OVFF Report
Oct. 25th, 2010 05:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
judifilksign As a local, and low on money, I commuted an hour back and forth to the con this weekend, which means I missed a lot of the late night stuff so I'd be safe to drive.
Friday, I signed the Pegasus Concert, and felt I did quite well this year. S.J. Tucker really sang a song I rather disliked in a way that made it AWESOME, and amazing. She really deserves the Pegasus for Best Performer, in my humble opinion.
I felt that I really, really channeled "The Face That Launched 1,000 Ships." I was near tears from the emotion of it by the end of the song. Several people in the audience told me they'd cried when they saw me do it. Made for the win! (But it will be strange to have future Pegasus Award shows without it in it, much like not having to sign "Stray Dog Man" by Bill Sutton.)
After the Pegasus, I was pretty whipped, so I didn't even get into any of the filk circles. I ended up talking to so many of my friends, though. It was really nice.
Saturday, Kathleen Sloan asked me to sing something for her listener's concert, and asked Juliana to do so as well, so we put on our We're Not Koi hats with Douglas and backed one another up! I was terrified that my thumb would not be up to playing two songs in a row, but we made it through. A few people were surprised I sang, and told me I should do more of it, which made me feel pretty good.
I did sign for Randy and Kira, with their new group.
T.J. and Mitch had a great concert.
Urban Tapestry had a great concert.
Sooj had a great concert.
Bedlam Bards had a great concert.
Every concert I went to was awesome. Music was wonderful this year. (As it usually is...)
The songwriting concerts were totally enjoyable, and I got to sit next to my best friend from middle school and high school. It made me very, very happy. Having been thinking of bullying this week, and having worn purple on Saturday, I told him how much of a difference he'd made for me back then, (much to his discomfort.)
I also told Tom Smith "thank you" for standing up to someone rude twenty five years ago that had told me that no one wanted to hear ME sing; they wanted to hear Julia, and I should just shut up or go away. That woman's comment stuck with me for years and years. It took Judith at FKO 2006 saying "You can sing, sing sing sing sing sing sing!" to me, and Juliana taking me under her wing before I tried my voice at filks again. At the time, as a teen, I was ready to never come back to a con again, much less filk. But Tom'd torn into that woman (long ago gone away herself) and I stayed in fandom largely due to his instant defense. As I told Tom, who was trying to deflect my thanks, his rant meant I stayed with the people who became my family of choice. I said this with tears running down my cheeks, and pointed at everyone in the ballroom, our filk family. ( I may have totally freaked Tom out with my emoting, though...)
I went out to eat Saturday with a wonderful group of folks at a very posh restaurant. I felt spoiled rotten. The company and the food were most excellent.
I discovered that Sparkle had pulled the music book that I'd put all the songs that I can actually play out of my music backpack. So I was very ambivalent about playing in circles. When I started being weirdly emotional, I decided that I needed to go home to crash, before being too tired might make me crash on the way home.
Sunday, I spent a lot of time again talking to so many of the people I love.
When I was sitting in consuite, nursing some hot tea, I got into a conversation about bullying, and conventions. One of the participants in the conversation had read a private post of a mutual friend, and one of my replies about a nasty comment someone had made to me at a previous OVFF. Everyone at the table was quite indignant upon my behalf. I had just finished saying that I hadn't even seen the woman who'd been rude present at the con this year, and that I expected that no one would do such a thing again, when...
Up to the table came a person dressed all in black from head to toe. This person, with whom I have no prior acquaintance, stopped in front of me, and declared, loudly, "Judi, you haven't entertained us enough this weekend. You weren't in any of the open filks this weekend signing anyone's songs."
There was a looooong pause while I swallowed my mouthful of tea instead of spit-taking it. I turned to the commenter, and said in bitchy teacher voice "No, this weekend, aside from the Pegasus concert, I have spent mostly talking with my friends rather than dropping everything to attend to the whims of those who want me to entertain them." The black-clad accuser reacted as if I had actually delivered a slap across the face, and physically dropped their head, and slouched away. The woman seated to the left of me glowered at me as if I had been the bully in that interaction. I started feeling as though I'd used a sledgehammer to take care of an ant.
My darling husband is of the opinion that the black-clad commenter was not trying to bully me, but was perhaps trying to compliment me by wishing for more of stuff that was kewl. The commenter was just socially inept. Then my comments crushed him, because it ran counter to his expectations. Having missed the actual conversation, he thinks it is a plausible explanation of events. (This still makes ME feel like I was the mean one...)
I bounced back big time, though, at the Jam. I was able to play along during several songs on Burton the Banjo!! (I had not been able to do so on guitar in previous years.) I was able to follow Barry or Tom from Stone Dragon as they fingered chords, and translate into what chords I should play on the banjo. Tom noticed me doing this from across the room, and I could tell he modified his noodling so that I could more easily do this. Thank you, Tom! Still, I seriously impressed myself. I also got to dance to an amazing drumming song, too. I had a number of nice comments about that, some of which were from people NOT flirting outrageously with me. I hope it DOES become a tradition at OVFF.
Mark and Will and I went to Jeni's ice cream (nom nom nom) before hooking up with the annual Mongolian BBQ Sunday dinner run (more nom nom nom).
I did hang out a bit at the Dead Dog, at least until nine. I got to eat dark chocolate covered pomegranate pips....oh, bliss! Sitting next to Amy, I made her blush when I told her she was transcendently beautiful when she plays, and is so into it, that her joy just flows to others. I left just after signing "Wicked Girls."
Many thanks to my darling, darling husband, who made it possible for me to go this weekend on such a shoestring budget. I woke on Monday with hardly any voice and a case of con crud. I apologize to anyone I infected Sunday with all the hugging and kissing goodbye.
Friday, I signed the Pegasus Concert, and felt I did quite well this year. S.J. Tucker really sang a song I rather disliked in a way that made it AWESOME, and amazing. She really deserves the Pegasus for Best Performer, in my humble opinion.
I felt that I really, really channeled "The Face That Launched 1,000 Ships." I was near tears from the emotion of it by the end of the song. Several people in the audience told me they'd cried when they saw me do it. Made for the win! (But it will be strange to have future Pegasus Award shows without it in it, much like not having to sign "Stray Dog Man" by Bill Sutton.)
After the Pegasus, I was pretty whipped, so I didn't even get into any of the filk circles. I ended up talking to so many of my friends, though. It was really nice.
Saturday, Kathleen Sloan asked me to sing something for her listener's concert, and asked Juliana to do so as well, so we put on our We're Not Koi hats with Douglas and backed one another up! I was terrified that my thumb would not be up to playing two songs in a row, but we made it through. A few people were surprised I sang, and told me I should do more of it, which made me feel pretty good.
I did sign for Randy and Kira, with their new group.
T.J. and Mitch had a great concert.
Urban Tapestry had a great concert.
Sooj had a great concert.
Bedlam Bards had a great concert.
Every concert I went to was awesome. Music was wonderful this year. (As it usually is...)
The songwriting concerts were totally enjoyable, and I got to sit next to my best friend from middle school and high school. It made me very, very happy. Having been thinking of bullying this week, and having worn purple on Saturday, I told him how much of a difference he'd made for me back then, (much to his discomfort.)
I also told Tom Smith "thank you" for standing up to someone rude twenty five years ago that had told me that no one wanted to hear ME sing; they wanted to hear Julia, and I should just shut up or go away. That woman's comment stuck with me for years and years. It took Judith at FKO 2006 saying "You can sing, sing sing sing sing sing sing!" to me, and Juliana taking me under her wing before I tried my voice at filks again. At the time, as a teen, I was ready to never come back to a con again, much less filk. But Tom'd torn into that woman (long ago gone away herself) and I stayed in fandom largely due to his instant defense. As I told Tom, who was trying to deflect my thanks, his rant meant I stayed with the people who became my family of choice. I said this with tears running down my cheeks, and pointed at everyone in the ballroom, our filk family. ( I may have totally freaked Tom out with my emoting, though...)
I went out to eat Saturday with a wonderful group of folks at a very posh restaurant. I felt spoiled rotten. The company and the food were most excellent.
I discovered that Sparkle had pulled the music book that I'd put all the songs that I can actually play out of my music backpack. So I was very ambivalent about playing in circles. When I started being weirdly emotional, I decided that I needed to go home to crash, before being too tired might make me crash on the way home.
Sunday, I spent a lot of time again talking to so many of the people I love.
When I was sitting in consuite, nursing some hot tea, I got into a conversation about bullying, and conventions. One of the participants in the conversation had read a private post of a mutual friend, and one of my replies about a nasty comment someone had made to me at a previous OVFF. Everyone at the table was quite indignant upon my behalf. I had just finished saying that I hadn't even seen the woman who'd been rude present at the con this year, and that I expected that no one would do such a thing again, when...
Up to the table came a person dressed all in black from head to toe. This person, with whom I have no prior acquaintance, stopped in front of me, and declared, loudly, "Judi, you haven't entertained us enough this weekend. You weren't in any of the open filks this weekend signing anyone's songs."
There was a looooong pause while I swallowed my mouthful of tea instead of spit-taking it. I turned to the commenter, and said in bitchy teacher voice "No, this weekend, aside from the Pegasus concert, I have spent mostly talking with my friends rather than dropping everything to attend to the whims of those who want me to entertain them." The black-clad accuser reacted as if I had actually delivered a slap across the face, and physically dropped their head, and slouched away. The woman seated to the left of me glowered at me as if I had been the bully in that interaction. I started feeling as though I'd used a sledgehammer to take care of an ant.
My darling husband is of the opinion that the black-clad commenter was not trying to bully me, but was perhaps trying to compliment me by wishing for more of stuff that was kewl. The commenter was just socially inept. Then my comments crushed him, because it ran counter to his expectations. Having missed the actual conversation, he thinks it is a plausible explanation of events. (This still makes ME feel like I was the mean one...)
I bounced back big time, though, at the Jam. I was able to play along during several songs on Burton the Banjo!! (I had not been able to do so on guitar in previous years.) I was able to follow Barry or Tom from Stone Dragon as they fingered chords, and translate into what chords I should play on the banjo. Tom noticed me doing this from across the room, and I could tell he modified his noodling so that I could more easily do this. Thank you, Tom! Still, I seriously impressed myself. I also got to dance to an amazing drumming song, too. I had a number of nice comments about that, some of which were from people NOT flirting outrageously with me. I hope it DOES become a tradition at OVFF.
Mark and Will and I went to Jeni's ice cream (nom nom nom) before hooking up with the annual Mongolian BBQ Sunday dinner run (more nom nom nom).
I did hang out a bit at the Dead Dog, at least until nine. I got to eat dark chocolate covered pomegranate pips....oh, bliss! Sitting next to Amy, I made her blush when I told her she was transcendently beautiful when she plays, and is so into it, that her joy just flows to others. I left just after signing "Wicked Girls."
Many thanks to my darling, darling husband, who made it possible for me to go this weekend on such a shoestring budget. I woke on Monday with hardly any voice and a case of con crud. I apologize to anyone I infected Sunday with all the hugging and kissing goodbye.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-25 11:15 pm (UTC)I'm glad you enjoyed "Come Down"! Sooj and I both love that song, and I especially love that it gives us a chance to feature the drummers, so we'll keep doing it (and hopefully develop more people who know it well enough to lead if Sooj and/or I aren't there) as long as people keep asking for it! :-)
It was good to see you playing the banjo and having fun in the jam... I could tell from the look on your face that you'd found a comfortable spot and were enjoying what you were doing.
(Also, I don't think there was anything wrong w/ your response to the person in black. Unfortunately, anyone who could make that comment has already demonstrated a complete lack of social nicety, and it takes a sledgehammer to get through to people like that. *sigh*)
(Edited to add a missed closing paren.)
no subject
Date: 2010-10-28 01:04 am (UTC)I was so very happy to play along on the banjo. I'd tried playing along on a guitar in previous years, and was unable to. This year, watching the guitarists, I was able to identify the chords, and then make the banjo chords, AND keep up!
This was internally very impressive to me, the more so because I'd had surgery on my thumb in late August, and it's been slow going getting the grip strength back to chord. I was so happy!