GABIT attendees thread

[lame moose (mocha)]

happy belated b-day fellow jello bringer. it's weird, with all the jello i've supplied to the gabit events, i don't think i've ever tried it.

[EH-T]

I don't have jello withdrawal (I rarely eat it at these events) but I am having withdrawal symptoms with regard to a certain chocolate! Missing London too, saw a poster today with a red phone booth. Oh ya, miss all of you too.

[ames]

happy belated b-day fellow jello bringer. it's weird, with all the jello i've supplied to the gabit events, i don't think i've ever tried it.

We'll have to rectify that situation at the next event. Unless you have sugar intake issues, in which case bluey goodness is bad for you They have yet to come up with a sugar-free version of the blue ... I wonder what that says about bluey goodness? Hmmm... LOL

[Trindajae]

Personally, as amazing as Amanda is, she's not the largest draw for why I choose to attend GABIT events, come heck or high water, as Eh-T put it! Yes, I love our brief chats, and the hilarity that ensues whenever Amanda gets on stage - but I also love seeing old friends and making new acquaintances, the massive hug-fests that seem to happen at the drop of a hat (or the drop of the quid, as the case may be ), and knowing that in my small way, I'm helping out a couple of great causes.

Ditto. I found myself at AT5, chatting with new friends in the lobby and we were thinking about when to head to the pub for dinner. Says one, "I want to wait until Amanda arrives for the cocktail party." Thinks me, "Oh! Right! Amanda's going to be here this weekend..." It's so much about the other attendees for me that I (only briefly!) sometimes forget what the name of the convention means. I'm planning to study for my master's degree in England, which is an idea that terrifies me because that's a very long time to be a very long way from home. I come to the conventions largely to remind myself that England is not so far away that it might as well be fictional, and I meet new people at every convention who volunteer to be part of the welcome wagon to make sure I get settled in all right. Financially, it makes more sense for me to save the cost of air fare and convention ticket and instead add that to the study fund, but I keep coming because otherwise I run the risk of giving up. And that's not allowed to happen.

And happy very belated birthday, Ames.

[EH-T]

Borrowed this from XFChemist on Woohoo thread, which originated as a tweet from Gabit:

Fab G4 get together. Had 4 months apart with life stuff and was a great mini reunion! LOL! Made plans for AT6. Getting all ducks in a row.

and

Ooh lot's of questions.1. We're concentrating on AT6 at the moment.2. As soon as we're ready to release date of AT6, we will. Hang in there!

So, sounds good for AT6, not so much for TSE2.

[dipsofjazz]

Yay! AT6!



*begins packing*

[NZNeep]

More big earthquakes down in Christchurch this afternoon. When will it stop for these people? Power and water out to a lot of the city again.

[NZNeep]

Some of these photos are amazing. The water everywhere is liquefaction- it bubbles up with every decent after shock.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/new...k-Christchurch

The aftershocks are just never ending, pretty sure there will be another influx of Cantabrians moving to our other towns and cities either for a break from the shaking or because they no longer have homes or jobs. To think that this was considered on of the most earthquake free parts of New Zealand before September.

ETA: wow, the news is depressing tonight. Chch earthquakes. Tunisia. Pakistan. The only "good" news so far is an update on the recovery of Gabrielle Giffords.

ETA2: just saw a clip of a guy in a wheelchair looking lost as silt and water bubbles up in the street around him.


Even with all the damage to buildings and streets (again) I think it's the emotional damage that is really getting to people. Anyone heard from Amanda? (update: on twitter, she's fine. House will probably be demolished though)


ETA again: oh, the other difference this time is it is winter. Chch winters are bad enough without no power, broken houses and collapsed chimneys.

[ames]

That sounds pretty brutal
The weather everywhere seems to be getting more and more crazy :s

[Chelle DB]

Borrowed this from XFChemist on Woohoo thread, which originated as a tweet from Gabit:
Fab G4 get together. Had 4 months apart with life stuff and was a great mini reunion! LOL! Made plans for AT6. Getting all ducks in a row.
and
Ooh lot's of questions.1. We're concentrating on AT6 at the moment.2. As soon as we're ready to release date of AT6, we will. Hang in there!
So, sounds good for AT6, not so much for TSE2.

Got all excited when I read the tweets at work...gonna be interesting to see when they have it planned for. Kinda nervous now. Yay!!

More big earthquakes down in Christchurch this afternoon. When will it stop for these people? Power and water out to a lot of the city again.
Even with all the damage to buildings and streets (again) I think it's the emotional damage that is really getting to people. Anyone heard from Amanda? (update: on twitter, she's fine. House will probably be demolished though)

Aww man..poor Christchurch & it's people ...just glad Amanda is ok...the house can be replaced but she can't be. *hugs our Kiwi neighbours*
Thanks for the update Neep...haven't seen the news in a long time.

[samcarterrules]

Hey Everyone,

I've been reading through all the posts, and I'm the same about the events now, I'm lucky enough to have been able to attend 4 Gabit events now. When I went to the first few it was all about meeting Amanda, but now I go to meet up with friends and meet new friends too! I also go for the feeling, I don't know how to explain this very well but hopefully those of you who've been will understand, there is a very unique feel that runs through the entire weekend, love, family, acceptance, change, belonging. OK so that's a lot of emotions but they all add up to one amazing feeling! I love the fact to that everyone regardless of there ability is treated equally and looked at for what they are able to do and not what they can't do. Its almost like one of those well-being weekends, you know you learn to let go of the unimportant things, learn who you are, go on an emotional roller-coaster and leave feeling strong, happy and ready to change the world, one ripple at at time! (Did I explain that OK? ) Oh yeah and you get to see Amanda too

Great to hear Gabit had meetings sounds exciting!! *bounces*

Oh no not again, poor Christchurch!! I think the worlds weather has gone nuts....*sends thoughts and prayers*


Julia(samcarterrules)

[EH-T]

More big earthquakes down in Christchurch this afternoon. When will it stop for these people? Power and water out to a lot of the city again.

It was on our news this morning. Thinking of everyone there. Glad Amanada is OK.

Hey Everyone,

I've been reading through all the posts, and I'm the same about the events now, I'm lucky enough to have been able to attend 4 Gabit events now. When I went to the first few it was all about meeting Amanda, but now I go to meet up with friends and meet new friends too! I also go for the feeling, I don't know how to explain this very well but hopefully those of you who've been will understand, there is a very unique feel that runs through the entire weekend, love, family, acceptance, change, belonging. OK so that's a lot of emotions but they all add up to one amazing feeling! I love the fact to that everyone regardless of there ability is treated equally and looked at for what they are able to do and not what they can't do. Its almost like one of those well-being weekends, you know you learn to let go of the unimportant things, learn who you are, go on an emotional roller-coaster and leave feeling strong, happy and ready to change the world, one ripple at at time! (Did I explain that OK? ) Oh yeah and you get to see Amanda too

Great to hear Gabit had meetings sounds exciting!! *bounces*

Oh no not again, poor Christchurch!! I think the worlds weather has gone nuts....*sends thoughts and prayers*


Julia(samcarterrules)

I think you explained it very well.

Reading the posts on this site before attending my first AT event I saw a lot of comments about how people were going so they could see their friends just as much (if not more ) than to see AT. For me, at that time, I was going to see AT. Then you get there and you meet some wonderful people and then the next time you are going back as much to see them as to see AT.

You are also right about the feeling one gets at these events. Here is a small but mighty group of people from all over the world who get together and have the power to actually change the lives of others for the better. That is an amazing thing. We all have that power individually but sometimes it is hard for us to believe that. Getting together with like minded individuals allows us to realise that anything is possible. I hope we all do take that home with us when we leave.

[lame moose (mocha)]

well said julia and eh-t. there is something special about these events.

bad news for churchill. i think i'd be planning to relocate if i lived there. just as i'd plan to relocate if i lived in the tornado ravaged states here in the u.s. a few hundred lives lost and people still missing from the hundreds of tornadoes here in the last 2 months. it's really scary. my heart and prayers go out to all those affected by natural disasters. like i told julia before, i wish i was physically able to go to some of these places and help people clean up and rebuild their houses. i know how to build, but can't do it from my scooter.

[MidwifeOnBoard]

AT5 was my first AT event, and my main reason for going, at first, was to meet Amanda. However, long before the event, I became a Woohoo and was also befriended by a number of people from around GW and I quickly became very excited (and nervous!) to meet them as well. It was unbelievable to be a total n00b and be completely embraced by such a lovely group of people as though I had been around just as long as they had. My next AT event will be all about getting the chance to hang out with you all again. Saying hi to and getting hugs from Amanda, while awesome, will be my secondary reason for going.

[Celandine]

Meeting up with friends is what makes a convention. Facebook and chats just can't compare to 'real' conversations and especially the hugs. Like everyone has said, AT is not the biggest draw anymore.

Still hoping AT6 is between say..late March and early Nov though.