7:46 p.m. - January 18, 2003
An impression of the glitterati: Don't steal their water bottles, make sure there are fresh - not old - sliced lime and lemon wedges, and don't compare your teeth with theirs because surely theirs are dental implants and yours are the real thing
An eight-hour day spent amidst celebrities and I studied and read An American Summer [Review here], ensconced in an outfitted lounge with bottled waters, perriers, boys charged with making sure everybody was coddled and appreciated, and I've had enough of the glitterati. A glimpse of the high life and it isn't for me. My working partner repeatedly squealed Don't you know who that is! and I'd shrug and say No, except for Danny Glover and Luis Gonzalez. And the anchor for KPIX, but that doesn't count. The tae-bo [spelling?] inventor/marketer guy, an actor from Days of Our Lives, two women from other soap operas (General Hospital, some nurse character, and the other the Luchi [spelling?] chica), the second baseman from the Houston Astros (formerly of the Giants), and a few others filled the bill and it was a day with loud music flashing lights interviews autographs pictures fake enthusiasm.
On my breaks I'd sit on the leather couch and pull out my materials but I'd watch people, amused by security men who came in to ask for autographs for my nephew, I never do this but if you wouldn't mind and most everybody was irritable and irritated, short fused. I was out of place but as always, sign language interpreters become stars and I fielded my own questions left and right: No, ASL is my first language.... Yes, that's right... No, my parents don't speak at all... Oh, your sister's best friend's daughter is learning ASL? That's great...Oh, you know the ABCs? That's great too... Yeah my hands get tired, just like typing 85 words per minute... Yeah, it's a fun job... No, ASL isn't like English at all and I hate these questions while also trying to realize where these people come from and being a good sport about it all.
Was proud for not being nervous in front of the crowd - whole convention center floor - and I was prouder still when people in the audience recognized me and said Yes, his family is known for being beautiful signers because that is true and better yet, I did not flinch when the television cameras came close and my sister saw me on the news and said I looked great. You know what amused me? The Days of Our Lives guy said he gets nervous too, but has to make these types of appearances as part of his contract and how silly he views the whole thing. He's originally from Federal Way and I surprised him when I said I knew exactly where that was, and then we did the I went to college here and my grandmother lives there and his I grew up here and lived there and busted kneecap, Versace this, soap opera that and honestly, I tuned him out. Beautiful people intimidate me.
By 3:00 I was ready to go home and go to the party after all but by 4:15 was out the door, on the freeway, and in my bed for a nap. Didn't go to the party tonight. My small-talk skills were stretched thin already today.
Eh. Real reason I'm not going? Because I didn't want to go solo.
