Tuesday, November 28, 2006

A funny thing happened on the way to the office...

That's "funny" interesting, not "funny" Haha.

This morning while on my way to the office, I took a detour through the falling snow and stopped in at Tim's to get an extra large steeped tea, double double. Mostly because I don't know how long this snow will fall, but it"s a big snow and I might get snowed in at the office.

Anyway, I was standing in line thinking bagel or croissant, bagel or croissant, when the tall brunet in front of me turned around and asked if I was Randall Friesen. I looked at her trying to fit her in someplace, which is a game I usually loose. I"ll end up seeing cousins and thinking they are my old neighbour from the hood where I grew up, or I"ll meet a familiar face on the street an ask what an old cousin of mine is doing in Prince Albert, when really I"ve only ever seen them behind the meat counter at Safeway. Hey, it"s a gift.

Anyway, said brunet was standing there waiting for an answer, and since I couldn"t place her I mumbled something about being unable to recognize her. She answered that she knew Marc and Dixie and had read my blog.

She was very gracious while I fumbled around for words. I still haven"t gotten used to people recognizing me because of that picture at the side of this space, and it usually surprises me, in a pleasant way.

We chatted while we waited for our bagel and whatever she was waiting for. She volunteered that I didn"t seem the same in person as I did on my blog.»? “You"re taller,”? she offered and I laughed, hoping she was laughing too. She was.

I mentioned that many times meeting a blog writer in person, I ended up being surprised. Worlds collide because you have a preconceived idea of an individual based upon their writings, and then you meet them in person. Your brain goes into overload trying to reconcile everything you"ve read from this person, while chatting with them waiting for your coffee. It is a very weird experience.

My bagel arrived with the tea so I was off. It was a treat to meet her and I thanked her for that opportunity.

As I left the place I thought again, through my insecure self, what sort of image I must present to those who stop by here occasionally. The past year has seen my writing become considerably darker in tone, as I have struggled with depression, not to mention Dad"s death, and the girls leaving home. Then there are the mid-life issues, unfulfilled dreams and hopes, and settling again in a good place.

And, as I"ve said before, I don"t want this space to become my counselor, nor do I want to be writing only about these heavy hard things of life. So sometimes I would become silent for a time. But it is a place I really do try to be honest about life in general, my life specifically.

However, I think that picture of me needs changing. It looks like I"m frowning and with the brown turtleneck and arms crossed, looks a bit foreboding. I look pretty goofy when I"m smiling, because it usually looks fake, but maybe it would look better if I had a Santa hat on or something...

Anyway, thanks P for introducing yourself to me at Tims. That was a nice start to the day.

5 comments:

  1. I know what you mean about people thinking you're something based on your writing.

    When we tried to get together with Beck (from A Little Stone) in Yorkton at Thanksgiving, I talked to her on the phone when we arrived in the city and one of the first things she said was, "Your voice is lower than I expected." Apparently I write like I have a perky, high voice...

    And, a good option for a banner picture is always a bathing suit. :) Then there'd be no question "who you are"!

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  2. Well, Randall, the pleasure was all mine. I had heard about you, talked to you briefly on the phone without knowing who I was talking to, I read about you, and, for some strange reason, had been thinking about you lately - maybe to prepare me for today. I didn't notice your "fumbling" and I thought you were a perfect gentleman. Your picture does present a "tough" front (which I totally expected when we met), but the truth is, you didn't come across that way at all. You were very sweet.
    It sure is nice to make connections between the internet world and the real world. Now I can officially say, "I know Randall Friesen."

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  3. Wow..your fame precedes you. :)

    Meeting new friends via blogging is "steeped". ;)

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  4. Steeped! LOL

    Yeah, blogging can lend some "celebrity" to otherwise normal people who'd never make the cut on TV or in Hollywood.

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  5. [...] Today the cheerful part about going to Tims wasn’t seeing the Canadian army lined up for their coffee, or the good Tea I eventually got. My line mate a few people down was Paula. It seems we regularly meet at Tims, at least every year or so. [...]

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