Oh gosh. I don't even know where to START. Ok. Organize my thoughts...

I should start with mentioning how it all...started. Gosh, that does sound repetative. However, I digress.

Once upon a time, I was forced by my friends to see a little movie called Hellboy II. Always enjoying little moments where I get to go to the movies with dear friends, I agreed. (So it really wasn't forced...) We hoofed it to our local movie theater and made it just in time for the 7:15 screening.
And why is this important?
Doug Jones.

Yes, this amazing actor played the role of the intellectual fish-man Abe Sapien. I became quickly entranced by this character - he moved with such fluid grace, and spoke so eloquently... being the theatre junkie I am, and a member of my school's drama department, I was ever so curious to know who played such an interesting and beautiful character. I stayed put for the whole movie, waiting through the credits as the white lettering panned down the screen. And... I found Doug Jones.

So, provided that short ramble of an introduction, I can say that I quickly gained admiration for Dougie. Reading up on his different movies (and becoming rather obsessed with Pan's Labyrinth, I'll admit) and careers in the acting profession, he became my idol. Someone who is not only a positively brilliant and moving actor, but a truly caring, positive, and genuine individual. I was taken with the idea of sending him a letter, perhaps even emailing him. What's a fangirl to do?

I hunted down his website and found his contact information for snail-mail letters, and spent roughly an hour that night putting it together. After some interesting moments with a cricket who kept me company as I wrote - he even stayed on my shoulder for a minute and watched - I sealed it up and mailed it the next morning, quite aware that odds are, I wouldn't get a response. But I still wanted to send it, response or not. I happened to be having a bit of a crisis worrying about my future that very night, concerned about the fact that I enjoy just about every existing art form, from drawing and painting to costuming to dancing to piano... 

Seeing the fact that Doug Jones is not only a more than capable actor, but a singer, mime, and dancer was enough to restore my confidence. If he can do it, why can't I? Heck - if anyone can do anything, it's possible. And it is certainly possible for me. Or... so I like to think, anyhow. :p

In that way, even without a response from dear Dougie, I was content to know I could write to him, at least. Just to let him know he had inspired yet another individual.

And then, of course... I find there's an email. Of course. How stupid am I?

So, I send him an email, summing up my letter. I find him on Facebook through The Doug Jones Experience - which, I may mention, is a truly fabulous site maintained by Webmaster Helen, who is not only very helpful but a darling - and add him to my friend list, writing a short little comment on his page.

Not much longer after that, I found his Appearances page on the site...

I wasn't hopeful to find him at a convention near me, but I wanted to look anyhow. And, as it turned out, he was going to be at one a few hours drive away in several months. I immediately wrote the date into my calender and planned to go, as a sort of week and a half late birthday gift to myself.

So, the months pass by, and I create an original faun costume, in honor of Pan's Labyrinth - my favorite movie of all time. Given my time constraints, I found myself awake at 1:30 am finishing the costume the night before... or rather, day of, the convention. I finished, hopped into bed, and got a few 7 or 8 hours of sleep before waking up and showering and getting ready. I left with what I thought would be plenty of time to get to the con.

Of course, I end up getting there ten minutes before Dougie's panel was scheduled to start, all of which I spent searching about to find the right room. And it just had to be ALL the way at the END of two hallways... no signs or anything. Perhaps I'm just not smart enough for these things. :)

I found the right room, dragging my Kris along with me, and paused a few feet outside the open door. There was Dougie, in all his glory, in the middle of an explanation of his career. It was absolutely surreal. Here is the man who inspired me to keep pushing through when things were hard, who is an amazing celebrity, who should be in a much more appropriate venue then a dank convention center.

I tiptoed as quietly as I could to a seat in the side of the room and settled down, setting my bag at my feet and looking over at Dougie as he explained. About a minute after this, when I had just about gotten comfortable, Dougie roams his eyes across the room and notices my horns. "It's a faun! Aren't you precious!" My stomach turned in a flip-flop and I shot him one of my hands-shaped-in-the-form-of-a-heart. He smiled. "There's love, there's love." Too struck with awe and admiration, I giggled a little and settled into my seat. This should be a fun panel.

Of course, it was very fun - Dougie was oh so animated and kept us laughing the whole time. As he wrapped up the panel, I toyed with the idea of trying to catch him before he left, but he was quickly out of the door and in the direction of his booth. I grabbed my things and trailed behind shyly, worrying if I would get the chance to meet him.

I found him engrossed in conversation with a friend, and waited a few feet away, hoping to catch him when he was finished talking. As the conversation drifted, I wandered a bit, and came back to see him finishing the conversation. I started forward a litte, but then realized he was going over to the booth.
The booth... with a rather lengthy line.

I padded around nervously, butterflies in my stomach, and decided to get a drink of water to keep hydrated. It was a very hot costume, I will mention.

After deciding I would only get the chance to meet Dougie if I got in line for his booth, I tagged on to the end of the line, about ten people long at this point. Kris stood by me as we chatted, keeping ourselves entertained. I eyed the posters laid out along Dougie's table. Well...as much as I'd like one, I wasn't quite in the mood to pay $25. I came for a hug. So, I continued on through the line and watched, grinning slightly, as a fan presented Dougie with a few drawings. They were absolutely beautiful, and I was so happy to see Dougie getting artwork from fans. Truly, it was a heartwarming sight. I danced around, chatting with others waiting in the line, watching as Matt, the alien, pretended to be a statue and then turned his head on unsuspecting passerby. It caused quite a little scene, not enough to be menacing, but enough to be fun.

And suddenly, I found myself a few feet from Dougie, one person away. I shuffled my feet a little out of nerves and took a few steady breaths. Ok. I can do this. I'm only meeting an actor... who happens to be Doug Jones... who happens to be my idol. Ok. Different tack. Ahmm....



And then it was my turn. Wow. That was short.

I introduced myself shyly, and was happy to hear he remembered my name from Facebook. The best part...Dougie hopped up from his chair and came around to the other side of the table, wrapping his arms around me and giving me a great big hug. Gosh, was he such a teddy bear! I snuggled up to him, a silly grin plastered all over my fangirlish face, as I hugged him back, my chin on his shoulder. Dougie murmured into my ear while he hugged me, telling me how precious I was and the like. He was an absolute DARLING! (Regretfully, though I've berated myself for it, I can't remember what he told me...but it was sweet. Kris tells me I was staring off into space the rest of the day.)

I became even quieter than normal, but was rather calmer than I expected. Dougie was such a relaxing and easy person to be with. I presented him with a little sculpey dolphin I made, and he was ever so happy. "What's his name?" He asked me. Shoot. I forgot to name the little baby. Ahh...

"Dougie junior!" Kris suggested. I giggled and nodded. "Dougie junior."

Doug was pleased, and gave the little dolphin a kiss on the nose. I beamed.

"Well, a gift means you get a free autograph, if you want one..." Dougie looked over at the table laden with different tiny posters of him from his different roles. I HAD been eyeing that one of the faun and Ophelia... I considered telling him I just wanted a picture with him, but the temptation was too great. I paused and stuttered a bit.

"Ahmmmm....sure."

"How about... this one?" He reached over and plucked out the one of the faun and Ophelia. Holy cow, how did he do that?

I nodded furiously and smiled, and he gave me a grin and sat down again, pulling out his signature silver pen and pausing at the top of the photo. "Ah....what's your name again?" He smiled bashfully at me, and I repeated it for him.

Bent over his work, I watched him start to write, and then looked around so I wouldn't be staring while he did. Every few seconds I couldn't help but shoot him a glance. Gosh. To think I'm meeting my idol! And he gave me a HUG! And he liked my present! And he's giving my a free normally-would-be-25-dollar-signed-poster! I was awestruck and almost silent.

He presented me with the poster, but I was too happy and very much distracted to read over it. I beamed and gave him another hug, and asked him if I could take a picture with him. He was all to happy to comply, and wrapped his arms around me as I snuggled into his side and rested my head on his shoulder while Kris - such a darling - snapped a shot. I took my camera back and slipped it into my bag as Dougie asked, "So, are you two friends, or family, or...dating...?" I looked at Kris as he answered.

"Dating."

"Oh!" And, such a darling, said something to the effect of, "You're so good for putting up with me." 

"No, no, I'm a huge fan!" 

I rolled my eyes at Kris.

We chatted a bit more, and I thanked Dougie. He smiled and we bid our farewells. Radiently beaming and still stunned, we wandered away from the booth. "Wow." I hugged the poster.

"Oh, wait a minute." Kris darted back over to the table, leaning through the line to talk to one of the assistants. I took the time to read the poster.

"My precious Morgan, you are a true sweetie! Be good!! - Doug Jones"

I squealed a bit and gingerly held the poster to my chest as Kris presented me with a thick plastic cover for it. "Ahwr...thank you!" I smiled at him and gave him a great big hug. What a sweet guy.

The day passed in a bit of a stunned daze for me. I was delighted and awestruck. This was anything better than I could have hoped for. After we wandered back in from lunch, I looked over to Dougie's booth, where was busy in conversation. His eyes flicked over and met mine, and he smiled and blew a kiss. I squirmed and beamed at him. Gosh...!

We wandered some more, and then paused at the doors seperating the dealer's room from the main room. I pouted with Kris, wanting to get another hug from Dougie. Kris was eager to go over to the costume contest table, and in the end, he won. Unfortunately, Dougie was gone after we returned with our prizes (1st and 2nd place). I was slightly saddened, but I knew Kris was only impatient to make it to the judge's table on time.

I spent the rest of the day in a happy daze, grinning widely any time I looked over at the poster.

And now... I sit writing this.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience. Dougie is a truly darling and loving individual, and he made this little fangirl very, very happy.