Ok, now that two days have passed, and I've had a chance to process all that has happened, I will attempt to describe the convention. Ofcourse, there are things that I won't remember properly or tell correctly, but I'm sure the others will correct me where necessary, and fill any gaps. We had such an amazing time!!!
Two years ago, I would have told anyone that the greatest thing in the world was meeting Kate Mulgrew. Saturday, that dream was realized again! After almost not being able to go, Richie and I left Richmond at five on Friday morning. It was an eight hour drive, but the weather was perfect and we didn't run into any trouble at all. The hotel was located in a more run down part of twon, and even though the inside was very nice, the outside made me wonder why they thought it would be ok to bring Kate there.
Tina was the first person I met, since she came out to get us. As she showed me to the hotel room, she told me about how she had befriended one of the security guards. That would come in very handy later. After getting to the room and meeting Les and Mel too, we went and got some lunch. We spent a long time at Starbucks just talking about how awesome it was going to be to see Kate in the flesh. Back at the hotel we hung out and roamed the halls for a bit until seven, when they started registration. The lines were soooo long. We went down and got our passes and tickets, as well as our pictures for Kate to sign the next day.
After dinner, we were walking the halls again, when Tim Russ's desert party finished and he came walking out of the room. Richie had the chance to walk up to him and say hello, which he was really excited about. Once everyone else was asleep, Tina and I snuck off to practice.
I woke up at 6:00 on Saturday morning. I laid there until 7:30 before I finally just got up and got in the shower. The first thing we did that morning was get in line for Tim Russ's autograph. We waited about 45 minutes or so. But Richie was the second person to go to Tim's table. He got to have his picture taken with him as well and he was so excited.
Next we hopped right in the line for Kate's photo op, which was already starting to back up. We decided that Richie and I would go first since I had met her before and everybody else was starting to freak out. I was actually doing pretty good until about five minutes before. That's when my stomach started to do jumping jacks. When we were next in line, I caught my first glimpse of Kate. I think that my heart actually skipped a beat. Teh image of her standing there in her brown suit, her left hand in her pocket, her hair perfectly styled is permanently etched in my brain. As soon as I saw her, I could feel my cheeks flush. It was our turn, and we walked up to her. She made the greatest face when she read Richie's shirt. It said, "Janeway is my homegirl." You could tell that she thought it was cute. When I got beside her, I started to tell her that I saw her in Baltimore in Tea at Five and that she was amazing. When I started talking though, she turned to me and looked me square in the eyes. Her piercing blue eyes almost made me forget what I was trying to say. She said "Thank you so much." Then the picture was taken. Richie stepped off to the side and Tina and I had a picture taken with her. Fortunately Tina blinked, so they had to redo it. I got to stand beside Kate for a few extra seconds. I told her thank you and it was done. My face was as red as my hair.
We ran and grabbed some lunch before Tim Russ spoke. He started off with his version of the Gilligan's Island theme, featuring Voyager instead. He then started taking questions immediately. It was great because I finally got to hear the spit ball incident from his point of view. When the questions were done, he showed a preview for "Star Trek: Of Gods and Men" as well as a short parody of product placement. It was very very funny!!! At that point, we had two hours before Kate's Q and A, and I was starting to get really really nervous. Tina and I finally decided it was time to let someone else in on our plan, so that we could testrun it. We went to Les and Mel, told them that we'd lied about the skit thing and asked if they would listen to our real idea: a poem which we had written for Kate.
They loved it and told us that Kate would love it too. I was so nervous that I was afraid I'd get sick. A certain someone (no names mentioned) tried to back out, but I told her that we hadn't come this far to just back out at the last second. No, we were doing this! I did some deep breathing, prayed, and tried to distract myself until it was time to go get our seats. When she came out, it was amazing!!! She asked, almost immediately, if Tim Russ was in the crowd. He was sitting three rows infront of me, with his head down. She said she had a feeling that he would pop up. Then she began to speak about what she is doing now. That's when Tim raised his hand and said "I've got a question. Why didn't Janeway and Tuvok every hook up?" The two of them caught up for a few minutes onstage. I loved it, because I figure that is the closest I'll probably ever get to seeing the "real" Kate. Once Tim left the stage, Kate told us about her plans for the future. She's going to be in a new play this summer. And she talked about The Black Donnelley's. Honestly, most of it is a blur. I was so nervous about reading our poem and so excited at seeing Kate that I couldn't really process all she was saying. She finished and said "Now, I'd love to take some questions. I really prefer questions." Tina looked at me concerned, and I reiterated, once again, that we were doing it.
After a few questions, a lady stood up and asked a question about an episode she'd seen part of. She said that Janeway was upset with B'Elanna and Tuvok. Kate asked if anyone knew the name of the episode and I yelled out "Prime Factors!" The guy carrying the mic around heard me and said, "I've just been told it's Prime Factors." She said she didn't remember it and asked if anyone could tell her what it was about. He looked to me again and I said I could do it. He held the mic out and I jumped up to go and grab it. I said "Hi Kate," and I can't remember exactly how she worded it, but she asked me what the episode was about. "I told her it was in season one and it was about aliens who loved pleasure," I didn't get a chance to say the rest because she said she still wasn't remembering it. So she asked me "Did we resolve it?" I said yes. "Did I do it diplomatically?" I said yes. Again, I don't remember her exact question on the third one, but it was something along the lines of how did she do with it? I said "You were amazing!" So she said, "There you have it. Thank you."
Tina was the next to get the mic and she said, "Hi Kate, my friend and I were hoping that we could read you something short we wrote in your honor." Kate said "Yes, ofcourse......now be loud, and clear." I held the mic out for both of us and I began. "This is called 'An Ode to Kate.'" Now, for clarification here, I am going to post the poem in its entirety, without trying to tell of any comments by Kate or the crowd. Les was nice enough to tape Kate's responses for us, and so when Tina gets home, she will be posting the video.
An Ode to Kate
There once was a gal named Kate,
Who was so incredibly great.
Little Dubuque could not hold her.
She wanted a life so much bolder.
So off to the big city she went
Waiting tables to just pay her rent
Then came her break in Ryan's Hope,
But away from her passion Kate couldn't cope.
So onto the stage she went and she'd play
Here on the stage she spent many a day
Then the audition for captain came
So she went running like hell through the rain
The producers decided on Bujold
Who frankly was too boring and old
So out with the French, the Irish in
This beautiful redhead with her infectious grin
Though thinking themselves quite enlightened
The men in charge grew frightened
So amongst them, they fussed and they fussed
Over silly little things like her hair and her bust
Finally Kate said enough
She wouldn't tolerate such stuff
She knew that sex would soon be an issue
But Kate put her foot down, "Red Alert? No thank you!"
With Kate at the reigns Janeway upwards drew
We soon came to know her as Her Heighness Ms. Mulgrew
But sadly at the beginning of season four
The producers decided they wanted more
Enter Seven with her T and her A
Yet we were not impressed, not to this day
Alas as fans we never faltered
We kept Kate high atop her alter.
For no other captain was as great as she
Along with her trusted cup of coffee
Not Kirk, nor Picard, or Sisko too
To save Voyager only Janeway would do.
So came the end, sad as may be
But Kate did it all with great dignity
Janeway will live on in our hearts and our minds
But feel free to call us and chat anytime
And so it is, with great joy and great glee
That together we stand humbly before thee
Our feelings sincere, our words ringing true
We do so love you, Ms. Kate Mulgrew!
When you can see the video, you'll be able to see her full range of expressions, but I'll suffice it to say that she LOVED IT!!! The rest of her Q and A is pretty much a blur to me. We waited for about an hour or so, to get our autographs, and then Tina and I rushed to the meet and greet. Kate was in a huge hurry and so she was literally just shaking people's hands and moving on.
She walked up to me, and I handed her a bag. "This is for you." I said, and she said thank you. Tina and I had made her a copy of the poem to keep. I asked her if we could get our picture taken with her and she said ofcourse. She put her hand around my back, and I did the same to her. While the lady was getting ready to take the picture I turned to Kate and asked, "Did you like your poem?" "Ah," she said, the realization showing in her eyes, "Ladies and gentlemen, these are the poets!" The picture snapped, she said thank you, she liked it alot and then she said "You ladies made the day!" And like that she moved on. But we made the day!! WE MADE KATE MULGREW'S DAY!!!! That was the best thing EVER!!!
and I'd love to write about the Banquet and Saturday night, but I have to get ready for work. So, when I get home tonight, I will write the continuation.....
Yes, she actually told us that we made her day. Well her exact quote was "You ladies made the day." OMG!!! WE made HER day? No No No, she made OUR day.
