edscissors's blog

First, and above all, I had fun. Definitely.

I'll write first about the hotel. If you sign up for WrestleFest you make your own arrangements but it suited me to stay at the Penn Hotel. It's a time-warp. I had an enormous room with a sitting room attached (I hadn't expected that). I was comfortable and had all the space I needed to meet people I'd planned to meet and, indeed, sometimes, while I just lay chastely on my bed reading, I was able, unexpectedly, to host other guys' fights in my unexpected "spare room"! I met some interesting people! Yes: it was fun.

Next, I want to say how much I appreciate the work done by the organiser(s). It's true that we all made our arrangements as individuals, including booking accommodation, but the whole thing needed to be set up. I had several e-mails to and fro with the organisers and with more people than ever signing up this year, their work behind the scenes should not be underestimated. THANK YOU!

So - the people, the wrestling.

I had a great time and enjoyed every meeting. One guy I'd been in contact with for ages and this was the first time we'd met in person. Great guy: our first meeting in the flesh was easy and fun. I met a guy from back home in the UK. Sort of surreal to go to New York to meet him but we laughed such a lot and will certainly be meeting again, back home. Someone I'd contacted just on the off-chance that though he is less than half my age he might be prepared to meet me proved to be another highlight. I have a new friend!

Mostly, the setting-up of meetings went well. A couple of guys responded politely to my request for a meeting with a simple "thanks but no thanks" ... and I respect their politeness. One or two others didn't trouble to reply at all, which was disappointing. (One of my chaps DID meet one of them, quite a famous wrestler, so I asked my friend to give bad, impolite guy an extra squeeze for me!) I had to cancel one meeting as it was on my last morning before flying home and it would have cost me an extra 100$+ to keep my room beyond normal check-out time; I asked him to excuse a late cancellation. Actually, since he hasn't logged into the MF site for a good few days I guess this meeting might in any case have resulted in a "no show" on his part so I don't feel too bad. Another guy didn't turn up but contacted me after the putative event - so all is forgiven. There's always next year.

I confess that I took things pretty easily. New York is New York so you can't spend days at a time closeted in a hotel wrestling (can you?). I divided my time between meetings for a gentle wrestle, lying on my bed reading, and going out for great walks in a great part of the city that never sleeps.

Others seem to have had a very full fight card and came away exhausted. It became plain to me that some people were there for wrestling ... some for "other things". But it was all very purposeful and, during this, my first such meet, I met some nice people and had some good conversation.

I'd go again.