squeakr

I am so glad the topic has been broached as alot of folks are saying a lot of things I also feel - ther best summation I see for my experience is:

I think the big gatherings will by nature have some folk who are ill at ease with a first meeting of people they don't know, and with the surreal shift from virtual space to physical space, so awkwardness, social faux pas, and things that appear like dissing will be par for the course. All of that can be worked through if it's recognized for what it is.

I have attended one mega do (ORD) and many smaller do's and given my level of introversion I much prefer the smaller do's. Not that I don't appreciate the work that goes into the larger ones, but I find most large gatherings are not my style.

And at the risk of jumping into the flames, I will out myself as the person who did not shake Trojan Horse's hand at that ORD DO years ago. Would I do the same now? Probably not. But it's fascinating to me that my refusal had a lot to do w/ PM's and posts that castigated me for wanting to have a smaller breakout mini-do at the large ORD do, which would have been limited in size for those of us who were worried about the larger event. Did I do it in the most politic way? No. I was a new FT'er then and had a lot to learn about Do's etc.

If you're still reading this, I am sorry I was not more polite but I too remember the event, and how you treated my perhaps bungling request for a smaller luncheon.

On a happier note, Marysunshine is one of the finest FT'ers I have ever had the pleasure to meet - and years ago, before she and I had met, when it looked like mr. squeakr and I would be arriving in NY too late to have Thksgiving dinner, she graciously offered her home and her own celebration to us lost souls. We didn't need to take her up on it but I will never forget the offer.

braefoot

That is a charming post squeakr.
Margaret

kaukau

Hi, philemer! Back at'cha! Much fun indeed. Believe we'll see you again in '08, no?

Aloha! ^ ^

dfwoods

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Marysunshine

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best

OP: Mike, sorry that happened. Were they embarrassed in front of the other person traveling with them?

GrizShel

I've met quite a few flyertalkers now on various flights and a couple of Dos. All have been positive experiences. Now, I have run into some jerks online (none on this thread, don't get paranoid). When I see what I am dealling with, I generally just ignore them from then on and move on. That's what you should do at a Do.

Now I do notice as someone else said that people come with different interests - for example I've met all kinds with various degrees of obsession with points and miles and with the Frequent flyer / flyertalk lingo. Sometimes I get above my head in the Flyertalk talk, and they move on to others who they have more in common with, but that's fine. Some day I hope to become a meember of the Genius-class Elites who actually make a profit from all of their trips. (I suspect there are at least a few Flyertalks in that rarified godlike status.)

I will make one recommendation to all: Let this thread be a motivation to you to seek out another Flyertalker who seems to not be getting into the mix very well and spend some time to chat with them at some point in the next Do you attend.

dfwoods

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karenkay

back to the op, mikeef, i'm so glad you posted this as it happened to me as well as a new flyertalker in late 2005. i was in the ord red carpet club with my brand new ft tag and was thrilled to see a yellow tag (just like mine!) on a young 30-something guy's luggage. i walked by and said something like 'yay, flyertalk' and he looked at me like i had horns growing out of my forehead and smelled funny to boot. typically i get a better reaction from men, and hadn't been traveling long enough to smell bad, so i concluded it was about my less than scintillating attempt at conversation--or, at least, that it wasn't about me.

it never occurred to me to assume all flyertalkers were like that. it did strike me as odd that someone would put a tag on his bag who didn't want to be approached (the guy was alone, and not rushing anywhere) but...whatever.

i've since been to a couple of do's and have met several ft-ers on planes and on holiday and find flyertalkers to be much like people everywhere--some are great, some are fascinating, some are less so. we're all human and we all share this strange little hobby. it's lovely to use that as a jumping off point for broader conversation--or, even just to learn a trick or two to maximize your miles and points.

that said, if you've got a flyertalk tag on your bag, i'm coming over to say hi. if you don't want strangers talking to you in airports, you might consider removing the tag.

MapleLeaf

I am like you Mary, as a rule I don't attend DO's either. There are people from FT I get together with when our paths cross but as far as an organized DO, I stay away.

Some folks on here are incredible friends, and I am glad at having met them. But to go to a large scale gathering would be frightful so I stay away.

MapleLeaf

This has been my understanding as well Blair. That is why I prefer small get together's with folks I know, or sorta know - maybe a drink, coffee etc. You know, like dinner somewhere in the latin quarter. Pretty much anything organised and posted on FT I stay away from.

Say, shouldn't it be two euro cents

Marysunshine

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Cholula

Hope so. I enjoy meeting new FT'ers.

And everyone of my bags has a FT tag.

karenkay

excellent. and in your case, i'll need to add 'thanks!' for the cholula hat i picked up at last year's pbi-fll do!

BoyAreMyArmsTired

I finally spotted my first FT tag on someone's backpack in the RCC at IAD. I said, "Hey, nice Flyertalk tag" and the guy look at me, smiled a tiny bit, came over and we exchanged a couple of sentences and he kept going. I found out later that he was on his way home from anoter Flyertalk event and wasn't feeling terribly well after a night of carousing.