Thanksgoating - Day fourteen. Hi stranger
11There are times in your life that you run into people who are larger than life. Some people never do, some people do quite often, and there is the middle group of folks who will sometimes run into someone you weren’t expecting to.
My parents are in the ‘quite often’ group. My mom grew up in a small town in update New York in the 1930’s. One town over from where Lucille Ball grew up. I asked if she ever met her and my mom said, ‘yes… but I wasn’t too impressed’. That’s my mom. She could ride a horse and shoot a rifle. My mom is kind of awesome. 
After my dad left the Air Force, he became an architect and a set designer for local news stations in Seattle. He designed sets for William Shatner before Star Trek was a thing (my daughter has a Shatner number of two). He turned down a job after meeting with Walt Disney because he didn’t want to live in Southern California. Then he worked with a real estate company and he ended up as the broker for the sale of the South Fork ranch in Texas. Which was the big estate that was used in the TV show Dallas.
My daughter has played peak-a-boo with John Glenn. Who has walked on the moon.
My wife and I fist bumped Sammy Hagar on our 10th anniversary, and had a great conversation with Chef Morimoto on our 21st. We’ve been lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
But my favorite thing is when I when I was getting started in IT and I did work for Dean Young in Clearwater, Florida in the mid-90’s. His dad, Chic Young started the cartoon strip ‘Blondie’ and Dean carried the torch when his dad retired. The guy had more money than God but was the most down to earth guy I’ve probably ever met. When I worked on his computers, he’d always throw me at least a $20 tip and tell me to go take my girl out girl for a drink
One day I was finishing up my work and he asked what I was doing for the weekend. I said it was my girlfriend’s birthday so we’d probably go out to dinner somewhere. He asked for my address and two days later an overnight package arrived in the mail for my Jenny. He is such a good dude.
So… if you’ve had an unexpected encounter you’d care to share, please do. It’s always nice to see how human household names can be (and/or the other side of that coin)
Oh, and ‘Mean’ Joe Greene saved my life. That’s another story. Too many words already
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FOOLS! TOOLS! JEWELS! AWESOME!
The best I can do is relate that at a convention in Tulsa in mid-summer, the temperature inside the building was so frigid that you could have hung beef. Walter Koenig was one of the guests, and he’d arrived with his suitcase packed for July; no jacket, and just one long-sleeve shirt. Early in the event, he made the rounds of the dealers in search of a hoodie or anything warm; he was freezing at the autograph table. I remembered that I had one long-sleeve T-shirt in a box under the table; it wasn’t part of the regular stock, and was pretty much just there by accident. I dug it out, and gave it to him. I’ve run across him a few times since; he still remembers that shirt.
@werehatrack Very cool
@werehatrack Chekov!
@Kyeh @werehatrack
I didn’t have a clue…
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Koenig&ved=2ahUKEwju5Z_SkrD7AhX3kokEHdkLCTgQmhMoAHoECBUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0nvr7q4ns8jUvwXxT2RD1c
@Lynnerizer @werehatrack I didn’t either until I looked up his name!
Worked as an extra on Tim Burton’s movie Big Fish. Got to be around several stars but didn’t really get a chance to interact with them outside of on the set. Still was cool to see Danny DeVito, Marion Cotillard, Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Andre the Giant, Steve Buscemi and some others ‘up close and personal’.
@chienfou I imagine Danny Devito and Andre the Giant were quite the contrast
@capnjb
Yeah they were.
If you’re a fan of movies I highly recommend taking an opportunity to be an extra on a set for a big production. It was really fascinating and enjoyable to watch. Plus, since we got paid (even though it was about minimum wage I believe) I can now list professional actor on my resume!
@chienfou The closest I’ve been to that is being a stand filler for Major League 2. It was filmed in Baltimore since the Indians stadium was still being built. The stands were filled with person, card board cut out, person, etc. Neat experience… didn’t get paid but they did raffle off Charlie Sheen’s Harley for those who participated. Sadly… didn’t win. And that’s probably for the best
John Glenn didn’t walk on the moon (he was a Mercury astronaut, too old for the Apollo missions), but this is all amazing stuff!
@kostia You’re absolutely right. I blame the Mandela effect. Or my old age
We were standing in line waiting for Easter service and I was holding my daughter in my arms and she was giggling and laughing and having a great time over my shoulder. I turned around and there was John Glenn with his hands over his face playing peak-a-boo with my daughter. Surreal moment to be sure 
What a totally cool gift! Blondie was my favorite and actually the only cartoon strip I remember reading! Oh wait, Beetle Bailey was a favorite too!!
@Lynnerizer Embarrassing moment #1 - I still need to frame that
I got to be pretty good friends with some guys who were in a popular regional band, and as such would help them lug gear, set-up their live shows, etc. Many times they’d be a support band for larger acts, or would be on the same bill as others, and so I got to meet quite a few individuals in the rock realm. Oh…that thing about not meeting your idols…It’s a very REAL thing! Although I will say I met more decent individuals than those who weren’t. We’re talking mid to late 90’s primarily so lets just say that I saw a LOT of hair!