A while back I shared my confessions of a Yogaholic paper with you.
A number of you
took the opportunity to share your feelings on the
topic. Which means that non-diehards can probably skip this issue.
But for
those of you who want to really get to know some of the gang,
here is part one of the further confessions of Yogaholics...the
second
part will run as YM #165.
AND AWAY WE GO...
***************************
tilly-at-positronfiber.com (Tilly
Maertens) writes:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Amanda...I can understand this
"deviant" fixation...I think it's due
to Mr. Michael's honesty and transparence (I'm not spelling this
right but who
gives a f..!) I too, am of the pseudo-intellectual grain,
being a Medstudent.
Though I've been known to lash out, at times
when I felt the man
wasn't referred to in a fair and just manner, biting my tongue has,
unfortunately become customary when
surrounded with friends who
are not in the music industry and/or who do not approve/appreciate
GM...Not an easy feat, I'll
admit but I wouldn't worry about being, as
you say "deviant" for, as long as you allow GM his right to privacy,
you
are not a fan-atic! - Merely a normal and "healthy" admirer: One I
wouldn't mind to have had way back when....
Believe
me, when I say this because I've been in the Industry and I've
had to suffer greatly because of fan-ATICS!! One in particular
went as
far as to physically attack me on stage in 1984: I now have a nice
knife wound on the right side of my face.
This
man was "guarding" my house, following my then boyfriend
around town, sending me "messages" through people I
knew, posing
as a personal friend on many occasions, etc,..etc...Many others did
the similar things though, not to the extend
of actually attacking me.
(BTW:I don't intend to say I ever recorded anything for the masses
when I mention I was in the
Industry, forgive this (what could be
perceived as being) pompous wording. I just meant that I had been
actively touring,
musically speaking, as a lead vocal performer in a
well enough known band: The Av-O-Cats).
I too, feel a strong connection
to GM but that is due to his
transparent writing; I feel I know the man. At the risk of sounding
patronizing, let me explain
something you may already know: An
artist, famous or not, cannot write about what he/she does not
himself/herself feel/believe
hence, when one sees, feels, experiences
GM's writing as an artist, one automatically cannot help to feel they
know the
person. Perhaps such is what you are experiencing.
I've never met George, doubt I ever will but something tells me, if
the
occasion ever presented itself, we could become friends for, from
what I'm experiencing through his music, I can say we are
kindred
spirits. - Guess that's how I appreciate him, in my own "deviant"
way.
Take heart Amanda! Personally,
I find the work you are doing terrific,
considering the tight schedule you must have, being a full-time
student and all.
Surely, others on this (what DO you call this?)
website(?) must agree with me on this.
(I have recently taken to calling it
the Online FanClub. AG)
Take good care of yourself, Sweets, and don't you pay mind to what
others might say. When people
badger you, think of GM and what
some people say about him or anyone else who has ever managed
to accomplish anything in their
life. Who knows? This experience
may just lead you in Communications? Ever thought of becoming an
entertainment journalist?
(You could finally get to meet George that
way, Tee-Hee!)
(I can tell you that law school has been chucked out the
window...
AG)
Love and kisses xo
"Live in Peace...Dare to Love" - Chantilly M. Maertens-Maslia
my website:
(Thanks to Frogette for GM picture link)
http://www.angelfire.com/ca/chantilly/index.html
***** god for Jamiroquai,the
Chemical Brothers, and Oasis for pumping
some life over here. (I could do without the Spice Girls and Bush-
though Gavin is
gorgeous :))
(I am currently listening to the Spice Girls actually, and I know George
is a fan of the ladies as well... AG)
Anyway,
the point is...I am a Yog fan for life. His brand of pop
transcends fads.
- Melissa from Philly
***************************
mmitchell-at-mcsi.net-at-mail.mcsi.net
(JenM) writes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HI Amanda-
I have just noticed
that there is another Jen on the list- I thought I
was the only one! ;) So I will be JenM from now on.
I just read your
Yogaholism paper, just have to say "ditto"- I too
have quit talking about him, not even to mention his name, because
there
is such a strong DISGUST for him among my friends, so
strong that I really cannot understand it! I mean, what did he ever
do
to them? And it's not like I made them buy OLDER. ;) They
didn't, by the way...
(Mine did, and yes, I did MAKE them buy
it... AG)
Another closet groupie! Anyway, just wanted to let you know, I
really enjoyed reading it!
I would like to
get the Live Aid concert, if anyone can help me, I
have stuff I can trade.
(Like what? AG)
--- bye,-- JenM
***************************
cassu-at-inetworld.net
(Cass) writes:
---------------------------------------------------
Amanda:
WOW! Reading your paper made me feel like I
was -at- the shrink's
office...I've said a good deal of the things you wrote, I've lived those
moments, and I HAVE one of
those "goofy George smiles". I never
really had an opportunity to try to explain (justify?) the whole
experience of
being a "fan". (UGH! - I HATE that word!) You did an
AMAZING job (I hope you got a decent mark on the paper.)
...Also,
thanks for the "Late Breaking News", (RE: George on
Capitol FM, Sunday 4/27) as it turns out, I have to be at work
anyway,
so right after Ifinish my e-mail for the afternoon, I'm
going to head over to the site and download Real Audio...
cass
Oh,
P.S. - a friend called me about 10 minutes ago and told
me that she saw George -at- a Bakery called Mani's in West
Hollywood.
He was walking out of the shop, and she was stuck
in traffic just in front of the store, and when he went to get into
his car,
she honked, smiled, and waved. (keep in mind, she's not
even a huge fan...) She said he turned around, and "kind of"
waved
back, hopped into the car, and cut her off! (hee hee)
I hope everyone has a FANTASTIC weekend !
***************************
engl1016-at-fujens.fju.edu.tw
(Margarette Connor) writes:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Amanda,
As
a college professor of English, I must say, very well written! If
only my students could be as coherent! And if only one would
pick
such an interesting topic!
Seriously, the teacher in me can't help commenting that you did
an excellent job. Would have
received an "A" from me, and I'm a
demon.
Take care,
Margarette
***************************
Autevewig-at-aol.com
(Elizabeth) writes:
--------------------------------------------------------
Amanda,
After reading your awesome paper, I
must declare that I'm a
Yogacholic too!!! I have done and still do a lot of what you
described in your paper.
Elizabeth
***************************
LMaar-at-aol.com
(Laura) writes:
---------------------------------------------
Hey Amanda,
Isn't it great to know... "I'm not the only
one!" Your paper on
Yogaholism sure rang true to this Yogfan! As I mentioned to Nancy
one day, "Being a George fan
is a lot like coming out when one is
homosexual... it's something you choose to keep hidden and when
you "come out"
about it you are need to be prepared to be ridiculed
bey while I was reading it & was actually laughing
at myself. I am 31
years old & still get the teeny booper feeling. I
guess you just can't help it when you hear his wonderful voice. He
just
kind of has that effect.
I had kind of gotten out of the obsession when there was such a dry
spell of no new music. Of
course living in North America I didn't
always hear about some of the singles that trickled out. I did the
same thing as you
when we got the internet at work. My first "surfing"
was looking up any info on GM. I was thrilled when I actually
found
some stuff & even more thrilled about Yogmæl. As a matter of fact, I
was using my boss' account to get on the
internet & got all work related
e-mails at his address. After I found Yogmæl I opened up my own
account, just for this!!
Love,
Tina
Stem
***************************
dawnhunt-at-phoenix.Princeton.EDU (For Red October) writes:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
Hi,
my name is Dawn and I'm a Yogaholic.
Hi Amanda,
The symptoms you listed having sound very, very familiar. My room
is
gradually, yet unintentionally, turning into a shrine. A couple of
friends of mine from school went into NYC recently and saw an
old
postcard of George from 1988. When they saw it, they immediately
thought of me and decided that I must have it. I must
say, it is very
nice to have friends that support my habit.
I hope everything is well with you. Try not to work too hard.
;)
***************************
To Wrap it Up:
MY THANKS TO ALL FOR THEIR SUPPORT! I knew I couldn't
be the only one
out there with such impeccible taste...
"So you don't approve? Well who asked you to?"