Here a few more Hampton/Farm Fresh pics

Another Hampton pic, this one from Lucinda

IMPORTANT: TICKETS FOR SALT LAKE CITY WORLD CUP NOW AVAILABLE

As posted in the Yahoo group:

ISU World Cup Short Track, 7-9 February 2003,
Competition will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday & Saturday,
7 - 8 February and noon on Sunday, 9 February.
· Adult - $15 per day
· Child (under 12)/Senior Citizen (65 & over) - $10 per day

Seating capacity is limited for this event, be sure to get your tickets early!

All seating is General Admission. Doors open approximately 2 hours prior to start of competition.

Tickets can be purchased through Smith'sTix online at www.smithstix.com or by phone at 1.800.888.TIXX. Tickets can also be purchased at any Smith'sTix location and starting on Monday, 2 December 2002 tickets will be available at the Utah Olympic Oval (walk-up sales only).

Addressing Bluegrass State Games, Lexington, KY, 7/02

courtesy web site of Governor of Kentucky

Apolo wields the 'Tingler' - lol!

Playing Nintendo at KCA 'talent retreat'

Kids' Choice Awards, April 2002

1500m medal ceremony

With artist Charles Fazzino at MDA Art Auction, China Club, NYC 2/28/02

IAN/ebay auction reminder

Oh no! The autographed Apolo Ohno books auction benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington ends at midnight tonight, Nov. 20! The entire purchase price goes directly to the RMHC!

If you have not had a chance to check it out and make your bid, GO NOW!

You can find the auction on eBay for “A Journey” here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1582130964
You can find the auction on eBay for “All About Apolo” here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1582135239

Here are Kaori's photos from Colorado Springs

Apolo, Kaori and her boys

Kaori and Apolo

Here's a photo from the Colorado Springs signing on Saturday, from EJ

Here's a brief notice about Brian Boitano's Skating. Thanks to Crash for the link.

"Olympic champions Brian Boitano, Kristi Yamaguchi and Apolo Anton Ohno will headline Boitano's television tribute to figure skating's classic shows."
Names in the Game

Here's EJ's report from Colorado Springs!

Saturday was a beautiful day with sun shining and mountains (Pike's Peak) looking beautiful with lots of snow. I got there early & drove over to the Olympic Training Center to check it out. It's kinda like a college campus but I thought it was up against the mountains or foothills. It's not, it's all surrounded by houses & strip malls & a hospital next door. What did I see in the parking lot of one of the gyms but a black 4Runner! So I sat there & watched for a while thinking it had to be Apolo's ride & maybe I'd see him come out or something. After a couple minutes I felt all creepy like a stalker so I left & just drove around for a while. I would see a dry cleaner & wonder if he takes his clothes there, or if that's where he does his banking, or where his fav pizza place is. It made him seem more of a real person 'cause I admit I kinda tend to think of him as "The Ice God". Then it was time to go to the signing. I parked several blocks away & walked hoping to dissipate some excess energy, starting to get really excited now. Apolo could have run over, it's only about a mile or so from the OTC. I bought my book (second copy) & got a number (36) & went over to wait where they told me. It was kinda a long, narrow part of the shop, almost like a hallway but a little wider. After a few minutes there was a stir of excitement & he was there. I'm short so I had to lean way out to get a glance. He was sitting down at a bare desk & already starting to sign. I was struck by two things on first sight: his hair was really dark & he looked very Asian which he really doesn't look to me in most of his pics. I was about 10or 12 in line tho I had #36. Nobody came around to check on that, just a woman came by & said he was signing only his book, not other things. But I did see him sign other things & wished I had brought something. There was a group of 4 really excited kids jumping up & down & giggling (boys & girls). There was also a group of 4 young girls who went out fanning themselves & singing "Hot in Here" (Nelly) after their turn. I was excited to see that he was standing up to let people take pics with him.

Two older guys behind me were getting the books signed for their daughters & said "those teenagers REALLY like him" to which I replied: Not just teenagers! They laughed & said, but different reason, right? I shook my head & said: No, SAME reason! They & some other people laughed good-naturedly. I also need to say there was a man there with a HUGE video camera taking a lot of shots of the first few signings & then he just waited around so maybe there was a TV clip of Apolo on CO Springs TV last night? There was a young mother in front of me with two young boys. She said to me: why, he's just a little ol' thing! I smiled & said, yes, he's just perfect! and we laughed. Then it was my turn. As I got closer I could see the reason his hair looked so dark, it was wet! In fact it kept curling around his eye & sticking to his cheek. He made several one hand hair-sweeps. I was dying!! As I gave him my book to sign & told him my name I could see that waves were starting to form in his hair as it dried. As he was signing I told him how much I liked the book. He asked me again how to spell my name & then said: "so you like the book?" I said it was good for him to be able to set the record straight on things. Then it was time for a pic so I handed the camera to the guy behind me & we put our arms around each others waists(!!!) & things got a little dim. I bet he could hear my heart beating 'cause it was really pounding!! I tried really hard to get a whiff of him 'cause his hair was wet & all but I couldn't smell anything. *sigh*

Then my brief couple of minutes with him was over. I thanked him & shook his hand & wished him well in this season's racing & he said thank you & was already reaching for the next book. I smelled my hand right away & I couldn't smell anything there either! Darn! There were probably 100 people in line by then & as I said the area was narrow & there was really no place to lurk or hang around & watch. So I walked back to my car with heart pounding. I cried (just a little) 'cause it was just torture to have to walk away & leave him. God, I'm just madly in love with him, even more than ever!

So I drove back home & I will get the pics developed & posted tomorrow. I really hope they turn out, I was leaning around people & trying to loom over other people to get them. You couldn't get behind him since they had him up against a wall, so sorry, no rear shots!! Let's see, he was wearing the same shirt he had on at Nickelodeon nicely tucked into black jeans. It was way unbuttoned & had a black tank on underneath so you could see lots of neck & nice upper chest. He had a chunky gold pinky ring on, Koa wood bracelet, his usual gold necklace with nothing on it & a really nice watch with a black face. Is this new? He looked to me like he's had a haircut. I was wishing he'd take the shirt off & just wear the black tank!!! (SWOON).

Further impressions: He really is striking in person. I will try to describe it as best I can. It's like everybody else is slightly out of focus & he's in Hyper-focus or something. He just really stands out, he's just stunning!! He seemed really subdued at this appearance compared to some others I've read about. He didn't make much eye contact or do much smiling, just had a friendly look on his face. He kept his head & eyes down a lot & really focused on signing those books. It was a kinda businesslike, "getting through it" kind of attitude. Please don't take this as a slap at Apolo 'cause I'd never say an unkind thing about him. It could just be my impression & it could be wrong. But I'd say he may be getting tired of this sort of thing, expecially since it's racing season & you know he's training hard & has a lot of travel coming up. He's known for being shy & reserved! Anyway, I will remember my short time with Apolo till the day I die. It was quite an experience & I'm really looking forward to seeing him in SLC. I will answer any questions if I can. I need to add two things & I'm done: His voice, OMG! so smooth, low, sexy & sweet (SWOON!!), second, it was so great seeing him come straight from the shower!! I need a shower, a COLD one! HA HA HA!!

Joanna received an extra-special surprise that she is sharing with us today!

Apolo sends a greeting from the Colorado Springs book signing

Just came across this article on Steven Bradbury in The Courier-Mail of Queensland, Australia:

Accidental hero comes in from the cold