I had a great time at the gala in Toronto.
As you know, I'm quite shy, and always get very nervous about attending big social events.
The evening started really well when I somehow managed to get a parking space literally right in front of the club.
(As an aside, the club, Stone's Place, was really nice. A great place to socialize. Lots of nice comfy couches. Reasonably well-lit, and music at just the right volume that you could enjoy it and still hold a conversation.)
I arrived early, and once I saw a couple people go in, I decided to go in even though it hadn't officially opened.
Thankfully, Radiofrank, as one of the organizers, was already there and greeted me.
I threw myself into helping with getting things ready, mostly tearing apart the door prize tickets.
When people started to arrive, I injected myself into the process.
While Radiofrank may have initially wondered why I was forcing myself onto him (not like that!), I'm sure that as the evening went, he was glad to be able to mingle and leave me at the door.
Through the evening, some people wondered how I got 'stuck' at the door.
Totally my choice. I like helping people, and if I'm going to socialize, it makes it easier for me if I have an excuse to talk to people, like giving them their door prize tickets, stamping their hands, and trying to get them to fill out name tags.
Speaking of name tags, why did some people either refuse them or fill in joke names?
It's weird. I mean, I know name tags sound really dorky, but a lot of the time online, you either don't know what the person looks like, or they look very different from the pictures they have online.
Anyways, I managed to see a lot of people I already knew, many of whom I met at last year's gala.
The wonderful BrightRedScream and her husband SixBoxes, the always intriguing Adair and her boyfriend Tiriel, as well as DrPhil, Cottser, sweet Dusti and her girlfriend (whose name, I'm ashamed to admit, I've already forgotten), the fascinatingLotus, the incredible bethamphetamine, the drop-dead gorgeous Malice, the sadly missed Elana, as well as Lucy, Lisseth, the really cute Tekky and I know I'm forgetting people.
I got to meet Slingshot, along with her husband Black122, kristynamuch, Martini, AandP, Cereal_Killer. I also met a lot of other people, but my poor little brain doesn't have enough space to remember everyone's names. I'm trying to find a way to upgrade my memory. I need at least another terabyte.
Special mentions must go to a few people I met.
BrightRedScream brought her sister RavenVelith. Thank you for bringing her. An absolute vision of beauty. Shame she's so young.
A very charming woman spent a long time talking with me at the door. Thank you Melantha. Shame she's in a relationship.
I had two interesting/odd/amusing conversations with yennabear. I had no idea who you were, and had to ask people. You probably don't even remember talking to me, but you're adorable. Shame you live so far away.
This was also a chance to speak more than a couple words to a few people that I've met before but hadn't had to opportunity to really talk to.
Lotus has always been very interesting to me, and we were able to say hello at last fall's burlesque show, but we finally talked at the gala. Her mind intrigues me. And I thought it was quite nice that on the one hand she treated people to drinks, and on the other made sure that people weren't going to be driving after drinking.
bethamphetamine is a wonderful woman, and while we've talked a lot on and off online for well over a year now, when we finally met at karaoke last summer, I was too shy to say more than hi. She's got a great heart and I somehow feel very protective of her.
Although I have had a few bried conversations with Malice in the past, and we sometimes exchange comments here, I managed to embarass myself when talking to her at the gala. In the heat of a brain spasm, or something, I managed to tell her that she's honestly one of the most beautiful women I've ever met. In my defence, it was vaguely in context to the conversation we were having, but I still feel lame for that.
Plus, she brought her sister, who although I've seen a picture or two of her, didn't realize was so beautiful as well.
Somehow I managed to maintain my record of 'almost' talking to Pigletx69. I think it was at last year's gala that I noticed her, and she was so pretty I made sure to bookmark her blog. We almost talked at the burlesque show last fall, and we actually did get to finally say hello at the gala this time, though not much more. Hopefully, as the years go by, we'll build up to a complete conversation.
Another mention goes to Tigercat. I have no idea who you are, but you gave me a big hello when you arrived, and later on, flattered me by pulling me onto the dance floor. I couldn't say no to someone like you, but apologize for my complete and utter inability to dance, or even sway with the music.
And, yay me - I won one of the door prizes. A big bag of Starbucks stuff. I'm enjoying some of my new chai tea in my new coffee mug right now. Thanks to SixBoxes for donating the prize. And the diagram on the travel mug explains his user name too.
There were a lot of people at the gala, and since I was at the door for a large part of the evening, I saw pretty much everybody. Sadly, all the names have flooded my brain and I can't remember everybody. In some cases, I know I talked to you, but can't for the life of me remember who you are, and in other cases (my brilliant mind), I remember talking to you, and can remember you by several names at once, but can't somehow narrow it down to the correct name.
So I apologize if I haven't named you. Feel free to tell me. It may help set my mind straight on who the hell I talked to.
Also, unlike last year, I know I managed to show up in a bunch of pictures this year. I'm hoping to find them. If you have any, please tell me, so I can steal them. My best friend Lene insists on pictures. Partly to prove that I attended and didn't chicken out of it, and partly to see me in my swanky suit. She warned me not to look like a psycho in pictures, so hopefully I smiled but not in too demented a way.
Here are the pictures I took. I really hope I get this right. I think I've only posted a single picture in the past. So I'm trying to post multiple pictures, with captions. Oh, and trying out Photoshop for the first time in order to reduce the size of the images. Cross your fingers that it works.
BrightRedScream
SixBoxes and RavenVelith
Adair and Tiriel
Adair and Tiriel
RavenVelith and BrightRedScream
Dusti and her girlfriend (Dusti made me delete the other picture I took of her)
Melantha
Lotus
Melantha and Malice (Sorry, I don't know how to correct the red eye)
As you know, I'm quite shy, and always get very nervous about attending big social events.
The evening started really well when I somehow managed to get a parking space literally right in front of the club.
(As an aside, the club, Stone's Place, was really nice. A great place to socialize. Lots of nice comfy couches. Reasonably well-lit, and music at just the right volume that you could enjoy it and still hold a conversation.)
I arrived early, and once I saw a couple people go in, I decided to go in even though it hadn't officially opened.
Thankfully, Radiofrank, as one of the organizers, was already there and greeted me.
I threw myself into helping with getting things ready, mostly tearing apart the door prize tickets.
When people started to arrive, I injected myself into the process.
While Radiofrank may have initially wondered why I was forcing myself onto him (not like that!), I'm sure that as the evening went, he was glad to be able to mingle and leave me at the door.
Through the evening, some people wondered how I got 'stuck' at the door.
Totally my choice. I like helping people, and if I'm going to socialize, it makes it easier for me if I have an excuse to talk to people, like giving them their door prize tickets, stamping their hands, and trying to get them to fill out name tags.
Speaking of name tags, why did some people either refuse them or fill in joke names?
It's weird. I mean, I know name tags sound really dorky, but a lot of the time online, you either don't know what the person looks like, or they look very different from the pictures they have online.
Anyways, I managed to see a lot of people I already knew, many of whom I met at last year's gala.
The wonderful BrightRedScream and her husband SixBoxes, the always intriguing Adair and her boyfriend Tiriel, as well as DrPhil, Cottser, sweet Dusti and her girlfriend (whose name, I'm ashamed to admit, I've already forgotten), the fascinatingLotus, the incredible bethamphetamine, the drop-dead gorgeous Malice, the sadly missed Elana, as well as Lucy, Lisseth, the really cute Tekky and I know I'm forgetting people.
I got to meet Slingshot, along with her husband Black122, kristynamuch, Martini, AandP, Cereal_Killer. I also met a lot of other people, but my poor little brain doesn't have enough space to remember everyone's names. I'm trying to find a way to upgrade my memory. I need at least another terabyte.
Special mentions must go to a few people I met.
BrightRedScream brought her sister RavenVelith. Thank you for bringing her. An absolute vision of beauty. Shame she's so young.
A very charming woman spent a long time talking with me at the door. Thank you Melantha. Shame she's in a relationship.
I had two interesting/odd/amusing conversations with yennabear. I had no idea who you were, and had to ask people. You probably don't even remember talking to me, but you're adorable. Shame you live so far away.
This was also a chance to speak more than a couple words to a few people that I've met before but hadn't had to opportunity to really talk to.
Lotus has always been very interesting to me, and we were able to say hello at last fall's burlesque show, but we finally talked at the gala. Her mind intrigues me. And I thought it was quite nice that on the one hand she treated people to drinks, and on the other made sure that people weren't going to be driving after drinking.
bethamphetamine is a wonderful woman, and while we've talked a lot on and off online for well over a year now, when we finally met at karaoke last summer, I was too shy to say more than hi. She's got a great heart and I somehow feel very protective of her.
Although I have had a few bried conversations with Malice in the past, and we sometimes exchange comments here, I managed to embarass myself when talking to her at the gala. In the heat of a brain spasm, or something, I managed to tell her that she's honestly one of the most beautiful women I've ever met. In my defence, it was vaguely in context to the conversation we were having, but I still feel lame for that.
Plus, she brought her sister, who although I've seen a picture or two of her, didn't realize was so beautiful as well.
Somehow I managed to maintain my record of 'almost' talking to Pigletx69. I think it was at last year's gala that I noticed her, and she was so pretty I made sure to bookmark her blog. We almost talked at the burlesque show last fall, and we actually did get to finally say hello at the gala this time, though not much more. Hopefully, as the years go by, we'll build up to a complete conversation.
Another mention goes to Tigercat. I have no idea who you are, but you gave me a big hello when you arrived, and later on, flattered me by pulling me onto the dance floor. I couldn't say no to someone like you, but apologize for my complete and utter inability to dance, or even sway with the music.
And, yay me - I won one of the door prizes. A big bag of Starbucks stuff. I'm enjoying some of my new chai tea in my new coffee mug right now. Thanks to SixBoxes for donating the prize. And the diagram on the travel mug explains his user name too.
There were a lot of people at the gala, and since I was at the door for a large part of the evening, I saw pretty much everybody. Sadly, all the names have flooded my brain and I can't remember everybody. In some cases, I know I talked to you, but can't for the life of me remember who you are, and in other cases (my brilliant mind), I remember talking to you, and can remember you by several names at once, but can't somehow narrow it down to the correct name.
So I apologize if I haven't named you. Feel free to tell me. It may help set my mind straight on who the hell I talked to.
Also, unlike last year, I know I managed to show up in a bunch of pictures this year. I'm hoping to find them. If you have any, please tell me, so I can steal them. My best friend Lene insists on pictures. Partly to prove that I attended and didn't chicken out of it, and partly to see me in my swanky suit. She warned me not to look like a psycho in pictures, so hopefully I smiled but not in too demented a way.
Here are the pictures I took. I really hope I get this right. I think I've only posted a single picture in the past. So I'm trying to post multiple pictures, with captions. Oh, and trying out Photoshop for the first time in order to reduce the size of the images. Cross your fingers that it works.
BrightRedScream
SixBoxes and RavenVelith
Adair and Tiriel
Adair and Tiriel
RavenVelith and BrightRedScream
Dusti and her girlfriend (Dusti made me delete the other picture I took of her)
Melantha
Lotus
Melantha and Malice (Sorry, I don't know how to correct the red eye)