Spindle items
JESSICA FINCH Associate Editor

• IT WASN’T MY MILLER TIME — I swore I would never be the type of person who sits in line for days — or even hours — for a movie, video game or concert tickets. Which I have stuck to. But I also said I would never be the person who became star-struck when meeting a celebrity or professional athlete. Well, that did not hold true. It is a story that the office has laughed about. I discussed with reporter Jill Schmelzer the idea of writing about it for the paper, and she convinced me to share my story about when I came face to face with Ryan Miller.

All day long, I prepped myself to attend a Sabres’ game with the Bee’s press pass — asking how to find the media entrance door, how to get to the press box, where to sit, what to do, etc.

I traveled to the arena, notebook in hand. I found the media door, was pointed to the elevator and traveled up to the press box. Turned around in circles, I attempted to ask someone for assistance. I was so relieved he didn’t hear me after realizing it was announcer Rick Jeanneret. So I figured I should just find a seat and avoid more confusion.

Reporter Elizabeth Taufa had given me the heads-up on the cookies that are brought out after the second period — warning me to act fast because they go quickly. Well, I wasn’t fast enough; I passed the empty tray and went to use the restroom. When I returned to the concession stand, I was pouring a cup of coffee and heard a man say, “I heard those cookies are really good.” I said something about not getting any, without looking up from stirring my coffee.

When I finally looked up, my jaw literally dropped as I realized it was Miller, standing there dressed in a suit (this was during the brief time he was injured). He smiled at me and walked away. I stood there for a moment, realizing I had just missed the opportunity to introduce myself to the famed Sabre goaltender.

 FINAL OPPORTUNITY — The final seminar on assessing storm-damaged trees presented by the Town of Amherst Highway Department Forestry Division will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10, at the Harlem Road Community Center, 4255 Harlem Road. Town forester and certified arborist Richard Stedman of Wright-Frontier Tree Care will answer questions about trees damaged by the recent storm. For information, call 631-5990, ext. 24, or visit the Town of Amherst’s Web site at http:// www. amherst. ny. us.