TAM takeaway – I heart you guys

I spent Monday traveling home from TAM (The Amazing Meeting 8 in Las Vegas) and Tuesday and Wednesday adding new friends to Facebook and Twitter, tagging photos and commenting on blog post about it. I reflect on my first TAM experience and am struck by a few very unexpected things.

It might have been the exhaustion since I had trouble sleeping, eating (and even drinking) while there, but I was quite overcome with emotion. While glad to leave Vegas, which I am not fond of, I found myself REALLY sad to leave everyone behind. I can’t even mention all the virtual friends that became real and those real people with whom I forged a greater connection. The best was the new people I met. How awesome was everyone there! I heart everyone. See, I’m all gushy about it. Something must happen when you cloister a worldwide group of likeminded folks in a desert hotel for a few days. We get close.

Certain moments I’ll keep forever: the musk sticks tasting party, the girlfriends discussion in the corner of the bar, the “what’s your favorite monster” roundtable dinner, hot tub soup, helping out as a JREF volunteer, cruising the strip in a convertible with rocking tunes, running into the Australian skeptics downtown, people stopping to say ‘hi’ because they knew my name or picture, telling my favorite high profile skeptics how much I appreciate them, hugs all around and kisses for Mr. Randi.

Back in my everyday life, I can’t be anywhere near as open as I was in a place surrounded by people who subscribe to my world view and get the things I get (that Mr. Deity and Dave Grohl are God, that your children are out to kill you slowly, and that there are very good reasons not to just flaunt boobs for skepticism). TAMmers: I would never talk to my everyday friends like I talked to you and I was overwhelmed. You also made my jaw drop a few times (well, mostly Heidi did that) and my head shake (from the truly groan-worthy punning and jokes). We just connected, like we’d been BFFs our whole lives. That was fucking weird. (I’ll add that my language also became far more colorful amongst you. When in Rome…) And, now I need an iphone really badly.

There was that underlying tone of soul searching present in the talks. This was important. If we don’t reflect and make an effort to change for the better, what the hell use is it to get up in the morning? The strength of any group is the ability for us to support and care for each other. I still feel some deep rifts among us but we are diverse so we reach out in many directions in different ways. That’s good. Upon leaving, I was beside myself. This was supposed to be the meeting of science and reason and instead, I’m all emotional about it. Could it be that we are so focused on the evidence that we revel in the stories and feelings when we are able to let our guard down? The people are what make TAM special. I wasn’t finished talking to and learning from you. Please come live near me or at least visit often!