Real food. Real life. It ain't always pretty.

So, I’m sitting in the green room of CTV studios in Kitchener waiting to go on. The person ushering me in tells me to take a seat and before leaving points to another guest and says, “And of course you know Alan.” I nod knowingly and look at Alan, who is chatting to another CTV person. As I watch the clock tick, I listen to their discussion and desperately try to figure out where I’ve seen Alan before.

From the overheard conversation I cobble together some facts. He’s the co-author of I Believe, the 2010 Olympic theme song. Great! I read about that in the Globe that morning. I can mention this and look reasonably in the know. As to why he looks familiar? I put that down to his resemblance to Sting.

CTV person leaves, Alan and I chat. He’s very personable although tired from flying all over North America  — LA to record at the 20th Century Studios, New York, Halifax, Montreal, Vancouver — and once the Olympics are over he’s heading back to Afghanistan. He’s not bragging. It’s just his schedule.

With each passing second, I realize Alan is a Big Player. As to why he  looks familiar? He’s the front man for Glass Tiger.

And after 20 minutes of me keeping the focus on I Believe and music, Alan Frew, author of the rock classic Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone, asks me the question I’ve been dreading. “What are you here for?”

I meet a rock star who’s  part of Canadian music history, is building a career for an up-and-coming chanteuse, and entertaining troops in the Middle East. My carefully crafted 30-second, elevator speech goes out the window. My response. “I roasted some vegetables.”

Well played, Charmian.

Anyway, here’s me, Kyle Christie (no relation) and the veggies. I’ll tell you all about the ginger and garlic peeler another day.

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