The time I learned about life.

I heard about the Jane Lynch signing easily 6 weeks before it was scheduled to happen. I had the event page to The Grove left open on my phone. I kept checking on it to see what the requirements were going to be. Finally they posted it: wristbands would be given out on the day of the event, starting at 9am with the purchase of her book.

Now, I thought this was going to be a nightmare. Being a Twilight fan, I was expecting people lined up first thing in the morning [before the sun came out], possibly lined up overnight. I always expect that sort of thing. Apparently, people can be fans without being Twilight type fans. :D

Even still, we got up to The Grove at 7am. There was no one there. Absolutely no one in sight. We got some coffee and waited.

 

Somehow, I seem to attract dancers. Around 8:30, a girl came over to the front doors. She dropped her backpack and started to dance like a lunatic. We got video of this one. Other people started showing up and by 8:45, we had a full fledged line. They let us in after 9 and the angry security guy led us to the registers where books were bought and wristbands were handed out.

We got back to the bookstore around 12pm and surprisingly, there was only one person in line. Being a B&N member, we got the special silver wristbands that gave us priority, so we were able to go the front of the line. Hubs settled in on a leather chair, I started stealing electricity to charge my phone. All was right in the world.

As soon as one of the B&N girls found out that Jane was going to be doing a talk, chairs were set up. I put our stuff down in the front row and went back to my phone, in the corner.

Then some green shirted lady came up to us and told us that we had to leave the area. I told her that we were wristbanded for the event and she said that we weren't allowed to be there. I wasn't allowed to use the outlet and Hubs wasn't allowed to sit in the chair. Hubs made some joking remark to me, I started laughing and said "Shut up", but Miss Green Shirt thought I was talking to her and that really pissed her off.

We waited patiently, hanging out, reading books that were on the shelves, trying to keep ourselves entertained. Just before 2, they started playing the live Glee cd. This is when my husband started to get upset.... He kept giving me the side eye because he loathes the show.

Jane came out just after 2. There was a few paparazzi there and B&N had a little corral for them. The plan was to have Jane pose for a few photos and then they'd leave. She graciously accepted. 

Her first pose was standing on the edge of the stage with the book, then they had her posing like she was signing the book.

The entire time, flash bulbs were going off and they were shouting all sorts of directions. After a minute or two, Jane asked them not to tell her was to do. It was delivered with a smile, but the intent was serious. I can definitely understand how celebrities get upset about the photographers.

She talked for about 20 minutes and could be the most positive person ever. Her book is titled Happy Accidents. It refers to the realiziation she has come to while outlining the book that life is a series of happy accidents that led her to the exact times and places she was meant to be at.

Some of the questions talked about doing tv versus film [she loves doing both], how long it took to write the book [4 months], her first celebrity crush [Olivia Newton-John and she thought John Travolta was cute, so when Grease came out her "head almost imploded"], what her guilty pleasure is [coffee] and what she asks for at author events ["Pellegrino, nuts and lattes"].

She mentioned being active in the HRC and she loves the It Gets Better campaign. She also mentioned the sad video of Jonah and the bullying that he's dealing with.

Jane's main discussion topic was just in having faith and believing that your life will take you exactly where you're supposed to be, to relax and enjoy the present. She injected every answer with humor and just so much charisma.

After the talk, we were lined up by row. Miss Green Shirt hands the book to Jane while we walked up. Jane immediately said hi, using my name that was on my post-it. I thanked her for taking the time to be at the event and she thanked me for coming.

Miss Green Shirt had already informed everyone that Jane would not be taking posed photos, but one of the girls would take a picture of you while she was signing your book. Jane had other plans. While we couldn't go around the table, she did take photos with everyone that we saw.

 

Jane Lynch is amazing. She is funny and sincere with a wicked grin so infectious, you can't help but to smile right back. Which is exactly what you need to do to get through life.