Castlecomer Workshop

I am ashamed to say I have only been to one other workshop in my life. That is, besides this one.

It wasn't really a workshop exactly. It was a workshop spread over two weekends that you brought a story too, and then worked on.
Well, after days of trying to convince my friends to come with me, and having three or four decline right after being asked, I still went. I was nervous, as I didn't know anyone, and my mum wouldn't be there. (This was a few years ago, okay?!)
So, the workshop didn't go too well and needless to say, I did not go again to the follow-up workshop the following week.
Well recently, my Religion/C.S.P.E. teacher told us this story;

A man was walking along the road, and came upon another man.
"How are the people in the next town, then?" the man asked.
The first man said, "How are the people in the town you just came from?"
The second man said, "Oh, they were lovely, they were kind, they were good people."
The first man then replied "So you will find the people in the next town."
They both went on their way.
Presently, the first man came upon a third man.
"How is the town you've just been in?" asked the third man.
"Well how is the town you came from?" asked the first man.
"Horrible," he replied. "The people were nasty, and greedy and rude," he grumbled.
"Then so will you find the people in the next town," replied the first man.

The moral? The way that you come into a situation influences how the situation turns out. If you expect a bad workshop, it will be a bad workshop.
I expected a bad workshop the first time, as no one I knew would be there, and it was a bad workshop. I glared at people, and didn't speak to them, and kept to myself. And they stayed away from me, and I was miserable.

But this time, I was determined to pull it off. You never actually have to be happy, or outgoing, just a good actress.
I smiled, and laughed, and talked with everyone there, and it was great! It was the best experience, and so refreshing to meet others who are interested in writing, as none of my other friends are.
So, I will definitely be going to more workshops, and even if they are bad, I can draw on this good experience, and know that all workshops can't be bad, even if three out of four are.
Yes, I definitely enjoyed it. It ran for two hours, from half ten to half twelve, and at the end, Roisin Meany, the workshop person (what is the correct word here?), said "ten minutes left" and everyone gasped in astonishment, because we thought maybe it had been a half hour at the most. All enjoyed it, and we will be back next year.
(This post has a tone of MM in it)