What is a gathering to you?

[reflexology414]

That may seem like a really obvious question, but I'm actually quite serious. I'd like to hear from members who enjoy the gatherings and get their thoughts about gatherings. From your perspective, what is a gathering, and what do they mean to you? Share as much or as little as you'd like. I would enjoy hearing your thoughts about this.

 

[Avenger314]

Good question!

For almost everyone, a gathering is partly a chance to tickleplay and partly a chance to socialize with friends. The percentages vary from person to person. There's a pretty strong social expectation that the social part should be at least 85-90% if not more; those who are more tickling-oriented get frowned on. Me, it's closer to 50-50 or thereabouts.

I will, however, say that gatherings are 99% fun. There's a lot of glitter and gushiness about gatherings... but once you dig below that surface exterior, what remains really is mostly gold.

 

[ViperGTS]

A gathering is a family reunion.

Only I actually WANT to go.

 

[milagros317]

A gathering is a time and place when some people with a strong interest in tickling get together to socialize, with the opportunity to play. The former is more important and the latter is most welcome when it happens. 😀

 

[BlackestLily]

I haven't been to one yet, and have signed up to go to my first one this September. I'm extremely nervous and excited at the same time. There are so many people I want to meet, and it sounds like such a great time that I can't help but feel like it's going to be a big, friendly party with many potential new friends.

 

[Musicroxmysox]

A gathering, more then anything else, is a time to see my friends in the flesh. Yes there is tickling, but that's not the reason why I spend my money to go.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

The days leading up to a gathering might be the most excited I get all year. It's a time when I get to see some absolutely amazing people that I only see a few times a year, and relish in the fact that I'm in a room full of people who, not only do I absolutely adore them, but they understand a part of me that very few in the world even know about, let alone understand. It's an awesomely liberating experience. Oh, and you get some uber sweet tickles, too 😀

 

[KrazieDog]

For each I'm sure it can be different and should be what they want to make it. I expect nothing. I plan to see old friends and make new ones. Tickling when it happens is a fun bonus as it is in life. I can make play when I choose to at the gatherings, but the high that I return home with and resonates with me is that of having been in the company of great people, awesome old friends and cool new ones, who I don't need to explain myself to, and they just get that side of me. I like Mark's description of it being a family reunion you actually look forward to. I really can't say enough about the fun I have at each and I would tell anyone on the fence about going to one, just eff'ing go! You'll kick yourself for not doing so sooner.

Hell you'll see caring the second you step foot in the door on an opening day by the amount of people you see checking their watches, keeping a close eye on the time for people they are using their cars to go pick up at the airports and such. That caring, even about the smallest things (bringing someone to the store to grab a pack of smokes, or some fast food) continues all weekend long. At NEST, 3 of us were staying an extra day after everyone was gone, but a carload of 3 people that had a long drive, stayed 5 extra hours with us just so we wouldn't have to say goodbye 100 times by ourselves. Fucking epic people like you wouldn't believe.

*Edit*

There's a pretty strong social expectation that the social part should be at least 85-90% if not more; those who are more tickling-oriented get frowned on.

I don't want anyone who may not be 100% comfortable playing, especially their first time, to be turned off from going by this comment. No one is "frowned on". Each person makes their own weekend fun. If that is by finding willing partners to play a lot, fantastic. If someone is trying to play with someone else half the time they are around them and that other person doesn't want that, the frown they are getting may be from not picking up the clues that "they" don't want to, not a broad generalization on people who enjoy play.

 

[sasaxrah]

For each I'm sure it can be different and should be what they want to make it. I expect nothing. I plan to see old friends and make new ones. Tickling when it happens is a fun bonus as it is in life. I can make play when I choose to at the gatherings, but the high that I return home with and resonates with me is that of having been in the company of great people, awesome old friends and cool new ones, who I don't need to explain myself to, and they just get that side of me. I like Mark's description of it being a family reunion you actually look forward to. I really can't say enough about the fun I have at each and I would tell anyone on the fence about going to one, just eff'ing go! You'll kick yourself for not doing so sooner.

Hell you'll see caring the second you step foot in the door on an opening day by the amount of people you see checking their watches, keeping a close eye on the time for people they are using their cars to go pick up at the airports and such. That caring, even about the smallest things (bringing someone to the store to grab a pack of smokes, or some fast food) continues all weekend long. At NEST, 3 of us were staying an extra day after everyone was gone, but a carload of 3 people that had a long drive, stayed 5 extra hours with us just so we wouldn't have to say goodbye 100 times by ourselves. Fucking epic people like you wouldn't believe.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Artoo]

Gatherings are good times, good people, and good craic.

Personally, while it is a great time to meet people and socialise, I've had some sort of tickling experience at every gathering I've been to (the UK ones are essentially play-meets in a dungeon; although obviously some socialising does happen). So while I don't expect play to happen every time I show up to one, I've certainly been lucky enough to play with various people, and for that I am glad.

 

[fireguardian]

To me a gathering is a chance to see all the friends I have made here. It's a chance to just sit and chat with people that you can't see on a regular basis. Plus the oppertunity to meet newbies is a blast. any play that happens is just a bonus to me. I think Krazie said it best though. It's all about the people you are seeing again and the people you meet for the first time

 

[totally_evil]

For me a gathering is a chance to see old friends and to tickle lots of people. The socialising is good, but we have munches for that really. So far the tickling has been done while socialising so it's more like friends getting together with a bit of torture thrown in for good measure. But then as artoo has said so far all the UK gatherings have been in a dungeon (ignoring those before my time which were at people's houses and not called gatherings).

So far all of the gatherings I've gone to I've had some part in organising so I've also been praying everything goes well and I won't have to step in at any point.

 

[reflexology414]

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who responded to my thread here, and those of you who contacted me through email to share your thoughts. Special thanks to my new cyber-friends Jim, Mark, and Shelley for opening up about your experiences with the gatherings. Again, thanks to everyone.