Pony Party: The Bostonians

( – promoted by buhdydharma )

A man who pretends to understand women is bad manners. For him to really to understand them is bad morals.

Henry James

For Nocatz…..

Cats and monkeys; monkeys and cats; all human life is there.

Henry James

It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance… and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty of its process.

Henry James

P, Masslass, Victory Coffee, and I met in Boston for a DD girl get together. Special thanks to OTB for getting us the t-shirts. We would have loved to have had you join us.

Yes boys you were invited. Yes, we talked about all of you. In a joyous and admiring tone. Not one negative vibe invaded our evening despite the fact that once we started arguing, we did not all agree.

The girls thought I would be taller. I am short. And VC had a hard time picturing me as anything other than a cat. Naturally, I took that as the highest of compliments. We also picked up a stranger, a nice woman who was attending my conference. I saw her the next day and said,”I hope you didn’t think my friends and I were too crazy, we’re truly harmless.” She told me she enjoyed herself. Nurses tend to be ever so slightly nutty when taken off their work place leashes. Never. Never go drinking with a group of young nurses. You will be under the table. Engineers, at least engineering students, tend to think of themselves as being wacky hombres, nursing student can generally match them.

It was like meeting with old friends. No awkward moments, just glee.

Here we are!

You can see our wonderful t-shirts in this second photo. I think I really want another one, with the eyes, they look good on a t-shirt even though when they move they give some of us headaches here.

We were probably pretty loud, but we were in a busy spot at “Legal Test Kitchen” off in a corner. Alcohol was consumed, but not so much that we couldn’t walk. I am not sure how late we were out but at my first 0800AM session the next day, I was gripping a giant coffee like it was my best friend.

What did we talk about? Our first conclusion: everybody who participates at Docudharma is unbelievably smart. I never took AP classes in high school but I can imagine thinking I was clever and then landing in an entire class of clever folks and being gently humbled.

Everybody who writes here has a unique voice, an interesting voice, a powerful and worthy voice and we are all amazed by it. I never doubted that this was my home but meeting the girls, and hearing them echo some of my sentiments but the bow on the package.

We love the Docudharma men! Part of the reason we do is that they seem to have no problems adjusting to a blog full of rowdy, strong willed, passionate women. If they do have difficulties adjusting, they mask it rather well. Yes, while we swoon over OPOL, he is not the only one we look forward to reading. Ek really should be a newspaper reporter, probably just a reflection of the mediocrity of our print media.He is a gem, even if he insists he is simply a fiction character. Rusty’s clarity in identifying what is wrong and why we are angry is so finely written, he is a pamphleteer. Don’t doubt our admiration for you Dharma men, we might disagree with you from time to time, but we all think you are wonderful writers.

A few things we are puzzled about: do you pronounce the boss as “Buddy” or “Boody”. Is ek supposed to be e.k. or ek?

We do wish that skrp wrote more, what an incisive mind. Same with Jess, I have met her in person, sharp intellect, writes on angles I can’t even imagine.Robyn is a powerful voice.I do wish OTB, NL, and RiaD could have come they seem to have such generous spirits. Hint. Hint to VC, she hides her light too much. She is the future, I am the past.

Hey 73, we did talk about sports! Turns out P actually likes them but hates the corporatization of them. We might have to work a little harder on the hockey thing but she is not as resistant as I imagined.

And we argued. We waved our hands and pounded the table a bit. P loves the constitution, all those Neo-Cons who claim they do, need to try have a conversation with her and not feel a wee bit shamed. I admitted my attachment to it is not as strong as the other three, a direct consequence of being a Canuck, I think. One interesting thing, we often hit upon similar themes but used distinctly different language to describe it. We do see the world through different prisms, all equally valid, but symptomatic I think, of our life experiences. The personal really is political and vice versa.

Many times people in the blog world say that in person the characters you meet are inventions. My experience was the opposite. The girls were exactly as I imagined, just more so. I would urge all of you not to pass on a get together with your fellow Dharma folk, you won’t be disappointed.

I am starting to think the Boss, might just be Merlin.

If I left out critical parts of our conversation, VC, P, and Mass will be happy to fill you in.

My only wish, that we in Dharmaland could have out own mini “Netroots Nation”, I think it would be fascinating, joyous and productive. Believe me we really did talk with zest about all of you, so if names weren’t mentioned here, know that you we very much a part of our dialog because all of you are valued, admired, and adored.

Please don’t rec pony party, hang out, chit chat, and then go read some of the excellent offerings on our recent and rec’d list. Or better yet write something!