It's just who I am. I could say I love Star Wars but I feel that doesn't give it enough justice. I am a big fan of Doctor Who, I am also a big Nintendo fan and I love reading. One of the greatest days of my life is when a friend took me to Barnes and Noble.
I wear glasses, have allergies, and I'm extremely uncoordinated. I'm such a nerd I'm a stereotype.
Most teenagers are obsessed with some piece of pop culture. They love their favorite shows, movies, and bands passionately. This is a love that you can't find just anywhere, when they say they love some thing they REALLY love it, for that moment.
So what was one of my moments? What does a nerdy teenage girl freak out about? Weird Al. You heard right. I was a huge Weird Al fan.
Weird Al was always around growing up. I can remember my babysitter watching MTV, constantly. (Seriously, she loved it. Is it a requirement to only watch this and talk shows?) In between Guns N' Roses and Salt N' Peppa, we would sometimes get the pleasure of Weird Al's Gangsta Paradise or Fat coming on tv and I was mesmerized.
A few years down the road we were taught in our computer class, how to search things on the Internet. (Do kids need to be taught that anymore?) Weird Al was the first thing I searched on the Internet by myself. I wanted to know as much as I could about him.
Most Girls my age were "fan girling", before it was a thing, over Nsync or Backstreet Boys. Weird Al was my Timberlake. I mean, I wasn't drawing his name in hearts on my school planner but, if he asked to adopt me I would gladly pack a bag.
He was so talented and so...weird. Taking top hit songs, changing the lyrics to something about food usually and adding some accordion. I loved it!
He was so talented and so...weird. Taking top hit songs, changing the lyrics to something about food usually and adding some accordion. I loved it!
When I was 14, my mom was working at Wal-Mart as a department manager. They had a contest for the stores whoever sold the most of his newest cd's he would stop at their store to have a pizza party and sign autograph's. My mom's store won. So Weird Al would be coming to my town.
Little did my mom know what she was doing when she, in passing, told me that Weird Al was coming to her store.
To say I freaked out would be the perfect definition of an understatement. I literally screamed. I can't think of any other time in my life that I screamed out of excitement. I've screamed out of fear and anger sure, but joy, that was new. I even surprised myself.
Teenagers experience their emotions at a much higher intensity, and being the first teenager in my family all of us must have been really confused. I know I was confused when the scream came out, but the rest of them just stared blankly in response. I assume thinking, "Something must be wrong she can't be screaming over a middle aged accordion player."
After my mother realized that I was not in need of medical attention, she informed me that it would be a few weeks away, but I could go with her.
What a bitter sweet moment this would be for me. I was going to meet Weird Al Yankovic, I assumed that this would have to be the greatest day of my life. How would any other day top that day?
I had almost every one of his cd's, I sang a long with the lyrics until those around me hated it. Which most of them did already, he's an artist of an acquired taste.
I didn't expect my peers around me to understand how great this was, but I did expect them to understand how great this was to me. I tried to make it relateable comparing it to their favorite boy band member but they just couldn't see the comparison. I had one fellow nerd freaking out with me in one of my classes but overall, my classmates were unimpressed.
My spirits, however, would not be dampened. As it grew closer I could barely contain myself. My mom advised me not to get my hopes up that I would probably only get to see him for a moment. But a moment was a lot longer than what I had currently had as far as face to face interaction with Weird Al.
I day dreamed how it would go. He would see me right away, which could be true since I was more than likely the tallest 14 year old in the store. When my turn came to get my autographed signed he would see that there was something special about me and would only want to sit with me and share a pizza. We would share stories and the secret to his frizz free hair, and then my wit would overcome him and he would ask me to leave school to become his writing partner.
Finally the day came. The peak of the mountain for me, or so I thought. I arrived at the store with my mom who had no interest and meeting Weird Al and asked if I would mind if she just picked up a few things.
I found this absurd, of course she was meeting a bonafide celebrity and she was just going to go buy paper towels?!
Teenagers experience their emotions at a much higher intensity, and being the first teenager in my family all of us must have been really confused. I know I was confused when the scream came out, but the rest of them just stared blankly in response. I assume thinking, "Something must be wrong she can't be screaming over a middle aged accordion player."
After my mother realized that I was not in need of medical attention, she informed me that it would be a few weeks away, but I could go with her.
What a bitter sweet moment this would be for me. I was going to meet Weird Al Yankovic, I assumed that this would have to be the greatest day of my life. How would any other day top that day?
I had almost every one of his cd's, I sang a long with the lyrics until those around me hated it. Which most of them did already, he's an artist of an acquired taste.
I didn't expect my peers around me to understand how great this was, but I did expect them to understand how great this was to me. I tried to make it relateable comparing it to their favorite boy band member but they just couldn't see the comparison. I had one fellow nerd freaking out with me in one of my classes but overall, my classmates were unimpressed.
My spirits, however, would not be dampened. As it grew closer I could barely contain myself. My mom advised me not to get my hopes up that I would probably only get to see him for a moment. But a moment was a lot longer than what I had currently had as far as face to face interaction with Weird Al.
I day dreamed how it would go. He would see me right away, which could be true since I was more than likely the tallest 14 year old in the store. When my turn came to get my autographed signed he would see that there was something special about me and would only want to sit with me and share a pizza. We would share stories and the secret to his frizz free hair, and then my wit would overcome him and he would ask me to leave school to become his writing partner.
Finally the day came. The peak of the mountain for me, or so I thought. I arrived at the store with my mom who had no interest and meeting Weird Al and asked if I would mind if she just picked up a few things.
I found this absurd, of course she was meeting a bonafide celebrity and she was just going to go buy paper towels?!
I told her it was fine, it would probably be for the better. Now he wouldn't feel obligated to have her join us at his table while we ate pizza.
So I stood in the crowd waiting for him to come in, with my disposable camera (I feel old) and insert from the cd for him to sign. Then the back doors open and in walked Mr. Yankovic, hawaiian shirt and all.
So I stood in the crowd waiting for him to come in, with my disposable camera (I feel old) and insert from the cd for him to sign. Then the back doors open and in walked Mr. Yankovic, hawaiian shirt and all.
He was led to the table, and that's when it hit me. I couldn't talk to Weird Al! He's Weird Al! I can't even talk to the boy I like in school, I barely spoke at all! In my excitement I forgot that I was a deeply shy introvert who would rather be punched in the face than even consider asking my teacher a question in class. How would I talk to Weird Al?
A little bit of an anxiety attack rose up within me. What was I going to do? Just a feet away from me stood one of the greatest people, in my humble nerd opinion at the time, that ever graced this planet and I was terrified to get anywhere near him.
The line moved tortuously slow, as I considered my options I could run crying to my mommy in the paper products aisle, or I could woman up.
A little bit of an anxiety attack rose up within me. What was I going to do? Just a feet away from me stood one of the greatest people, in my humble nerd opinion at the time, that ever graced this planet and I was terrified to get anywhere near him.
The line moved tortuously slow, as I considered my options I could run crying to my mommy in the paper products aisle, or I could woman up.
Sure, every other social situation in the past has ended awkwardly but maybe this time it would be different. I had to find out either way.
My turn came, I walked up to the table to Mr. Weird Albert Yankovic himself and he smiled.
He signs my cd insert on the side with the titles of his songs instead of his picture as I had hoped but only because I handed it to him this way since I was being a creep and staring at him. I thanked him and sat at a table staring at him replaying the conversation over in my mind and eating pizza.
My chance to meet the man who made hits like Gump, Like a Surgeon, and The Saga Begins and I probably creeped him out. Do I Creep You Out is also another song by Weird Al from a few years down the road. I hope there is no collation.
My turn came, I walked up to the table to Mr. Weird Albert Yankovic himself and he smiled.
Al: Hello
Amber: (too quickly) Hi
...
Al: (says something to me that I can't coherently make out over the blood pulsing in my ears)
Amber: (laughs)
(What if he asked something like "How are you?" and I am just nervously standing there laughing at him)
....
Al: Do you want me to sign that for you?
Amber: Oh yeah, yeah yeah
My chance to meet the man who made hits like Gump, Like a Surgeon, and The Saga Begins and I probably creeped him out. Do I Creep You Out is also another song by Weird Al from a few years down the road. I hope there is no collation.
Reasons Why Weird Al probably thought I was Weird:
1) I knew I wouldn't be able to take pictures once I met him, so I just took them from behind people in line.
2) I'm pretty sure I spent the whole time staring at him.
3) I meet the man and he tries to make conversation with me even though I probably looked like I had a bomb wired to my chest, and I just laugh. I laughed... like only a creep would do.
4) After the interaction is over I silently stare at him and eat my pizza. Life tip: never stare at people while you are eating food. It's very unsettling.
I hope that our Wal Mart was the last stop for him, I don't think I would sleep well after our encounter.
The pictures above are real, and I've misplaced the autograph or I'd share that too.
While I still have a fondness for the Polka Master, the intensity has cooled with what little maturity I have allowed to seep in. Unfortunately, the social awkwardness is still very much present.
-Amber
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