[Warning: Long]
I've been home a little while now and I can't seem to focus or do anything other than well up thinking of you guys. This trip has been a fucking tremendous experience and it was you guys that made it that way for me. If you can't be arsed to read further, the take-home from this post is that I adore you all and am privileged to have met you. Every single one of you contributed to something truly special. So, in no particular order:
Ami: Naturally this is easiest for us as we'll no doubt see each other again shortly and it wasn't too long since I saw you last. Regardless, your presence and positive attitude throughout all of the trip (even after having your train delayed over an hour) really made the atmosphere all the more familiar and enjoyable. You keep doing you hon.
CrashOuch: WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU DURING THE DAY. When somebody mentioned at like 10pm last night that another TLS member had surfaced I was shocked. You are so much fun! Let's do the whole thing again but this time find us in the morning
. Really great getting to meet you though, and we should arrange some mini meetup soon, seeing as you live like soooooo close to me!
Mo/S&G: One of the people I've had like zero/no interaction with prior to this event. Can I just say what a god damn legend you are? Signing throughout the whole event seemingly getting a break to only get up on stage for a panel! I cannot wait to dig into this book. You are a funny and genuine dude and hope you post more here so that everybody gets a taste.
Enrique: Man it was so great getting to chat with you during the evening event. I didn't even know you were coming til Keveh said you were enroute out of the blue. The stories you were telling were hilarious though I fear I missed some of the details in your accent
. Like Mo you ought to post more.
Licorice: WE FOUND YOU! Well somebody else did but yeah! I must say I got so overly excited when I saw the group talking to somebody new and it just sorta clicked in my head it was you. So, so glad you joined us for the event and completed the TLS gathering. You're hilarious by the way. Team Diabetes for the win!
Fangu: You broke my little heart last night when you insisted we say goodbye then and not this morning. I just was not ready for that level of feels <3 But I'm glad we did. You are so incredibly fun to be around in person and it's damn criminal that I don't get to go drinking with you every weekend. So not fair. Come back soon pretty please?
Lex: You were simultaneously the most exciting and most unexciting person to meet
. On the one hand it's so long overdue for both of us to have a face to face and I really looked forward to that. On the other I'm more familiar with you than most of my family, so there was no surprise element to it. I couldn't have picked a better person to share a room with because the late night gossip and banter was warming to the soul. Also one of the only people I wasn't emotional to say goodbye to because I feel like I'm just going to 'see' you again....like tomorrow. Much love though.
Mage: You definitely brought the 'party' to our TLS gathering upon your arrival. Everything just kicked up a notch and I think you just must naturally have that effect on people. You are unapologetically loving and bonkers in the way you bring others out of their shells. I felt for you so much yesterday and wish you could have seen more of the event. Guess you'll have to make up for it next year, huh?
Yop: Dude you fit my expectations 100% and still managed to be such great company throughout. I know it's been mentioned by others already and I know you would prefer to shrug it off or not take full responsibility, but really, so many of us had such a blast hanging out with people we got to know all because of you. On a very real level you brought all of us together and to have what Lex aptly described as 'A life-affirming experience.' I owe a lot to you because of that. Even all the gushy tears so thanks a lot jackass.
Red: What the hell can be said about you that hasn't been said a hundred times before. You are magnificent man. A marvel of human creation and quite possibly the most genuinely nice and empathetic human being I will ever have the pleasure of meeting. You more or less made up the backbone of the event itself from what we saw, giving love to those of us you bumped into. You just bring smiles to people man. It also has to be said that you are the reason this event has been the somewhat emotional, somewhat life-changing event it was. No exaggeration. So many of us were there because you made it so we could be. You're a lovely lovely guy and I will remind you of that at any and every opportunity.
Keveh: What a quality guy. Somebody who is capable of being endlessly entertaining while also staying humble as anything. Kev I need to fly to the Emerald Isles just to spend random weekends hanging out with you. Also I relied on you today as an emotional crutch more than you probably realise. You and Flint both. Maybe it was the sleep loss but if you hadn't been there this afternoon I might have had a full on breakdown. Dude, I love you. No homo. Some homo.
Octo: No word of a lie, you were my favourite person to meet and hang out with out of everyone (sorry Flint, but you're next). I got immediately hooked on your dry sense of humour and just the way you interacted with us all. I'm so happy you came to the event and had a blast. Laughing around and teasing you last night with the tongue thing also popped into my head this morning as a highlight. I also blame your departure last night/this morning for the emotional floodgates being opened. Truly somebody I wish I could hang around with more often. You are like a friend I've known too long & not long enough.
Flint: Did I save the best for last? I'll let you figure that one out yourself. You are undoubtedly a great guy. Friendly, compassionate and considerate for everybody close to you. You're also a very caring person and seems like you have the ability to be as emotionally hopeless as I have come to feel. But you're a standout among everyone because I got the unexpected with you. As we've discussed - for some reason I assumed we wouldn't click well or might clash. I at least expected some social disconnect. I didn't get that at all. Flint you are phenomenal and I loved every moment spent in your company. I even left the Italics out of this post just for you. Thank you for the companionship and memories made in the last 48 hours or so.
I'm gonna go sleep or cry some more and try to process overwhelming shit before coming back. To quote Ray Chase himself:
You guys, are the best.
