On the plane ride home I sat and thought about the last 5 days... correction, the blur of time that transpired when I went to philly and met some really cool people. This is not a blow by blow of what I saw at nest there will be enough of those threads. This is basically my thoughts and feelings on the event as a whole.
First, I would like to thank Lee for organizing NEST.
Lee sweety, You are an amazingly awesome person in every sense of the word. I am so glad I had the chance on Thursday to have you to myself for an hour or so on the way to the restaurant, even if you did almost kill us twice. I do not think I would ever have the chance to connect and get to know you as well if I hadnt... well and arrived there 30 minutes before lyz and them because her GPS sucks. you. Of all the people I met you are the one that meant the most to me and the one that the time we did have talking and hanging out I cherish the most. You are an amazing woman and have so many facets that I am not sure the board always gets to see.
You are by far one of the more interesting and nicest people I have met at a gathering/convention. Anyone who has not had a chance to meet and really hang and chat with Lee, I really suggest you make a point to do so. Oh and I am NEVER picking someone up from Philly Airport on a night like that again... lol.
That being said:
I have been to other conventions and "gatherings" in other interests of mine before NEST, so I was not really nervous perse on going to NEST. It was a lot more laid back and less structured then I expected. It is big enough to always have someone to talk to yet not so big you feel rushed or feel like you are missing something.
As a whole a lot of people were much nicer and welcoming then I thought they would be. When you spend as much time in an online community as we do you have this conception of how people are and what they are like, and expect them to be that way all the time. And you are pleasantly surprised when you find out they aren't.
I got in on Thursday around Noon, Derek (kered) was the first person I actually talked to and we went and smoked after I got a shower. I also met Casper, pokey, Dimple, Rupert, Classy, some Deadheads, and Michael at that time. They were all awesome. everyone was laid back and just fun to talk to. I knew Derek from the chat room and had seen dimple and classy around the forum but really didn't know anyone else. Not that it mattered, everyone talked to me like they new me for 20 years even if they had never even seen me on the board. That is what it is like. Everyone is some friend you haven't talked to since highschool... or elementary school or kindergarten depending on your age, well in Ray's case since the bread lines during the depression.
It is difficult to put into words the feeling of nest. It is like a family reunion. A bunch of people talking catching up and just enjoying one another's company. There is tickling going on but it is so random. It is almost an after thought. You will be in a conversation and all of a sudden someone will just attacking the person you are talking to and you pause for about a split second and either continue talking to the person getting attacked or continue what you are saying with someone else in the conversation circle you are in and 30-45 seconds later it is over and you are still just talking like nothing happened. I am not sure you can describe it. It definately isnt the main focus on anything. It is secondary to just hanging with some friends.
If there is anyone who is apprehensive about going to NEST please do not be. There are people from all walks of life attending. Everyone is respectful, well except me of course. And it isn't a huge perv fest of creepy people trying to grope or get you in some kind of tickling orgy. Even during the play party. Honestly most of the time you spend just chatting people laughing at how bad the people you come to respect and value as friends get owned for all the shit talking they had done the year earlier and days leading up to it. The DM's do a great job keeping things in check and the participants also help monitor themselves.
I want to thank everyone who I met and made me feel welcome at my first Forum gathering.
I was going to do a whole shout out but as you know I am lazy. You people know who you are. You are awesome people. Regardless what rumors I begin circulating about you.
P.S.
Lyz, still not excited.
First, I would like to thank Lee for organizing NEST.
Lee sweety, You are an amazingly awesome person in every sense of the word. I am so glad I had the chance on Thursday to have you to myself for an hour or so on the way to the restaurant, even if you did almost kill us twice. I do not think I would ever have the chance to connect and get to know you as well if I hadnt... well and arrived there 30 minutes before lyz and them because her GPS sucks. you. Of all the people I met you are the one that meant the most to me and the one that the time we did have talking and hanging out I cherish the most. You are an amazing woman and have so many facets that I am not sure the board always gets to see.
You are by far one of the more interesting and nicest people I have met at a gathering/convention. Anyone who has not had a chance to meet and really hang and chat with Lee, I really suggest you make a point to do so. Oh and I am NEVER picking someone up from Philly Airport on a night like that again... lol.
That being said:
I have been to other conventions and "gatherings" in other interests of mine before NEST, so I was not really nervous perse on going to NEST. It was a lot more laid back and less structured then I expected. It is big enough to always have someone to talk to yet not so big you feel rushed or feel like you are missing something.
As a whole a lot of people were much nicer and welcoming then I thought they would be. When you spend as much time in an online community as we do you have this conception of how people are and what they are like, and expect them to be that way all the time. And you are pleasantly surprised when you find out they aren't.
I got in on Thursday around Noon, Derek (kered) was the first person I actually talked to and we went and smoked after I got a shower. I also met Casper, pokey, Dimple, Rupert, Classy, some Deadheads, and Michael at that time. They were all awesome. everyone was laid back and just fun to talk to. I knew Derek from the chat room and had seen dimple and classy around the forum but really didn't know anyone else. Not that it mattered, everyone talked to me like they new me for 20 years even if they had never even seen me on the board. That is what it is like. Everyone is some friend you haven't talked to since highschool... or elementary school or kindergarten depending on your age, well in Ray's case since the bread lines during the depression.
It is difficult to put into words the feeling of nest. It is like a family reunion. A bunch of people talking catching up and just enjoying one another's company. There is tickling going on but it is so random. It is almost an after thought. You will be in a conversation and all of a sudden someone will just attacking the person you are talking to and you pause for about a split second and either continue talking to the person getting attacked or continue what you are saying with someone else in the conversation circle you are in and 30-45 seconds later it is over and you are still just talking like nothing happened. I am not sure you can describe it. It definately isnt the main focus on anything. It is secondary to just hanging with some friends.
If there is anyone who is apprehensive about going to NEST please do not be. There are people from all walks of life attending. Everyone is respectful, well except me of course. And it isn't a huge perv fest of creepy people trying to grope or get you in some kind of tickling orgy. Even during the play party. Honestly most of the time you spend just chatting people laughing at how bad the people you come to respect and value as friends get owned for all the shit talking they had done the year earlier and days leading up to it. The DM's do a great job keeping things in check and the participants also help monitor themselves.
I want to thank everyone who I met and made me feel welcome at my first Forum gathering.
I was going to do a whole shout out but as you know I am lazy. You people know who you are. You are awesome people. Regardless what rumors I begin circulating about you.
P.S.
Lyz, still not excited.
you totally kick ass
