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I had a very exciting evening last night.
I was lucky enough to go to an amazing party where got to hear the beautiful music of Blue Alert and meet the fantastic musician and her wonderful producer! Yes, I met Anjani and Leonard!!!
I had a most enjoyable conversation with Leonard, where I told him that I was a friend of Jarkko's, and we had the opportunity to discuss our shared friend and the leonardcohenfiles. At one point, Leonard called Anjani over to introduce me again, after he knew I was Jarkko's friend! Leonard was really kind and thoughtful, and I enjoyed every single bit of our time together.
I didn't have my camera with me, but Leonard got someone to take a picture for me and my friend. I hope soon to have it. It should be a lovely picture, and it will be nice to have it, but I don't really need it to capture the memories!
I am sure there is more to say, but I am a little blown away today!!!! I just wanted to share my news.

That is absolutely wonderful, Anne !!! Precious memories to last a lifetime . I'm happy for you !!! Yes ~ I can imagine how you're, as you've said, "a little blown away today!!!!" I look forward to seeing your photo. When you went to the party, did you know what to expect, or was their attendance a surprize? [Actually, now that I've asked, I'm guessing that, had you known, you might have thought to bring your camera ~ maybe not... ]

~ Lizzy

That is wonderful!!!! Memories are better than snapshots anyhow and you are very lucky to have these. When you get a little more time I hope you will embellish your memours of this for us. You can start at the location, move to clothing of everyone, drinks, and attitudes, etc. Of course complete conversations are required. LOL Anything you can remember would be great. TY for sharing.

Congratulations! The meeting sounded so cool. You did us proud Anne!! The meeting of a "fan" can sometimes be an awkward and uncomfortable moment for someone like LC and I know you handled it with dignity and grace and beauty. Thank you, because in a way, you represented many of us here and I couldn't be happier for you.
Wonderful news...I'm blown away too...

Glad to hear you enjoyed meeting Leonard but guys some of the responses worry me. As he'd be the first to tell you, he's a man. Normally the canonization only begins after the demise.

Anne,

I am so pleased for you, and jealous! I wondered if you would be able to get to any of these recent events, living as you do in in Toronto. I'm sure you maintained your dignity and will have some lovely memories of the occasion.

Red Poppy, don't be such a spoilsport!

Margaret

Not my intention to be a spioilsport but if each of us wrote about our meetings with Leonard it would be ...... I don't knowwhat it would be but it would be something or other rather tedious.
I cettaibnly am not trying to be a spoilsport - maybe my cynicism is breaking trough.
Apologies but there is a tendency to deify here sometimes

Anne, that is wonderful news I am made up for you
Love
Ali

Ah, Red Poppy ~

Yes, you are undoubtedly correct in your assessment... and it's no doubt disturbing to some, including you .

Even so, as it goes with me, there have been three men in my life whose voice and words have brought me comfort. Those men are my father, my former husband, and Leonard Cohen.

Since each of them have come into it, as well as at this point in my life, I steadfastly reserve the right to my feelings about each of them. This means I may worship, idolize, or deify them ~ and suffer the judgments of those who think I oughtn't.

However, late at night, when I've felt lost and all alone, each of them in their way have brought me comfort. I am deeply grateful for the trust and power I have been able to bestow them, and which they, knowingly or unknowingly, have honoured. My father's voice has been stilled, yet I remember it well.

There are far more severe judgements, with which people may use to assess me. If I and my psyche are able to make it across this rough, rutted, and rocky road of life, with heightened feelings for those who have been there when I needed them, we'll probably do fine, despite how others may view it.

My love to my father, my former husband, and Leonard Cohen,
Elizabeth/Lizzy


... now back to Anne's very exciting evening ...

I would like to know what would happen if Red Poppy mets Leonard Cohen some day. Some people have such a charisma - we are not born equal - they are doing a strong impression on others. But Red Poppy I can understand, at least a little bit (I think) because I do not feel I am such a typical fan. Not that I think this is "wrong" to be a "typical fan" or anything like that, but sometimes I feel such a stranger among "typical fans". Anyway.

Anne, you are such a faithful fan, very quick to post any info, and help Jarkko and everything, I'm happy for you that you met him. That's great to read how happy you are about that.

I have met him, Tchocolati - three times in the courtse of my journalistic career - for three interviews and loved every moment of those interviews and loved meeting him and, indeed,felt privelaged to do so.
What worries me here is that we fans tend to deify Leonard and, in my experience, that is neither healthy nor the kind of thing he'd want.
But that's just an opinion.
I take your points Lizzy and in a way I find his lyrics and music as helpful - my friends tell me I over quote him - and he is my refuge in times of darkness and light.
But it's more the whiff of sanctity that I sometimes imagine here.
Appreciate what you say Lizzy about your father,
Have you listened to Loudon Wainwrights album History - written in the wake of hius father's death - if not then I suggest you do, simply to hear the raw love and loss there. Michael Smith has a powerful song - I Brought My Father With me - about his father's death.
Good things to one and all
Red Poppy

Just FYI Red Poppy,
Anne is actually one of the few here who is more an admirer of LC than a typical "star-struck" fan. Sometimes I wonder if she has actually agreed to deify The Man, and by that I mean G-d! (Sorry Anne, just had to throw that in there for a lark.)
So...be careful reading more into the congratulations and well wishes on her meeting and her happiness about it. I doubt there are any females here prone to pantie throwing or fainting fits at the thought of meeting LC, but believe me, Anne is well above any of it.
We're just happy for her and by extension for us...to have her as a sort of emmisary. She's all class.
Apology accepted! (For the implication that perhaps Dar...I can only speak for me... would not have handled the meeting in such a dignified manner.) Now what did I do with that recommendation for deification (is that a word?) for LC??

WOW Anne you must be on cloud nine.

Oh yes, Red Poppy (looks like a new weird street drugs or a kind of old left wing guys - like the raging grannies or something - to me your nick, now - this said tongue in cheek. And mine, in your post, like a splendid Italian dessert. Wow) I remimber now having read your posts about your articles on him. So. OK. What can I say now? Nothing. So I say nothing. Cheers.

Dar wrote :
"I doubt there are any females here prone to pantie throwing or fainting fits at the thought of meeting LC, but believe me, Anne is well above any of it."

I do. And in this order (joke) (of course)

Hi Red Poppy ~

I'm pleased for your opportunities to have interviewed Leonard. It must have been a pleasure to do that.

No idea who Tchocolatl might have in her joking mind that Dar could have overlooked ~ however, you can rest assured that Leonard would remain fully safe and unembarrassed in our presence, at least with those I met here.

. . . and he is my refuge in times of darkness and light.

Yes, in the light, as well... those times of sublime happiness and joy, and the times this side of that.

My feelings regarding Leonard [and it's a given, though perhaps should be expressly stated] are not at odds with sanity. I've met few in my life who knew and/or appreciated Leonard's songs. For the most part, he's occupied a private space in my heart, around which many feelings have grown. However, that is not to say, nor even suggest, that I lean toward anything unhealthy in those feelings. When I've heard my father's voice, my former husband's voice, and Leonard's voice, I've immediately felt 'home again.' What I feel when I hear Leonard's voice rises from within me, unvolitionally. It is what it is and it feels good. Still, there are no lurking visions or fantasies of trysts, relationships, et al. No reluctance to meet men because "I'm waiting for Leonard" [sorry, Red Poppy, I couldn't even write that without laughing]. The only aspect of my world that would potentially be threatened would be my mental/emotional stability... and I'm fine on both counts there ~ so, since the likelihood of my being in Leonard's proximity sufficient to destroy my delusions is fairly non-existent, I will continue to appreciate him for the role he's played in my life, as I do. If that sometimes seems like adoration or adulation, I don't mind. There are also things I feel about him that are this side of that; however, the primary way I feel toward him is as a brother figure and a trusted friend.

Unless Leonard tours, I'm unlikely to come face to face with him, again, as I did at his performance in Chicago in the mid-70s. I was much younger, then, so more prone to foolish actions, yet I met him, and parted, with dignity, the same as I would now.

. . . my friends tell me I over quote him . . .

For a male, this could be considered 'dangerously' close to a woman's adulation .

Thank you for mentioning my Dad. No, I haven't heard Loudon Wainwright's album, though I heard part of a segment on NPR about it some time ago. Your description makes it sound like something I should hear. Michael Smith's song sounds worthwhile, as well. Thanks for alerting me to them.

When it comes to feelings, that's a sacred territory that's wholly our own. They're neither right nor wrong. They're just 'what they are.' How we act on those feelings is another matter, of course.

Well, goodnight to you, Red Poppy... and not to worry, I won't be at Leonard's door when he goes for the paper, not tomorrow morning, or after the next flight to L.A., or ever. I won't be making any major life decisions [other than the annual get-togethers] based on my feelings about him. I don't even assess men I know, in relationship to him... except as they've been tolerant or not of his music. Absent that, yes, going into a relationship, that would be a factor. I couldn't live with someone who was critical of the music I love. That's a personal choice I would make toward a peaceful, living environment.

I just noticed that my posting time is exactly 3:00 AM... symbolically perfect for this conversation. My three [my father, my former husband, and Leonard Cohen], to whom I've turned in the AM hours for comfort. Affirmation from the universe.

~ Lizzy