Can I fish for first impressions?

The LA F2F was really important for me in lots of ways. I vividly remember getting off the plane and just running up and hugging David--we started talking like nothing had changed from the board to RL. JZ was beautiful and wacky and so friendly. That same weekend I met Karl, too, and I had the best time with Matt and beth b, who were just so great to talk to. Gosh, I'm trying to remember who was living in SF then.

LA was this huge whirlwind of meeting all these people. I'd have to look at the pictures to recall where I went and what I did. But Lee was so kind, and Sean and I were staying with her, which was *hilarious.* Sean was lovely. Steph, well, Steph and Katefate had come down to see me the first semester in Berea and so I was really happy to see Steph again. Jilli was so lovely. And seeing Plei was--well, I very much regretted not spending more time with her, but she did do my makeup before the prom. Oh! Gosh, the prom, and the underwear, and Erin. I could go on for always--Aimee was beautiful and when Sean gave her the blanket I think I got all aww shucks. Fay! Meeting Fay was just a treat. She's such a pleasure to talk too. I loved Pete and Joe, too, because they were cracking me up all the time.

I wanna play!

ita: She was walking down the sidewalk toward me and she seemed unbelievably comfortable in her skin, no fear. Her hands were small, and she moved with a huge amount of purpose. There's something about ita's beauty that isn't intimidating, as beauty sometimes can be. It's welcoming.

Kristen: Silly and guarded all at the same time. She was so hardcore in cool professionalism, but would trip into this sort of Lucy Ricardoness and laugh like a loon. Surprising in sharp turns between seriousness and silliness. She's like popcorn; hard and then BOOM!

DX: There's something about DX that demands honesty. When I first got in his truck to go out to meet the Somervillains, the immediate vibe was, "If DX doesn't like me, I'm probably an evil person."

I met so many people during F2F that nothing registers, mostly because I was in my own world of pain and anger about things that had nothing to do with Buffistas, and also making myself sick trying to make sure I didn't fuck it all up. Odd time.

Jesse: Too Cool for School. Nobody is as cool as Jesse. Not in the wide world. Upon contact, Jesse gives off an air of cooloness.

But Lee was so kind, and Sean and I were staying with her, which was *hilarious.*

That was in DC. Really really funny, but in DC.

What's the "prom" exactly? Is this a standard feature of F2Fs?

Hmm. More first impressions:

Sean: First: wow, really tall. Second was that, even though he was so tall, when he gave me a hug, he bent down so that we were at about eye level. (Some really tall people don't do that, and it leaves me pretty much hugging their stomach, which is weird and awkward.)

SA and Trudy were both in the "Good to see you again" category. Like, just went right into talking comfortably, without any of the "I've just met a new person -- must investigate" sort of cautiousness.

DebetEsse -- within about two minutes of meeting, after not having talked online that much, we were exclaiming over the coolness of the Einstein action figures and trying to figure out why on earth velour track suits were in style.

Maria -- my first impression was mostly, "Wow, I really wish I could be that friendly walking into a group of new people." Just immediately bright and outgoing.

A GREAT feature of the F2F! Think The Prom ep of season three of Buffy - with PORN. And leather and corsets and glitter and kilts.

Plus, with the number of people that attend an F2F, people split off into different groups for most of the weekend. Except for prom. Prom is the one thing that we all do together. Dressing up and dancing and Too Much Candy and lots of fun.

I'm sure others could explain it better but that's my explanation.

What's the "prom" exactly? Is this a standard feature of F2Fs?

Yep. The Saturday night of the F2F weekend. Really the only time during the F2F that everyone (or almost everyone) is in the same place at the same time. Pretty clothes, music, dancing, drinks. (Plus other stuff. In DC, there were a bunch of sofas and chairs at one end of the room where people were knitting.)

Cashmere, how is your brother-in-law doing?

Hec, thank you for the bob pictures. My hair is wavier than all of those, but you provided a really nice group of shots, so nice, I'm having a hard time deciding. Thanks again.

I spoke to him today, Cindy. He's very well. They performed angioplasty on him on Friday and he came home yesterday. He sounded great on the phone and was puttering around in his garage.

Oh, so he did have a blockage, then? Yikes! I'm so glad he went to the hospital and is doing so well.