I met a fellow BDer!!

[Boromir88]

Since I've visited my normal set of sites, and now just find myself trolling, I guess it's a good time to finish like I told Enca I was going to two days ago.

As Diamond said, I went with Form in the morning to greet her. I'm surprised I was able to do it, as I think that was night 1 of 2 that I wound up somehow sleeping at the kitchen table. Luckily we had left early, because we found out that Diamond was flying in on Northwest and they changed terminals, we went to 4 different terminals until finally finding the right one (Logan seriously lacks information desk and the people at them are not very helpful!...go outside and head straight it's like a minute walk...Thanks for sending us into a parking lot that we could not walk straight thru!) Anyway, I told Form that I hope he knew what Di looked like, because all I knew is vaguely remembering glasses. It was quite perfect timing, we finally were in the right terminal and then Di approaches recognizing Form. There was brief awkwardness as I hadn't talked to Di outside of WW games, and I knew from her cold she at first didn't register me. I apologized for not being a welcoming, 'bucket of cheer,' as I was seriously lacking sleep and she was ill. But on the ride back, I discover she's from Wisconsin, a place that I have actually been before, and near the Milwaukee area. After that awkwardness ends, and I think when she's a wolf, she just wants to lynch me because unlike Glirdan, Shasta, or Brinn even in real life WW no one wants to lynch me.

The next two I met were Enca and phantom. I had gone out on a grocery store run to get the turkey with Brinn, Kath, Rune, and Diamond. Brinn and Kath went to get Shasta, where Rune, Di and I headed back to the apartment, me pushing a large wheelie cart full of groceries.

With Enca, you can say, we had eachother at "hello" (to put it politely ). I think all I can say, is after getting back with the cart of groceries, pressing the button to be let in, and being asked the password...umm ya, no one heard the password part. They just heard a bunch of rage and expletives from me to get everyone downstairs and help us carry groceries. This took Rune by shock (and probably Di too) as he says I was very composed on the train and hike up-hill back to the apartment. So...my first impression I give to Enca and phantom went something like this.

" *&$# *@##**&^ get %#$& *bleep* groceries #&^@ _____ everyone ******* &^$# *bleep* NOW!" Of course the tirade probably lasted for a good minute, but you get the gist (and everyone says I'm so kind! ).

But back to Enca and phantom, once letting that out, it was immediately made better by Nienna sending down the entire apartment of 'Downers in mass to get the groceries. Plus seeing two new 'Downers. I was very worried, until Enca was practically cracking up and welcomed me with a good hug. The day she left, she still remains the only 'Downer that I properly serenaded too! I worry a bit too much about first impressions, and anyone who can hear that from me as a first impression and still love me, deserves it!

the phantom, I have conversed with a lot more outside the Downs than Enca, and knowing that I was worried about his reaction too, but was reassured with basically "No big deal. So did you see the Texas-Nebraska game?" He was pretty much how I imagined...talked a lot of sports and werewolf at first (and for anyone who thinks he fixes the Arda Cup results...it's legit, he doesn't), but he proved much more useful in convo than simply at those two topics. I regret not getting a bit more time with him, since he was one of the people who stayed at a hotel, but still a good guy with a good sense of humor.

And now, I feel more drained than at the start (so the plan worked and got me to unwind...woo!) but this means the story has to be continued.

[Diamond18]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Luckily we had left early, because we found out that Diamond was flying in on Northwest and they changed terminals, we went to 4 different terminals until finally finding the right one (Logan seriously lacks information desk and the people at them are not very helpful!...go outside and head straight it's like a minute walk...Thanks for sending us into a parking lot that we could not walk straight thru!)

It still cracks me up that you went through all this and I saw you almost immediately after getting off the plane. Your timing and placement was imperfectly perfect. Also, I was on Midwest not Northwest... perhaps that's why you were at the wrong terminal?

and I think when she's a wolf, she just wants to lynch me because unlike Glirdan, Shasta, or Brinn even in real life WW no one wants to lynch me.

Here now, I think you're forgetting that I was only a wolf once over the course of the shindig, and I voted for you several times as an innocent! I did think you were far too trustworthy and helpful by the computer and too un-suspicious to be true, so yes that part is right.

I find that I actually really do enjoy real life werewolf. It's a lot more flying by the seat of your pants rather than studying posts, and one game takes about an hour rather than a week. A pity we're so seldom all together in one place.

This took Rune by shock (and probably Di too) as he says I was very composed on the train and hike up-hill back to the apartment.

Quite true. I had no idea, and for a moment or two thought you were playing at being upset because it was so, um, colorful.

Originally Posted by Glirdan

Diamond is another total sweetheart. Quiet, a little shy, but funny and outgoing all at the same time. I had a lot of fn with this Downer on our rather long adventure to find a post office (with Rune) in order to send out a post card! The three of us stopped many times on what should have been a fifteen minute walk to take pictures of the scenery.

Awww you make me blush. I loved our postcard-buying/mailing/sight-seeing/lunch outing. Actually that is one of my favorite memories from the week. We were just so excited to be in Boston that we wandered around Brighton acting like it was the most exotic place ever, haha. Also possibly the only time I strolled around outside with my head up, instead of running from T-stop to T-stop complaining about the cold, buried in my hood.

[Boromir88]

Now, I can't have Mira show me up with that epic post as I whine about my own exhaustion. Left off with phantom, which I believe next comes Glirdan and wilwa, who I went to get at the bus station then returning back to meet Shasta.

Glirdan, where do I start with this kid? Wilwa told me he was coming before the moot and I was really excited, because as he said we had developed a good friendship, but when he went on hiatus from the site and lost touch. That is until I find out from wilwa, that the Devin coming with her was Glirdan! I mean I seriously can't say enough about him. On the 'Downs he was someone who I could always go to if I needed something done, and handled my frantic "I can't close this down, I hope you can!" messages. He is exactly the same in person, someone who handled the moments I did get frantic, and I was more than happy to repay when Kath had him worried about a missing wilwa. (I won't go into details about being lost, Glirdan was pretty cheery about the whole thing taking lots of pictures. My calls were not THAT bad, I was just concerned about making it back to induge in Mac's delicious potato pancakes). I can say we developed that friendship where I would be perfectly ok if he punched me for the times that I can be a prick. I say this, because I know there was a time when he probably seriously did want to knock me out, but instead just gave me a sleeping pill. I wasn't sure how long it would take to sink in, and the snoring from others who will remain nameless, led me to go into the other room where I was given earplugs. By the time I got to the door, I felt the sleeping pill taking effect forget what happens next, but according to alona I was yet again sleeping at the kitchen table.

And wilwa can just brighten your day instantly. We picked up the Canadians, and I was probably also in not the best of moods (I blame Mira who was dragging down everyones' spirits ), but it was impossible to not smile when Glirdan and wilwa came through the doors smiling exclaiming "WE'RE IN BOSTON!" The B&N trip was quite epic too with her and Form. (Aside: I think this was when I first used the word excursion, and it makes me happy to see the word being used frequently here. Looks like you're not the only one who can get 'Downers to say words that catch on Kath! ). It was good to go to Barnes, and it was an unexpected trip as I saw Form leaving, I wanted to get some air, then wilwa is anxious to come, and we make a pleasant trip to the bookstore and Starbucks. I already knew wilwa's obsessed fondness for butterflies, but learned the story behind it, and it was very sad to see my two Canadians who could instantly make you smile leave.

The first night, I don't recall much interaction with Shasta, beyond *New person is here...ahh this must be the person I legit fear the most, because of my Ranger stunt.* "Oh hi. I'm John, aka Boro." I don't think I have mentioned how great it was to meet this guy. Let's see...he's a great singer and absolutely hilarious, and he always got mad because somehow I was the Ranger 3 straight times, and he was the seer often, but I never defended him even though he was usually night 1 killed. The other thing about Shasta is he sleeps anywhere, at anytime. He made it nigh impossible to leave by tackling (Had to steal this pic Brinn) and then trying to kidnap me at the airport.

The morning bunches of us go to pick up a Lari, an alona, and a Celuien.

Lari is someone who I can talk history with for hours and I love it, because
there aren't many people I know in person who can do that with me. She is a calming person to be around, it's just something where she knows exactly what to say in the perfect situation. When my head inevitably races around, Lari calmed it with encouragement or direction. And times when I needed a good laugh, we could discuss the Defenestration of Prague, and how to properly defenestrate people to make it look like an accident! I wish we could have thought of that role as a D-list superhero, someone carrying around a pane of glass to throw people thru...oh I love the idea.

Alona was a wolf in the WW game I did here, and we got to know eachother a bit afterwards. It's a shame that uni life made us both really busy, before the moot, but she did manage to instruct me on how to install Skype. I had no idea about her strange lemon habits, but I can't say too much as a person who will eat mashed potatoes and gravy with eggs. One of the few pictures I do have on my phone is when we woked up alona to tell her that Lari had gone to get hair dye. She takes out her phone, but while calling her fell back asleep with the phone to her ear. It was hilarious, and I have never seen anyone who can sleep like she can. Lari's trying to call her back, and alona has the phone right up to her ear, but still soundly asleep.

Celuien, I will just add had to the turkey story, had an absolutely stunning dress for New Years.

The last ones I met...Fea, Mac, Rikae, and their wereduckling. The wereduckling is adorable and she will without question be the most deadly WW player in history. When she speaks...erm points...watch out, you will be lynched or eaten.

Mac made a delicious meal for us as well, I can't take full credit for being the cook. He and Rikae also helped in the epic cleaning of the apartment that one day when Glirdan, alona, Mira and I decided it absolutely needed to be done. The WW-game I probably most remember (besides the one that I left because of a nose-bleed only to come back and find phantom had to pick new wolves) was getting into a staring contest with Mac. I had contacts, and in the desperate need for water that my eyes were I had to submit, to which Mac shouts "WOLF!"

Rikae is just as scary in real WW as on-line, because she sounds exactly the same. I swear at times when she talked, it was like reading a post from Rikae, and the sly tone to her voice did not help at all. I will distrust her even more now! Rikae also provided much needed help, in making the cheese sauce, for my pretzel-breaded chicken. It turned out beautifully, and I thank you because with everything else going on, I probably would have neglected the sauce, leading to separation or something else going wrong.

I had actually first met Fea through the screen as Nienna demanded a video chat, telling Form, Mira, and I that she had to go make herself pretty. I made a sign for her too, as I had asked her to wear some red when picking me up, but then she had to go and get sick. So, the sign on the back that red "and looking for the lady in red BOOTS" did not make sense. (Funny story...at the airport I fail at remembering what you can take in your carryon. So as the security guard confiscated my shampoo and toothpaste, came across the sign too. I said I would not allow him to throw that away and he kindly put it back in the bag for me.) Poor Fea was coughing, raspy, and quite often sleeping or at class, but a lovely person and I would have been most upset had that held her back from the trip entirely.