i got to see the exhibit before it was over. my friend had no idea who Brian Eno was but none-the-less found the exhibit "romantic". i wish i had seen his intro but it cost $50....the money that would eventually go to seeing U2 in June.
it's been awhile. but i actually have something to say.
yesterday i was so lucky to attend a book signing for Craig Ferguson's new book American on Purpose.
the day went a little like this:
i had been planning on going to the signing since i found out about it in late august/early september. i have been to the Late Late Show tapings four times so i felt it only right to see him up close. called my friend (a month ahead, of course) and we left for barnes and noble at the grove at 4pm.
i had already been freaking out. what do you say to a celebrity? how do you keep your calm while expressing a devotion to the show?
we got there at 5, bought the book, and stood in line. both of us, being college students, brought homework with us to kill time. i ended up not studying at all for those few precious hours. at about 6 we were moved from the line to the seats in front of the stage. i sat in the first seat in the 3rd row....pretty close. but i'm rather short so i knew it wasn't close enough because the man and woman in front of me were blocking my view.
my name was written down on a sticky note and placed on the inside cover...i'm guessing standard book signing procedures.
my friend actually started doing homework, so i started reading my copy of the book. for some reason i had held off from reading it till this point. i listened and sang along to the beatles songs playing in the background, made fun of the guy next to us talking about YO GARBA GARBA (yo gabba gabba), and people watched the fans talking about their experiences watching the show. i had looked around the room. everyone was older than us. i'm 18 and everyone else was 25 years+...craig is obviously appealing to his demographic!
at 7 on the nose, craig walked in and swiftly passed me and walked onto the stage. i was so stunned that i think i actually stopped breathing. i quickly fiddled for my phone and forgot how to turn the camera into video. a moment of panic.
craig thanked us for coming and thanked the people at barnes and noble for putting his picture all over the walls. but he looked very tired. the tapings end about 6, so obviously he was worn out.
he began to tells us that he wasn't going to take up our time reading excepts from his book. he added that he was a little worried because his german shepard had ate something bad and had to be taken to the vet. the book signing was going to be just that....a book signing. i admit, i was a little sad. los angeles wasn't getting the same experience as the other signings! but i calmed down. he was obviously distressed, but he DID come out for us. no cancellations. the workers called us up a row at a time. i sat in my seat and took pictures. they called our row up. all of a sudden i feel my heart race. my hands were sweaty and i continuously wiped them on my pants. a lady took my book and told me to step up to the desk. i was face to face with CRAIG FERGUSON!
hi, craig! hello... i've been to your show four times! one time? NO, four times! oh, wow! i wouldn't have thought you've been there at all because you look too young. hahaha. no, i'm 18. *pause* [oh man, what do i say?] i actually skipped out studying for a government test to be here! oh! well you should go home and study! [points to his book] hahaha! nice to meet you! nice to meet you too. [hand shake]
and it was over. my friend got two books signed so she had more time to talk to him. (yes, i'm jealous) she told him that she (and i) was at the labor day show and she thought the prince charles sketch that they cut from the show was funny. he responded: oh! well they showed that, you know. she told him that juliet lewis was a great performer and thanked him for the free cd the show gave us that day. oh yeah! she's really good.
and that was the end of this escapade. but i felt it linger in my body. i was still shaky and stuttery. i felt like i had just been out on stage and got a roaring applause. it felt great! and i finally met him! [i told my friend that i would probably have not spoken if it were bono :) ]
and afterwards, like so many other people do, i regretted saying what i said. i had rehearsed some questions i wanted to ask: are you planning to write more fiction books or movies? do you plan on having more kids? do you ever feel like acting again?
i planned for a lifetime of a conversation. it lasted 30 seconds. but i loved every second of it! craig is such a big man: stage presence, looks, accent, humor.
the most important thing i got outta this wasn't that long time awaited meeting, but the overall book signing. that's what i want to do! i want to write. i want to bring my books to barnes and noble and read and joke with fans (even if it's only my mom).
i plan on going to see his show soon...when college doesn't get in the way of my tv. *
mmm. summer 2008. one more year of high school. greatness.
i can't complain about anything.
job interview at target on tuesday.
reading a psychology textbook for fun....it's kinda interesting.
looking for monologues from plays for a performance on the first week of school.
but that's it. that's summer. that's life.
i know as soon as september comes i'm going to go crazy again. so i think it ends here. oh, i'll come back, someday. like bono infamously said, "It's no big deal, it's just -- [I] have to go away and ... and dream it all up again."
wow. last post june 19th, 2007. that was when i wasn't in school and had time to breath.
there's nothing new on this side of the keyboard. i was in a production of ALICE IN WONDERLAND at school. oh, how i miss being the mock turtle!
besides homework, i've just been thinking about life and what's in store for me in the years to come.
high school junior.
twenty million career options, and i want every single one.
i've jumped from a writer, to a dentist, to a math teacher, to an actor, and now back to a writer. but i don't want to stick myself in a box that will depress me or that is so air tight i can't be liberated. the thing is, i get board easily. i can't just decide that i want to do something and have to stick to it for the rest of my life. life should be spontaneous, and my career will come when it comes. i hate all this high school pressure. i have to decide now or i won't have a future.
i wish i could just sit and write.
i don't intend any comments or sympathy. i'm writing to myself, in hopes of alleviating this stress that life has bestowed on me.*
"U2, led by singer Bono (right), is one of the world's most popular and influential rock bands. Over a career spanning more than 20 years, this Irish band has kept its music vibrant and fresh by absorbing and reworking all manner of musical styles. The band has drawn on the blues, gospel, 1950s rock 'n' roll, 1960s protest songs, and hip-hop to create a very distinctive kind of music."
that was an article on rock music from my history text book. just flipping through it one day and found it. it was a newer version of the text book. and Bono managed to replace Mick Jagger from the previous book. i think they knew i was going to be in that class, so they updated it. yay!
finals. over. time. to. breathe. and. make. short. sentences. High School Exit Exam tomorrow. i think you have to be asleep not to pass. and i heard the essay question is like "what's your favorite color" or "describe your shoes". elaborate on that people! elaborate on that.
almost passed out in the morning. got up, changed, and got dizzy. so i sat down on the bathroom floor because i physically could NOT stand up. after 5 minutes i got up and regained my strength and managed to get to school. maybe it was the puppy bowl pizza and chicken wings from sunday.
