OVFF Report 2011

[judifilksign]

I spent OVFF being happy, a bit tired from burning the candle too much, and surrounded by friends who made my internal happy meter keep breaking new records.

The Pegasus Concert went very well signing-wise, from my view.  (SO hard to vote afterwards!)  I am almost sorry "My Laugh Is an Evil Laugh" won, because I heart heart heart signing it as a T-Rex so dang much.  I shall just have to request  it of seanan_mcguire when I see her at cons so I can, instead of waiting for official concerts.  Now, to figure out when that will be...

tomsmith's "Storm Dancing" went so perfectly, I had a pang when it ended.  We got the audience to make rain sounds to begin and end, and it was magical.

I loved signing shaddyr's concert, too.  And Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff were fun and awesome.  I must admit, I went a bit over the top, and during "Come on Hobbit, Light My Fire," I used the guitar solo to build a pyre, put a body on it, cover it, and myself with oil, and then stood beckoning people to come on and light the fire.  They had a song about Manhattan that had me near tears, too. 

I had a small piece of irritation on Saturday morning before Yoga, when I woman with whom I am not acquainted, have seen in the halls but not met before, accused me of Big Name Fan "cool kid" behavior because I was "too good" for Open Filk now that I was up on stage.  It would have been a major piece of angst for me in prior years, but I've heard this little bit of poison before in previous years, and have spoken to other performers who have had it happen to them, too, so I was better able to take it in stride.  One wonders whether it was the same person who accosted us all.

I told her that I was *tired* on Friday night after signing a three hour concert, with one break, and that I had just gone "boom."  Perhaps I'd see her in Open Filk Saturday.  Taking the higher ground...

And then, off to Yoga (this conversation made me late) where I was able to stretch and meditate it all out.  Back to happy.  I mention this only because others of my friends HAVE had this problem, too, and one would think that folks out there would do a bit of thinking before they pop off.  I also had strong support from random breakfast people who took firm stances at the non-thinking displayed by my critic.

I had so many more people just come up to me and say how much they enjoyed the signing, and smiled a bit when I heard some locals talking about "Our Judi," and how happy they are that I'm local so they get to see me a bit more often at the cons within striking distance, like Marcon, Confluence, and this year, Context.  Weird to be thought of as a mascot...

Saturday, I got to reprise an awesome restaurant from last year with the same set of awesome sauce folks, and then get Jeni's ice cream for dessert, too.

Special thanks go out to fuzzyvanman, rms_butterfly, solomons_pond and pondsidefor letting me pull up a square of carpet in their room when I was unsafe to drive Saturday.  Sunday's Yoga took out all of the kinks.

I want copies of the pictures where Jan's snake Spot had me in living :"bondage."  I hope folks who took pics post them soon!

The jam was really fun this year, with a lot of us dancing.  At one point, during one Maya was singing, many of us were posturing with pointy finger hand guns, and I got to hold myself hostage.  I also loved hearing peteralway lead a jam on the banjimer.

On Sunday, markbernstein, will from Boston and I got dessert first at Jeni's, then joined the trek to Mongolian Barbecue.  Seeing us all there was heartwarming, but also pang-y, as it meant folks were going soon.

I think I had a perfect balance of talking to people, and listening to music, and making music for maximum joy.  There were so many bits of joy and so many friends, I feel guilty for not stringing all of the LJ handles I know along, but...they should know I love them anyway, right?

And for sweetmusic_27​, who was not there, I am so glad she won the Pegasus for best performer!  She is made of win, and helps so many others sound so awesome.  She totally deserved it!

Comments

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

Seeing people dance to the banjimer was a hoot!

I was pleased that you could make it to Saturday night's open filk and join in with "Better With Harmony". That was a really happy circle all around.

As for your critic, I usually have no idea who doesn't make it to open filk, because I don't usually track everyone who's in every filk circle at all times. How odd to track that so closely, and to make an issue of it. On the bright side, it's nice to know that there are people in Filk whose social skills are even more deficient than mine--it makes me feel positively suave in comparison! Yay!

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

I find it especially puzzling, given that at this particular con, just about everyone present who I'd consider a "big name cool kid" (had a concert, a Pegasus slot, has an album, people whose names I'd heard admiringly before I met them here, whatever) was there at one of the open filk rooms most of the nights. They get to be well known because they love music and like to show up and do it a lot.

Maybe whatshername missed some of the rooms, like those ones in the wing behind the restaurant or something.

There's always so much to do at these cons, and always several people I show up eager to spend time with and end up a little disappointed when I end up not seeing much of them at all. When there are 20 or more awesome friends and only one weekend, that's pretty much a given. I just try to remember what a blessing it is to know so many awesome friends and to be grateful just to share a few moments and songs in person before it's back to the internet.

Thank you for signing my performance, Awesome Friend.

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

I didn't see the woman at the happy circle, either. Too bad for her; it was an awesome one, wasn't it?

You are WAY more suave, because you actually are polite and consider others feelings ALL OF THE TIME! (Even if you aren't sure what is happening, you work it.)

[sweetmusic-27.livejournal.com]

*bigwarmhugs* I missed seeing you, lovely lady. ♥ Thank you for the congrats. I'm so glad you had a good time and posted about it, I've been devouring people's conreps. 8D

[maverick-weirdo.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing that "Will from Boston" was actually "Will from New York" a.k.a. scifantasy

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

Oops! Thanks for the correction!

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

*cough* Will from New York, thank you. *grin*

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

That's what I get for listening to your song about your dad teaching you how to swear in the car. Wasn't that set in Boston?

*blushes*

I tried to fix it, but I get a message "Must be fixed in Cut Wizard", with a click to get to the cut wizard that DOES. NOT. HELP. I am so not a tech geek.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

There was a punchline about Boston, yes, but that's based on my father's deep and abiding rage at driving in that city...but that's partly because he's such a New Yorker. *grin*

Meh, don't worry, everybody knows now. *grin*

[kyrielle]

...yannow, the times I've been to Conflikt and once Orycon, I see lots of people at concerts watching who may never turn up at open filk. I miss it a lot due to, yannow, small child wanting mommy for bedtime.

It's only "wrong" to be tired, distracted, bored, or hanging out with your friends if you're a big enough name that the person complaining thinks you should have been there to entertain/talk with/interact with them...you know, like you've been doing some variation of for hours, hence the tired.

Augh, entitlement complexes. :( My sympathy.

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[poltr1]

Yeah, I was there too, keeping a low profile, and hanging out in the workshop area. My Minimoog workshop was scheduled at around the same time as Jeff and Maya's concert.

BTW, how *do* you sign a sawtooth wave sound, with the low-pass filter turned up all the way, and a lot of filter emphasis? :-)

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

AH, that was the scheduling conflict that caused me to miss your workshop. Unfortunately OVFF is such a three-ring circus that it's a real problem.

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

I'd sign it "echo noise".

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

I had a small piece of irritation on Saturday morning before Yoga, when I woman with whom I am not acquainted, have seen in the halls but not met before, accused me of Big Name Fan "cool kid" behavior because I was "too good" for Open Filk now that I was up on stage. It would have been a major piece of angst for me in prior years, but I've heard this little bit of poison before in previous years, and have spoken to other performers who have had it happen to them, too, so I was better able to take it in stride. One wonders whether it was the same person who accosted us all.

I'd say "this is getting out of hand", but it got out of hand quite some time ago. I may blow a gasket soon.

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

Y'know, having so many people pounce her at breakfast makes me believe that other people are sick of it too, and are speaking out against bullying behavior when they hear something.

In the past, when I've been sniped at, I've been by myself in the hall, or heaven help me, trapped in the bathroom with a loon. This woman complained in front of witnesses, and was put in her place. Maybe she learned something. (Although judging by history, the other people learned to get their target alone before spewing.)

I mentioned it because I do want others who've heard such nonsense that they aren't alone, but that also, such people are a minority, and the majority of us won't put up with it, even "clueless" geeks.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry you were subjected to awful behavior. It's becoming an increasing side-effect of having so much awesome in the community. You are awesome, and so are most people in filk, whether they're big name fans or talented performers or compassionate listeners. I really wish people could recognize that we are in fact, all members of one community, and that we're here to have fun, hang out and make music.

Maybe someday the bully will understand that it's time to play nicely and not hit others. If enough people say something maybe we can make it so, in the meantime I'm glad other people have had your back.

[sheistheweather]

I'm hoping to do a panel about Debunking the BNF Bullying (or something like that) at Conflikt V...Merav, Judi, are you interested in being on this panel?

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

This tempts me to attend Conflikt for no other reason than to volunteer myself.

[sheistheweather]

Having more excellent folk for this panel would be amazing.

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

No promises. Next year's calendar is already quite full, and I'm not sure I can swing a weekend between Gafilk and Consonance. But I'm very tempted, and not just because of this panel.

[sheistheweather]

I get that!

...would it "help" to mention that Talis Kimberley will be there?

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

I have a whole set of temptations that make me WANT to go. Please don't ever think that my not showing up indicates reluctance to attend. :)

But yes, dangling Talis in front of me is enticing. (Um, that came out wrong...)

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

'Sokay. I went there, too.... B-9

[sheistheweather]

XD I knew what you meant, both in the "not sure if I can make that happen" in terms of attending, and "Talis is AWESOME" for the other bit.

[phillip2637.livejournal.com]

Wrong, but vivid! :-)

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

Since I will be at Conflict, I think this would be a good panel, and I am more than willing to be on it.

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

And I'm glad for that, and we need to do more of it. Because otherwise, it's just going to drive away the genuinely nice, talented people who found community here, and we will all be the poorer for it.

I plan to start being very vocal about this sort of bullying. I have quite literally had enough, and I refuse to allow the community of friends that I love and cherish be diminished by it.

Do I sound angry? Well, I am. I. Have. Had. Enough. Of. This.

[mneme]

re the "Too good for open filk" person -- I really hope this is just this one person, just because this poison is clueless enough to make one scream.

So wonderful seeing you at the con this year (particularly on Storm Dancing, which...wow).

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

It was a different person than the last woman who pulled it on me in the hall late night at a previous OVFF, and both were different from the one that snarked at me in an OVFF bathroom.

Hmm. Interesting that all three occasions were at OVFF.

[mneme]

Hmm. Optimistic (ish) theory #2: All the people in question are coming from a similar sub-social circle, and self-reinforcing the misguided idea that someone who has concerts during the day and then (for some mysterious reason) doesn't go to circle that evening (or even more likely, has concerts the -next- day and doesn't go to circle the previous say) thinks they're "too good for the circle" rather than, you know, the obvious explanation.

[sheistheweather]

It sounds like OVFF was excellent this year! I hope to be there next year.

Any chance you are coming to Conflikt 5?

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

Will be there with my bandmates, We're Not Koi!

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

It was, as always, an honor and a joy to perform with you, m'dear. And more than one person reiterated what I've known for awhile: You elevate songs to a new level. I truly think Friday's version of "Storm Dancing" was the best performance moment I've had at an OVFF, and I did pretty darn well, but it was you that sent it way, way over the top.

We are lucky to know you, and have you perform with us.

ETA: And as to whomever accused you of "Big Name Fan" behavior, oy. You have less egomania than anyone I can think of, and you are in fact humble and lovely and spiffy and yeah. So to heck with them.

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

I have less egomania because I know dang well that my signing is nothing without the music and the talent I work with, y'know? Hard to interpret awesome without it already being there.

On being labeled "Big Name Fan," or "Kewl Kid" or any other of the trappings of being included in an "IN" crowd, this makes it seems as though there IS an "IN" crowd of special folks who deliberately exclude others, and are unkind to the lesser. By being called BNF, or KK, by others, it is like the bully is saying that it becomes OKAY to say nasty things, because there is a presumption that being an "IT" girl of the moment automatically makes me a bully to the oppressed, so I "deserve" what I get.

This is no more okay, of course, than calling popular homecoming queens or cheerleaders sluts because they are in the "IT" crowd.

[joecoustic.livejournal.com]

Loved seeing you, as always :)! As to the woman criticizing you *aggggghhh* and *eye roll* both! I can't last into open filking anymore and I'm a extending myself a whole lot less than you are. And even if you weren't tired, you still wouldn't owe your presence *sigh*. *hugs*

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the hugs.

[ldwheeler.livejournal.com]

*Headdesk* Who on earth keeps track of who's attending what circle, and whether they show up in "enough" circles, or whatnot? And then automatically jumps to the conclusion that some sort of stratification is the cause, rather than, say, exhaustion, or conversation?

Your critic's accusation sounds like something one would hear in high school. Or, more likely, middle school.

Far as I'm concerned, nobody at a convention is obligated to do anything or be anywhere, other than at events to which they've committed as a participant. Otherwise ... I go to these things to have fun with friends. I think that's the reason most of us go. And I can think of few things more fun-killing, to oneself and others, than to be obsessively fixated on what other people are doing.

End o'rant.

It was, as always, Much Fun seeing you this weekend!

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

And, keeping track of the door of the circles I DID attend this weekend, I didn't see this woman in them, either. We were in different rooms all Saturday night during Open Filking. I guess she went away from the con convinced I avoid people. (Just like everyone else in the filk room Saturday, I guess...)

[hsifyppah.livejournal.com]

Snake bondage for you!