Kevin's Watch

Well, chalk another brilliant thread up for the Foulmeister! Honestly people; hear that scratching sound? That's me scraping the bottom of the barrel.

So, um! Got any e-mail claims to fame? I know there's a lucky handful here who've had some correspondence with SRD.

I once e-mailed Stephen Hawking, but, heck--anybody can do that at his website. Aside from that, I e-mailed my favorite Atlanta news reporter. Then again, maybe I shouldn't count that one. I guess she's only well-known in Atlanta. Meh.

Not email, but I corresponded with Lin Carter-editor of the great Ballentine Books Adult Fantasy Series in '72 and '73, tho H. P. Lovecraft was the main topic of discussion. I also sent my "Water of Space" theory to Freeman Dyson, Chairman of the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton in '77. He wrote me back saying, that's an interesting start, keep working on it.

You guys both have forgotten to mention your correspondence with me. But fortunately, I'm as humble as I am famous, so it doesn't bother me.

I sent an e-mail to ROBERT SHECKLEY and he answered me.
It was in year 2002.

I sent a letter many, many years ago to Michael Moorcock (this was when computers were bigger than meat lockers and e-mail was a distant dream). He sent me back a postcard with a nice reply.

I also sent a letter to Stephen King in the early nineties. I was convinced that he was writing some of the Deathlands novels under the pen name of James Axler, because of the many references to his works in those books. (Turns out the REAL author, Laurence James, was a big fan of King, thus the many homages to his favorite writer). Anyway, King sent back a postcard denying any connection to Deathlands.

I also briefly corresponded with Margaret Weis (of Dragonlance fame).

Um... Seeing as I haven't mastered the toaster yet, I haven't sent any emails to anyone. Much less anyone famous.

Stephen King? Well I'll have you know that my 3rd cousin, which means we have the same great great grandparent (which really means that we are of virtually no relation, and could get married even outside of Foul's neck of the woods. And we only met once ever.) is married to King's son. They got married at Lake Mohonk. Which is about 20 miles from me, and is home of the Labrynth, which King mentions in at least one of his novels that I read.

Does that complete lack of connection count?

It counts if the fact that I'm distantly related to Margaret Mitchell counts.

I'm pretty sure I know someone who knows someonewho knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows just about any famous person you can think of... I'm connected.

I have the Crocodile hunter's autograph! I wrote him a letter many years ago and he wrote me a postcard back saying: Claire, Crocs Rule!

Heh heh. I've got you all beat!

I think, Hi, that it's even closer than that. I had once heard that everybody in the USA knows everybody else through a mere 2 intermediaries. I wonder if it's true. But even if that's a little optomistic, I'd bet no more than 4 are required.

Foul - Sweet!! (Even if I don't know who MM is.) ((And I've probably just made myself look real stupid. Ah well, not the first time for that, nor the last.))

Fist and Faith wrote:I think, Hi, that it's even closer than that. I had once heard that everybody in the USA knows everybody else through a mere 2 intermediaries. I wonder if it's true. But even if that's a little optomistic, I'd bet no more than 4 are required.

Foul - Sweet!! (Even if I don't know who MM is.) ((And I've probably just made myself look real stupid. Ah well, not the first time for that, nor the last.))

Ouch, Fist. Well, Margaret Mitchell wrote the little-known sea-shanty called Gone With The Wind.

My grandfather has met some famous people--face-to-face, though, not long-distance correspondence. B.B. King, Jerry Lee Louis, Martha Ray, and a few others, and I can't recall the rest.

Ah! Yes, I've heard of GWTW. It's supposed to be a pretty good movie, no?

I dunno. I guess. If you like chick flicks.

The Leper Fairy wrote:I have the Crocodile hunter's autograph! I wrote him a letter many years ago and he wrote me a postcard back saying: Claire, Crocs Rule!

Heh heh. I've got you all beat!

I live near the Crocodile Hunter - no more than 20mins away. Serious.

Anyway, I have a letter from Robert Jordan. I've met Jon Pertwee and Peter Davison in person, AND I'm related to a famous Australian actor (his sister lives a street away from me).

I once fought an email battle side by side with romance/mystery author Roberta Gellis. Our opponent was an editor who rewrote my review of Gellis's book, in a way that made both of us look like we knew nothing about the time the book was set in.

Wow! That's amazing, Joy!

I"ve emailed and corresponded with many public personalities, musicians, artists, authors and celebreties who take an active roll in the fight against AIDS. Have even met a few in person during WAD ceremonies and a few House lobbying sessions for fund acquisions.

I believe the "everybody knowing everybody" idea is the "six degrees of separation theory." Which has since been used for the game Six Degrees to Kevin Bacon, in which you can show with six or less connections that Bacon is related to every actor and actress who ever worked in Hollywood.

This theory has also been used to support the concept that if you contact the most important person you know, and he contacts the most important person HE knows, and that person contacts the most important person HE know, etc., than in no more than six levels, you can reach the President of the United States.

If this post has devolved into what famous people we are related to, let me share this one. My great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was Jesse Head. Jesse was a circuit rider, a sort of travelling judge and preacher in colonial America. And he's the preacher who married Abraham Lincoln's parents. He's mentioned in Carl Sandburg's multi-volume biography of Lincoln.

Every generation a son is given the middle name of Jesse to commemorate this. Thus Jesse is my middle name. I only had a daughter, though, so the line is broken.