Norma D was thinking about what I would do after #SamsFanFollow interviews stopped, since I discovered I really Iiked getting the vicarious experience of information having to do with Sam (and Cait for that matter) along with their interactions with fans. If I based CoH popularity on it, about 25% of my success has been from these interviews. Apparently there are others who love vicarious thrills, too. If you have seen all the hub bub that went on with Fritters in the Fanmily going to Paley Fest and the NYC Premiere and, my theory seems accurate.
God takes care of the idiots like me me in this world and I stumbled on an opportunity. Right near the end of the #SamFanFollow there was some confusion about who was next and I saw a tweet from @flutist_kim, saying she got picked. So I jumped on the DM, congratulated her and asked for an interview. Kim replied immediately that she wasn’t picked for #SamFanFollow but would love an opportunity to advertise some charity work with which she’s been involved. This was my reaction:
Oh she wasn’t picked for #SamFanFollow. Yippee she wants to use me for free fooking charity advertising! How do I get out of this?
Norma D: Our interview came about as a result of a happy coincidence. I know why I want an interview (More information about Sam and Cait), but why do you want one?
Flutist Kim: Because I’m a narcissist who likes the sound of my own voice(and seeing it in print – N.D.).
No seriously, I wanted a chance to do 2 things – talk about our favorite peeps – Cait and Sam and to spread the good word about what I’m doing for their charities. Some people may have noticed but myself and a few friends send them twitter love during the week. We do this not in the hopes of getting a response, but in the hope that not only will they see that they are loved and appreciated (for more than just their physical beauty) but to raise other people’s awareness of what these two amazing people are about. Heres a few examples of TW Love:
Flutist Kim: San and Cait are always thinking of others with their charities, the arts, and literature. Sam is so devoted to the culture and history of Scotland, Cait is so worldly by virtue of being thrust onto the world modeling stage, away from family, as a teenager. Sam is too. They’re both wickedly smart and clever. A lot of times I fear, especially when an article like the Cosmo piece comes out, people see them as pretty faces.
I know I’m a pretty face, but what about you Cait?
Flutist Kim:Cait has had some amazing recognition for her work in the first half of Outlander, she’s there front and center. Sam’s work was just as good, the only thing was his work was so subtle and nuanced that in the face of Cait’s screen time or the BIGNESS of a character like BJR, that the details of Sam’s performance tend to get looked over. However, the second half of the season will, I believe, really show what he’s capable of to even the most casual observer.
NormaD: Tell me about the work you are doing for Sam & Cait’s charities.
Flutist Kim: When Sam announced #MyPeakChallenge, I had already planned a trip to Scotland including concerts. It just seemed a natural evolution to add fundraising to the program. Then the Caitriots announced their challenge for the weekend after MyPeak, so I bought their T shirt (I have quite the Outlander/Sam/Cait collection going on) and decided that what was good for the gander was good for the goose. I emailed both charities and asked them how best to go about it. They advised me to set up a Just Giving page.
https://www.justgiving.com/Kim-Hickey-mypeakchallenge
https://www.justgiving.com/Kim-Hickey-caitriotchallenge
Since then, I’ve created a Facebook event page to keep my friends and family updated https://www.facebook.com/events/867247113331473/
And completely updated my twitter profile and pics to reflect the charities and the program name – Old, New, Borrowed and Blue #ONBB. I have filmed a bunch of “in the practice room” videos, and will continue to do so, showing the process of preparing a program and other tidbits about music. I’ve had mini flyers printed up to hand out at the concerts I’ll be doing locally as both practice for the Scotland performances and to add to the fundraising – they have all the websites and my twitter handle on them.
The concerts in Scotland will be May 29 at Sutherlands Bar, An Gealbhan with Adhamh O’Broin (yes that Adhamh); the big concert with most of the premieres will be May 31 at Cottiers Theatre in Glasgows West End; June 4 will be a lunch time concert at the Scottish Music Centre and finally on June 12 at the Charles Rennie Macintosh Society will be a concert as part of the West End Festival. Each program will have at least one premiered. I’ve commissioned pieces from composer friends of mine. There are a couple pieces that are very special to me, to Scotland and to some of the people of Outlander.
I’m also organizing concerts at a few other churches and the prestigious Newman School in uptown New Orleans. Both charities will be talked about, donations accepted and information disseminated to the attendees. It’s taken a lot of planning, it’s been a lot of work and taking a lot of time, but it’s so worth it.
Norma D: From your website and blog, it looks like you are a very famous flautist. So tell us some information about your real life. Is it exciting?
I get up, I work out, I shower, I practice, I come home. In between I’m on social media a lot. Oh, I go to school. I’m almost done with my MBA in healthcare management. So, that’s it. I love animals. Have two big dogs that think they’re tiny and a very ornery cat.
I love it when my Daddy carries me in with the groceries.
I love game day. Hanging around , drinking a beer and sitting on Dad’s lap.
I am a very mean cat and you better stay away from me…..
OMG that damn cat is after me and I’m so tiny. He scares me!
Norma D: What do you like the most about your fellow Fritters?
Flutist Kim: I love how everybody is from everywhere and does different things, likes different things, the diversity, yet there’s predominately two common threads in my twitter and FB friends – music or outlander. I’ve made some fantastic friends because of outlander, and music. There’s a group of us who were talking one night who discovered that all of us had been touched by or had had been diagnosed with some form of cancer. And we all met because of outlander. And then #MyPeakChallenge just leveled that up – such an amazing thing Sam did, getting his fans fit and motivated and feeling better about themselves while raising money for an amazing charity; getting John and Gareth and Andy to donate their time to the cause, just so selfless. And then the #SamsFanFollow, which is why you did these interviews, that brought people together – if you didn’t already follow the SFF, you followed to live vicariously through them and to have a chance at it.
Norma D: So, I’m a newbie to Twitter and blogging. How long have you been on TW and with the OL group?
Flutist Kim: I think my profile says I’ve been on twitter since 2012. I resisted for a very long time, but finally gave in. I was hardcore for a while and had to read every tweet in my timeline. Gave that up after a short while.
A friend of mine was always posting about Outlander and this Jamie guy. Then I saw the commercials for the show on Starz. I bought the big compendium of the first 7 books on kindle, but didn’t read it for several months. Finally in June of last year, I told myself I better read it before August, which I did – I zoomed through all of them and MOBY. Stayed up late, sneaked in reading at work, everything you can imagine book addicts do. I was a little late to the party in that respect – I didn’t see a lot of the early twitter days of Sam and Cait or the casting or SDCC or any of that. But once I was in, I. WAS. IN.
Herself says, “I’m smiling, but none too happy it took so long for her to read and buy the books!”
Norma D: Have you had personal responses from Sam and Cait before your charity work?
Flutist Kim: I’ve had a few faves and RTs from both of them. My first fave from Sam was right after the Gathering aired; he was teasing about who all was in the show as far as cameos. I asked if one was Adhamh – he replied to me, and that’s when he and I started conversing, we’ve become good friends, as have the drivers and others. Sam would never say who he was hinting at so I said something like ‘I’m gonna get on a plane and kick some ass” and that’s what he faved. Shows how cheeky he is. I was a wreck for hours after that. Since? Sam and MyPeak have retweeted and responded to several of my posts, including my blogs about the process of preparing for this concert series; many fitness philosophies and strategies are applicable to music and that was and still is surprising to me, which has been a great lesson for me. I’ve also had responses from Fight Camp and Bear Strength.
And here I am so brokenhearted, paid to s~~t and only fahted! No Sam or Cait Tweets ever. Must not be very interesting or too snarky.
Norma D: Enough about me….Why are you so committed to these charities?
Flutist Kim: As I say in my JustGiving stories, I have had a lot of health problems in my life, from the moment I was born. For World Child Cancer, I can’t imagine not having had the treatment I received, more so for the fact that my conditions were essentially non life-threatening. For LLR, I’ve known people affected by blood cancers, and cancer has affected my family and myself – though my cancer was “only” skin cancer, it’s still a scary thing to be told. My life in hospitals and doctors’ offices informed who I became – some expected me to become a doctor, but instead I went into the front office end of healthcare. I’ve seen a lot of patients with diseases that could be treated and those whose diseases have not yet been resolved – bone cancer, MS, AIDS, ALS. So, between my personal experience as a patient and my experience on the other side of the counter, I have empathy for those who are looking at a diagnosis for which the outcome is unknown.
Norma D: It can be difficult to know what to do for people dealing with these problems. Has the OL Fanmily made a difference in your life?
Flutist Kim:There is a core group of people who are always there if/when I need them. We make each other laugh and we virtually hug each other when someone is crying or feeling bad. I would feel bereft without them. All because of Outlander.
Norma D: Any advice for the fandom?
Flutist Kim: Be nice. If you can’t be nice, be quiet. If you can’t be quiet, be prepared to be ignored. Ain’t nobody got time fo’ dat.
It is a pleasure to have had the opportunity to interview Kim, even if it was an accident!
Its nice to know there are so many Fritters who are talented and trying to make a difference in the world.
The Church of Heughanology 
