Heading out in our big white van from UUCS on Friday I was very nervous, pumped, and ready for the lack of sleep coming my way! I was not scared I would not know anyone, I knew my whole youth group and the other staff members at Con. The problem: I was a Con virgin and I only knew a few people out of the 250 UU Youth. The first night I basically stayed put with a few Corvallis folks. I had no idea who everyone else was, they seemed so cool, but had their own friends!
Erika and I were in charge of “amnesty bags” otherwise known as “useless sh*t bags1”. This task required standing for hours and saying “amnesty” at least 300 times. It was a great way to learn faces, too bad everyone saw me as “Mr. Grumpy Gills”. I was in charge of directing people to the Rec Lodge. “Down the long path, keep going, and down a little further. It will be on your left. A long building can’t miss it, with people inside. Go!” It got more sarcastic as the night went on. And I still had Orientation, Touch Groups, and last but not least, “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” That movie had awful sound, no lyrics for awhile, I left at 4:30, and AJ fell asleep on the floor. I don’t want to talk about it.
I was soon to find out that everyone at Con shared an interest of mine: HUMOR! It was Saturday night, and I was walking into the dining hall at 6:30 to prepare for being the No-Talent Show Host. I was hoping to change into whatever costume I wanted to start the show off with and maybe I would find a makeshift changing room. I found one place, the storage room for tables and chairs...why not? I went in and tried on the wonderfully red long johns I had happened to find in my closet. I had never worn them before and hoped they would fit. Whattya know; they did. They were comfy and I decided I didn’t need to change at any point during the show.
I felt like a superhero, something I always wanted to be. I was “super dork” or “super virgin”, they both fit perfectly! I was excited and nervous to show off my “skills”, and I was pacing in the storage room. All I needed to know before going up there was the order of acts. I felt ready, so I jumped on Liron’s back and tooted my horn. And...GO!
I loved every minute of it! The audience was so responsive and welcoming! I knew probably 25% of them and yet 100% clapped and cheered! I love the feeling of being in front of a crowd, especially one so fun. I loved changing my costume and getting the whistles from the crowd or the stares! I had more fun that night than I had in awhile. Afterwards I probably had 15 strangers come up to me and give me big hugs. And I even had some adoptive parents: Sonrisa and Alex. At that moment I became a devout Con fan, addict, and lover. Thanks friends for making this Con so great for me and everyone else. I love UU all.
1: Amnesty bags are for things you shouldn’t have at Con, from the mundane to the serious.
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