It's strange how we meet people, how we get to know others, especially when we don't live in the same neighborhood or work together. Back when I began writing and attending conferences, a name kept coming up, and inevitably, people would say, "Yeah, you've got to meet Craig--he's amazing."
The more I heard about him, the more I wanted to meet him because the man was not one-dimensional--not that any of us are, but it's rare when you find a person who excels in so many different areas.
I first heard of Craig, the writer. That makes sense since I heard this from other writers at writing conventions. I've read several of his books--my favorite, Dead Girl. I definitely recommend it!
I then heard about Craig, the musician. A lot of writers I know play instruments, but few are in rock bands that perform regularly.
Then, I found out Craig was one of the main people involved in the Gangrene Film and Comedy Festival. So, he's also an event organizer. I'd heard of the Gangrene festivals over the years--they're held just up the road from me.
Craig works in advertising. My first degree was advertising/PR--another difficult thing to master.
And finally, the man creates board games. He's got several brands out now and his company is always coming up with more. A few years ago, they opened up a game store in the basement of their building. My daughter worked there for a season to earn money for college.
Each one of these disciplines takes time, energy, creativity, and hard work. It's rarer still when someone can, not only do all these things, but do them all at an elevated level. Craig has and does.
Eventually we met at a writing conference. He and I attended the same high school and our siblings attended at the same time, though he and I didn't. Too bad--he'd have been a blast to hang out with. Over the years I've gotten to know Craig better. He's been nice enough to give me a ride home from Salt Lake Comic Con and FanX several times. He didn't have to, but he did.
Today is Craig's birthday. I hope he had a good one.
Tomorrow, I could hear that the man was ditching it all and moving his family to Alaska to raise caribou. It wouldn't surprise me (okay, maybe it would a little...). But I know if he decided to do that, he'd be great at that, too.
Happy birthday, Craig--I'm honored to call you my friend.
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