Oh, that other thing.

[digitaldiscipline]

Something about net.goths, and drama? Did I hear that correctly? I may have gotten too much sun and fresh air.

I was trying to give a precis of the current situation to critus, along with a thumbnail of how Mac and I had "our Convergence throw-down" back in the day[tm][1] (this here is, of course, me speaking as me, not as the mouthpiece for Ybor, though my opinions certainly inform my actions as such):

While the old-school core contingent has always been a.g. (and the places the core a.g. crowd hangs out together now that there's more to life than usenet & IRC), some social accretion has occurred to grow the invested populace. Goths, and net.goths, were already marginalized; being excessively exclusionary isn't the point (you just need to be wired and not an irredeemable jackass... at least be a jackass with a couple redeeming qualities. I mean, look no further Mac and me. ;-)).

However, the event itself has mutated into something that, while not anathema to its original purpose, is no longer treating that purpose as its main reason for being, which means the Gothapalooza approach to Convergence needs to die ("in a fire" not implied, but not ruled out).

The Ybor bid reflects this sensibility.

Quick poll, for anyone who wants to play along. Think about all the Convergences you've attended. Pick out your favorite moment or moments from each one. Now... how many of those are directly related to the scheduled events?

Me? I've been to eight C*'s, and the *only* time something the Committee arranged makes my list is when Voltaire introduced PFM.... and that's only because I assumed when he said, "He sang Ziggy Stardust," that ZOMG DAVID FUCKING BOWIE was about to walk onstage. Every other one of my Greatest Hits of Convergence had nothing to do with any of the formal events, and everything to do with the people I was there to hang out with, whether it was singing gospel songs at 2am or running up a ludicrous bar tab or infesting a hot tub.

People make the event; the event doesn't make itself.
Some folks seem to have forgotten this.
We haven't.

=========================================

Successfully submitting a bid, in the right place and at the right time, is not difficult. The directions are crossposted fetishistically every year, and it's not like they're complicated or obtuse.

Heck, Angel wrote ours in ten minutes (we have a two-beer rule for bid proposals around these parts - they have to be thought up after two, and can't take longer than drinking two to type up); we're not anyone's idea of serious web designers. At last check, being a web designer had no crossover skill with throwing a good party (which isn't to say they're mutually exclusive; photos from the Suite of Doom at C10 can attest to mpeace's party co-facilitating acumen, and she web geeks for a living).

==========================================

The current flap over the disqualification of potential bids is, well... pointless.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with voter-registration ballot-stuffing campaigns (I'm looking at you, Dallas Committee - you couldn't even be bothered to post your bid to alt.gothic or speak up in your own defense? Shame on you.) or any conspiracy on the part of the c*b*l.

Damn few things in life are fair; the fact that there is such a hue and cry when a process that everyone (even a certain flightless asshat) has been able to understand for the best part of a decade is conveniently ignored by one bid (and, granting the benefit of the doubt, honestly misunderstood by another) says something sad about the larger world. Rules should matter. Breaking them has consequences.

Honestly, until a certain prominent member of the C13 committee (and presumed tight accomplice to the Dallas committee) went completely off the handle and outed himself as a complete jackass... I'd read over Dallas' bid and liked it. I wouldn't have minded losing to them in a fair fight. I wouldn't have minded coming in a distant third to Hollywood & Dallas both... in a fair fight. I have one vote, to cast as I please.

But the thing of it was.... this year, if the disqualified bids had gotten their way, it wasn't going to be a fair fight. And, because there are consequences for breaking rules, now there's no fight at all. And ... that's okay.

We've made our point. Convergence has jumped the shark.

It's time for it to be about the people again. And now it will.


[1] circa C5, if anyone cares

Comments

Slightly OT

[kendra-manycats.livejournal.com]

"when Voltaire introduced PFM.... "

That is my totally favorite scheduled event of all Convergences. But the Seattle Convergence rocked in other ways as well.

IMHO - I have fun with people whether at official events or not. The peeps the thing.

P.S. Rafe....Mac. I loves both you jackasses. XO

Re: Slightly OT

[etcet.livejournal.com]

Mac... and cheese. I sense a disturbance in the force.

Re: Slightly OT

[razorjak.livejournal.com]

You weren't at that party.

*shudders*

[megiddo-lj.livejournal.com]

And...here's the thing. If we manage to win (over Boo), we will throw a party. People will come. Fun will be had. This whinging and kvetching and rending of clothing about the *world ending* because Convergence might be coming to Florida is really just drama whores flapping their gums for no reason.

C14 - if in Ybor - will still be fun. Because if you can't have fun at one of our events, you're doing something wrong.

[chromeangel.livejournal.com]

I am right with you there on the V and PFM thing well that and I kissed my then future wife and told her I loved her and she me on the goth cruise at C6 so that will probably be my favorite forever. Thank you for your eloquent words and for being the sarcastic bastard we all love :) See you in August next year, :D Unless your going to Portland then I will buy you a drink then.

[etcet.livejournal.com]

We throw an annual event (Mordvergence) here that weekend every year.

[etcet.livejournal.com]

Which is to say, "afraid not, but it'll keep me out of jail for felony-level mocking and flaming of a certain committee chair."

[chromeangel.livejournal.com]

oh and the other "event" I just remembered was marchenland and I being the only ones dancing while MAC was spinning Fischerspooner - emerge in chicago at 7AM. :) ahh fond memories.

Well I will most definitely see you next round.

[the-macross.livejournal.com]

sunrise at those afterparties was some powerful stuff.

[ex-xn667.livejournal.com]

[1] circa C5, if anyone cares

heh. the *one* i made, and only cuz i was a local *smirk* and what? i spent much of it playing lackey so still missed much of the social side of it, argh. xn no can win, heh.

screw convergence. everyone that doesn't suck should come to the house in DC before the move ;) drinking, dancing, music, people, no bidding wars...

nah, come to think of it. no angst, not goth ;)

[the_axel]

there's been a lot of talking about band/people or shiny/low-key dichotomys over the last few years (likely even by me).

This year the actual dichotomy hit me: Community vs. Punters & Promoters.

By which I mean - C was originally by the people, for the people, of the people. As it has grown, the event became more structured. the last few committees have really taken that to the point that ti is clear that they want attendees to pay up, shut up & let the promoters do the work. To the point that Madelyn gets kicked off doing the <a href="http://www.gothics.org/c6/rollcall/rollcall</a>; the a.g.f. clothing swap is organised by the committee and a.g.f. has been relegated to the title; the Committee books an "unofficial" night for the Thursday so they can rake in a few dollars on the side. Kind of like US political history in microcosm :-) I believe this happened because the process was made impersonal to minimise drama, an unfortuate, unexpected but predictable outcome. It is also fixable.

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

To their credit, several C* staffs (incld. C13) have asked a.g.fers to run the swap. I was asked to do it again this year, but I declined bec. I'm just tired of doing it all the time. Plus I'm having to make a short weekend of it this time already.

[the-macross.livejournal.com]

I have the fix. It is contained within a nuclear mission order.

[dethinwntr.livejournal.com]

Seattle was my first C and so, special to me in that way:) I met alot of people waiting for the cruise on that dock!

[etcet.livejournal.com]

hell, I picked up angel_sil when she was sitting on a stoop by pointing out she looked like she needed a drink.

you know, some things don't change... ;-)

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

Think about all the Convergences you've attended. Pick out your favorite moment or moments from each one. Now... how many of those are directly related to the scheduled events?

Only 3 didn't take place at events scheduled by the committee, but 2 were at scheduled events. C3 a.g.f tea, scheduled by & for a.g.fers at the St. Francis Hotel & C6 a.g.f tea at the Queen Mary, unscheduled C5 rooftop all-nite party.

Everything else that was supremely memorable happened at one of the official events. Even meeting you, ya damn then-blue-haired freak, at C4, & I seem to think it was at the tea, as impossible as that sounds. If not, it was at the Casa Loma tour & I have pix to prove that.

I danced to the best set evah thanks to Fross in the House of Blues at C5 w/some of the best gal-pals in the world, all of us dressed to the 9s. I got to put on two insanely cool fashion shows in NYC at C7. I was in an awesome fashion show at C10. The ElderGoth Cocktail Hour (my inspiration, thankyouverymuch) at C5 was a huge hit (but omg, "elder" way back then, how funny!). I both danced *and* had some of the best conversations of the year at the C7's CyberFaerie Ball. C9's a.g.f shopping trip was most daylight fun I've ever had in Vegas.

My point is that the official events are a framework for people to socialize within. Not everyone wants to stay up all night boozing. Some of us want to do the, oh you know, "goth" things that put the goth in "net.goth." Fashion, music, dancing. That's part of the scene too.

I can sit around & get drunk & talk shit at home (lord knows I do that often enough ;-). When I see my fabulous net friends once a year or so, I want it to be an Event. Something different & amazing & unique. A real vacation too in a place worth visiting of its own accord. Otherwise, I'll just make my own little plans to see friends here & there.

[megiddo-lj.livejournal.com]

Shark jumping is different and unique.

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

But does it have a good beat & can I dance to it?

And pref. in a corset & bustle? :-)

[megiddo-lj.livejournal.com]

Well, I'd probably forego the corset and bustle for the actual shark jumping event. Florida. Outdoors. Sun.

But there WILL be corset/bustle events in Ybor, should we be selected. We just prefer to look at the whole thing with a sense of humor, rather than making the whole weekend..'so goth you'll shit bats' spooky.

[etcet.livejournal.com]

I knew I could count on you to present the flip side in a good way, and I hope you don't mind being my rhetorical foil du jour. :-)

The C3 tea - it was the a.g.f peeps that made it so memorable, yes? you could have had a lovely time with that crew and, say, a cemetery picnic?

I know I was at the C4 tea thing, but recall exactly one thing from it - lamenting being stood up by my sort-of-date for the weekend to some guy in glasses, showing him her picture, and having him point out that he was also in the picture. hence, how I met Macross when I knew nobody. *laugh* was the castle an organized thing? i vaguely remember being stuffed in a minivan with timly, dionysia, and cossack.... other than that, it was edvamp's room parties and all "ZOMG HOT GIRLS... OH SHIT THAT'S FROSS' ASS IN THAT MINISKIRT."

My point is that the official events are a framework for people to socialize within.

On this, you and I will always agree.

Not everyone wants to stay up all night boozing.
Most of us aren't 25 anymore. *laugh* It's a rare night when I see anything past 11pm on the east coast, or 1am at the club.

Some of us want to do the, oh you know, "goth" things that put the goth in "net.goth." Fashion, music, dancing. That's part of the scene too.
Yes. Nobody is saying "No, no, none of that!" We're just trying to shift the emphasis and focus back towards the folks that we share that appreciation with.

Everything is better when you can turn to a friend afterwards and say, "That fucking rocked, didn't it?" and they return your smile.

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

I could swear you were sitting at the table next to T&I at the C4 tea. I remember a haze of blue & some swearing, which sounds a lot like you.

Teas, picnics, tours -- someone's got to arrange for them. They don't pop up like mushrooms after the storm. It takes a little cat-herding (whoa, metaphor mixing!).

That's what I see the function of a Convergence as: create a structure, a place, a setting. Preferably, for me, a pretty on w/shiny things attached, but that's just how I roll. It's the a.g.fer talking, & my crew has oft discussed our own sort of Convergence that would be all about corset-making & fashion shows & dancing & froufery. With some drinking. And chocolate. And glitter. And afterwards, hell yeah, we'd say "That fucking rocked!"

Same gist, different package, I guess.

[etcet.livejournal.com]

blue haze & blue language - entirely probable. :-)

*now wants to try and herd mushrooms*

[the-macross.livejournal.com]

Quote:

I know I was at the C4 tea thing, but recall exactly one thing from it - lamenting being stood up by my sort-of-date for the weekend to some guy in glasses, showing him her picture, and having him point out that he was also in the picture. hence, how I met Macross when I knew nobody.

who was the girl? why was I in the photo? I wish i could remember this stuff. I hate my brain and im glad I have friends who have brains that work.


I have the solution to the old men need to stay up late to party thing: ZIPFIZZ. Better living through chemistry. 41667% USRDA vitamin b12 and a bunch of other stuff. it takes the edge off the old folks monster for a while.

[etcet.livejournal.com]

the girl was Tania (Nebelhexa) [her lj username eludes me atm, sadly]. it was a shot of her on your lap (your eyeball and ear and temple are visible), I believe taken at C2.

'DUDE, YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF ME IN YOUR WALLET.'

[the-macross.livejournal.com]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAA Oh Man... thats funny. Good ole Nebelhexa.. my first interwebs fling. Too funny.

-///

[kat1031.livejournal.com]

Few of my best C* memories were at official events. C9, goths in a hot tub; C11, goths in a hotel bar (oddly, you seemed to be there as often as we were...) and the corpgoth dinner; C12, sitting down by the river with Satori and blackavar drinking cafe au lait and discussing dystopian futurism.

I don't really care about the events per se. If they look fun, I'll go, if they don't, I'm capable of making my own fun. I'm not offended that they're there. I'm just irked that it's become a vanity show/ego stroke/oh, my god look my penis! issue.

[megiddo-lj.livejournal.com]

I get annoyed when I have to pay for a bunch of shit I don't want to do. I have no problem coughing up under $40 for a weekend laminate knowing damn well I'll likely be at the bar with my friends rather than at events. However, paying much MORE than that gets me irritated.

[kat1031.livejournal.com]

I buy my lainate early enough that it doesn't cost more than $50 and I'm cool with that. I also do the tea party because I'm somethign of a clothes whore and generally aren't around during the night fashion events.

Although, we're fortunate enough to be in the higher-than-average-budget bracket.

[ladysoleil.livejournal.com]

Oh, you mean like when the Gothic Mage of Teaneck forces you to pay $90 to overnight a laminate because his cheaptastic credit card processor couldn't handle a Bank of America debit card and then two days later takes out an ad in the Village Voice and lets the public in for $5, and you don't go to any of the official events? You mean like that kind of annoyed?

[megiddo-lj.livejournal.com]

yeah...JUST like that.

[mschaos.livejournal.com]

Oh man I love you

the peeps are what make any sort of event like this fun

hell, remember the train wreck that was gothcon? but gawds hanging with the folks was fun

[netgoth.livejournal.com]

My favorite memories are all centered on people. I agree with you entirely, not that it's surprising in any way.

That said, if you need a hand... I can stuff envelopes, lick stamps, make calls and whatnot.

[etcet.livejournal.com]

i'm thinking there's stuff to be licked, but that's something else altogether. *waggles eyebrows*

[netgoth.livejournal.com]

You're always thinking that there's stuff to be licked. This does not surprise, oh-thee-of-the-waggly-eyebrows. :|

[etcet.livejournal.com]

well, it's not gonna suck itself!

and on that note, it's pretty obviously bedtime.

[helcat.livejournal.com]

hmmm, best convergence memory....


tabula rasa. :)

[etcet.livejournal.com]

I think I went for sushi instead that night. ;-)

[helcat.livejournal.com]

seriously, i think the convergence high point for me was C9, when I *almost* went.

[analmuch.livejournal.com]

Wasn't I supposed to jump the shark. :-P

[etcet.livejournal.com]

only if TheOneFonz[tm] requires a stunt dummydouble.

[analmuch.livejournal.com]

um...dummy was the right word.

[geeki.livejournal.com]

*hug*

If it's in florida we might even go :)

[etcet.livejournal.com]

I don't know, but whippingboy has a coat made out of Cookie Monster's pelt.

[the-macross.livejournal.com]

hey cheese... clue my senility... did we get in a fight or something?

[etcet.livejournal.com]

I was one of those assholes who would argue long and loud that Cx was more than =just= for a.g. peeps, because I was one of the IRC jackasses. :-)