Convention Crashing

I finally feel like I’m starting to ditch this cold, or whatever bug this is. I realized since the New Year began that I haven’t been really anywhere else except work and home, and doing a bit of shopping only for the essential and practical because I have been either sick, or stressed with fixing stuff. I only had one rendez-vous for a quick belated birthday lunch, but that’s about it: almost no extracurricular social-life whatsoever since the year started.  I thought I better do something about that.

After some strange discussions and revelations that were aired yesterday in a couple of conversations, I’ve come to realize that one of the nice advantages about living in my area of town is that I’m close to all the action when the more interesting conventions, trade fairs, expos, and other odd flea markets or concerts are scheduled at the Prairieland Buildings. I live close enough that I don’t have to drive to see any that interest me, so it’s a hop, skip, and a jump there. Also, when sometimes such events are licensed, it’s a convenient and reasonably safe stagger, trip, and a fall back home if I ever do risk being over the legal limit.

I’m not an overly-social person (obviously), but I think conventions/trade shows/expos are great, because one can walk in there as a total stranger, and generally find some common attraction of interest for sensible discussion for like minded people to chat about. It’s a far more organic affair and natural way of socializing and networking for me than sitting around a stupid bar/ lounge under some pretence of “relaxing” amid music blaring too loud for to have a comprehensible conversation, watching other people make a drama, argue, and bitch about work or life in general, as they (not so) gradually lose more inhibition to alcohol. At a bar, it seems that you’re relegated to be constantly alert and active in dealing with someone who is trying to bullshit you, or with someone just plainly being an asshole; plus you’re more likely to be seen as and treated that way yourself in a bar. I can’t be bothered. It’s hard for me to meet and interface with people in any bar. There are no cool bars around for me anymore. I mostly enter and leave them as an anonymous stranger. If it's a casino, I usually just end up leaving as a much broker anonymous stranger.

I find that’s less likely to happen at a trade show or expo, even when there has been copious alcohol consumption, at least at the past events I have attended*. Whether it’s listening to a lecture or seminar, formally discussing business and making queries with promoters/sales reps, or informally chatting with other interested attendees, I generally find people at such conferences respectful, open, likeable, and most importantly, and genuine and honest about what like want and like in business/work or leisure life. There are, of course, conventions you would never find me attending. The antitheses of the kind of people I like finding at conventions are: the sanctimonious personalities who fall easily into self-delusion; hence you won’t catch me anywhere near a political convention, or religious jamboree of any sort. Religious fanatics and political activists are some of the worst of the toxic bullshitters around; usually none of their topics are of passionate interest to me. I also wouldn’t be convening with the typical people in the crowd you’d find at a Megadeath/Mötorhead concert**. These kinds of concerts, (plus the Ex in general) attract a lot of the social riff-raff. When these types of people amass, it’s doubtful that anything good comes out of it. That’s one downside of living so close to Prairieland Centre.

I regret missing the last Health and Wellness show that came here last week because, ironically, I was just too sick. Of the future events I’d like to see/attend there are: the next Top of the Hops, The Sports and Leisure Show, and any running/marathon training workshops that may be there (or elsewhere in town). I plan to crash a few others too for the sake of novelty. Doing so would satisfy many of the objectives on my Things I Need to Know How to Do Better list I made in the New Year.

*- Top of the Hops is an awesome Expo for those who love sampling different beers, wines, and spirits. Check it out in May! It’s so much fun, and so entirely civilized considering how much liquor is there.

**- This was just a convenient contemporary example to use. They played here yesterday (Feb 16^th). That means there were probably one or two totally empty trailer parks last night around Saskatoon. My neighbourhood was probably swarming with (wannabe) bikers, dope heads and dealers. I did hear lots of sirens last night. It could have been worse; I should be thankful that this didn’t occur while it was summer on the outdoor stage. It’s not so much the band(s)/genre that I despise, since I have and play some metal tunes myself. However, I think that a person would have to have a really polluted psyche if metal was/is/will be the only genre of music they ever like or listen to. It’s also disturbing and pathetic to see guys in their 40s and 50s being metal band groupies. Grow up for crissakes guys . . . and get a bloody haircut!

A Lousy Friday the 13th

I have to confess that yesterday, Friday the 13^th, was a portent for some really bad luck. I took Ella to the vet to get her checked out. There’s a newly forming bump on her nose that I initially just passed off as a silly wart or something. However, the way and rate it has been forming made it too hard for me to believe that any longer, plus it has begun to make her noticeably uncomfortable. After a rudimentary biopsy, the vet told me that she has cancer. This unsightly, rapidly growing tumour on her muzzle started appearing around Christmas. It needs to be removed immediately, or else if it continues to grow at its current rate for much longer, she won’t have enough remaining skin tissue left on her muzzle after the excision to permit her to properly heal without some facial deformity. Such a thing might in turn cause some future impairment of her eating, drinking, or even breathing. This was news that I wasn’t prepared for at all. I booked the date for the surgery for this coming Monday. It was the soonest time that was available for her.  She will need a general anaesthetic, always a risky thing for smaller dogs. It will be costly. Also, her having this proceedure doesn’t necessarily guarantee that it will completely cure her of this either if it has already started to get malignant and metastasize. I’m hoping the blood tests she had will prove something contrary to that. It’s a subject that has really been depressing me.

I may have to sacrifice my vacation funds, my remaining savings, or maybe eat beans and rice for a year, if that’s what it will take to help her. I don’t really care about that right now. What I know I can’t do is to watch her suffer. If she survives this surgery and it works out well, I’ll be grateful for at least that. If it turns out to be an exercise in futility, either by some complication in surgery, or the cancer re-occurring or spreading, I may have to brace myself for the unavoidable heartache of doing what’s ultimately best to not make her suffer anymore. I’m hoping so badly that I won’t have to deal with making the call for euthanasia.