But there was a little time before they began so I took the opportunity to sneak back to my room for a quick nap as based on what happened last year I was fairly sure I would be needing the sleep!
Later Walking back to the centre I ran into a few more of the acquaintances I had made from the previous afternoon and was able to have a few quick chats with them, which did really start to help my confidence as not only had they been speaking to me the previous day they were still speaking to me! Which did lead me to reflect that the me from university who found it quite easy to talk to people and make Friends was still in there somewhere. My closest friends might not be around but I was sure that was helping push me out of my comfort zone and talk to people. As I’ve said in previous years the worst they could do was tell me to push off and what do you know. I was right! That would have been the worst but the worst never happened :-)
It was pretty much a standard Sunday afternoon activities as there were several workshops running in various rooms. I decided to go to the one by Julian Jones thinking I had left plenty of time to get a good sit with ten minutes to spare. I got a nasty shock however when I got up to the conference room as it was already full to bursting. My guess is there was nearly 200 YSA already in there. As there was no microphone it was quite hard to hear him and lots of people started to leave deciding to come to the 2nd session. I however decided to play a waiting game and as people started to leave I was slowly able to move up the room. I actually ended up halfway up the room where it was a lot easier to hear him. Plus it was a good example in why patience is a good attribute.
After the workshops it was time for a ‘church history musical’ which sounded interesting even if I had no idea what it would entail. I was walking to the main hall when someone came up to me and introduced themselves and with that it meant that for the first time in three years I had actually met someone who was on the same corridor as me in the halls. He noticed I was alone and invited me to come and sit with him and his friends during the musical. Which was nice as its much more fun in these sort of activities to be able to sit with someone rather then by yourself.
The Musical was ‘interesting’ and for once I’m not using that term in a sarcastic way. It was a lot of fun as well as the members who were performing it were giving it there all. The guy from my hall asked me if I would ever take part in something like that. I answered with a grin that I knew where my talents lie and it’s sure as heck not in singing. I prefer to leave that to people who can actually sing. I did try to take some photos but the trouble was we were so far away from the stage they came out all blurry. Which was a shame as some of the costumes and inventiveness they had to use ( especially in portraying Goliath) were very good (and very funny).
After the musical it was time for Dinner and one plus side of not having any close friends there was I didn’t have to wait for anybody so I was able to tear across campus to the dining rooms as fast as possible letting me get very near the front of the queues. Of course with it being a Sunday and all the guys in suits and white shirts and all the girls in their Sunday dresses the two food choices we had were possibly the worst ones you want. That’s right we had a choice of Pasta with Red Source or Roast Beef with Gravy. Which meant most YSA were eating whilst leaning as far forward as possible and also as carefully as possible.
R was behind me a few places in the queue so came and sat with me for dinner which was nice as I was getting fed up of eating by myself. So we had a good chat over our dinner as we swapped stories and see if we knew any YSA the other knew, a YSA version of six degrees. He asked after Traveller and Sian again and said he hadn’t seen Sian in nearly two years. When I mentioned she had gone to the USA two years ago he smiled and laughed saying that was at least one question answered.
We were then joined by two very nice girls from down south who were part of the choir who decided to sit with us and introduced themselves. One was American too. So what was a really good dinner turned into an even better one as nothing improves dinner like having Female company.
I was feeling quite pleased with myself by this point as I was starting to find it easier and easier to talk to new people by this point as my old confidence seemed to be coming back. And for once my terrible sense of humour seemed to be improving as I was telling some funny stories and the girls were laughing and I’m sure it was with me not at me. Which after the events of Saturday was especially nice. So I’d like to think I made a good impression and was charming. Of course I might be totally wrong but for once let me keep my delusions
Later Walking back to the centre I ran into a few more of the acquaintances I had made from the previous afternoon and was able to have a few quick chats with them, which did really start to help my confidence as not only had they been speaking to me the previous day they were still speaking to me! Which did lead me to reflect that the me from university who found it quite easy to talk to people and make Friends was still in there somewhere. My closest friends might not be around but I was sure that was helping push me out of my comfort zone and talk to people. As I’ve said in previous years the worst they could do was tell me to push off and what do you know. I was right! That would have been the worst but the worst never happened :-)
It was pretty much a standard Sunday afternoon activities as there were several workshops running in various rooms. I decided to go to the one by Julian Jones thinking I had left plenty of time to get a good sit with ten minutes to spare. I got a nasty shock however when I got up to the conference room as it was already full to bursting. My guess is there was nearly 200 YSA already in there. As there was no microphone it was quite hard to hear him and lots of people started to leave deciding to come to the 2nd session. I however decided to play a waiting game and as people started to leave I was slowly able to move up the room. I actually ended up halfway up the room where it was a lot easier to hear him. Plus it was a good example in why patience is a good attribute.
After the workshops it was time for a ‘church history musical’ which sounded interesting even if I had no idea what it would entail. I was walking to the main hall when someone came up to me and introduced themselves and with that it meant that for the first time in three years I had actually met someone who was on the same corridor as me in the halls. He noticed I was alone and invited me to come and sit with him and his friends during the musical. Which was nice as its much more fun in these sort of activities to be able to sit with someone rather then by yourself.
The Musical was ‘interesting’ and for once I’m not using that term in a sarcastic way. It was a lot of fun as well as the members who were performing it were giving it there all. The guy from my hall asked me if I would ever take part in something like that. I answered with a grin that I knew where my talents lie and it’s sure as heck not in singing. I prefer to leave that to people who can actually sing. I did try to take some photos but the trouble was we were so far away from the stage they came out all blurry. Which was a shame as some of the costumes and inventiveness they had to use ( especially in portraying Goliath) were very good (and very funny).
After the musical it was time for Dinner and one plus side of not having any close friends there was I didn’t have to wait for anybody so I was able to tear across campus to the dining rooms as fast as possible letting me get very near the front of the queues. Of course with it being a Sunday and all the guys in suits and white shirts and all the girls in their Sunday dresses the two food choices we had were possibly the worst ones you want. That’s right we had a choice of Pasta with Red Source or Roast Beef with Gravy. Which meant most YSA were eating whilst leaning as far forward as possible and also as carefully as possible.
R was behind me a few places in the queue so came and sat with me for dinner which was nice as I was getting fed up of eating by myself. So we had a good chat over our dinner as we swapped stories and see if we knew any YSA the other knew, a YSA version of six degrees. He asked after Traveller and Sian again and said he hadn’t seen Sian in nearly two years. When I mentioned she had gone to the USA two years ago he smiled and laughed saying that was at least one question answered.
We were then joined by two very nice girls from down south who were part of the choir who decided to sit with us and introduced themselves. One was American too. So what was a really good dinner turned into an even better one as nothing improves dinner like having Female company.
I was feeling quite pleased with myself by this point as I was starting to find it easier and easier to talk to new people by this point as my old confidence seemed to be coming back. And for once my terrible sense of humour seemed to be improving as I was telling some funny stories and the girls were laughing and I’m sure it was with me not at me. Which after the events of Saturday was especially nice. So I’d like to think I made a good impression and was charming. Of course I might be totally wrong but for once let me keep my delusions
2 comments:
Coolio. Coolio.
to quote teal'c " Indeed"
Post a Comment