Take a Walk With Beth...: Meeting Shania Twain

I’ve been wanting to blog about this, but whenever I try to write something, it’s just all over the place. OK so the facts. I’d plan to spend the day there anyway, so I got there about 9:00 and went to Barnes & Noble for my wristband. I’d actually never been to The Grove in LA. It’s a cool mall, outdoor with a quaint "street" down the middle that has a trolley, though the trolley wasn't running. There's a movie theater so I went to a movie mid-day, ate lunch at Farmer's market, read Shania's book, people watched, and saw some filming of the TV show "Extra". Mario Lopez was there filming some pieces and I was in some of the scenes that made it on TV.

At 5:30 they would start forming the line, based on the letter on our wristband (I was in group B.) I talked with a few other fans while we were waiting which was kinda fun to meet people who were bigger fans of Shania than me; one girl about 20 who’d been a fan since she was a little girl and had a whole scrapbook of Shania, and one who was brand new fan who'd seen her Oprah interview. She arrived on time…we could hear screaming so we knew she was there :-) …but the media had some time with her first off to the side first. I knew ahead of time that we weren't allowed to have "posed photography" meaning we couldn't have a picture taken with her. We had to have our books turned to a certain page & we could take pics but they said we'd have to stop when we got right up to her. I kept taking them when I got up there & they didn't stop me. I guess they just meant not to slow the line down by asking her to pose.

As I started getting close, I actually started feeling a little emotional, a little teary, and also felt kinda dorky for feeling that way. The line was going SO fast so I knew I couldn't say much, so the conversation was something like this:
"Hi Shania"
"Hello"
"Thank you so much for being here to do this."
"You're welcome"
"Your music just makes me so happy!"
"Thank you!"

She was friendly and smiled. That was it. Because it was so brief I knew it wouldn't be worth trying to say more. There were people who tried to pose with her for pics, and the "handlers" wouldn't let them (I think they were Barnes & Noble people assigned to be the bad guys). There were a couple of little girls, like age 5-6 that they let go up to her & give her hugs. A few people ahead of me shook her hand. I thought about it, but it seemed liked an imposition for her to have to put the pen down, shake, pick up pen, etc. over & over.

I enjoyed watching her husband Fred beaming as he watched (and filmed) her, and her sister Carrie too. In her book she wrote about doing her 1st tour (on the road over a year) pretty much alone every day, and she was very lonely. She had assistants who were also friends with her, but no husband or family, so it's really sweet that he's so supportive. She said in an interview how wonderful it is to be married to your best friend, "a best friend who is edible!" :-) He is pretty cute. She said he’s always doing sweet, romantic things for her. She deserves it after what she went through.

Afterwards they were taping a segment outside with Shania for Extra, so they encouraged the fans to come out & watch. That was a fun surprise, and I took a few more pictures.

I finished reading her book a few days ago. I can’t believe what she went through. There were so many touching parts, funny too, and I respect her more knowing what she’s had to overcome, and having the courage to tell the world.

I hope to go to a concert some day, but this was unique since I was able to speak to her, even if only for a few seconds.