So about Donald Miller...

A dream came true on Tuesday when I journeyed to Austin with some guys from Truett to meet the man of my dreams, Donald Miller author of Blue like Jazz. It was completely wonderful even though I had heard the talk he gave on cd. I re-read a bit of Blue Like Jazz on the way up just to refresh my memory on all the reasons I really like him. In his chapter about relationships, he said, “If you like someone, you have to tell them. If you don’t you’ll always regret it, and wonder what if.” So I thought to myself, ‘This could be your only chance.’ I thought and thought and thought about what I might say to Don if I got the chance to talk to him. Since he is semi-famous and all, and since he doesn’t know me from any other psycho-bitch, I couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t make me sound like an absolute crazy.

I just repeated to myself again and again, “I am confident. I am good enough for someone like him. I am confident. I am good enough for someone like him. I am confident. I am good enough for someone like him.” (Aside: yes guys, girls do that to.)

So when the moment came, after his amazing talk, I walked up to him with my friend Vernon and his friend Steve whom I had never met. Steve started going on and on about how Blue Like Jazz changed his life. He kept on going and kept on going and at the end he said, “After I read your book, I literally was able to relax my butthole.”

I immediately covered my face with my hands, know this guy had totally ruined my moment with the man of my dreams. Vernon quickly recovered by changing the subject and throwing me into the conversation. He asked something about Don being at the Emergent Convention, and I just gave him a look of confusion because I knew he wouldn’t be. Don looked confused to and finally said, “Do you mean Catalyst?”

“I think he does. I went with my seminary class, and it was really good,” I said.

Then Vernon made some comment about how we came from Waco to hear him and how we were in seminary at Baylor. Then I said something about him having such a big fan base around Baylor. Vernon and Steve asked him to sign their books. And I was thinking, ‘ Here it is…this is your chance. Write your number on a piece of paper and shake his hand and give it to him. Darn, no paper.’

So we all began shaking hands with him, and when it was my turn all I could manage, while making extraordinary eye contact and flashing my best smile, was, “I’m Janalee, and it’s really wonderful to meet you.” I held on to his hand for an extended second, and I kid you not, he didn’t try to let go.

Our hands finally parted and I took my journal/sermon notes tapped him in the stomach and with all the mad game I could muster told him, “Come see us sometime in Waco.”

Granted, this is not the most thrilling or romantic of exchanges, but for a girl who has zero confidence around guys who I actually like, I didn’t do half bad. Part of me really wishes I would’ve given him my number, but the other part of me says it’s good that I didn’t because he might have thought I was a book whore. More than one friend has assured me I made the right decision. Yes, I probably sound a little silly going on and on about a man who I have little or no chance with in reality, but I feel that if I would have a chance with any celebrity crush, it would be him. We’d be damn cute together as a matter of fact. Instead of being short and stocky like I imagined him to be from the pictures, he was probably 6’3, 320 lbs. A bigger guy, and everybody knows that I am way into that. Anyways, little or no chance with him… probably so, but in a place like Waco that seems to be dry when it comes to the fellas (at least for me that is), he is a nice dream. This author with adorable dimples is a reminder to me that there are really good guys out there that can bare their soul. Yes, he is to me exactly who Emily Dickinson was to him.