Dear Diary, this Saturday I attend my first Dopefest!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Dear Diary,

This Saturday I attend my first Dopefest! I am sooooo nervous. My mind reels with questions. Will I be able to find the restaurant? Esprix kindly provided a map but maybe I should leave an hour early in case I get lost on the way. What if there is traffic? You can never tell about I-5 these days, what with all the out of town dopers coming down. Would it be tacky to arrive early? Or should I arrive at about 15 minutes after the official start so that I don’t seem too anxious? Will I be able to spot the group in the restaurant? I have never met any of these people before (I think). What if I end up at some 7-year old’s birthday party by mistake? Should I wear my bunny ears upon entering the restaurant or don them as soon as I get out of my car and walk proudly across the parking lot with them twitching in the breeze?

What will I wear? Something clean of course. Maybe I’ll even iron something but it has to stand up to spilled ice cream and hot fudge sauce (with nuts, sprinkles, heath bar chunks and of course a cherry). What will I order? I haven’t been to Farrell’s in a million years. Do they still have the Gastronomical Delicatessanal… (something) sandwich? Maybe we aren’t eating dinner at all and will head directly to the dessert? Do they still have the Mt. Helix? I had a Mt. Rainier once in Washington state and nearly died. Mt. Rainier is a much bigger mountain than our local hill euphemistically call Mt. Helix. Will they beat the drum when they deliver our orders and parade them around the room for maximum embarrasment? I hope so!

There are so many people coming to this Dopefest. Scout1222 thought it up and Esprix took over the planning. There will be at least one Mod! What will we talk about? I’m such a newbie that I will probably say something stupid like, “So Coldfire where are you from?” What if I can’t remember who everyone is and what they are (in)famous for? What if no one will deign to talk to the likes of me? I’ll just have to sit and eat my ice cream in silence (except for the slurping noises). What if they are all a bunch of elitist jerks? What if they stick me with the check? Maybe I can join the 7-year old’s birthday party in time for pin-the-tail on the donkey.

So many questions, so little time to do user profiles. I guess I’ll just have to wing it!

Anyway, dear Diary, I will write in detail to let you know how it went.

Yours truely,

Encinitas

Note to self: as I am lactose intolerant, be sure to take plenty of lactaid beforehand (if you know what I mean).

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Don’t worry, Encinitas…I’ll remind you to take your lactaid! Now, somebody has to remind me to remind Encinitas. And, somebody will have to remind that person to remind me…

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Calm your fears. Dopers are the warmest, most welcoming people on earth. Just relax and have a good time.

In fact, before you know it, you’re going to feel as if you’ve known these people your whole life. And you’ll feel completely at ease with them.

Oh, and you’ll recognize the Dopers when you get there. They’ll be the ones laughing raucously and making more noise than the 7-year-old’s birthday party.

Have fun!

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And be the oddest assortment of people you’ve ever seen…

I swear I have found more than one group of dopers using this criteria!

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Excellent advice! Don’t worry, Encinitas. You’ll have a great time!

[sub]Okay Dave, I’ll distract him with a welcome, and you grab his wallet.[/sub]

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I’m from Corpus Christi, Texas. So start thinking about another original question already. :wink:

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Dear Diary,

Phew! I’m glad to see someone else is nervous, too. This is my first Fest also, and I’m not sure what to expect. I figure it’ll be a good time. I can’t imagine having a boring time. No way.

I’m worried that I’m going to mix people up. I’m so bad with names anyway, so a big group of new faces is a challenge. Thankfully Esprix is making nametags. That should help. I think. Although do we call each other by our screen names…or our real ones? That will be confusing.

I’m worried that my mental images will be totally rocked by meeting these folks in real life. What happens when Coldfire looks completely the OPPOSITE of what I think in my head? Ack!

Oh well. Any anxiety I have will be offset by the fact that I get to eat ice cream.

I’m so excited!!!

Encinitas, for what it’s worth, I considered trying to find bunny ears too, just so that it would be something to identify what group I was with. If I can get off my lazy duff and do that before tomorrow night, I will. And if I have the balls, I’ll put the ears on in the parking lot and walk in proud. Or not. :smiley:

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Oh, and I’ll be the gal holding the stuffed moose.

[really, I am an adult, I am I am!]