Cool people we actually know

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Mendalla

Mendalla

Happy headbanging ape!!
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So this came up on CBC London today:


Thing is, I have known Mark Konrad and his wife for over a decade. They're UUs and we were all active in the local fellowship at roughly the same time. And, yes, he sometimes brought his flags in for the children's story (Moment of Wonder as we called it). Mostly, though, he talked about his human rights advocacy work.

Any cool people you know?
 
Yes, but several authorities told me that I couldn't possibly have encountered those personalities ... so I must curtail mentioning these folk ... allowing generation of the forgotten ... as the authorities would prefer!

I've been told to forget so many things ...

It does go against Erasmus presentations however ... raising curiosities about the nature of stoic things ... that's far shore!
 
I know several cool people. Not necessarily famous. I knew one semi famous person - was in a band - in Vancouver. We met because my good friend - we drank saki (me for the first time) and crashed at his house on my 25th birthday after being at a club. I had no idea he was a “rockstar” at first until she told me. I wondered how she knew this dude who looked like a slightly wilder version of Tom Petty...nothing uncool happened, he was a really nice guy, but we all had too much to drink and crashed there...she ended up being maid of honour/ best “man” at he and his wife’s wedding. My other friend who used to be my roommate years ago got to know them through this friend too, so he actually came to a couple of our summer parties at our very modest apartment that had a communal rooftop patio. He was a drummer in a band that was fairly well known in the 90s and they had a platinum record, which I saw on his wall. He lived in a nice, yet pretty regular condo in our neighbourhood, actually. And he stayed in the neighbourhood after he got married and had a family. One day I was out walking downtown with a friend I knew since high school, who was a big rock star groupie, and we saw this drummer...i’ll call him Joe...who came up and said “Hey Kimmio! How are you?...How are Julie and Tina?” and gave me a hug. The person who i was with almost fell over backwards. Lol. He was like, “OMG, you know Joe Drummer?!” I knew him well enough to have friendly chats on the street anyway. I saw him with his wife him when my parents came to visit once - they may as well have been Shania Twain out with Stephen Tyler, the way they were dressed - my step mom was giving them the side eye subtlety. Then I told them who Joe was after and their attitude changed. They too were like “How tf do they know Kimmio?” Lol. I’ve lived part of my life as a fly on the wall. I could write a novel.

The coolest people I know are unsung heroes, people who do charity work, people who’ve had really interesting and often difficult life experiences they’ve overcome, people who are free spirited. I like to live vicariously through them when I can. Lol.
 
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My cuz won a grammy for the Greatest Showman and was nominated for a Juno but didn't win it....is that cool? And my niece teaches film and TV production at Humber....she's also worked as assistant camera person on many movies filmed in Toronto....so we hear some pretty cool stories about some big stars...but that's just knowing someone who knows cool people.
:giggle:
 
My cousin's son won the Calder trophy for being the best rookie in the NHL the first year be played. But I don't think I can really say I know him. I know his mother, and he has been present at family events (funerals, anniversary parties, birthdays). I had to know his brother better when he and Seelergirl lived next door to each other, and I figured out and told them about the family connection.
 
I enjoyed reading the article @Mendalla - my next door neighbour is also a 'vexillophile' (LOL - word of the day!!) I like that Konrad includes a sign to say which flag it is - we have to ask John! When we travel now, we ask John if he has a flag from 'there' - and if not we bring one home for him :)

Edit to add - just sent John the link & asked him how many flags in his collection :-)
 
I had lunch with sci-fi writer Tim Wynne-Jones last week (Totally unexpected - thrilling!)

He was leading a writer's workshop for students at the high school where I work. I would have thought that the principal would
treat him to a VIP visitor's lunch in the dining lounge, but at this school, VIP visitors are hockey players and math educrats.
A writer who's an Officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions to children's literature doesn't make the cut for being a VIP visitor.

So he showed up in the staffroom with a caesar salad, looking for a place to eat, and sat down right across from me!
First time I've ever eaten lunch with an Order of Canada.
 
GO3838 said:
I had lunch with sci-fi writer Tim Wynne-Jones last week (Totally unexpected - thrilling!)

He was leading a writer's workshop for students at the high school where I work. I would have thought that the principal would
treat him to a VIP visitor's lunch in the dining lounge, but at this school, VIP visitors are hockey players and math educrats.
A writer who's an Officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions to children's literature doesn't make the cut for being a VIP visitor.

So he showed up in the staffroom with a caesar salad, looking for a place to eat, and sat down right across from me!
First time I've ever eaten lunch with an Order of Canada.
Click to expand...

Wow. Tim Wynne-Jones doesn't merit VIP treatment? Your principal's loss and your gain I would say.
 
Mendalla said:
Wow. Tim Wynne-Jones doesn't merit VIP treatment? Your principal's loss and your gain I would say.
Click to expand...

Most definitely my gain to have lunch with him.

(And I was impressed that he knew so much about education policy in Ontario.
He knew way more than the math educrats, that's for sure.)
 
The Right Reverend Doctor Richard Bott is cool.

I've known him since before my ordination in 1998.

Got to hang with him this past weekend at the inaugural meeting if First Dawn Easyern Edge Region formerly known as NL Conference.

Rather than preassigned table groups we drew numbers at random and probability sat us at the same table.

We had some fun!
 
GO3838 said:
I had lunch with sci-fi writer Tim Wynne-Jones last week (Totally unexpected - thrilling!)

He was leading a writer's workshop for students at the high school where I work. I would have thought that the principal would
treat him to a VIP visitor's lunch in the dining lounge, but at this school, VIP visitors are hockey players and math educrats.
A writer who's an Officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions to children's literature doesn't make the cut for being a VIP visitor.

So he showed up in the staffroom with a caesar salad, looking for a place to eat, and sat down right across from me!
First time I've ever eaten lunch with an Order of Canada.
Click to expand...

This is sobering and says so much about the failure of our schools to actually educate. In this case the students are missing out on part of their education that demonstrates manners and respect for literary achievement. Apparently the principal did too. I find it horrendous that this person was left to wander around, find some lunch and a place to eat it.

Our local school favours all things 'male team sports' over any type of art. Sad.
 
The only Order of Canada recipient I have met is Mitchell Baran, the London businessman and philanthropist who started my employer. However he got his OC posthumously so wasn't in the Order yet when I knew him.
 
GO3838 said:
Most definitely my gain to have lunch with him.

(And I was impressed that he knew so much about education policy in Ontario.
He knew way more than the math educrats, that's for sure.)
Click to expand...
I am willing to bet you made him feel welcome and valued. And that the gain was mutual.
 
(Paradox3, I'd post the selfie we took if I wasn't a shy social media poster.)

But I think writers are flattered and gratified by fans who can almost quote their work back to them.
I was telling him how much I love teaching his story "Save the Moon for Kerdy Dickus" when I have a grade 9 class. Lovely tale about a young man driving on Xmas Eve during freezing rain, and puts his truck in the ditch (before he kills someone, because he's also drunk.) He walks to the nearest house, a Japanese family and asks to use their phone (this is an older story - no cell phones.) And in his drunken state, he thinks they're aliens trying to abduct him. It's a wonderfully funny story, even though the way I've described it here may not seem so. But he was flattered by how familiar I was with his work.
 
revjohn said:
The Right Reverend Doctor Richard Bott is cool.

I've known him since before my ordination in 1998.
Click to expand...

I've met the Right Reverend Doctor Richard Bott as well.
I met him in 1990, at Queen's University. (Was that really 29 years ago? Yikes!)
He was a 1st year MDiv then. (I was a 3rd year English)

revjohn said:
Got to hang with him this past weekend at the inaugural meeting if First Dawn Easyern Edge Region formerly known as NL Conference.
Click to expand...

I saw the photos on Facebook, RevJohn. Including the 360degree one with you in it.
Looks like the inaugural Regional meeting was very successful
 
GO3838 said:
I've met the Right Reverend Doctor Richard Bott as well.
I met him in 1990, at Queen's University. (Was that really 29 years ago? Yikes!)
He was a 1st year MDiv then. (I was a 3rd year English)
Click to expand...

You knew Richard before he became famous :D. I only know him from WC and WC2, but he's one member I would happily meet in person.
 
Mendalla said:
You knew Richard before he became famous :D. I only know him from WC and WC2, but he's one member I would happily meet in person.
Click to expand...
Have you tried watching him read from the gospel of Luke over on FB?

He is a very expressive reader and it feels like he is with you in your living room. :)
 
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