I suppose it may be useful for me to point out that on Saturday night, Max and I went "head hunting" to try to find some people to jam with. When we got to the dining hall there was a huge throng in the TV room - a mixture of FSGWers and 'Catters. We (more in a moment about "we") recruited anyone who was not in the TV room. As it turned out, virtually all of them were Mudcats. That was how the jam in #10 began.

Now, having said that, I will have to admit a huge shyness on my part. I am not sure I could have walked up to someone I didn't know to invite them to join us. Mostly, I stood idly by while Max boldly and loudly touted the (then) non-existent jam to anyone who would listen. I secretly admired that he could do that. I was having a hard time doing so - even with people I knew!

Most of the time I am rather shy. Being overtly friendly with strangers is quite difficult for me. Fortunately, sometimes I can force myself without (I hope) seeming to be forcing myself.

An example of my shyness lies in the fact that I would not have ever dreamed of asking Janie to sing with me for the open-mike. It is not that I didn't enjoy singing with her. It is just that I am rather reticent with people who are new to me. Fortunately, Janie took the initiative to ask.

I wish I could have trotted up to various FSGW "strangers" and spoken with them. Some, I recognize from previous years. I even attended one of the monthly "sings" at the home of one. But I'll be damned if I can ever remember her name!

Aye, there's the other piece of it. As stated in another thread, it is so very helpful in social situations if a person's name can be recalled. I tend to avoid people whose names I can't remember so as to avoid admitting the embarrassment. I could tell you tales...but not in this thread. I know full and well what the solution is. I just can't seem to make myself take that step.

Gee I didn't mean to get this far into my own personal foibles. But I did want you to realize that there are folks like me among both groups.

Hey! I just had a thought...I have been to more than my share of the kind of cocktail parties that they used to throw in the 50's and 60's as well as a number of more recent seminars. Often these things have started with some games or "team building" exercises, the purpose of which is to introduce people to each other. They usually serve the purpose quite well. At the bare minimum, people get to know the names of the people on their "team". Usually these are silly little games - I am sure many of you have experienced them. What if we did something like that at the start of the Getaway instead of the "Who Are These People?" sort of thing (...er...not that this was a bad thing...no, I didn't mean that at all). Waddayathink?