Reading all of the accounts of everybody else's meeting Andy has delighted me to no end!  So, I guess I wanted to contribute my brief but enjoyable exchange with the man, the myth, the legend.  First of all, it was nice meeting fellow Chicago Chalkhillians... that was very cool!  I hope to see you all again! :)  And I was so happy to see so many people there, even though I had to wait so long due to the bumbling Border's people.  Okay, enough of that.

When I finally got up to meet Andy, I think we were both equally tired!  I was about 10-15 people behind David (aka Spanky ;), and yes, the line was still lurching along at snail's speed.  He held out his hand for a shake, and I was shuffling items for him to sign from one hand to another.  I think that was the only time when I felt really dumb.  The first thing I said to him was, "Andy, I must say...I think you're cooler than the other side of the pillow!"  He was already signing a CD, but he stopped for a moment...cocked his head, looked up and let out a laugh.  Then he said, "I've never heard that before!  I've heard, 'You're cooler than a penguin's chuff,' but I haven't heard that one!"

Whew!  He liked it, AND I made him laugh!  I'm doing well...  Okay, on to my next comment.  I said, "And, this album, it's almost as good as being in love."  Still in the midst of signing a CD, he was silent...and then he was uncomfortably silent (that's how I was perceiving it!) as he stopped writing.  And I let out a little weak, "Um, that's good...for me, at least!"  Then he said, "Oh wow, yes, thank you!  I'm getting all emotional now...I'm going to have to stop now, go back to my hotel room and start sobbing!"  So...I took that as a good reaction.  I guess my comment just took him aback!  And I was telling the truth--I honestly think that Apple Venus Volume 1 is almost as good as being in love, though not quite AS GOOD.  But it's up there!!!  It definitely had me swooning and reeling the first time I heard it.  The album is so beautifully lush, rich, sensuous, erotic, and exciting!  See, much like being in love. :)  Anyway, before I get too carried away...

My last comment was, "I am going to toast a pint to you tomorrow night at the Great Guinness Toast."  He said, "Thanks!  Yeah, that big thing is going on tomorrow night..."  Hehe.  I said my parting thank you's as he signed my Punch cigar box (which served as a paint box and was also signed by Neil Gaiman), and I shuffled off to let my former roommate meet him.  She took all of the pictures of me standing next to him.  The officials were not letting anybody take any more posed pictures by the time I got up there.  I felt slightly cheated to say the least.  Especially since I had arrived 2 hours early!!!  Ah well, at least I got to meet him.  It was an absolutely WONDERFUL experience.  I'm dually envious and overjoyed for all of you who have yet to meet Andy!  And a lot of you will get to meet Colin as well, you lucky dogs!

Oh, and by the way.  Last night I processed and printed the pictures from meeting Andy.  I have some nice black and white shots of him during the Q&A session.  They look quite impressive as full 8 x 10 prints!  I'll try to scan them in as soon as possible, but it might be a little while since it's midterm week, and then I'm headed off to Florida for 10 days.  Anyway, the point is...I'm willing to make multiple prints and send them out to people.  Also willing to trade for tapes and such, but otherwise I might have to charge just a little for postage and photo paper (I use ILFORD multigrade, double-weight, fiber-based, glossy paper, i.e. really high quality expensive stuff. ;)  Also, I can mount them to matte board as well...that'll be a bit extra.  I'm not charging for profit--just to cover my expenses!

Cheers,
Piriya

--
ól, ceol agus craic!

"Your heart is the big box of paints, and others,
the canvas we're dealt."  -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

  Minister of Propaganda
http://www.enteract.com/~piriya/