Day 14, social activities
Since I'm about to head out of the house for 20-40 hours of parties and other sundry social events, I figured that sort of thing would make a good post. I am involved in a lot of social circles, covering a huge cross-section of different subcultures in and around Atlanta, so if you're bored then read on and find something new to explore. I just hope I don't insult anyone along the way...
I spend a lot of time hanging out at Freeside, the local hackerspace. Some of that time is working on my projects that involve making and breaking things. Some of it is just chilling out and socializing. And some of it is explicitly public social events, such as open houses, parties, workshops, etc. Any makers, geeks, hackers, or other technically minded folks are encouraged to check it out. Meetings are on Tuesday nights, classes scattered throughout the week and month.
Every so often I make it up toward Tucker to attend the Atlanta Boardgames Meetup, where 40-80 board gaming geeks take over a pretty nice pizza restaurant and game all evening. There are a whole lot of great folks here, and it's a good way to meet people and exercise your mind. The meetings happen one Wednesday and one Saturday per month (iirc).
I haven't recently, but will again soon, been to any explicitly fetish/kink events around town. There are plenty to be had, including weekly-or-more events of all sorts at 1763, Insomnia and other events at Studio Eris, and occasionally less oft-repeating events elsewhere at less special-purpose venues. For the uninitiated, there are numerous "Munches", where you can meet other kinky-minded folks in a mundane setting for lunch or dinner or drinks, many of which are cataloged on the Atlanta BDSM Events Calendar.
Most weekends I attend at least one event at CoLab, including lots of raves and other sorts of musical events such as last week's Jungle II and tonight's No Pants Dance, as well as burner-oriented events like the Southeast Burning Man Decompression and Full Immersion, and the occasional random social get-together, including cook-outs.
Every two weeks, when I can, I spend Sunday afternoon at Piedmont Park attending Play in the Park. There is an amazing vibe and energy to be had when 30-60 people are all gathered around doing whatever sorts of interesting stuff strikes their fancy. AcroYoga and acrobatics in general, hula hooping, spinning poi, throwing rope darts and meteor hammers, juggling (of the throwing and contact variety), drumming and dancing, giant beach balls and parachutes, covering people with balloons, blowing bubbles, jumping rope, throwing frisbee or other discs, face painting, unicycling, or even just lounging in the shade while everyone else gets tired.
Occasionally J-Sin of SecretRoom.net throws a crazy party somewhere in town. Sometimes techno/rave music, sometimes goth or industrial or fetish events, sometimes other stuff, or even combinations of the above. His parties never disappoint, and there's one coming up right after Dragon*Con (not to mention one DURING D*C, I think the Saturday night party).
In more private circles, I try to make it out to house parties of all sorts as often as possible. The vibe is different, not necessarily better or worse, and you meet a lot of folks who wouldn't normally go to a more public event. Maybe there's a grill, or a pool, or video games, or alcohol, or other such things. Maybe the event stays completely social, or maybe it gets more intimate. You never know how that sort of thing is going to play out, and finding out is half the fun.
Of course, I also get out of the house for conventions and that sort of event as often as possible, but that's the subject of an entire other post. They cover the breadth and depth of my interests, one or another in various combinations.
And, as much as I hope it would go without saying, you're all invited to all of the above. I love exposing my friends to new things, and to each other, as often as possible. Cross pollination rarely ends badly, and often ends in ways you would never foresee. If anyone reading this is at all intrigued by anything I've mentioned here, please feel free to drop me a comment here, or a message in private, and I'll let you know what is going on when. Hell, enough people have been asking lately that I think perhaps I should start a calendar for you to all subscribe to...
I spend a lot of time hanging out at Freeside, the local hackerspace. Some of that time is working on my projects that involve making and breaking things. Some of it is just chilling out and socializing. And some of it is explicitly public social events, such as open houses, parties, workshops, etc. Any makers, geeks, hackers, or other technically minded folks are encouraged to check it out. Meetings are on Tuesday nights, classes scattered throughout the week and month.
Every so often I make it up toward Tucker to attend the Atlanta Boardgames Meetup, where 40-80 board gaming geeks take over a pretty nice pizza restaurant and game all evening. There are a whole lot of great folks here, and it's a good way to meet people and exercise your mind. The meetings happen one Wednesday and one Saturday per month (iirc).
I haven't recently, but will again soon, been to any explicitly fetish/kink events around town. There are plenty to be had, including weekly-or-more events of all sorts at 1763, Insomnia and other events at Studio Eris, and occasionally less oft-repeating events elsewhere at less special-purpose venues. For the uninitiated, there are numerous "Munches", where you can meet other kinky-minded folks in a mundane setting for lunch or dinner or drinks, many of which are cataloged on the Atlanta BDSM Events Calendar.
Most weekends I attend at least one event at CoLab, including lots of raves and other sorts of musical events such as last week's Jungle II and tonight's No Pants Dance, as well as burner-oriented events like the Southeast Burning Man Decompression and Full Immersion, and the occasional random social get-together, including cook-outs.
Every two weeks, when I can, I spend Sunday afternoon at Piedmont Park attending Play in the Park. There is an amazing vibe and energy to be had when 30-60 people are all gathered around doing whatever sorts of interesting stuff strikes their fancy. AcroYoga and acrobatics in general, hula hooping, spinning poi, throwing rope darts and meteor hammers, juggling (of the throwing and contact variety), drumming and dancing, giant beach balls and parachutes, covering people with balloons, blowing bubbles, jumping rope, throwing frisbee or other discs, face painting, unicycling, or even just lounging in the shade while everyone else gets tired.
Occasionally J-Sin of SecretRoom.net throws a crazy party somewhere in town. Sometimes techno/rave music, sometimes goth or industrial or fetish events, sometimes other stuff, or even combinations of the above. His parties never disappoint, and there's one coming up right after Dragon*Con (not to mention one DURING D*C, I think the Saturday night party).
In more private circles, I try to make it out to house parties of all sorts as often as possible. The vibe is different, not necessarily better or worse, and you meet a lot of folks who wouldn't normally go to a more public event. Maybe there's a grill, or a pool, or video games, or alcohol, or other such things. Maybe the event stays completely social, or maybe it gets more intimate. You never know how that sort of thing is going to play out, and finding out is half the fun.
Of course, I also get out of the house for conventions and that sort of event as often as possible, but that's the subject of an entire other post. They cover the breadth and depth of my interests, one or another in various combinations.
And, as much as I hope it would go without saying, you're all invited to all of the above. I love exposing my friends to new things, and to each other, as often as possible. Cross pollination rarely ends badly, and often ends in ways you would never foresee. If anyone reading this is at all intrigued by anything I've mentioned here, please feel free to drop me a comment here, or a message in private, and I'll let you know what is going on when. Hell, enough people have been asking lately that I think perhaps I should start a calendar for you to all subscribe to...