The telling of this story makes me a little bit giddy. Stay with me.
Over the weekend I had the fantastic opportunity to be seated at a dinner next to a woman named Andrea. We’ve been Twitter friends for a while and we keep joking that we’ll have pancakes in Hyde Park where she currently lives and where I grew up. (Incidentally, those pancakes are from the Original House of Pancakes. You. Don’t. Even. Know.) It sort of goes like this:
Me: We should have breakfast sometime! At OHOP!
Andrea: Yes! I love that place!
Me: We’ll smother our pannycakes with syrupy love!
This is, of course, hyperbole. But you get the gist.
So, we chatted about stuff. I joked that we looked alike and that people would confuse us. We have the same color eyes, but when I met her in person and saw how darling and petite she was and then I was all Good Lord, no one will confuse us because she’s a wee little dollface! Look for yourself:
photo credit to Zan McQuade who has the most awesome name EVER.
Andrea is smart as a whip and when she talks I can tell my brain is cranking up and whirring just so that I can keep up with her wisdom. While we noshed on tacos she mentioned that she read my latest blog post about the movie “Waiting for Superman” and my descriptions of teachers. (Incidentally, it was the first one in a long time that got people mad at me for what I wrote about teachers. It wasn’t just the comment that I had to leave for the commenter, but lots of emails to which I responded.) Andrea, by the way, has a really interesting job. She’s the senior supervising producer for Oprah’s talk show.
At this point, my brain is doing a weird impression of a whirling dervish who just tried crack-laced ice cream for the very first time.
Oprah’s producer reads my blog. THIS LADY IS CRAZY AMAZING AND SHE READS MY BLOG.
Then, she asked me if I’d seen the movie yet at a private screening. I tried not to laugh too hard at this because I live amidst the corn and we don’t get very many screenings around these here parts.
Then, she said I should come to Chicago to watch it with Oprah on Thursday.
Then, I got an official invitation to Thursday’s screening and to Friday’s live-taping of the show.
Then, I got all serious because y’all? She was definitely serious.
Do you think that Oprah will scream-sing my name when she meets me? Will she be all I’d like you to welcome Mochaaaaa Mommaaaaaaa when she does?
Even if she doesn’t, at least Andrea and I can enjoy some incredible pancakes and fulfill that dream.
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
And then my head exploded. So awesome.
You’re going to be on Oprah!! Dude, you could be getting a CAR on Friday! I am SO recording the show so I can slow-mo the camera shots of the audience and look for you!
p.s. there’s an OHOP? Did IHOP steal their idea?
Helen Jane, I have YOU and the Mighty Ladies to thank for this opportunity. I will be sending you the bill for my soiled undergarments because I have peed my pants.
That is so awesome! Good for you. Have a wonderful time with Miss Oprah. She LOVES educators.
OHOP was first, Elizabeth. I swear it. And they make IHOP look like cardboardy disgusting imitations.
Car? Uh. No. And also HA! Riiiiight.
So thrilled for you!!!!
I watched the episode the other day about Waiting For Superman and made hubs watch it tonight. I’m excited for you, too!
Steph
Wow! Lucky you! I would die to be a part of her audience. Amazing how relationships online can lead to amazing experiences.
Dude. DUDE!
Oprah. YOU AND OPRAH.
You and Oprah and Andrea!
I love this.
Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude.
It’s so on my life list to go before she’s done forever.
You are a rock star and I hope you have the time of
Your life. You deserve it.
You totally look alike SHUT UP! And I mean that both ways. Woohoo on the awesomeness. 2010 is your year!
Holy mother of lords….OPRAH???
I am so happy for you! The DVR is set!!
I can’t help but think that Oprah will be envious of your awesomeness.
Holy COW…Oprah!!! That is some serious news…how freaking awesome!
You’ve got me all giddy and excited! This is awesome!
That is so, so fun! A movie screening, how awesome. Enjoy your vacation from corn & all those pancakes!
Amazing things are happening. I’m loving this!
YOUR SISTER IS STILL PEEING HER PANTS AND DOING A GOOD OLD FASHIONED JIG!! BTW, the mochamomma was kind enough to get TWO tickets for her sisters….THE FLETCHER GIRLS AND OPRAH….AMAZING! i love you SISTER!!!
P.S. Grey hair coming out today!!
How very cool!
Awesome! Yes, this is very awesome.
Wowie zowie! I can’t think of anyone better to hang with Oprah and talk education. Seriously. And I’m not just saying that in the hopes that you’ll ditch a sister and take me. What an exciting opportunity for you!
I got an email from Oprah’s show about what was going to be on this week. It said they were going to talk about “Superman” and thought, that’s the movie Kelly was talking about. I wonder if Kelly knows that Oprah is watching it & talking about it. Never thought “I wonder if Oprah is checking out what Kelly has to say.” You rock!!!
Awesome is all I have to say. Oprah’s show on Tuesdays stirred up a lot of controversy among public school teachers. I’m glad that you are going to be there to represent all that is good. We all know there are issues in education but it can’t all be lain at the feet of teachers. There are ineffective teachers who need to go, there are ineffective teachers who need support and ongoing training and there are ineffective administrators who need to go and ineffective administrators who need support and ongoing training and there are effective teachers and administrators who need to be rewarded and given opportunities to help those who need training and support.
Wait wait… so 2 of my Sheros will be in the same room… I think my amazement is out doing my jealousy!!!!!
Oh my. Double Oh my. Now THAT is super-fantastic. Enjoy every-single-solitary second. And remember to breathe.
OHHHHH wow. WOW. Wowowww. So awesome!
Okay, so the OPRAH thing is awesome, but I’m originally from outside of Chicago and I LOVE OHOP. LOVE. You just made me nostalgic for their apple pancake.
You’re kinda cool.
Also, this bears out my theory that when you just keep showing up, saying yes and using your talents for good that the right things happen. I’d tell you to have fun, but duh.
OMG. OHOP. We have some of those in the Detroit area. I miss going to them with my grandmother (we only did it a couple of times but man did she love those cheese blintzes!). You’re making me want to hunt one down!
WHOOO HOOO!
That is probably the coolest thing EVER. I’m soooooooo jealous! But in a “if I could pick the one person to talk to Oprah and then write about it, I’d pick Kelly” sort of way. Can’t wait to try to SEE you there, and then hear ALL about it!!! So proud of you!
What the WHAT?!?!? Wow, you’re going to be famous before I even get the chance to meet you, depriving me of the chance to say I knew you when. This is so awesome but not surprising. Can’t wait to see you on my tee-vee!
xox
This is so cool, I’m very happy for you. You deserve all kinds of good things so I hope they keep coming your way!
Jeff
You are soooo my hero, right now!!!!! Have a blast!!! Peace.
You are such a big timer.
Don’t wait on her to say your name. Lick her face. Please?
Dealt with a lovely parent today who told me, the warm-fuzzy counselor, that I was a liar and I was just “covering teachers asses” when I explained why her daughter got marked tardy to Math class. Then she hung up on me. Hmm. Must have been her favorite word today. She sent in a note to the teacher on which she had written 25 times “You can kiss my daughter’s ass”. Do you think Superman can save me? Man, I love my job.
Magic.
Also, I prefer you over Oprah so really she should be more excited about meeting you than vice-versa. Just saying.
Wow – that is just fantastic! And fun. It would have made my day/month/year …
Copy editor here: It’s the Original Pancake House– OPH.
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