I think at one time or another everyone imagines how they would act if they met their favorite famous person. I, of course, have imagined that when meeting said person I would be calm and collected, compliment them very casually but with heartfelt sincerity and then maybe woo them with my charm and convince them to join me for a spot of tea or a pint (depending on the temperament of the famous person)... that last part I never really saw myself going through with but I did love imagining that I could be so urbane.
I did not imagine that attending Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Cafe concert in Seattle, WA would give me the opportunity to actually meet someone I idolized. Nor did I imagine just how mortifying my actual interactions could be in comparison to my calm and collected fantasies. But first I would like to give you some background on the events at hand.
Originally, Jeffrey and I were to be working in Alaska until October 5th, returning back to the west coast only days before my 25th Birthday and coincidentally days before Stuart McLean, host of the Vinyl Cafe Radio Show on CBC radio (the Canadian and much better version of Garrison Keillor) would be hosting a concert in Seattle, WA only a short drive from Portland, OR (where our return flight was schedule to land.) I dropped hints with decreasing tact for about a month, doing everything besides making a huge poster telling Jeffrey to buy tickets and tape it to the toilet. After a month I was pretty certain Jeffrey had gotten the message loud and clear until on a drive home he asked,
“Hey, you know we get back to the lower 48 right before your birthday, is there anything you want to do?”
“You’re kidding, right? This is a set up?”
Jeff answered with a very blank stare, I couldn’t believe it, I had been so obvious, how could he have missed the signs, “You’re joking” I said once more in a hopeful voice before I exploded into a monologue about all the clues I have been dropping for the past month.
Well the hints didn’t work, however the rant did and the next day Jeffrey forwarded me a copy of the ticket order. I was going to see Stuart McLean for m 25th birthday! I was so excited.
And now that excitement has only been mounting since May, and since we left Alaska earlier than initially planned we have had to plan our entire Western tour around this concert, which has made it all the more exciting. Since I don’t receive Canadian Radio Stations regularly I download Stuart’s show weekly and listen by podcast.
I discovered Stuart while in high school, I had purchased a Christmas compilation CD and Stuart’s stories about Polly Andersen’s Christmas Party was the last track on the album. The story was heartwarming, comical and reminiscent of a lost time in American History. A time I dreamed of experiencing, a more wholesome time when family’s crammed together in living rooms around the country to listen to their favorite storytellers or huddle around to hear a presidential address or news from around the world. For some reason the radio era seems so much more romantic than the TV one, maybe because it fostered imagination and aloud its listeners to visualize the scenes described. Anyway, I am a notoriously bad story teller so the way Stuart’s words captivated me furthered my love of his stories and his fantastic storytelling ability.
It took quite a few years before I thought to look him up online, only to find he was a radio host in Canada and had a slew of stories on CD, a minor hint to my mother and for Christmas, I received all of his recorded work, (apparently my mother and I speak the same hinting language, be it a female or family thing)
I think of all the music and other auditory medium I listen to, Stuart might be my favorite and I dreamed of seeing him in concert, however since he was Canadian it was rare that he performed in the U.S., even rarer that he traveled to the Northeast. So when I realized that I was going to be out west when he was performing I was determined to go.
The concert was everything I dreamed it could be, complete with quaint stories that tickled my heart and funny bone. Stuart’s stories had me leaning forward on the edge of my seat, eager to hear the next line, but trying to preserve the bubbly feeling of seeing Stuart live. Stuart told stories of Dave (owner of the Vinyl Cafe) his wife Morley and their two kids Stephanie and Sam, read a story form the story exchange about a pastor being initiated into a new parish full of rugged fisherman. He shared bits of his own life story with us, interacted with the audience calling out children and the elderly to receive free CDs or his newest book. The concert also included multiple Canadian singers who were phenomenal! Two girls whose combined talents formed the likes of Dala, a piano player that cleverly combined classic composer favorites with popular tunes from modern times and a renowned Blues singer, whose grey hair, leather vest, cane and gravelly voice made you think that maybe this man didn’t just sing the blues, but he was the blues.
It was a wonderful evening and at the culmination of the concert I wasn’t disappointed it was over, because I was told Stuart always stays after the show to greet the fans and sign autographs. As I stood on the long line I kept trying to figure out what one-liner to say or how to act to give off that calm and collected air that I imagined. But Stuart has been such a big part of my life (especially this trip as I have really looked forward to listening to his podcast each week) part of me wanted to do something so he would remember me and I would not just be another dweeby fan. As I scrambled to come up with something, Jeff was slowly becoming convinced that I was actually crazy. I decided to have Stuart sign a specific chapter of the book instead of just in the front, and asking him to wish me a happy birthday via autograph would be enough distinction without being crazy and that I would rely on my charisma to do the rest.
Oh god, the butterflies were flying full speed in my stomach as the fans in front of me thanked Stuart and were on there way. “Oh dear, it’s show time” I thought, I sheepishly said hello; Stuart asked me my name as I hand him my book. “Elizabeth,” Jeff snaps a picture, “And what’s your name?” Stuart directed his question to Jeff, I interrupt, “Elizabeth” I realized my mistake, nervously laugh and then stayed awkwardly quiet while Jeff told Stuart just how much I liked him. My hands are sweating and after a quick posed picture, I grabbed my book and tried to discretely leave the theater so Stuart wouldn't realized just how overwhelmed I was by our meeting. I barely made it out the door before I start to cry and laugh hysterically. Jeff documented my failed attempt at being suave and as tears stream down my face I’m was disappointed by my dorky interactions but elated at what a wonderful evening it was.
If all this talk of Stuart has peaked your interest you can find more information about him and his show here: http://www.cbc.ca/vinylcafe/
So my mother knows Jeffrey is treating me right: Jeff also took me out to a scrumptious dinner in Seattle, including Red wine and chocolate cake! Treated me to a very entertaining college football game between the UofO Ducks and the UCLA Bruins in Eugene the night before my Birthday AND woke me up with Balloons, breakfast in bed, (pancakes topped with singing candles) and finally a book about how to live a self sufficient life on a farm! (An idea I have been talking about this entire trip) So in short, my 25th Birthday was fabulous, thanks to my fantastic boyfriend! Yikes 25 years old I’m half way to 50! Ahhh!
I did not imagine that attending Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Cafe concert in Seattle, WA would give me the opportunity to actually meet someone I idolized. Nor did I imagine just how mortifying my actual interactions could be in comparison to my calm and collected fantasies. But first I would like to give you some background on the events at hand.
Originally, Jeffrey and I were to be working in Alaska until October 5th, returning back to the west coast only days before my 25th Birthday and coincidentally days before Stuart McLean, host of the Vinyl Cafe Radio Show on CBC radio (the Canadian and much better version of Garrison Keillor) would be hosting a concert in Seattle, WA only a short drive from Portland, OR (where our return flight was schedule to land.) I dropped hints with decreasing tact for about a month, doing everything besides making a huge poster telling Jeffrey to buy tickets and tape it to the toilet. After a month I was pretty certain Jeffrey had gotten the message loud and clear until on a drive home he asked,
“Hey, you know we get back to the lower 48 right before your birthday, is there anything you want to do?”
“You’re kidding, right? This is a set up?”
Jeff answered with a very blank stare, I couldn’t believe it, I had been so obvious, how could he have missed the signs, “You’re joking” I said once more in a hopeful voice before I exploded into a monologue about all the clues I have been dropping for the past month.
Well the hints didn’t work, however the rant did and the next day Jeffrey forwarded me a copy of the ticket order. I was going to see Stuart McLean for m 25th birthday! I was so excited.
And now that excitement has only been mounting since May, and since we left Alaska earlier than initially planned we have had to plan our entire Western tour around this concert, which has made it all the more exciting. Since I don’t receive Canadian Radio Stations regularly I download Stuart’s show weekly and listen by podcast.
I discovered Stuart while in high school, I had purchased a Christmas compilation CD and Stuart’s stories about Polly Andersen’s Christmas Party was the last track on the album. The story was heartwarming, comical and reminiscent of a lost time in American History. A time I dreamed of experiencing, a more wholesome time when family’s crammed together in living rooms around the country to listen to their favorite storytellers or huddle around to hear a presidential address or news from around the world. For some reason the radio era seems so much more romantic than the TV one, maybe because it fostered imagination and aloud its listeners to visualize the scenes described. Anyway, I am a notoriously bad story teller so the way Stuart’s words captivated me furthered my love of his stories and his fantastic storytelling ability.
It took quite a few years before I thought to look him up online, only to find he was a radio host in Canada and had a slew of stories on CD, a minor hint to my mother and for Christmas, I received all of his recorded work, (apparently my mother and I speak the same hinting language, be it a female or family thing)
I think of all the music and other auditory medium I listen to, Stuart might be my favorite and I dreamed of seeing him in concert, however since he was Canadian it was rare that he performed in the U.S., even rarer that he traveled to the Northeast. So when I realized that I was going to be out west when he was performing I was determined to go.
The concert was everything I dreamed it could be, complete with quaint stories that tickled my heart and funny bone. Stuart’s stories had me leaning forward on the edge of my seat, eager to hear the next line, but trying to preserve the bubbly feeling of seeing Stuart live. Stuart told stories of Dave (owner of the Vinyl Cafe) his wife Morley and their two kids Stephanie and Sam, read a story form the story exchange about a pastor being initiated into a new parish full of rugged fisherman. He shared bits of his own life story with us, interacted with the audience calling out children and the elderly to receive free CDs or his newest book. The concert also included multiple Canadian singers who were phenomenal! Two girls whose combined talents formed the likes of Dala, a piano player that cleverly combined classic composer favorites with popular tunes from modern times and a renowned Blues singer, whose grey hair, leather vest, cane and gravelly voice made you think that maybe this man didn’t just sing the blues, but he was the blues.
It was a wonderful evening and at the culmination of the concert I wasn’t disappointed it was over, because I was told Stuart always stays after the show to greet the fans and sign autographs. As I stood on the long line I kept trying to figure out what one-liner to say or how to act to give off that calm and collected air that I imagined. But Stuart has been such a big part of my life (especially this trip as I have really looked forward to listening to his podcast each week) part of me wanted to do something so he would remember me and I would not just be another dweeby fan. As I scrambled to come up with something, Jeff was slowly becoming convinced that I was actually crazy. I decided to have Stuart sign a specific chapter of the book instead of just in the front, and asking him to wish me a happy birthday via autograph would be enough distinction without being crazy and that I would rely on my charisma to do the rest.
Oh god, the butterflies were flying full speed in my stomach as the fans in front of me thanked Stuart and were on there way. “Oh dear, it’s show time” I thought, I sheepishly said hello; Stuart asked me my name as I hand him my book. “Elizabeth,” Jeff snaps a picture, “And what’s your name?” Stuart directed his question to Jeff, I interrupt, “Elizabeth” I realized my mistake, nervously laugh and then stayed awkwardly quiet while Jeff told Stuart just how much I liked him. My hands are sweating and after a quick posed picture, I grabbed my book and tried to discretely leave the theater so Stuart wouldn't realized just how overwhelmed I was by our meeting. I barely made it out the door before I start to cry and laugh hysterically. Jeff documented my failed attempt at being suave and as tears stream down my face I’m was disappointed by my dorky interactions but elated at what a wonderful evening it was.
If all this talk of Stuart has peaked your interest you can find more information about him and his show here: http://www.cbc.ca/vinylcafe/
So my mother knows Jeffrey is treating me right: Jeff also took me out to a scrumptious dinner in Seattle, including Red wine and chocolate cake! Treated me to a very entertaining college football game between the UofO Ducks and the UCLA Bruins in Eugene the night before my Birthday AND woke me up with Balloons, breakfast in bed, (pancakes topped with singing candles) and finally a book about how to live a self sufficient life on a farm! (An idea I have been talking about this entire trip) So in short, my 25th Birthday was fabulous, thanks to my fantastic boyfriend! Yikes 25 years old I’m half way to 50! Ahhh!
1 comment:
Happy Birthday Elizabeth!
Beers are on me when you guys get back to Auburn. There is a good band playing at Suzy's the night before thanksgiving : ) You have to go there to claim them.
I had a meet and greet with my guitar idol John Petrucci from Dream Theater two years ago. I had all these things planned to say to him. When I walked up to him and shook his hand my mind went completely blank. I said "Hi john meet you is great". We both laughed. That put me at ease and we had a nice little conversation. The thing is when you meet someone you look up to and admire, there is the fear they will turn out to be a complete ass. When you realize they are only human you can relax a bit.
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