If you had to choose....

[shygirl5]

.......If you had to choose between monthly tickle sessions with the same local person OR a once or twice per year gathering of several ticklephiles, (ie. NEST, Bella Bash, etc.) but you couldn't choose both, which would you rather have?

Personally, I would choose the group thing. Being able to hang out with fellow ticklephiles, having some tickle fun and good conversation - just like we were doing at NEST. For me, it's not about the tickling as much as it is about the friendships. Don't get me wrong, I love being tickled and I'm sure most people would prefer a regular someone to play with, but for me....I've never had a circle of friends growing up. Because of circumstances often not in my control, I have never been able to experience just sitting, talking and laughing with a bunch of friends. And tickling on top of that is even better! So yeah. I'd give up all my one-on-one's I reguarly have to be able to hang with a core group of (tickle) friends. 🙂

~ Shygirl

 

[mealzonwheels]

Sessions on a regular basis, no question about it, and it's not even close. I think judging by your signature that this was your first nest this year, and nest having just been completed, you might be a bit overly enthused by it.

 

[kevin_kidnapped]

I don't think it's because she's still on a Nest high that she feels that way. Like she says, it's more of the social aspect in that she never had that opportunity before to hang out and chill with friends.

 

[SpiritBomber]

Yeah, I gotta go with monthly sessions too. But I've never been to a NEST so maybe I just don't get it lol

 

[duderino84]

Regularity.

 

[Secretlee]

Granted I've hardly even had a session before, I think I would choose the less often group gatherings. Part of it is the community, part of it is that I feel like those occasions would just mean so much more. I feel like, unless you and the other local person REALLY hit it off, those sessions would gradually become less enjoyable, whereas the less often gatherings would always be special, and therefore more enjoyable.

 

[shygirl5]

Sessions on a regular basis, no question about it, and it's not even close. I think judging by your signature that this was your first nest this year, and nest having just been completed, you might be a bit overly enthused by it.

You make it sound as though I am still on a NEST "high" as Kevin put it. No. That's not it at all.

Along the lines of what Secretlee said...that the group setting would be more meaningful. Getting to socialize and catch up with friends whom you haven't seen for a while. The various personalities mixing together for some tickling and fun conversation. That is what I would value over being able to play on a regular basis.

And like I said in my original post...I have never experienced "friends" before - for certain reasons...so experiencing that for the first time at NEST was a lot of fun as well! I enjoy that group, social interaction - and the tickling on top of it all made it even more incredible!

Can't wait until I get to meet up with that core group of friends again! 🙂

 

[milagros317]

If I had to choose, I would take the semi-annual group gatherings for the socializing aspect. 😀

 

[maniactickler]

I'm a strictly one on one guy.

 

[Nedstacey2]

I've never had a circle of friends growing up. Because of circumstances often not in my control, I have never been able to experience just sitting, talking and laughing with a bunch of friends.

. . . so experiencing that for the first time at NEST was a lot of fun as well! I enjoy that group, social interaction - and the tickling on top of it all made it even more incredible!

Very sorry to read that about your early life, but how wonderful that you were opened to a new world at this year's NEST, which I also attended. In fact, I saw both you and kevin_kidnapped there at various points, but my oppressive shyness kept me from approaching you, or pretty much anyone else. My huge loss.

To the question you pose, certainly I would much prefer having a regular partner living close by since due to my extreme shyness and introversion I am just not comfortable in most group situations, even with relatives and intimates. But the reality is that when you live in an isolated area as I do with few (apparent) prospects, it becomes a necessity occasionally to go to gatherings just in the hope of making connections with people even within a moderate driving distance, which is what motivated my own attendance at this year's NEST and one before. Trying to meet local people online in a small pool to begin with is, despite recent advances, still just too scattershot and inefficient, in my opinion or at least in my experience.

I think the relative size of the potential gathering is a factor also. This year's NEST especially was bursting at the seams, with the spaces generally so crowded with hordes of people I didn't know that it was nearly impossible to keep at bay my instincts to flee in panic. Instead, I wish my initial forays into the RL tickling community could have been at smaller events like the apparently now-defunct Upstate New York Gathering representing my home region. Indeed, I once had the opportunity to have dinner with a small group of its core members, which went so well that I'm sure if another UNY gathering had been held subsequently I would have had few qualms about attending, with my new-found comfort level with its key organizers and the knowledge that these gatherings were likely to be less attended than ones like NEST.

 

[luvgirlsfeet]

I'd choose the regular tickle sessions

 

[Alliekat]

I would probably choose the regular session option. To me there is a certain element of intrigue about having a no strings attached encounter. Personally, I already have a pretty close knit group of friends and would be okay with just having someone to help me get my fix every so often.

Though I certainly see the appeal of thh OP's preference 🙂

 

[GirlMeetsTickle]

What I find pretty curious about the options is that the monthly frequency is seemingly being used to like "sweeten the pot" in the only one person scenario, when in fact, I think it'd be a 'fairer fight' with group monthly gatherings vs bi-annual one-on-one sessions. To me, you combined the higher quality and quantity on the same side. I'd choose the 12 more intimate sessions. Easily. But hey, we're all different.

 

[asutickler]

Not gonna lie, there's no way I'd approach it as an "either/or" scenario and pick one exclusively over the other. Rhinos opt for "both." 😀

 

[tickletherapist]

Why make such a hard choice when you can enjoy both? That's great if you like it! Have fun meeting ticklephiles and having tickle sessions 😉

 

[TickleEdith]

Regular sessions. Someone can get to know your good tickle spots. 🙂

 

[theblueone]

Definitely the monthly sessions for me, not only would it be nice to hang out with someone who likes tickling as I do but it would also help me regularly laugh away the stress I've been dealing with this year.

 

[shygirl5]

...I saw both you and kevin_kidnapped there at various points, but my oppressive shyness kept me from approaching you, or pretty much anyone else. My huge loss...

Awww...I wish you weren't so shy to say hi! We will all have to get together at the next NEST...if not sooner some how. 😉

 

[guysmiley]

Definitely the local regular sessions. While I'm sure NEST is an amazing experience, having that person to person connection would be more fulfilling to me. The larger circle connections already happen between here and FL so the social side, while not as significant as a large gathering, is still being experienced.

 

[moose]

Never done a "group" session so I'll stick with the monthly one

 

[com_tklr]

I think I would definitely prefer the big group sessions.. shame there are none in my area!

 

[manamoyik]

One on one's. I don't like groups of people.

 

[ReefMD]

I'd have to say the groups for me, provided they were semi annually. It's one of the few times I actually feel comfy being pseudo extroverted outside of science conferences.

 

[b0xr]

I'm lucky enough to have regular tickle sessions with one of the members from here and I wouldn't trade that in for all the Nests in Philadelphia.

 

[shygirl5]

I'm lucky enough to have regular tickle sessions with one of the members from here and I wouldn't trade that in for all the Nests in Philadelphia.

Yeah, I have a local guy from here that I get to have sessions with a couple times a month with as well. That's all fine and well, but I guess, since other than him, I have no friends to talk to or hang out with, this is why I'd choose the group thing....I'm missing out on having friends. I suppose if one already had a core group of friends (even being vanilla), they would always choose the one-on-one thing...