Vancouver Arts Awards

I am, apparently, the fearless girl that my mother warned me about.

Pardon the cliche, but I am just figuring it out now, so I thought
I'd let you in on it, if you didn't already suspect...

This evening I gallantly attended solo the 2nd Annual Vancouver
Art's Awards. Did I mention solo? Wasn't such a bad idea, until I began to pull out of my driveway, then I was swallowing my stomach and my hands beginning to shake.

When I arrived, everyone was in groups, at least couples. I circled the crowd a few times, there were two raised stages, covered in tulle. High bar tables in between, with bar stool type chairs. I didn't know which one to sit at, but after much surveillance, decided to anchor myself at one.

An woman in her 40's leaned across from another table

"Are you here by yourself?"

"Yes" she was the first one I had spoken to that wasn't a staff or volunteer that evening "I apparently had an overly confident moment" I laughed nervously, modestly, humbly.

I was just relieved to have broken the ice with someone.

Sitting through the awards, I took the opportunity to contemplate what I wished to achieve from the evening. How would I define this evening as a success or not? Did I just want to watch the awards and go home? Or would I be fearless, consider the $40 an investment, plus the $56 on BEAUTIFUL personally made invites, and plunge myself into the crowd?

I decided at intermissi0n, that is exactly what I would do. Introduce myself to as many people as I possibly could, while establishing a legitimate "connection" with each?

Estimatedly, I perhaps spent 3 minutes with some, 45 seconds with others. Leaving with each, a 3x5 postcard of my vibrantly decorated contact information, and listing three of my upcoming events.

Depending on how I felt with the individual, my introduction would vary. Somehow, I managed to scrounge up the confidence to introduce to some:

"Krystin Goodsell, mixed media visual artist. Krystin Goodsell, remember the name. You don't know it now, but you will in the next five years"

Most were receptive in response.

"Wow, determined, confident, I like that"

"Thanks for the invitation, I'll love to stop by"

By the end of intermission, I was so beside myself with shock, anxiety, and nerves, that I got my jacket from the coatcheck.
Deciding that I could live without seeing the final two awards.
Poor recipients, saw alot of people leave, bummer getting your award after intermission when the crowds been halfed.

All in all this evening, I saw a really good show, live performances ballet, opera, human sculptures, musicians, gypsies, so on and so forth.

I got $40 of terror. Or was it the delight of adrenaline?

Either way, right now, I feel the most alive I have in a while. Darn near vibrating.

I only hope that one of my cards got out there to the right people.