All-State Ramblings (3)

[Adelina]

People!

What else is there to say? That’s what you go to parties for, the people. All kinds of people are there, in senses both vanilla and otherwise. Young and old, from near and far, in all kinds of occupations, mix together into one big mob. Somewhere in the midst of the throng are the people you know, the ones you’ve spoken to on the net, on the phone, the ones you’ve been waiting to meet. It’s an awesome thing to put faces with the names that are etched into our heads, soaking in the first impressions and comparing them to our mind’s eye (“He’s exactly how I pictured him!” -- “She’s nothing like I pictured her!”).

In some ways, the crowd is energizing, offering endless opportunities to meet someone new, or someone not-so-new. On the other hand, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and to lose track as you weave your way through the field of nametags. (Remember Paully, the one who bought me lunch? Once we checked in and separated, it was nearly 24 hours before I saw him again!) I don’t always do very well in crowds, as I am quite sensitive to overstimulation and tend to get nervous in such situations; but that didn’t happen this time. I felt right at home, confident that I was in a place where I thoroughly belonged. Whenever I started to feel a little lost, I would spot another name I recognized and the feeling would go away. Or, in an unfamiliar twist, someone would see my name and be excited to meet me! That’s a pretty strange thing for me. “Oh, yes, I’ve heard of you!” Eh? I do not consider myself to be the type of person who is “heard of.” When did that happen? I certainly don’t know, but it’s very cool. As one who is accustomed to the adolescent angst of shunned geekhood, I really dig that kind of affirmation.

What’s great about parties like this is that it’s like dining at a veritable spanko buffet. No matter what you are into, there’s a counterpart someplace in the room. We spankos seem to have a universal gratitude for the internet and how it has enabled us to find each other; yet even within our own chocolate ranks, there are so many flavorful variations. Some crave discipline; some are fond of roleplaying; some like to play the bratting game. Others are perhaps into bondage, or ageplay, or sensation play, a favorite of mine. Whatever you want, there’s someone who will indulge you, likely sporting a huge grin of self-satisfaction all the while. Sometimes, an observant onlooker will help things along, notice things about you that you didn’t necessarily broadcast. I recall Miss A remarking to her other half as I lay in faux helplessness, “I think she likes struggling,” thus prompting the quick restraint of my hands. And though you must stick out the obligatory tongue at the offending tattletale, such helpful hints do streamline the process a bit, saving me the trouble of saying it myself.

It really was quite a crowd down there. There were a number of folks I’d looked forward to finally meeting in person, but to whom I barely got to say hello before getting lost in the waves again. Then, there were these other people who I kept seeing across the room or down the hall, but never actually met face-to-face. In lieu of getting close enough to catch sight of the nametags, I found myself assigning interim nicknames, such as “Hunkalicious” or “the cowboy dude.” (That one didn’t serve me well on western night.) Then, there were still others who I’d never seen or heard of before, but thoroughly enjoyed a good play session or two with them, along with great conversations and intriguing balloon-animal creations.

I did manage to spend some time with GaryD, who is a delightful fellow. I’ve got a thing for paddles, and he… well, he’s got paddles. Lots of them. He even gave me one to take home with me! That was so cool. My first “real” paddle, from GaryD at the Texas All-State. You gotta love that. He was such a gentleman, fun to be with and a great spanker, if I may say so. That really hit the spot, literally and figuratively.

It was awesome to meet the physical people behinds the names I see so often on this screen. I hesitate to list them as I know I’ll forget someone, but I’ll risk it: paully62, lil_dixiedarling, lil_babygirl, emily, Emmydoll, kaylex, garyspk, rangerboy, hwyman, Tom and Dena [I can’t spell their nicks], Tubaman, LondonTanner, aurora [well, I already knew her, but great to see again!]….

Finally, there was my faithful friend, weekend roommate and bodyguard, one BlackVelvet007, as we know him here. I remember how we first got to talking: I saw something on CNN about a wax figure of JFK Jr. being on display at the wax museum in New York and thought I’d read in a post that he worked there, so I asked him about it that night in the chatroom, privately. That led to more chatting, and eventually a real friendship which I cherish. Come to think of it, I bet that’s why I felt so comfortable at this meet. I knew I had an anchor, a go-to guy on call. I’m a moody sort, prone to anxiety and self-doubt, so it’s important for me to have someone solid to lean on… and isn’t that what all this stuff is really about? Having someone to trust, someone who’s got your back…. Yep, that’s good stuff.

[BlackVelvet007]

Originally Posted by Adelina

Finally, there was my faithful friend, weekend roommate and bodyguard, one BlackVelvet007, as we know him here. I remember how we first got to talking: I saw something on CNN about a wax figure of JFK Jr. being on display at the wax museum in New York and thought I’d read in a post that he worked there, so I asked him about it that night in the chatroom, privately. That led to more chatting, and eventually a real friendship which I cherish. Come to think of it, I bet that’s why I felt so comfortable at this meet. I knew I had an anchor, a go-to guy on call. I’m a moody sort, prone to anxiety and self-doubt, so it’s important for me to have someone solid to lean on… and isn’t that what all this stuff is really about? Having someone to trust, someone who’s got your back…. Yep, that’s good stuff.

Wow. So glad I made a difference like that. Thank you Adelina. And thanks for using your 100th post to shout out everybody. That's what this forum is about.

[Gary D.]

I appreciate your compliments Adelina and glad you enjoyed! It was my pleasure to meet you and play as well........along with all the others. Looking very forward to the "next time" and hope your paddle isn't gathering dust.........

Gary D.

[lil_babygirl]

Awwww shucks Adelina... *scuffs feet*.. It was awesome to meet you. I hope to see you again. Hugs.