact that even if these people do what I do, I still end up with the feeling of being the inferior to them. I feel that they haven't read my blog, but they never will because it's something that definitley wouldn't interest them. Although I don't care if people read about my life or not, I never like the feeling of thinking 'I'll never get a chance'. And thats all we really want in life right?
All in all it wasn't a night I regret and it was a time I would like to have again. I just hope its warmer when I go out again! I'd rather show up as me, but me in a giant sweater, freezing my ass off.
--Too Much Thought
Thank you so much for coming last night Daniel, it means a lot to me! I felt so incredibly awkward all night, but I think if we go to more of them, we could actually become friends with some of these people and come out of our shells!
ReplyDeleteA good recounting! I get the "shy" thing. I can be both outgoing and gregarious, and quiet and reserved. A lot of the time I get to choose which, but certainly not always.
ReplyDeleteFor clarity, I argue the value of real estate. The City annually assesses property both commercial and residential. I'm the guy who goes to hearings to say, on behalf of my clients who are owners of commercial property, that the City got it wrong and the assessment is too high. If I win, the assessed value goes down, and my client pays less tax! Easy peasy!
It was good to meet you. If I might be so bold as to make a suggestion...at the next meeting, split up from your friends. Purposefully space yourselves out among the rest of the attendees. It's one of the key tactics I've used to force myself into having to talk to people, and it works brilliantly!
Haha I knew I was somewhat right! I should have used the quote "I am not a lawyer!".
ReplyDeleteBut I may just take you up on that advice. I mean, as much as I love my friends, I need a little social interaction so when I heard about the bloggers meet up I was kind of excited on the inside. I know how awkward I can truly be and I'm more of a one on one kind of person before I can be outgoing in a large groups. Lets just hope the next meeting goes a little more smoothly!
It was so great to meet you. I'm glad you came to the meetup & that you're willing to come back even though it was awkward. Sorry I didn't talk to you more but I was too busy trying to at least say hi to everyone while trying not to hyperventilate because I was so nervous. I had assembled 16 complete strangers (ok...I knew a few of them but still) and I was worried they would all be bored stiff and never want to have a meetup ever again. Gah!
ReplyDeleteI definitely hope the meetups get less awkward as we go along.
Oh and btw...the "looked like a homeless guy" was Paul Hughes. He actually ran for mayor in the last election. :)
Haha its alright! Your event, you need to make everyone welcome, not just one or two. [I'm learning this as I go along... but thats for a a story later on.]
ReplyDeleteIt was great to meet everyone! And now I most definitley feel bad for the homeless remark. But really, he had duct tape on his pants (I think). Can you blame me? But if hes reading this, I apologize! I just usually have an opinion and as much as I hate to be judged, I usually wrongfully judge people. Makes sense right?