Midwest Meetup!

[Lefty]

Did they turn out blurry because

the photographer was blurry

or the subjects were blurry

or both?

[LilBit]

The photos were all taken pre-gin.

[Lube]

I wish I had a video cam running post-gin. As it stands, there is no evidence that you broke every last glass in the bar.

Even though we both know it's true.

[NineOfClubs]

You realize, don't you, that if the bar staff were doing its job, all the glasses would have been picked up from the table long before they were sent to the floor...

[LilBit]

And if Arthur had been doing his job, I wouldn't have been at the bar long enough to send them crashing to the floor.

*sigh* I can't believe I let a treasure like that slip through my fingers...

[frankfrank]

I was too drunk to remember who took that solo picture of my face at OMMINC's party that he so graciously arranged for all of us who could come, but I definitely liked that picture. Can you, whoever took it, send it to me via a PM or email? Thanks!

Quite a memorable meet, and again a confirmation that anybody who has a chance to go to a JUB meet, should. There were rumors floated at this Meet about a possible Meet being arranged elsewhere the middle of next year.

I'll say no more, it's best left up to the possible hosts to talk about it if the Meet is indeed set up.

[ChickenGuy]

I was just reading the St. Louis meet-up thread again, which took place before I knew about JUB (I had read it once before, months ago) and now, some of the comments made by JUBbers AFTER the meet-up was over, sound suddenly very strikingly familiar to me.

I too had tears walking away from the last JUBber I saw, on the last day of the meet. I too had tears looking back out of the window of the plane just after it took off for home. And as some of you may know, I've been having my difficulties re-adjusting to my old way of life.

To make so much progress forward for myself, to be amongst all of you, and to be so at ease inside, only to then be forced to literally retrace my steps all the way back home and back to my former existence, was just SO heartbreaking and frustrating for me.

The only solution I've found thus far, after talking to someone on a gay helpline, is to plan a trip to Edinburgh next month, where they have a centre where I may meet some people, and get some advice on where to go next.

I guess I should remind myself more just how lucky I was to be presented with such a fantastic chance to travel away to meet you guys. Only a year ago, the idea that I would ever be presented with such an opportunity would have been INCONCEIVABLE.

And as Lex and Lube and others have pointed out, it's now up to me to take the chances, and make the decisions, to create for myself the sort of life I want, away from the monotonous, isolated, home-bound sort of existence I had for over a decade.

Physically and metaphorically, one journey is over, yet another journey awaits.

[omminc]

sorry it took me so long to get the pictures that I had off my camera. I didn't have many on my camera but I also didn't have the time to go one by one and resize them (then I remembered Picasa). Mainly from the night at my place.

frankfrant, NineOfClubs, and LilBit



@LilBit - If your looking for a program to downsize all photos at once, I would suggest Picasa. Also, sorry about not giving you a tit pic. You'll have to wait for another time.

I just wanted to, again, say that it was great meeting you all and I hope to meet all of you again one day. Please feel free if your ever going to be back in the Twin Metro or even Eau Claire to give me a call or feel free to message me via PM or messengers.

[Corny]

you need to tell me the story of the mice hanging on the wall

[Lefty]

I noticed those mice too. I vaguely remembered that Omminc was a

student and in student (not sure) housing that was very strict about pets

and that was the best he was allowed. My alternative thought was that

while the cat was away, the mice could play and up there they were safe

if it tried to stealth back in. Be interesting to find out the truth.

[iowastud]

its cool to see ppl here in the 'area' doing stuff

[Lube]

If you're ever in the Cities, drop me a line.

[ChickenGuy]

IT WAS EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO THIS WEEKEND!

Exactly a year ago this very evening, we were all crowded into omminc's apartment! That was the highlight of the meet for me, because it was just a very comfortable and relaxed and ordinary get-together. I definitely remember that night well!

That whole holiday was just great - from finding my distant cousins in Duluth, to being driven along the shore of Lake Superior, to going to my very first gay bar in (of all places) Eau Claire, to spending the time I did with you guys!

EPILOGUE: After coming home, I quickly realised that my old life was not enough anymore, and within a month, I had gone down to Edinburgh, and a month after that, I moved into my first place there, but I had to move out a few weeks later, so then I went down to Brighton for the huge Pride Festival, ended up staying in hotels for over a month, until I found a place along the coast in a shared house in which I rented a room. And apart from going home at Christmas/New Year, I've been here ever since!

(hope you followed all of that)

It was such a stroke of luck - I would never have been able to do all of that without having that JUB meet experience to spur me on to change my life. It came along at just the right moment.

Thanks once again to everyone who made that whole weekend one I will remember for a long, long, time.





Andrew

[NineOfClubs]

ChickenGuy, thanks for the reminder and the walk down memory lane.

Minneapolis was a whole lot of fun for me and obviously life changing for you. So good to hear of all the moves you've made and the differences in your life.

Yes, probably the high light of the trip was that completely unscheduled evening at Omminc's place! So casual, easy and open..

[frankfrank]

I have to agree with you guys, the visit at Omminc's was way-over-the-top great fun. I'd be hard pressed to come up with any other situation at a JUB meet that was more fun than that. Even being drunk, I was entirely cognizant of a great time, with a bunch of fun people. (I seldom get drunk, and only in situations and places where I'm extremely comfortable to be in.)

CG, will we be seeing you in the West in three months? I surely hope so! You're well aware of the great time that can be had. And thank you for the nice post. Seeing somebody's life change (for the better) right in front of me is one of the most rewarding things humanly possible.