My sister was the one that told me, interestingly enough. She called me from Ohio and shocked me with the news that Alan Rickman had died. Though I was still trying to get my bearings (back is kaput for the DW folks that weren't aware), I had to fire up the PC to double check. It took a while before it appeared on the morning news and though I know David Bowie had a much larger footprint, I was hoping to see him mentioned more since he had such an effect on my life.

It's not a stretch to give him credit for changing everything for me. I connected with some fabulous ladies - and a few guys - starting on the WB boards due to his role as Snape, I started writing fanfic, did online rp and then it got even more wild. Upon one of my online buddy's prodding, I traveled to NYC and saw AR (as we know him) on Broadway and stagedoored and met him. Then after that when another online buddy was going to NYC, I returned to go with both buddies to see him again and even had him autograph smutty fanfic which I sent to miss_s_b 

THEN I was convinced by veritasema to interview for a job and since I'd actually been to NJ (and found it wasn't so scary), I went for it and moved from small hellhole city in Ohio to NJ. This is something I never would've thought I'd do. I've lived with these friends, I've visited the UK twice, met MANY of the online fellow AR/HP fans and still keep in touch with many of them. When I talked to my parents, I reminded them that if weren't for Alan Rickman, Mom probably never would've gone to the UK since I took them on the second visit.

It boggles my mind to think that yeah, Alan Rickman made my life go in a complete 180 - and in a good way. Thanks Alan