This report may prove woefully short, as my interest for discussing things that actually happened vacillates, but I figure I should have a shot at it anyway.
Over the weekend, I attended 4th Street Fantasy, a convention for enthusiasts of reading and writing fantasy and science fiction, located an hour’s drive from my home base in southern Minnesota.
I have made friends there in the past, but I have difficulties from time to time, all internal, whenever I attend. Those tend to feel less worthy of discussion after the convention redeems itself with the fun of talking to people at night, especially on Saturday night. The pattern continued this year.
I arrived on Friday super glad to be there. By afternoon on Saturday, my enthusiasm was at a low point, thanks mostly to my self-talk. I talked a lot at this convention. I even received some kind words about my ability to carry on entertainingly. I made a few new friends in the process of lengthy conversations, and that makes me… proud? Happy. Yes, let’s stick with happy.
Even so, when I talk to myself I am still a pretty negative person. I’d hazard a guess that this is the cause of my low point on Saturday. When I hear others being built up, I knock myself down inside. So to hear about all the excellent authors out there in the world, to be reminded of their existence and the vast amount of regard people at this convention had for them, proved very difficult to endure in a mature way.
Thankfully, I practiced my coping mechanism better. That coping mechanism is openness. I use the tool that usually makes me happier. I talk.
When I was really down I felt the need to talk about how I felt. Thanks to some kind people I started to recover. And thanks to that bit of recovery I was at full power by the time the last of Saturday’s panels wrapped up. Then, the glory of 4th Street, for me at the least, truly became apparent once more.
The laughter with friends newly made and familiar from before really kept me going from 9pm to 2am.
What a convention Saturday night was on its own!
I felt so much better I re-engaged a bit more with the larger group on Sunday. Even my lack of sleep could not stop me. I hope to make it more conventions in the future, but I will definitely make it back to 4th Street Fantasy next year.
And if you’re a writer or fan in the Minnesota area (Especially), I would encourage you to try for the same goal.
Thanks for reading. And have a great day.
Tim Niederriter's Blog 