Thursday, July 07, 2005
Here's me, writing in one day late... read on and you'll find out why.
Yesterday, I went for Neil Gaiman's final signing at Borders because firstly I wanted to take a picture with him (read back on my previous post about what a stupid ass I was to pass up a chance at cine) and secondly for him to autograph my lil' Death doll (the packaging to be exact).
Now get this... the queue, was AAAaaaaLLLL the way from the entrance of Borders where the they put the latest DVD releases, round the fron of the building out the side door and then AAAaaaaLLLL the way to the fountain and cafe behind Borders and later on it would stretch on to the office entrance of the building!
Enter Sam.
It's 1755 and Sam is walking really fast to beat this guy with a trolley hoad of Neil's books and comics, and Sam having longer legs and a more purposefull stride reaches the end of the queue first! Yay! The first small victory. Little did I know I had a LOOOooooooong wait ahead of me.
Naively I thought a signing wouldn't take too long but apparently it does.
We scarcely moved 5 metres in an hour! It was getting closer to 2000 when worried whispers filtered through the crowd. At this rate we knew we wouldn't get to greet the god and lay adoring accolades at his gawdly black booted feet. When finally the minion came out at around 1945 and announced the god was going for a break and he'd be back later at 2030 to sign more stuff, you could hear the very audible sign of relief collectively rising from the throng of hot sweaty people outside. Our god had not deserted us!
For the sake of expediting my tale let's just say I made it to the front of the queue by about 2230. By the time I got there, The-Powers-That-Be had cut down everyone's allotment to 1 item and i actually pitied the guy behind me with the trolley load of books. The thing that cut the deepest was that they said no more photos with him, only OF him.
I was like.... DAAaaamn! I already have photos OF him I want photos WITH him!
Part of me wanted to give up and go back but the stubborn ass part of me overruled the wimp and decided that we should stick it out. At the very least I was going to get my Death doll signed!
And sign it he did! I guess I was the only one that night (besides some 'Mad rocker three people in front of me who asked him to sign his haversack) who had something other than a book for Neil to sign. (some of his minions were happily snapping away my special moment with the god.. those buggers..)
Anyway, Lynn showed me the polaroids she took of and WITH Neil earlier that day at the photoshoot at the British council. (Can still send me sms say "he hug people very tight".. at that point in time I was nearly in hysterics.) And I was pestering her to get them scanned for me.. I was like "Remember ah... HIGH RES AH!!!" like the crazed adoring zealot that I am.
Apparently I also learnt that besides the polaroids, she had shot a roll of film, now it's only a matter of time I start bugging her for a copy of those as well.. *Sigh* I'm going to lose all my friends...
Speaking of friends, Huimin was steadfastly standing by me in line. I felt so guilty for putting her through that but she was real game about it.. THANKS HUIMIN! It wouldn't have been the same without you. Thanks Kelvin for buying me food. Thanks Lauren for dropping by with the T-shirt and entertaining me for a while, mocking me..
My ex JC Literature tutor Tan Wah Jiam was in the queue somewhere behind me as well.. don't think he recognized me though.
Well, Neil was swell... in fact, he was just awesome guy. It was obvious that he was real tired but he was still signing. Really appreciated it, you know.. I mean he could just as easily have walked off at 2000 sharp. He didn't. I really admire him for that. Sure as hell made everyone's day that night. He was signing all the way till after 2300 till every last one was signed.
One really has to admire his dedication to his fans...
Was so tired when I got back that it was all i could do to take a quick bath then power-sawed several gazillion Z's.
Wrote him a short note on his website this morning, thanking him for making my day yesterday. (Apparently he heard from his minions that he signed about 1000 autographs that night...) I know he's too busy to reply but if what he says on his website is true, at least I know he'll get to read it.
That's good enough for me.
Will upload the photos as and when I get them.. Thank you Lynn!!! :)
Yesterday, I went for Neil Gaiman's final signing at Borders because firstly I wanted to take a picture with him (read back on my previous post about what a stupid ass I was to pass up a chance at cine) and secondly for him to autograph my lil' Death doll (the packaging to be exact).
Now get this... the queue, was AAAaaaaLLLL the way from the entrance of Borders where the they put the latest DVD releases, round the fron of the building out the side door and then AAAaaaaLLLL the way to the fountain and cafe behind Borders and later on it would stretch on to the office entrance of the building!
Enter Sam.
It's 1755 and Sam is walking really fast to beat this guy with a trolley hoad of Neil's books and comics, and Sam having longer legs and a more purposefull stride reaches the end of the queue first! Yay! The first small victory. Little did I know I had a LOOOooooooong wait ahead of me.
Naively I thought a signing wouldn't take too long but apparently it does.
We scarcely moved 5 metres in an hour! It was getting closer to 2000 when worried whispers filtered through the crowd. At this rate we knew we wouldn't get to greet the god and lay adoring accolades at his gawdly black booted feet. When finally the minion came out at around 1945 and announced the god was going for a break and he'd be back later at 2030 to sign more stuff, you could hear the very audible sign of relief collectively rising from the throng of hot sweaty people outside. Our god had not deserted us!
For the sake of expediting my tale let's just say I made it to the front of the queue by about 2230. By the time I got there, The-Powers-That-Be had cut down everyone's allotment to 1 item and i actually pitied the guy behind me with the trolley load of books. The thing that cut the deepest was that they said no more photos with him, only OF him.
I was like.... DAAaaamn! I already have photos OF him I want photos WITH him!
Part of me wanted to give up and go back but the stubborn ass part of me overruled the wimp and decided that we should stick it out. At the very least I was going to get my Death doll signed!
And sign it he did! I guess I was the only one that night (besides some 'Mad rocker three people in front of me who asked him to sign his haversack) who had something other than a book for Neil to sign. (some of his minions were happily snapping away my special moment with the god.. those buggers..)
Anyway, Lynn showed me the polaroids she took of and WITH Neil earlier that day at the photoshoot at the British council. (Can still send me sms say "he hug people very tight".. at that point in time I was nearly in hysterics.) And I was pestering her to get them scanned for me.. I was like "Remember ah... HIGH RES AH!!!" like the crazed adoring zealot that I am.
Apparently I also learnt that besides the polaroids, she had shot a roll of film, now it's only a matter of time I start bugging her for a copy of those as well.. *Sigh* I'm going to lose all my friends...
Speaking of friends, Huimin was steadfastly standing by me in line. I felt so guilty for putting her through that but she was real game about it.. THANKS HUIMIN! It wouldn't have been the same without you. Thanks Kelvin for buying me food. Thanks Lauren for dropping by with the T-shirt and entertaining me for a while, mocking me..
My ex JC Literature tutor Tan Wah Jiam was in the queue somewhere behind me as well.. don't think he recognized me though.
Well, Neil was swell... in fact, he was just awesome guy. It was obvious that he was real tired but he was still signing. Really appreciated it, you know.. I mean he could just as easily have walked off at 2000 sharp. He didn't. I really admire him for that. Sure as hell made everyone's day that night. He was signing all the way till after 2300 till every last one was signed.
One really has to admire his dedication to his fans...
Was so tired when I got back that it was all i could do to take a quick bath then power-sawed several gazillion Z's.
Wrote him a short note on his website this morning, thanking him for making my day yesterday. (Apparently he heard from his minions that he signed about 1000 autographs that night...) I know he's too busy to reply but if what he says on his website is true, at least I know he'll get to read it.
That's good enough for me.
Will upload the photos as and when I get them.. Thank you Lynn!!! :)
Monday, July 04, 2005
THE DAY I CAME WITHIN 1/2 A METRE OF NEIL GAIMAN.
Man that sounds loser-ish but I don't give a flying fuck in hell.
It was almost everything I didn't dare hope it'd be.
He was funny, patient, nice during signing and VERY English still (what with his american wife and kids and cats).
An absolute darling.
I took a coupla pictures (plus a short vid clip) but we'll have to wait and see when I can get them uploaded since the hardware and software are both plugged into my dad's 'puter. He looks like a rocker in his leather jacket and boots and artistically mussed mop of hair. He's not as tall as I thought he'd be but what the heck... he writes like a gawd and I still got my books signed so heck if he ain't as tall as I imagined.
Kudos and many thanks to Andrew and Lynn.
Andrew -- for getting us kick-ass seats up in the second row where we could comfortably bask in the glow of Neil's gawdly presence. (I could feel the vibes of envy as we made our way up front ;P)
Lynn -- for getting my extra books signed for me and for promising to try to scan me polaroids of YOU KNOW WHO (just in case this is a sensitive issue). I'm gonna hold you to that promise yeah?
The whole event was great, momentous even. I only wish I had been a more aggressive fan girl and angled for a photo op with Neil. Trying to be considerate doesn't do you any good. There were so many people who came after me in the signing that I thought I shouldn't take up too much of his time though I did want a photo op with Neil. Alas, there were other people who did get to take shots with/of him.. oh well...........
At least I did get my books signed.
On a separate issue, a thought suddenly struck me today about people and shopping bags.
After spending half the day yesterday with my mom shopping downtown, I realised something small yet utterly amusing to me.
The number of shopping bags (not the kuching kurak plastiky type of baggies but the nice printed paper ones) equals the amount of confidence one has in entering high end shops.
I actually do get a little intimidated by spartan, brightly lit shops that scream decadence and opulence, basically filled with stuff I can't possibly afford but are reeeeally nice to look at anyway.
Places where every footfall is heard a mile away by expertly trained covert action sales people who seem to have their nerves connected to the floor so no matter how softly you tread they'd always know you are there and will always trail you like the prey you are. Places where a wrongly sneezed sneeze might land you in consumer Siberia. I don't know about the rest of the world but the more shopping bags I carry the safer I feel in the wolves' den. It's like saying "Look.. I can afford to sneeze in anyway I damn well want.. even though these aren't really my baggies.. SO THERE!"
People should be able to sneeze whenever they want to and however they want to, just not in my general vincinity.
The only thing that marred a soulfully satisfying day of basking in the brilliance and insane ingenuity of Neil Gaiman was the regret I have for not pushing for a photo op..
Ah fook it.
At least I got my books signed.. AND HE DREW ME A STAR you hear? A STAR!!
Now that reeally didn't come out right did it...?
Anyway here are the pics of the Neil Gaiman gig as promised. I wish I could post the short video clip but i have no idea how. So deal!
(I'm a terrible photographer.. I refused to use the flash and see where that got me?)
Man that sounds loser-ish but I don't give a flying fuck in hell.
It was almost everything I didn't dare hope it'd be.
He was funny, patient, nice during signing and VERY English still (what with his american wife and kids and cats).
An absolute darling.
I took a coupla pictures (plus a short vid clip) but we'll have to wait and see when I can get them uploaded since the hardware and software are both plugged into my dad's 'puter. He looks like a rocker in his leather jacket and boots and artistically mussed mop of hair. He's not as tall as I thought he'd be but what the heck... he writes like a gawd and I still got my books signed so heck if he ain't as tall as I imagined.
Kudos and many thanks to Andrew and Lynn.
Andrew -- for getting us kick-ass seats up in the second row where we could comfortably bask in the glow of Neil's gawdly presence. (I could feel the vibes of envy as we made our way up front ;P)
Lynn -- for getting my extra books signed for me and for promising to try to scan me polaroids of YOU KNOW WHO (just in case this is a sensitive issue). I'm gonna hold you to that promise yeah?
The whole event was great, momentous even. I only wish I had been a more aggressive fan girl and angled for a photo op with Neil. Trying to be considerate doesn't do you any good. There were so many people who came after me in the signing that I thought I shouldn't take up too much of his time though I did want a photo op with Neil. Alas, there were other people who did get to take shots with/of him.. oh well...........
At least I did get my books signed.
On a separate issue, a thought suddenly struck me today about people and shopping bags.
After spending half the day yesterday with my mom shopping downtown, I realised something small yet utterly amusing to me.
The number of shopping bags (not the kuching kurak plastiky type of baggies but the nice printed paper ones) equals the amount of confidence one has in entering high end shops.
I actually do get a little intimidated by spartan, brightly lit shops that scream decadence and opulence, basically filled with stuff I can't possibly afford but are reeeeally nice to look at anyway.
Places where every footfall is heard a mile away by expertly trained covert action sales people who seem to have their nerves connected to the floor so no matter how softly you tread they'd always know you are there and will always trail you like the prey you are. Places where a wrongly sneezed sneeze might land you in consumer Siberia. I don't know about the rest of the world but the more shopping bags I carry the safer I feel in the wolves' den. It's like saying "Look.. I can afford to sneeze in anyway I damn well want.. even though these aren't really my baggies.. SO THERE!"
People should be able to sneeze whenever they want to and however they want to, just not in my general vincinity.
The only thing that marred a soulfully satisfying day of basking in the brilliance and insane ingenuity of Neil Gaiman was the regret I have for not pushing for a photo op..
Ah fook it.
At least I got my books signed.. AND HE DREW ME A STAR you hear? A STAR!!
Now that reeally didn't come out right did it...?
Anyway here are the pics of the Neil Gaiman gig as promised. I wish I could post the short video clip but i have no idea how. So deal!
(I'm a terrible photographer.. I refused to use the flash and see where that got me?)
Which Member of the Endless Are You?
Which Naruto Character Are You?
Test by naruto - kun.com>
| Disorder | Rating |
| Paranoid: | Very High |
| Schizoid: | Moderate |
| Schizotypal: | Very High |
| Antisocial: | Moderate |
| Borderline: | Low |
| Histrionic: | High |
| Narcissistic: | High |
| Avoidant: | Very High |
| Dependent: | High |
| Obsessive-Compulsive: | High |
-- Personality Disorder Test -- -- Personality Disorder Information -- | |