Back in my congoing days I saw plenty of socially maladjusted behavior as well, though I don't recall seeing the sort of open handsy-ness Jilli describes. (Likely because the two women I attended cons with were either (1) constantly accompanied by a husband who looked like a professional wrestler, or (2) tall and imposing enough on her own that prospective gropers could figure out their chances of drawing back a stump.) The fun, funny, smart people were about the same proportion of the whole as in the world at large—it's just that the jackholes were of the Comic Book Guy variety rather than obnoxious football fans and the like.

We were told by the hotel that there was way less groping of the waitresses at our con than there had been at the Shriners' convention a few weeks earlier. I can believe it, since I was once heavily groped merely trying to work my way through a hotel lobby full of Shriners.

What MM says may well be true, but only reinforces my dislike of large groups of any ilk.

(Edited because I have no knowledge of the behavior of Shiners.)

meara- that is dumb. Even if you were disengaged, why do adult people "tattle".

I have been wondering about the term "cougar" applying to older women. is is based on how old the boy is relative to the woman, or just women over a certain age. This comes about because I was just daydreaming about Patrick Stump, who is 23!!!

Sophia, you're a cougar. I think with a twenty three year old guy we're talking cougar, as soon as the woman passes...twenty eight? Thirty? Yeah, maybe thirty.

I think cougar also implies someone tanner and more toned than I am, but since I am unlikely to actually meet the lead singer of FOB, it is sort of moot.

Twenty-eight, really? Until that 30 Rock episode, I had only really thought of the term being used for women in their forties and fifties. Maybe because of that T-Mobile commercial with Felicia Day.

PC, I am 34, so I feel borderline.

However, I seem to look like John Travolta in Hairspray, if this pictur is any indication [link] My bosses are tiny!

I only go to the SD Comic-Con, but I've never had a problem. Probably because I'm wearing a t-shirt and jeans and there are many, many, many half-naked costumed women to gape at. Not that that makes groping okay, mind.

PC, I am 34, so I feel borderline.

Patrick's birthday is on Sunday! 24 seems so much less creepy, or at least it does if you're me and have been perving on him since he was 22.

Sigh. Now I really want someone to try to grope me (er...at a con, not, like, on the street or something. Though since I don't go to cons, it's sort of a tall order) just so I can kick their ass. Get some aggression out. Etc.