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Thats right. THE Orson Scott Card will be less than 10 miles from me and I will not be able to see him. The one man I would kill to see and I will not be able to see him. I hate my life.
Posts: 3389 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Don't listen to TomD and don't kill anyone. It is forbidden. (I remember that from the Top Ten List of Commandments)
Maybe, since he is just 10 miles away, you can invite Mr. Card over for some tea and light refreshments.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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If you do absolutely have to kill someone, I have a list of suggestions you might want to look at, starting with whoever made that 'Say hello to kooyoo!' commercial. Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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If this is THE Orson Scott Card, I wonder how the others measure up. Maybe you could meet one of them. Sure, it won't be the same, but you'll still be meeting a OSC.
Posts: 291 | Registered: Jun 2002
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Thanks for making me laugh a little while I drown in a sea of tears, Heffaji. OSC is the only famous person I'd do anything to see. Here's how things went: I walk into the room where my mom is playing Spider Solitaire using my computer, right? I had just checked out Magic Street from the public library and was all happy about it. Anyhoot, I had see in the ComicCon schedule that my cousin brought from the convention that OSC had been there today and was going to be there tomorrow. I almost freaked. Meeting, or at least catching a glimpse of OSC in real life is one of the biggest dreams I have. So when I told my mom, "Hey mom! My all-time favourite author will be at the ComicCon tommorow!!" she replied with a very cold, "And?". I was crushed. Coming from my mother, that small word meant, "Ok, what the hell do you want me to do about it? Its not like you're going to see him anyway." 5 minutes later, after getting over the shock of her response, I felt the biggest need to cry.
Posts: 3389 | Registered: Apr 2004
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You know what? One day, when you've left home and OSC is still doing tours and writing great books, you'll have the opportunity to go to a signing.
But the likelyhood is that due to this unimaginable trauma, you'll be too cynical and apathetic to make the effort.
quote:So when I told my mom, "Hey mom! My all-time favourite author will be at the ComicCon tommorow!!" she replied with a very cold, "And?". I was crushed. Coming from my mother, that small word meant, "Ok, what the hell do you want me to do about it? Its not like you're going to see him anyway."
OK. I am a real, genuine Mom, and I'd like to share my perspective. My kid is always coming to me with enthusiastic urgency wanting my help one nutty idea or another. He'll get together with a bunch of friends and they will all decide that tomorrow is the PERFECT and ONLY day for them to all go to the amusemnent park together before each one heads their separate ways in life. The one thing that he and his friends don't consider is that their only means of transportation is a parent. Who has a van big enough to cart them all there. I.E. -- Me. So when he comes running into the house yelling "Ma! All my friends and I are going to go to Six Flags tomorrow!" I might answer with the same "And?" as your Mom. But if he calmly explained to me why the need was great: "Mom. This is going to probably be the last chance for the whole gang to get together. A bunch of them are going off to camp next week, one if them is moving across the country, and we are all going to different high schools next year. When we met up this afternoon and were talking, it suddenly struck us that this was the end of a big part of our lives, and we felt like we had to do SOMETHING to mark the occaision"
A speech like that could just sway a Mom.
Help your Mom to understand why this is so important to you. Because clearly, she doesn't get it. If my kid explained thusly: "Mom, have you ever read a book that changed your way of thinking and gave you a new point of view and perspective? There is this amazing author, Orson Scott Card, who did that for me. When I read his biblical histories, it was like the Book of Genesis came alive for me and I really understood the lives and struggles of the matriarchs. When I read his science fiction, it was more than an adventure story. He gave me a whole new insight into the nature of right and wrong, and how that can change with time and perspective. I really recommend his books, and if you'd like, you can read mine -- I'm sure you'll love them, too.
"I know it is short notice, and you probably have other things you were planning to do today, but I just found out that he is in town, and it would mean so much to me to meet him and thank him for the books he has written. If you could drop me off there, and pick me up later in the day, I'd really appreciate it. And I guess I'd owe you a favor, too, so if there is anything you'd like me to help you out with, I'd be glad to help out."
Speaking as a Mom, I'd welcome such a plea, and be impressed with you, feel that we are brought closer together, and feel that I am not constantly taken for granted, all rolled up in one.
It would make me want to help you out in this.
Give it a try. Moms have feelings, too, you know.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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And if you're really willing to KILL to see him, you should at the very least be willing to steal your mom's car keys.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Or maybe hold your mom hostage. "I won't come out until Orson Scott Card comes to my house and signs my book!"
Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002
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I remember the day Isaac Asimov died and I sadly told my mom and she sat down and laughed at me. She never understood why I was upset at his death or at her laughter. I probably didn't try very hard, she kept grinning.
It's always worth the effort to educate her, though. If it doesn't help for today, maybe it'll plant the seeds for next time.
Posts: 1014 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Oh, but the problem isn't transportation, the trolley will take me to the doorstep of the convention center, the problem is that the price to enter the convention center is $15, and my mother says I haven't "earned it". I know what she means but I know that I have and stuff. Besides, the only friend who'd go with me to the convention center will be on her way to NY in August. I feel miserable. Besides, when my mother says, "And?" she means that I am definately not going.
Posts: 3389 | Registered: Apr 2004
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You seem to be giving up quite easily. Ask your mom how to earn it. If that doesn't work, start furiously cleaning around the house. Scrub the bathrooms, do dishes, clean windows, etc. If the house is in excellent condition and your mom sees the hard work you put into it, I bet she'd give you some money. Or go to neighbors and ask them if there's any chores you can do for them today. Mow lawns, watch kids, do whatever. If you want to go to this convention as badly as you claim to, there's no reason that $15 should stand in your way.
Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Well, thems the breaks, kid. Next time, turn on the charm and negotiate terms ahead of time. Like, "Next month, I'd really like to go to the [whatever]. What do I need to do to make that happen?"
And try not to accept, "I don't know, we'll see." as an answer. That is secret Mom-code for "If I say 'no', you're just going to pester me until I go nuts, so I'll give you a 'no' that you can't argue with". If she counters your request with the "We'll see", YOU counter with specific proposals. The ones that work best are the kind of things that Ma is always pestering you to do anyway (clean your room, look after the kids, study more), but also effective are the kind of things she might not ask you to do, but that take some of the work load off of her. Like, "How about instead of you doing the grocery shopping (or laundry, or whatever irksome chore is your mother's lot in life), I take care of it while you go get yourself a manicure and pedicure."
It's not really being manipulative, it's more like acting like the favor and respect thing is a two-way street.
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Dramatic outbursts are normal for teenagers, Tom. And martyrdom, too. She'll outgrow it in a few years. Until then, we will try to be patient.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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I don't think I'll outgrow this. If there is one person I really want to see its OSC. Let's just say that I would prefer to see OSC rather than the Pope himself, and that's saying something.
Posts: 3389 | Registered: Apr 2004
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