An Insider’s Guide to the General Hospital Fan Club Weekend

By Katrina Rasbold

Text and Photos Copyright © 2013 Katrina Rasbold All Rights Reserved Table of Contents

Acknowledgements About This Book Introduction Auntie Katrina’s Guide to Reasonable Expectations The Kick Off Cocktail Reception The Main Cast Luncheon Individual Actor Events Purchasing Event Tickets & Planning Your Schedule for the Weekend Transportation: How to Get There What to Bring What to Wear (But More Importantly, What Not to Wear) Food Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the General Hospital Fan Club Weekend - Don’t Make Me Crazy, People Who is the Organizer of the GH Fan Club Weekend Miscellaneous Information That Doesn't Fit in Other Chapters How to Maximize Your Fun While Minimizing Your Costs What Else Is There to Do in the Area? Tell Me a Story, Auntie Katrina Photo Stories APPENDIX 1 - Area Attractions APPENDIX 2 – Important Contacts & Links About Katrina Acknowledgements

My deepest thanks to my favorite people who come out each year to share this special time with me. In no particular order…

From left to right: Kathy, Dianna, (me), Delena,

Carolyn, Linda (my partner in crime), Debbie, Lynna,

Victoria, Maxine, Errol & Nina There are so many others like Rosemary, Tom, Paul, Keith, Tracey, Michelle, George, Claire, Toni, Pat, Stacey…the GHFCW would not be the same if any of you were not there.

A very special thanks to all of the wonderful (and even the not so wonderful) GH actors who have attended our functions throughout the past many years and have given me so many wonderful stories to share, as well as our wonderful (and even the not so wonderful) GHFCW event coordinators who let me come and play in their sandbox every year. A special thanks to John & Debby O’Connor and Brooke Arata, who are always so precious and welcoming when I crash their events.

Last but not least, thank you to the wonderful fans, especially those who join us year after year and are now like family to us. Because of so many of these people, I got to do things people rarely get to experience and live to tell the tale (to you). I am so very grateful for those wonderful GHFCW moments.

About This Book

Just to make sure y’all behave yourself at the event, you might want to print out key portions or move this .pdf file over to your laptop or e-reader for quick reference. You never know when you are going to encounter a situation and forget what you read about it because you believed it would never happen to you.

This book contains solely my own impressions and thoughts, based on years of experience in working this event, and are not intended to speak for anyone else. My goal is to make sure our guests have the best time possible by understanding all of the ins and outs of the GH Fan Club Weekend. I also thought you might enjoy hearing about some of the fun experiences I’ve had along the way (and some of the not so fun ones). Photos included in this book are the property of Eye on Soaps, All My Writers, and Katrina Rasbold (me).

There are times when I will repeat information in this book. That is to accommodate people who do not read the whole book (SHAME on you!) and who only scan certain parts of it. It doesn’t hurt to repeat. You’ll remember it better.

This book is created independently and is not directly affiliated with ABC, General Hospital, Debbie Morris, or the Official General Hospital Fan Club. (If it was, I couldn’t say half of the stuff I’m about to tell y’all.) Introduction

If you have ever been to the GH Fan Club Weekend, and what an amazing, exciting, soul- igniting event it is, then you know for a fact that a myriad of different types of personalities attend. Some of them you want to pack into your suitcase and take home with you because they are just so funny, sweet and wonderful. Others, let's face it, just ought not be allowed to be out there in the world without some kind of written instruction for how a person needs to act. It's not always that their mamas didn't raise them right or that they just don't have any common sense (although there are times when both or either might be the case), but more a lack of practical experience where no one has been around to save them from themselves. It could be that they don't have friends, or at least not any that tell them the truth. It could also be that they don't have any mirrors anywhere in their house. Sometimes, it's something as simple and not knowing what the weather is like in California in September or where a person should and shouldn't get food in the middle of the night.

Just in case you are wondering anything from how to get from the airport to the hotel all the way up to having a sniggling of a suspicion that YOU might be one of those people needing a little social guidance, don't worry. I'm here for you. My extensive experience qualifies me unconditionally to tell you folks what to do and how to act and what to wear and where to go, so you just don't even have to worry about a thing. It's all in these pages. I'm here to help, sweetness.

Just settle down with a tasty beverage and turn off your cell phone for a while. Soon you will have all of the information you need to keep from making a total and complete jackass of yourself at this year's event. We're depending on you to not act a fool and so it is incumbent upon us (not the royal "we," although that is appealing as well - I'm talking about the people who will be milling around the GHFCW, just looking for little lost lambs to guide back into the fold so photographs of you in your socks and sandals ensemble doesn't end up on message boards across the nation by nightfall - the hotel does have high speed internet, you know) to take you by the trembling hand and keep you safe from journalistic harm (or the long arm of event security patrols).

We've (see previous explanation of who "we" are) been doing this for a long time. You can trust us. Really. Auntie Katrina’s Guide to Reasonable Expectations

It’s hard to know what to expect and it’s understandable that in absence of knowing what to expect, one would conjure up all sorts of ideas about how the weekend is going to progress. Sometimes, those are big ol’ castles in the sky and sometimes, they are visions that make this experience scarier than it needs to be. (That’s why I’m here)

Of course, I’m not talking to my seasoned veterans, which is basically anyone who has been to even one GHFCW before. I showed up to my first GHFCW all starry eyed and novicey. I am sure I have a picture of me around here somewhere that faraway weekend back in Y2K…

Ah yes, here I am with the beautiful Stephanie, one of my very first columnists:

I.Was.So.Young and wow, what a great hair day I was having.

And look! Here I am with Billy Warlock (AJ after Sean Kanan). Not only is my head something like twice the size of his, but he could not look less thrilled to be there:

If only Billy could have had as good of a time as I did that weekend. Of course, that is the year AJ was swinging from a meat hook, so maybe he wasn’t in the best of moods.

I couldn’t help but be in a great mood. Within 20 minutes of arriving at the Sportsmen’s Lodge for the first time, I was going up the outside steps near the pool. There was a man 4-5 steps above me and it crossed my mind that he had the absolute finest ass I had ever seen in my life. As if feeling my burning stare on his denim class butt, he turned around and I got the full on glory of John J. York (Mac Scorpio) with a big smile and those lovely blue eyes. He said, “How are you doing?”

I put on my best Southern airs and said, “I am doing just fine” and smiled pretty. It set the tone for me to love this event until I die. It just doesn’t get any better than going upstairs with John J. York’s butt.

To give you some perspective, that year we had Jensen Buchanan, A Martinez (sigh), Real Andrews, Brad Maule… Twelve years may not seem like a long time ago, but wow! What a difference! People always think I am hedging when they ask us what actors will attend the GH Fan Club Weekend and I say, “We really do not know.” We always presume some will be there. So far, we’ve always had a remarkable turn out. The studio strongly encourages the actors to come and a lot of them do. We can’t, however, ever seem to predict who it is going to be and even if an actor gives us a positive RSVP, sometimes they end up not showing up at the last minute. That’s why we NEVER try to predict and definitely never release a list of actors expected to attend.

If you knew some of the fans that we know, you’d understand. They take these things VERY seriously and even though we do not even breathe the idea that an actor may or may not attend, we have had fans get FURIOUS with us because their favorite star is not at the event. They don’t seem to understand that we cannot compel them to come.

It works in the opposite direction as well. One year, I was literally in the process of telling a guest, “Oh no. Ingo Rademacher [Jax] never comes to these things” and as I was saying it, I had to change my sentence to, “Shit. There’s Ingo.” It was like my world broke or something. The following year, not only did Ingo show up, but he hosted one of the best actor events I have ever attended.

Michael Easton came to the last Port Charles event at the GH Fan Club Weekend (I think that was also in 2000) and then to my knowledge did no fan events after that. Guess who had Michael Easton’s line at the GHFCW this year? Me and my daughter. Did we have a clue that he was coming? Nope. It was Crazytown. I show up thinking I am going to have a quiet, country, schmoozing day with Blake Gibbons, he doesn’t show and I’m in riot gear on the front line of battle for Michael Easton. My daughter was dying from joy. She had a crush on Caleb Morley when she was 8 and collected every photo she could find of him. At 19, this was quite the hormonal flush for her. (And yes, he’s even better looking in person and his voice is soft and he’s just precious, but he’s stubborn and refused to greet fans from behind the table where we could better manage the line, so it was like trying to chase .)

I can say with some authority that some actors are not likely to come, but honestly, we never have a clue until they walk in the door as the event is happening. We’re often as surprised as you are. We sometimes get a few minutes notices, like when the Cheetwoods nudge us and tell us that “T-bag” (Tyler Christopher – Nikolas Cassadine) is lost and is driving around looking for the Lodge. Of course, we never know if T-bag is going to follow directions or give up and go home, so even then, we won’t promise the T-bag Fan Club that he’s almost there.

So truly, we aren’t trying to be mean when we refuse to tell you who is coming. We just really don’t know. The sad part is that a lot of people hang the importance of their entire trip on seeing one particular actor and then they lose out on the wonder of seeing so many others just because they’re upset that their favorite wasn’t there.

Of course, if you are attending an event sponsored by the actor, they will likely be there barring death or injury. Sarah Brown, for instance, when she played Claudia, did not attend any event other than her own, didn’t charge for her event, booked tickets in advance, and had a full house within a day of the tickets being available. She was there and gone before we knew it.

Actors tend to show up for their own events and that’s a good thing. When it comes to a mass event like the Kick Off Cocktail Reception or the Main Cast Luncheon, we just never had a clue. We were even sweating the first Kick Off Cocktail Reception before because we didn’t know if anyone would come. We thought they would. We hoped they would. (We really hoped they would). They did. Bless their little hearts. Since then, the Kick Off has remained one of our favorite events of the weekend.

One of the things you will notice right away about the actors, male and female, is that they are teeny, tiny, small people. It’s interesting that we have a size zero in dress sizes and that there is still a body there. When I was escorting Robin Christopher (Skye) to an event, I was stunned to see that I could probably cover the entire small of her back with the span of my outspread hand from thumb to pinky.

See?

Most of the men are very short, usually under 6’. A lot of the women are the tiniest little China dolls you will ever see. Some of the actors come to the events dressed like complete bums. I spent years wanting to yank the greasy do-rag right off of Coltin Scott’s head. Others dress like they are the premier act in Vegas. For the women in particular, make a point to look at their shoes. They are often fierce. Kim McCullough (Robin) and Megan Ward (Kate #1) especially were the most amazing shoes.

That’s why you look at Kim McCullough’s shoes and not Jason Thompson’s

Or Julie Marie Berman’s shoes and not Dominic Zamprogna’s shoe

Ted King always dressed to the nines. The man was breathtaking in a suit.

It’s important to remember that these people do what they do and we do what we do for a very good reason. They are very, very, very pretty people. In fact, many are much better looking in person (I know, right?). It’s incredible. When you look at Maurice Benard, he looks just like Maurice Benard. You could definitely pick him out of a crowd (although he is likely shorter than you expected).

Remember that old adage about how the camera adds 20 pounds onto a person? When you see these actors, you’ll know it is likely true. It’s easy to have strong reactions when you are around so many people who are so doggoned physically attractive.

Some of the actors have an air about them that is positively regal. Constance Towers (Helena Cassadine), for instance, is the most elegant, beautiful woman to ever grace the planet.

Stuart Damon (Alan Quartermaine), although quite a prankster, is still every bit the prince he played in Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

Anna Lee (Lila Quartermaine), although very regal, had a bawdy sense of humor and Stuart loved to tell a story that involved her and a light switch plate with a picture of a guy on it and a very strategically placed opening for the switch. The Cheetwood Brothers, Dirk and Drew (Max and Milo), could not possibly be sweeter or more “regular” than the rest of us. Talking to them is a joy and you will never, ever stop laughing until you step away from them.

I was talking to Drew in the Green Room one day before the event and it was right after Stephen Macht (Trevor Lansing) came on the show. Drew and I were in mid-sentence when Stephen walked in and we both stopped and stared. Drew whacked me in the arm with the back of his hand and said, “That’s him.” I said, “THE DAD FROM ‘THE MONSTER SQUAD!!’” and he said, “YESSS!!!! Let’s go get him!” So off we went to fanboy and fangirl all over Stephen Macht, who is absolutely precious and so down to earth and honored that people know him. Of course, to me, he was (most importantly) Krim from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”

IMPACT! Cheetwood and Rasbold attack launch successful! My daughter was taking press photos for the Fan Club and came running up to me a bit later, doing the “squeee” dance and saying excitedly, “DID YOU SEE THAT THE DAD FROM ‘THE MONSTER SQUAD’ IS HERE?”

Delena with the DAD FROM THE MONSTER SQUAD!!

If you go to Stephen’s Internet Movie Database page, you can see that he’s a prolific, working actor with a rich portfolio of work behind him. To us, “Dad from ‘The Monster Squad.’” Sorry. “DAD FROM ‘THE MONSTER SQAUD!!’” (Caps required).

(When “Night Shift” was airing) – “OMG!! WHY ISN’T LANDO CALRRISIAN HERE?”

My daughter, Delena, attends the events with me and although she watches the show, she always finds the interesting affiliations with the actors.

Steve Burton (Jason) – “OMG!! The voice of ‘Cloud’ from ‘Final Fantasy’ is here!!”

Lee Meriweather (Ruth Martin, AMC) – “OMG!! CATWOMAN!!” Eileen Dietz (Sarah Abbot, GH, Past Cast Event) – “OMG!! Pazuzu from ‘The Exorcist’ is here!!

Then there’s:

John Ingle (Edward) – “OMG!!!! CERA’S DAD FROM ‘LAND BEFORE TIME’ IS HERE!” (Everyone together, now, “Awwwww.”)

Carolyn Hennesy (Diane) – “OMG!!! She wrote the Pandora books!”

Michael Easton (John McBain) – OMG!!! Caleb Morey is here! …AND I AM WORKING HIS LINE!!!

One of my most fun daughter moments was when she went up to Steve Bond (Jimmy Lee Holt) at the Quartermaine Brunch and said, “I would like your autograph, please.” He said, “You aren’t even old enough to know who I am.” (She was 16) Without missing a beat, she said, “I know, but my mama says I that like you.” He started to sign her event program and she leaned in ans whispered, “And I saw the Playgirl spread.” No one who meets her ever doubts that she’s my kid.

Oh yes. It’s tough to be Delena.

Although it makes sense to point out someone’s wrong thinking in this next respect, there are a lot of people who do harbor hopes. Let me tell you straight out that despite all the fun we have (and you will have), our actors are not coming to the Fan Club Weekend to cruise for romantic involvements. They are there to do a job, smile pretty, and leave. There is not going to be a meeting of eyes across the room between you and Jason Thompson while ”Dreamweaver” plays in the background. It’s a lovely thought, but the actors, regardless of how flirty they might get, are just not working on that level at these events.

In fact, a lot of them get very uncomfortable when guests make crude or objectifying remarks about how they look or how sexy they are. We have had guests paw at the actors, grab their bodies in private places and one lady actually humped an actor’s leg. Since we know these actors and some of them are even our friends, our reaction is usually to throw up in our mouths a little and then call security over to toss the offender out of the event. You just can’t man- handle and grope our actors like that. It’s important to be respectful.

There is a really bizarre sense of entitlement that guest and viewers have in regard to the actors and there’s a good psychological reason why that happens. We see these people 4-5 days a week in our own home. Even though we rationally know that they are not physically in our home, our brain doesn’t register that. We develop an intense familiarity with them because they are always with it. Some, like Amber Tamblyn (Emily #1), Dylan Cash (Michael), Kimberly McCullough (Robin), and Kristen Alderson (Starr), we watched grow up from tiny little kids. We’ve watched them go through every emotion a person can experience. We watched them fall in love, lose loved ones to horrible deaths, watch those loved ones come back to life years later, go through the horrors of drug abuse, get divorces, have babies, and live out their lives.

What we often forget is that the actor doesn’t know us. The actor also is not the person we watched go through all of that emotion and drama. That was a character who does not exist. (By the way, the actors usually do not care for it when you refer to them by their character’s name rather than their own name).

Please remember that while the actor is as familiar to you as your own family (hell, some of these actors I’ve known LONGER than my own family), you are a stranger to them. They will smile and be gracious and welcoming because that is their job.

Not only is their job to hobnob with the fans and sign their names on photos and get their photo taken thousands of times, but remember that their job is to act. If they are good at what they do, and most of them are, you will never know that they are cringing inside over how some of the guests treat them.

We hear about it in the Green Room or as we walk them to their vehicles after the event. Sometimes, you can watch the mask drop. As they are leaving the even area, the smile drops like a curtain went down and they are tired and drained and just want to go home where as 10 seconds before, you would have thought they were ready to go dancing.

Just remember that they are people. They are humans. Think about the people you know in your life. What percentage of them would you say are kind, loving people? What percentage are jerks? What percentage are damaged people? What percentage is painfully shy? What percentage are rage cases? If you reflect and consider that, conservatively, 10% of the people you know are chronically angry or rude or socially disadvantaged in some way, does that sound reasonable? Apply that to the blanket of actors you see at the events and you’ve got maybe 3-4 actors who are difficult, a few more who are marginally annoying, and a majority who are somewhere between indifferent and the nicest people you’d ever want to me. Some of them truly are wonderful, kind, loving people. Some are just assholes, plain and simple. The trick is….it’s not always who you think. The reason you don’t really know (meaning you the guest, not necessarily, us the staff) is that they are professional actors and when they are at the events, they are often working just as much as they are when they are in the studio.

I’m just sayin’.

Most people are not aware of how carefully corralled the actors are on what they can say to guests and to the press. The studio is extremely diligent in monitoring comments that actors say to the press and if they step outside of the approved parameters, it can get ugly. Different regimes have different standards in regard to the release of spoilers and the discussion of upcoming storylines. When you hear the actors talk about their stories at the events, they are almost reading from a script in terms of what they can and cannot say.

Actors are extremely conservative in terms of what they will say about other actors and staff members. You will not likely hear any of them making disparaging comments in a public forum about their co-workers. If you ask any actor how they feel about another actor leaving the show, they will tell you how heart-broken and devastated they are even if they can’t stand the person. If you ask them about a recent recast, their report will be supportive and glowing even if they know the new actor is not working out. This, too, is part of their job.

They do, however, love to talk about their interests away from the show. If you want to make an actor happy, ask Laura Wright questions about wine. Ask Bradford Anderson about his work with animal shelters. Ask Jason Patrick about Habitat For Humanity. Research what the actors do that is meaningful to them and those are the questions that will garner the best responses at the Main Cast Luncheon Q&A. The actors will be thrilled to be asked a question they can actually answer with their whole hearts.

Trust me; it’s good to be one of those delightful people who treat the actors with courtesy and respect of the same caliber that you would give the minister of your church, a teacher in school, or the produce manager at your grocery store. Hopefully, you would not just walk up to one of them and grab their bodies in appropriately just because they happen to be attractive. Treat them with kindness and consideration and they will be happy campers for all of us.

Along the lines of discussing different types of people, another thing you can expect at the GHFCW is that there will be some crazy people. Soap opera fans did not get the reputation they have out of nowhere. The word “fan” comes from “fan-atic” and although most of us are just normal people who happen to really enjoy a show, some of our attendees are real enthusiasts.

By real enthusiasts, I mean that they believe or sort of almost believe that they show is real. They talk about the characters at length as though they are real people. They base some or all of their daily life on what their favorite characters on the show are doing. When you read accounts of actors telling you that they are persecuted for something their character did, that’s real. A lot of seemingly normal people form strong opinions about the actors as the direct result of what their characters have done onscreen. Keep the perspective that an actor is doing their job. They read the words the writers put on paper and when the director yells, “Cut. Print!” they walk off the stage and go home and live their own lives, most of which has nothing to do with the scenes they performed that day.

Another consideration is that during this weekend, you may encounter some very emotional people. Many are not prepared for how amped up they will get over seeing the actors and having this experience. As a result, they aren’t ready to process the huge wave of unfamiliar emotions. Seriously, how often are any of us really pumped up with excitement beyond what we can manage? Usually, that doesn’t happen very often in day to day life, so it can be overwhelming when it takes you by surprise. It’s not at all unusual for us to come across guests who have burst into tears or are having an over-the-top emotional response and you might as well.

This weekend is a meeting ground for people who have only communicated online. Often, long time friends from soap message boards will meet at the GHFCW for the first time. This can be exciting and fun or this can be disappointing and frustrating, depending on how the “real” person compares to the person you imagined while you were emailing and messaging with them. A lot of relationships, some long standing, are reinforced or lost during this weekend, which is another reason why people get emotional. I do NOT recommend planning to room with someone you have never met in person unless it is absolutely necessary.

As we all know, some people take their soaps very seriously and have a passionate and uncompromising opinion about different characters and couples. There have been a few times that we worried that warring message board and fan club factions might stage a rumble in the pool area or that bodies would be left in the ice machine. Mostly, people behave appropriately, but just like in politics and religion, that impassioned fringe is often the very loudest and most noticeable. You will see some bizarre behavior from time to time, including a few fans who are very blatant in actively stalking the actors. This can be scary. I'm not talking about fun stalking. I'm talking scary stalking. You may well see the best and worst of people at this event.

Some guests experience what I call “The Sullivan Effect” during the weekend. I named this condition based on the time in 1967 when the rock group, The Doors, appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Ed Sullivan had producers ask Jim Morrison and The Doors to change the lyrics of their hit song, “Light My Fire” from “Girl, we couldn’t get much higher” to “Girl, we couldn’t get much better” to avoid the obvious drug reference. Jim and The Doors agreed and then proceeded to go on stage and not only sing the original lyrics, but leaned into the camera as they did so. When a flabbergasted producer ranted after them afterwards, “You will NEVER do the Sullivan Show again!” Jim said, “We just did the Sullivan Show.” Lots of people want to break out and go for broke at the GFHCW, despite the rules that are in place for a good reason. People are a long way from home, they are out of their element, and they want to heighten the experience even more, so they act out. This particular weekend, there are sometimes people who want to break out, let the hair fly, and make their mark in a “Soap Fans Go Wild” extravaganza. They know that on Tuesday, they are going to go back to teaching social studies to 8th graders, arguing court cases, ringing up groceries at Kroger’s, changing diapers, and feeding the cat. They know that in a few days, this will all be a distant memory, almost as though they dreamed it. From a “what happens at the GH Weekend stays at the GH weekend” perspective, feeling up an actor or getting shitfaced and punching out one of our security people seems like small potatoes. For us, even if 5% of our guests indulge in that philosophy, it’s a nightmare.

Don’t get me wrong. We want all of you to have a fantastic time and live this weekend from a take no prisoners and balls to the wall perspective. Heck, we’re certainly going to be doing the same thing! Squeeze all you can out of this experience and live a lifetime of adventure in a few days. Just don’t get so soaked into the Sullivan Effect that you end up getting banned from the event, thrown out of the hotel, or arrested.

The Kick Off Cocktail Reception

One of the big questions I’m asked is “What is the difference between the various events?” The Kick Off Cocktail Reception is a lively, fun event. It is not as structured as the Main Cast Luncheon and actors come and go throughout the night. There is no assigned seating and so guests just kind of mill around and sip drinks and talk to each other and the actors. You know. Like at a cocktail party. Actors usually begin arriving around 30 minutes after the event begins, but we have had some there waiting in the Green Room even before we open the doors to our guests. Often, the actors who taped at the nearby studios that day drop by on their way home from work. Sometimes, they will make a special trip out to see us. The year Steve was selling his Mona Vie, he opened up the event and closed it down. He was a power performer that year and was everywhere!

As an actor arrives, security staff will escort them into the ballroom. We do ask that guests not cluster around the actors as we are trying to get them to where they are going. Since they have just arrived, the usually want to hit the bathroom and get into the event area so they can get a drink and get the next part of their evening started. Having to stop and take 15-20 photos and talk to a number of fans before they even get in the door can be frustrating for them and for us, especially when we have other actors waiting to be escorted in. You won’t know it is frustrating for them because they are actors and their talent is pretending they feel something they don’t. They will be kind and gracious but really, they want to get into the event and get busy. We make an effort to discourage fan interaction while the actor is in motion and we especially work to keep the area clear of people who are not ticketed for the event. (All of this goes for the Main Cast Luncheon as well.)

When the actor arrives at the event, they will be escorted up onto the stage and their arrival announced on the PA system. The actor may say a word or two, collect their applause, and then will step down into the main ballroom area. We will set up informal lines (but lines, nonetheless) in front of the actor and the line managers will work to keep the line moving and organized. Often actors who are unable to make the Main Cast Luncheon will make a point to come to the Kick Off Cocktail Reception and vice versa. We will offer the actor a drink and then they are off and running. The guests can wait in line to take photos with the actors, get autographs, and mingle. A bar is open for our guests to purchase alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. Appetizers are served. This event runs well into the night until it appears actors are no longer showing up.

Because we anticipate that most people will be in lines with actors or walking around, we do not have a chair present for each guest. There are chairs, certainly, but too many chairs make for a tight fit in the room with so many people standing around in lines. Guests are free to come and go provided their check in wrist band is intact.

It’s a truly fun and lovely kick off to the weekend and most guests leave floating on a cloud of happy, ready to move on to the rest of the weekend.

The Main Cast Luncheon

The Main Cast Luncheon is a huge event that many of the GH actors currently on cast attend. This is the time to meet a good many of the cast at once and mix and mingle with a lot of GH fans. Almost invariably, the Main Cast luncheon has the highest number of current cast members in attendance of any GH event with the Kick Off Cocktail Reception as a close second.

The Main Cast Luncheon is set up as a sit-down luncheon with assigned table seating. There are usually more than 50 tables in the ballroom, each with 8 people seated around it.

Linda Howard, our seating specialist, works hard to make sure that people who order tickets together are seated together. The seating plan is created at the same time that the ticket orders are processed. She literally has a floor plan laid out in front of her and adds in the guests’ names as she opens the envelopes. Often, we are asked to add someone to a table after the ticket order has been processed. It usually goes like this, “We just found out that three people from our Missy Sanchez Fan Club group are able to attend when they didn’t think they’d be able to at the time we ordered tickets. Can you please add them to our table? Kthxbye.”

Actually, no we can’t. The seats are assigned as the orders are processed and how close a person is to the stage is based on when their ticket order was received. So if we put the four friends at table 22 with their other friends who are already ticketed, it will displace 4 people who are already assigned seating that they earned by getting their ticket order in earlier than the 4 who just got here.

When people are checking in, we tell them their table number (you can sit at any unclaimed seat once you’re at the table – it’s only the table that is assigned) and we got an occasional dropped jaw. If they were at table 12 last year and they are at table 20 this year, it seems to them like they were demoted. Truly, it’s all a matter of when the ticket order shows up and isn’t personal.

A check in time will be announced. Usually, that is around 9:00am. It looks a little like this:

The lady at that table is my buddy, Linda Howard (the aforementioned seating master). We start out looking fairly respectable and sober, but it usually ends up looking like this:

We likely should have put the cap back on that highlighter to stop the fumes.

We no longer have a “will call” list of tickets we have reserved for people. The year we tried this, we had a lot of the people for whom we’d reserved tickets bail on us and others who had cash in hand waiting to buy tickets. It was a good idea on paper, definitely worth trying, but did not work in practical application.

If you don’t need to check for tickets for sale at the door, you will do just as well to check in at 10:00am or so as at 9:00am. Either way, you’re seated at the same table as you would have been since the master list isn’t going to change. The main thing checking in early does is it gives you more time to look around what is basically the Vendor Hall. We have a myriad of tables set up and the different actor representatives, plus our own GHFCW Boutique, offer all sorts of different photos and memorabilia for purchase. Do you think we have photos:

Yeah. We’ve got a couple here and there. You will see more 8x10 glossies than you can imagine. They range in price from $10-20 usually. There will be booklets of photos, framed photos, signed photos, black and white photos, couples’ photos… just about any configuration you can imagine. Of course, you are also welcome to bring an item from home for the actors to sign. A lot of people bring Gary Warner’s wonderful book:

General Hospital, The Complete Scrapbook. It’s available at Amazon.com for something like a buck plus postage and let me tell you, it is absolutely wonderful. It does not cover recent events and was actually published in 1995, so it’s a lovely bit of history. Since this year (2013) is our 50th anniversary celebration, it’s an ideal time to have your historical items signed.

There will usually be around 6 people checking guests in for the event. We have a master list of people who have purchased tickets. People begin to line up in front of the ballroom around a half hour or so before check in time. This is sweet and we’re glad you’re eager (we are too!!), but it really avails you very little. The only real reason to be there early is to find out if there are any tickets available for purchase at the door.

Just before the doors open around 10:00am, we usually go out to the line of guests and actually get people checked in while they are in line. This moves the process along a little more smoothly.

You should be prepared to show a photo ID to check in. Remember that all ticket name changes must be submitted to the GH Fan Club by July 1st. Usually, everyone who purchased a ticket is on our master list. If you aren’t and the check in staff cannot find out, don’t panic. Make sure that you have your printed ticket confirmation email with you and the receipt for your money order. This will help tremendously. Be sure and tell us if there is a chance that you are listed under another name (if you got married in the past 3 months or whatever). There have (literally) been times that we are digging for a person’s name for 10 minutes before they say, “Oh, you know, it might be under my maiden name.” :/ Y’think????

If we can’t find you at all, we send you to Linda and she works her magic.

After you have been checked in and received your event wristband, you are free to come and go as you wish. You can go to the bathroom, go get coffee or breakfast, roam around the vendors, then pop back by 11:00 or so for the event to begin. There are also raffles and silent auctions for all kinds of cool items.

Speaking of the bathroom, the guest bathroom is up the spiral staircase and down the hall. There is a bathroom on the lower floor, but on the day of the event, it is reserved for actors and handicapped guests only. I know I mentioned it before, but please do not follow the actors to the bathroom or lurk outside the bathroom waiting for them to finish peeing. Security will ask you to leave.

Your event wristband is sacred and gets you in. You should make sure it fits well on your arm and should not remove it until you are finished with the event for the day. If your wristband is removed or has been tampered with, you will be denied re-admittance. There is no “wristband sharing” allowed. When you buy your ticket, you’re paying for one person’s admittance to the event.

As you can see in the photo of the room (the pink and black picture) on a previous page, the tables are set up in the ballroom area and there is a raised stage at the front of the room.

Here, I will post it for you again:

The tables are on the main floor and there is a raised stage filled with chairs for the actors when they come out. If you squint, you can see the row of chairs up on the stage with the table numbers getting progressively lower as you move toward the stage. Raffle ticket numbers will be called out and a full lunch will be served. A bar will be open for soft drinks and alcohol (for a charge). Iced tea and water are served with lunch. If you don’t see iced tea, ask a server for some. If you have requested a special diet meal (vegetarian, no gluten, no lactose, etc), the server will bring it to your table and ask who gets it. Special meal orders must be submitted by July 1st.

After the meal, Debbie Morris (the event coordinator and President of the Official General Hospital Fan Club) will introduce the emcee, who will then announce each of the stars present one at a time. When their name is called, they will enter from the Green Room and go up onto the stage to sit. Please do not leave your table area as the actors enter the room.

As each name is called, everyone will squeal and scream and fawn and get the vapors, usually for some names more than others. We, the staff, can never call who the break out success of the weekend will be. In 2007, it was Bradford. In 2010, of all people, it was Josh Wingate, the guy who played Carter, Michael’s prison rapist. This past year, it was Richard Steinmetz who played Joe Scully, Jr.

Don’t be surprised if you find that you lose your usual cool, even if you are normally a pretty solid person. The first year I went, I was already a mature woman of 40 or so and when those actors started filing into the room, it was like I was stricken with Beatlemania. I all but writhed on the floor talking in tongues I was so excited.

As a surprise, Debbie Morris at one point announced, “And we’ve invited the WSB to keep us safe” and in walked John Reilly (Sean Donely) and Tristan Rogers (Robert Scorpio) dressed all in black with black sunglasses. I lost my mind, fell over and hit my head on the table. It was just too much. Of course, all these years later, I’m all cool and not phased most of the time. There are a few who still get me all butterfly-ish and giggly and weird, but I try to keep it under wraps for the sake of professionalism.

My point is that you just never do know what Debbie is going to pull at these events.

There will be some banter between the emcee and the actors. There is usually question and answer session with the actors that is typically quite fun. In 2012, the Q&A was done by Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) and he did a beautiful job. After this part is finished, the event will split with some of the actors moving into a separate room and some remaining in the ballroom to accommodate the autograph signing, meet & greet part of the event. By this time, you’ve usually finished eating and dishes have been removed from the tables. You are free to move between the two rooms as you wish to visit all of the actors.

The actors will be escorted from the stage by their line managers and the guests are asked to (told to) stay in their seats while we get the actors situated at their tables. Please do this. We need to be able to get the actors to their stations without being mobbed.

Table numbers will be called individually to go into actors’ lines. Please do not leave your table before your table number is called. We’re watching. Some lines fill up right away and stay huge and others wax and wane. We try to keep actors apart who we know are going to have huge lines so that there is room to walk. You will know where an actor will sit because there will be a sign on the wall behind the table with the actor’s name on it.

As people leave their tables to get up, the event staff will take the table away to allow more walking room in the ballroom. When you get up to go get in lines for autographs and photos, be sure to take ALL of your belongings with you. When you come back, your table will likely be gone. Slowly, but surely, all of the dining tables will be removed.

Guests are encouraged to hold reasonable expectations for how many actors they will be able to meet. If you attend both the Main Cast Luncheon and the Kick Off Cocktail Reception, it’s a good idea to spend your time at the Main Cast Luncheon getting a moment with the actors you didn’t see at the Kick Off Cocktail Reception. Some of these lines can literally take hours to get through, so make sure you have a basic idea of what actors are most important to you and then make your way down the list. Truly, it is unlikely that you will be able to get to all of them.

This event usually sells out, which means that you have around 500 guests waiting to meet 30 or so actors. It is usually noon by the time we begin breaking down the tables, so you’ve probably got 3-4 hours to canvas the event. Also, it is important to know that some actors may not stay at the event for the autograph session and some may have to leave early. If an actor tells us they have to leave in 30 minutes or so, we are forced to cut off the line and not accept any more guests to that line. We aren’t trying to be mean, but it stands to reason that if our actors are not treated well, they will not be eager to come back. Our main goal is to balance our guests having a wonderful time with our actors feeling safe and appreciated. Sometimes, unfortunately, this means we have to disappoint a guest... or 40-50 or so.

We get a lot of flack from people who want to exceed the “one autograph, one photo” rule. We really do get that this is your moment. We really do get that you paid a ton of money to be able to do this. We really do get that your situation is unique. What we are looking at is 500 paying guests, all with a unique situation, and all who want special consideration (and they are allll in Michael Easton’s line – sigh). We had to place the “one autograph, one photo” cut off because it moves the line faster and gives each and every guest there a chance to see more actors. Imagine that there are 100 people in line to see an actor. Trust me, that is not an exaggeration. If each of them get their “one autograph, one photo” moment, that takes around 2-3 minutes. If each one tacks on another autograph and or photo, that’s another minute. A minute might not seem like much, but 100 minutes adds an hour and forty minutes onto that line. Many people have a special book or special shirt or special 27 photos they want to share with the actor and we understand that, truly. We are crazy, rabid fans ourselves, remember.

Our foremost obligation, however, is to protect everyone’s interests and make sure as many people as possible have a wonderful time. If you want more than one autograph and photo with an actor, you are welcome to pop back to the end of the line and go through again.

Line managers are happy to take photos for guests. We do our best, but please remember that we are handed many, many different kinds of phones and cameras to take photos. We will be snapping the photo quickly and moving you along.

You will have almost no cell phone reception in the ballroom. It’s also not allowed for guests to hand an actor a phone to talk to a friend of theirs.

The actors begin to leave around 2-3:00pm. The event continues until 4pm or when the last actor leaves. At one of the All My Children Fan Club Weekends, we practically had to throw Cameron Mathison (Ryan) out. I mean, he stayed until ANYone who wanted his time got it. A lot of our actors are that way and will work like crazy to make their fans happy.

Of course, we always expect our guests to behave maturely and not act like fools. We hate removing guests from the event, but will do it if it’s necessary to protect the other guests. Anyone who is abusive to staff members, who cuts in line or otherwise abuses the guest privileges, who touches or speaks to the actors inappropriately, who is intoxicated, or who tampers with their wristband will be asked to leave without a refund of their ticket money.

Children may attend the event, but honestly, I would not bring little ones. It’s a long event and there are a LOT of people in close proximity to one another. People are drinking alcohol. It’s really not a kid-friendly environment. Also, a lot of the guests are focused on getting to their next line, looking for an actor’s name on the wall, and they are not always paying attention to where they are stepping. Children also pay full price if they use a chair for the event.

Individual Actor Events

While the Kick Off Cocktail Reception and the Main Cast Luncheon are the places to go to see actors in quantity, you will want to check out the individual actors’ events if you are seeking to focus on a particular actor. These events tend to follow a fairly predictable pattern, mostly because there are only so many ways you can set up this type of event.

Usually, the actor who is the headliner is hosting the event. An event coordinator, most likely a fan club president, a publicist, a manager, or even a family member of the actor, sets up the event itself. They book the room at the Lodge, coordinate with the actor any theme or special plans for the event, sell the tickets, set up the event area, and make sure everything is running smoothly.

There may or may not be food served. These events are often held in the Vista Room at the Lodge, which is upstairs overlooking the pool. Sometimes, they are in the Cascade Ballroom, which is in the same building with the Starlight Ballroom where our Main Cast Luncheon is held. The events usually last around 3 hours.

First come check in. There may or may not be assigned seating. That depends on the event coordinator’s choice. There may or may not be tickets available at the door. That will depend on whether or not the event is sold out and the choice of the coordinator. Individual actor events sell out faster than the larger events because they are usually in a smaller space.

After everyone is settled, the main actor usually comes out and has a question and answer period, talking to the audience as a whole. If the event is benefitting a particular charity (sometimes it is, sometimes, it isn’t), the actor may discuss the charity a bit.

If the actor has invited any special guests to share the event with them, they will usually bring them out after a few minutes. You never know (unless it is announced in advance) if the actor will have special guests or not. Often, a special guest will be someone with whom the actor frequently shares scenes or maybe even someone with whom the actor is friends off screen, as is the case with Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) and Jason Thompson (Patrick). Once the special guests have spent some time in front of the audience, there may or may not be an auction of items, raffles, or door prizes. Once all of that is done, the actors will usually go table to table (if it is a seated around tables arrangement) or the guests will line up in front of the actors to get autographs and photos. Some coordinators will not allow photos and autographs and will hand out pre-signed photos.

Yes, those lines can be long.

As you can see, the individual actor events allow for a lengthier focus on just a few actors or one actor rather than time being divided over a good percentage of the cast.

Although event coordinators try hard to keep from overlapping time slots, we have had so many actors interested in hosting their own events that it has become unavoidable. There are only so many hours in the weekend and overlapping is inevitable. Most coordinators will do their best to accommodate guests who are wishing to also attend an overlapping event, although it is by no means guaranteed.

The individual actor events are rarely hosted by the GH Fan Club. We usually end up doing 1-2 over the weekend, but it is typically the actor’s “people” who set up their events and sell the tickets. Because of that, we have no control over how they manage their particular event. We also cannot answer questions about events we do not host. The way to know if an event is hosted by the GH Fan Club is to check the point of contact listed on the event details page of the GH Fan Club Weekend website www.ghfanclub.com/ghfcw If the contact is listed as “Debbie Morris,” it is a GH Fan Club sponsored event. The litmus for the test is, “Who is the person who gets your money when you buy tickets?” That is the point of contact and trust me, on any event, there will always be a person listed to take your money. They may not have an email address posted (we can’t force them to do that), but there will be a name. Best individual actor events so far in my own opinion:

Ingo Rademacher 2010 – he had strawberries and a chocolate fountain.

And

Scott Clifton 2007 – He brought beer for everyone. Lite beer, but beer nonetheless. Plus he played guitar and sang with his shirt hanging open. Full points.

Purchasing Event Tickets & Planning Your Schedule for the Weekend

First and foremost, if you are coming out with one specific event in mind to attend, do not make travel arrangements (such as booking a flight) unless and until you have verified that a ticket has been reserved for you. Many of the events, such as the Kick Off Party and the Main Luncheon, sell out quickly and sometimes, the last ticket is sold before your envelope arrives. If that happens, your money order will be returned to you. You do not want to be locked into travel if you are not going to be able to get into the event. Although it is rare, occasionally ticket requests do go missing in the mail or communication connections are missed (check that junk email folder!!). Once you are sure you have a ticket confirmed, start shopping airfare.

Although there are many, many exciting events to keep you busy during the GH Fan Club Weekend, be sure and schedule down time for yourself, even if this means missing an event here or there. Fatigue can catch up with you quickly and sometimes, it is hard to know you're getting wiped out until you're too exhausted to continue. We have actually had people pass out from pushing themselves too hard. Adrenalin, Starbucks, and narcotics can only take you so far. Pace yourself and schedule in quiet time.

Do not purchase tickets for an event because you hope a particular actor will attend if they are not hosting the event. Many actors have "special guests" come to their events; however, unless this is specifically stated, do not take it for granted. Also, it does happen that special guests have scheduling conflicts come up at the last minute and are unable to attend. In the case of individual actor events, make sure the actor hosting the event is the one you want to see.

To purchase event tickets, follow the instructions carefully as they are stated on the event details page of the GH Fan Club Weekend website (www.ghfanclub.com/ghfcw) or the website of the event host – where ever the instructions are available (we can only post what the coordinators send to us). Some party organizers want the guest to include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Some may take checks while others do not. Fans who fail to follow instructions when ordering tickets is the number one complication with the GH Fan Club Weekend and often, your ticket order will be returned to you which delays ticket processing. It is important to know that most of the fan events planned during the GH Fan Club Weekend are organized by different people. Each coordinator has their own way of doing things, so do yourself a favor and read the ticket ordering instructions very carefully.

The GH Fan Weekend is a very crazy, hectic, exciting time and it's VERY easy to get burned out quickly if you don't pace yourself, especially if you are not used to a manic, heavily scheduled, aggressive lifestyle populated by a thousand or so drooling, wild-eyed people.

For that reason, I urge you to choose your events carefully. Spend time going over the event schedule and prioritize the events you want to attend. Try to choose events that do not overlap or come close to encroaching on other events you plan to attend. The Sportsmen’s Lodge Hotel and Event Centers is a HUGE facility and the layout can be very, very confusing. Events are often scheduled on opposite ends of the complex and check-in times are often firm while the time an event ends is anyone's guess. A projected time for the end of the event is given, but it's rare that an event will actually let out at the scheduled time. Plan your schedule carefully to avoid having to rush around to the point that you compromise your enjoyment the event.

While the GH Fan Club Weekend events are certainly the focal point of the weekend, I strongly recommend checking out some of the local area attractions (covered later in this book). Many establishments are within walking distance of the Lodge. If you do not have a rental car or your own vehicle, LA has a strong public transportation system and the Lodge can recommend car services or taxi companies to get you to where you want to go. Speaking of which…

Transportation: How to Get There

You will want to start planning your trip early, not just because it's exciting, but because this is one of those instances where you may well lose out if you leave things to the last minute. As mentioned before, do make sure your event tickets are assured before booking travel. Some event tickets do not go on sale until May, but if you build your weekend around the Main Cast Luncheon and the Kick Off Cocktail Reception, you can have tickets confirmed for those events early in the year and spend the next few weeks watching for airfare prices to change. Some airlines have special alert applications and notifiers that will let you know when ticket prices are lower.

Consider how you will get to the Sportsmen’s Lodge: Will you fly? Bus? Train? Drive? All options are open for getting to the Los Angeles area.

Flying

If you are going to fly, start watching for good air fares as soon as you have your tickets to the events. Anything below $400 round trip is an absolute winner if you are more than two states away from California. You should have purchased your airline ticket more than 2 weeks prior to the events for the best prices. Using services such as hotwire.com, travelocity.com, orbitz.com, expedia.com, cheapoair.com and priceline.com can cut travel prices considerably. Some airlines (Southwest, for instance) do not do business with these types of companies and a traveler can often find cheaper fares by going directly to the airline’s website.

There are two airports nearby: LAX (LA International) and BUR (Burbank - Bob Hope). Burbank is considerably closer to Studio City. It is not quite as mired in traffic, but also has fewer flights in. It's very "user friendly” and honestly, is my own preference. There is often a considerably difference in cost when you fly into one airport over the other (and which one is cheaper varies).

Remember to check all potential fees when you are booking a flight. Some agencies include fees and taxes in with the cost of the flight and some do not; so your quoted cost might be less than your final cost. Most airlines now charge for baggage that is checked. There is a section later in this book on ways to save money when you travel.

If you are flying to us from within the continental United States, you will want to get to your airport at least an hour before your flight is scheduled. It is important to remember that your flight will begin boarding around 20 minutes before it takes off. The flight crew is merciless and once the door to the breezeway leading to the plane closes, they aren’t opening it for anyone, so don’t be late no matter what. It’s much better to be too early and sit and read a book for an hour.

People who are not accompanying you on your trip are not allowed at the departure or arrival gates unless they are accompanying a minor who is flying.

Getting through airport security can take a few minutes or a whole lot of minutes. That’s another reason why arriving early is highly beneficial. You will need a photo ID and your boarding pass when you approach the security check point.

Do not bring liquids onto the plane (like lotion or drinks) that are in containers of more than 4oz. They will be taken from you.

Make sure your suitcases are unlocked and easily accessible.

Take any laptop out of its case and put it in a separate plastic tub to pass through the x- ray machine.

Your shoes should be off your feet and also in a tub to go through the x-ray machine. For this reason, make sure your travel with shoes that are easy to remove and put back on again.

Take everything out of your pockets like keys, cell phone, etc, and put it in one of the small trays and then place it on the conveyer belt. Don’t forget to remove your cell phone from your bra if you happened to jam it in there (The famous “bra-let.” Take off any belt or jewelry that might set off the metal detectors and put them in a tub or tray.

When the TSA agent signals you, walk to the scanner and stand where they tell you to stand or pass through the metal detector. If there is an alarm, they will scan you with the detector paddle thingie (that is an industry term – don’t get judgey with me now).

If there is anything weird in your bag, it will be flagged for a hands on search. You will be called to the side and an agent will search through your bag, wipe it down with anthrax seeking cloths, and basically inspect every individual fiber of every item in the suitcase, including the suitcase itself. Agents are completely impervious to your pissiness over this happening and the fact that the final boarding call for your plane has just been announced is irrelevant.

Once you have been cleared, you can repack your bag (no, they do not help) and be on your way.

I am going to word the next part very carefully. Read between the lines:

Some adult items that you might pack in your suitcase can look like weapons. Do not have anything in your bag that you don’t want others in line at the security check point to see. Remember that only your CARRY-ON bags will be going through the security check point. Your CHECK bags will also be searched, but not with you present.

So off you go to your departure gate. If you don’t know your gate number, find one of the TV monitors that list the flight arrivals and departures. Look at your boarding pass and find your flight number and then look at the monitor and find the gate number where that flight will be boarding. Hint: it is usually far away. You can also check any flight delays on this monitor.

With any luck, you will be able to get a seat at the gate (yet another reason for arriving early). Around 20 minutes before your flight is scheduled to leave, the flight crew will announce “pre-boarding,” which is stupid because you can’t really board before you board. This is for handicapped people and people who are traveling with small children. Travelers will then board in sections. Check your boarding pass to determine your section. When you get to the breezeway, hand the agent your boarding pass. So airlines also require ID before you board the plane.

If the flight is very full, they may ask that passengers who have carry-on luggage with wheels “gate check” their bags. In this case, an agent will tag your bags at the gate and check them. You will get them back as soon as you exit the plane at your destination (not at baggage claim). This is actually very, very handy.

Some airlines have assigned seats and some do not. Look carefully at the numbers above the seats to determine your actual place rather than what you just think is your place.

Your carry-on luggage goes under the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartment.

Then you fly.

Once you have landed, your first step (after the bathroom) is to get your check luggage from the baggage claim area. I recommend tying a colorful scarf or hair tie onto your bag’s handle so you can easily recognize it around a bunch of familiar bags.

If your luggage does not show up, first check and make sure you are at the right luggage carousel. If you are, go to the baggage claim office and let them know that your luggage is missing. Sometimes, they will have missing luggage in the office. Other times, they will take down your information and bring your luggage to you when it shows up. Fortunately, this degree of “luggage lost” doesn’t happen very often.

Transportation to the Sportsmen’s Lodge

Now, of course, you need to get to the Sportsmen’s Lodge.

If you do not have someone picking you up, taxis are available at both airports. The cost of a taxi from Bob Hope Airport in Burbank to the Lodge is around $50 one way. Several car rental options are available at both airports. You will save a LOT of money if you book this online, in advance. The car rental facilities also usually have little slips with directions on them for how to get to major highways. Use the maps below and a mapping system like yahoo maps to figure out where you need to be.

There is transportation service called "Super Shuttle" that will take you to almost any hotel in the area provided you have a reservation. You can make a reservation to and from your hotel by going to www.supershuttle.com or calling 800/258-3826. Make the reservation. You will save money. It costs around $30 per trip (so $60 round trip). Don't let the driver convince you that you will have to pay more than the reservationist quotes you. If the driver gives you a different rate, phone the 800 number before you get on the shuttle and have THEM tell the driver your rate. Don't take any crap. When your plane lands and you have your luggage, go to OUT of the concourse to "Ground Transportation" and wait for the shuttle (you'll see a lot of different shuttles going by for rental car stations and such), which is basically a huge, blue van that looks like this:

There will likely be an attendant there and you can tell them to radio your shuttle if need be. You will likely share the shuttle with others and the shuttle usually makes several stops before it gets to yours.

My very favorite car service in LA is Mano's Limousine Service. They run 24 hour a day and are very reasonably priced. The cost is not much different than what you would pay for a cab. You ride in total comfort with a DVD to watch and a very gracious driver. Mano knows every back route in Los Angeles and will deftly dodge the worst traffic and get you there quickly; plus you get the Extra Cool Points of arriving in a fancy black car with a driver. The phone number for Mano's is 818-458-6421.

Mano!!! With his beautiful Lincoln!! Best. Driver. Ever.

Rental Cars

If you plan to pick up a rental car from the airport, you will still go immediately outside the concourse to Ground Transportation and wait for the shuttle that will take you to the car rental company you have chosen. SHOP AROUND before you book and be sure to check places like hotwire.com, carrentals.com, travelocity.com, expedia.com and priceline.com for good rates. When you book the rental, find out where the rental office is located. Some are in the airport and some are not. The agent can instruct you precisely on how to get to your rental car desk.

It will likely take around a half hour to get your rental car. Many car rental agencies do not accept a debit card and will only rent to you if you have a credit card. Many charge a substantial deposit. This deposit is not released until you return the car. Check all of this in advance. Ask the rental service for directions on how to get to the freeway.

If you have never driven in LA before, be prepared for an unbelievable amount of traffic. It can literally take hours to drive a few miles. Drivers in LA are very aggressive and drive very fast. Of course, be sure and carefully map your route before you set out. Buses and Trains

If you are going to take a bus or train into LA, may God have mercy on your soul. Check with http://www.amtrak.com/ and http://www.greyhound.com/ for more info. Write a will before you leave. What to Bring

Bring and plan to buy more... water. As I said, it's hot, it's California and you tourists are going to hit the ground like a bag of potatoes if you don't drink your water. “It’s a dry heat.”

Bring a tote bag to carry things like your camera, your wallet, a notebook to write down impressions and other things you want to remember, the items you want signed, the crap the fan bases are going to hand you to advertise their favorite causes (aka “SWAG) and... your water bottle. I usually find it easier to bring a large tote bag and put my wallet in it rather than carrying a tote bag and a purse.

I recommending printing up business cards with your name, e-mail address, web site URL, and any other contact information you want to share. It will save writing because you WILL make friends. If you want to order them inexpensively for the trip, try www.vistaprint.com.

Bring sunscreen for when you are in the sun. SPF 5000 Even when it’s overcast in LA, you can get a painful sunburn.

If you are asthmatic, bring an extra inhaler. It can be challenging for people to breathe under normal circumstances... such is LA.

If you have hair past your shoulder, bring something to get it up off your body. You'll be glad you did, no matter what “mane of loveliness” hairstyles you were planning. Along about day #2, you'll be doing anything to get your hair up, including and not limited to ponytail holders and the dreaded banana clips. It’s best to plan ahead rather than be caught without honorable coiffeur recourses. (Did I mention that it is hot in July in LA?)

Don't forget chargers for your camera or cell phone and the battery and cable for your laptop. The Lodge has internet, but I am not completely sure I could refer to it as “high speed” internet. Bandwidth is limited and when events are dying down and everyone is signing onto the internet, it can take forever.

Deodorant is good. Definitely. Print out your ticket confirmation email and bring both your money order receipts and any actual tickets you received. Some events require a valid ID for proof of identity to check in and some do not. For as many guests as we process through the GHFCW, it is rare that we encounter any registration problems. It’s still best to be prepared and please, don’t panic or freak out. We’re humans too and occasionally make mistakes.

You can either bring something from home for stars to sign or you can pick up something at the GH Fan Club Boutique.

Bring a list of contact numbers for people you are meeting and people “back home” you may need to contact.

Bring a couple of black Sharpies in case you have a star encounter away from the events and want an autograph.

Bring comfy shoes.

What to Wear (But More Importantly, What Not to Wear)

Did I mention that it’s hot in LA in July? The good news is that you can dress beautifully and usually stay comfortable. The bad news is that warm weather will sometimes show us more of a person than we want to see.

Unless the entire central air system at the Sportsmen’s Lodge has been renovated since I was there in 2012, I have to say that the success of the AC is hit or miss. I have been in some rooms where it was like being in an igloo. Otherwise, I was sweltering when it was on full blast.

Our event rooms are usually quite comfortable – that is until you get 500 hot, active GH fans together in one. Clothing should be lightweight, comfortable and loose. Leave the leather at home. You won't look hot; you'll look HOT as in sweaty and nasty.

Since you are going to be in a good many photos (probably), make sure your bra straps are not showing.

A lot of people think that everyone who lives in LA looks like a walking Barbie doll. Not everyone does, but there is a disproportionate number of “pretty people” there and as such, there are certain fashion faux pas that you do not want to risk. You can ride high on your “I don’t give a crap about what anyone thinks or says!” horse, then cry into your too small tube top when you get home and find out that your hot outfit didn’t look as great as you thought it did and is now plastered all over Soaps In Depth and the internet.

Use a mirror. You’ll be glad you did.

Just in case whatever town you come from doesn't cling to the fashion notions that we here in California embrace, the following are intended to keep you safe from ridicule. I’m not talking about dressing formally or being a size 5 (in LA, that is considered “chunky”). I’m talking about good ol’ common sense and the art of balancing comfort with style.

First off, DO NOT wear socks with sandals. This is strictly forbidden in California and you will be promptly escorted to the California and whatever-barn-you-were-born-in border for this offense.

There is just no coming back from this. Even pretty sandals and socks are a big ol' no no no.

Do not wear shorts or skirts that show your ass cheeks, either from the top or the bottom. We'll talk very, very badly about you. Likewise, the "whale tale" (your silly thong showing above your low-rider whore pants) is unwelcome and will result in much pointing and snickering.

Just no, no, no, no, no on so many levels. NO! It’s not pretty. It’s trashy butt floss. Do not wear earrings larger than your head. That’s just on general principle.

We truly do not want to see your bare hipbones in any ensemble. Really, it's true. They may well be adorable; we don't want to see them.

That means that if we can see these...

...and you're wearing clothes, you're probably freakin us out.

Forget the panty hose. Trust me. You won't wear them. Panty hose are soooo 1999 anyway.

Let me tell you, cleavage is in. We do not, however, want to fall INTO your cleavage, so keep that stuff under control, missy (or sir, should be possess the unenviable "moobs" or "man boobs." We do not traverse through the Valley of the Dolls and come out sweaty and scared without talking mad trash about you later. There have been times when we have fearfully monitored a guest or two, sensing that their lady pillows were moments from breaking free and starting a ruckus.

Bring a swimsuit. Most hotels in the area have pools and Venice Beach is only a 20-30 minute drive in good traffic. The Sportsmen’s Lodge has a fantastic pool and it, along with the Patio Café, are indeed the central social hubs of the place.

See? Pretty!

Bring a hat for when you are in the sun, you beautiful, delicate flower, you.

A few people will dress like the Pointer Sisters for these events. Don't be one of them. Dressy casual is the standard.

Wear very comfortable shoes. You will be on your feet a lot and walking fast quite a bit.

Hotels

The GHFCW hotel of choice is actually the location where the Official GHFCW events will be held, the historical Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel in Studio City, California.

The Lodge is gorgeous and the grounds are often used for weddings, proms, and other formal receptions.

There is both a pool and a Jacuzzi. There is a gym, but it is not overly impressive unless it has been upgraded since I was there.

There is a parking charge of $10 a day if you are not a registered guest. Be sure and get a parking pass from the registration desk.

The hotel is surrounded by lush, landscaped grounds with beautiful waterfalls and gardens. The Lodge is a vital piece of Old Hollywood history and is the classic case of “if these walls could talk…” A favorite tryst site for the Kennedy brothers, it was also a hideaway for many Hollywood stars.

Even now, you will find stars who stay there who are in no way connected to General Hospital. See this?

This is a terrible, fuzzy, overlit phone photo of KISS frontman, Gene Simmons, walking past me, talking on the phone, while I was waiting for my car, moments before I left the Lodge one year.

See this?

This is a fuzzy, awful phone picture of Gene Simmons walking even further away from me. No, I didn’t bother him for an autograph or photo. His phone conversation was intense and he had a major, “Go away” field in place around him. I obeyed, but took bad photos because my good camera was packed away.

The Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel is a approximately a 15 minute drive (in excellent traffic) from the Bob Hope International Airport in Burbank. Major beaches are within an hour’s drive. Around the hotel itself, there are many boutiques and restaurants within walking distance. Universal Studios Hollywood and offers a complimentary shuttle service to the park and is only a few miles away.

We do have a GH Fan Club rate at the Lodge for the weekend of our event, but you must ask for the GH/AMC Fan Club Weekend rate when booking your room. Room sell out every single year and go fast, so please do not delay in making your reservation. The Lodge has single, double, and triple rooms. They also have rollaway bed available for an additional cost. There are no mini refrigerators in the room, but you can get one at an extra charge.

Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel 12825 Ventura Blvd Studio City, CA 91604 Toll Free: 800.821.8511 Local: 818.769.4700 Email: [email protected] http://www.sportsmenslodge.com/

Check in is at 3 and it’s rare you can actually get into a room before then. If you arrive earlier, they do have a valet who can check your luggage and then bring it to you when you actually do check in. Be sure and call to verify your reservation. I’ve had my room mysteriously change from “2 queen beds” to “1 queen bed” before. Check out is at noon and again, you can check your luggage until your ride gets there.

If the Lodge has no rooms available, check a service like hotels.com or travelocity.com to find hotels in the area.

Check-in time starts at 3pm and check-out time is noon. The Studio City Courtyard Hotel

The Courtyard Hotel is about a block away from the Sportsmen’s Lodge and is well within walking distance. Back when it was the Days Inn, it was considerably less expensive than the Lodge, but since it was remodeled, there is not much of a difference in rates.

Studio City Court Yard Hotel, California (CA) 12933 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604 Reservations: 818-789-6900 Fax: 818-789-6980 Email: [email protected] http://www.universalstay.com/

Most other hotels in the area will require transportation. Fire up your intertubes and get to one of those “find a cheap hotel in the area” sites.

Food

The Patio Cafe at the Sportsmen’s Lodge has very good food at reasonable prices (comparable to Denny’s in price). You can choose to eat inside or outside and they have very convenient hours of operation.

I love the Patio Café and it is where I eat the most often during the GHFCW. They also deliver room service to the rooms, but it takes forrrrever. I have even left instructions the night before “Please deliver this food to room blah blah blah by 7am tomorrow) and still been wondering where my food was at 8am.

Their menu is here (click to make larger), subject to change. It’s all really good.

Cafe Menu Special 2012

The Patio Café is like Hollywood and Vine. If you sit there long enough, everyone at the GHFCW will walk past. There is a cafe called Twains between the Lodge and the Courtyard Hotel (formerly the Days Inn) that has good food at good prices. Jerry’s Deli is the opposite direction from Twains (out the front gate of the Lodge, turn right for Twains or left for Jerry’s) and has a very impressive menu. It also has an arcade and bowling alley. The service is often terrible at Jerry’s, but the food, especially the desserts, makes up for it. The service at Twains is usually good in terms of getting your food in a reasonable amount of time, but a couple of the servers can be crabby.

There are many small food places also within walking distance like Baja Grill and yes, there is a Starbucks right across the street. In California, we can say that about virtually any location. “There’s a Starbucks right across the street.”

There is a Ralph’s (grocery store) right across the street from the Lodge if you want to get food to keep in your room.

Most of the events will serve food of some kind. Find out in advance what you will be eating at the event so you can eat before you go in if needed. It may be a meal, it may be a snack or it may be nothing.

The Sportsmen's Lodge pool bar also serves grilled food at specific times but HO my Lord! That stuff is soooooo expensive. (But soooo good) Pizza places are also available to deliver to the Lodge.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the General Hospital Fan Club Weekend - Don’t Make Me Crazy, People

As I likely mentioned, I am the person who answers questions and comments on the GHFCW Website between January and July of each year. Every year, I try to perfect the site when I am setting it up for that year’s event. How can I make the site information clearer and more accessible?

Every year, I answer the same questions over and over and over again, sometimes 15-20 times in one day. Often, if people don’t like my answer, they will seek out another GHFCW staff member to try and get a different answer. (We are all pretty much on the same page, so it rarely is an effective move). Sometimes, they will ask me the same question in a different way:

“If I can’t make it to the Main Cast Luncheon, can my money be refunded.”

No

“Can I get a refund on my ticket cost if an emergency comes up and I cannot attend?”

Still no.

“How do I go about getting a refund if I miss the event?”

Sorry, we don’t give refunds.

“I was not able to come to the event after purchasing a ticket. Can I please get a refund?”

….all from the same person.

No amount of rewording changes the policy or the answer. We all work hard to keep hard and fast to the rules because we know that if we relax them for one person, it’s not fair to the people who were also told no. Like I used to tell my daughter, Delena, when she was very little, “Honey, sometimes, the answer is just ‘no’ and you have to be OK with that.”

Below, you will find some of the most frequently asked questions and their answers.

Who is the Organizer of the GH Fan Club Weekend

This person is Debbie Morris. She is the President of the Official GH Fan Club and has been since Old Shep was a pup. By the time you get to the first event, she has already been working literally for months planning out the events of the weekend. She has assembled a crack shot team of professionals who help to make sure the weekend runs smoothly and is enjoyable for everyone. They have also been doing this for a long time and are good at what they do.

Debbie Morris is the hub of the GH Fan Club Weekend and as such, she is rarely in socializing mode at the GH Fan Club Weekend and is almost always in working mode, dealing with 15 problems at any given time. Even her dearest friends know better than to ask her anything during those few days. We smile and wave at her and remain alert for any sudden problem solving go-fer she might need.

Although Debbie loves you, it would be wise for you to follow the same strategy. Smile and wave at Debbie; at the most tell her "Thank you" for all of her hard work and then keep on walking. Trust me. We know what we're doing here.

Debbie enjoys meeting fans and putting a name to a face, but if you talk her leg off when she's trying to manage some event crisis (which is “always”), well, we'll have to kill you. We have security and we aren't afraid to use it. Debbie needs to maintain her focus in order for the fans attending the event to have a good time.

Your script is: "Hi, I'm ______, thank you for all you do.”

Shake hands and smile. Exit, stage right.

No verbose introductions, explanations, anecdotes or personal histories. E-mail those to her later. No questions about when your fan club membership expires. No asking what it's like to be in the Green Room (you won't get there). No asking to change your seating, not even one "I just have one question..."

This is not the time. Despite what you may think, you do NOT have just one question. You were mistaken. You have no questions. What you do is keep it simple with this hard and fast rule:

No "just one question," no "just ANY question." No "do u think sunny and carlee will git back 2gethr?" No "do you remember..?" No "what's with these writers?" No NOTHING. I'm not kidding.

When you see Debbie, she should always look like this to you:

That’s also how she looks to us (so don’t take it personally) unless she looks like this:

Then we know it’s time to problem solve.

HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD I PLAN TO STAY?

That depends on your time allowance and your budget. The full GHFCW runs for 5 days, Thursday through Monday evening. Ideally, if you were to attend every event, you would arrive by early afternoon on Thursday and leave on Tuesday morning. The Main Cast Luncheon is on Saturday and it is the event you will especially not want to miss.

CAN MY FRIENDS AND I SIT TOGETHER AT THE LUNCHEON?

Tickets that are ordered together and have the correct payment included with which to purchase those tickets at member and non-member prices, will be seated together upon request if at all possible.

If, in the intervening months between your ticket purchase and the event, you have a fight with people with whom you have requested seating or you want to add on additional people who suddenly learned they can attend, the seating arrangement cannot change.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO GETS WHAT TABLE FOR THE LUNCHEON?

The seating arrangement is assigned based on the date the ticket was received and the ticket order's ability to be processed. Providing an incorrect payment amount or sending an incomplete order form, will result in your order not being processed. Orders will not be processed if they are sent with a signature confirmation and will be returned to the sender. Please read the directions on the ticket order page carefully. Money orders for GHFC sponsored event should always be made payable to Debbie Morris, not the GHFC. Money orders not made out to Debbie Morris will be returned without the ticket order being processed.

I'VE HAD SOMETHING COME UP AND CANNOT ATTEND THE GHFCW, BUT I HAVE ALREADY ORDERED TICKETS. CAN I GET MY MONEY BACK?

Unfortunately, all ticket sales are final and no refunds are provided. If it is prior to July 1st, you may be able to sell your ticket to another GH fan as these tickets sell out quickly and are in great demand after being sold out. No ticket changes may be made after July 1st. It is the responsibility of the original purchaser of the ticket to inform us of the ticket name change. If the name change is not reported, the new ticket holder will not be able to check into the event. ID is verified at check in.

CAN I PAY FOR ALL OF MY EVENTS WITH ONE MONEY ORDER?

Yes, you may pay for any number of tickets to any combination of GHFC sponsored events with one money order. Please make absolutely certain that you are enclosing the correct amount. Please carefully annotate on your ticket order form the name of the event for which you are ordering tickets and the number of member and non-member tickets you are ordering. Be absolutely sure that the money order you send to us (the Houston, Texas address) is ONLY payment for GHFC sponsored events. If you send us payment for events that are not sponsored by the GH Fan Club in the same money order as payment for our events, your entire ticket order (including our events) will be unable to be processed.

WILL I GET AN ACTUAL TICKET FOR THE EVENT?

Some events use physical tickets and some do not. If you do not receive a ticket, you will receive confirmation of your ticket order and your name will be placed on the check in list. The check in list is the primary guest list we use.

CAN I SHARE MY LUNCHEON TICKET WITH MY FRIEND AND GIVE HER MY WRISTBAND HALFWAY THROUGH THE EVENT?

Absolutely not. Event wristbands are non-transferable and anyone discovered sharing a wristband will be removed from the premises without payment refund. Payment to our events is for ONE guest to attend. CAN CHILDREN ATTEND THESE EVENTS?

We do not mind if children attend, but there are a lot of people walking around, not looking where they are going, and it’s often hot in the rooms. It’s honestly not a very child friendly environment. Strollers are not allowed due to limited space. Children who use a seat for an event are charged full price.

I HAVE SEVERAL THINGS FOR MY FAVORITE ACTOR TO SIGN. IS THAT OK?

Because of the number of fans who attend this event, we regret that we must limit each guest to one photo and one autograph per actor. This allows the lines to move quickly and lets fans see a number of actors instead of just a few. We stick to this rule as much as possible to keep the lines moving.

CAN SOMEONE TAKE MY PHOTO WITH THE ACTOR IF I COME ALONE?

Absolutely. There will be line attendants at each line who will be happy to use your camera to take your photo with the actor. There are no guarantees on how great the photo will turn out since all cameras are different, but our staff will do their best.

DO YOU HAVE A PLACE WHERE I CAN RECHARGE MY DIGITAL CAMERA IF IT DIES?

Unfortunately, we do not offer this service, so please make sure you bring extra batteries for your camera if you suspect you will need them. Also bring plenty of storage space because you might take a LOT of photos.

WILL THE ACTORS TALK TO MY FRIEND AT HOME ON MY CELL PHONE?

No. The actors are not allowed to accept cell phone calls from fans while they are at the event.

BEFORE I BUY A TICKET, I WANT TO MAKE SURE [insert actor's name here] WILL ATTEND.

There are never any guarantees as to which actors will be able to attend any of the events. We have historically had excellent participation from the GH actors, but there are always some who are unable to attend due to other personal or professional obligations. Sometimes, an actor plans to attend, but has an unexpected problem come up at the last minute. We, the event staff, never know for certain who is going to attend the event until the last minute, so we are unable to promise that particular actors will attend. Please see the section on “Reasonable Expectations” for more information on this.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MAIN LUNCHEON, THE KICK OFF RECEPTION, AND THE INDIVIDUAL ACTORS' EVENTS?

There is a comprehensive section in this book about each of these three different types of events.

HOW LONG SHOULD I EXPECT TO WAIT IN LINE TO SEE AN ACTOR?

This, of course, varies according to the popularity of an actor. Some actors have exceptionally long lines and it is not unusual to wait for quite some time in that line. Other actors have shorter lines. It is important that you weigh out the value of seeing one actor versus many actors. If everyone will abide by the "1 autograph, 1 photo" rule, the longer lines will move much faster.

IS IT OK IF I HUG THE ACTORS FOR MY PHOTOS?

Actors are very gracious about photos and typically do not mind giving a hug for the photo. It is important that fans, even in their enthusiasm, remember that these actors are people and will usually be made uncomfortable by inappropriate touching or remarks. For the comfort of our actors who have kindly given of their own time for our events, we ask that fans behave in an appropriate and respectful manner. Below is an example of a photo that is within the comfort zone of most actors. We want our actors to enjoy our events as much as the fans do and as such, we ask that they be treated with dignity.

WHAT IF I ARRIVE LATE TO AN EVENT FOR WHICH I AM REGISTERED?

Sometimes, this is unavoidable. After the check-in lines have cleared and the event has started, usually the doors and check-in lines will be closed. You may enter the event and it is guaranteed that if you do, you will be approached by a staff member. Explain to them that you are a late arrival and they will make sure you are checked in. Depending on how late you are, you may or may not be able to still get food if food is provided for the event. Unfortunately, there are no refunds, full or partial, for late arrivals.

WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?

This is a question I get asked more times than I care to think about. My daughter and son attend a lot of Anime (Japanese comics) conventions and I can’t imagine them going up to a coordinator and asking, “Hey, what do you do with the money I pay to get in?”

The fact is that these events are just damned expensive and on one hand, it’s easy to think that they are pricey because that’s what the market will bear. We want to see these actors and are willing to pay the price. The other side of it is that event venues charge an arm and a leg per plate, for the use of the room itself, for microphone, for each table that is set up, and all sorts of stuff. Everything you see happen in an event cost the coordinator something and usually, a lot. Often, transportation for actors has to be provided and they aren’t cabbin’ it, folks. Event tickets are costly because putting on an event is costly.

For actor events, the hosting actor may or may not accept some of the income from an event for themselves once expenses are paid. Some actors try to keep costs down by not including food or by providing their own food for the guests. A lot of folks remember Rick Hearst’s mama cooking a huge Italian dinner for everyone at his event. Usually, however, food is provided by the event center and no matter where our venue happens to be, the per plate charge is crazy expensive.

Often, an actor will donate a percentage of the net profit from their event to a charity of their choice. Sometimes, this is announced and sometimes, it is not. There are several charities that the GH Fan Club donates to from our own event revenue. The amount an actor donates is completely at their discretion. I once heard a woman make (to my face, even) a very nasty remark about the idea that Debbie Morris might actually keep some of the money she makes from the events she hosts and we’ve even had an actress from the show get really huffy and indignant about it. Honestly, I fail to see the problem. I watch the amount of time and effort and personal expense Debbie puts into coordinating this massive event and I can’t imagine the mindset of anyone who would expect her to do it for free. She works her butt off and deserves any recompense she receives for her efforts. There is hardly a day that goes by that she isn’t making phone calls, stuffing envelopes, drafting emails, arguing with suppliers, printing photos, fielding questions, or doing something that involves the Fan Club. What she does is a full time job and how many people who are complaining about it would work a full time job for free? Sometimes, I just shake my head and sigh. Miscellaneous Information That Doesn't Fit in Other Chapters

Do NOT bring the actors gifts of food or drinks. They will usually graciously accept the gift, but as a rule, are VERY uneasy accepting consumables from people they do not know. Please do not put them in this uncomfortable situation.

Stalkers are very real and present dangers to public figures. Even if you love an actor to pieces, they usually do not know YOU and are made uncomfortable by people who lurk around them. Be mindful and respectful of this.

You will see stars at places other than their events, such as in the halls, by the pools, leaving events, etc. Please be polite and gracious. They are usually very kind and accommodating. If you see them in the bathroom, this is NOT the time to ask for an autograph. Show some dignity and let them pee in peace.

Often actors are moving quickly to get to an event on time. Unless they are obviously just “hanging about” (which does happen!), please do not flag them down. Sometimes, actors will come out to the pool to visit with fans.

Emotions tend to run high, so don't panic if you see someone crying. It's sort of like a Beatles concert. Sometimes, they're weeping with joy to actually be on a vacation. Don't make a big deal of it. Just hand them a tissue and move along.

If you see ME or any other of the All My Writers staff, say hello and tell us how wonderful we are. We respond well to that. Buy us drinks. Give us comp tickets. Pay our bail. Hand us donations for the website. Pick up our dinner tab. You know, the usual. We love you, baby. (www.allmywriters.com for the win!)

As I mentioned elsewhere (tote bag: things to bring, I think), the fan bases sometimes bring little gee-gaws (pin on buttons, bracelets, key chains, etc) supporting the object of their affections. Beware of wearing the gee-gaws supporting couples/actors/characters you do not passionately support. Likewise, beware of assuming that just because someone is wearing a gee-gaw supporting a particular couple/actor/character that they are passionate about them. Someone may have just handed them the thing and they had nowhere else to put it. Don't forget to take time out to rest off and on throughout the day. This experience is much more tiring and draining that you think it's going to be. It can also be hard to get good, restorative sleep in an unfamiliar place. Pace and pamper yourself.

Frank Valentini, Executive Producer of GH, is often at the event.

The hotel is HUGE. Don't be afraid to ask for directions if you get lost.

The event coordinator, Debbie Morris, and the people who are helping her produce this incredible event, are working hard to provide this experience to you with as few glitches as possible. Be gracious. (Because some of those people are me and my girls!). We have no animosity toward you folks and we are so very glad you are there. We want to help you solve any problem you may have, but we are not always able to do so. Yelling at us does not help. We do our best, but inevitably, shit happens. We very much hope you do not let minor difficulties color your entire experience of the GHFC Weekend.

Even though you are coming to Hollywood, do not expect to view the taping of any TV show unless you have a full day to kill. A simple one hour show will take hours and hours to attend. I do recommend taking a break from the events to clear your head, so a visit to Venice Beach, Universal Studios for the day (right next door, practically) or a walk down the Hollywood Walk of Fame can be fun. This handbook includes a comprehensive listing of nonsoap related fun things to do in the area.

Do not plan on going to a theme park unless you have the full day to invest; otherwise, it's a waste of money (a lot of it, in fact). Don't think you'll "hang at Disneyland for a couple of hours to see what it's like." It doesn’t work like that.

Keep your camera handy even when you aren't in an event. You'd be surprised how many interesting situations come up when you are people watching. In the “Tell Me A Story, Auntie Katrina” section, you will see some of the fun photos we’ve captured over time just be being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes the fans are more interesting than the stars. Plan on bringing lots of film or camera memory cards. Better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have one for the impromptu cuddle at the pool with your favorite star. Speaking of impromptu:

Don't expect to always recognize the stars at first. Because we train our minds to dismiss the idea that we're seeing a famous person in our everyday life, we often say "Is that _____?" a few times before we settle into star watching and get used to actually seeing them. Sort of like looking at those 3-D hidden pictures.

Overall, expect to have a wonderful time and a very unique experience. How do you see a unique GH star? Unique up on them.

How to Maximize Your Fun While Minimizing Your Costs

I am not (yet) a wealthy woman, unfortunately. I have many blessings in my life for which I am truly grateful. I have a roof over my head and (usually – I need to get to town right now) food in my cupboards.

I have, however, never in my life been given the opportunity to live in the style to which I would like to become accustomed. I don’t mean wealth and finery, although I certainly would not argue. I’m talking about financial security, doing whatever I want whenever I want without regard to cost, making major purchases without checking the bank account… that sort of thing.

There are a lot of you out there who are blessed in that respect and I am so happy for you, I could just pop.

For those of you, however, who, like me, have to be very careful in how you spend your pennies, I want to share some of the tricks I have learned over the years to cut down on costs.

Traveling Carefully consider your travel plans. If you are within a reasonable driving distance, a road trip might be in order. Of course, this is only practical if you have a reliable vehicle (the mountain areas around Los Angeles can be challenging for an car that overheats) and gas prices are not cost prohibitive. Also, when you drive instead of fly, you have to consider food for the trip and the time that you will spend on the road instead of at the event. This is likely one of the most important decisions you will make money-wise.

If you fly, do your best to find a ride to and from the airport rather than parking your car in long term parking. Rates per day for parking can be extremely expensive.

Carefully check to see if your airline charges for checked baggage. Southwest allows 2 checked bags per passenger at no additional cost. Most other airlines will charge.

MANY times I have managed to pack all I need for a trip into my carry- on luggage. Most airlines will allow 2 pieces of carry-on luggage and one “person item” like a laptop case, a tote bag, or a purse. I pack tightly and minimize what I take. The big trick in this case is not to bring any larger liquid items like shampoo or lotion. I buy them when I get there and leave them at the hotel.

Be very careful about the size of your luggage. Overweight or oversized suitcases and bags can be VERY expensive to bring with you.

To get to and from the airport, Super Shuttle is often the cheapest alternative (see the section of this book on Transportation).

Bring snacks in your carry-on bag like peanuts, pretzels, and fruit and vegetable slices.

Shop around for airfare and start looking months in advance to give yourself time to follow the prices up and down. Airfare constantly shifts. Sign up for alerts that will message you (text or email) when the airfare drops below a certain price.

Book any car rentals or shuttle services online whenever possible. You will almost always get much lower rates. Print out copies of your confirmation agreement in case there are any discrepancies in price when you are in the moment.

Do not buy gasoline around the airport.

It’s easy to get lost in LA and burn extra gas. In addition to any GPS or Mapquest directions you might have, get a good, old-fashioned LA road map if you are going to be doing a lot of driving.

Lodging Obviously, stay with friends or family in the area if that is an option, but you also have to factor in the amount of gas money you will spend going to and from the events if you are not on-site or within walking distance.

Do a lot of shopping around for good hotel rates. Sometimes, hotels.com will have a better rate than booking directly through the hotel. You do, however, have to pay for the stay in advance. If you are not close to the Lodge, again, you have to factor in transportation money with your hotel rate.

Definitely share a room if that is an option for you. If you get a room with 2 queen sized beds, you can sleep 2 per bed and get a rollaway bed in the room (approximately at $10 per night charge) and that brings you up to 5 people in a room. Sure, that makes it crowded when you’re getting showered, made up, and primped to leave for an event, but you’re also splitting the bill 5 ways. Rotate out who gets the rollaway bed. It’s only fair.

Food Although there are no refrigerators in the room without paying extra, you can get endless ice from the ice machine by the pool. At Ralph’s, across the street, they sell Styrofoam coolers for around $5 each. You can then purchase lunch meats, fruit, and other items you want to keep cool and simply replace the ice in the cooler a couple of times a day.

Purchase a case of bottled water for everyone in your group to share.

Buy soft drinks, juices, and snacks at Ralph’s and keep them in your room. Get the little Ralph’s membership card to save even more money on your purchases.

Plan to eat in a restaurant no more than once a day. The rest of the time, nibble at the events and keep sandwich makings in your room and snacks in your tote bag.

Go in with friends on the expense of a couple of large pizzas. Many local pizza places have specials (Dominoes has medium pizzas for around $6 most of the time) and have them delivered. Cold pizza can make a yummy and filling snack and everyone sharing costs keeps the meal very affordable.

Go to Subway and get a giant sized submarine sandwich to share with friends, cost-wise and food-wise.

If you are going to go sight-seeing, choose one day to do so and limit trips off-site otherwise (to save gas).

Have all friends who are going sight-seeing with you contribute to the cost of a car rental.

Events Be very selective about event tickets you purchase. I often see people who invest money into event tickets, particularly those later at night, and end up being too worn out from the day to attend. Also, seriously consider how much individual time with an actor means to you. Choose events that are dear to you and will create strong memories. Don’t go just because others are attending. It’s easy to get caught up in the madness.

Do not overspend on photos and raffle tickets. This is another place where it’s easy to get caught up in the madness. Purchasing group photos is a good way to get a memento that many actors can sign.

What Else Is There to Do in the Area?

You know, the real question is, “What’s NOT to do in the area?” Los Angeles is a cultural mecca and there is more to do than you could get done in a lifetime. As I have mentioned a couple of times, take advantage of this incredible experience and see a few things that are NOT soap related.

Every year, my girls and I go out on Friday and get into some kind of mischief or another. We tried Disneyland one year and it was a mess. I love Disneyland and California Adventure passionately and obsessively. When we went in July it was far too crowded and far too hot to have a good time. Our favorite places to go are Venice Beach and the Santa Monica Pier. We never, ever fail to find fun and adventures there.

At the end of this book in Appendix 1, you will find a huge list of interesting things to do in the area, along with websites that will tell you how to get there and what they are about. Meanwhile, here’s what we do: We Look For Fun In Weird Places:

We found a Target in Van Nuys. We went there for beach chairs and sandals because we were going to Venice Beach, our Special Place. This Target had downstairs parking and HOLY BEJEEBERS! They had a special escalator for your cart to take it downstairs!!

Now I don’t normally act like I just came down off of the mountain sitting in a rocking chair strapped to the top of Jethro Bodine’s car, but HEY! This was COOL. Check out the expression on the face of the guy we don’t know who went down the escalator in front of us. It’s not just me, people!! Hollywood Blvd

The Hollywood Walk of Fame! It goes on for miles and miles!

Venice Beach

Venice Beach is one of the most beautiful places in the world, but there is so much more to do in addition to swimming, sunning, and playing.

You can watch people have sex on the hill.

You can take photos of people taking photos of people having sex on a hill.

I’m telling you, these two were focused.

You can hang out with pirates.

You can help dog bums.

You can watch muscley guys work out with big weights.

You can watch awesome street performers

You can watch muscley guys work out with big weights.

You can get your bellybutton pierced. You can also talk your friends into getting their belly button pierced if you are THAT kind of person (I am...Go Dianna!)

You can watch muscley guys work out with big weights.

You can interact with wildlife.

Oh! I neglected to mention that you can watch muscley guys work out without big weights!

You can watch the LA City FD manage a fire emergency in a big building.

You can ask Zoltar to make you “Big,” but you can’t ask him to make you small. (Such a rip off)

Santa Monica Pier/Third Street Promenade

You can go onto the Santa Monica Pier, walk to the end, and sit on these steps:

and you will see this in front of you:

You will see this to your right:

And this to your left

Now you can sit there all day and watch the boats go by and listen to the street musicians or you can do some other stuff too:

You can ride in little cars

You can see… hey… I don’t think that’s really him.

You can eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

You can get to the real, true end of Route 66

You can take trapeze lessons

And maybe not even die

You can… I’m not even completely sure what they’re doing.

You can see almost naked guys holding giant snakes (and then immediately cross the street because the metaphor is simply blowing your mind.) If you go up the hill, across the street, and then up the hill some more, you can get to the Third Street Promenade.

In addition to shopping and shopping and shopping, there, you can:

See big, leafy dinosaurs

Interactive, big leafy dinosaurs

You can eat very yummy cupcakes at Yummy Cupcakes

You can see dogs wearing shoes

You can play in the fountain

You can look at pigeons who act like you owe them something

Then you can eat more yummy cupcakes

And you can hang with Catwoman in McDonald’s.

What’s not to love? Tell Me a Story, Auntie Katrina

But out of the wondrous carnival that is LA and back to the GH Weekend!

Glasses & Tiaras

For years, my girls and I would come up with our “theme” of the year. One year, it was Diva Glasses. We all wore our wonderful, cat-eye Diva Glasses and took photos. We wore them inside. We wore them outside.

We even got some of our favorite GH stars to play along:

Wally Kurth (Ned Ashton)

Denise Alexander (Leslie Weber) was SUCH a hoot and we all wanted her to be our bestie forever.

Annie Wershing (Amelia

The little Dever twins who played baby Molly.

Scott Clifton & Kathy

Kathy & the late, wonderful, John Ingle

To see our entire Diva Glasses gallery, you can go to this link: http://www.eyeonsoaps.net/divas2007.htm

One year, it was all about big bug glasses and tiaras. We looked spectacular, if I do say so myself.

NACHOOOOO!!! (Diego Alcazar)

Yours Truly

The Stunning Dianna

Me, Delena, Carolyn Looking Startled, and Debbie Morris Speaking of Carolyn… The (MIS)Adventures of Carolyn

Another year, Carolyn couldn’t make it, so rather than do without her completely, since she is thin and blond and beautiful… (see?)

(…annnnd, I stole your photo from Facebook, Carolyn… Ciao)

…we got a Barbie doll and hauled her around with us to represent Carolyn.

Here she is on the beach.

And sunning herself.

?! Acting like a ho. MARRIED, MUCH???

We barely got her dragged away from the beach guy and she was riding GI Joe all over Venice.

It didn’t get much better at the events. Here she is with the Cheetwood brothers.

By the time she got finished making out with Ronnie Marmo, we figured we should get her home.

Drunk and eating our food.

We even got the wait staff of Olive Garden to sing happy birthday to her. To see that and the rest of Carolyn’s adventures, you can go to this link:

http://www.eyeonsoaps.net/carolyn2009.htm

I was a terrible web designer back then. Sheesh!

Just a Really Nice Kid

In 2007, my daughter saw Dylan Cash (ex-Michael Corinthos) sitting in the lobby looking board, so she went over to talk to him about their current mutual passion, Pokemons.

Thusly, began a relationship that literally lasted for many years and continues on now. Dylan is a really great kid and Delena enjoys his company very much. I’ve gotten so many laughs from him over the years that it’s hard to pick which one to include.

A couple of years later, when over the GH Weekend, his character was in a coma waiting to hear his fate, Dylan was on the stage with the rest of the cast during the Main Cast Luncheon. Someone from the audience asked him if he would be killed off or not and of course, the actors rarely know. Dylan replied sadly, that he had no idea and an anonymous voice from the audience yelled out, “MONA VIE WILL SAVE YOU!” For those who do not know, Mona Vie is a wonder drink that is at the heart of a pyramid financial plan that many GH actors, including Steve Burton and Dirk Cheetwood, were involved with deeply and passionately. Mona Vie pitches even popped up at the GHFCW and then quietly went away.

In 2008, Dylan went with us to Nazanin Boniadi’s event and although we love Naz just fine on both Night Shift and GH, we were there for one very important reason:

Peter Damned Billingsley. That’s RIGHT!

Now everyone in that room with us knew Peter Billingsley for one thing. He was Ralphie in the pink bunny suit in the classic movie, “A Christmas Story.” They asked him around 100 different ways what it was like to wear the bunny outfit. He made that movie in 1983. He was twelve-years-old. He doesn’t remember.

Dylan, Delena, and I were on fire for another reason. He was the producer of “Iron Man,” which had just been released and after seeing the major hint at the end of Iron Man, we were determined to find out if there would now be an Avengers movie. As everyone now knows, there sure was and Peter was more than happy to talk to us about it after all those fuzzy bunny suit questions. Nazanin is also in “Iron Man,” which is why he was at her event. While we were listening to the fuzzy bunny suit questions, Dylan and I were bored and we somehow got onto the subject of GH wardrobe. Wistfully, he said, “You know, I still have that shirt I was wearing when I was shot in the coffee warehouse.”

I said, “Really?”

He said, “Yeah! It’s one of my favorite shirts. I take it out and look at it sometimes and think, ‘that is the shirt I was wearing when my career ended.’”

Although I literally laughed out loud when he said that, I fully believe this young man has more acting years yet to come. He’s just too talented to no continue the career he loves so much.

That same year, we were walking back from Jerry’s Deli where we’d gone to get some ice cream and play video games. As we walked around the Sportsmen’s Lodge, we heard someone screaming from the balcony. “DYLAN!! DYLAN!!”

Dylan kept walking because we figured it was a fan trying to get his attention. Finally, the person yelled, “Dylan, you’d better look at me! I’m Lindze F**king Letherman!” He looked up and sure enough, there was GH’s own Georgie, waving from the balcony.

This is what Dylan does with his headshots at events when he gets bored:

Me & Part of the WSB

For as long as there was a WSB on GH, I was obsessed with Robert Scorpio. I loved his quick wit and action hero persona. Knowing that he was my favorite, I was working away on a website one day when I got a call from Debbie Morris. She chatted for a while and then said, “Hey, there’s somebody here to wants to talk to you.”

I heard a voice say, “Katrina?”

“Um…yes…?”

“This is Tristan Rogers. I just wanted to say hello.” I had to eat off the inside of my face to keep from screaming in his ear. I carried on, I think – not so sure – a little mundane conversation and then got Debbie back on the phone. Then she got an earful of “OMG!!!!”… and that is how I found out that Tristan Rogers was coming back to the show for the first time.

Debbie is as big of a fan of GH as I am, if not more. She loves that show to pieces and her melting point is Tony Geary, so she knew how I’d react.

A few years later, I was working a Main Cast Luncheon and was beyond excited to find out that I was the line manager for Tristan Rogers!! He arrived late, but we were just glad he was there and let me tell you, it was like a Michael Easton situation. I was floating on air and we had hundreds of people in line to see him. That year, the ballroom was sweltering and we were all just puddling in a pool of sweat.

As it turned out, for reasons of which I am not quite aware, Tristan Rogers just did not like me. I don’t take it personally. He doesn’t know me. He seemed like he was in a kind of off mood anyway, but then on the other side, I don’t know him.

As the afternoon wore on, our line remained really, really long and the natives were definitely getting restless. I tried to keep things light with the guests by making jokes about being in “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.” As you know if you read the guides for our events, we have a “1 photo, 1 autograph” rule so that the lines move quickly and it’s especially important in a high traffic line that we move people in and out.

Tristan Rogers was not on board with this policy. A lot of people had photos of him from the past and he would carefully study every one of them and say, “I don’t remember this photo. I wonder where it was taken.” The line took for Ever to move.

I encouraged him along, kindly letting him know several times that we needed to move things along a little faster and that lots of people were waiting to see him.

It was a special kind of hell.

Finally, after a couple of hours of this, he was again studying an older photo graph a fan had brought up for him to sign and said, “I don’t remember this…” I snapped and barked, “You don’t remember the 1980’s; how are you going to remember one photo. Now sign the thing!”

He actually hissed at me and kind of growled and said, “You’re a Line Nazi.” I scowled back at him. Not my finest GHFCW moment, let me tell you.

After his line was cut off and we finished the last guest, I didn’t even stay to get my photo with him. I just left, went to my room and collapsed on the bed to order pizza and detox. This was one of the times I wished I was a drinker. I spent the whole next year wondering why I didn’t get fired. When line assignments came out the following year, I was surprised to find that I’d been assigned to an actor who was arguably one of the top dogs of the show. I had to laugh out loud when I was told, “Yeah, he said he wanted ‘that Line Nazi woman.”

At the Past Cast Event in 2008, my friend, Michelle, grabbed me by the arm and said, “We’re going over to get photos with John Reily and Tristan Rogers.”

“Nooooo,” I said. She was resolute. Well, sort of. “Aw, come ON!”

So off we went. Because we were on a staff break, we cut in line to get our photo. Tristan Rogers looked at me with some kind of vague memory like he had a bad taste in his mouth. I could tell he was negatively associating me, but couldn’t quite place it. I said, “I was your line manager a couple of years ago. You didn’t like me. Let’s take the photo.”

He replied, “Well, I probably don’t like you now either then.”

I said, “Yeah. Probably not. Let’s take the photo.”

We did. I don’t have it any more (just not meant to be), but here is a photo of the guys so you don’t feel deprived:

Still so handsome, I gotta say

Free Hugs

One of the most meaningful Fan Club Weekends involved something that happened away from the event. Kathy and I decided that we were going to be bold and go to Santa Monica wearing shirts that said, “Free Hugs.”

Let me tell you: People in Santa Monica love to hug. (We made sure our wallets were not in our pockets. We aren’t stupid. We got SO many hug that day and people walked away smiling and so did we.

Hugs and dogs are what Santa Monica has on its mind. We got hugs from security guards, joggers, homeless people, sales clerks, a pimp… It was a beautiful thing.

How’s Your Mommer’n ‘em? (Translation for those who do not speak Southern – “How are your mama and them?”)

Roll your eyes if you will, but where I come from, that is a perfectly respectful greeting. When you ask after the health of someone’s family in the South, it is customary to ask about their mother’s well-being first and then everyone else falls in after that. It’s sort of like how the Professor and Mary Ann got to be “…and the rest” on Gilligan’s Island.

Hands down, my favorite person on the GH cast, past present, and probably future, is Blake Gibbons. He is just the nicest person ever. I interviewed him a couple of times for Eye on Soaps, and after the first interview, I ended up sitting down by a nice couple in the Green Room for a while.

We struck up a conversation and the conversation ended up lasting so long, I didn’t get crap all done for any more interviews. I would have felt bad except, well, I’m the boss. As we got up to leave, Blake Gibbons walked up and I thought maybe he wanted me to add or delete something from the interview. He looked at the couples and said, “We’re about to line up. I’ve got seats for you inside if you want to go on in.” I looked at him, strangely, I guess, and he said, “You didn’t know? This is my Mama and Daddy.”

After that, any time I was in the Green Room, I’d go get a hug from Blake and ask, “Where’s your Mama and Daddy?” Now, I don’t even have to ask. He just offers, “Mama and Daddy are over there.”

I just love this whole family. I am convinced there have never been parents more proud of their son.

Maurice and the Buffalo Burger

When I first started working the GHFC Weekend, I was every bit as star struck as you can imagine a person would be. I was excited to see everyone and completely intimidated. Now, there are only a handful that get me all a’quiver and only a handful who intimidate me. Mostly, they’re just the folks I work with once a year and overall, they’re really good people.

The first year Kathy and I worked the event together, she was spending some time working Maurice Benard’s line. As you can imagine, it’s always a hopping line and stretches all around the room. At some point, Maurice Benard started talking about wanting a buffalo burger (yes, a hamburger made from buffalo meat). I was on a break and went to check on Kathy and she said, “Maurice wants a buffalo burger! How do I get one?” We called the café with no luck and so Kathy hit the yellow pages and holy smokes. She found a place that had buffalo burgers and sent someone out for one.

To show how time changes all things, I think now, no matter who it was, we would order a deluxe hamburger from the café and tell them it came from a really, really big cow and get on with business.

The Measuring Tape Comes Out

Speaking of Maurice Benard, I, as I’ve mentioned, am an avid fan of GH and my husbands all had to get used to me watching the show on a regular basis. My current husband is the only one who has had to accommodate my annual trips to LA for the GHFCW. He has watched GH over my shoulder a few times, interjecting questions here and there.

When I went to my first GHFCW, he came with me and we visited with his grandmother, who lives in Whittier. He was driving me to one of the events and we had to stop off at an ATM near the Sportsmen’s Lodge. As we were about to get out of the car, Eric said, “Stop. Isn’t that that Sonny guy at the ATM?”

I looked and sure enough, Maurice Benard was at the ATM. Eric got an odd expression on his face and stared at him for several minutes, working his hand on the top of the steering wheel.

“Meh,” he said, unbuckling his seatbelt. “I could take him.”

It gave me insight into how men think and it was a place I didn’t want to be.

The Longest 10 Minutes of My Life – Many Times Over

I should love to do interviews and I do love talking to the actors, but the actual conducting of interviews is like going to the dentist for me. I know the actors are bored with being asked the same stupid questions over and over. I know they are painfully limited in what they can say in reply. The questions I want to ask can’t be published and would never be answered in any kind of honest capacity.

Still, I soldiered through with interviews before I finally commissioned my staff to be the ones who did it and you know? They love it. Delegation is a beautiful thing.

My last year of interviewing, I wanted to walk away while tossing my voice recorder in the air. My staff and I stayed up all night the night before brainstorming and researching. We put our heads together and tried to come up with interesting questions.

My first contestant was a romantic leading man at the time and when I asked him what kind of music he listened to most, he said, (no lie) “Mostly MP3s.”

I literally blinked at him. Repeatedly.

“…Sometimes CDs, but not much anymore.” I thanked him and ended the interview. There’s just no topping that.

Another actor I interviewed was definitely going to make me work for this volunteer gig. I complimented him on his performance in a prime time show I enjoyed and told him how much I appreciated how he had taken a small character and really infused it with texture and nuance. He said, “That. Is. My. Job. I. Am. An. AcTOR.” I smiled my biggest Dennis Miller grin and shut off my recorder and said, “Thank you so much” and walked away.

I never claimed to be good at it. If I’m not entertained, my readers won’t be either.

Photo Stories

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to bring a good camera with lots and lots of storage capacity to these events. There are so many photo ops and so many memories you will want to capture. If you sit back with your camera and wait patiently, among all of your very ordinary photos, you will find some real treasures.

Imagine that some deeply meaningful song is playing as you looks through my precious memories here. I vote for “Memories” by Barbra or “I Will Remember You” by Sarah McLachlan.

Ready to go!

Someone must have handed him the Golden Boy photo to sign.

Captioning this one could get me in trouble. Read my mind.

(oh how camera quality has improved over the years!)

Virgin drink for the minor, though. I promise!

John Ingle with Jason Cook (Matt Hunter)

Carolyn Hennesy (Diane Miller)

Lisa LoCicero and John Ingle

Brandon Barash, Scott Evans, Steve Burton, & Bradford Anderson

Getting Ready to Check You In

Lindze, Julie Marie, and Scott looking at the koi

Ignacio

Robert Lasardo – a lovely, lovely man

Natalia Livingston and Scott Clifton

Our first year

Catherine Wadkins with Natalia Livingston

Brian Frons showed up and Kathy went right in with the kill and even made him laugh. She must have suggested our soaps were worth saving and cracked him up.

Fish lips before fish lips were cool.

Our group circa 2006 or so

“*sigh* My Mama & Daddy are over there.”

Scott called them “evil bunny ears.”

John and Debby O’Connor

2012

Lynna and Linda – Two of my very favorite people

Lindze Letherman and Scott Clifton

The Sportsmens Lodge Makeover

Debbie with Rick Hearst

Me with a Reindeer Topiary (no justice in the world)

Me and Michelle

The Jacks brothers

“Oooh, pretty!”

Joe, the poolside bartender for the past 1000 years.

2010

Dirk Cheetwood, laughing as usual

Julie Marie Berman and Josh Duhon

Love you too, John.

See you in July, Friends! APPENDIX 1 - Area Attractions

If you decide to venture beyond the hotel where events will be held (a breather can be helpful and hey, it's your vacation, for crying out loud), you'd better believe there is plenty to do if you have a car available.

Below are some of the recommended fun spots and there are plenty more as well:

NBC studios tour http://www.seeing-stars.com/StudioTours/NBCtour.shtml (CBS and ABC do not offer public tours)

Warner Brothers VIP tour: http://www.seeing-stars.com/StudioTours/WarnerBrosTour.shtml

Disneyland http://disneyland.disney.go.com/

Magic Mountain http://www.sixflags.com/parks/magicmountain /index.asp

Knotts Berry Farm http://www.knotts.com/

Universal Studios http://www.universalstudios.com/index.php

Medieval Times - Yep, that one http://www.medievaltimes.com/

Raging Waters - San Dimas, bit of a drive http://www.rwsplash.com/

Universal Citywalk - at the entrance to Universal Studios http://www.citywalkhollywood.com/ Hollywood Wax Museum http://www.hollywoodwax.com/

Mann's Chinese Theater (the handprints and footprints) http://www.tclchinesetheatres.com/

Retail Slut (a really fun store) http://www.retailslut.com/

The Getty Center http://www.getty.edu/

Hollywood Walk of Fame (the stars on the sidewalk) http://www.seeing-stars.com/Immortalized /WalkOfFame.shtml

Hollywood Book & Poster Company http://www.hollywoodbookandposter.com/

Beverly Hills - Awesome houses, star home tours, Rodeo Drive http://www.beverlyhills.org/presence/connect/ CoBH/Homepage

Los Angeles Museum of Natural History http://www.nhm.org/

Venice Beach - Muscle Beach, boardwalk, shops and beautiful California beach! If you have never seen the ocean, you must! http://www.venicebeach.com/

Los Angeles Chinatown http://www.chinatownla.com/

Descanso Gardens - Beautiful botanicals http://www.descansogardens.org/ Olvera Street - A Latino culture extravaganza http://www.olvera-street.com/

Hard Rock Cafe - Los Angeles http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafe.aspx?LocationID=559&MIBenumID=3

La Brea Tar Pits http://www.tarpits.org/

Hollywood Entertainment Museum http://www.seeing-stars.com/museums/HollywoodEntertainment.shtml

Guinness World of Records Museum http://www.seeing-stars.com/Museums/Guinness.shtml

Paramount Studios http://www.hollywoodusa.co.uk/Attractions/ paramountgates.htm

Santa Monica Pier http://santamonicapier.org/

Griffith Park Observatory http://www.griffithobs.org/

APPENDIX 2 – Important Contacts & Links

Official GH Fan Club Debbie Morris www.ghfanclub.com www.ghfanclub.com/ghfcw [email protected]

Katrina Rasbold GHFCW Online Guest Liaison [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/katrinarasbold

Your Number One Fan Debby O’Connor www.yournumberonefan.com [email protected]

Rebecca Herbst Fan Club Brooke Arata http://www.facebook.com/RebeccaHerbstOnlineFB [email protected]

Soap Star Events Sheri Evans http://www.soapstarevents.com/ http://www.twitter.com/SheriMEvans

Claire Mullan [email protected]

About Katrina

Katrina Rasbold has been a GH Fan Club Weekend staff member since 2001. She is the webmaster for the Official General Hospital Fan Club (www.ghfanclub.com) and from January – July of each year, acts as a guest/member liaison on the Official General Hospital Fan Club Weekend Website (www.ghfanclub.com/ghfcw).

She has been a fan of General Hospital since the debut of its first episode on April 1, 1963 and also loved both One Life to Live and All My Children. Katrina began working as a soap opera journalist in 1998 for Soap Opera Central. In 2000, she created and launched Eye on Soaps, the first website on the internet to focus extensively on ABC soap opera commentary. Eye on Soaps has been privileged to staff some of the finest columnists in daytime commentary over the years, including the irascible Sage Bourland (“Big Daddy Sage”). Her popular online journal, Life Forensics, (www.katrinarasbold.com) also has an avid following.

Three years ago, Eye on Soaps expanded its coverage to include prime time television, book reviews, and other subjects. At that time, it was re-christened All My Writers. (www.allmywriters.com)

Katrina is a published author and voracious student of life. She has a Ph.D. in Religion and is a licensed minister. She teaches workshops throughout central California on subjects such as energy magic, women’s wisdom, and Tarot studies. She is a professional life coach and has her own publishing company and website development business. If you enjoy her writing and are interested in purchasing her other books (both e-books and print copies), you may do so at www.rasboldink.com.

Raised in what she considers to be the South even a lot of the country does not (Kentucky), Katrina has traveled the world since leaving her home state in 1978. Although she still carries tremendous love for the Bluegrass State and considers herself to be a genteel southern woman, she now makes her home in the mountains of Central California between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe. Katrina is married and has six children (five sons and a daughter), four of whom are grown and on their own, plus two grandsons.

She will be present at the GH Fan Club Weekend events and available for you to hug and tell her you love her and bring her gifts and give her money and gush about how helpful she has been through the event preparation process. Apparently, she also talks about herself in the third person. (Hmm… Note to self: pick up bread, wash dog, change turtle’s water, seek therapy)

If you enjoyed this book and would like to read more of Katrina’s writing, check out www.amazon.com for her books and www.katrinarasbold.com for her online journal.