Time to Celebrate!

 

Yesterday, March 9, officially marked the 15th anniversary of Meet the Beatles...For Real.   I want to take a moment to thank each of you who have visited this site over the past 15 years.   It has been a wild ride and I am glad to have been able to take all of you along with me. 

Let me take care of some housekeeping and news:

I have paid the $25 annual fee to keep the site going for another year.   Thanks to those of you who have bought something through the Amazon Affiliate link in the past year - I only had to chip in about $5 this year.   I appreciate the help.   Keep in mind that I do not make any money on this site.  I get pennies on the dollar for the Amazon sales, but it is always close to enough to pay to keep the site going.  Thanks!

Speaking of the Amazon Affiliate links, I have gone through all of them and have fixed each of them so that they are active.  Amazon changed the links on me, and so I have to sift through 15 years worth of reviews and fix all of those.   I edited the reviews while I was at it, so those are now fixed up.  I will be working on fixing tags and stories this year.   

I wanted to let you all know that I was on 2 podcasts recently.   On Youtube I was on "Call Me Mr. Broadstreet" channel and I was also on B/C the Beatles.   Please check those out. 

I also wanted to let everyone know that my book, "Dear Beatle People: The Story of the Beatles North American Fan Club" is now available as an e-book.   The ebook is exactly the same as the physical copy - including all photographs.   The price for the ebook is $15, but currently, Amazon has it on sale for $11.   https://amzn.to/3wOPqFe

As always, if you or anyone you know has a story about meeting one or more of the Beatles, please share it with me so it can be preserved on this site. 

Peace and Love,

Sara aka Starshyne

Glad to Be Back!

Posing with some of Eric Cash's Beatle art at Beatlefest NYC 2024

 Hello Beatle Friends!

You were not aware of it, but I have not been live posting on this site for the past 3 weeks.   I had scheduled photos and a review to post daily because I was out of town for work, went to the Beatlefest in New York City and then back on the road for work.    

I am back to posting live, and it is great to be back.   I wanted to thank everyone who came to me with the kind words about this site at the Beatlefest last weekend.  One of the most touching moments for me was on Friday night when I was on the "Meet the Authors" panel on the main stage and said, "I'm Sara Schmidt, and I run a site called 'Meet the Beatles...For Real.'"  And the people started to applaud.  I thought I was going to cry.   Thank you so much for all of the support and love.    

March 9 will mark the 15th anniversary of MTBFR.   Does anyone have any good ideas on how we can celebrate?  

I have collected many first-generation fans' stories, and I have not forgotten about the article I planned on writing.  It is just going to happen later in 2024.  

You are welcome to Join the MTBFR Patreon page

 

https://patreon.com/meetthebeatlesforreal

Hello MTBFR viewers, 

People have been asking me to post some of the more "scandalous" stories about fans meeting the Beatles for many years.   I have always been a bit reluctant to do so because they often paint the Beatles fans negatively. Many of those fans are still very active in the Beatles fan community, and I didn't want to shine a bright light onto an event that they might be embarrassed about that happened 50 or more years ago. 

Some stories about the Beatles, their wives, or other insiders aren't very positive.   I didn't want to upset anyone by sharing these stories. 

And yet -- it is a disservice to NOT share them.  The good, the bad, and the ugly of The Beatles and their fans are part of history.    The Beatles and their fans were far from perfect.  People hated Yoko because she was Japanese.  Linda was threatened by the "baddies."  Paul might have punched Caroline in the nose when she came onto his property.  To ignore these facts is whitewashing the Beatles' story and not being completely honest.

However, I didn't like the idea of sharing all of those stories (although I have shared quite a few of them) on this public forum where anyone can easily find them.    Those of us who are dyed-in-the-wool Beatles fans can take the stories and place them correctly in context to where they fit in the history of John, Paul, George, or Ringo.  If a story took place in 1970 and Paul is rude to a fan, we know that Paul was going through depression and depending heavily on alcohol and that his attitude is understandable.  We also know that Linda will help him pull himself together, and he will form Wings and eventually return to his usual charming Paul self.   The fan in 1970 doesn't know that and is writing from the 1970 point of view.  

But people that randomly find this site and aren't deep seeded in Beatles history don't have that background and often misconstrue things.  

So I came up with a solution to this issue (I hope).   I have decided to start a Patreon where I will share the stories and photos that I think only us hard-core Beatle fans want to read or see and can understand properly.   My thought process is that hardcore fans would be willing to pay a little bit for this content, whereas the casual browser will not be that invested. 

And I will be 100% honest with you (because that is always how I have run this site), I am looking to make a huge change in my life, and I will be in need of some money  So this is an idea I had to help me pay the bills and not just for the betterment of Beatledom.

If you join, it will cost $4.00 a month.   I WILL NOT be updating every day, but at least 1-2 times a week.    If you join before May 31, 2023, you will be entered into a contest to win a Beatles prize.  I will tell you more about that later.   I haven't had a contest in a long, long, long time.   

If you do not want to join -- no big deal!   I am NOT giving up the regular Meet The Beatles...For Real site and I will still be updating it 5 times a week, as I have been doing for 14 years.   Nothing is going to change right here (although I might remove a few of the old articles and put them on Patreon -- namely, the one about the girls that took Mary to "babysit" her.)  

I have never done anything like this before, so have a little grace as I work out how to do it.   If you have any questions -- please ask.  

Peace and Love

Sara (aka Starshyne) 

Come see me at the Fest!

 

Hello everyone!

I will be at the Fest for Beatles Fans in Jersey City, New Jersey, this weekend (March 31 - April 2, 2023), trying my best to sell my new book, Dear Beatle People:  The Story of The Beatles North American Fan Club.   I will give a presentation on the book at 9pm on March 31 in the video room.  

This is the world premiere of my book, so it is pretty exciting!

But even if you aren't interested in my book, please come and say "hi" to me at my table and tell me that you are a viewer of Meet the Beatles...For Real.    

As I always say, I am an introvert, and things like Beatles Festivals are very fun but also very overwhelming.  I am not going to go up to anyone and start a conversation with them, but I am happy to talk to people if they speak to me.   There is NO pressure to buy a book, but if you are interested, just let me know!

I hope to see some of you there. 

Sara S.  (aka Starshyne) 

Dear Beatle People: The Story of The Beatles North American Fan Club (aka my new book) is available for pre-orders!

 

I have mixed feelings about sharing information about my book on MTBFR.   On the one hand, I think, "People come here for the Beatles photos, and no one needs you to brag about a book.  It makes you look greedy."   

On the other hand, "It is your site, and over 2000 people visit a day to see Beatles content.  You'd be crazy NOT to promote your book!"  

However, since you all are Beatles fans, I want you to know about my upcoming book.  No one HAS to buy it, and please do not complain about the price.  

My new book, "Dear Beatle People:  The Story of the Beatles North American Fan Club," is 378 pages of information about the Beatles Fan Club in the United States and Canada.   There are tons of photos, and many are in color (but it is a Beatles book, so obviously, black and white is more common).   There are some great stories that have never been shared before about fans that met The Beatles for Real due to their connection with the fan club.   This is a story that has never been told before and has taken me 5 years to write.   If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

The book is going to have its premiere at the Fest for Beatle Fans in Jersey City, NJ, on March 31-April 2, 2023.   I will be there to sign books, give a presentation, talk on a few panels, sit at a table, and chat about The Beatles.   Then on April 3, 2023 the book will be available for sale worldwide. 

It is offered now on Amazon for pre-sales. 

Get Back soon!

 

As I type this, it is Thursday, May 26, 2022 -- but you are reading this in the future.    Hello Beatle fans of the future!

By the time you read this -- I will have flown to Florida and have seen Paul McCartney in concert.  And I can already tell you -- it was amazing!   Paul is awesome.   He is the best!    What a show!

Needless to say -- I am on a much, much-needed vacation for a few more days.   While this is getting posted, I am most likely sitting on a beach chair in a beachy area with a fruity drink in my hand.    I planned for a couple of photos to post while I am away, but not a whole lot because I ran out of time.  

I will be back very soon with more stories and photos.   Unless Paul McCartney asked me to join his tour and sing Linda's harmonies on stage with him, then forget MTBFR and hello Paul!  

See you really soon!

Sara 

13 Years! Happy Anniversary Meet The Beatles ... For Real!

 

13 years ago today I posted this photo of John on a site I called "Meet The Beatles ... For Real"  I still love this photo. 

It was 13 years ago tonight that I got the idea and started this very site, "Meet The Beatles ... For Real!"  It wasn't a well-thought-out decision.   It was something I did on a whim -- just a place to share with some of my Beatles friends the fan-taken photographs and stories that I had been saving.    I had no clue that 13 years later I would still be doing the exact same thing. 

Some of my favorite things that have happened because of this site:  

• I have been allowed to meet and become friends with so many of the fans that were featured on these pages.
• I had a live "Meet the Beatles...for Real" session at the Fest for Beatle Fans where fans shared their own stories of meeting the Beatles.
• Fans from all around the world have sent me photos and stories to share with everyone
• Old friends have been reunited.
• Families have found photos and/or stories of their deceased loved ones that they had never seen before. 
• Many Beatles historians and authors have used this site for their research.
• I (hopefully) have been able to put a little smile on the face of someone that was going through a difficult time by posting Beatles photos. 

Thank you to each and every one of you that visit here.  I appreciate your support so much!

As of posting this 7,738,939 visits have been made to this site.  That is over 7 million!   I know that most of you are repeat visitors.  Thanks to you!

Beatle fans from all around the world have been here:  The United States, The United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, Russia, Hong Kong, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Italy, Sweden, Japan, Ukraine, Argentina, Isreal, Spain, Netherlands, Mexico, and 25 other countries are part of this global community.   

Right now the post that has gotten the most attention is one about Claudio -- the guy that came to John Lennon's front door at Tittenhurst Park and was in the Imagine film.   A new documentary all about him and his experience is going to be soon available.    Other posts that get a lot of attention are about Beatles fans wetting their pants at concerts,  the girls that worked at the Apple Offices, Paul Goresh and his story with John, and a few of my stories:  my soundcheck experience at the Paul concert in 2013 and my story of when I met Ringo Starr in 2018.  

It has been a crazy trip.   I keep saying that I will quit updating this site whenever I get tired of it.  It has been 13 years and while there have been periods of time where I have gotten tried of it -- I always want to keep sharing photos and stories, so this site continues on!

Thank you again everyone!  

Mystery Bag Give Away!

 

I haven't really been telling people this, but I am moving.  You don't realize how much Beatles stuff you have until you start to move. 

Anyhow -- I found a sealed large bubble envelope of a prize that someone never claimed from a contest I held on this site a few years ago.    I am fairly certain it was from the Yellow Submarine contest in 2018 and has various Yellow Submarine items in it.   I have NO CLUE exactly what is in this envelope.  

The 18th person in the United States (sorry my international friends, but I am just mailing this within the U.S.) that emails me at Starshyne9@yahoo.com  with the name of my favorite Beatle will get this mystery bag.   Good luck!

My Disney holiday

 

Anyone that is a long-time visitor to this little corner of the web, might recall that my two favorite things are The Beatles and Disney.   I will once again be at Walt Disney World Saturday - Thursday.   I have some Beatles photos scheduled to post while I am gone, but I am not going to be able to answer any messages and it might be difficult for me to approve comments.    I will try on my phone.   I wish I could just leave comment approval off, but if you saw how many spam comments I get, you would be shocked.  (I think one day I had 30 of them!!).    

I will keep up with the Beatles' goodness when I return.   

Say the "The Word"

 

If you would like -- please check out this article I wrote with author of the John Lennon Series, Jude Southerland Kessler for the Fest for Beatle Fans blog about the song "The Word."  

https://www.thefest.com/rubber-soul-deep-dive-part-6-the-word/?fbclid=IwAR0PNq3aVGzUgR1hYNUFjQWm-wzI42MAZRjdotzHQI4s8Fzi6aiGJvXwIkw

Fan pin Sale

 

Hello Beatle friends!  Want a way to show your devotion to The Beatles forever?  

I am selling these enamel Beatles pins.  They are 1.5 inches and are double back pins.  I worked with a designer and a pin company to get these pins made.    

(Side note:  I am really into Disney pin trading and so this is sort of combining two of my favorite things). 

These pins are to help with the cost of the layout of my upcoming book:  Dear Beatle People:  The North American Beatles Fan Clubs

They are $12.00 each (this includes shipping) anywhere in the United States.   Add another $7.00 for shipping internationally (I am sorry that postal costs have gone up so much).   

If you are interested in buying a pin, you can send Paypal to beatlesbusch66@gmail.com  or Venmo to @sara-schmidt-72 

If you want to mail in a check, just email me at beatlesbusch66@gmail.com and I will give you my address. 

Beatles 4-ever!  

MTBFR 12 years on

 

On March 9, 2009, I decided to start a blog that featured Beatles photographs that were taken by fans.  Here I am 12 years later and Meet the Beatles .. For Real 

Some of you have been here since the beginning and I thank you for all of the support that you have given me over the past 12 years.    Some of you tell me that you remember looking at this site when you were "just a kid."   That makes me feel old, but thank you.  

I appreciate everyone that comes and visits this site, especially over this past year.   I know it has been a really difficult year for all of us.   Remote teaching 1st grade has taken up all of my time, but I have worked posting at minimum photos on this site because it makes me happy.   I hope it brings you all happiness as well.   I hope once the school year is over,  I can slow down some and get back to posting more stories, reviews, and having contests.   

Most of all -- thank you to the Beatles for their music and message.  

Peace and love, 

Sara (Starshyne) S. 

Won't you Please Please Help Me?

 

The hallways of my empty school 

I don't like asking for donations, but here I go.    As many of you know,  I am an elementary school teacher.  During a typical year, I am a reading intervention teacher for 3rd-5th grade kids (9-11 year olds).   This school year has been anything but typical.    My job is currently on "pause" and so I have been the remote teacher for 1st graders (6-7 year olds).    My class just went from 15 students to 28 overnight, but that is a different story.     

My school has been closed (well except for a hybrid time we had for about 1 month).  I go everyday to an empty building.   I haven't been in person with students since March 16.  

I'm trying keep some things fun.  One of the things I have done for the past 3 years is hold a girls' book club called the "Literacy Lunch Ladies."    This is a book club open to 4th - 5th grade girls.  Typically we meet during their lunch/recess once a week.   The idea is to read a book and talk about friendship and the girl drama all 9-11 year old girls seem to have.      

Even though I am not teaching my usual classes, I have been still holding the LLL on Zoom once a week.   Only 4 girls have stuck with it all school year, but they are dedicated and LOVE it.   We have been reading through the Babysitters Club Books.   They can really relate to the characters and we have been reading through the books quickly.   

I raised the funds for the first 4 books in the series, thinking that would take us through the school year.  I was wrong.  I need 3 more books.   Part of the group is that you get to keep the books so that you can re-read them.   I have totally ran out of funds to get the books we need and so I started a Donor's Choose.  

If you can donate just a few dollars so that we can get more books to read, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.  

I know, I know -- this has nothing to do with The Beatles whatsoever.  Maybe I am taking advantage of the fact that people visit this site.  If you are offended, please just scroll on by to the awesome George photo below this.    If you are interested in throwing in a little bit of money here is the link. 

https://www.donorschoose.org/classroom/524880

Looking forward to 2021!

 Hello Beatle fans!

Usually, on New Year's Eve, I take a look back on things from the past year and comment on them.   I am not really in the mood to do that this year.   There really isn't a whole lot to comment on for 2020.   There were a few good things Beatles wise that went on:  the Yellow Submarine sing-a-long, 2 Beatlefest (virtually), the Meet the Beatles in India film, Ringo's virtual birthday party,  several great solo Beatles box sets (Flaming Pie, Gimmie Some Truth, Plastic Ono Band), an amazing new song from Ringo and a new album from Paul.       It still isn't a great list, but it is better than nothing.

I am looking forward to 2021.   I hope that things are able to open up again and we are back to getting together to see one another.   I miss spending time with my fellow Beatle fans more than anything else.   We know that 2021 is going to bring us the new Get Back film and I know all of us are super excited about that!   I hear that we are also going to get Let it Be (the film) on DVD/Bluray.   I won't believe it until I have it in my hand though because we've been tricked way too many times before.   As of right now, Ringo is still scheduled to tour in the summer of 2021.   I was supposed to go to Liverpool/London/Paris in 2020 and so I have a postponed trip waiting for me that I hope to still be able to do.   Things are still really up in the air, but if nothing else -- 2021 has a little more hope in it than there was in 2020. 

Lastly, I want to thank each of you for visiting this site.   I know that it helped me during the pandemic to keep up with my schedule and keep finding new and rare stories and photos to share with all of you.  The Beatles' music and their pictures and stories have always helped me in hard times and I know that I needed that during 2020 more than ever.    I hoped that the things I posted here this past year brought you a little bit of happiness as well.   I hope you had that little spark of joy that you feel when you see a photo of The Beatles you have never seen before or read a new little tidbit of information you didn't know.    I know that I cannot do much from my little house in southern Illinois to help the world, but keeping this site going is one small thing that I CAN do.  

Anyroad --  have a wonderful weekend and New Year's Eve.   And let's all look forward to 2021. 

Peace and Love

Sara S. (Starshyne) 

Black out Tuesday

I am joining the Black Out Tuesday and not posting new content on this site today.   The Beatles would not perform to segregated audiences.    They took a stand against the racial injustice they encountered.   The death of George Floyd and so many others that were unjust breaks my heart so much.  It also pains me to see the rioting is happening in my country and in my own town.

I understand the anger and where people are coming from.   I just will always believe peace is the answer.   Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend.  I have said it so many times on this site.   If we want change to happen, we have to start with ourselves.   We can't control anyone else in this world. 

Take time to really think about what YOU can do to make a positive change toward people that are not the same race as you.   What can YOU do to spread the Beatles' message of peace and love to that person?

I don't know what the solution is to all of this.   I am just an overweight middle-aged white woman that loves the Beatles.   I can't do a whole lot.  The one thing I can always do is love.  I can show kindness and love toward everyone.  It does not matter the color of their skin, their religion, their political party, sexual orientation, or ability level.    I see so much hate going on right now.    I think a good start would be for each of us to stop spreading hate and start to just love.  It won't solve all the issues that people are protesting about, but it might just make a small difference. 

Sorry no update tonight

Bad news MTBFR readers.   I cannot upload any photographs tonight.  My computer is in need of replacement, so that might be the issue.  When I try to add the photos, all I see is a spinning wheel of death. 

So no update tonight -- but I needed a night off anyhow.


See you all soon! 

Quarantine the Beatles way

I hope all of you Beatle fans are well and that none of you are sick with this terrible virus.  I think everyone around the world is basically quarantined to their homes right now.  Aren't you glad that we have the Beatles and their music to get us through? 

Here are some ideas of what to do when you are stuck at home -- the Beatles way of course!



1.  Play an instrument.

Photo by Fred Seaman

2.  Take a nap

3.  Eat

photo  by Henry  Grossman

4.  Watch television

5.  Listen to music (Beatles music of course)

Photo by Linda McCartney 

6.  Read a book

7.  Talk on the phone to a Beatles friend

8.  Browse the Internet (or be like Ringo here and watch Beatles videos on the computer)

9.  Do an art or craft project

10.  Exercise

And don't forget to wash your hands!

Photo  by Ringo Starr

New York City

By the time this is posted, I will have been in New York City for one full day.   I am taking a little mini-break to hopefully refresh me and help as I continue to work through my grief.    This weekend would have been our 10th anniversary.    Take time to give someone you love a big hug this weekend.    Life is precious. 

In Memory of Shawn Inman

The biggest supporter of this blog wasn't even a Beatles fan.   One month after I started this site, I met Paul Shawn Inman and we started dating.   I was pretty surprised when we first met that he really had no clue who The Beatles were. 


My boyfriend passed away on February 8, 2019, unexpectedly.    I want to take a little time on my blog to honor him.   

Shawn was my #1 fan.  He would have been my #1 fan no matter what I did.  He was the type of partner that was supportive of anything I did.   I wanted to travel to England, he'd help me pack.  If I wanted to be in a play, he would help me memorize my lines.  If I wanted to see Paul McCartney in concert in Iowa but didn't want to drive by myself, he kept me company in the car.  So when I wanted to write a book and had doubts about it, he was my cheerleader and told me, "If anyone could write a book about The Beatles, it would be you!  You have to do it."     So in late 2013, I started writing "Happiness is Seeing The Beatles."    I got discouraged so many times along the way and Shawn was right there telling me that I could do it.    I remember one time he told me, "No -- you are right.  You can't write a book.  You better give up."    I started crying and he felt so bad!  He was being sarcastic because I had been asking him SO MANY times if he thought I could do it.     If you have a copy of my book, you will see that I dedicated it to my parents and to Shawn.   Now you know why.

Here I am selling Beatles stuff and promoting my book at a local event.  See that arm and shirt on the right side of this photo?  That would be Shawn. 

Shawn was my "behind the scenes" guy.   He was helping me load books into cars, pack up books in luggage, get more books out of the garage.   He was helping me find my Sharpie to sign books and carrying packages to the post office to mail.    When it came to this blog, he was the person that would say things like "It's Wednesday, shouldn't you be writing a review?"    The pattern of posting for this blog was because of him.    I post Sunday-Thursday nights, five photo/stories each night and took Friday &Saturday off from the blog to spend the evenings with Shawn.    He sometimes carried my cards with the blog name on it with him in case he met someone that liked The Beatles.   He would tell people he chatted with on the RPG online that he played that his girlfriend "Has the best Beatles blog in the world."  And the one that I always would shake my head, but he said it ALL the time to people, "My girlfriend is one of the top female Beatles historians in the United States."   

He never understood my passion and love for The Beatles.   I guess he never needed to understand it.  He just knew that it was important to me.   However, it was funny that he caught some of the more odd Beatles facts and would repeat them.   He knew that one time Yoko stole George's biscuits during a session, but he didn't know the name any Beatles albums.    He usually listened to pop music on youtube while he was gaming.  One time I heard a familiar sound coming from the speakers.  He had discovered "We Can Work It Out" and really liked that song.   He finally had a favorite Beatles song. 

Without a doubt, I am going to really miss Shawn.   It is going to take me a very long time to accept what has happened and be able to find a new normal.   One thing I know for sure:  one of the ways that I can honor him is by keeping this site going and finishing the fan club book I have been writing.  I am sure that he wouldn't want me to stop doing the things he always encouraged me to do.   It won't be the same without my #1 fan.   

Thank you for taking the time to read this memorial. 

Shawn Inman
May 1, 1981 - February 8, 2019
Always loved, never forgotten. 

Emergency

Due to an emergency with my boyfriend, I am going to need to put this site on hold for a bit.   No, I am not stopping the site or anything along those lines, but family needs to come before my Beatles hobby and right now I need to be with him.    I know you all understand, but I also know that many of you get concerned if I just suddenly stop posting, so I wanted to let you know.


Those of you who are the praying type, if you could please send a prayer out for Shawn -- he can really need it.    I would appreciate it as well.   


As soon as things settle down some, I will be back. 

Peace and Love to you all!


Sara S.  (aka Starshyne)