The Visible Woman...October 17, 2003

Today is the day that something called JournalCon comes to Austin. Actually it's been rechristened Web Writers Weekend which is plain English and therefore I like it better. Will The Visible Woman mesh with youth, tattoos, piercings? Will she be able to compete with this smart young set? Will she be bored or intrigued? What does it mean to hide the journal and yet go to a convention for journalers? How will my resistance to knowing people too deeply or telling too much play in this forum?

I don't know how it's going to work out but a Web Writers' thingee is probably where I belong since writing for the WEB is all I seem to do. Except these people want to promote what they do and really, I don't.

I have long been intrigued, though, by this new way of interacting with people, by knowing them through online forums, chats, e-mails, their writing and then meeting them and intersecting all that.

I am notoriously bad about being interested in (or even able to identify) celebrities. The Sandra Bullock experience comes to mind. Just last night, in fact, when we saw the Sam Elliot film...I was saying "Who is Sam Elliot?" Oh, yeah, he looked familar (in the film and when he got up to talk). A little.

Immediately upon entering the Omni this afternoon, I saw Rob who is a journal writer of some note. This was like a rock star or actor sighting for me. Not because I think he is actually more worthy than the next soul of attention and adulation but just because I've invested the time in his real life on the screen. Not a act or performance, but a life. He could be a friend if I actually knew him. Now he is in the flesh. And that is, at least, interesting. Somehow actors are playing a role and I leave that to them and don't care much about the actor per se. If they posted a real and interesting life online it might enhance that interest but...how much could I relate to such a life? I have plenty of actual friends with big houses and jet set lifestyles I can barely relate to.

Anyway. Rob was less dorky in person than he makes himself seem online. Even with size 13 purple shoes.

I wasn't bored with these people but since the likelihood is that none read me and few were less than twenty years younger than I, they seemed, um, wary of me. But I got a seat and had some Jack Daniels and watched them drink some drinks that were vaguely burnt orange. After the social, I picked up Rob; a nice New Jersey via Australia person; Pineapple Girl, who is already a friend; and someone from St. Louis who Pineapple invites. We meet FFP at Four Seasons and hope that this younger set likes a cabaret scene and snacks and drinks. The latter at least, they seem to like.

Well...the verdict? As usual, I can get along with younger people, I think, and I find people interesting when they talk about their real life. The woman from St. Louis is restoring a hundred-and-fifty-year-old house. That's interesting. When they talk about forums or things like that that I don't participate in, though, it's boring. It's inside stuff. But it's OK. It is part of the process and I remember the same exhaustive rehashing of posts by bulletin board groups that I participated in a decade ago. I'm not there now. I don't have the time for it.

Another thing I catch myself doing is talking about the life of this guy Rob from what I've read. I always find that disconcerting myself. I shouldn't do it. I poke Pineapple about not posting, too. But where do we get the right to expect this free entertainment?

Friday, October 17, 2003

A Journal from Austin, Texas. A Project of LBFFP Stealth Publishing.
food	reading	writing	time	exercise	health and mood

. Rob the rock star?	to know or not know, to tell or not tell Today is the day that something called JournalCon comes to Austin. Actually it's been rechristened Web Writers Weekend which is plain English and therefore I like it better. Will The Visible Woman mesh with youth, tattoos, piercings? Will she be able to compete with this smart young set? Will she be bored or intrigued? What does it mean to hide the journal and yet go to a convention for journalers? How will my resistance to knowing people too deeply or telling too much play in this forum? I don't know how it's going to work out but a Web Writers' thingee is probably where I belong since writing for the WEB is all I seem to do. Except these people want to promote what they do and really, I don't. I have long been intrigued, though, by this new way of interacting with people, by knowing them through online forums, chats, e-mails, their writing and then meeting them and intersecting all that. I am notoriously bad about being interested in (or even able to identify) celebrities. The Sandra Bullock experience comes to mind. Just last night, in fact, when we saw the Sam Elliot film...I was saying "Who is Sam Elliot?" Oh, yeah, he looked familar (in the film and when he got up to talk). A little. Immediately upon entering the Omni this afternoon, I saw Rob who is a journal writer of some note. This was like a rock star or actor sighting for me. Not because I think he is actually more worthy than the next soul of attention and adulation but just because I've invested the time in his real life on the screen. Not a act or performance, but a life. He could be a friend if I actually knew him. Now he is in the flesh. And that is, at least, interesting. Somehow actors are playing a role and I leave that to them and don't care much about the actor per se. If they posted a real and interesting life online it might enhance that interest but...how much could I relate to such a life? I have plenty of actual friends with big houses and jet set lifestyles I can barely relate to. Anyway. Rob was less dorky in person than he makes himself seem online. Even with size 13 purple shoes. I wasn't bored with these people but since the likelihood is that none read me and few were less than twenty years younger than I, they seemed, um, wary of me. But I got a seat and had some Jack Daniels and watched them drink some drinks that were vaguely burnt orange. After the social, I picked up Rob; a nice New Jersey via Australia person; Pineapple Girl, who is already a friend; and someone from St. Louis who Pineapple invites. We meet FFP at Four Seasons and hope that this younger set likes a cabaret scene and snacks and drinks. The latter at least, they seem to like. Well...the verdict? As usual, I can get along with younger people, I think, and I find people interesting when they talk about their real life. The woman from St. Louis is restoring a hundred-and-fifty-year-old house. That's interesting. When they talk about forums or things like that that I don't participate in, though, it's boring. It's inside stuff. But it's OK. It is part of the process and I remember the same exhaustive rehashing of posts by bulletin board groups that I participated in a decade ago. I'm not there now. I don't have the time for it. Another thing I catch myself doing is talking about the life of this guy Rob from what I've read. I always find that disconcerting myself. I shouldn't do it. I poke Pineapple about not posting, too. But where do we get the right to expect this free entertainment?
JUST TYPING People have a online self. They offer. It's nice of them, actually, to do it. Don't forget that. It doesn't give you rights. For more, more, more. Deeper, deeper, deeper.
		Food Diary. *breakfast* nothing lunch [Pacific Blue] spinach with garlic and sesame tofu Miso soup salmon gyoza with beef a little steamed rice (all portions small...a neat little tasting thing at the new Pacific Blue) *snacks* two Jack Daniels and waters A Shiner Bock Two chunks o' cheese Three small slices of pizza. Several dumplings. A piece of fried calamari. A couple of pecans. Some chips and salsa with guacamole and queso. A tonic water. A glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. *dinner* none Felt I ate and drank too much.
		Time flies.... FFP was up early to escort Diana Kennedy to a taping for Fox. I thought I should go to the gym and get a jump on the day but I stayed in bed. Still, I had plenty of time to shower up after going to the gym before my 11:35 lunch date with SuRu. We had a leisurely lunch and then I wasted the time until going down to register for the Web Writers Weekend and see what's up with that. I'm not sure that the WWW isn't a waste of time. But you have to see.

		Reading. On the bike and treadmill I read some of The Austin Chronicle and then I.F. Stone's A Nonconformist History of our Times: The War Years 1939-1945.
		Today I thought I was going to toss off a short story called Tangled Web while checking out this conference and then I thought I'd enter it in the Chron's short story contest. I'm not sure if I've entered before. I might have. I definitely worked on a story before. But...I don't use my laptop during the evening except to see if I can get WiFi at the Omni. (I couldn't.)
		Exercise forty-five minutes on recumbent bike some abs and stretches and lower back fifteen minutes on the treadmill
	.	Physically I feel good and strong. Today I'm enjoying the freedom of retirement to the fullest, I feel, but I think FFP is at his most embroiled in still working. He says to me often now, "I think you have the right idea." "About what?" I ask. "About just quitting," he'll say or something like it.