[Life/Spork/Writing] First Sporker Meetup!
Last weekend, we had our first face to face (F2F) meetup of sporkers in Toronto. Obviously, as I "inconveniently" *winks* live on the other side of the world, I wasn't apart of it. Still, what exciting stuff! And we're still waiting to hear a play-by-play of the meeting when one of th sporkers get back, but from what we've heard so far, the meeting was great fun! And isn't that something?
Truth be told, I always get a little apprehensive about the F2F meet.
I've always been a little more comfortable with people over the screen.
It's not so much the anonymity (although that probably plays a factor), but it's because it affords me the time to word what I want to say best.
Usually. Sometimes typos and rushed editing show exactly how much of a warzone my brain is like. Thoughts and phrases collide with each other. Two perfectly fine statements on their own, but merged becomes an abomination. Or a cause of great laughs. Sometimes both.
So, if I already have some problems online, the real face to face versions of my communication skills can yield varying results.
Like what? Well, mumble jumble can be expected. Or silence, because I'm too busy trying to catch up with the roar of my brain, and by the time I have something, whoever's with me may have already moved on through three or four topics. Or--worse: glib expected answers which sound right, but don't quite mean a thing. They're mostly harmless statements, like saying "I'm fine" or "Yes" or "Uh-uh" to signal listening. And I am. I just can't determine one response from the myriad of possible answers in my brain.
It's what makes me write. Okay, no, it's not the source of the compulsion, but rather a by-product.
I'm not sure if other writers do this, but I'm often editing as I write. Not major edits, but sometimes I'll restructure a sentence, or omit that preposition, or split up a paragraph. If I didn't have the delete button this would look something like
"It's in the middle--The middle of--What is the middle of the horrible structure?--In the middle! Horrors!"
Or something like that. It's basically the same message--but how the words are strung together can make all the difference.
I wonder if the parts of my brain which does all the rewriting/revising of drafts is also responsible for how I sometimes review things I've said or done... and then want to find a solid wall to knock my head into. Or maybe that's because I'm female.
Hrrmm... was that relevant? Or maybe I could rephrase... Let's see.. highlight... Now, where's that delete button...?
Truth be told, I always get a little apprehensive about the F2F meet.
I've always been a little more comfortable with people over the screen.
It's not so much the anonymity (although that probably plays a factor), but it's because it affords me the time to word what I want to say best.
Usually. Sometimes typos and rushed editing show exactly how much of a warzone my brain is like. Thoughts and phrases collide with each other. Two perfectly fine statements on their own, but merged becomes an abomination. Or a cause of great laughs. Sometimes both.
So, if I already have some problems online, the real face to face versions of my communication skills can yield varying results.
Like what? Well, mumble jumble can be expected. Or silence, because I'm too busy trying to catch up with the roar of my brain, and by the time I have something, whoever's with me may have already moved on through three or four topics. Or--worse: glib expected answers which sound right, but don't quite mean a thing. They're mostly harmless statements, like saying "I'm fine" or "Yes" or "Uh-uh" to signal listening. And I am. I just can't determine one response from the myriad of possible answers in my brain.
It's what makes me write. Okay, no, it's not the source of the compulsion, but rather a by-product.
I'm not sure if other writers do this, but I'm often editing as I write. Not major edits, but sometimes I'll restructure a sentence, or omit that preposition, or split up a paragraph. If I didn't have the delete button this would look something like
"It's in the middle--The middle of--What is the middle of the horrible structure?--In the middle! Horrors!"
Or something like that. It's basically the same message--but how the words are strung together can make all the difference.
I wonder if the parts of my brain which does all the rewriting/revising of drafts is also responsible for how I sometimes review things I've said or done... and then want to find a solid wall to knock my head into. Or maybe that's because I'm female.
Hrrmm... was that relevant? Or maybe I could rephrase... Let's see.. highlight... Now, where's that delete button...?