Blog : I'm A Fangirl

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9387 posts
7/28/2009 9:09 pm

I'm A Fangirl

That's right, I've become a bona fide Mark Morford fangirl. To those of you who haven't heard of him, get thee to Googly and type his name in, and you'll find links to his articles written for the SF Gate/San Francisco Chronicle. He's gorgeous (see pic), smart, funny, snarky, with the ability to make piercing analysis of political situations while maintaining a tongue-in-cheek attitude about the whole thing. But that's not what made me a fangirl, although I've always admired his very concise and incisive writing from the first time that I laid eyes on it.

What made me a fangirl started when, on a whim, I sent him a friend invite on FB, and what do you know, he accepted! Turns out he started an FB account on a lark, and told himself that he would accept anyone who would be kind enough to invite him. I managed to be included into his network circle of 5,000--which is apparently the limit of the number of friends that you can have on FB. Having reached that limit, he has now reluctantly started a Fan Page (he preferred the coziness and the more personal touch that a network provided), to which I've subscribed to.

But more than being accepted into his network, it's the fact that he took the time to reply to my comments to his FB posts despite being a busy well-known writer that impressed me. This morning, while battling with my good friend Annalou to the death over FB Scrabble, I noticed that Mark came online on the FB IM. I sent him a short post, saying that I just wanted to pop in to say hello since this was the first time that I had seen him on IM, and that I've always loved his writing. I also told him that I wanted to see what he had to say about the birthers, who have been vociferously insisting that Barack Obama is not an American despite all evidence to the contrary. Mind you, considering that he didn't really know me, had 5000 “friends” on FB, was most likely busy with his work (he's currently writing a book and is also a Vinyasa yoga teacher), or answering hundreds of other IMs as well, I didn't expect any reply at all, so I just ended by saying that I was off, and wished him a good day.

Lo and behold, when I opened my FB account again this afternoon, I saw that he had sent me a lovely reply minutes after I had logged off. He thanked me for my kind remarks, and said that, serendipitously, he was already at work on an article about birthers. That he took the time to do so despite the fact that he didn't have to earned him high marks with me. It took all of ten seconds for him to post a reply, but those ten seconds made all the difference. Those ten seconds showed me what a decent human being he is. A small thing? Perhaps. But I find it's the little things put together, more than the grand gesture, that shows a true picture of what a person is really like. Now I wish I hadn't logged off when I did–because then I might have had the chance to pick that very extraordinary mind of his, if he was inclined to let me.

I've a thing for good manners, and if there's anything I consider as dealbreakers, it's rudeness and arrogance and making you feel like you're too insignificant to be bothered with. The way I see it, it takes the same amount of energy to be nice as it is to be nasty, so it makes me wonder about people who constantly choose to be nasty instead. It was absolutely refreshing to encounter someone like Mark Morford who, despite his success, hasn't forgotten the little civilities that make this world a better place to live in.

This is why I make sure I reply to every comment in my blog or to offlines in my IM–the people who were kind enough to leave a comment or a post took their time to do so, and to ignore them would be akin to showing them that their efforts were unappreciated, that they didn't matter at all. If Mark Morford, whose schedule is most likely ten times as hectic as mine can do it, what's my excuse?

Mark Morford. Writer. Yoga teacher. An awesome man. And I'm a fangirl, you betcha.

I'm dyslexic. I scream Ho instead of Oh God in the throes of passion.

Tex8can 67M

2383 posts
7/29/2009 3:52 am

Aha, the queen matriarch of the herd is a GROUPIE

hehehehe "me too"

nothing impresses me more than to get a little private note from a busy famous person

At my-space I have gotten a note from Shakira, Teila Tequila, Shania Twain and of course my favorite local rock band .. and it really makes my day.

I am keeping up with the "birthers" also ... seems a big shot general just refused to go to Iraq because he said the commander in chief is not a USA citizen .. I hope they spank that man

Today is the youngest you will ever be. Live like it !

Distar623 57F

92 posts
7/29/2009 1:02 pm

Mmmmhmmm...I didn't read a WORD you just said. Staring at the pic.

Makes me wish I hadn't cancelled my FB account.

There were a few people that I conversed with a few times on My Space (Jenna Fischer from the Office...her ex-husband-who is a writer/producer and kinda cute--and apparently FREE now (both originally from St. Louis), Steve Ewing (lead singer of St. Louis band The Urge-no longer together). I'm not on that one anymore either!

I said "hello" to Jimmy Conners (from my hometown) once after a tennis match in Memphis.

Oh no. I've become a "name dropper"...

There's a fine line between curiosity and stupidity.