Here's what went down.
My freshman year of college I was part of a club called The Siren. The Siren published a literary magazine every fall featuring only the best creative writing from TCNJ students. Most of the meetings went like this:
Most of the poems we got were pretty bad! But every now and then, an awesome poem made it through the cracks and the club decided to publish it in our esteemed magazine. One of those poems was called "Reproduction" and I loved it!It was about some dude sitting in his bedroom, thinking about how he would never have children because he wasn't attracted to women. Well, this poem spoke to me and I fell in love with it and demanded it be printed. Everyone else agreed and we published the poem. The Fall '07 issue of The Siren came out feat. "Reproduction" (and a poem by yours truly!) and the world spun madly on.
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The following semester (Spring '08) I helped plan events called Student Reading Series. At these events, my club ink (yes, I love joining clubs!) asks three writers to read their work out loud for an audience of peers/teachers/homeless people who stumble into the library. Well, we chose two random kids, and for our third reader we chose.... yes, Josh Page. So I saw Josh for the first time ever as he went up to the podium and read his poetry. And my life was forever changed!
I couldn't believe it! Even though I read "Reproduction" prox. 1,000 times and saw the name "Josh Page" in The Siren over and over, I didn't even notice that it was the same Josh Page that was reading at the Student Reading Series.After the reading, I quickly rushed out to the reception to meet the poet.
Well, Josh actually had real friends and needed to sign a lot of autographs so he didn't have much time to talk to me at the reception.Luckily for us both, one of my fave hobbies is stalking! So I found Mr. Page on Facebook and sent him a message (CLICK TO ENLARGE!)
And the rest is history! And by history I mean we watched American Idol together and I screamed for joy whenever Brooke White came on and Josh and his roommates rolled their eyes at me. But we screamed for joy together when Syesha came out to amaze us with her red dress and amazing vocals! Then we were friends, etc. etc. Then I introduced him to the blogosphere and made him famous and people started asking how we met. So there you go.Josh, can you believe we met on March 27th 2008?! I thought we've known each other our whole lives?!
19 comments:
Great story! I definitely would have thought you guys were BFFs much longer. So funny that the first time you guys hung out was to watch Idol.
That's a sweet little story but completely unbelievable. Now tell the real version [feat. secret internet hook-up sites, mistaken identities, and courageous lost chipmunk].
Aww. *Very* sweet story! :-)
So true about bad poetry. Bad readings in general, actually. Prose readings always seem to be about struggling misunderstood writers ("write what you know!") ... Bleahh.
Jere, I'm *really* afraid to ask what makes the chipmunk "courageous" ... ;-)
Jere: LOL!
Enrico: As if you two would be hanging around New York waiting for someone to buy you lunch. Like you two actually eat. Well, you maybe...
You actually told me this story one night on facebook, so I was familiar with it. I feel so honored to have know the story, though, I did learn some new details tonight.
I love the whole facebook exchange. Designing, singing, poetry, stalking... is there anything you can't do?
I laughed. I cried. I ate my hat. What a lovely origin story.
*smooches*
That was so sweet.
Maybe y'all should co-adopt a baby and share custody.
Thanks for sharing that story. It is great that you guys found each-other. :)
The world is lucky that you are so socially outgoing. :)
You and Josh should have a joint poetry reading, and invite all your blog friends.
I am planning to post the story of how I met my friend, also named Josh, but it is tied to my coming out story, so I need to keep going on that.
Touching story. I'm just here for the cake.
Ooh, is there cake? Don't mind if I do.
Michelle -- heh. The stalking just makes the whole story. I love the way Enrico apologizes for it ;-)
So your 1 year friend-iversary is coming up! What will you do to celebrate? I think you need to recreate the whole "how you met" story.
And the world will never be the same.
you guys should definitely have a BFF-iversary in March 2010.
Craig: It feels like it's been longer than almost 2 years. And the sad thing was I went home for summer break and we didn't get to watch Syesha get eliminated together and cry about it!
Jere: That's the real thing.
Justin: I LOVE creative writing workshops because they make me feel like a semi-decent writer....
john: Don't you understand yet?! Josh and I both love eating. We just don't like PAYING for food!
Michelle M.: I don't dance!
vuboq: I'm confused. I need a new hat! You should have sent it to me instead of eating it.
Mel: I want to adopt a child one day and name her Stevie.
Chris D.: On the Puntabugang Cruise, Josh and I will have a poetry workshop. And everyone else who writes can share too! That'd be fun.
Garret: Carrot Cake?! Delicious!
Eternal Lizdom: TWO year anniversary! And you're right, we should celebrate (by listening to depressing music together and crying or something).
Yay! I almost cried @ work while reading this! Getting that Facebook message from you was on the best moments of mah life. It was my first [and probably last] taste of what it feels like to have a "fan."
I hope we are friends forevz and listen to sad music all the time and write really good [read as: as much like Rosemurgy as ethically possible!] poetry that winz awards!
My hands will always be wrinkled for you! <3
That was actually a very well written slab of blog. It'd inspire me to write a blog update of my own, but I have to go play Borderlands like a cool kid.
*flips onto his motorcycle and drives off*
*arrives two floors down and turns on Borderlands*
...
*gets called upstairs to be yelled at by parents for loud motorcycle engine and spike impressions amid tread marks*
*tries to nonchalantly explain that spikes are a perfectly legitimate way of winterizing one's motorcycle*
*goes to his room to get license to drive a motorcycle*
*gets severely reprimanded for having a fake motorcycle license and destroying the floors*
...Wait, what was I even about to go do?
Well now that great mystery of the world is revealed. Now if only we knew the truth about the Kennedy Assassination. And how Chris Daughtry lost to that drunken-uncle-at-a-wedding-reception type singer.
Maybe Sassy josh should publish that poem somewhere on his blog so we all can read it?
HUGS..
Josherz (the sassy one): "[probably last]"? You know you've got lots of fans :-).
Josh (the bored and home alone with parents one) -- *chuckle*
Enrickyricardo (does Polt charge licensing fees for stealing his nicknames?) - you have a point vis à vis writing workshops. Except you don't really need them to make you look like a good writer: you already are!!
Polt - I second your vote: I want to see the famous pome! :-)
Awwww. That is so sweet. Twas fate, kismet or luck that brought you together. Not many people are lucky enough to truly find a BFF.
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