Michelle Sighting!!!!!!!

[rcl]

AAAAHHHHH!!! I just saw Michelle about 1/2 hour ago from about 5 feet away! We even made eye contact and I about died! Ok, here's what happened.... I was conducting some evil death star business on UCLA campus with a colleague. We were walking into one of the office buildings near the residence halls. I was flapping my gums to my colleague, and then I looked up and this very poised, striking looking young lady was standing at the reception window. Her back was to me, but something about her caught my eye and I did a double-take. She seemed very tall actually, very lean (not skinny, just super lean - there's a difference) and extremely poised. This young lady turned around, and lo' and behold- I was looking at one of the prettiest young ladies I've ever laid eyes on - Michelle! I knew it was her right off the bat - she didn't have any (or just a little) makeup on but her hair was perfectly coiffed, and she has the prettiest, clearest skin you can imagine. She had on a gray sort-of pant/shirt outfit that was kinda like sweats but much dressier with some kind of black shoes and a black bag. It was a very comfy-looking but stylish outfit. I was so shocked that I literally froze in my tracks and my mouth dropped open, and my colleague said to me, "What's wrong?" I couldn't even talk at the point, but Michelle saw me staring at her and she just kinda gave me a half-smile, put her wallet (I think it was) away and walked at the door and I just stood there like a big dork and stared until she walked off. Then I told my colleague that we were just looking at Michelle Kwan, the Olympic silver-medalist and 2-time World Champ. (in case she wasn't a skating fan), and she said, "oh, she's wonderful," and I said, "Of course she is - she's fabulous." Then I was biting my lip until I could get to a computer and get this out. I know it's somewhat anti-climactic because I didn't say anything to her because I couldn't move, but looking back I'm glad I didn't because she just looked so calm like any other kid on campus so I'm glad I didn't bug her. I've had the best year of my life and it's only January! First I had 2nd row seats to SOI where I could see Tara perfectly, and now I saw Michelle too - WOW!

[Smakelijk]

Is all in your head? or are u day dreaming? This can't be real.

[glowz]

Why? Smakelijk? Do you know that MK should be somewhere else at that time?

[mano]

RCL you just gave away your secrets to sw10025 is she sees this, bwahahaha!!! Honestly, I am so jealous and happy for you at the same time. Congrats that your year has been wonderful so far.

[SJB]

rcl, you have lived out my fantasy! What a great encounter for you! I think I also would have stood there with my mouth open, rooted to the ground for at least 15 minutes before I became capable of movement. Say, you're not doing bad this year! What other sightings are you planning? Thanks for the description!

[rcl]

Smakelijk - not sure if you're being facetious or serious. Why can't it be real? In case you haven't heard Michelle is a full-time student at UCLA. I am on campus every week as well, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that I would run into her. And when you're 5 feet away and staring eye-to-eye with Michelle Kwan, there's no mistaking that's it real. I just wish I wouldn't have acted like such a dope - it's not like I'm a little kid. I'm a few months shy of turning 30, but I still froze up like a deer in headlights. And the worst part is I felt my mouth hanging open which I'm sure looked really attractive.

[DianeO]

rcl--thats so cool! Thanks for sharing it with us :)

[Rene]

I would have done the same thing!!!!! I lived in Santa Monica for some years and you get used to seeing "stars" in the market, at the movies etc. You don't even care anymore. But if I had seen Michelle? Talk about a deer in the headlights!!!! DUH. There is NO WAY I could ever talk to her. If I could move I would probobly just run the other way so I wouldn't annoy her with my idiocy(is that even a word?) Congrats!

[lavender]

That is so cute how you acted. I smiled through your whole story.

[AYS]

How exciting for you! Thanks for posting it:-)

[jimikwan]

Rcl, Im so happy for you. Don't feel foolish I did a very similar think at the COI in February in Buffalo, NY right after the olympics. My husband took me to see the show(of course to see Michelle) we had front row seats and at the end of the show all the skaters came around and Michelle stopped and said hi and I just stood there, I did not say anything. Then when see was all the way across the ice I was like Michelle. So don't feel to bad I will also be 30 in May.

[sw10025]

Mano, I did read this and you're right, I'm now aware of RCL's evil plotting in my near vicinity. (Obviously, she's trying to hire some of the UCLA techies to design a new improved Death Star for her.) RCL, its nice to know that although you're a complete Master of Evil you're as big of a star-struck goober as the rest of the posters on this board. Although I do think its patently unfair that *you* get to see her, given whose picture you post and your allegiances, instead of those of us who are exclusively Kwanophiles, but on the other hand, I'd rather you looked like a gawking tourist in front of her than me! :-) Seriously, if it makes you feel better, I've also looked like a complete idiot in front of one of my favorite figure skaters (Paul Wylie). A girlfriend and I had tickets to SOI back in the beginning of 1997, and as luck would have it, we had front row seats. She was five months pregnant, and during the performance at a whole thing of cotton candy, so by the time the show was over she had had a major, serious sugar crash and started to feel ill. My family had just had to put our 17 year old cat to sleep very unexpectedly 3 days before, so I hadn't had sleep in about 72 hours, most of which I'd been crying, and I kept having to wipe away the tears I couldn't control all during the show. Needless to say, we were both wrecks. And poor Paul Wylie gets stuck with us to shake hands with. These two pathetic, tired, wasted women who were respectively too ill and too distraught to even say a nice word to him. Meanwhile, there were a hoarde of young girls behind us desperately thrusting flowers in his direction and trying to get at him, and here were we morose creatures, who hardly could manage to shake his hand. What must he have thought of us weirdos! (I almost wrote him a letter of apology, but I thought that would sound even more oddball than we had already seemed.)

[Joshua]

it's so frustrating. I feel like everyone here has met Michelle but me. The closest I ever got was at COI last year, and she looked like a dot on the ice...okay, overexaggerating here, but still.

[6JESSE9]

does her hair look any longer???

[kwanette]

I would have been the opposite...Whenever, Michelle is involved, I am 3 inches away from being a total stalker...just kidding FBI...I leapt over little kids and sweet old ladies at Nats to get her autograph and talk to her.Fell trying to get to the ABC broadcast booth to see Brian Boitano....I am so happy for you...

[KellyW]

wow rcl, that is awesome! I have never met Michelle, so I know if I saw her I would be awe-struck as well. Hopefully, you will get to see her again since you are at UCLA once a week. Thanks for sharing the great story! Kelly

[Karin]

You are so lucky!!! Wow!!! Thanks for sharing :-)))) I think if I ever saw MK in person I'd be frozen on the spot too!!!

[Jackylutz]

thats it......im transferring to UCLA........from University of Miami......because I want to meet Michelle....and be her friend........ hey..... a guy can dream, can't he? :) Go Michelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[barang]

you are so fortunate, i don't think this chance will ever happen to me. i'm so jealous(sobbing). is she back to her normal built, i mean her health ? she was skinny boned and look ghastly during the gpf. i hope she is back to where her health before. anyway, i'm happy that you had that chance to meet her that closed.

[rcl]

Her hair didn't look any longer to me than it did on TV. Just a little straighter, flatter, like she didn't really style it, yet it looked absolutely perfect - really shiny. It was so shiny it might not have been washed this morning - when I was in college I always threw my hair in a ponytail in the morning but it never looked like Michelle's did (she has a great haircut). I spoke to my colleague this afternoon, and she said she was telling everyone about our sighting and she said, "you looked like you saw a ghost - I thought something was really wrong with you when you stopped dead in your tracks." How embarassing! I wish I'd been by myself. It's wierd because I'm usually pretty outgoing and don't have a problem talking to strangers. When I saw Michelle it ran through my mind, "say something you idiot - say 'Hi Michelle' or 'good luck at Nationals' or something," but I had this big frog in my throat and my mouth was open but nothing came out until she was long gone. The people in the lobby were staring at me too - I don't know if they even recognized Michelle but they thought I was a fruitcake. I've been in that building a dozen times - it's strange because I've been thinking about it all day and I'm still not sure why she caught my eye to begin with, because I had to turn my head to look at her, but it was something - a presence. Anyway I don't think she looked unhealthy - very lean and toned, but not sickly looking. Like I said before - she was stunning. What surprised me most was that she looked tall to me. I'm sure I'm taller than she is (I'm 5'6") but she looked like she was 5'8". She has PERFECT posture. What a day!!! ....and my death star upgrade plans are coming along nicely. You know UCLA is a big research/development school so I've got the best in the business on it - bwah hahahhahah

[Lara F]

rcl, don't worry - I got to open the door for Michelle, Frank and Estelle at SC and did I say hi to her personally, or good luck? Nope, just a stuttered "can I help you" to the three of them or something equally lame. Meanwhile, Michelle was the queen of poise as she entered the building. I'm 21, possibly about to enter medical school this fall, and still meeting Michelle made me feel like an inadequate starstruck kid! Oh well, nice to know I'm not the only one to which this has happened! LOL... Lara Michele :-)

[sw10025]

RCL, OK, I'll admit it, I'm pea green with envy that you got to see her in person, but I'm gonna have to take issue with the fact that you've "got the best in the business" working on your new Death Star III prototype. I'm a UC Berkeley alumni, and that's where the best in the business (not to mention the home of anti-imperial sentiment) can be found! They're all working for ME! The various engineering departments, Computer Sciences division, the Math Department, the Jet Propulsion Lab, NASA/Ames Research Center, they're all fronts, they're all *really* working night and day to further the Jedi Way of Life!!! (Or build a better skating boot, whichever comes first.)

[onya]

I think it's wonderful that you saw Michelle and just as wonderful that you would share that with MK fans. Thank you! If it makes you feel any better, at the Buffalo show COI in '98 I had a similar experience. I really wanted to meet MK, but for some reason I felt guilty about waiting for her..I didn't want to seem obsessed, so I missed my chance. ::(

[Terri]

You've just put the biggest smile on my face. What a wonderful story, you made my day!

[amei]

Everything has a price. Sighting Michelle Kwan, priceless! RCL: you lucky gal, you struck gold! Thank you for sharing your story!

[IzzyS]

That is so funny! I probably would have done the same thing. Not long ago Scott Hamilton was doing a book signing in Santa Monica, and as soon as it was my turn, I couldn't think of anything to say. I said something stupid--I can't remember exactly what but it had to do with Target and I was trying to be funny--and I was kicking myself for it all the way home. But it was worth it. If I ran into Michelle, without expecting to...it scares me to think what kind of moronic thing I'd say.

[skatingfan]

The gasoline from my home to UCLA campus: $6.80 The parking fee: $10.00 Bribing the building staff to get into the building: $50.00 A chance to be Kwan Struck - priceless. RCL, how interesting that a die hard Tara fan is being Kwan struck today, Lara F - congrats about med school, so beginning the fall of this year, you can be our resident expert in medical science issues, b/c you will have all the textbooks readily available.

[AYS]

"how interesting that a die hard Tara fan is being Kwan struck today" I must say that rcl is the first fan (other than my 7-year-old daughter who loves both skaters, and *truly* believes that both gold and silver medals, and bronze as well, are great) who has truly convinced me that you can love both skaters:-). Maybe you're rubbing off on me rcl; I actually found myself defending Tara on an FSW post the other day.

[skatingfan]

I am always convinced and have been saying that it is nice to have fans who like both skaters. I think most fans are die hard fan of one and BTW also like the other, which is very good. I think fans who love both equally well, are rare. So your 7 y/o daughter must be having a lot of fun. It is very true that the color of the medal: presence or absence of a medal, does not matter, that is Michelles belief, and everytime I see Littlepebbles' personal pic of Delmore, I am reminded of that. BTW, I am a Delmore fan too.

[glowz]

Excuse my ignorance, but I'm always curious about who Delmore is.

[skatingfan]

Derrick Delmore is a U.s. sennior male skater. He was world junior champ 2 years ago? He is an accomplished classical pianist, a senior in Stanford, and a skater with IMO great presentation. His home rink is in the Washington DC suburb, and he goes to school in Stanford, I don't know where he trains. Last time I watched him on tv was the Vail show,.

[rcl]

Thanks y'all! I'm glad everyone enjoyed the story and for sharing your acting-dorky-in-the-presence-of-greatness stories. I was dreaming about it last night too - I can't remember what exactly but clearly the experience really made an impact on me. And thanks to everyone who said kind things about Tara and about liking both skaters. "Kwan struck" is the way to put it - I now understand the term "star struck" because it felt like I'd been struck by lightning and couldn't move. I think the difference between seeing Tara and seeing Michelle was that at SOI, I knew I had great seats and was going to get a lot of Tara face time so I was emotionally prepared for it - of course I whooped and hollered and made a fool out of myself anyway. But seeing Michelle was completely unexpected and I wasn't emotionally prepared at all. I'll certainly post again if I have anymore sightings. SW - Look out! You Berkleyites don't scare me or my UCLA Storm Troopers. BTW I'm a Buckeye from the proud ol' state of Ohio - Go Bucks!!!

[sw10025]

ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) isn't too far away from the UC Berkeley campus, so if you and the UCLA Storm Troopers look like you're making too much progress on the Ultra Death Star, me and some of the boys'll just run over and ask George Lucas to re-write it out of the script! swObiWan

[Beth2000]

RCL I am so excited for ya, of course I am jealous too. (You stinker) I wanted to be able to see MK first not you!LOL! Well next time you run into her just close your mouth and start talking to her like you would talk to anyone else. I hope you remember it forever.

[Kara]

rcl - That's awesome! I'm so happy to read your story...it had fabulous Kwanatic detail, too. So many people don't give enough detail in their MK mentions if they're not MK fans. You made me feel as though I was there:)! And don't worry, I'm sure she gets that look from a lot of people. I don't know if I'd gush her to death and make her wish I'd stop talking and leave, or if I'd be dumbstruck. But, whatever I'd do, it probably wouldn't be very smooth:). I hope it is, if I ever do meet her, so she doesn't think her fans are a bunch of wierdos, but I doubt I could remain calm and normal:). So, how tall do you think she really looked? Someone on FSW said that she told him/her herself that she was 5'3". People always say how tiny she is. 5'3" doesn't seem that small...or is it just that she's petite, as in small-boned? BTW, I really enjoyed the credit card commercials from amei amd skatingfan, as well as the Paul Wylie/dead cat/pregnancy story from sw10025:)!

[XPEG]

RCL, what a great experience--to see Michelle out in the "real world." Like you said, when you saw Tara, you were at an ice show, knew you would see her, etc...but the shock of just walking up and coming face to face with the real Michelle must have been awesome. Great to hear she's looking well...looking totally together. That's our Mich!

[eilaram]

Wow, I'm jealous. I bet by now Michelle is used to that happening. I have a feeling it probably would have been worse for me (just be glad your face does not have to propensity to turn red during uncomfortable situations).

[Heather]

How cool! I wish I was in California...more so because there isn't 10 inches of snow there now, LOL. Don't feel bad about being "Kwan-struck." I'd feel exactly the same way. When you see a skater at a skating event, you expect it (and hope that you get a chance to meet them.) But if you don't expect it at all...I'd probably be glued to the ground too. ;-)

[skatingfan]

You only have 10 inches, we have at least 14 inches in the B-DC area. Do you mind if we send the rest of the snow quickly your way in PA? Just teasing. Those of you who live in the east coast, please keep warm and be careful.

[Artec262]

I have 12 inch of snow already BTW I'm so happy for you RCl and jealous too.

[Googoo]

RCL-- that is SO cool! I'm glad you got to see her. BTW, how about some dirty slush snow??

[Lara F]

skatingfan - thanks, but note that I said *possibly* LOL. I just handed in my application to my local university this month, and interview notices probably won't be out for a few weeks. In any case, you'd think I'd be more poised, especially since I *was* at a skating event and so could expect to meet her. But then, it was only my first morning there and arriving at the arena at the same time as Michelle did come as a surprise LOL. Lara :-)

[lindy3]

Snow?? what's that? We don't have that in California. hee-hee... RCL, so happy that you could have that star struck feeling with MK. Really cool story. I'm grinning from ear to ear right now.

[NicoleM]

rcl, What a great story! Don't feel too bad about being star struck. I had a similar experience when I met Nancy Kerrigan. Unfortunately, I should have just stood there quietly like you did, but instead I opened my mouth and made a big fool of myself! I don't want to go into detail right now because I just wrote a long post about this on the Tara board, under the thread started by TaraKoRn (hope I got her name right) that she titled her "editorial about my trip to SOI" or something like that. So if anyone wants to know what a big doofus I made of myself, let me know, and I'll post it here another day. Anyway, the first time I met Michelle, I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be. But I think it was because she made such an effort to put me at ease. Also, it was after a COI performance, so I knew that there was at least a chance I'd get to meet her. I was probably more prepared than you were, that's for sure. If I saw her outside of a skating event, I'd probably have the same reaction you did, because I'd be so shocked!

[ML]

Thank you rcl for sharing your exciting close encounter with us. I enjoy reading your story :)

[rcl]

NicoleM - thanks for sharing that story. I read about your encounter with Nancy on the T-board. I guess I'm glad now I didn't say anything because who knows what nonsense would've come outta my mouth. I'll bet Michelle would've been really gracious to me if I had started babbling nonsense (just like Nancy was to you), because that's the kind of lady Michelle is.