Friday, November 10, 2006

In which I get in touch with my external introvert…

So the Harlot. Was very very good.

I promise that she speaks exactly the way she writes and I love that her voice comes through so loud and clear. She has excellent comedic timing and if there were a lot more knitters at comedy clubs I’m sure she could take the act out of the LYS and into Yuk Yuks. Somehow I don’t think any other group will laugh so hard about “ribbed for his pleasure” – just saying.

I was, however, disgustingly starstruck.

Remember Persona Girl? Here is how PG would meet the Harlot…

PG would be wearing the most beautiful handknit something EVER. After waiting in line, PG would meet Stephanie for her autograph, say something divinely and devilishly funny and Stephanie would laugh. PG would mention how Stephanie inspired her to start her own blog and how it has been a great experience and opened her up to the world at large. There would be instant rapport (as there always is with PG).

Alternatively, there’s me:

I stammer hello. Whisper my name. Tentatively reach out a finger to touch the pretty sock on the table. Stephanie kindly says she likes my scarf which was very gracious of her since it looked like a wrinkled mass of Noro Silk Garden crap that’s never been washed but I figured I should bring something handknit for the occasion. I mumble a thank you…mention I’ve been to Romni and Lettuce Knits and how both proved to be rather tempting. I giggle at the wrong moment and say I’ll be back in T.O. in the spring. I stumble away.

Now this is all rather odd. I grew up with a writer, so I really do know the creature rather intimately. Writers are generally a rather introverted lot who seem less so in public because they tend to be able to cover the shyness with all that ability to articulate. And here is a woman who openly admitted to being unable to approach another knitter on a train…

So Stephanie, if you ever read this, just know that it could have been so much worse – at least I didn’t throw up all over you. And if I had my druthers, I’d buy you a beer and tell you how I think you don’t just speak for Every Knitter, but Every Woman. That knitting IS a sport, but that like parenting it does not ever let us forget how fallible we are and how persistence can sometimes wins out. I’d blame you completely for my new obsession with spinning. I’d tell you that I was a doula too for a while – not patient enough to be a good one – but that my desire to continue to be involved in educating parents-to-be has never gone away and I’m more passionate about that then I am about fibre.

By the way…apparently the Bruins sucked so I definitely chose the right place to be.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't worry, you're not the only one! I went to the afternoon book thinggie with the Harlot and when I got to my car I just shook my head and thought of all the clever things I could have said.....maybe in another world.......and the store owner thought I had taken a copy of the book (had brought my own that I had gotten as a gift) *sigh*

Leanne said...

If it's any consolation, I too stammered and said something that barely resembled a coherent English sentence.

She sure was awesome though! I've tried telling people about it today. I got "that look" on more than one occasion. Glad there are others out there who understand!

froggiemeanie said...

Hey! I was just your 1000th hit! I feel special.

I try to remind myself that "stars" are just people like you and me, putting their pants on one leg at a time and all that jazz. Unfortunately, that logic always leaves me when I'm actually in the situation. I always end up feeling like I'm back in junior high desperately yearning for a glance from a "cool kid". Sigh. So hard to be shy.

Jeanne said...

Don't feel bad - I would have been the same way. I saw a blogger that I read at Rhinebeck and couldn't go up and talk to her (I've even bought her handdyed yarn)...I was mad at myself afterwards. Glad you had a good time!

J. said...

Yes I always feel as though there is so much I could of said and never say... if only we had a rewind button.