Hmmm, likely I would be struggling to keep my composure, so I'd have to keep everything simple and direct. Definitely let Andrew know how pleased I was to have an opportunity to finally tell him in person that his style of writing is intoxicating...that I've enjoyed reading his articles but would also love to see him in front of the camera again. Hopefully I would stop short of telling him that I never quite got over my many year crush on him...and hopefully I could make it through my few seconds speaking to AM without blushing too much!
If this is OK, I'll tell you what I thought about and ended up saying to AM the first time I met him at a book signing. I said, "Hello from a fellow New Jerseyian who grew up two towns over". I then added that I used to get my school shoes in Westfiled (his home town) which was also named Andrew's. He then got a huge smile on his face and said, "I remember that place".
In the previous post, I should have said that this shoe store was named Andrew's. I will post later what I said when I met him at his 2nd book signing and why. It's a pretty funny story, actually, in retrospect.
I am not sure I would ASK him anything... wait, I would ask him for a hug! I would prob tell him how much I adore him, have seen all his work and read everything he has ever written [because I have seen everything and will read it all]. I will hope he speaks to me, I will laugh hysterically at anything he says because he is hilarious... I will admit that I have loved him 4ever and then I will leave with my signed book and hope that I did not frighten him!
I am not sure I would ASK him anything... wait, I would ask him for a hug! I would prob tell him how much I adore him, have seen all his work and read everything he has ever written [because I have seen everything and will read it all]. I will hope he speaks to me, I will laugh hysterically at anything he says because he is hilarious... I will admit that I have loved him 4ever and then I will leave with my signed book and hope that I did not frighten him!
I am not sure I would ASK him anything... wait, I would ask him for a hug! I would prob tell him how much I adore him, have seen all his work and read everything he has ever written [because I have seen everything and will read it all]. I will hope he speaks to me, I will laugh hysterically at anything he says because he is hilarious... I will admit that I have loved him 4ever and then I will leave with my signed book and hope that I did not frighten him!
I think I did ask the question...If you could ask Andrew anything, what would you? This question was meant to be more realistic, like, it may actually happen to some of us I hope!!!
I would ask him a hug for sure. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to say to him anything 'cus I'd be over joyed. I might cry in front of him. I really don't know what to say!
Well, a little late in posting this, but the second time I met him Andrew, the only thing I planned on asking him was if he would sign my books (Star should remember this well as she knew I was a wreck before this trip). I will explain.
About two months before this signing, I was pretty sick (still am, but that's another story). I saw that AM was doing a book signing in NYC with other celebs (Lights, Camera...Travel). I called up the bookstore and asked the lady running the signing if she could get a book signed for me. Stupidly, I did not get a book signed for myself when I saw him in DC thinking I would be satisfied with a picture of him and me. I wasn't, so I was h*ll bent on getting this book signed.
The very nice bookstore lady agrees to get the book signed for me. I send her my cc, all my information and a Starbucks gift card for her help (this was a huge deal to me). Well, Mr. M. doesn't go to the signing. He was in New Zealand accepting a travel award. OK, fair enough, but he tweeted that he was going to be there so I thought he could have tweeted that he was not going to be there.
I got a bee in my bonnet and tweeted him saying that the least he could have done is let his fans know that he wasn't coming, esp. if he knew in advance. I then asked if I could send my book (which I received with four other signatures in it, BUT NOT HIS!!!) to NBC studios or somewhere. And I was insistant because I wasn't feeling well and was waiting to hear if I had leukemia (thank goodness, no, but I will explain later).
So, he got mad at me. Like, really mad at me. And...as Star remembers...tweeted me the following: Sandy, I love you--NOW STOP. Yes, somewhere in the Twitterverse it's there.
Gee Andrew, I love you too. Thank you to Star for coming to my rescue.
I go to the January book signing with this as my memory. I bring my signed book, absent his signature, with a bunch others. A couple books had post-it notes, mine included, with names on them for those I wanted personalized. These were the .netters I was able to get in touch with prior to the event, which I only learned about 8 days before.
I was first in the signing line, my husband having held the place while I listened to the talk. I handed him the books and asked if he could personalize the ones with names and told him they were for the .netters. It took him about 5 seconds, and then he smiled and said, "Ah yes." He separated the books between the ones with names and the ones without names, all very methodical. At this point, I was starting to lose it. I just wanted to get the heck out of there.
He glanced at the names and said, "The infamous Sandy. Which one are you?"
I don't know how red my face was, but I know I dropped my head and mumbled, "Sandy, 90Domer, take your pick."
He shot out of his chair and said, "Aw, come here." Before I could react he gave me a hug and, well, something else quite nice which shocked the daylights out of me.
He asked me how I was feeling (gosh, he remembered?), he asnwered my son's ?, and he asnwered Star's ? if his book was coming out in the UK. I did have my pic taken with him again. I held out my hand to shake hand goodbye. Nicely, he didn't only shake my hand...what a sweetie.
Darn, if I could really fall for him if I wasn't married, but I won't let my mind go there. He really is one of the kindest persons I ever met. But I could still never ask him for a hug!
This is a VERY SWEET story!! It brings a tear to my eye! Thank you for sharing! He sounds like a wonderfully kind man and I hope that one day I can have the pleasure of meeting him.
Please let me say this: I have a silly and outgoing personality, but I really was being just that silly. I did not mean to offend anyone that I would actually ask for a hug, because quite frankly I would be too respectful to do that.
Please forgive my comment. I would never really ask for a hug as I would be too respectful of Mr. McCarthy. I was being silly when I posted that comment. Honestly I would not even know what to say. I would just probably stare at him and smile and shake; that is the truth.
Honestly, I think he'd be flattered to be asked for a hug (and knowing him, would probably oblige). I lost my balance the first time I met him and backed into a baseboard heater and into the wall. Talk about being a big goofball. Then I posted what happened the second time. Makes me wonder what will happen in Oct. I dread to think!
Yeah, I'm already preparing for someone to have a good laugh on my behalf. Last time, it was my husband (actually, it was half between *Poor Sandy* and *Wow, I wonder what the others in the line were thinking*). As for me, I just wanted to make my escape ASAP!
Sandy, Thanks for telling us your story.I still remember when Andrew tweeted you "Sandy, I love you- NOW STOP." Now I know what was going on at that time a year ago. I was surprised to hear that you really made an effort to get his signed books. I really appriciate that you sent me one copy for me. I would ask Andrew for a hug ' cus I won't able to say anything especially in English.
I remember it well, as you know Sandy. And as I said before, I still don't know how he meant that tweet. Perhaps it was a little tongue in cheek. So hard to tell from a tweet.
Mikako, you write English so well. I just assumed you spoke it just as well. Anyhow, I was again told I might have leukemia (last week), but I didn't get as upset as I did when I heard it last year. Needless to say, there is still something really wrong with my immune system that the doctors can't quite figure out. My immunity is so low that I get tired and sick often. Add a high maintenance kid to the mix and it's a real challenge. But, I was determined to get those darn books signed, just as I am this time. Only this time, ALL OF THEM will be personalized because I just don't think I'll get a next time. Just getting too tough for me.
Sandy, thanks for your reply.I am very sorry that you have been sick again.I hope your doctors find out to your health problem and cure. You don't have to worry about the signed books. Please don't push yourself too hard. You just take care of yourself and your family. Love, Mikako
Thank you Mikako. Seriously, though, this is a very close event...only 25 miles away! I am just very frustrated more than anything else because I am not an aggressive person and now I have to be when it come to getting doctors to listen to me. I will take lots of naps the weekend before the event and make sure I do not go crazy with my schedule the week before. Just need to be smart. I'd feel bad for missing given AM himself told me about this event!
Sandy, I wish I could do something for you, but I don' t live close to you. I am just praying for you. I've got the ruslt on my MRI testing, the Dr. said I shoud go for CT scanning test next since he found a tiny lump in artery in my head.! He wants to know what it is. CT scanning test will be held this Thursday. To AM fans please take care of yourself and your family.
Mikako, oh my, prayers and hugs to you too. Goodness, I hope this turns out to be the source of your headaches and easy to get rid of. Now I wish I lived closer. I need to be a little less nice with my doctors (I sometimes don't want to hurt their feelings when they cannot help me) and I more demanding that this medical mystery get solved. Once Chris gets back in school, I have a lot of appointments set up to do just that.
Sandy and Mikako, I am thinking of both of you. So sorry you have both been under the weather. Even though I havve not been posting much I have been keeping up with your post. I have been on a bit of an overload right now but it should settle down soon.
Mikako I had severe headaches twice in my life. And in both cases surgery corrected them. I am no saying that is what you need. Jusst saying hoefully what ever you have can be an easy fix.
Thanks for all the AM updates. I told my son he needs to visit his girlfriend in October and go say hi to Andrew. ha
Hi, Mary.Thanks for your lovely message to us. I was wondering how you have been. I am very happy to hear from you . I try to not worry for my headache whatever the rerusl of the CT scanning test. Anyway, I just wanna say YOU are the person who brings us as one family with the.netters around the world. Thanks, Mary. Love ya.
Mary, I agree with Mikako and could not have said it any better. Thank you for your support of the website and for welcoming me to the group so warmly. I never met such a nice, fun and supportive group of people in my life! I certainly hope one day we can all meet...preferably at an Andrew event. Until then, I will do my best to fulfill my goal of getting the netters personalized books of The Longest Way Home.
