GABIT attendees thread

[EH-T]

About 10 years ago I worked in a shop where they had one of the staff work as a door greeter. All this person had to do was smile and say Hello as people walked into the store.
At this time in my life I was quite shy and didn't like doing this so avoided it as much as possible…….. that and the fact that most people would either give you this strange look or say 'I'm just looking and don't need any help!'
Whenever it was my turn I decided to change the greeting from a simple 'Hello' to a 'morning' or 'I like your shirt' or 'shame your team lost at the weekend' (If it was a sporting team outfit/shirt they were wearing).
As much as I hated doing it, it built my confidence to the point where I don't mind talking to people I've just met and also, as Amanda said, I received some nice smiles and comments back.

I love it too, PengYn! And that's a lovely story!

I already tried to do it for a while after TrekGate (where she also mentioned that project) and then kind of forgot but now I'm really trying to do it again. I find it quite hard, though, not because I have a huge problem smiling at strangers (although it does feel weird and I sometimes feel a bit nervous about getting "bad" reactions) but because... well, people don't look at each other. Like... hardly anyone looks at another person in the face and even less in the eyes. So for me the bigger problem is to find a person who's actually looking at me...

Nice stories. I know there are cultural differences so the project may be easier in some places than others.

More from AT7:

Amanda spoke about her guest starring role on Motive. She said her agent contacted her that they wanted her for the show. She said yes and her agent said they would send over a script but Amanda said she didn't need to see a script, she would do the show because she loved the show. Then she got the script and saw the character she was to play. Creepiest character she has ever played! She made up a whole back story on the character's childhood to try to justify how the character turned out.

[murrinholi]

Nice stories. I know there are cultural differences so the project may be easier in some places than others.

More from AT7:

Amanda spoke about her guest starring role on Motive. She said her agent contacted her that they wanted her for the show. She said yes and her agent said they would send over a script but Amanda said she didn't need to see a script, she would do the show because she loved the show. Then she got the script and saw the character she was to play. Creepiest character she has ever played! She made up a whole back story on the character's childhood to try to justify how the character turned out.

That was most certainly the creepiest thing I've seen her in. Would be interesting to find out the character's back story - the reasoning behind her behaviour - perhaps that's just the psychologist in me..

AT7 was amazing, made all the more special by the wonderful EH-T you are awesome!

[PengYn]

I absolutely love your name for the project, PengYn!

Thank you On a random note I just saw a post of yours pop up on my tumblr dash minutes before I came on here. I'm assuming it's you since it's the same username.

That is so sweet. Keep it up. I also love the name (although, "pretending to be from Manitoba" works too )

That's a good name too. Although I'm trying this year not to be too long winded

I love it too, PengYn! And that's a lovely story!

I already tried to do it for a while after TrekGate (where she also mentioned that project) and then kind of forgot but now I'm really trying to do it again. I find it quite hard, though, not because I have a huge problem smiling at strangers (although it does feel weird and I sometimes feel a bit nervous about getting "bad" reactions) but because... well, people don't look at each other. Like... hardly anyone looks at another person in the face and even less in the eyes. So for me the bigger problem is to find a person who's actually looking at me...

Yes I've noticed eye contact can be an issue. What I'm trying to do is to focus my energy outwards, so keeping my head up and looking in different places and if someone happens to catch my eye then I'll smile at them. It isn't easy. I know I have difficulties meeting peoples' eyes sometimes. It's a self conscious tick from my school days. I was walking home from the bus stop one day, I was 14 at the time and this group of boys about my age were skate boarding up and down my road. I walked by them and they noticed me so they started saying "hello" and one of them skated by me, looked at me and then yelled "ugh she's so ugly don't talk to her" and they all laughed and that moment pretty much stuck with me right throughout high school and still affects me today. I'm not a fan of my face let's just say. And I think ever since that moment I've thought if I just look down or not catch anyone's eye, no one will see me and no one can think something like that again. So, long story short, it definitely is a challenge for me to do this because it doesn't come naturally, so I think in a way it will help me to build up my own confidence in terms of what I'm projecting to other people.

[EH-T]

That was most certainly the creepiest thing I've seen her in. Would be interesting to find out the character's back story - the reasoning behind her behaviour - perhaps that's just the psychologist in me..

AT7 was amazing, made all the more special by the wonderful EH-T you are awesome!

Awww...thanks. AT events are sooo good for my ego.

Thank you On a random note I just saw a post of yours pop up on my tumblr dash minutes before I came on here. I'm assuming it's you since it's the same username.




That's a good name too. Although I'm trying this year not to be too long winded



Yes I've noticed eye contact can be an issue. What I'm trying to do is to focus my energy outwards, so keeping my head up and looking in different places and if someone happens to catch my eye then I'll smile at them. It isn't easy. I know I have difficulties meeting peoples' eyes sometimes. It's a self conscious tick from my school days. I was walking home from the bus stop one day, I was 14 at the time and this group of boys about my age were skate boarding up and down my road. I walked by them and they noticed me so they started saying "hello" and one of them skated by me, looked at me and then yelled "ugh she's so ugly don't talk to her" and they all laughed and that moment pretty much stuck with me right throughout high school and still affects me today. I'm not a fan of my face let's just say. And I think ever since that moment I've thought if I just look down or not catch anyone's eye, no one will see me and no one can think something like that again. So, long story short, it definitely is a challenge for me to do this because it doesn't come naturally, so I think in a way it will help me to build up my own confidence in terms of what I'm projecting to other people.

Kids can be so cruel and I can understand how those things stick with you but the absolute truth is you have a very beautiful face, m'dear. And those PengYn eyes will melt anyone who sees them.

[murrinholi]

*agrees* - you are beautiful PengYn! EH-T talks sense... (Even if she has a huge ego ) I have memories like that that haunt me, it's awful.

[PengYn]

Awww...thanks. AT events are sooo good for my ego.



Kids can be so cruel and I can understand how those things stick with you but the absolute truth is you have a very beautiful face, m'dear. And those PengYn eyes will melt anyone who sees them.

<3
I don't think I got to use the PengYn eyes on many people at AT7, I think I was too busy playing with the hearing dogs or trying to win puppies from the tombola...

*agrees* - you are beautiful PengYn! EH-T talks sense... (Even if she has a huge ego ) I have memories like that that haunt me, it's awful.

This is what happens when you let the Canadians win...

[Samantha-Carter-is-my-muse]

Thank you On a random note I just saw a post of yours pop up on my tumblr dash minutes before I came on here. I'm assuming it's you since it's the same username.

Yep, that's me

Yes I've noticed eye contact can be an issue. What I'm trying to do is to focus my energy outwards, so keeping my head up and looking in different places and if someone happens to catch my eye then I'll smile at them. It isn't easy. I know I have difficulties meeting peoples' eyes sometimes. It's a self conscious tick from my school days. I was walking home from the bus stop one day, I was 14 at the time and this group of boys about my age were skate boarding up and down my road. I walked by them and they noticed me so they started saying "hello" and one of them skated by me, looked at me and then yelled "ugh she's so ugly don't talk to her" and they all laughed and that moment pretty much stuck with me right throughout high school and still affects me today. I'm not a fan of my face let's just say. And I think ever since that moment I've thought if I just look down or not catch anyone's eye, no one will see me and no one can think something like that again. So, long story short, it definitely is a challenge for me to do this because it doesn't come naturally, so I think in a way it will help me to build up my own confidence in terms of what I'm projecting to other people.

I'm sorry you had to go through that, kids can be so cruel

[murrinholi]

This is what happens when you let the Canadians win...

Yup... I'm starting to see how scary that is... EH-T has Scottish roots though right? So not all Canadian...

I can empathise about the not wanting to look people in the eye, for a long time I walked about staring at the ground. Too many people do that, it's amazing when you look up, you see things in familiar places you hadn't noticed before.

[EH-T]

*agrees* - you are beautiful PengYn! EH-T talks sense... (Even if she has a huge ego ) I have memories like that that haunt me, it's awful.

I blame Amanda for that, she keeps writing nice things about me on my photos . Including "I love you" this time 'round. According to Dennys, she talks about me all the time. I am beginning to think she is stalking me and that's why she shows up at every con I attend.

<3
I don't think I got to use the PengYn eyes on many people at AT7, I think I was too busy playing with the hearing dogs or trying to win puppies from the tombola...



This is what happens when you let the Canadians win...

"let" us win?

Yup... I'm starting to see how scary that is... EH-T has Scottish roots though right? So not all Canadian...

I can empathise about the not wanting to look people in the eye, for a long time I walked about staring at the ground. Too many people do that, it's amazing when you look up, you see things in familiar places you hadn't noticed before.

Three Scottish grandparents and one English grandparent.

[Nolamom]

I like this "project", although for me (and a great many Texans) it comes so naturally that it seems odd if someone *doesn't* look you in the eye and smile. Part of the culture here. Like when you're driving out in the country and another car comes in the opposite direction - most people lift their fingers from the wheel to give a little wave to the other driver.

[murrinholi]

I blame Amanda for that, she keeps writing nice things about me on my photos . Including "I love you" this time 'round. According to Dennys, she talks about me all the time. I am beginning to think she is stalking me and that's why she shows up at every con I attend.



"let" us win?



Three Scottish grandparents and one English grandparent.

Yup LET you win

Haha, I actually heard a few people say that, not just Dennys - she totally is stalking you... Look behind yoooooou!

I thought I remembered you saying something about Scottish Grandparents! So that's why you could understand me..

Been looking through some notes I made for my little brother, about the weekend. Again I'm reminded how amazing it was - meeting Amanda was great, but the sitting in the lobby - brilliant!

[SamJackShipLover]

*happy hugs all around*

I almost feel back at AT7 with all this fun conversation. Just like we're sitting in the lobby

[EH-T]

I like this "project", although for me (and a great many Texans) it comes so naturally that it seems odd if someone *doesn't* look you in the eye and smile. Part of the culture here. Like when you're driving out in the country and another car comes in the opposite direction - most people lift their fingers from the wheel to give a little wave to the other driver.

Depends on which finger they are lifting.

Yup LET you win

Haha, I actually heard a few people say that, not just Dennys - she totally is stalking you... Look behind yoooooou!

I thought I remembered you saying something about Scottish Grandparents! So that's why you could understand me..

Been looking through some notes I made for my little brother, about the weekend. Again I'm reminded how amazing it was - meeting Amanda was great, but the sitting in the lobby - brilliant!

The first time I went to an AT event it was to see Amanda. while I still enjoy seeing her and love hearing her speak, now the events are even more about going back to see my friends (and the charities of course but I could donate to those from home---much more fun to do through the auction). As Julia mentioned in her speech I referred to her as the creator of a friendship factory. So many wonderful friendships have been created as a result of Gabit events. Something they should be very proud of!

I didn't know my Scottish grandparents, they died before I was born but one of my friend's parents are from Glasgow and St. Andrew's, their accents have trained me.

So who else told you she is stalking....errr..... talking about me?

*happy hugs all around*

I almost feel back at AT7 with all this fun conversation. Just like we're sitting in the lobby

Nice, isn't it? Hugs back.

[EH-T]

Hey, Fresh_Horse, I see you lurking. Nice pants! Where did you get those?

[EH-T]

Today's AT7 tidbit:


I think someone asked Amanda what prop she would take home from Stargate and Sanctuary. Her response: does RDA count as a prop?