LeN, I would totally suggest my sister write an academic paper or deconstruct some shit for public fun.

Since my talent is beating people up, it's at least more people-pleasing than I'm gonna be. And I'm gonna do what I'm gonna do.

An invite like that is pretty clear about you not having to please the public, if you can satisfy the letter of the law (and perhaps amuse the fuck out of yourself). It's way better than a lot I've seen.

NO was my answer too. Unless it was among really close friends. That party is not an introverts friend.

A world of agreement here. It sounds like some extroverted busybody's bright idea of how to "fix" introverts by forcing them into the spotlight, which hasn't been run by anyone who's actually introverted.

Tom, if you're looking upon it as an opportunity to get exposure for your photography and network for a freelancing business to base on it, putting up with it might be worthwhile. Otherwise I'd recommend treating it as if it were a Twister party for people with contagious skin conditions.

With invites like that, it always strikes me that not everyone will get a turn, because a) no one's that organized, and b) alcohol. It would annoy me, too -- if I had a performance talent, I wouldn't be a writer. But I guess one of the outs is also to bring something, or grill something?

This week started with the brake line on the truck failing. I want to go back to bed.

Backseat passenger bounces out of car on MN highway . . . and the drive and frontseat passenger didn't notice right away AND the backseat passenger was okay.

It explicitly says you don't have to perform -- I would totally cook something.

NO was my answer too. Unless it was among really close friends. That party is not an introverts friend.

Although I wouldn't jump for joy at the chance, after thinking about it, I think it would be OK if they let you set up a table showcasing your talent that you could either stand by or not, as a choice instead of performing.

It actually makes me think of my Theatre Honor Fraternity induction, which to this day makes me seethe with rage. I actually walked out on it. The idea was to be poking fun at regular fraternities/honor societies and hazing, I think. So you had a bif brother/sister, and they prepared you by making you memorize all this stuff, and get ready, and then it was ALL A JOKE. They made you take a test where the answers were impossible, while distracting you, called you up on stage and made fun of you, made you recite a Shakespeare monologue while they heckled you, and it culminated in an improv where they thought it would be funny to have me, who was not an actor, and hated improv, be the lead character.

So I literally had a breakdown and left in the middle of the improv. The professor advisor had to come get me and try to convince me to come back.

What was really good about it was that the professor actually understood that I was angry and not sad, and the next year we let the inductees in on the "joke". We also made in nicer for non-actors.

Tom, I would put together a portfolio or two, and have them placed on tables. No performing or speaking, but sharing.

Then you can also smile, which, in your case, is absofuckinglutely a TALENT.

ION, why do people want to to be doing work this morning. Jesusita, I JUST did work last week!

Today's teefury - HP Lovecraft: [link]

Yeah, since the invite says you don't even have to be there to fulfill the requirement, or do anything while you're there...just point them at a web page and you're done. You wouldn't' even have to post anything new. Easy McPeasy. It's totally the best "let's all play!" invite I've ever seen. Since I've managed to expand my performance level skills from "hit people" to "teach people to hit people" "argue harder" and "draw porn" I'm really in high demand at parties. My sister's birthday weekend will be killer.

Yeah, my immediate reaction was NO too. That's usually my reaction to anything I'm told to do because It Will Be Fun!!. If I were going to such a party, I'd do a striptease. F U, that's my talent. So what if I'm fat now? Your invitation didn't say you had to enjoy it.

But seriously, Tom. Don't do it if you don't want to. If you do want to, take a bunch of your photos and show 'em off. You could even wear a t-shirt that says I Am Not A Photographer, which will satisfy your imposter syndrome and also confuse people.

*Everyone* has imposter syndrome. I swear. Okay, maybe not everyone, but an awful lot of people. "Yeah, I'm making it up as I go, I'm waiting for them to find out I have no idea what I'm doing and fire me." Me too. My degree is in anthropology! I'm a lazy antisocial scatterbrain! Why did they hire *me* to keep track of hundreds of different projects and soothe fretting professors? I have no idea what I'm doing here.