[talk: Famous Acquaintances]

So after watching yet another show with a person I've known on it, I thought it would be fun to maybe see who we all "know" that has made it "BIG". Or so to speak. Perhaps they were never an actual friend, but maybe you knew them in high school, or talked to them at the Starbucks counter on a weekly basis. Or maybe you were just saw them walking down the street downtown ...

Fame has always intrigued me. If you know me, I get "star struck" pretty easy - and I'm not sure why. The glitz and glam is all good, but it's being great at something and being KNOWN for it that intrigues me. Celebrities who do nothing, do nothing for me ... but intelligent activists, fantastic musicians, brilliant actors, hard-working athletes - these people inspire me. Not to have the camera flash blazing in my eyes, but to be passionate about something and give it my all. Going after a dream a living it.

Ok. Here's my list:

1. Jessica Lowndes. Her name is first because I watched her on 90210 last night *blush*. If you saw it, she was the "druggie/thief". *smile*. We know her family very well, and my mom taught her piano for many years. We graduated from the same high school - just a lifetime apart *grin*.

2. Evangline Lilly (Nicole). Ok - even just typing her name gives me the stomach knots. But she's the girl who's famous for being "Kate" on the hit show "Lost". I've only watched the very first episode - and once I realized who the lead female role was, I simply couldn't watch it anymore. You'd think I'd get over it, since it was 12 years ago, but we worked at a summer camp together for 2 years in a row. And she was all over my boyfriend - or rather, tried to be. So childish of me, considering I never married the guy - but still. She irks me. I'm just jealous of her beauty, I guess *evil laugh*.

3. Chris Crippin. Have you heard of the band, "Hedley"? Well - although it's famous for it's lead singer, I went to Jr. High with the drummer. Chris was ALWAYS the class clown, and was still a tiny-little-guy in grade 9 - he loved the motherly-attention he got from all the older girls.

4. Jacob Hoggard. So it's a double whammy for me with the "Hedley" band. I was a camp counselor at the summer camp Jacob went to ... but I know his parents a lot better than I know him.

5. Jed Rees. Now - this guy I've known forever ... and his name may not be familiar to most, but he was on the Chris Isaak show and on that space movie with Tim Allen. Jed is a life-long friend of my brother, was even in his wedding party. The jewelry box he gave me for a wedding gift sits beside my bed.

6. Leon Leontaridis. Ok. Don't laugh, A. *she's his wife and a blog stalker *grin**. But Leon is with Destino, an up-and-coming popera band. He is my husband's lifelong friend, and actually introduced us (good hook up, I reckon). Whenever he and his wife & daughter are in town, I bug him and say "Hey - aren't you LEON???". It's a little laugh we like to have. He would laugh if he knew that I put him up here *grin*.

7. Jesse Dryfout & Nathan Wylie. Both of these characters are/were in "Stabilo". I worked at summer camp with Jesse (along with Ms. Nicole Lilly), and Nathan is my ex-boyfriend's cousin. Nate was actually in the Christian worship band "Standfirm" we put together for a couple of years ... wicked drummer and super guy.

I also know a few people making their mark in the ever-impossible-to-break-into music industry and these friends/acquaintances have been/are diligent in "making it". The guys from "Doubting Paris", "Au4", "Dakona" and Ryan is doing a new venture called "Cowboys & Indians". And there's "Greg Neufeld" - the Canadian Idol contestant. Our good friend is his bass player - LOVE his music. Seriously ... it's Brian Adams meets John Mayer. And at my friend K's bday party a few weeks ago, I looked over and there Greg was ... it was a tad strange, considering the only reason I watched Canadian Idol was b/c I thought he was so great.

In the Christian music world, good ol' Ben Cantelon is a rising leader in the UK now. We've known Ben since he was a kid at and he and my hubby grew to be close friends. It was sad for us when Benny made the trip "over the pond", but he's doing so well - it's all good *grin*. And then, one of our friends married Ben Fielding of Hillsong United - most known for his song "Mighty to Save" ... that was a TRIP for me when we attended their wedding and saw people whom I've musically admired for so long ... I almost passed out when I ventured over to say hello to Reuben Morgan - his worship music is really brilliant. I'm such a geek. *grin*. And trust me, my husband mocks me for it OFTEN. I really am the biggest geek.

I've "seen" my fair share of famous people too. Tori Spelling bought shoes in the downtown Aldo store. Matthew Perry was shooting a "running" scene outside of a local coffee shop - my friends laughed at me as they watched my face when I realized it was "Chandler Bing". SO FUNNY.

I had my picture taken with Mario "Slater" Lopez and Dustin "Screech" Diamond when I was in Hawaii for my grad vacation. I've seen JT, Celene Dion, U2, Michael Buble ... and a ton more in concert. Does that count? Oh, and then there are the hockey games, basketball games and golf tournaments that I've seen ... but I'm thinking that Vijay Singh isn't one of my blog-reader's top interests.

Phwef.

Ok - I'm sure I've missed someone ... but if you care to, leave a comment on who YOU know and let's all have a good chuckle together *grin* ... AND, I thought this would be fun too, if YOU could be someone for a day - who would it be? Would you want to be known for intelligence, beauty or talent (athletic, musical, theatrical)?

For me? I've said it before: I'd be Carrie Underwood ... she's lovely and talented and seems like a nice person to be.

Ok ... your turn (if you'd like!!) and have a great one!