Alt.Poly Con 16
Feb. 6th, 2008 11:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stonebender** Crossposted from Alt.Poly
Pat Kight wrote:
> * What did you hear or see during the con that made you think?
Usually lots of things, this time I think the panel on poly cultural
assumptions morphed into a pretty interesting discussion that I'm still thinking about.
>
> * What happened during the con that made you laugh?
I remember laughing quite a bit but I don't remember about what. RJ gets
me laughing. Helen-Louise gave me a few chuckles and Debbie turning
purple laughing at a random comment gave me quite a laugh as well.
> * What happened during the con that touched you (and maybe even made
> you cry)?
Betsy bravely talking about some hard stuff. I also got quite choked up
talking about the difficult year my family and I had around health
stuff. Specifically my recent hospital stay with pneumonia, Serene's
thyroid operation and Carol's gall bladder surgery. The past year has
been really difficult for all of us and very hard on my self image.
I've said often that this year was my most emotionally difficult year
and yet it was the year that I felt most loved. I found myself crying
and was very comforted by sio, Teresa, Roxanne and even Aahz.
> * What was a moment during the con where you felt included or desired?
> Tell about it if you want.
Along with the kind reaction folks had to my crying. Michael Rosen made some follow up comments on things I'd said that made me feel understood. Holding hands with Sio. Getting a hug from Laura and Robert. It felt so good to have so many people seem to be genuinely happy to see me.
> * What was the most memorable quote of the weekend for you?
Oh dear, I'm not going to get this right, but I was talking about how I
don't really think of myself as attractive and when somebody complements
me on my looks I don't really believe them. Stef suggested that I think
about what it would be like, if a person complimenting me actually
thought I was attractive. What would that mean?
> * Was there a moment during the con where you felt wistful? Tell
> about it if you want.
Sure, when the con ended and I realized I wouldn't be seeing these folk
for a while and how few of them I'd been able to talk to as much as I
would've liked.
> * Was there a moment during the con where you felt bowled over by
> another attendee's beauty or eloquence? Tell about it if you want.
Ian Hagemann (I know I'm not spelling his name correctly) had a way of verbalizing things I was thinking at the time. I very much enjoyed seeing many attendees dressing up. Specifically, Oksana at the brunch, Astral Alice in the plasticy thing with the pink ribbons, Teresa in the purple-ish velour looking top with long sleeves made me want to stroke her back. Sio at the brunch. Sarah in her purple outfit. Although it wasn't exactly dressing up Lisa Geoffrion in a robe just out of a Jacuzzi looks pretty darn good. As does Betsy in a bathing suit.
> * Was there a question you wanted to ask during the weekend that you
> didn't get a chance to ask? Tell what it was if you want.
Oh sure but that would have necessitated I be much more forward than my natural shyness would allow.
> * Tell about a piece of relationship advice (that you or another
> attendee shared) that felt really useful to you.
I can't think of anything specific, but some of the things discussed in the geek in poly panel was helpful.
> * What did you like most/least about Las Vegas?
So often I would assume that my being disabled would add complication to playing poker or buying half-price tickets or whatever. Vegas really makes a lot of the disability stuff non-issues. I love how everything is just different. Nothing is on a normal scale. Lights are brighter, blocks are bigger, casinos are huge. In a perverse way everything I love about Vegas is also what I hate about Vegas.
> * Tell about someone you met that you hadn't met before.
Astral Alice is very charming. She was very supportive in all the panels I attended. Making her unofficial support staff to programming in my mind. On the panel I cochaired, she helped me keep track of the time without my even asking. She's a real cutie and I love her accent.
> * Tell about a time that fed you socially/emotionally.
Many things I can't think of anything specific.
> * Tell about a time that drained you socially/emotionally.
Most conventions are socially and emotionally draining for me. APC 16 was less draining than most
> * Did you get a new sweetie (or more than one) at the con? (Remember,
> all questions are optional.)
Lots of old crushes, lots of new crushes but no new sweetie.
> * Tell about someone who was just as you expected them to be in
> person.
Sio was pretty much as I expected her to be.
> * Tell about someone who was very different from what you expected to
> be in person.
I can't think of anyone who was different from my online impression of them, but I'm not great at forming opinions of how people will be in person from knowing them online.
>
> * Did you make a new friend or meet anyone you'd like to be friends
> with?
Not that I can think of.
> And finally, my addition:
>
> * Are you planning to attend the next alt.polycon?
Probably not, unfortunately. I'm also not sure I will make the Netherlands, but I'm going to try.
Pat Kight wrote:
> * What did you hear or see during the con that made you think?
Usually lots of things, this time I think the panel on poly cultural
assumptions morphed into a pretty interesting discussion that I'm still thinking about.
>
> * What happened during the con that made you laugh?
I remember laughing quite a bit but I don't remember about what. RJ gets
me laughing. Helen-Louise gave me a few chuckles and Debbie turning
purple laughing at a random comment gave me quite a laugh as well.
> * What happened during the con that touched you (and maybe even made
> you cry)?
Betsy bravely talking about some hard stuff. I also got quite choked up
talking about the difficult year my family and I had around health
stuff. Specifically my recent hospital stay with pneumonia, Serene's
thyroid operation and Carol's gall bladder surgery. The past year has
been really difficult for all of us and very hard on my self image.
I've said often that this year was my most emotionally difficult year
and yet it was the year that I felt most loved. I found myself crying
and was very comforted by sio, Teresa, Roxanne and even Aahz.
> * What was a moment during the con where you felt included or desired?
> Tell about it if you want.
Along with the kind reaction folks had to my crying. Michael Rosen made some follow up comments on things I'd said that made me feel understood. Holding hands with Sio. Getting a hug from Laura and Robert. It felt so good to have so many people seem to be genuinely happy to see me.
> * What was the most memorable quote of the weekend for you?
Oh dear, I'm not going to get this right, but I was talking about how I
don't really think of myself as attractive and when somebody complements
me on my looks I don't really believe them. Stef suggested that I think
about what it would be like, if a person complimenting me actually
thought I was attractive. What would that mean?
> * Was there a moment during the con where you felt wistful? Tell
> about it if you want.
Sure, when the con ended and I realized I wouldn't be seeing these folk
for a while and how few of them I'd been able to talk to as much as I
would've liked.
> * Was there a moment during the con where you felt bowled over by
> another attendee's beauty or eloquence? Tell about it if you want.
Ian Hagemann (I know I'm not spelling his name correctly) had a way of verbalizing things I was thinking at the time. I very much enjoyed seeing many attendees dressing up. Specifically, Oksana at the brunch, Astral Alice in the plasticy thing with the pink ribbons, Teresa in the purple-ish velour looking top with long sleeves made me want to stroke her back. Sio at the brunch. Sarah in her purple outfit. Although it wasn't exactly dressing up Lisa Geoffrion in a robe just out of a Jacuzzi looks pretty darn good. As does Betsy in a bathing suit.
> * Was there a question you wanted to ask during the weekend that you
> didn't get a chance to ask? Tell what it was if you want.
Oh sure but that would have necessitated I be much more forward than my natural shyness would allow.
> * Tell about a piece of relationship advice (that you or another
> attendee shared) that felt really useful to you.
I can't think of anything specific, but some of the things discussed in the geek in poly panel was helpful.
> * What did you like most/least about Las Vegas?
So often I would assume that my being disabled would add complication to playing poker or buying half-price tickets or whatever. Vegas really makes a lot of the disability stuff non-issues. I love how everything is just different. Nothing is on a normal scale. Lights are brighter, blocks are bigger, casinos are huge. In a perverse way everything I love about Vegas is also what I hate about Vegas.
> * Tell about someone you met that you hadn't met before.
Astral Alice is very charming. She was very supportive in all the panels I attended. Making her unofficial support staff to programming in my mind. On the panel I cochaired, she helped me keep track of the time without my even asking. She's a real cutie and I love her accent.
> * Tell about a time that fed you socially/emotionally.
Many things I can't think of anything specific.
> * Tell about a time that drained you socially/emotionally.
Most conventions are socially and emotionally draining for me. APC 16 was less draining than most
> * Did you get a new sweetie (or more than one) at the con? (Remember,
> all questions are optional.)
Lots of old crushes, lots of new crushes but no new sweetie.
> * Tell about someone who was just as you expected them to be in
> person.
Sio was pretty much as I expected her to be.
> * Tell about someone who was very different from what you expected to
> be in person.
I can't think of anyone who was different from my online impression of them, but I'm not great at forming opinions of how people will be in person from knowing them online.
>
> * Did you make a new friend or meet anyone you'd like to be friends
> with?
Not that I can think of.
> And finally, my addition:
>
> * Are you planning to attend the next alt.polycon?
Probably not, unfortunately. I'm also not sure I will make the Netherlands, but I'm going to try.
