Almost Famous

I had the opportunity to meet the person that inspired me to start writing this blog last week at a conference I attended. Like the people that share their feelings and responses to my articles, I wanted her to know she had inspired someone. Authors like hearing that something that came from the heart, a piece that is truly a part of themselves chosen to share with the world, in some way impacted another. 

I've had the chance to meet a number of people that hold notoriety in different circles, but never one that specifically impacted my personal life. When I lived in California, I'd make it a point to ask my LA sales rep to save the Hollywood accounts for when I visited, just to see if I could catch a glimpse of someone famous. I never did. While in New York City we had stopped into a bar for a quick refreshment when in walked this guy who sat one bar stool away from me and I would swear it looked just like Billy Joel! I turned to my friend and exclaimed, (this was way before OMG)

"I think that's Billy Joel!"

He said, "No it isn't. Stop looking at him."

I'd turn, check out the guy and reaffirm my declaration. Finally, after about 10 minutes of deliberation that pretty much repeated the above comments, the Billy Joel look alike turns to me and says,

"OK, so which one of yous thinks I am and which one of yous thinks I'm not" in this really heavy east coast accent, which was kind of shocking because I've heard Billy Joel sing and he doesn't sound that way AT ALL, throwing a bit of doubt into my firm conviction.

I immediately sat up straighter and explained, quite dramatically using my hands like I usually do to affect a certain point, that I'm the one who thinks he is. He nods, throws a buck on the bar, and leaves. I look at the bartender with a question in my eyes and a shrug of my shoulders, and he confirms, yep-that was Billy Joel. I came home from that trip announcing to all that would listen, I had a beer with Billy Joel!

I've seen Gene Hackman in the Albuquerque airport, he gave me good eye contact and nodded, had my picture taken with Mitch Richmond-former basketball player for my college alma mater and the NBA, while we were at a trade show convention that had nothing to do with either basketball or our university, as well as shook hands with Mike Ditka while eating at his restaurant in Chicago. I've had the chance to meet senators, govenors, university presidents and chancellors, athletes, actors and the list goes on, but what I've always tried to do is treat everyone with the same warmth and openness that I extend to my friends, not get too over excited about what they do and treat them with respect. 

So I sat and listened to the woman that was my inspiration, as she shared how her life has changed since she was a college student, what writing has done for her and how she has embraced reinventing her life along the way. I began to waffle between introducing myself and just moving on my merry way. Would she really want to meet an aspiring author? It seemed so trite to go up to someone and say, 'hey-because of you, I started writing....you want to read my stuff?' At the end of the session, between people dying to get in a word with the local celebrity, I made the decision to say hello. She is just as lovely up close, she is witty (no surprise there-she has been sharing her wit with the community for years) and seemed to genuinely care that I was writing stuff down. She was the one who asked what I called my blog and thought that was something she could remember to look up (thank goodness for my forethought on what to call it, so long ago). It was a reaffirmation to me to keep writing down words, sharing my perspectives and to embrace the reinvention of self.