GH Recap Number 1 - Thursday  - By Dianna

I’ve only been home 3 days and already the days spent at the GH Fan club weekend feel like a distant memory.  Being home and thrust back into reality is highly overrated.  I’ll take my fantasy life in Studio City, CA any day of the week.

Attending the event was nothing and everything that I thought it would be.  It is nearly impossible for me to put into words all the different things I felt and emotions that flowed through me.  It is an experience that for most of us is unlike anything we have ever done or probably will again. 

This is my first column of events and it won’t contain everything.  I still have many thoughts I would like to share with all you readers.

I want to start with the excitement of meeting the people that you speak to on a regular basis.  I flew to LAX with Karen (Media Ho) who I have had the pleasure of meeting once before.  Karen is an excellent traveling companion, she even bought me a peanut butter sandwich (with Skippy) and what more can you really want for a 5 hour flight.  Karen knows when to chat and is also very capable of sitting in companionable silence which is something that can be very hard to find.  As the weekend progressed, my opinion of Karen only grew fonder and I believe a friendship was cemented. 

Kelly met us at the airport and we shared a car to the hotel.  I will never forget my image (which sadly I can only verbally share) of Kelly leaning casually against the wall in her adorable cow girl style hat, looking like she could fit in anywhere.  Kelly is pure unadulterated energy and everything with her is fun, even something as mundane as collecting luggage.  When you are with Kelly you feel like you have known her forever and you know that no matter what she is not going to judge you. 

You don’t know beauty until you meet Kathy.  She is just as gorgeous as every one of those “celebrities” that I met this week and her beauty starts from the inside and is mirrored on her outside.  Kathy possesses sparkling blue eyes, from which shines her intelligence and spirit.  Kathy is quick to smile and quick to laugh and has a kind thing to say about everybody.

Kelly, Dianna and Karen

Katrina is just the bomb.  You read her journals and you do get a sense of Katrina the person but it is just a sense.  She is everything you would expect but just so much more.  This is a woman who has lived life and worked hard to get what she has and she never once stops appreciating everything around her.  Katrina exudes a calming effect that completely enables one to relax in her presence.  It is the most amazing feeling.  I absolutely adore this Diva and I want to hang with her every weekend.

Carol (Coggie), is definitely the person I wish I had gotten to spend more time with.  From reading her columns you know she had to somehow balance time for the events, time for us and still dedicate time to her family.  From the time that I did get to spend with her I learned that she is an absolute sweetheart.  Carol has a big heart and a beautiful presence and I am really so lucky to have gotten to spend time with all these fine woman.

Thursday night we all met up at the Sportsman’s Lodge and enjoyed a late dinner.  Since I really only have photos that apply to Saturdays event, meet Joe.  Joe is the best bartender in Cali and everyone should stop and visit him at the patio bar at the Sportsman’s Lodge.

We were all pretty tired, except for me who had no clue anymore about the concept of time.  I stayed behind with Katrina which is when I had my first Jennifer Bransford experience.  Jennifer came downstairs, after Bingo (I did not attend bingo I only got to glance through the window, but at least I got to see Wally Kurth take off his short.  That man is in good shape) and stopped to talk to everyone like she knew them forever.  She was just a genuine person who really seemed happy to be where she is.  I remembered she grew up in Larchmont and I mentioned to her that I live in a neighboring town.  This turned into a very nice conversation.  It is always fun to talk to people who know things about your home town and Jennifer is no different.  I would have liked to sit down and chat with her for hours, but sadly she had to go.  I will tell you this; it is now very hard to dislike Carly once you meet Jennifer.  Watching GH tapes when I got back was totally weird.  For me each character took on a whole new dimension.  Not long after that adrenaline rush my body crashed and I made my way back to my room and passed out.

I’m going to stop here and pick up Friday any day now. 

P.S.      One of the coolest things was meeting people who actually read my column or just know the EOS website.  Personally, I love e-mail and feedback so please, don’t be shy!