Monday, November 29, 2010

A Great Monday with Apolo Ohno

As Monday's go today was pretty special. This morning on the news I heard that Olympic Speedskater Apolo Ohno was going to be in Bakersfield for a book signing! I love Apolo! I love the Winter Olympics! I loved Apolo in the Winter Olympics! So I knew I had to see him.

Luckily the book signing was from noon to 1pm which is my lunch hour so I dashed over there and almost didn't stop because of the line. But then I thought, "You know what? When are you ever going to get this opportunity again? This is an Olympic Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal winner and he's HERE...in Bakersfield! You park this car Missy and get in that line!" I can be pretty demanding of myself at times!!

So I did it. I got in line and then noticed that everyone already had the book, so I asked the lady in front of me and she said you had to buy the book first. So I walked up to the front of the store just as Apolo got off his bus.

I saw the top of his cute little head and there was thunderous applause and then *poof* he was gone into the store to get set up to sign books. So I went in and I bought my book and went back outside to a line that was even longer now, but before my self could give my self another talk...I got into line!

The girls in front of me started telling me that he had stayed at the hotel that they work for, The Marriott and they had found out this morning that he was eating breakfast in the hotel restaurant and they went there to see him and were sure they had made fools of themselves just standing there gawking at him.

The line moved fast and someone came out and told us not to worry, that Apolo had said he would stay until every last person in line got their book signed and also that unfortunately he would not be personalizing them as there were too many people and he had another book signing in Fresno at 4pm. The line did move fast and before you knew it I was right there...gazing into those beautiful caramel colored eyes!


He just didn't stop smiling at everyone although the two people on either side of him were rushing everyone through. I just got a moment to look at him when he handed me my book back and I said, "Thank you Apolo" and he smiled and said "You're Welcome"...and I swear I swooned!


The girls that were ahead of me in line were still standing there taking pictures and I swear when they saw me and I saw them we squealed and jumped up and down like teenage girls! Ok...well, yeah...they were teenage'ish girls, but hey! it was Apolo...I was allowed to act like a teenage girl. It's called "Joie de Vivre" and I'm glad that even on a Monday...I still have it!

So I have the book and I can't wait to read it. It's filled with great pictures! And I have his signature and that makes it even more special.




Yep...this was a pretty great Monday!


8 comments:

  1. I got to see him in Fresno! He's adorable!

    Yve

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  2. Oh, this is REALLY special. Good for you for waiting in line. This is a much better story than it would have been had you not waited!

    He does look awfully cute in those pics!

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  3. Anon - Yay! Good for you, I'm glad that you showed up in Fresno. Apparently there were a lot of people that showed up in Fresno!

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  4. Rebecca - Yep, I didn't think of it but if I had just posted about going in and buying a pre-signed book it probably wouldn't have been as interesting as actually waiting in line for him. It would have been great to have you and your camera there capturing it all for me...lol.

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  5. Ummm, how cool! I'm more of a figure skating fan, but I love Apollo and his father. They seem to have a great relationship!

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  6. Oh, YAY for you! I LOVE the fact that you squealed like a teenager...he's absolutely a cutie.

    I'm so glad you threw caution to the wind and got on that line!

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  7. Della - I love figure skating as well. I can't wait to read the book, his dad was a great inspiration to him.

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  8. Kathryn - lol...I swear I really did squeal...and jump up and down...It was so totally cool!

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