Energetic buildings

Someone once told me that an introvert is someone who feels drained by engagement with people rather than invigorated. I’m not sure how true this is but since then I have taken myself to be an introvert. I like dealing with people, I am perhaps at my best when amongst groups of people yet afterwards I always feel completely exhausted.

Strangely though I have been feeling something similar after the CyberFest events I have been involved in. I have presented at six events during the month of September and after some I have felt raring to go whilst at others I have come out feeling as flat as a pancake.

I doubt if it was to do with the crowd as each event had a similar mixture of people I know and others I don’t. I doubt if it was the time of day either as I have been feeling tired for months now.

I have come to the conclusion that the difference was entirely down to the building. Some buildings give you energy while others suck the life out of you. Can this be true or am I reading too much into my mood.

We have all heard of sick building syndrome, a condition affecting office workers, typically marked by headaches and respiratory problems, and whilst I did not suffer from such symptoms there might be something in it.

Going to a concert at a stadium or arena is completely different to going to one at a theatre and so it may be the same for the performers. I am sure that actors or musicians will get a greater buzz from playing at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle rather than the Metro Radio Arena. The atmosphere is completely different.

On reflection, the events I felt the best about were where the audience was close by, intimate almost rather than far away. Those where I was lower down than the audience were also better than when I was above.

What I can do with this information I don’t know but at least I will be forearmed for my next set of events.