The Road to SteemFest | My Trip Down Memory Lane

in #roadtosteemfest5 years ago (edited)

There’s only another week left to do your post about SteemFest 3 in an attempt to incite people to head to Bangkok in November for SteemFest 4.

To enter and qualify for this incentive you need to have…

attended Steem Fest 3, then the #roadtosteemfest tag is for you

And then write about…

Take a trip down memory lane and go through your SF3 photo album and bring back all the moments that made your trip worth every Steem spent and...

There’s only been a handful of entrants so far so is everyone leaving it until the last minute? This is the original post by @anomadsoul.

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From the ones I have read so far, I continually read, ‘it was a blast’, ‘unforgettable memories’, ‘great fun’, so should I say the same?

Not to put a damper on @roelandp’s series of ‘fests’, I have mixed feelings of which I can only blame myself.

Perhaps I attended too early in my STEEM career, or perhaps history may repeat itself in Bangkok if I do decide to go. If I do, this time it will be a solo trip.

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You see despite all the front of the maniac and some of the crazy stuff I write, I am quite an introverted character and find it hard to socialise with people that I don't know.

I am currently suffering from hearing problems.. that is I have problems hearing conversations when in noisy environments.

This can have the effect that one is a little dense, thick or stupid. Saying 'eh', 'what', 'pardon' doesn’t work so well when speaking with comparative strangers.

Next week, I am getting my ears treated using Micro Suction followed by an ear test by the NHS one week later. It can only get better methinks.

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When I say ‘mixed feelings’, there were times on ‘Day 2’ that I was standing around not knowing who to approach. Everyone seemed so engrossed and I felt like I would be breaking into private parties so to speak.

I have little confidence when it comes to approaching people while squinting at name badges that I barely know.

This happened again on the final evening at the Cubus Hotel. Drinks and some food had been provided and I noticed @celestal but didn't approach him.

I don’t want to appear stereotypical but his crazy haircut I found intimidating. I have since corresponded with @celestal several times about my introverted nature (not the haircut), and I will endeavour to hunt him down at Bangkok, regardless of the hair.

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The truth is I really enjoyed most of SteemFest 3 and this November I feel I will know more people and have less of a problem approaching them.

People I did meet and have great memories of are @felixxx (a great talk at the breakfast table about the old days and some full votes of which I was overjoyed about), @jaki01 and @kobold-djawa who @bingbabe ended up chatting too simply because of having Far East origins and @reggaemuffin due to our Magic the Gathering connection.

I noticed some of the prominent Steemians had removed their badges by Day 2, maybe they wanted to appear inconspicuous to the many.

There were rumours that @transisto was around but keeping in the shadows, was there any truth to that?

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I kept seeing @exyle but didn't approach him, as at that time he simply wouldn't have known who I was. There's always this fear of, ‘who are you flea?', though that notion is quite ridiculous.

@steevc could sense my apprehension about approaching some of these people and introduced me to @blocktrades of all people. He was great, down to earth, friendly and not what I expected.

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Part of Day 1 and 2 was the round tables. I didn’t sit down at any of these simply because it reminds me of work and meetings.

I have enough of this when I’m being paid and there was no way in hell I was going to sit and chit-chat, actually listen to chit-chat because I’m not a great public speaker.

There were enough Steemians milling around and simply talking one-to-one was enough for me. If I only would have had the confidence to approach some of them.

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At one point I saw @hr1 looking a little Iost but simply could not approach someone who was in my mind a ‘Legend'. One becomes ‘Starstruck' even at SteemFest sometimes.

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I had brief conversations with @abh12345, @tarazkp, @blewitt, @crimsonclad, and @anomadsoul but regret not talking to all of them more.

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Some Steemians I completely missed, I didn’t see @nanzo-scoop at all, and though I did see @adetorrent on the @cleanplanet event, I didn’t know who he was at the time.

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Other Steemians I conversed with were @kevinwong (deep in the Salt Mines), @shanibeer (many times), @gillianpearce (many times too), @steevc (of course), @revisesociology (someone I felt at ease with from the first minute) and @detlev (what a guy, what can I say?)

Yet there were others I spotted, some who I know better now that I saw and yet failed to make contact with : (@travelgirl, @joythewanderer, @shortcut, @surfermarly (retired), @gtg and @llfarms aka @justineh). Some I have chatted with since and promised to rectify the next time.

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I’m not a great beer drinker though I did go for a couple in Krakow central with @steevc that is after we got lost trying to find the place that everyone had arranged to meet in, as well as trying to fend off the local hustlers attempting to guide us into ‘titty bars’.

The first two days in the conference halls (I missed Day 1), had endless food laid on as well as drinks. You could simply eat and drink all day if you liked.

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The trips laid on for SteemFest 3 were nothing short of amazing. Auschwitz in all its horror was unmissable, and the Salt Mines outro with the Harry Potter long tables 1000 feet underground was quite surreal.

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How there was WiFi that far under the earth I have yet to figure out.

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Then there was the Bowling and Live Singing night events as well as other events going on like the @esteem one that @steevc told me he went too.

If this feels negative, believe me, it's not. SteemFest is NOT to be missed if you are serious about STEEM and its future.

While the prices of SteemFest may have seemed expensive, you do get a LOT for your money.

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@for91days and @guchtere greeted me like we were old friends. The connection with @travelfeed was immediate and we bonded quickly.

My memories of SteemFest 3 are mostly good but with a tinge of sadness that I did not make the most of the opportunities presented to me.

If you are reading this and thinking, ‘I know a lot of these prominent names’, then you would be correct.

Anyone who is anyone goes to SteemFest. This is the big one, and you don’t want to miss it.

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Just to conclude, I would like to know what @roelandp did with that bright orange SteemFest 3 whole body suit. It’s hardly something you can wear walking down the street, is it?


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Ok, this is a clear

Hey @detlev do something during that lazy long weekend.

So, I will run down my wet beerly memorie lane and even better dive into my iPhone photos to grab some pics from Krakow.

Before I might forget, here is a !BEER for you!

You must have some good ones in your repository, so lets see them! Are you going to Bangkok?

I love BKK as I travel there since mid 80’s a few times.
I blocked the date but did not yet book a flight yet.

will try my best to come

Ha... you sound just like me. I will walk into a crowded room and immediately head for the corner or a wall! My normal personality is so very different to my stage demeanor... anyway, I struggle with noisy environments as well, not in the same way as you, but because I get distracted by conversations and other interesting bits of noise. I find it hard to focus on a general group conversation. One on one is no problem....

Anyway, Bangkok... that is a touch futher than Poland this year! Good luck with the contest!

Are we going to see R2-D2 in Bangkok?

Ha ha, lol! Only if promise to do your crazy eyes for the whole November!

... But no, it is too far away at a bad time!

Hi @slobberchops

I read this all the way through and I feel you m8. I had a very similar experience being a massive introvert who struggles to push myself out of a 'social anxiety' mind state (apart from when I drink which I can't often due to a chronic condition) a lot of the time.

When I say ‘mixed feelings’, there were times on ‘Day 2’ that I was standing around not knowing who to approach. Everyone seemed so engrossed and I felt like I would be breaking into private parties so to speak.

I struggled networking big time and although I had numerous meaningful conversations throughout, they were sparse and I spent a lot of time kind of milling around on my own.

It is an interesting thing you raise in this post; that steemfest is a challenge for an introvert. I feel a worthy challenge that is good to do, but still a challenge. I'm currently in the process of writing my roadtosteemfest post and this has made me think a little about mentioning these honest feelings of the challenges that go along with the great things about steemfest :-)

and I spent a lot of time kind of milling around on my own.

Well.. I thought it was just me. Did you go alone? If so.. I suppose it was even worse.. I came with my wife that time.

that steemfest is a challenge for an introvert.

It is, and a few have mentioned it now that I raised all this. We need to band together I think on the next one. Bangkok?

I was staying with anomadsoul and a bunch of others, including celestal + abh12345 in 'the frat house' as we called it. They were a friendly bunch and made me feel at home... my problem is I can't metabolize booze (or food) very well and when I got smashed on the first night, I kinda screwed myself for the rest of the trip. As they were all pretty heavy drinkers, I sort of missed out on a lot of fun in the evenings. This was all my own issues, which I have to deal with but that's why I ended up a little off on my own a lot of the time.

a few have mentioned it now that I raised all this. We need to band together I think on the next one. Bangkok?

If I make it to Bangkok, for sure it would be good for all the introverts to sort of identify each other so we can form a 'fatigue from networking' support group 😅

In all seriousness though, I mean that mate. I will be sure to seek you out slobberchops :)

As they were all pretty heavy drinkers, I sort of missed out on a lot of fun in the evenings.

Sounds like me, I cant drink more than one.. else I suffer badly the next day and cant sleep due to heartburn. Some of it is a getting old problem, but the heavy drinking.. I have never been able too.

sort of identify each other so we can form a 'fatigue from networking' support group 😅

Haha.. should we make a sign for this? It might look a little sad..

In all seriousness though, I mean that mate. I will be sure to seek you out slobberchops :)

Likewise.. I'm sure I saw you are SF3, the name does ring a bell from then.

(This is @slobberchops, BTW)...

I remember the breakfast well and all of you were great company.
I do not see why anybody would reject a conversation with you.
I might lack some social awareness - sometimes I do not care - but if I can approach people alright, you should have no issues whatsoever.

It's strange that some of us gel immediately and others not. In my case it is lack of confidence, and that's all. You would think at my age I should have conquered this.

I was always talking to someone and with a beer in my hand, so I blame myself for not being as welcoming as I should've with you man, I know I wanted to meet you and share some moments but the few times we crossed paths I was heading somewhere or perhaps a bit tipsy to have a real conversation, so I'm sorry for that.

Hopefully in Thailand we'll have a better time together and we find some time to bond (over beers :P ). Thanks for writing this post, I really enjoyed reading it.

I didn't see you much after Bowling..., just once at the Salt Mines where you were sitting and looking a tad knackered.

I didn't know until after about the nightclub incident, so that would account for you missing during the daytime.

Try and avoid the knives and local dickheads this time? ;)

Hopefully in Thailand we'll have a better time together and we find some time to bond (over beers :P

This time I'll be without the wife, so will have more flexibility. I would love to chat to you about this lifestyle of yours. It's somewhat unique.

Great summary of your experience at Steemfest @slobberchops.

Sounds like you found the "talking to strangers" bit as difficult as I did. I also felt extremely uncomfortable a lot of the time which was balanced by the great conversations I had with the people I did pluck up the courage to speak to.

If Steemfest 4 was closer I'd definitely go but I don't think I'll make it to Thailand. We've got a lot on this November which means we couldn't go and make more of a holiday of it. Flying all that way I'd want to spend a decent amount of time there.

I think the second time around would be a lot easier so it's a shame to be missing it.

Sounds like you found the "talking to strangers" bit as difficult

I did, you saw someone's name tag, recognised the name.. but then stopped yourself approaching them. It was a case of knowing the names, but not knowing the person. This was November 2018 and I had been here just 6 months.

I think things are different now. The crypto winter hit, many left and those that stayed are more tightly knit than before. The next one will be easier.

Is there a good chance that you will be going to Steemfest 4 do you think @slobberchops?

There is..., @goblinknackers is also going (or so he says).

Oh, good grief.

That's the 'clean' version.. you should have seen the first iteration!

Aw. that makes me want to go even more or you're both going! 😁

SteemFest is not something to miss. I just wish I had become more involved last time.

It was a bit daunting that first day.... day two was much easier - I think the roomier venue helped.

SF4 will be a doddle compared to the first one!

Great photos - mine's just going to be a lame tag fest!

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I missed day 1, you say that was more cramped?

Yes we will know many more people though there will be a larger Asian contingent this time. I know some of them already due to my posting on @tasteem.

The photographs are just rehashes, I used all of them the first time around. SF4.. I'm going to be snap happy.

Oh yes the venue was smaller on day one, not exactly cramped, but one large room, actually much more background noise too.

True about the Asian presence, probably fewer brits too of course! Still, far more interesting culturally.

I guess I should take photos, good to try something different I guess, and photos of SteemFest do tend go down well!

actually much more background noise too.

That is the reason I highlighted this. It's getting more of a problem for me. At work I suffer from it too being in a noisy office.

Thursday is going to be interesting at the ear clinic. I have constant whistles in my ears... but when I ask others about this.. they shake their heads and don't understand.

I don't have it myself, and I've only met one other person with it, she couldn't go to pubs at all, but I've known about it as a condition for ages.

Maybe it's 'cos I can relate to it as I just don't like those kind of environments.

Most other people seem perfectly happy having shouted conversations, I just don't get it!

Hope they sort you out at the ear clinic.

I don't think you need to feel bad. I have a conference that I go to every year and I know a lot of people there. Still, if I don't see some of the people that I regularly hang out with for one of the meals, I am just as happy sitting at a table by myself and eating. If I don't know you, I am going to have a hard time genuinely socializing with you. I think it all boils down to knowing that I am not able to hide my disinterest as some others are. I'd rather just not talk to you than offend you by having you realize I don't care what you are saying :) If my finances were in a different place, I would totally consider coming to Steemfest 4. You can I could just sit in silence and enjoy each others company without a care in the world!

just sit in silence and enjoy each others company without a care in the world!

I can do that at home... not what I'm going for. Some things you have to develop, I'm just little late in this area.

Fair enough, I guess it is just as well that I am not attending then. Don't get me wrong, I am told I do better in social situations than I think I do, I just don't seek them out.

I didn't know about this, I must dust off my memories.
I enjoyed meeting you and @bingbabe, it was good fun 😊
I see @goblinknackers has his avatar now. That's two of you to scare the horses!

He's got a great avatar and I'm a bit jealous. @katharsisdrill did a fantastic job on that one.

well the good thing about going again...everything gets easier and there will be more familiar faces (and therefor easier access) to coversate with..

our extremely brief meeting in auswitz was awkward, which had nothing to do with you, but everything with the ice cold WO2 horror...and we should do the better versiosn of the handshake in Bangkok as I have my date blocked already as well

see ya there!

Yeah, see you there, it will be better next time.

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