BraveHeart Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 That weekend was such an experience, truly the rollercoaster with a safety net. Accordingly, this FR includes varying amounts of personal commentary rather than a purely objective account of the events. It's also long. I expect that as my game improves, so will my FRs. My memory of the weekend is quite poor, and the details may be off. Too many nameless faces. As always, comments, questions and criticisms are quite welcome. Also if there's a page / thread with the goals / intentions of a FR... Friday Night Game After arriving in the big city, searching for the hotel and getting settled, I set off for TGI Friday's one stop away. We chatted about ourselves and about the forthcoming events. The cream-cheese-apple-pie dessert was quite the diversion. Around 11, we headed off to Muse, but not before each opening our first set. After Phoenix so boldly opened his first set in English, I was quite in awe that people could be opened in English here. Mine was a 2-set sitting at the bar, I opened with Takoyaki and they didn't seem interested. They became more interested when they heard I had come from Gifu, as one of them used to live there. Because she didn't live in Gifu, Redpoleq didn't take over and try to number close her. Off to Muse. This was my first real experience inside a club -- in the past I would be just another sad guy surrounded by his sad friends. But tonight, we had a purpose and we had a method. Immediately upon entering, Redpoleq illustrates the spin move on the first girl he sees. She's totally into it and totally going along with everything. We each take a turn spinning her and her smile is beaming. Wow. We do the walk around and then get pushed into sets. I don't remember much, but... *)My favorite set of the night. Mixed 4-set facing the bar (3 seated girls and 1 guy standing behind them). Solo had already gone in alone. Redpoleq sent me in on the opposite side and I sat down next to her. Opened and tried to do attraction. Forgot the details, but eventually came to finding out who she was here with. Turns out 2 of them were sisters, the third was a cousin, and the guy was her boyfriend of 3 years. And yet, I was kino-ing her right in front of him, he was fine with it and she was fine with it. This was a completely new concept. *)This was a 4-set seated at the bar, but I only engaged 1 of them, the closest one. I kept getting the wakaranai, go away, don't talk to me. Easily discouraged, but Redpoleq kept sending me back in, with routine stack in hand. I think 3 times I tried to open, but 3 times the same response. At the time I didn't get the point, but it would become clear to me as the weekend wore on -- the importance of plowing. *)This was a seated 1-set in the hallway, a Chinese girl doing something that I forget. We would run into her again the next night. Anyways, I open and immediately I get the idea that she doesn't want to talk to me. After a short time, I eject and Redpoleq asks why. I say she hates me and he goes back and asks if she is having a good time and if she hates me. So I go back in, more qualification and fluff. She was pretty quick and kept asking why we were there and what we were doing. Her advice was to watch Sex and the City, a somewhat recurring theme throughout the weekend. She also suggested that if we wanted girlfriends, we should try and find nice girls and get to know them, rather than coming to clubs and asking for takoyaki Eventually I was allowed to eject. *)This was a standing 2-set that Solo had already opened. I was called in to take care of the obstacle, a Brazilian lady. Didn't really do much attraction, mostly qualification. The notable thing was the kino. I kept trying to kino her, starting on the arm, but she would kind of move away or use the rest of her body to move me away. OK, but the odd thing was that she stayed and kept talking. I couldn't figure that out I had expected her to walk away a long time ago. Eventually, she gathered her friend and told us that they were leaving. *)The last set of the night, a seated 2-set. I open and bring in Phoenix. After a little while, Redpoleq yells to sit down. I'm not seeing how, but Phoenix makes the obstacle and my target move, allowing me to sit down. Major thanks for that one. Moved into qualification and I was trying really hard to qualify her, but I couldn't find much to qualify. Redpoleq comes by and I tell him "I'm really having trouble liking this girl other than because I want to fuck her." Eventually I lost momentum and she goes to the washroom. Phoenix is keeping his girl engaged though. Eventually we are called to eject. We left Muse and went to Almond. Almond turned out to be closed and so we went to the Charleston Cafe to debrief and eat. Along the way, we came across the last set of the night and tried to bring them along. Not forceful enough and they left. Besides the above sets, there were countless sets that I didn't open. Some because I hesitated and missed my chance, tapping them but waiting for their response before talking. Some sets I missed because I didn't walk over fast enough (by the time I got there, they had disappeared). Some I missed because of the perceived guys nearby, but they turned out to be wallpaper. There were also countless sets that I messed up and they walked away, or I ran out of energy and they walked away. Toward the end of the night, I was definitely feeling tired, and a bit disappointed in myself for not having the energy I resolved to turn to my friends in canned form for the next night. The debrief was extremely valuable (as would be all of the debriefs), because it gave a little order to the jumble that was my memory. Saturday Day Game We met up at the basement of a mall conveniently adjoined to the station for the first session of day game. After lecture, I opened the first set of the day, a seated 2-set. First time I moved a chair and sat down. Tried to do incidental kino and lean back. Brought in Phoenix. Seemed to be going ok but then they suddenly left. Solo and I went to get Starbucks and as I came out, I saw Phoenix in a mixed 3-set. I think he handled the interrupt well. We gathered and headed outside for seated and slowly-walking sets. Again, this was a blur, but the sets I remember... *)My favorite set of the day, a seated 2 or 3-set of old ladies. I sat down on the bench next to them (I think too fast) and opened in English. After the "eigo wakaranai", I decided to plow on with my broken Japanese. They seemed quite surprised and couldn't stop laughing. Eventually Phoenix came in and sat down on the other side. I think he tried for a number close, but they had forgotten their cell? I have to remember to keep talking when a wing comes in and starts speaking Japanese. Eventually we ejected. *)Slowly walking 2-set, I opened and they stop. Decent kino on the closer one and did McDonalds line. I saw the farther one was losing interest so quickly tried to bring her back in with whatever popped into my mind. I think that was the only time I kept both of a 2-set engaged. Didn't keep it going for long though, and they left. *)Walking 2-set that Phoenix opened. He seemed to be doing well and Redpoleq and I were watching from afar. Soon, Redpoleq motioned to bring me in, but Phoenix couldn't see us. We went to a more visible location, but eventually I was sent in to interrupt him. AI and I started engaging the obstacle, but I think she pulled the target away. *)A little faster walking 1-set, she slowed down and was listening, but I didn't deliver fast enough and gave up too easily (stopped talking too soon). Redpoleq told me to try and get her attention again, but she was gone. *)A slowly walking 1-set, she stopped. McDonalds and qualifying her on her visit to the nearby art gallery. Some incidental kino. To me, it seemed like she (and many of the other walking sets) was always moving, but the guys said it was actually me that kept floating around her, and she was actually stationary. I would also BT spike her and then move away, which sounds as odd as it probably looked. Tried to sit her down, but not dominant enough and she left. For most of the time, Solo had disappeared. We would later find out that he had a good time with a 1-set we had watched him open fairly early on. Phoenix opened a seated 1-set that initially gave him a lot of resistance. He plowed on though and we observed from afar. A bag was between him and the target, so kino was difficult. A few times Redpoleq went next to him and shouted to move the bag. Finally, he just interrupted Phoenix and gave the instructions. We met up with them again at the end of the day game. In general, this day game was tough for me. I was having trouble getting attraction and BT spikes, so they would leave. Also, my kino was repulsive in that I would kino, and then step back/away (sounds weird, looked weird, no idea why I was doing it). I was also probably too high energy, probably a manifestation of nervousness (this would be a recurring concern). The area was interesting, but some drumming monks on camera were walking toward us, making it difficult. At the time, Redpoleq asked me what I found funny and I couldn't really answer. Later I would find examples of my wry humor on train station warning signs. But since I didn't believe in the routine stack, it wasn't sticking in the sets. We went to yet another Starbucks and sat down, but not before Redpoleq was opened by a silver girl. She had matching silver clothes and luggage. His demo was impressive, but he would demo again on her later. We sat down and he helped me to develop a short story about Japanese fireworks. Opened the 1-set sitting next to us with the fireworks. It didn't really stick, but she stayed for the story. I think her friend arrived to interrupt and take her away. Later we would see they were waiting for their mother (I think). That story needs more work. I pulled up a stool to the next seated 2-set and opened with fireworks again. Turns out that one of them was from Takayama. I was a little too slack so Redpoleq got accidentally pulled into the set. I moved my seat closer to kino and it was ok, but eventually she moved her seat away. The set didn't really go anywhere and I got hung up on the opener way too long. My target seemed more interested in Redpoleq's stories. I think eventually my target ejected both of them. After this, Redpoleq demoed on the silver girl. There was kino escalation and she seemed to be drawn off her seat and toward him. He number closed and deleted after she left. While waiting for Solo and Phoenix to arrive, the last set was short, a 2-set waiting for their drink. I opened with what are you getting? and it didn't really go anywhere. The suggestion was to poke fun that one of them had brought outside drink (water) into the Starbucks. Solo arrived with his girl in tow and then we headed off to find Phoenix. He was at his second bounce location and we pulled him out of the set. Debrief and rest up for night game. In general, the day game was easier than night, and easier than day game back home, but still challenging. Moving sets are still hard, even though they don't move that fast over here, and many more people at least stop. I was looking forward to a quick nap, but it never came as my mind was swirling. Saturday Night Game I did not want to run out of energy for the night game, so I took a Red Bull and Ripobitan Pure before heading out. They would serve their purpose, but I ended up getting sick because of it We met up at the same place as day game for further lecture. The demo of phase shifting was... chilling. We arrived at A-Life and did the walk around. When we arrived, the place was not that full, certainly less so than Muse. Of the sets I remember... *)After the walkaround, my first set was a 2-set standing next to the ice cream freezer. I opened with what's this? and pretty quickly got blown out by the guy selling ice cream. After a meager attempt at stay, I think I just ejected. *)This was a standing 2-set that I opened. Thankfully I opened the one that could speak English; if I recall, they were cousins visiting from China. Brought in Phoenix for the obstacle and it turns out that she couldn't speak English or Japanese. Big thanks for plowing on with that one. Didn't move fast enough and eventually the obstacle dragged them away. *)This was a seated 3-set that I was told to open. A lot of initial hesitation because she looked familiar -- it was the Chinese girl from Muse. They were celebrating one of the other 2's birthdays. She recognized me and the crew and was protective of her friends from the start. I asked Redpoleq what to do and he said to explain everything. So I did. And she went back to suggesting we find nice girls. Redpoleq gave me the choice to eject, but I asked if there was anything I could do as a learning experience, and he said to engage the friend and win her over. So I tried that and ended up ignoring the girl from Muse. I guess she was a good sport because she didn't drag her 2 friends away. Phoenix was winging the third girl, I don't remember when he came in. We both ended up just talking for a really really long time. Minimal kino, wasn't sticking to the model. Wasn't really a good use of time. *)Redpoleq and I watched Solo open a tough seated 2-set. He sat next to one of them and she seemed ok, but her friend wouldn't talk at all. He tried valiantly, but I think it didn't go anywhere. There were again countless taps but I hesitated in the delivery so they kept walking. Also didn't even tap many of them as they walked by. Countless missed opportunities. Also there were many available lock-in spots that were lost because of hesitation. Also I didn't lock-in enough and sometimes I would lock-in to a bad spot. After not really having much hook and kinda feeling dazed, Redpoleq said for the rest of the night, just read the routine stack. He also said to just think 3 things: lock in, kino, smile. After a few incredulous looks, I started doing it (but thinking about those 3 things proved to be difficult). *)I locked in to a small table and opened a seated 3-set over the shoulder. Started reading and they didn't want to have anything to do with it. Read a bit more, then ejected. *)This was a seated 2-set at the bar. Locked in and started reading over the shoulder to the closer one. Initially didn't hook until McDonalds, and then it seemed everything I said caused a BT spike. Tried to keep both involved, but I think I didn't pay enough attention to the farther one. If I recall, got through qualification when they left. Afterwards, Redpoleq emphasized the importance of rewarding yourself for a job well done, no matter how small. No matter how it goes, there's something positive that can be found in each set, and not acknowledging this is bad. Paraphrased the talk for Solo and Phoenix. *)My favorite set of the night, I think it was already opened by Phoenix and Red Pill before I got there. A seated 4-set all in a line and Red Pill tells me to open one of them (assuming no prior interaction), and I start reading again. I open on the side and I was talking loud enough that the one that hooked could hear me. I think after McDonalds and farmer, they were all paying attention. Moved over to the most keen one and talked to her over the shoulder with myself wedged between 2 chairs. It was kind of messed, but it worked. What was initially a 4-set quickly became a 3-set and then a 2-set. Major thanks to whoever did that (I wasn't paying attention to when and how). I tried engaging the obstacle a few times, but the target kept saying that the obstacle was tired and ok. Eventually I gave up on the obstacle but she didn't mess things up. Followed the plan, read pretty much the whole routine stack and the target was still around. After a while, I asked Red Pill "got a problem, I already did all of this," and he said to do the Cube. I tried the Cube and it kind of worked. The target tried looking at the routine stack a few times, but soon stopped and just listened. Not sure if my delivery was loud enough and I should look up the words in the Cube. Didn't timebridge and number close (should have tried), and Redpoleq ejected me. We all gathered and were headed down into the Pit. On the way there, Redpoleq got opened by 3 gyaru interested in his hair thing. He demoed on them and brought in Solo. Quite impressive. Down in the Pit, it was now really full and really really loud. Hearing someone from a distance isn't impressive until you try to speak back to them and they can't hear you. *)First set was a standing 1-set. Her extremely strong blowout reaction was quite amusing and I wanted to do it again *)Tried opening a 2-set seated closer to the dance floor. They tried to hear me, but I couldn't project loud enough. Eventually I gave up on making them hear. *)Opened a seated 2-set that was actually a mixed 3 or 4-set. Switched to talking to the guy and I don't remember what happened after that. I think they said to go to Osaka for takoyaki (a common response that weekend). We started walking around the perimeter of the dance floor and Phoenix was randomly opening people and getting comically huge reactions. *)Redpoleq was leading us and he ran into the 3 gyaru again (that had somehow got down into the Pit ahead of us). They were into him and he brought me and Phoenix in. We went to engage them and Phoenix managed to get somewhere. I kept trying to talk directly into my target's ear, but all I heard back was kikoenai. The whole time we were talking, there was a constant stream of people and workers walking behind, past, and all around us. Kinda like getting carried away by a stream of people. However, the gyaru didn't go anywhere and were looking at us, so I kept thinking it was still on, so each time we got separated, Phoenix and I would regroup and I would yell to go back in. That was really fun After the fun in the Pit, we left for the debrief. Compared with the previous night, I was definitely more awake. I had the energy, but this time I didn't have the voice. With each successive set, it seemed like my volume was deteriorating. Voice projection was on my mind the entire night. I also didn't really push the sets enough. Not enough testing the boundaries. I would get into this zone of: ok they are listening and not making any sudden moves to leave, but I'm not really going anywhere. Maybe I was, but I could not tell from their reactions where I should be. I also realized that the Pit is not an inherently unfriendly place -- it just requires a loud voice. If the voice is there, then the Pit is open for business. From the 4-3-2-1 set, I learned that if they don't walk away, it's still on, even if they aren't looking at you the entire time. Midway through the debrief, I suddenly started feeling really sick. I think it was the energy drinks wearing off. After the debrief, at the subway station, I went to buy a ticket with Phoenix. The first one wouldn't take my money for some reason, so I got blown out by a machine However, they're quite interchangeable and the next one was quite happy to take my money. Sunday Day Game After not sleeping much again and throwing up 3 times, I eventually got to the day game spot. I was in a really bad state and meekly tried the mail opener on the train ride there. Suffice to say, she walked away. The lecture was at a Starbucks in one of the Lumine towers. I had previously gone to the same tower, but a different floor. Little did I know what was a few feet under me. We did the walkaround and it dawned on me that this was an awesome spot. There were tons of stationary targets, either reading books or sitting alone. Compared with night game and the semi-street day game, this was much easier. We had a lecture about deep comfort and Redpoleq managed to retell and enhance each of our stories within a minute or 2 of hearing them for the first time. Good thing too because I used his version of my story. By the end of lecture, I was in a much better state and not feeling sick anymore. *)I opened a 2-set looking at some cups or something. Good kino and not standing far away from the target. Phoenix came in and took the obstacle. I was in qualification with slowly escalating kino, and the target seemed into it. Unconsciously, we both slowly moved the targets apart and rotated them so that their backs were to each other. They couldn't see each other, but in theory, Phoenix and I should have been able to communicate. Eventually the obstacle dragged them away. Unfortunately, I wasn't looking at Phoenix. Next time I'll be looking for signals from my wing. *)For some reason, I've always had trouble opening random sets on my own (pick anyone and open). Quickly, Redpoleq picked the one in blue. I opened with where's the English books? and she led me there. Once there, she asked what kind of books do I like and I kinda fell into a bounce for a nearby bigger bookstore. I kept trying to get her to leave the book she wanted and come back for it later, but then I realized she was going to buy it right then, so she just bought it and then took me to the place. While waiting, I picked up some random interesting looking book and found a picture of some weird dog. Qualified on her knowledge of dogs. On the way to the bookstore, qualified on her work, interest in languages, dogs, reading, and working and studying at the same time. Talked about Mt. Fuji and life back in Vancouver. I tried stopping and locking in to a pillar and wall once. She also stopped and started getting sucked in, but then shortly continued us on to the bookstore. During the walk, I kept trying to kino, but she had a big bag on her arm. I kept trying to get to the other side of her, but while walking, I would end up back on the bag side. This happened at least 5 times. If I had been led better, then it probably wouldn't have happened. Finally got to the bookstore and got a call from Redpoleq. I didn't keep track of time, but it was a while. The target was always concerned if it would be ok for me to leave my friends and for some reason, she wanted to meet everyone. So we bounce back to Starbucks. Same kino problem on the walk back. We order drinks and Solo tells me to calm down and breathe, and Redpoleq tells me to sit down. I sit down on the wrong side. She brings the drinks and starts drawing a map back to the bookstore. Redpoleq comes by and says wtf and just start the story. So I just started the deep comfort story and she just stopped and started listening. At times, she would kinda get sucked in and her eyes seemed to get bigger, but for various reasons, it would get interrupted. After the story was over, I number closed without timebridging Went to meet with the guys waiting for me to finish and did a weak timebridge. That was a really long set. Way too long. After the final debrief, we headed for dinner and the end. Once again, many thanks to all that made my bootcamp unforgettable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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