Metamorphosis...

[fajrdrako]

I was crossing the street at Rideau and King Edward when a man crossing in the opposite direction, in the middle of the crowd, stopped when he saw me. He was tall, shabby and unkempt - looked like a street person. He gave me a courtly bow, right there in the middle of the crosswalk. "Good morning, Princess," he said, and for just a moment I was transformed from a boring pedestrian to someone in a fantasy or myth.

Comments

[hamadryad11.livejournal.com]

I love that. It's one of the most delightful stories I've read in a long time. Seriously.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I thought it was delightful too. Such moments of magic should happen more often.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

smile

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I certainly smiled! I wish I'd thanked him, but I was too surprised and pleased - and busy crossing the street.

[widget-alley.livejournal.com]

Brilliant.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Don't you wish those moments of spontaneous delight would happen more often? And when they happen, it's their nature to be totally unexpected.

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

How lovely!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It was. Surreal in the most pleasant of ways. Especially when I sometimes think fantasy is more real to me than reality.... Not in a crazy-bad way, but in reflecting my outlook and personality.

[lmondegreen.livejournal.com]

How wonderful!!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It was. I still smile to think about it.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

I wish those moments happened more often too.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

so the question is, do you ever do anything like that?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Generally speaking, I'm way too shy to speak to strangers. Even mystically royal ones.

Which is really a shame.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

I do, certainly when my mood gets elevated. I tend to compliment people with a garment or their hair. something like that. Most people act surprisied and plesed. Some go 'oh thanks' without any vibes.
I am afraid when I am high enough people will assume I am some kind of weirdo. Haven't yet act anyone like I am dangerous (wich I am not!!!!)
But compliments are not as surreal, that is true....

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I have good friends who have no hesitation in talking to strangers, but unless I have a reason I get tongue-tied. Usually. It's a reason I like hanging out with people who are socially braver than I am!

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

mmm, I used to be not to be able to such things at all. At school (both elementary as higschool) I got bullied a lot. And when I got upset everyone said 'oh can't you take a joke?' 'we were just having fun'. Of course they were indeed making fun of me and I was right to be upset, but the unwelcome consequense was that i could no longer trust genuine jokes. If I went shopping and I bought e.g. some backs of crisps and soft drink and the cassiere would in all friendlyness wish me a nice getogether I feel it as an intrusion and an insult and a possible insinuation that I would eat all the crisps alone.
I then decided that this was not very likely, people just not go around insulting everyone, she was not part of the gang at school. I should get myself to start from the assumption that people mean what they say if they use friendly words. To get myself to do this I embarked on a type of confrontation-therapy (I was aware that you can do this with fobias like spiders), I had to 'speak' with at least 1 stranger everyday. Speak can be a simple 'bye' to the cassiere when shopping, or a more extended talk with a fellow passenger on the train. I must say this this did help me a lot.

Maybe it is that I am 'naturally' a mild extrovert (that is what I score on official psych tests) and that this was just temporarirly repressed, so that this method just help to restore my natural ways. I don't know, but general it acts as an uplift for my mood if I have a random talk with a stranger and it is certainly a sign of a threatening depression if I back away or shun opportunities from conversation (especially if I'd back away from small children, I love random interactions with babies and toddlers)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes: I am 'naturally' an introvert, but one who likes people, and who likes associating with people - but I have trouble with that initial approach. I was never bullied (much), but I was as shy in childhood as I am now. I should probably do some confrontation-therapy myself: It would do me good.

For instance, there was a woman at the Ottawa Science Fiction Society meeting I was at yesterday, whom I hadn't met - a friend of a friend. I tried to think of an approach or something to say to her but I couldn't quite manage it. Now, why didn't I go up to her and say, "Hi, nice to see you here, I'm Elizabeth" - ? Today, I wish I had. Yesterday, I just... didn't.

Perhaps I am very close to the dividing line between introvert and extrovert, since I can be sociable enough with friends, and I like doing things with people - in fact, I get unsettled when I'm alone too much. Most of my friends are suprised when I decribe myself as 'shy', and their surprise surprises me. Don't they see me hanging back when strangers are around? Even friendly strangers?

On the other hand, I approached Peter David boldly enough last month, and had a great conversation with him. Well, I found it very enjoyable.) Not that he was entirely a stranger - that's probably why I was psychologically able to do it - I've met him before, though I'm sure he wouldn't remember me.

A sign of depression for me also is to have an increase in shyness, a growing inability to talk to other people, or to communicate much at all. I suppose this is a good reason to fight the tendency to be shy - keep my courage and my social skills up by talking to more people.

On the other hand, I'd hate to be pushy!

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, I'd hate to be pushy!

I think if you keep your eyes open for signals from the other that they are pleased or not to be approached by you, it will be ok. Especially at 'social' places like cons, where people afterall are relatively open to meet others (as opposed to in public transport where the might feel frightened). You can allways do the 'don't I know you?' and its many variations, people hardly ever remember the first lines of a conversation, or you must have said something rather remarkable.

I've read a desciption of extrovert as someone who gets his/her energy from contact with people and an introvert get his/her energy from being alone. I definitely need both, if I am under people for a prolonged time (lets say a week) I am totally wrung out. But being too alone is no good either, I go into town and seek contact (or even walk trough a busy shopping street) and the hustle and bustle can lift me. I believe a true introvert would not react like that ;-)
I give the impression of someone who is not shy and extrovert. I think (can be shy as well, I think.)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I suppose we all need a balance of solitude and sociability, and it's good to remember that - not to let one's time be unbalanced one way or the other. Not to get cut off from other people, but not to become swamped by them either.

I've yet to find the perfect way to pace myself on this, but I'm better at it than I used to be.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

A little more magic in the day is always a good thing. I must think more about cultivating it.

...I like your icon.

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you. I like anything that resembles a mask.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I like anything that resembles a mask.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't like all masks, but I like certain kinds of masks.... especially on beautiful people.

This was reminding me of something, and it just came to me: Oonagh O'Dwyer in Queen's Play, the night she ended up in bed with Lymond, wearing a black cat's mask.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Yes. Masks on beautiful people (I just assumed they would be beautiful). Masks remind me of Eden so it's a win-win for me.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Eden is a tease.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

A pretty tease too.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The best kind!

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

That's such a wonderful thing to happen. Brightens up a day.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Something to remember when I need a smile.

[laitosto.livejournal.com]

Your Highness,

Is it not interesting that this occurred on KING Edward Street?

Your Loyal Subject

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Hmm, good point. Perhaps there is a nexus of multidimensional monarchical realities at that corner?

And here I thought it was just a big puddle.

[blackbyrde.livejournal.com]

How cute!

Sounds like the beginning of a wonderful story. :) :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

So write it!

It makes me think of Neil Gaiman... as if the man just stepped out of Faerie and went back again.