 Nerine Shatner Friendly House
This non profit organization is one of the nation's first residential
homes for women recovering from alcohol and substance abuse.
Donate
Here>>>
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Hollywood
Charity
Horse Show
For the past several years, William Shatner has spearheaded the HCHS
which features some of the best western reining riders in the country
while simultaneously raising money for charity.
Donate
Here>>>
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William
Shatner also
Supports:
 March
of
Dimes Canada
 The Jewish
National Fund
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| Signing Autographs |
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Posted by: LeopardHead on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 12:52 AM
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Ever since I was little, I've watched my Dad sign autographs for people. It seemed a normal activity that came with the territory - people wanted a little piece of him to take home, to remind them that they had a special moment with him. I certainly never thought I would be someday be included in this process, that anyone would want my autograph for any reason. I consider myself an ordinary sort of gal, with ordinary issues like everyone else. Why would anyone bother with my autograph? |
 April 10, 2002
Ever since I was little, I've watched my Dad sign autographs for people. It seemed a normal activity that came with the territory - people wanted a little piece of him to take home, to remind them that they had a special moment with him. I certainly never thought I would be someday be included in this process, that anyone would want my autograph for any reason. I consider myself an ordinary sort of gal, with ordinary issues like everyone else. Why would anyone bother with my autograph? This whole train of thought came crashing down, though, when I started working on the website. Suddenly, people were interested in my signature. My John Hancock became an issue.
Okay, the numbers of people asking for my signature have been very modest. Certainly I would never imagine signing autographs on the scale that my father does. He must have signed hundreds and hundreds over the years. I would never approach those numbers.
Still, the few signatures I have signed have made me think. Why DO people ask for autographs? Does it validate their experience more than if it just remains in their memories? I, for one, have an extremely faulty memory. I've been known to lose details over the years. Maybe if I had an autograph to check, the memory might remain a little clearer, or stay with me a little longer. Or, if later I couldn't recall anything, it could remind me that I, indeed, did have the experience.
Since I'm going with this theory, I'd like to take a moment and ask myself, who are the people from whom I would want a permanent reminder? I have to admit coming up with an answer is difficult. I think I'd tend to want autographs from historical figures, say like…. Cleopatra, Moses, Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Julius Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, Galileo, Rembrandt, Leonardo Da Vinci, Einstein, Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth, Aristotle, and, well, okay…Madonna. Getting these signatures would be just plain cool. So I guess I really do believe in the power of the autograph.
Get My Autograph
Which brings me back to my own experience signing them. I had a signing session at the Grand Slam in Pasadena, and actually spent more time talking to the people who wanted the autographs than actually signing them. Which, in a way, proves my point. It is the connection that lives on in our memories. Getting an autograph is our way of saying we had the connection. Even if it's with someone who's passed on, it's still a way to hold onto a part of that person and make the experience our own. Who knows, maybe I'll be making a trip to the nearest historical documents shop soon. Someone's just GOT to have an autograph from Moses lying around.
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