Comments on: Work the Room

By: Sherri

Sherri — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:06:02 +0000

I was hoping you’d teach me how to keep my mouth shut. LOL

I forgot to ask how your reading went. I’m assuming you didn’t faint. Will you write a post about it?

By: mapelba

mapelba — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:29:27 +0000

If I’m lucky, maybe one day we’ll be at a book party together and you can razzle dazzle everyone including me. I look forward to it.

By: mapelba

mapelba — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:28:16 +0000

You don’t strike me as someone afraid to get in the crowd–or in front of the crowd. Being in front of students is fine. But in the artist/writer role… I’m not so sure.

By: mapelba

mapelba — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:27:12 +0000

Love the celery add on. Perfect. I shall aspire to be celery. ha-ha-ha

By: mapelba

mapelba — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:26:35 +0000

Oh, the other night I was introduced as The Artist all night. Very weird. Don’t know how to respond. Made me feel silly.

ANd my son loves to make those paper frogs. We’ve got lots of them around the apartment.

By: mapelba

mapelba — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:25:01 +0000

Yeah, the gender separation thing drives me nuts. I’ve been with groups of non-catty women, but this was not one of those times.

By: mapelba

mapelba — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:23:31 +0000

Well, you shine on your blog. See–I’m a total stranger with different politics and all that and I quite like you. Now go shine.

By: Sherri

Sherri — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:32:11 +0000

I’m actually better in a group. I have stories to tell, and I can be funny when called upon to be so, and I can work a room. I can razzle dazzle ‘em. At least, I think I can. I generally get good reactions, but maybe it’s because they’re laughing AT me, not with me. Nah. I think that ability comes from years of customer service. I’m really good at the my-husband-won’t-help-around-the-house type conversation you describe above.

But you know what? I stink at playing the “writer” in a group. Because I think “writers” are aloof and quiet and talk about their work like it’s important. I still haven’t figured out how to do that last thing.

I also stink at one-on-one conversations, because that razzle-dazzle-em doesn’t work in a real conversation. I feel self-conscious revealing my true inner thoughts to another person, so I prefer not to. I hate talking on the phone for that reason.

By: rowena

rowena — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:57:42 +0000

socializing…? I am not in a social phase, although I have been. I think I was starting to do that “the artist” thing before I had kids… but then the hormones and exhaustion and lack of time knocked that right out. And then I think while I was a teacher and before I was doing “the writer” thing… but I think I got scared whenever it got to be too much attention.

I’m not *really* shy and I’m *kinda* good with people, I’m even okay with public speaking and I particularly like reading aloud… but I do not like being the center of attention. I’d rather be behind the lens that in front of it, if you know what I mean.

I think putting on the role of writer/artist might be the key to getting out there when so many of us are introverts and feel awkward with the spotlight. I do know that putting on the role of “teacher” helped me with that public speaking thing and other personality ticks of the retiring sort. Actually, I think I would still put on the teacher role, even as an artist. The artist who enables other to create. I guess I feel more comfortable with that role.

By: JES

JES — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:56:18 +0000

P.S. Haha, funny coincidence — just ran across this quotation (from Aldous Huxley) on another blog: “I’m afraid of losing my obscurity. Genuineness only thrives in the dark. Like celery.”