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Post by Shadow of The Phantom on Jul 21, 2009 15:52:14 GMT -5
Hmmm. Well, okay, let me start off by saying that this is just an innocent random idea that just happened to pop in my mind. I don't actually mean to make this a completely - er - "lighthearted" thread, but I thought I might as well give it a try... So. Ever since I joined, I've been reading a lot of wonderfully entertaining and funny posts relating to Gerry that really brighten my day and make me smile. But, I've also noticed there are a couple of more "serious" threads, per say, in which you gals dealt with more delicate or in-depth matters, and that shows that this is a mature group of people who can also take a more seriour conversation in between all the laughs - an excellent human quality, if I can say. Now, here's the idea: browsing here and there I couldn't help but notice that numerous times people have stated how, in one way or another, they feel they can "relate" to Gerry on various different levels, and a lot of the times that's what makes our loving and admiring feelings so strong for him. So I thought it'd be nice to discuss this in a proper thread: how can YOU relate to Gerry?The reason I started off this topic the way I did was because I realize I may be bringing up some very delicate issues here, so I guess it's fine if you guys tell me it's a subject that's too personal to discuss... I won't mind.  But all in all, I thought it'd be a nice chance to reflect and discuss this more delicate or slightly more serious part of our fandom together. I'll start off right away to break the ice : if I "fall" for an actor, it means I can really relate to him, be it on a personal level or regarding one of his characters, or both. In Gerry's case, one of the "lightests" things that made me feel so connected to him was, as you can probably tell, his portrayal of the Phantom, mainly because throughout all my teenage that's exactly how I felt - and hearing the words he sang in "No One Would Listen" really got to me on a very deep and emotional level. That's one of the reasons I feel so thankful towards him, because as stupid or infantile as it may sound, his Erik...well, he made me feel less alone. And I truly thank him for that. However, there is also a more ... well, a sadder reason why I can relate to him, I guess.... But maybe I should wait to see if you guys like this idea to continue, I wouldn't want to offend or make anybody sad. I promise I'll be the first to continue if you guys like the idea! xoxoxoxo Shadow |
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Post by I'm in Oklahoma Gerard! on Jul 21, 2009 16:08:33 GMT -5
Shadow, I think this is a great thread for any who want to share. I never really felt like I related to him (other than his zany sense of humor) until I read the Esquire interview; in fact, I couldn't sleep that night after reading it. When he talks about his family and how everyone was so excited to see him go to university to become a lawyer -- that was ME! Not the lawyer part, but going off to school to do something that I wasn't passionate about because I COULD do it and it made the family proud. He explains about always knowing in his heart that he could be an actor, but he thought it just wasn't in the cards for him. The fact that he had the gumption to chase his dream at one of the lowest parts of his life is amazing. I've never been able to find my purpose, although I continually feel like I'm supposed to be doing something -- something BIG. It's something that really bothers me from time to time and I'll actually get somewhat depressed about it. I'm so happy for him that he knew what his passion was and that he had the fortitude to grab it when the opportunity came. If I ever had the chance, I'd like to ask him how he knew with such certainty what his purpose is in this life. The other thing that struck me in that Esquire interview was when he was talking about showing his mom his new home and the balloon floating by out of nowhere. He talks about all the seredipities in his life. I can relate on that level too. In fact, I could fill pages on all the strange and seredipitous occurances in my life, but I won't bore you all with that.  |
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Post by ava on Jul 21, 2009 16:14:42 GMT -5
Shadow good thread! BUT let me throw something in here BEFORE anyone post something too,
are ye sure ye wanna keep this thread public?
Ye know these wee rats outthere who are waiting for personal stuff to rip you off.
Maybe Di or any of the admins should transfer it to the User lounge?
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Post by Shadow of The Phantom on Jul 21, 2009 16:24:32 GMT -5
Shadow good thread! BUT let me throw something in here BEFORE anyone post something too, are ye sure ye wanna keep this thread public? Ye know these wee rats outthere who are waiting for personal stuff to rip you off. Maybe Di or any of the admins should transfer it to the User lounge? Whoops ! You're right Ava ! Good thinking ! You think so? Well good thing I read your post in time, thanks for the heads up! Erm.... Dianne dear.... or any other wonderful admin.... would you mind?  |
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Post by ava on Jul 21, 2009 16:25:36 GMT -5
No prob. Was just a thought |
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Post by ava on Jul 21, 2009 16:29:07 GMT -5
Damn it!! My inet connection is pukin lol just two mins gooooood connection then off! I didnt saw Okie´s post! Peace of shit this stoooopid connection on here, why I even have to life in a mountain area....no connection....stoopoid mountains!!!  |
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Post by Shadow of The Phantom on Jul 21, 2009 16:30:19 GMT -5
Damn it!! My inet connection is pukin lol just two mins gooooood connection then off! I didnt saw Okie´s post! Peace of shit this stoooopid connection on here, why I even have to life in a mountain area....no connection....stoopoid mountains!!!  Nooo! Poor Ava ! Don't worry, if she minds I'm sure she can just go ahead and delete her post and we can carry on with the convo once it gets moved |
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Post by I'm in Oklahoma Gerard! on Jul 21, 2009 16:31:46 GMT -5
I don't care...it's up to everyone else. If someone wants to try to give me shit...power to them. Fact is...I know the TRUTH of my life and they can just bite me.
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Post by ava on Jul 21, 2009 16:34:08 GMT -5
Yeah,  with both of you. Im not forcing you to move it, it was just a thought. It can stay here too, I have no Prob with it dont get me wrong |
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Post by Shadow of The Phantom on Jul 21, 2009 16:47:51 GMT -5
I don't care...it's up to everyone else. If someone wants to try to give me shit...power to them. Fact is...I know the TRUTH of my life and they can just bite me. You know what? You're right, Oakie ! (hope that's spelled right, if not do forgive me) It actually doesn't bother me all that much, even because I doubt - or at least hope - people could be so rotten as to rip us apart for delicate things that regard us and bond us to Gerry. But if anyone feels uncomfortable, how about we set up a similar thread in the other section too? that way people can choose ... if it's not a problem with the mods ! Or, if they actually move the thread, that's also fine with me, I'll let Dianne or another mod decide if the subject is too delicate! Anyway...first off let me say Oakie I absolutely understand the feeling you get, sometimes it comes over me too and it can get incredibly frustrating, I know. In fact, that Esquire interview is exactly what gave me the idea for this thread in the first place. Reading about his private life just gave me an insight that made my heart swell. ...Well, I guess it's fine with me to share this: another major reason why I can relate to Gerry, regarding both P.S. I love you and his personal life - and this is one of the strongest reasons that drew me to him - is that, on a personal level, I know what he's had to gone through. I lost my mother to cancer. I was 13. I don't feel embarassed or sad or depressed or whatever talking about it, because I've gone through most of it , guess... Sigh...Well, you know what they say girls....c'est la vie. I'm only gonna say this, and anyone who had to go through something like this can agree: it SUCKS. And so, since I can imagine what it means, seeing him in PS and then on a more "realistic" level reading about how he was separated from his father and then had to deal with his passing away shortly after reuniting with him was just heartbreaking to me. It's so sad, and it was probably even more terrible than what I went through. Then of course, seeing him in PS after falling for him in Phantom was, in a way, terrible, and I think it's pretty useless to say I went through the movie with a bag of tissues at hand. Even now, thinking about it makes my heart swell just a little bit. But yeah...That's one major reason why I love our Gerry so much...he's been through so much and he's made it through, and I admire him for that. Good job, hon. (On a slightly side note: Oh yes...I really do love you Gerry !  ) |
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Post by I'm in Oklahoma Gerard! on Jul 21, 2009 17:07:35 GMT -5
Awww...Shadow  I can't imagine what it must have been like for you to lose your mother at such a tumultuous age. I am fortunate to still have both my parents. My brother-in-law lost his mom to cancer at 6 and his dad at 19. My sister bitches about our folks sometimes, and let me tell you, he definitely gives her the what-for when she does. Though we may not know Gerry personally, isn't it comforting to know there is someone out there who can understand our angst and pain? Of course it doesn't hurt that he looks so scrumptious too. |
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Post by Shadow of The Phantom on Jul 21, 2009 17:33:37 GMT -5
Awww...Shadow I can't imagine what it must have been like for you to lose your mother at such a tumultuous age. I am fortunate to still have both my parents. My brother-in-law lost his mom to cancer at 6 and his dad at 19. My sister bitches about our folks sometimes, and let me tell you, he definitely gives her the what-for when she does. Though we may not know Gerry personally, isn't it comforting to know there is someone out there who can understand our angst and pain? Of course it doesn't hurt that he looks so scrumptious too. Well.... Yeah. Like I said, it just plain sucks. BUT, that's what Life, Destiny, God, or whoever set up for me... And personally, I believe that we are only faced with what we can deal with. I know what you mean about the what-for look...can't blame him, it still happens with me and my friends sometimes. They'll start bitching about their mother or directly in their mother's faces, sometimes even for absolutely no reason, and I'm just like dude...what the Hell. But on the other hand I realize you can't blame people for that, because fortunately they haven't had to deal with your situation...it's normal that they don't understand what it means. Really. And oh yes, you got EXACTLY what I meant - knowing that Gerry went through this just comforts me and makes my heart almost burst with affection for him. Hehe, and of course his scrumptiness is always a bonus. |
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Post by Dianne on Jul 21, 2009 17:50:15 GMT -5
This is a sweet thread and I'm comfortable leaving the thread here. And Shadow, losing your mother to cancer at such a young age must have been so hard. Thirteen is a bugger of an age any way and to have to deal with that. Just shows what a strong person you are. How I relate to Gerry? I too had a rough childhood. I really don't know if Gerry's was exactly rough as far as that goes but I know he was hurt deeply by the loss of his dad. My mother was very emotionally unstable and depressed. She put it on mine, my sister's and my father's shoulder's to make the most unhappy woman in the world happy. Trouble is with her nothing on Earth could make her happy and therefore instead of knowing the problem lay within herself she blamed us for her depression. Maybe if my sister was prettier and popular my mother would be happy, Maybe if I was smarter she would be happy, maybe if my dad was more successful she would be happy. Problem was we were never any of these things and in my household growing up, if mama isn't happy ain't nobody happy. So my father coped with it by working as many hours as he could and staying away from home. Leaving me, who she thought was stupid and my sister you she called ugly and weird, there to try to.... well... cope... In the movie Sixth Sense, Bruce Willis plays a psychiatrist and he makes the observation that he has seen children deal with things that would make a grown man piss themselves. I can relate. I coped with humor and then it became my job in the family to make jokes in order to try to lift my mother's spirits. I became the funny one.... Well after I grew up, like Gerry I stumbled around in my twenties trying to keep my head above water while constantly trying to shake the weight on your foot which is your ghosts from your childhood trying to drag you under. I found like Gerry that saying focused on goals and keeping a positive attitude and not wallowing in self pity made me the person I am today and slowly but surely I discovered that the Goofy, dumb kid that I was is not as stupid as I thought and I like myself, and in what I do, I am a success.  |
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Post by I'm in Oklahoma Gerard! on Jul 21, 2009 18:03:31 GMT -5
Wow...Dianne, you are amazing. You're so strong to see that you are not the child you're mom thought you were.
A couple of things I truly believe are that life is full of balances and that we are not given anything that we are not strong enough to handle. Not to say that it doesn't suck eggs while we're going through it. But, I believe that each of us would not be the people we are today without all the good and all the bad. The choices we have to make shape who we will become. You are exactly who you are supposed to be...and I'm so glad you are!
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Post by Dianne on Jul 21, 2009 18:09:02 GMT -5
Wow...Dianne, you are amazing. You're so strong to see that you are not the child you're mom thought you were. A couple of things I truly believe are that life is full of balances and that we are not given anything that we are not strong enough to handle. Not to say that it doesn't suck eggs while we're going through it. But, I believe that each of us would not be the people we are today without all the good and all the bad. The choices we have to make shape who we will become. You are exactly who you are supposed to be...and I'm so glad you are! That is so true Okie. We all need to embace the bad stuff as well as the good stuff that happens to us because it does shape us and makes us who we are. Something tells me that Gerry was the funny one in his family too |
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