I also got a hit from someone searching for the word "peeing." Heh.

Enough of this chit-chat!

I have exciting news.

I met her.

Yup, I did.

ImetAyunHalliday.

Please excuse me while I geek out now. (eep!eep!)

I'd been looking forward to this for months. As the day drew closer, every time I thought about it, I got that butterflies feeling in my stomach--the feeling I used to get before a date. I kept very quiet about this event, for selfish reasons, I am embarassed to say. First, I didn't want to act like a total crushed-out fan-girl in front of anyone I knew, and second, I figured the fewer people I told, the less crowded it would be. I know, I know. Bad, bad, bad. But I didn't even want to take C., so you know I was serious about this one.

So last night I went to Quimby's to hear her read from her new book, No Touch Monkey. Happily, the store was busy but not so crowded that I couldn't find a good seat. As she sat and read, I spent most of the time watching and thinking, "I can't believe that I'm really here, and she's right there. And there's Greg (her husband), over there. How funny to see them in person after seeing them only in cartoon form for so many years." Ayun was a little bit different than I expected, but not too different. She was much more animated and smiley than I thought she'd be. As she read, she kind of acted out the parts in the book. Neat, that she would feel comfortable enough to do accents and make elaborate hand gestures and read about the gory details of travel on the (very, very) cheap. Seeing her in the flesh definitely lent a bit of perspective on her as a person, and her writings in relationship to her everyday life.

Afterwards, I asked her to sign my copy of The Big Rumpus. I was so nervous! I didn't think I would be until I was right there, talking to her. God, what a geek I am. We chit-chatted for a few minutes, nothing worth relating and frankly mostly a big blur.

I walked out of the store and back to my car, deep in thought. I don't think I've ever had that much contact with a person I admire as much as I admire her. I have always been much, much too afraid to approach people like her, for fear that they would be a total jerk or something, and my rosy vision of them would be shattered. But this was good. I'm glad I did it, and honestly, I'm still glad no one was there to witness it.