And now someone is going to tell me I could just say *that,* but -- you try it. It's a mouthful. And LONG, especially at a high-energy gathering like Prom, where, when someone comes up behind you and you don't see them (because of the "coming up behind" thing) and they start rubbing your shoulders, you whip around and then start reciting that long-ass paragraph about boundaries.

Eh, I expect that honestly, you probably wouldn't have been able to fully and completely articulate it until after it all happened. I mean, you were having these epiphanies and realizations about your needs, yes, but was the SF F2F the first time you'd ever really been in a big group of familiar people where you would run into the problem of the *huge* shift in your personal space needs from the last time you'd seen them?

Nice pictures, Nora! You guys look so happy. And a Jars sighting, yay!

The many rum & gingerales the night before are another story.

That is why I'm clutching my beer like it's a lifeline in all of those photos. No rum! Only beer!

I wasn't planning to drink any of the Warp Core or Borgsphere, because I am enough of a professional drinker to know to avoid that shit, but then the extra smoky thing showed up, and what else were we supposed to do? (I can't believe they gave us the extra in to-go cups.)

I wasn't planning to drink any of the Warp Core or Borgsphere, because I am enough of a professional drinker to know to avoid that shit, but then the extra smoky thing showed up, and what else were we supposed to do? (I can't believe they gave us the extra in to-go cups.)

I can't believe Frenzy & Slim drank one of those on their own before we got there and then drank more.

Of course they are pretty young.

Not sure where I sit on the extrovert line.

was the SF F2F the first time you'd ever really been in a big group of familiar people where you would run into the problem of the *huge* shift in your personal space needs from the last time you'd seen them?

Ah, you are like unto a shrink. Or possibly you are IN MY BRAIN.

In my daily life, and even in my social life (which I don't count as "daily" because social events don't happen every day 'round these parts), I'm never in groups of, say, more than 25 (and even 25 is EXTREME SOCIALIZING for the crowd I run with).

When I *am* at a social event of more than 25 (and, full disclosure, I'm talking about large kink events), people adhere pretty strongly to the rule of You DO NOT Touch What Is Not Yours.

Although -- and here I'm going on a tangent just because it amuses me -- at kink parties, where there is nakedness and consensual ouchiness going on, it's a commonly accepted rule that when 2 (or more!) people are currently engaged in the aforementioned consensual ouchiness, you DO NOT FUCKING TALK TO THEM.

So, there we were, and I was the one receiving the ouchiness from The Boy, and because I am self-conscious, I was not in fact naked. Apparently from the back, only *part* of my tattoo is visible above the waistband of my undies. So a random woman who we didn't know interrupted The Boy and asked him to pull down my undies so she could see my whole tattoo.

My "Oh HELL NO" was loud enough that it people told me later they heard it across the room (which was a ballroom of a hotel, so -- large room). Some people are just clue.less.

Because The Boy possesses the tact that I apparently do not, he told her that we were in the middle of stuff, but if she sought me out later, I would show her my tattoo.

(Personally, I like my response better. Who DOES that? And seriously, if you aren't careful who you make inappropriate requests of -- and if you aren't careful to note what they're doing when you interrupt them -- you could get (1) hurt by someone's backswing [oh yeah, it happens], (2) ripped a new asshole by the person you interrupt, or (3) asked to leave by the people in charge of the party.)

The groping gets talked about disproportionately becaues its effen funny.

It is just about entirely drunken prom (and post-prom) behaviour.

In its public incarnation it pretty much consists of too much candy, madly kissing multiple people, and some rub-rub dancing.

In its private incarnation its private.

I've been to every single F2F. And everyone ends up hearing everything eventually. If something Bad Touch had ever happened I feel confident in saying that a) we'd all know, b) we'd all be sick to our stomachs.

If something Bad Touch had ever happened

And I hope I've explained my boundary weirdness well enough that everyone knows I didn't mean Bad Touch; I *absolutely* know that everything is high-spirited friendliness. Just because my personal bubble has expanded doesn't mean that what I objected to was, well, Bad Touchy. It was just something that crossed into what I didn't prefer.

I can't believe Frenzy & Slim drank one of those on their own before we got there and then drank more.

Of course they are pretty young.

True, though by the time we caught up to them at the Imperial Palace, Frenzy wasn't standing upright too well. (10 shots of rum per drink! That would kill a stronger woman than me.)

I'm actually laughing my ass off at the Introvert Roll Call, because -- seriously, if we are ALL introverts, the F2F wouldn't have been stressful for me.

Hah! I would totally take the blame for that but for nto having been at teh SFF2F.

Also, those Mensa stickers sound great, except that while I'm a big hugger...dude. The people who go to Mensa meetings? I am SOOOO not inviting hugs. I am ALWAYS saying ask first.

Hey! I didn't straddle anyone in Vegas! (Did I?)

Sniff. Well, you COULD"VE. IJS.

Yeah, I'm a big hugger but I'd Nev. Uh. wear a sticker like that.

It's affection, people, not some sort or rote behavior. Engage me an' stuff.