Words are not as satisfactory as we should like them to be, but, like our neighbours, we have got to live with them and must make the best and not the worst of them. |
Meeting ScottSaturday, August 8, 1998
When Scott "Words" Anderson announced that he was coming to town, we Seattle journalers decided to try for another gettogether. Bluejack picked the place, another Capitol Hill brewpub. He has given up on the Elysian! JulieR was first on the scene, not me for once. Next came Bluejack, and Jon "Tell Me a Story About the Devil" Konrath. We all chatted for a while and even ordered food. Finally Scott arrived. I've seen pictures of him before, but I think his voice was different than I expected, even though he's done some Real Audio entries on his site. Scott was in town to meet with coworkers, see a bike race, and participate in his first in-line skate race. If it doesn't involve motion, it doesn't seem to intrigue him as a sport. Wally was the last to show up, surprising me since I didn't know he was coming! He even put meeting with us ahead of helping a friend move. I'm sure there was plenty of work left for him to do there when he did show up. I was tickled to have all of us in the same place. My master scheme for bringing the entire online journal world to Seattle continues apace! I especially think that Wally and Bluejack could be a good combo! Jon and Scott were the only folks I hadn't met before.
This fest didn't turn into an extended afternoon like last time, but it was still good. Scott was one of the first journals that I read, where I wasn't already connected to the person somehow. I found him through Archipelago, I found Archipelago through Lucy, and I found Lucy through a fannish connection. He has always been very courteous and kind when responding to my letters, and gave me good advice when I inevitably started my own journal. He didn't even mind when I nominated him for Cruel Site of the Day!
The picture of Wally was taken by Bluejack. Or was he more interested in the cute waitress bending over and wiping the table in the background?
In the evening I went back to the Eagles Lodge at Ballard for more dancing. I got smart and didn't arrive until after ten o'clock, when the lesson was over. I was glad I went! The Portage Bay Big Band had great style and power! I wore the same black outfit that I wore to the Swing Kids Dance in May, and it was warm enough that I was glad of that black net top! I had a nice chat and a few fun dances with Paul Franklin, who maintains the email lists and calendar pages for the Swing Kids. I swear there is a connection between technophilia and swing dancing!
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Meeting someone like this is a different experience, depending on if you read zir journal or not. If you read each other, you probably have been in communication before and know a fair amount about each other. If you don't read each other, you only know that the other person engages in this activity of posting personal writing on the web, as you do. Not necessarily so much in common! But I'd still advise anyone to take the chance to meet online acquaintances when you can. Even if you are shy, it only gets easier in time!
