"I Left My Heart in the Otherness" by Hollis Krause
"I Left My Heart in the Otherness" by Hollis Krause
Just back from Baltimore where I had dinner with the attendees. I'll let the others fill in the details. For my part I want to say that if Lisa, Susan, David, Mike, Marc, and Tony are typical of the intelligence and genuineness of the rest of my readership, then I am a truly lucky man.
FPW
Hello fellow board walkers. I have to be honest up front, I am not an emotional guy. The last time I really cried was when my Uncle died a few years ago. But watching what I consider the best group of friends anyone could ask for, ride away in the airport shuttle in the golden sunlight of the afternoon, I felt a sorrow, like something wonderful had ended.
It had.
The Grand Unification started off as a mere suggestion about 5 months ago and from there it slowly began shaping into an actal possiblity then it flourished into reality.
What did I expect? A group of people that I had never seen before and had only known from the message board and chat were on their way to Baltimore. I was nervous of course, but had I known then what I know now there would NEVER have been any doubt or worry.
The last four members have left but mere moments ago and already I feel like I have lost my best friends. How is that possible? I don't know,that was a rhetorical question, but I can offer some insight if not an answer.
To my "FABFOGG" (Don't ask.) and Queen of the message board, Lisa: You are an incredible individual. You are funny, adorable, a confidant, my best friend. Why we get along so well and why we think the same and have a vast knowledge of 80's sitcoms and their respective theme songs is beyond me, but that is just part of the wonder that is you. Thank you for being here, on the board on messenger, on the phone and finally as the stars had predicted, here in Baltimore with me.
To Susan: My Georgia Peach. You are as beautiful as you are kind, your generosity, your sense of humor and your talent make for one package that is simply fabulous. You had me smiling from ear to ear the entire time and hugging you goodbye was one of the most bittersweet things I have ever had to do. Thank you for coming into my life, both on line and at the GU
Marc: My buddy. I know I give you hell a lot, but trust me when I say that you are one incredible individual. Your exceptional character and concern for your friends is rare. Your wit is sharp and you give shit as well as you take it. For what it is worth, I am proud to call you a great friend and I thank you for spending your time here in Baltimore, you are missed already.
Dave: The Brit. What a great guy. You traveled the farthest to be here but it would not have been the same without you. You brought a certain quiet class that was ever present under your joking. You are truly a great friend and you are appreciated more than you will ever know. Thank you my friend from afar, God bless you in your travels home and I will see you online.
Mike: Thank you for being with me on my trip to Delaware, I couldn't have made it without you. (This will be explained later) You are truly an interesting character, insightful, and a great writer and a interesting film maker. Thank you for bringing your off kilter humor and askewed view to the GU. It wouldn't have been the same without you. I hope your voyage home is a safe one. See you around buddy.
FPW: Without you I would not have met the people I am honoured (that spelling s for my fried Dave)to call my best friends. From the moment we all first met each other up until the time came to say our goodbyes we interracted, socialised (again, for Dave, laughed and laughed some more like we were all old school buddies. Thank you FPW, your presence an unforgettable weekend all the more amazing. The way you just sat and chatted with us like you had known us forever, it was simply...amazing. You even went on a beer run with me and didn't laugh (at least out loud) when I drove over the curb. Thank you so much.
Between unforgetable dinners together, shopping, visiting the harbour (again, for the Brit.) and just lounging around the hotel doing karaoke or taking the time to talk to each other a bond grew stronger and right now I am missing my friends a lot. Be safe my friends, and email me when you get in.
As for the events fellow board walkers, I am going to see if those who attended want to put together a web-zine for you to read, including each persons own viewpoints on the weekend.
Until then, take care. I need to go dry my eyes.
-Tony (AsMoral as a guy who simply misses his friends.)
> fried Dave? And to think I usually prefer my dave's > steamed.
I prefer myself steamed. Hammered, wasted, pissed, paralytic. Anything along those lines. Fried sounds painful.
Thanks for your words Tony, and I agree with everything you wrote about everyone, it truly was a pleasure to meet you all. Although you did all make me feel like a performing seal at times (say this Dave, how do you say that Dave? bark once for yes, Dave). Only kidding, I felt right at home in a foreign land and it was because of you guys and gals (Coke and McDonalds playing a small part too).
Tony, words are not enough, you're such a funny and generous person, and you were the perfect host. It was a joy to meet you face to face, and keep up the singing, you're good my man. 'I believe in miracles, yes I do, you sexy thing.' I suppose words were enough after all, hehe.
Lisa, thank you so much for the t-shirts. You should be very proud of your kids, they were great, but with a mum like you I shouldn't expect anything less. It was fun to meet the queen behind the sarcasm at last. Tell Hollis I always risk on Big Bucks.
Marc, I couldn't have asked for a better roomy, apart from the crying out of Susan's name in the middle of the night. You are without doubt one of the good guys, and when you want to have a tour of Britain just give me a shout. I don't recommend hitch-hiking though - you've seen American Werewolf in London, haven't you? 'It's you, David. You're going to turn into a monster!'
Mike, thanks for the gifts and the enthusiasm. To meet the man behind the endless stream of ideas and emails was a destiny waiting to happen in one of your multiverses, I'm glad it was this one.
Susan, oh Susan. As it was before it is again, I just can't get enough of spending time with you and am missing you already. Thank you for the birthday present, Coke is the word, and thank you for being a terrific friend. Until our next weekend away together, hehehe.
Finally, Paul, it was a real pleasure to meet you. Thank you for taking the time out to spend an enjoyable (to me at least) evening with us, and for putting up with some of the strangest topics of conversation I've participated in in quite a while (did I really discuss the UK Porn industry? Tell me it was a figment of my imagination). You made a fantastic weekend into a bloody marvellous one (to use one of my quaint Britishisms).
And finally it has to be said I don't think I laughed so much in one weekend before, it was a riot. The good kind.
Thank you one and all.
Here is to GU-2. I can't wait.
Dave
Well my official report is taking way too long to write and I just had to put a few thoughts and feelings down myself. This was an incredible weekend. One I will never forget.
Tony, in case you have not realized it, you just became everyone's honorary big brother. Listerine strips. Raging Karaoke. Strange women knocking on hotel room doors. F. Paul Beer Runs. Unwilling stowaways. Delta X-Ray Foxtrot copies. Oh yah. Quit smoking. It will kill you. And this world would be much poorer for it. And when Nicolas Cage's "Ghostrider" gets released, your resin bust will be worth a lot!
Lisa, you are the coolest mom I know, and the most attractive. Hollis and Annika are the cutest. It was an honor to finally have met the Queen herself. Now was that a fun trainride or what? Oh yes, the muffins were not that bad, and mine definitely took the edge off my raging hunger. It was a dream fulfilled to finally meet the gorgeous face which covers the quick mind and sarcastic wit known as Lisa Krause. I bow. May your Lady Death resin bust find fine company amongst your ghost collection.
Marc, the Tard. For the longest time I thought everyone was saying "Targ!" Which is, I believe, some creature from the Klingon Home Planet in Star Trek. Thanks for acting as my co-pilot and communications officer for so many drives. Its great talking movies with a fellow film major. Lets stay in touch. Oh yes. Stop smoking. It will kill you. Akira is the greatest Japanese animated film ever made! Peace.
Heather...I mean Susan! Sorry. That just slipped out! ;-P It was great to finally meet you. Thanks for answering all my mundane questions about the martial arts. Remember to wear your Kolabati "sun" necklace at all times as it will keep you healthy and young for many years. My best to John and Mio. Now, go get that second degree black belt! And yes, you DO look just like your Buffy action figure.
Dive...I mean Dave! Tony was right you know? Everyone and I mean everyone was so excited to meet you this weekend. Thank you for not clubbing me for all the pushy submissions I made while you edited "Nightworld Chronicles." I hope this is not your last visit to the U.S. Sorry the official G.U. scrapbook was so heavy. And may you get many hours of writing from your Buffy pen.
Last but not least is "The Man" himself. F. Paul Wilson. Whom I kept referring to as "F. Paul" even though Marc and the others kept telling me "just say Paul!" The brews were great, the foreign editions of your works very kewl, and the conversation was the greatest. Thank you for spending time with your arguably "six biggest fans!" And, oh yes, Quisp lives!
I also echo all of Tony's feelings. Thinking back on this weekend leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth. I had the greatest time, but am now sad to no longer be with my friends.
We "must" have a G.U. 2002.
Take care,
Mike
Hi everyone,
I am still sleepy from the events of the weekend (not to mention Annika got up at 5:45AM this morning, ack), but I will try to make sense anyway.
I have finished editing and uploading the pics. There are 91 of them. Ninety-one photos of us acting like... perfectly normal people. This afternoon/evening I shall arrange them in a clever fashion and then post the URL for our pages when I'm done. Patience, young TARDs.
Now for some sap.
Mike: It's cool you were able to make it. You went way above the call of duty with the gifts and the binders, etc. Your stories in our book make it look like a Mike Harvey Hanson sandwich. Oh god, now I am ill. Thanks for being there buddy and I am truly sorry about bringing you to Delaware with me. But just think, you got to take in all that great scenery on the ride. Pull the cord, dude.
Marc: What can I say about Marc?
Dave: It was a real pleasure to finally meet the Brit in person. I know I wrote that in your book too, but it was just real pleasurable, you see. That Scottish accent and proper penetration and all. No wonder you've entranced the Georgia Peach. Thanks for doing such a great job on the books. I don't think anyone was expecting them to turn out as well as they did, not that we were expecting you to do a bad job, but, um... shoot, I am tired. Good show, Dave! Tally ho old chap. (Although not as old as me.) I hope you finally get some sleep soon after your American friends wouldn't let you go to bed. Thanks for signing my yearbook!
Susan: Mi chica favorita! Thanks so much for being my roomie. It was tons of fun, except my throat STILL HURTS from our midnight laugh session. No wonder you're scarfing the lozenges. You are so sweet and kind, as well as a beauty, and my kids' favorite "other mommy." You're so adorable that it's hard to believe you could kick all our asses around the block, although I guess the SuperSusan pic proves that you only use your powers for good. I will never forget the swell time we had at Jason's Woods Junior. You're so gracious to put up with my rugrats. Muchas gracias Susan! Estas una amiga castiza. (I'm sure I screwed that up somehow.)
Marc: My favorite TARD, did you really think I was going to dis you? (A rhetorical question.) You are a verra clever boy, a true wit, and almost as adorable as Susan. I'm so glad you were able to make it. It was great meeting the man behind the brbs. You were terrific with my little tax deductions, even if Hollis wouldn't go to sleep for you and made you play game shows. They are still talking about you and Tony. When we move into Hollis' house can I have the room next to yours? (We really need the IM faces on here.) In a word: Cooard!
Tony: My GG, I miss you terribly already. We were together only a short while but surely in that time we altered the rotation of the entire Milky Way. You are so COOL and twice as funny in person as you are on IM, although I wouldn't have believed that before. Needless to say your friendship is precious to me and not just because you can sing the Family Ties theme song too, although I admit that is a big bonus. No, I love you because, um, because you're my GG that's why! And because we are the two coolest people in the universe. We might as well come clean on that. I will "see" you on IM soon and SEE you next year, unless you use the magic multiverse pull cord to come and visit me in MA. You went on a beer run with F. Paul Wilson!
That's all for now. I still have to put those web pages together. See you all next year!
Lisa
Hello all,
I'm still in awe at the amazing weekend spent in Baltimore. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun. Not only did we get to hang out with our favorite author, but we deepened our friendships.
Lisa: My Queen! You rule the RJ land and the multiverse. I can't believe we laughed more in person than we did on IM. It was so funny to just look at your face, know what you were thinking, and break out laughing. You are truly my soul sista! Nanners and Hollis were so adorable. I would have packed them in the bag with me if it weren't for the damn binders.
Marc: The baby of the family. What a treat it was to meet you in person. You are just an all around great guy and a good sport. Although I'm not sure I'll ever get over the rabid dog comment.
Dave: The coolest one of all. You are so special to me. I would say more, but I'm afraid it might lead to improper penetration. You were so kind to put up with me pointing out your Britishness ten times a minute. I can't help it, you are just so cute. Oh my.
Mike: Multiverse Man. You were too much, Michael Harvey Hanson. It says a lot about a man to know he used a real knife in a student film. It's a scary thing. Could we ever forget the VW size binders, the absent cord on the train or your walky talkies? Never. What else can I say....oh, did you know I was a prostitute? Hehehe.
FPW: You are The Man! You went above and beyond the call of duty. Thank you for making this such an unforgettable experience for us. Could you tell that I was happy to see you? Rumor has it I was a tad enthusiastic.
Tony: I saved you for last because you have been the glue of our little band of friends. Like Lisa said, it was amazing to see that you are funnier and even more wonderful in person than we imagined (and we have very fertile imaginations). Thank you for this wonderful idea and for doing so much to make it happen. I miss you so. Can't wait for the next one.
In closing, the GU was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had. My stomach and throat still hurt from all the laughter. You all mean so much to me. I'd say more, but I'm getting farklempt. Talk amongst yourselves. I'll give you a topic - the GU was both Grand and a Unification. Discuss.
Susan
Now that I've finally caught up on some well deserved sleep (waking up before 11 a.m., especially when it's not on my own, wears me out... thanks Lisa, Susan and Mike) I thought I'd throw in my opinion of how the GU-1 went and my observations of those in attendance. Hopefully this won't be drawn out or to long for those who decide to read this.
With that, the "TARD OBSERVATION":
Lisa: Have to start with the Queen for fear of being castrated. You definately had the hardest job on during the weekend and you made it through it like a trooper. Taking care of your kids plus the GU kids (i.e. the rest of us) you were the one of the inspirations to continue on through the weekend. You're friendly, funny and thought-provoking, well, funny anyway. It was great to finally have met you in person and be able to spend time with you. Oh, and you're cuter in person. :P
Susan: The co-Queen. What can I say? You look much better with a nose and an arm. You're such a sweet and kind person who always had a smile on your face. You just radiate a warmth that seems to seep into everyone around you and lift the spirits. I've never seen someone so excited in my life and to have had to opportunity to see a person mimicking a rabid dog is something I'll never forget.
Tony: See... I won't make you last on MY list. What can I say about co-Queen number two? (Yes... that was a GG joke!) Like Lisa and Susan you definately bring a smile to those around you with your wit and charm. It was great to have spent time with someone I now consider a near and dear friend. Keep the jokes and tenderness all wrapped in one and you'll go far.
Dave: The Brit. Who could teach me so many wonderful phrases in one weekend? "This Coke is lovely!" It was great finally getting to meet one of the most suave men on the planet and hold many interesting conversations about pretty much everything under the sun. Next time we meet, my fine British friend, I will out drink you. Good job editing the stories and putting together such a fine book. You deserve a lot of credit.
Mike: What can I say? Between watching your epic multiverse films and talking about the multiverse, and Buffy, you are definately the most excitable person I know (besides the rabid dog in Susan). Good luck to you on all your future projects and keep the stories rolling. It was a pleasure meeting you and please stay in contact.
Paul: Well... what can I say? I've already thanked you in slurred passing once. It was a pleasure to have finally met you and it's so nice to know that the down to earth mentality you present here is how you are in real life.
So, in closing, thanks to Lisa, Susan, Tony, Dave and Mike for coming to GU-1 and being true to how they presented themselves here (if they hadn't it could have been a disasterous weekend). I consider you all some of my closest friends and I hope that never changes.