Impressions

I don't make any.

And on my daughter, who just loved you. And on JK's aide. So, I don't think that's quite accurate. :hug: You are just lovely, in every way.

You made a fanstastic impression on everyone. How was the weekend for you? Did you enjoy meeting JK?

We just had a minor little tiffy misunderstanding around here. You had the brains to stay out of it until it blew over. That's all.

Honey, you are the sweetest kid ever. We all loved you. You are still very young and a bit shy, so we were constantly making sure that you were getting what you wanted out of the events.

My favorite was the after-party. You were sitting away from WEL and Fire and with us people who were not, ah, the yung'uns. (Any minute now you guys are going to scream at us to stop calling you that. I would understand.)

What was that like when Roger was talking to you? He was so interested in making sure you got attention and got to speak. (You made an impression. You are the only one to come out of Boston with a new nickname, Sweetness. This is not making fun of you. It is a sign of the genuine and heart-felt affection that we hold for you. Sometimes a name means what it means. We could crawl 15 miles through broken-glass for ya kiddo. That's the kind of impression you made.)

So, spill already, what were your impressions? How about that Beacon Hill and Mother Nature trying to kill us during that climb to look around at 'old stuff?' What was that like from your point of view? What was up with the flight into Boston? Do you have a new appreciation for the word 'snow storm?' What did you think of the events? Did you get that picture taken with Mr. K? (That we were not going to leave the hall without getting. If we had to taser the poor man and get him back, you were getting that pic honey.)

I'm pretty sure if I get called a "youngun" one more time, I might scream. No offense intended, you understand, but at the same time, I'm not one of the Kids for Kerry who gave him my piggy bank money for the campaign. I know I'm young enough to be the daughter of most everyone else present, but I'm still not a "kid" - I am, after all, old enough to have a beer with John Kerry. I'm starting to feel like everyone thinks I'm this cute little teenager who looks at JK like a fangirl or something, and while I of course can be silly about it, meeting him meant so much more to me than just "OMG JOHN KERRY, OMG HE'S SO HOT, OMG GASP." I mean, that WAS a component, but it's hardly the whole sum and scope of my feelings. :P

Yeahs and nays people?

And, for the record, you are a smaht accomplished woman from whom we expect good things. If what I saw on the weekend is any indication, I don't think you're going to have any problems knocking that expectation right out of the park.

You rock, kiddo! You just friggin, wicked rock. And, ahm, having a US Senator fret about your exams is a sign that someone else 'took you seriously' as well.

Yeah, I think I posted in a different thread too - I'm just getting tired of being called a kid all the time. I mean, I'm literally not a "kid," nor do I feel like I acted like one. It's almost like my maturity is being questioned, in a way, and while I know I can be as silly as anyone - John was being silly too, so no harm in that - but I also know I am quite capable of being intelligent and mature.

May I substitute 'our young women'? And my dear, you have nothing to prove in that regard. As I recall you attend college full-time, hold down a job to help with the expenses, graduated valedictorian of your class, find the time to be involved with politics as much as you can, paid your own way to Boston and presented yourself wonderfully and graciously. And you have faced some real medical challenges that has not made anything else any easier.

Ahm, I agree. You have arrived as an adult. You deserve to be referenced as one. I shall do so from this point forward, my dear. (But sweetie, I do call people dahling and sweetie. I think I even called Sen. Kerry, 'honey,' when I was saying something. Ahm, honest, nothing degrading meant by it. It's just a damn vocal pattern I have.)

Young woman is fine. :) And I don't mind being called sweetie or hon, I think that's just cute. :P

You are really young and cute, and everyone likes you for your sweet personality.

Being liked for having a sweet personality and being cute has never been an issue for me. It doesn't happen.

Usually, I am the loud, manic, old, a-hole that pisses everyone off and leaves the impression that spending time around me might get them jailed.

I kind of wish Roger had liked me a bit more, because I'm pretty sure he DID NOT. Perhaps it was the "package situation" - though he brought it up out of nowhere and all I did was ask one tiny innocuous question in response.

Seriously. I have always wished I could be just so darn naturally cute and sweet that everyone liked me without me having to say a word. But, since I don't have your genetic gifts of angelic looks and a sane neuro-chemical balance, I get by by being a clown instead. And, truth be known, I really can't help it. That's just who I am, DAMN YOU MOTHER NATURE.


Anyhoot, the impression that you made on me was "I wish I was her." I'd LOVE to make good impressions on people.

So don't think for a second that you aren't totally adored.

Everyone loved you! Have you checked out the photos I posted in the Photbucket account, one of JK talking to you and WEL and the other of you talking to THK. They were both totally digging the fact that you were there. You could tell by how much attention they were paying to you. You are the future of the Democratic Party GRLMGC - just remember that! I am so glad that you were there!

This trip was weird for me. On one hand I totally loved it and it was amazing but, on the other hand, it kinda messed w/ my subjectivity.

as to how it messed with your subjectivity?

I went to Boston because I really wanted to see an East Coast city and I wanted to see a real winter. Possibly meeting John Kerry was just icing on top of the cake. So when Sunday night went down and after everything was said and done, I can honestly say I didn't know how to feel. It was amazing because my impressions of the Senator were confirmed and because I had a great story to tell but I also felt that I did not leave an impression because I'm so introverted. The way I view myself is that I do not make good first impressions but after the initial meeting, I tend to grow on people. Now, this is not necessarily important in this case because I'm not going into politics so I did not need the connections like other people. However, I would have liked to make more of an impression just to feel really, really good about the meeting.

I'm an introvert too. I often have a hard time coming up with anything to say, especially around people I don't already know. Social events, parties, and other sorts of get-togethers can be very draining for introverts. And the entire weekend was a social event. I know I was really wiped for the next day and a half after I got home. And I didn't have to fly across the country, or study for finals.

I hope you can find a way to be gentle with yourself over this. You're a smart, lovely young woman. And you just met the REAL President of the United States. How cool is that?

I'm sorry you came away feeling like you did. Maybe our loud raucous behavior was unsettling. :-(

I actually came away with a lot of insecurities after this trip. I really had a lot of brilliant ideas of what I'd talk to the Kerry's about, how I'd behave, the impression I'd make, etc. I actually feel really good about my interactions with Teresa, that went very well. I felt like I didn't say one right word to John, like I was a blathering idiot. After admiring someone for that long, finally coming face to face with them is intimidating as hell. All the things I wanted to say sort of went out the window, and what I did say came out all wrong. I also went from feeling pretty good walking to the party, to feeling fat, hideous, unimportant, unsuccessful, and old after. (Amazing how having such an attractive, brilliant, stellar, successful man sitting next to you can remind you of everything you can't stand about yourself, how LITTLE impact you have made on the world, and how much it sucks.)

I loved John and Teresa and was so honored to meet them, but quite frankly, they really reminded me of how positively bland I am.

So yeah. I can't say I know how you feel, per se, but I can understand feeling a little bit "bad" about things in general.

:hug:

Did I just hear you call yourself BLAND?

I don't mean to laugh at you when you're being serious, but my dear - good god. You are absolutely unique and anything but bland. By the way, you are fun to be around too.

That yeah, I felt pretty common and lame in their midst. They were wonderful, kind, and accommodating, don't get me wrong - it was all me. I just felt like, "WOW, I'm not worthy!"

And yet, JK wanted to hang out with you. (And the rest of us.)

Get over it girlfriend. You are a wonderful person. Just deal with it. Who wouldn't want to hang out with a fabulous Mass-soul like yourself. Heck, I would do so in a heartbeat. I miss you something fierce.

We must do this again and soon! Only, next time, we will numbers in the dozens and dozens. We'll get a discount on hotel rooms that way as well.

"I'd love to!"

FWIW, I miss you awfully bad too. I will be making my usual summer trip to MA for a longer time in July most likely, so we will see each other then, and have fun with the "wicked skoacha" weather.

I miss you, and the great state of Massachusetts SO MUCH!

Only seven months to go! (Unless of course more Kerry events pop up between now and then!)

And this is gonna sound silly, but I really miss John. I'd love to just be able to talk to him all the time. He's everything I hoped he'd be and more. We MUST have another meetup soon.

get any notices of JK appearances in their neck of the woods. One of the things that so totally rocked about people coming to Boston was the reminder to the 'Kerry people' that folks in other states still are interested in what Kerry is doing. This was, after all, 'the gift.'

Well, do the math. We want this to be an interactive conversation. So, I just wonder if maybe you might hear if our esteemed Jr. Senator finds his way to a speech or event somewhat near you in the future. I do wonder.

which I thought was kind of random. However, I do remember the Villaraigosa event, which I went to, and I remember him speaking out about the stupid special election.

My friend and I want to come in June (It was originally January but its gonna be too damn cold). If everything works out than we will definitely be going in June. I hope to see some MA people then.

for whatever you need. (And will leave you alone to explore on your own as well.)

Anything you need, you call.

Since it'll be summer, we can (hopefully) get a car and drive around.

so I understand what you're saying, and in fact when I was your age I often felt exactly the same way - like I was hardly noticed. I certainly was noticed a lot less than my more extroverted friends, there's no denying that.

But where you are wrong is that you do make an excellent first impression. You don't need to be saying a lot to do that. As others have said here, your beauty and intelligence speak for you. In situations like those we were in on Sunday it's difficult for someone who's quiet - chaotic, so little time, and no real one-on-one time. It's ok to be the still spot in a crazy room - in the long run it makes people want to draw you out. Anyway, you have to just be who you are. No choice on that one. ;-)

in order to be more successful. It's weird that for someone who gets to agitated, I still have a hard time getting people's attention.

I didn't even have the guts to get on the plane and go.

Everybody now...

Bask Bask Bask

You are assuming that just because you were sort of quiet, that you were not noticed. This is a fallacy. You were noticed. Think about Roger for a second. He really, really took a shine to you kiddo. He shared some jokes and observations with you, that I had to strain to hear. He kept putting his arms around you to let you know that you were both wanted there and included. (And remember when that Kenny G song came over the intrusively loud sound system? Gawd, that was funny? Kenny G is a form of torture for music-lovers, eh? That was funny. I feel the same way.)

I am an introvert. Stop laughing, it's true. It shows up on every personality test I take. It's the side of me that can watch committee hearings. It's the side of me that remembers things people have written down in a forum a long time ago and recalls them in time to tell a US Senator about them. It's the side of me that feels. Goodness, I wouldn't be me without that side of my personality. I hae also gotten older and have learned to throw away things that no longer matter. (This is one of the pleasant surprises of aging, you tend to not give a shit anymore about unimportant things. This also means you are much freer about speaking your mind and about not suffering fools lightly anymore. Don't mistake that with not being an introvert. Being an introvert is a fine old thing. I love it muchly.)

When I called you sweetness, I was not calling you a cute little puppy. I was thinking of you as a warm, sweet and caring person and that you were a delight to be around. We already know that you are a fiercely intelligent and passionate person and that you have had to put up with a lot of ignorant bastards on DU and that you have handled them well. We now also know that you are also the kind of person we would think ourselves lucky to have as a daughter.

I think that's what you call making a good impression.

I went to a parenting seminar, and the author talked about the differences between an extrovert and an introvert. It has to do with what you need to "refuel". An extrovert needs to be socializing, talking, and spending time with other people in order to feel energized. They just need it, or they will feel drained. On the other hand, an introvert needs to be alone -- perhaps reading, or solo sports, music, meditating, etc. -- or they start to be drained. JK is a classic introvert -- other than hockey, all the sports he loves are solo, he loves playing guitar, writing poetry, painting, reading, and so on. He NEEDS this stuff because he's an introvert. By no means does being an introvert mean you are anti-social. Introverts can be as vivacious as the biggest extroverts, but they need to have time alone in order to unwind and refuel.

Vektor -- surely, Senator Kerry wouldn't want you to feel bad about yourself. It sounds like from what everyone has said that he enjoyed your company (and everyone else's) and was exactly where he wanted to be. Your fretting reminds me of some old article somebody posted here once: you know, the one that said that people who were with the tall, dark and handsome Senator Kerry felt short, ugly and bald around him. This can't possibly be true -- from everything you guys have relayed, he was kind, considerate, a good listener, and his eyes lit up for all of you. Having said all of that, I know I have been to parties and when I've gotten home, I think -- God, did I talk like an idiot; nobody must like me. But that's just your ego talking, spewing lies around its central theme of "you're not good enough". Tell that ego to shut up, because you made JK's b-day extra special, and you deserved to have that wonderful day!

have to make a lot of noise to make a great impression. I can't tell you how many times I heard people complementing you. You might be introverted but you have courage: not many young women your age would just decide to come clear across the country by themselves the way you did. That impressed all of us.

I understand how you feel. Used to think about what I was going to say before I would say it.
People would describe me just like you described yourself.

Then I got over it around 25(?). Now I won't shut up! But you know what? Sometimes I still feel that way. And I bet if I was sitting there with Kerry I would have been one of the quiet ones.
I really want to meet you one of these days and hope I do. And I want to see a pic of you!

And you can't be that introverted - after all - you went to a city you had never been to, with a bunch of people you had never met. That does not describe a shy person :)

for in-between? There was a chance to hang with adults and we can sometimes be, ahm, different than you expect. Perhaps there was a bit of a disconnect.

You may be introverted, but I think there is a lot you have to contribute. Besides, I think we have a couple of things in common :-)

I can stand up in front of 100 people and give a class, but put me in a social situation with people I don't know and I just shrivel up. I always feel totally awkward and never know what to say.

Everyone has their individual talents and they make impressions in their own way. You do not need to be the life of the party to be noticed. I am positive you made a wonderful and memorable impression. There is one good thing about being a quiet person...You may not say much, but when you do say something, people tend to listen.

Please do not feel like you need to change in order to make an impression.

i think i know how you feel. but it's something you just learn to accept and view differently. just the fact that you are still willing to get out there considering you are a quiet type says a lot.

i think as you get older you will learn more in interacting with others without having to try to be something you are not.