The Five People I Want to Meet Most in the World

My friend and I both have this insane amount of knowledge about celebrities stored up in our heads. Because this information is so useless, we make up games so we can feel smart and actually put all these mindless knowledge to use. We play the six degrees of separation game (otherwise known as the Kevin Bacon Game) during biology everyday while our teacher drones on and on about different biological processes (and today was fetal pig dissection day, but that's a whole other story). Here's the quick test we've developed to see how good people are with celebrities: How can you connect Anne Hathaway to Brad Pitt, in the least steps possible? (see answer at end of post)

We also like to play this game where we flip through the new issue of People. One person has to name all the celebrities on every pair of pages. Each one they miss is a point off. Whoever loses the least points wins. And we play tough. We don't include totally random people, but any celebrities kids are fair game. Do you know Usher's sons name? Cause that screwed me in a game once. It also sucks when you get an entire cast of a show or a giant band or something, and you don't know it at all, and you lose 15 points on one page.

Anyways, the point is, I know my celebrities well. And there's lots of celebrities I like, for one reason or another. Examples: Reese Witherspoon (I'll always love Elle Woods! And Melanie Smooter!), Rachel McAdams (ALLIE + NOAH=FOREVER), James Marsden (27 Dresses, Enchanted, basically anything where he smiles), Paul Rudd (he married Phoebe! And he was in love with Cher! And he's just so adorable!), Joshua Jackson (He was Pacey Witter. Need I say more?), Natalie Portman (WHERE. THE. HEART. IS.). But I wouldn't ever care to meet any of these people. I mean, I wouldn't mind it, per say, but I wouldn't seek it out. I imagine they'd all be pretty boring. However, there are a few celebrities (and kind of-celebrities) that I would LOVE to meet. Which brings me to today's list: The Five People I Want to Meet Most in the World

Number 1: Meg Cabot

You all know I love Meg. I wrote a very, very long post detailing why I like each and every one of her books. A few honorable mentions: All American Girl, How to Be Popular, Teen Idol. And, of course, the winner: The Princess Diaries Series. I have been reading Meg Cabot books for nearly ten years now. I grew up reading her books. All American Girl was the first book I ever finished that was over 300 pages. Michael and Mia were one of the first couples I became obsessed with (starting my life long obsession with romance). And I've been reading Meg's blog weekly for at least five years. Meg has brought so much joy to my life, and I would just love to meet her and thank her for that. Thank her for all the late nights I stayed up rereading the ending to Teen Idol. Thank her all the Boxing Days I got so excited for (yes, that's right, the day after Christmas), because a new Princess Diaries would come out. And thank her for all the fun I've had with my friends, as they've all made their way through her books. And, of course, it would be awesome if I could get her to sign my tattered copies of Princess Diaries and Forever Princess. Meg has not once come to Canada since I started reading her books. She's been all over the US. Europe. Brazil. But never Canada. But one day, I will meet her, no matter how far I have to travel. It's one of the goals of my life.

Number 2: Steven Page

Ah. The international man of mystery. There are just so many reasons I want to meet Steven Page. Reason one: He is one of my favourite singers of all time. He sang Call and Answer, Old Apartment, Brian Wilson, Break Your Heart, When You Dream, Too Little Too Late, and a totally awesome version of Jingle Bells. His voice is so comforting to me, so familiar. Reason two: He founded my one of my favourite bands of all time. He co-founded the Barenaked Ladies. I will always love him for that. He may not be a lady anymore, but he will always be the one who co-wrote If I Had A Million Dollars, and Be My Yoko Ono, and What a Good Boy, and countless other songs that filled my childhood and still fill my playlists to this day. Reason three: He's from Toronto! This one may seem silly, but it should not be underestimated. Not only is he Canadian (wahooo!), he's actually from my city! No one is ever from Toronto! It's so exciting. And, he embraces his Torontoness. Just think of the line in Old Apartment--"We bought a house on the Danforth". Only Torontonians know where that is, and I love that. Reason Four: I could try to figure out why he left the band. There have been so many questions and secrets. So much mystery. I would just love to meet him and get the real story. I just want to talk to this man who's voice is so soothing to me, who's lyrics are so meaningful to me, who's life is mysterious to me. I want to meet Steven Page!

Number 3: Sarah Dessen

I'll keep this one (relatively) short and sweet. Macy and Wes. Auden and Eli. Owen and Annabel. Basically all of the Truth About Forever, actually. Basically, every page she's ever written. I just love her writing. I love her characters. I love her romances! I've been reading her books since the seventh grade when we were all doing silent reading in class and we all had to share the name of the book we were reading and someone said they were reading Dreamland, and I decided I should check it out. Since then I've read and loved every one of her books. They're comforting to me. Kind, and familiar, nice and well written. I love Sarah, and I would just love to meet her. Sadly, much like Meg she NEVER comes anywhere near Toronto, so I don't know when this will happen. But it will.

Number 4: Jim Parsons

As you've probably noticed, Jim is the only real celebrity (read: actor/tv star) to appear on this list. That is because he is really, truly the only actor I would ever want to meet. I'm trying to think of way to say this without sounding creepy, but I can't: I just love him. He's so adorable and talented and smart and funny. He stars in one of my favourite tv shows of all time (my favourite current tv show by far). I've watched so many Big Bang episodes so many times. And I've seen so many interviews with him. He just seems like such a nice, genuine guy. I think it'd just be nice to talk to him. Really, I think I would hate meeting any celebrities because it would make me feel so awkward. But I would make an exception for Jim Parsons. He is quite possibly my favourite actor of all time. I just have to meet him (though, sadly, I probably never will. Boohoo).

Number 5: Sean McCann

Sean McCann, shanty man. He plays the drum as well. And I just love him for it. I love his voice--England, Safe Upon the Shore, General Taylor, Love. When I was traveling in the summer I would listen to his songs whenever I felt lonely or sad or homesick, and they made me feel better. His voice is the voice of my childhood. And his songs (with Great Big Sea, of course) were the songs of my childhood. Ordinary Day. When I Am King. Lukey's Boat. Donkey Riding. Scolding Wife. All songs that hold such memories for me, because of Mr. Sean McCann (and Alan Doyle of course. And Bob Hallett. Can't forget Bob). I'd love to meet the man behind the voice.

There are two so-called honorable mentions to this list: Ed Robertson and Alan Doyle. I honoured their counterparts, but I left them out. I love them both, but they aren't my favourite parts of their respective bands.

Anyways, there's the list. If I meet even one of these people before I die, I'll be very happy. You never know. It could happen.

So, what's your list?

P.S. Here's the answer to the Six Degrees question: Anne Hathaway was in Valentine's Day with Julia Roberts. Julia Roberts was in Ocean's Eleven with Brad Pitt. Easy one step connection. Ta da! Congrats to any of you who could do it. If you leave your name in the comments I'll give you a special prize. And if you come up with an alternate route, a double special (?) prize. And if anyone wants anymore six degree questions, just ask. I can play this game forever.