Talking to Aliens

Talking to someone you look up to is always a strange experience, especially when you haven't acquainted yourself with one another for too long. There are so many things you want to ask and say and pick their knowledgeable mind for but, like magic, your own brain seems to leave for a bit until it comes back later to remind you of the great thing you wanted to say/ask, and just leave you regretting not having what you wanted to be said come to fruition in an earlier conversation. I remember when I met a favorite musical/visual artist of mine about a year ago, I was overwhelmed when I had the opportunity to ask and just ended up saying something shallow and stupid like "so how's the tour? I'm a big fan!" I had so many questions on his process and what he was thinking, but I just froze.

This is where this internship comes in to end my anxiety about this issue. Having a prolonged exposure to an artist, ie Greg, who is someone whose work I admire and who I could stand to learn a lot from, made talking to people in positions I would hope to see myself in and those who inspire me a million times less horrifying. I think we always tend to view "our idols" as something other than what they are which is, just like us, human, and when our parasocial relationships with these people become something other than just admiring their work and into having the opportunity to ask questions and learn, we freeze as if a UFO just landed on our feet. My advice for speaking to someone  you look up to is to not treat them any more royal than yourself, at one point they were in your shoes, and they want to teach you. Think of things to ask and just ask, the worst that can happen isn't nearly as bad as what would happen if you froze up and didn't use the opportunity you were given.