I have a slight confession to go along with my mystery today. And actually, I have more of a mystery quiz than an actual mystery mystery. But I made the rules, right? I can totally do a mystery quiz!
Here’s the confession part. When I was 11-years old, I was a hugely obsessed fan of a certain daytime television show. Now, I know that 11-years old is probably a bit young to be watching steamy daytime TV, but to be completely honest with you, I began watching this show as a toddler while sitting on my mother’s lap sucking my thumb. At least that what she tells me. Forget Big Bird, mama; give me my damn drama! And to this day, I can clearly remember certain summertime storylines that I would just live for. I could be outside roller-skating in the driveway with friends, but when it was time for my show, the skates came off and the bag o’ snacks came out.
Anyhow, there was a particular love triangle storyline on this show that completely enraptured my budding, pre-teen, unromantic nature. The story affected me so much, in fact, that I actually took pencil to pretty pink stationary and wrote to one of the actresses involved in the plot. Truly, I haven’t a clue as to what I wrote in that letter; however, I do remember that I wrote the letter on this exact stationary, which I found in my now infamous attic:
Lulu is obviously a very strange bird if she can remember the exact stationary that was used for the letter. But I was very proud of that stationary. It was a very grown-up thing to own. Nevertheless, several weeks after I mailed the letter, I received a reply in the form of a glossy, picture postcard from the actress herself…with a short note in her own awful, squinty handwriting.
This is the front of the card (I pixelated the name because that is part of the quiz. Pay attention, people.):
And this is what she wrote on the back of the card. In all-caps:
Dear Lulu,
Thank you for watching <show, underlined> and most of all for writing to me. I enjoy playing the role of <character> on the show. The cast is great! I would like to know more about you. So write again soon.
Best –
<actress>
I’m thinking that it’s probably not a good idea to ask an 11-year old girl to write back with more info about herself, because in all likelihood she will, and then you’re stuck in a pen pal situation that you probably don’t want to be involved with in the first place, because you have an actual career. And stuff. On television. And what is an 11-year old doing watching steamy daytime TV anyway? What this actress should have said is that that daytime TV is nothing but trash, and that I should be writing to my congressman. Or Big Bird.
So, I dutifully wrote back to her with God knows what information. And then, many weeks later, I received another reply. Clearly, this woman was bored, or else I was her only fan:
Now granted, a large portion of the postcard is pre-printed drivel. But if you’ll notice along the sides, she wrote some personal notes in the same awful, squinty, all-caps handwriting:
Dear Lulu,
Thank you for the picture. You are most attractive. Keep up the good work in school! <Show> is #1! It is so exciting! I just filmed a segment for Love Boat. Watch for me this Fall. Let’s keep in touch!
Fondly,
<actress>
Oookay. Obviously I sent her a picture of myself (why?), and she thinks that I’m attractive. Not cute, as in little girl cute, but attractive. Even in my adult life, I don’t think that anyone has ever said that I was attractive. Interesting word choice, but whatev, because I obviously rocked in school. At least that’s what I told her.
And I love the fact that she’s plugging her guest appearance on The Love Boat to an 11-year old, which I totally watched, by the way. And finally, you’ll notice at the end of the letter that she urged me to keep in touch, which I did. Twice. But she didn’t. Hence, the end of our relationship.
So, now that you’ve totally lost interest in this so-called mystery, I’m wondering if anyone knows the name of the daytime show on which this actress appeared in 1981, her character’s name on the show, and her actual name?
Oh, and while you’re thinking, I have another quick confession: I TiVo this same daytime show every freaking day. It’s a sick, mindless obsession, I know. But I find it hard to break a 37 year addiction. I blame it all on my mother.
P.S. When you’re done here, go check in on the mysteries over at Madame Queen and Full Hands Mom. They are both looking for some much needed advice. Also, if you missed Alpha DogMa’s mystery last week, go check it out, y’all!
I found your site on google blog search and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. Just added your RSS feed to my feed reader. Look forward to reading more from you.
Karen Halls
Karen Halls’s last blog post..Quit Smoking Products
I have no idea. But I wanted to share that I wrote to Debbie Boone when I was in third grade. I used stationery on which the entire page was one big “A”. She wrote me back and signed the picture with a felt tip pen, which I know because I took it into the bathroom with me and accidentally smeared it. Waaa!
Yeah. Because, I had nothing else to with my evening!
Oh, well. Maybe the dishes will wash themselves.
I’m off to woo the internets into giving up the goods.
Alpha Morell Carrington Colby Dexter Dexter Rowan DogMa’s last blog post..Suri, With A Fringe On Top.
If it was Days of Our Lives…there’s no shame in that…I got hooked in middle school. However since i was born in 1981 and 0 is a little young to start soaps, i have no idean who that is.
Oh! But i did a Mystery Theater Thursday today too.
Lauren’s last blog post..Mystery Theater Thursday
I was only into General Hospital - the whole Luke and Laura story line when I was in my early teens. Might have briefly gotten into As the World Turns when Meg Ryan and that Greek guy was on it.
I do remember that chick - no idea of her name though. Darn!
bettybetty’s last blog post..Where Is My Energy ??
All Adither - I’m so sorry about your Debbie Boone debacle. And I think that I’m going to buy some stationary and start writing people again. Screw this e-mail crap. I’m sure it’s just a fad anyway.
Alpha with the many soap opera names - I would have loved to have been a Colby. But not so much a Carrington.
Lauren - If you’ve come here to rub in the fact that I am old, then…freaking fine. I am old. At least my shower doesn’t have spots.
Betty - somehow, I missed out on the whole Luke and Laura storyline. However, I picked up on GH a few years later when Frisco and Felicia were a hot item.
I remember watching Luke and Laura’s romance on GH when I was VERY young, with my babysitter :lol:. In jr. high I was hooked on Santa Barbara. But I have no idea who your mystery gal is or what show she was on. I do think it was very sweet of her to write back in such a personal way though.
Tootsie’s last blog post..Pride In The Name Of Love
Oh, Tootsie, I guess you’re right. It was sweet of her to write back, especially at the height of her soap opera career. I should totally look her up and thank her. Hmm…I wonder if she would write back again? You just gave me an idea…
I think that is Nina Cortlandt (aka Taylor Miller, in real life) from All My Children. I was hooked on this show around that time, as well, at the same age (I was born in 1970). I loved that show!
angiev70’s last blog post..Prowling
I only watched GH back then, girl… yes, I watched daytime tv as a kid, too. The Luke & Laura saga rocked my world!
Later I watched Santa Barbara–from first episode to last! After that, I got married and left GH in the dust… so sad.
Mrs.W’s last blog post..Symeon’s
AngieV70 - you are correct! And I’m glad to know that I wasn’t the only child who watched a soap opera. Just so you know…Jesse and Angie are back on the show now (another super couple from the 70s). Thanks for participating in my Mystery Theater Thursday!
Mrs.W - I never watched SB in high school, but had many friends who did. By that time, All My Children was not exactly the soap to watch.
Lulu!! No!!
I was NOT rubbing it in. Or maybe only a little.
I KID!!
If you only knew about my horrible “im the youngest one and everyone is always looking down on me and I hate it” complex then you would totally realize that it was more of a compliment that anything. And now Im blabbering. Mkay.
Lauren’s last blog post..Mystery Theater Thursday
Lauren - no worries, girl!
Yeah, for angiev70!
I’ve just spend a diverting few minutes reading the whole sordid story of Nina and Cliff. Scheming fathers. Nurses on the prowl for a rich husband. FERTILE nurses, at that. Murder, mayhem, the obscene use of hats as bridal attire. Ill timed power outages leading to adultery. Oh. My.
After reading all that (plus spending an hour last night reading about Frisco/Felicia, Luke/Laura, Victor/Nikki, Bo/Hope) I’m struck that perhaps the OmegaMan and I do not have such a sound romance - for we could not have triumphed over all the despair like Nina and her soul mate Cliff.
Is it possible to get old seasons of soaps on dvd? Because I’d love to rewatch old General Hospital AND Another World episodes. I was addicted to these in high school.
Alpha Erica Kane Ma’s last blog post..Suri, With A Fringe On Top.
when I was around 11 I was watching As The World Turns and Guiding Light… I fell out of love w/ GL but was so into Kelly,Philip, Beth and Rick..there were more. ATWT I still follow everymorning at cbs.com, I read the recaps. I don’t think anyone ever answered my fan mail :0( but I don’t remember.
mp’s last blog post..I’m guest blogging today
My MTT is up!
AlphaDogMysteryMa’s last blog post..It Is A Mystery To Me.
Alpha - the wedding hat was a true travesty. And you must have overlooked the story of when Nina was blind. And for good measure, I’m sure that there was a bout of amnesia thrown in. Could you imagine the box set of DVDs for past episodes of a soap? Hmm…365 days in a year (minus the weekends)…would make for a box set o’plenty.
hate I missed that one. I wouldve gotten it. I so wacthed that show when she was on.
Leigh @eneral Ramblings’s last blog post..Entry #1