SVU Seminar
 November 28, 2000
Nadine

The man is wonderful, the man is beautiful, the man is just *too* perfect!!

Once I started coming back to Earth after Tuesday night (I think I can feel the tips of my toes just about grazing the ground now...) I came to the conclusion that Chris is *the* most wonderful, gracious, kindest, patient man on Earth. (And did I mention sexy??

That he was even *there* was a thrill enough for me- to just be able to gaze (okay, okay- I meant gawk *LOL*) at him up close and personal, to see him "for real", was unbeleivable in and of itself. But to actually get to meet him, speak to him, touch him (note to self: breathe), and have pictures taken with him.... <sigh> I could die a VERY happy woman now.

When he first walked in to the theatre, a TON of thoughts flashed through my head. (After I started receiving oxygen to my brain again, natch. The first thing I registered was the the leather pants. (Hurt me!) And right after that, the realization of "Oh my God- it's *HIM*!" hit me, and God bless Ingrid for thinking me a "trooper" for not passing out, but I take no credit here. My miraculous ability to remain upright throughout his entire *strut* down the ailse to his seat, is due largely to the fact that Carla had laid claim to my hand, and had embedded her nails in my palm. <bg>

But strut to his seat he did, and a fine job he did of it too. He sat down in the front row (after a breif detour in the third *lol*), and I had a lovely 5 minute view of the back of his head while the man from the museum talked on stage. (And I use the term 'stage' loosely- it was really only about a foot high.) Chris turned around at one point, to glance around the room- most likely mapping out the nearest emergency exit! *lol*- but mostly just sat in his seat, talking quietly to Mariska a few times, until the lights went out. At last! Alone in the dark with Chris!! <g> (Ok, so scratch the 'alone' part. Whatever. I'm willing to edit my fantasies, people. They aren't set in stone. *lol*)

Then they showed a film of L&O and SVU clips, right? <bg>

I'm *pretty* sure that's what was on the screen- I don't know for certain. *My* eyes never left Row 1, Seat 9, thank you very much. Hey- I was enjoying watching *him* watch the clips too much! It was just facinating to watch his expressions, to see him laugh. (Am I a dork, or what? <bg>) And then BOOM, the lights came back on, and Mr.Museum guy FINALLY introduced them each one by one and they came up to sit in their chairs at the front.

Bingo. Chris is full view. Thank you Jesus

It was a really great discussion, and there were LOTS of funny moments. All of them were really funny- Chris and Jerry especially. The *best* parts to me though, were the little things that mostly went unnoticed: The fact that everytime Chris took a sip of his water (about every 15 seconds *lol*), he crunched on his ice cubes, which his mic picked up, or the cute little moment when Mariska quietly- or so she thought <bg>- noticed Chris looking at his now empty water glass, and asked him if he wanted hers. (He declined.) Or the fact that he fidgeted constantly (he reminded me of my 5 year old! *lol*), and that every now and then he'd swing his chair around and bump Mariska's leg with his own. Just the silly little stuff.

At the very end, they took about 10 or 15 questions from the audience, ranging from really good ones (Go Fruity!) to REALLY STUPID ones like the valley girl at the back who asked about Deadline. (T-a-c-k-y) And then the big mean museum guy said that that about wrapped things up- time's up, game over. (A collective "Awww" was heard all around. <bg>)

And then the *real* fun began...

First of all, let me just say how really friendly and warm Sherman is. She was *so* nice to us! And lordy- the woman is GORGEOUS!! (And tiny.) She was very understanding of all us Melonians approaching her. She shook our hands, and spoke to some of us for a bit. Asked us how we even *knew* about the seminar, and a few other questions. The cutest thing was her yelling "Meloni!" over at Chris, who was standing near the front signing autographs. LMAO! And then it happened. The man himself started walking up the stairs towards us. (Well, towards his wife anyway. *lol*) Most of it- as corny as this may sound- seemed to be happening in slow motion. He walked up the stairs, said hello to Ingrid, then Carla leaned forward and kissed his cheek (you go, girl!) and then all of a sudden, he's standing one step down from me and holding out his hand towards me. Words fail...

He actually held his hand out and said "Hi, I'm Chris" (How fucking endearing is *THAT*!?! Too cute!) And then I- who was standing there like some kind of freakin deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car, STARING INTO HIS EYES!!- said "Hi, I'm Nadine" (pretty clever, huh?) and then someone told him that I'd come in from Ottawa, and he seemed VERY surprised that I'd flown all that way just for the seminar. (To hell with the seminar, I flew all that way for *YOU*, babe! *lol*) Then he looked down at my camera I was clutching like some kind of life-line, and asked if I'd like a picture, to which I said "Yes, but we're not allowed to in here." And that's when he won the man of the year award, because he offered to go out in the lobby with us. How kind and generous is this man??

So we got to the back of the auditorium, and I frantically handed my camera to someone- I don't quite recall who, because we've come to the part in my tale when my brain shut down and the auto-pilot was engaged. Whoever it was that *did* take the picture though, I just want to take this opportunity to tell you that I love you. <bg> You took one *hell* of a picture! (God bless one hour developing!!)

So Chris comes to the back of the room, and all of a sudden I'm standing there with his arm around my shoulder, and I'm wondering what to do with *my* arm. (Lord give me strength.) As I said before, I was not in control of my body or it's functions, so all by itself my hand decided to sneak around behind him and hook into one of his belt loops. (Hey, it was either that, or grab his ass. I made a judgement call.) The leather felt reeeeeeallly nice, heh heh. So there I was with him squeezing my shoulder, all snuggled up against him (I'm home! *lol*) and I wasn't even sure if I was smiling or not. But I've seen the pictures now, and thank Christ I was. And I wasn't drooling! Yippee! <bg>

After that, I stepped away so that others could have pictures taken with him, and I stood back and took some pictures of him with Ingrid- and yes, it's a FABULOUS shot, Ing!!- and Carla and Christina. And yes, I must confess, what little-miss-big-mouth <bg> said is true: somehow, as I was standing there, it suddenly occured to me that *SOMEONE* needed to get a picture of "the ass" in those yummy leather pants. So I stepped behind him, aimed low, and prayed to GOD that the man didn't turn around for ten seconds!! *lol* And it payed off- big time. It's *quite* a picture!!

After that, Chris went back into the theatre and we all spilled out into the outer lobby. He came out a few minutes later with everyone in tow- Sherman, Mariska, her boyfriend ("her Chris" as she called him), and tons of others. They all went up the stairs, and we pretty much figured that was the end. So off EVERYONE went en masse to the washroom, leaving only Dana, Leener and I in the lobby. When what to my wonderous eyes should appear?? Christopher coming back down the stairs- ALONE- in his trenchcoat! He went "Zip", right into the men's washroom, just as Wayne was coming out (Go back! Go back! *lol*) and I stood there having a "should I or shouldn't I" moment, trying to decide whether or not to speak to him when he came back out. (Thank you for the advice, Leener!!

Meanwhile, all we could hear was the whole gang in the ladies room chattering and sqealing- which Mr.Chris could most likely hear in the room beside also, because when he came out he was smiling. He stopped at the water fountain- lovely sight!- and *deep breath*, I approached him and said... God only knows what. All I remember is that he said "Nadine" again and smiled at me. (Woo hoo!) And then BOOM, suddenly Dana is standing in front of us and I've got his arm around my shoulder again and we're standing there WAITING for her to take the picture, and then he starts laughing cause it won't work (dummy here forgot tot turn it on! *lol*) so I stepped forward, turned it on (it wasn't the only thing around there turned on, let me tell you :-) and when I stepped back, he squeezed my shoulder again and pulled me close, so I grew some balls and not only reached around behind him, but I also leaned in and brought my other hand up and put it on his stomach. (*Very* soft shirt. Wow.) Then the gang started trickling out of the washroom, and suddenly there are about six or seven cameras pointed at us. (Copies people, please! I have wallpaper to make! *lol*)

Then out of the blue, this short-assed, big-haired sequrity woman jumps, and I mean JUMPS, in front of Chris and I, throws her arms in the air, and starts yelling "No more pictures! Stop taking pictures!" like some goddamned secret service agent or something. Sheesh. So he puts both his arms around my shoulders, and starts moving sideways out from behind this screaming *banshee*, meanwhile everyone just keeps snapping away. <bg> He was hopping up and down or something at some point to, I think- I'm not quite sure.

Then it was time for him to depart (for real this time *lol*), and he walked up the stairs and waved at us all. I remember someone (Ingrid?) yelling out "Come to the forum!" and him smiling. A few minutes later we all went upstairs, and he was just finishing a few pictures at the door, and then his car arrived, and him and Sherman went out the door. So we all piled out onto the street, thinking he was gone, and there he is sitting in the car out front, with Sherman, waiting for traffic to ease up so the driver could pull out. He saw us watching him and shouted "Drive! Drive!" to the driver, and looked at us with this mock-panicked look on his face! LMAO! He's too cute.

Wow, this sure turned into the post of eternity, didn't it?? <bg> I'll shut up now. (Hey- you *asked* for details!! *lol*)

God, I *think* I'm in love.... <beg>
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