Oooooooggga. Well folks, I just woke up after a dizzying night of fun and experiences. I'm so sorry Brenda(outnfree) that I didn't make it this morning for brunch. First off, I forgot to set my alarm, and then, even if I did set it, I do not think I would have heard it go off!! Trying to wake the dead comes to mind. Hmmm, I still owe you for breakfast/lunch/dinner/beers sometime, thanks for getting them last night. We'll hook up again I'm sure.
Rational Witness and his wife were a pleasure to meet. Very down to earth couple. You learn so much more from meeting posters in person than from reading their posts on the board. Don't let Brenda give you a hard time about your hat Rational!
Obiwan is sort of what I expected. I pictured him a little differently though. Cool guy.
Hmmm was one of the rowdy all nighter's. Slamming shot after shot between beers. kidding. Actually, I had the impression that hmmm was nearest to my personality. A little more reserved and not the outspoken type like our hostess.
Larc is what I expected. It's too bad we didn't get to go head to head with some NTN. He says he wouldn't be that good, but I think he was just bluffing. He seems the type that would play one round of NTN and blow it intentionally and then the next round ask you if you would like to play for drinks and then crush you by going 15 for 15 with 900+ pointers each. He's really an old softy aside from his damaging analysis of jdubs in print. It's too bad the Ohio'ers have him down there.
Outnfree's friend, Jan, and her daughter Tina, were also present. Jan is another sweet lady who was a pleasure to meet. Hearing her story about being df'd and the way the elders treated, or should I say, did not treat her, was disheartening.
And last but certainly not least, Outnfree. She was the most different from what I expected to see. As I was in the parking lot waiting to meet up with everyone, I was looking for an anti-JW godless Jezebel to stroll into the coffee shop with horns peeking through her hair and a tail dragging on the ground. You can imagine my horror when she came up behind me in line at the shop and said my name! Wait a minute! That voice does not sound cold or devilish in any way! I spun around, and looking for horns, I didn't see any! Wow, I guess the society was wrong afterall. People who leave the borg and work against Jah's visible org here on earth can still be really nice. Kidding aside, Brenda was probably my most favorite person to have met. She is not at all what I expected. She is just your typical mom looking out for her kids and others' welfare. She is a very sweet person and has a hidden wild side I'm guessing. What would you expect if you are a teenager and your mom likes to listen to Eminem!?! That just blew me away when she said that.
All in all, I would have to say that everyone who came last night, I would surely like to meet again. There was not one person who struck me as being a hateful, bitter exJW. Everyone was too nice and I would have to say that I would pick this group of people to hang out with over a group from my hall. It was great to be able to speak freely about the org and its faults knowing that everyone else felt the same way. AND knowing that you are not going to get pinched for saying such things! I am looking forward to the next fest. Rational's idea of an aussie style BBQ would be great. I'll even load up my Weber grill into the back of my truck, along with a keg or two for that one.
