27 Months Of Sass

You are such a sassy young thing. We are continuing your Christmas education. You're completely in love with Frosty the Snowman. You will watch those Frosty cartoons over and over and over. You're not quite as sold on the stop-motion things like Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Rudolph, but we're trying. If your father would make you watch those more instead of giving into your demands for more "snowman" then I wouldn't have to work so hard to get you to know the other stuff! You know that Santa will be bringing presents and you can recognise Santa and snowmen at will and you know what reindeer look like, but you still need to watch Rudolph again.

You're still throwing in nonsense words to your talking, but mostly when you talk to yourself, your pretty good about communicating with us. Your also singing more. Especially when your in the car. I've had to turn on the child window locks because you have figured out that you can step on the buttons in the jeep and buttons are fun!

You are still a pain to fix food for, but now eggs are on the approved foods list. You like scrambled eggs with ketchup, which is awesome. I love ketchup on my eggs. Your father is not so impressed.

I'm excited for the holidays to spend more time with you and hopefully get back to some potty training. We've kinda abandoned that after the first time and it was so frustrating, but it's been a month, I've calmed down and so have you ( I hope.)

You're starting to really get some separation anxiety. I almost didn't get to perform with the ward choir yesterday since you wouldn't let me go without crying and even taking you to Poppi's house you want to stay with me (until about 30 seconds after I've gone and you remember that Poppi spoils the daylights out of you.) It makes me feel bad, so thanks there, but it's also a little nice that you love me best, more than poppi or grandma. I want you to like me, even if I Put you in time out.

You have to sit in time out quite a lot. Throwing things is a bad habit of yours and it seems that even though you get put in time out for throwing food and crayons off your tray, you persist.

You're really into stacking. You take the candy tins and stack them over and over and now you're really playing with the wooden staking blocks that I got you for your birthday, your not just having fun pushing things down, you build! It's fun to watch your little mind work out which blocks will go on top.

I suppose we won't trade you in for a newer model yet.

Heart You!
Mama

It's A Christmas Miracle!

Friday, December 19th is a day that will live in awesomeness for all time.

First it was the annual Christmas party at my work. Erika and I had spent many hours with our gay boys in the department getting all ready for our lip sync. This is the 4th year we've done this and it's stressful but a lot of fun. This year we picked Christina Aguilera's "Candyman" which uses the music from Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, so it's all forty's sounding and familiar, but it's a little dirty, which is what we aim for. Our crew got to work at 7 am to practice on the stage before our 8 am party. The party got started and there were eggs, bacon, sausage and pancakes! Forget budget cuts people! It was lovely, but Erika and I were starting to get nervous. This year they made the entertainment not just lip syncs, but also talent. Which is stupid, because if it's going to be talents, we can't do a silly lip sync next year. They also brought out judges! Supposedly American idol style. Someone was suppose to be Paula and Simon and Randy, but I don't' think any of those people have every watched American Idol before. Finally it was our turn. We rocked! Erika and I were the USO girls and our boys were sailors, complete with real and fake tattoos. There were only a few tiny little mistakes that I'm sure no one but us noticed. And we looked awesome. I have a new hair style I guess, when I can be bothered to curl it. Everyone clapped and laughed and loved it. The judges were nice and they said we were all winners. I guess they didn't want the other people to feel bad that we were really the best.

After the party it was hard to work, so when Husband was downstairs at his office's Christmas party I joined them for lunch. The the snow came, and came and came! At 2 pm our whole company shut down all offices and sent us home. It was brilliant. i would have left at 2 anyway so that I could get ready for the real treat of the day.

Thank goodness for 4-wheel drive, I was fine on the drive home even with all the snow. Now I had to get ready of the Matt Nathanson concert!!!! I re-curled my hair and decided to wear a scarf over my head to keep the snow off. Then it was off to the trax station so that we wouldn't have to drive down town in the weather and the venue was literally just steps away from the trax station. Keeping in constant contact with Erika, we found out our trax train was about 20 minutes late, but I had my ipod, so I was good! In my purse I had my item for Matt to sign, the pen he needed to sign my item and his present. After the last concert in Boulder, when he put us on the guest list, I wanted to thank him properly and so when I found out about this show I went online to look up the union jack Def Leppard belt buckle that he worn on that first Boulder concert that was so awesome, but had since broken. I paid expedited shipping since I had to have it for the concert. And I told no one, except Magen when she told me that she wouldn't be able to come to the show. I suppose I was a little worried that my friends might think I was a freak that I'm getting Matt a present, because, let's be honest, it's a little bit over the top.

The trax train came and luck would have it that I was standing right in front of the car that Erika and Dawn (from England!) were in so I got a seat and to have great conversations with them as I was getting more and more excited. I showed them the buckle and they both seemed delighted and not at all freaked out that I would do something like that. I also showed them my item to be signed. It was a picture of the first time I met Matt 3 years ago in Boulder, when he had been wearing said belt buckle, but you can't see it in out picture. I looked great since that was when Husband was in Iraq and I spent my free time working out.

The venue is Keys on Main where they have dueling pianos most nights, tonight's "event" was to be a wine tasting supposedly hosted by Matt, so I wanted to get there right away just in case he really was wandering around talking to people. We got in and got our commemorative wine glasses (mine I misplaced) and took a seat at a table, there were seats set up in front of the stage, but there wasn't anyone sitting there yet so I refrained from jumping into the front and center seat. Since it was a wine tasting there was food. Thank goodness! I ate cheese and carrots and olives and crackers and chocolate, oh my! It was great to sit and get to talk to Dawn. We're both great friends of Erika's, so we know all about each other, but since she lives in England, we don't see each other much. I loved that she and I both felt like we were too young to be there at a fancy wine tasting, even though we're both married with kids, it seemed like we were far too youthful. I also got to tell her about how I feel in love with Matt. It's a long story, but I love to tell it and Dawn was a great listener. I love to share Matt with people, he deserves to be well known and I feel like I'm really helping the cause, and really, everyone should love Matt, what's not to love?

With Trish and Nicole we save our six seats, right up front, in the first 2 rows. I of course got to sit on the first row, since I'm the biggest fan (ever). He came out briefly to do a sound check, when people started to clap he put his hands to his lips and motioned that he wasn't really there. Apparently his flight had been delayed. Here's what that looked like and how close I was.

Then he left and we got to wait for the concert to really begin. The show was suppose to start to 7, but sound check was at 6:30, o that didn't happen of course, but it was only about 20 minutes late, which was lucky for Trish's friend, since she got there at about 7.

The radio station announced him and out he came. he started with Car Crash, the newer acoustic version which I love. Trish has a little bit of video of it, but he sings it slightly different from the album and band version and I adore it, but I wasn't smart enough to start recording. He was wearing the scarf he had worn when we met him after the Denver show. Dawn was swooning! I know he's adorable, but it's nice to have confirmation. Someone in the audience asked him for his scarf and other people were yelling that they loved him. He calmed the drunk people by telling them that he wanted them to love him quietly and only love him loudly when that was called for. he said he needed the talking stick. Next he started Gone, and during the opening chords he looked up and saw me and did the eyebrow raise/half smile thing you do when you recognise people but can't say hi. I turned to Trish and Erika and was freaking out. I was trying to squeal but I was really just making some weird "fff" noise and accidentally spitting on those around me. Eventually I was able to get out "He saw me!" a few times I kept turning around so that he couldn't see me look like a freak of nature. he took off his jacket and told us he was dressed like an Eskimo and he would be removing his clothing in layers. He told a story about the having to do #2 at the airport. You really thought the story was going one way, but leave it to Matt to take it in a totally different direction. he was really chatty and people were really drunk so there were lots of fun conversations. he played To the Beat of Our Noisy Hearts, which is one of my favorites off the new album, and I finally remembered that I should be taking some freaking videos. Nicole was taking pictures and they were turning out really well and my pictures, well they are not so awesome. My camera is getting old and can't keep up with the new fancy cameras of today, so I figured I should take videos and let others take the good pictures. he played Still and that song is growing on me, but I think I enjoy it better live where you can see his facial expressions. He played Lost Myself in Search of You and told us that we would probably feel the funk in our nether regions. That song is funky! Erika called out for Amazing Again, but he needed to play his new songs for the new fans of course. After that he was going to play Starfish, but the crowd didn't seem like they were into that, so we did a sing along of Journey's Don't Stop Believing instead. It's standard. He said he would play 1 or 2 more songs and it was confirmed to me that this was a radio promo show and not a real show, which means that he wouldn't play as long, I figured this, but now it was confirmed. He of course played Come on Get Higher, the crowd seemed very into it. Before it he told a story about how this song was about ice cream. And something you're really enjoying the ice cream and you get to the bottom and you just want more and you want to spank the ice cream and pull it hair. Then he did he fake "We're done! Thanks" thing and headed off while the radio guys had us clapping and cheering. he came back out ans said he would play a new song and an old one. I was excited. he played Falling Apart, which I do love, but it makes me want to hear Fall To Pieces, which is my new goal to hear live. He doesn't play it very much, so that might take some doing.

Then he started playing Bon Jovi's Livin On a Prayer which was incredibly fun, but I do want to hear Matt songs when I see Matt play, but I'm a greedy fan.

He said he'd stay and sign stuff for people so we jumped in line and found out that the venue people weren't allowing pictures since they needed to get ready for the dueling pianos thing.

Don't you think that could have waited? I mean, come on, freaking Matt Nathanson people! The line was really long and Erika had to jump out and fight over the last Some Mad Hope CD at the merchandise booth so that Dawn could have him sign it and become an uberfan like me! I pulled out my picture to have him sign and the silver pen so it would show up and the buckle. Erika and Dawn went first and Dawn played the "but I'm all the way from England" card and he told them to wait and he would get a picture with them. I was so nervous that I was shaking of course and I had far too many things to say, to give him and whatnot. I got up to him and said "You remembered me!" Meaning from the stage and he said that of course he remembered me and gave me a hug. Trish said that I had a 3 year anniversary gift for him and I told him that I really wanted to thank him for getting me into the Boulder show and that I had tracked down something I thought he would like. I gave him the box and he opened it. It was his turn to be amazed. He started to tell me that he had one of those and Erika jumped in and said "Yeah, that's why she got it for you." he hugged me and it wasn't just a regular Matt hug (which is nice, btw) he put one hand on the back of my head and really hugged me. I wish that I could have appreciated that gesture at the time, I was still a bit too keyed up though, but I really do now. He said that when pewter breaks, it really breaks and obviously really like it. He handed it to his manager who looked at it appraisingly. He hugged me again with his hand on my head. I recall that his shirt was a bit moist with sweat, but he smelled fantastic. I showed him the picture and he said "look how young I look!" and I wanted to say the he looked the same but more awesome with his longer hair, but I instead said, "Yeah, look how hot I used to be!" He took my silver pen and held the picture on his thigh to sign it. We finished off with another hug and if there was anything else said, I can't recall. So I waited with Erika and Dawn to the side where they had told us to wait until everyone was done. But of course afterwards the lead Matt into the back, I of course followed. Matt said Dawn could get a picture, the VIP room was tiny and in the back, but they had it well guarded. This Venue doesn't mess around and boy do they have some thugs at their service. We asked politely about the picture and were told "no" in very certain terms. So we decided to risk it.

We got our hands stamped and headed for the back alley behind the venue. There was a van and someone from the radio station putting gear into it. A bouncer came out back and asked us what we were waiting for. I told him "Christmas" and Erika I believe told him a "Christmas miracle" he of course told us that "the artist has already left" which is of course, what they always say. I think they teach them that in bouncer school. But a few snowy minutes later out comes Matt, we tried to be polite and we reminded him that he said he would take a picture with our girl all the way from England. and he said "Of course I'll take a picture with Dawn!" She swooned more that he remembered her name from all the people inside. They posed and Dawn pulled me into the picture, which at first I felt like she should get her own since she was from freaking England! But I really appreciate the gesture, she knew how much I love Matt and wanted me to get a picture. next Erika and Dawn took a photo with him and the swirling snow made it so pretty! Then I got a bit greedy (of course!) and said that since I paid expedited shipping I deserved my own photo. He hopped into the van while Erika called out "Merry Christmas" and I remembered to say "Happy Hanukkah" and we walked back out the alley. The van started to drive out, as Matt had to get back to the airport and I moved to the side of the alley and stopped to wait for it to pass, Dawn and I waved and we could see clearly from the front seat, Matt Nathanson waving back at us. Dawn turned to me and said, "He waved at us!" and said that was the reason right there that I loved that man so much, he's so gracious to his fans. He really does care.

We walked back to the venue, and said our goodbyes to Trish, since she needed to drive home on the slippery roads. We were still high on the Matt love and agreed to go and look at the lights on temple square. We skipped and sang and had strangers take pictures of us. We saw some nasty Santas with naughty elves and some drunk/homeless person being picked up by an ambulance. Ah, downtown! We walked through Temple Square and enjoyed the beauty of the lights and the temple in the fresh and still falling snow. After that we were trying to decide where to get a cuppa chocolate. It was earlier then it felt, only about 10 pm. Then we spotted the horse drawn carriages. Neither Dawn nor I had had ridden one and so we asked how much. $50 for a 30 minute ride. Ouch! Well that's what I thought anyway, but Dawn and Erika were both on board. We got a nice young woman driver and we piled the blankets on us. We drove around singing Christmas songs, some more then once and having Dawn call out "God bless us, everyone!" to strangers. It was fun, but after the half hour I was ready to get warm again. We walked to the nearby JBs and got seated. Our server took our picture when he saw we had them out. And we all ordered hot chocolates. I think he was disappointed that we weren't getting real food, since he never talked to us again.

After some warming up we decided it was time to hop on the trax and head home. Unfortunately that was also when the Neil Diamond concert had let out, so the train was super crowded. Dawn had to get a bit fresh with a poll and it was packed and very cozy indeed. I headed home and reflected on the events of the evening. It got tons of Matt love and hugs. I had given him a gift that he loved. It made me so happy to give him something that he can take with him and I'll know that it was me that gave him that buckle, and hopefully I'll see him wearing it and that will make me the happiest. But really, I wanted to thank him for being so incredibly gracious and warm with his fans. He really does apprecaite all the "little" people that are spreading the word about him and sharing his music. He has shown me and any one else meeting him nothing but kindness. It's really his personality that wins over people. His music sin't really want I would consider my type of music, but knowing him him as briefly as I do, it makes his music that much more exciting and interesting to me. Thanks Matt! I hope you continue in your rise to the top!

See? Matt thinks I'm hot!

The Cookie Monster

Unfortunately I have discovered cupcake cake bites. This is unfortunate for a number of reasons. Mostly being that I don't have them. And secondly, i don't even have the ingredients to make them. And thirdly, even if I DID have said ingredients, I wouldn't want to make them, seeing as how I would eat them and ruin my whole "I'm eating healthily so that clothes still fit after the holidays" and it's killing me.

I've been reading bakerella.blogspot.com so many times in the past 2 days that I'm starting to see these little suckers in my sleep. I think about which cake mix I would use (red velvet or white? chocolate or yellow? Moist or bargain brand?) and how I should decorate them (snowmen! snowflakes! Christmas trees? stars?) So while I was at groups last night with husband, while the menfolk talked about their "feelings" I was envisioning where I should purchase the melting chocolate and whether I could use my skewering sticks or if I needed to buy lollipop sticks. You can't see it in this picture (but it's so cute anyway) but you can put them on a stick! Food is always so much better on a stick! Imagine corn dogs with no stick and you see what I'm talking about.

I'm also trying to pretend that I'm not Christmas shopping. All day long. But chances are, if you're getting a gift from me, it's already in my shopping basket. Metaphorically. I just hope you like it! And that's why it's still in my basket instead of on my charge card. What if you don't like it? I'm such a bad friend getting you something so obvious, this is why we're going to have that falling out soon. I don't blame you. I will try and move on to people who don't expect too much from me. Or you'll love it! I'm a good friend and we'll be besties forevs and evs because I got you just what you wanted. I shall bask in your praise at my ninja-like shopping skills.

With this is mind, I have not thought of one solid thing to get for my 2 year old. She of the movie watching variety. We have so many stuffed animals, but wouldn't she just love a care bear? We also have so many Disney movies that she hasn't even watched them all, but we don't have Sleeping Beauty, she would love that! And she's got clothes! A lovely mother is our neighborhood whose daughter is about a year older than Hayley gave us all her hand me downs. She has clothes coming out the wazoo. I only have her wash her clothes about every 2 weeks and that's barely re-wearing the perfectly good jeans from the day before. And I fret. She's tall in her torso, she can wear 3t in most shirts now, so I don't want to buy her 2t stuff just because that's the size she should be in, but sometimes the 2t are still big. So I don't want to buy her clothes, but she has a multitude of toys she neglects to watch more Nemo (again), so I don't want to buy her toys. But I'm afraid her mind and muscles will wither while she watches TV, so I don't want to get her DVDs! Argh! Christmas! Why can't you be more about the baby Jesus then what is in those packages? I'm just as guilty. I finally took pity on my husband and made him a wish list, and also one for my brother who has me in the family gift exchange. I have two separate wish lists! I haven't had a wish list since I was 14 and asked my parents for a Pearl Jam CD (yeah, Pearl Jam, remember when they were cool?)

Where was I? Oh yes, this post is about cake balls. So please, come over to my house with a box of cake mix, some melting chocolate and some sticks, you might just leave with all the ones I couldn't fit into my mouth while you weren't looking! It's a Christmas miracle!

26 Months of Wonderful

I can't believe how much you change even month to month. This month you've started adding non-sense sounds to actual words and phrases. I'm not sure if it's wanting to sound like you have more to say, or that I just talk so much that you're trying to keep up.
It's really difficult leaving you every morning, but the loves and kisses that come when I get home are very nice. It seems like you actually miss me, even though I know that when I get home, the TV gets turned off and then it's nothing but whining for "Credibles" or "I's Age" and I'm the mean parent that refuses to let your brain rot when there are shows I could be watching instead.
Your still a very picky eater and very much in charge of what you eat. We go through the list of things you will eat at meal time. Tacos? sandwich? mac and cheese? it's anyones guess, but you still have a little belly, so I figure that means you're not starving. You can put away sweets like it's no one's business, but real food only gets a few bites in before you are totally done.
I'm a little sad, all the 2T clothes I've been saving for you, well the tops are a little short. Apparently you have a long torso but stubbly little legs. I do not have a long torso, so maybe this is something that you will grow out of and become a normal sized child, or maybe you're going to be a freak of nature, but I hope not. I hope that some day you eat and grow like a normal child, but for now we'll just try and make sure you are eating something with some kind of vitamins. Although I gave you some toast with Nutella on it, and you loved that more then life itself, it was like candy! That's what I do with stuff, just smother it in chocolate and call it good.
Today your favorite color was green. We were looking at a Christmas tree here at work and they had fiber optic ornaments that changed color. You were only happy when the lights were green. When they would change you would say "Oh! Green gone!" and wait until it turned green again and say "There is!" It was pretty cute, but I've never noticed any affinity for green, so maybe it's just today. I can't wait to put up our tree. Last year you were still pretty young and didn't get the whole Christmas scene, but this year, what with all the Christmas videos i have, you'll be an expert!
I'm hoping that this thanksgiving you try the food. As I recall the only thing you tasted last year was jello and even that wasn't good enough for you. What kid doesn't like jello? Even I liked jello! I have high hopes once again for stuffing. It's my favorite, and I'd like to pass on my love of fatty goodness. Actually I would hope that you remain aloof from food. If you have my genes at least, time will tell, as your father has no sisters what the female body shape will end up being. My fingers are crossed for "never needs to think about what she eats" body type. My life would be so much better if that's where I was. And if I wasn't obsessed with diary. Wait, this isn't a post about my insecurities? Oops. Anyway, I hope you eat things at some point, that's all I'm saying.
Here's to the next month!

Kisses,
Mama

Nothing Dims Theses Stars

(Final Chapter)

With visions of being a VIP at the show still in my head, we got to the venue in Boulder just as the doors were opening. And there were 2 insane lines. I was nervous, I figured we would have to wait at will call, but that's not what I wanted. I didn't want to get into the back of a long line, and they were letting the people who already had their tickets in, so the people who waited at will call then had to go to the end of the line of tickets. Urgh. So I checked with the venue staff just to make sure the tickets were at will call, I didn't want to wait in line if I didn't have to. But my dreams of being ushered in and swept back stage were dashed. They were just dreams, but there was a glimmer of hope right? Waiting in will call, which was a shorter line, was still torturous. It seemed that no one was moving. It took 5 minutes for each group ahead of us. Their were people without ID and then they had to figure out what to do with them and their were people that they couldn't find on the list for 5 minutes. Ugh. By the time we got close to the front the long line of people with tickets were all inside. I started to silently panic. Poor Erika, she could tell I was really frustrated, but there was nothing else we could do but wait. I didn't want to be really far away from the stage, but that seemed inevitable now since hundreds of people already were inside. We got to the box office and were a little sad when we only got little "admit one" tickets which we then had to relinquish to the door staff. So while Erika had been having her tickets signed, now we didn't have one. We saw the Matt posters for the venue outside. They said Matt's name, and the date in swirly psychedelic colors and had an outline of a girl licking a lollipop, it was so random, especially since most of the venues that have posters are the ones from Matt's people and have a picture of Matt on them, like the one I had gotten the night before, but these people made their own and it was not the better for it. We went inside and were so lucky that we got a spot right up front, only a few people back from the stage. Unfortunately I was behind tall people a little, I could maneuver and see well, but it was annoying, but fine considering we got inside with only 8 minutes before the show was suppose to start. But it didn't start! We waited and waited, and really, we wanted to see The Break and Repair Method again, because we'd been listening to their album on the driver to Boulder and were super excited now that we knew the songs even that much better. When they finally came on they were great. Every song I would turn to Erika and say "I love this song!" Every song, really. CHECK THEM OUT. Okay, enough said. I wasn't in a good position to see the singer who was more stage left but I was able to watch my new favorite drummer, Ryan. He was rockin and having a great time. The crowd seemed really into them. It was over far too soon. But we found out the 3 of the 4 band members are actually a part of Matchbox 20 and we almost told their uber fan that Rob Thomas is a d-bag, but we restrained ourselves. They played their untitled song and again asked the crowd what to call it, Erika screamed out to call it Boise, and Paul chuckled and relayed the story of what happened in Salt Lake and how all us Mormons were offended. Even though I thought it was funny, maybe some people were offended. How should I know? But this song is Erika's favorite. Then we had to wait for the next opener. And when she came out, she played for 45 minutes! After about the 3rd song, I kept hoping she would say "okay, this is the last song, goodnight!" but it took forever. My feet were already starting to go numb, I was trying to move around and dance to keep my circulation going, but it was not working very well which made me even more irritated that she wouldn't just stop. After an eternity she was done and now it was just time to wait for Matt. We saw him run from the stage level to a downstairs level off the stage.

They came on again to Queen. But they switched things up this show and started with To The Beat of Our Noisy Hearts and it was a great way to start. There seemed to be a lot of songs from Beneath These Fireworks, which I love every song, so I really enjoyed this show. It's funny because he'll introduce the songs as being off an "old" record and so I'm expecting something from albums before that, but I guess it was released in 2003 which is pretty old now, but it was my first Matt album, so it has eternal youth in my mind. But it was great, he played Sad Songs, Weight of it All and right after played Curve of the Earth, not to mention the Angel/ I Saw combination. I loved it! During solo time, Matt wasn't going by his set list. He played what the 2 uber fans behind us were yelling out, but the first song was Church Clothes, which is a song that I really love, so that made me very happy. It's a song that when it gets stuck in my head I really enjoy it.

The next song he told us was about his brother who had been kicked out of Boulder or Colorado and I think when i saw him here in 2005 he mentioned his brother, but he didn't play this song. It was a song I had maybe heard once, called Miracles. It was really mellow and I wish I had known it better. But don't worry kids, I recorded the whole thing so we can all get to know it better.

Church Clothes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbBqUHPOVOw

Miracles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vrX8tsIQ2I

Once the band came back we were ready to rock again, he finally played Gone, Car Crash and Wedding Dress. We also got another Chance at the sing along for Take On Me. Finally my side won! But then it was discovered that the balcony on my side was the over 21 crowd that was drinking and the other balcony was under 21 and not drinking, and so a draw was called since alcohol in a sing along is like steroids at the Olympics. Dang it! I almost won! But it was still fun. But as he close with All We Are, I knew that this amazing Matt trip was coming to an end. Once again they made it back from just being on the jet to come back and play us an encore. Detroit Waves and finishing with the standard Come On Get Higher. At this point Erika and I are both so tired, since we only got a few hours of sleep the night before and had been going all day hanging out with her family. I was lucky enough to get a little 20 minute nap, so Erika needed some Red Bull, but we were still starting to come down from our Matt high. The show finished. Last time I saw Matt here, he came out to the front area and signed and took pictures and was just awesome, but we were getting kicked out again! We talked a little to Aaron and found out they were going to be flying out to Portland to play a show tomorrow before playing the next tour stop. Aaron and John said how this crowd was so fun, so much better then the drunk crowd in Denver. They said it was one of the best shows. I thought the best show was the Salt Lake one, but this set list was incredible. Talking to the band we waited as long as we could. I still had backstage hope, it was quickly fizzling away. We saw his manager and thanked her for the tickets and said we wanted to thank Matt. She told us that the tour bus was parked on the next street and to just wait there since he's got to get on the bus at some point, so we decided that that was our best bet, we weren't seeing any of our band members where we were, so we might as well go wait in the cold for a chance. We told her that we had come from Salt lake and she said that that had been her favorite show and gave us the information that David Archeleta had vlogged about the show (which I linked to in the SLC post.) So we headed outside and saw the drummer of B&R Method and said hi, he seemed to be headed somewhere so he didn't stay and chat like the night before. We talked to each of Matt's band members, Erika had gotten one of the ugly 70-ish posters from the door and had them all sign it. I had decided that all I wanted was a few pictures and to thank Matt, no signing for me, I had gotten enough from him in the past few days that I wanted to be a little more laid back, but I still had the new CD in my purse in case I changed my mind. Although the band knew us at this point and signed nice things, not just their names on Erika's poster so I was little jealous that I didn't also have something signed, but I had gotten all the posters and set lists from other shows, so it was her time to sign. Although they were nice enough to shine, no one really chatted like they had the night before. Konrad and Aaron kept busy and John stopped briefly and awkwardly to chat with the other girls for a bit until they had run out of things to say. I felt bad because they would pause in saying something and I would interject just as they were saying something again. I was a total jerk, but it wasn't on purpose I promise.

The lead signer for the opening band was walking by, we had seen him briefly in Salt Lake, but never talked to him. He looked determined to ignore us, but after I called out his name, he turned. There was only Erika and I and a group of 3 other girls, so he probably figured we were just waiting for Matt (which was true, but we're not going to pass up an great opportunity) and so we all introduced ourselves and it was very formal, he would get our name shake our hand and say "I'm Paul" or "Paul" for every person, even though we had all heard his name. Maybe he wanted to make sure we remembered him. Erika and I told him how much we loved his set and he seemed really taken back. We told him that we bought a CD and the other group said they had too. He seemed kind of insecure about whether the crowd had liked them. We told him that this was our third show and just loved all the songs. I told him I loved how he played like he was on fire, really banging the keys and that we loved how he had used his foot to slam the keys in Denver. He was really buoyed by our loving words, or maybe he's really self deprecating. We wanted to tell him how much we hate Rob Thomas, but we didn't know if that was a sore spot or not, so we'll save that comment for next time. Erika almost forgot to ask about the "Boise" song, but she asked if she could download it or when she could get it and told him that it was the song that made her a fan. Someone with him said they had recorded it that night and so had a live recording, so we'll see if that's made available. I hope that it is, because that song will light your pants on fire! The whole band hoped into a car and made a get away.

Then Matt came out! He was only wearing a scarf and jacket and said, "Okay let's do this before we freeze our butts off!" Which meant, this needed to be quick, but luckily there weren't many of us. He talked with the other group, they got their set list signed. One girl asked if he could have a friend of her propose to his girlfriend at his show on Saturday. Matt seemed sympathetic, but adamant that he couldn't do that for one person because then everyone would would want personal things done for them and it would all snowball, which I can understand, but how cool would it be to be proposed to at a concert that you both love. Oh well. I found out later from teh set list picture that I took that during the solo part he was suppose to do Wings and Gospel. Which I actually called out for Wings and Gospel is one of my other favorites, they are both on my favorite album, Still Waiting for Spring, so that would have been so great for me, but i guess we can't have everything, can we? If I had known, I would have chastised Matt, so it's good that I didn't know.

We took their pictures and then it was our turn. Matt said something like "well willow, you made it"and I went all fan girl and had to rush in for the hug. He remembered my name! Officially! yeah it had only been one night and he had written it on his hand (his hand!) and so it was not likely he would be able to forget so quickly, but it was still fun. We took a group shot, we wanted individual shots, but we were taking what we could get and trying to be gracious. I had done my hair curly instead of the usual "dressed up" straight and he touched my hair and and said "Your hair looks cute." Then I died. Right there. We thanked him profusely and he hugged us again. I think I got 3 hugs. It was a little hazy. We wanted to get our individual pictures but after seeing Erika's poster and finding out that the band actually liked them the other girls asked if there were extras, so Matt was going to get them a poster and we decided our time had come. We wished them a good trip up to Portland and said goodbye. We practically skipped to car. It was over, but it ended with an incredible show and we got to say thanks and goodbye, what more could we ask for? Then next day was the drive home, we had come, we had seen, we had kicked Colorado's trash and had a better time than we ever imagined. We got into both shows, we meet Matt after every show, had decent conversations with him, met all the band members and found a new group to love.
I know that while some of friends would definitely be up for a road trip, it's unlikely that any would be able to drop everything with only 24 hours notice and be gone for 3 days, on the chance that we would get into one or two sold out shows. So my thanks go out to Erika, and her brother, the people who sold us tickets and to Matt and his band and manager and all others who made this the most fun I've had on a crazy whim! Peace out!

Everyday is Start of Something Beautiful

(Part III)

Erika and I find a place to park not too far from the lovely Bluebird Theatre. I think I saw Duran Duran here back in 99 but it didn't look at all familiar so maybe not. It was about 10 minutes until the show actually started. There was only one door open, they were checking IDs and so there were a few people in a line just to get in. They opened a new door, we went in it. We headed inside and were able to get right up front and off to stage right. A got a call on my phone and listened to the voice mail, it was about the single ticket for the next night. I wondered what I should do. The Break and Repair Method would come on with only us standing there for 5 minutes. Their set was just as excellent as the night before, but the sound was better. Every time they started another song, Erika and I would smile at each other because we remembered it and how awesome it was. Then we would also just look at each other and smile because, holy crap, we're in freaking Colorado at the Matt Nathanson concert that we didn't think we'd be getting into! During their set, Erika and I decided we needed to get their CD, no question, I would have bought it in Salt Lake, but Trish needed the rest of my cash so she could get a shirt too. After they were done I decided that since Erika wanted to spend time with her family, if she would let me borrow her car, I would take the single ticket, but not for the $60 I was willing to pay thinking that the Boulder show would be do or die and so I was willing only to pay $45 (for the $20 ticket) so after Erika agreed that she could go see a movie with her brother that night and I could take her car, I sent the person a text. We texted throughout the set of the next opener (since she sucks so much I'm not even going to write her name) and finally she decided that it was not fair that I agreed to pay more earlier and was only willing to pay as much as someone else had already agreed to pay. I told her to go ahead and give the other girl the ticket. I think she was disappoint to lose the extra $15, but now I had already paid for one ticket, I needed to make sure I didn't spent too much money on another one. But Erika and I decided that was the plan: get me a ticket and she'd hang out with her family.

Matt opened with the same song but it's a great opener, mostly the beginning of the set was the same, except for he played Sad Songs instead Weight of it All, then when he got to Sing Me Sweet, which he had played in Salt Lake, but he played the Letter to Elise bridge! We actually listened to a show from 2005 when he did that and I never thought he would play it! If you don't know, Letter to Elise is my favorite Cure song, it's the song that really got me into the Cure. So Yeah! I screamed like a maniac. There was a lot of people talking and being drunk in general, and Matt spent some time trying to get people to at least be respectful. If Matt can hear you onstage while he's playing, it's a bit much. Matt always handles it in a funny way, but still.

It was so weird because the crowd was so different from the Salt Lake crowd. People were singing, but no one was bopping around, people looked a little bored and/or drunk. They just didn't seem as into it, while the people in Utah we're obviously really into the show and having a good time.


He played Amazing Again (again), which is funny to me, because when I listen to that album, I always listen to that song twice before listening to the rest of the album, so hearing it twice was actually perfect for me. he did Suspended solo again and then brought the opener out to help him with Loud, which is from my favorite as well, and it was so fun watching him while she sang the other part of the duet. He mouthed the words and smiled like crazy, I loved it.

The band came back to All we Are which was a nice mellow transition back to the band. We did the Take on Me sing along again, and my side lost again! Maybe I'm bad luck! But it was still fun and I figured out some of the words from the second verse.

Ended with Detroit Waves again, but minus the Eminem bit. Similar banter about how they were going to pretend it was their last song, we would yell and clap and they would come and do the songs already listed on the set list but only because they loved us so much.

When they came back (after being already on the helicopter) and played a cover of All I have to Do is Dream, which we all know. I have a little clip of it posted on Youtube, since I thought it was so cool, but at the same time the trip and the lateness of the hour was catching up to us. I remember that i wanted to be really excited, but I couldn't muster enough energy, so I could only be moderately excited. It was also almost midnight and the concert, which could be the only one was coming to a close, now the only song left was Come On Get Higher, which we had heard several times that day already, even though it's a great song, the mystery for the evening was gone. But we still grooved to it and appreciated that we never planned on being here, so we were lucky. We also decided that we needed to send a thank you note to the person who sold us their tickets.

After the show the band members were breaking down the set, and John Thomasson jumped down and talked to us. I had snagged a poster from the front door and so I had him sign that. We told him about our adventure and he was impressed. We wanted to talk to the rest of the band (and of course Matt) and so we hung out while the venue people tried to kick us out again. There was a tiny entrance room outside the stage area, and I was hoping that Matt would show up there to sign and meet people. At first we pretended with were with the band and so didn't have to leave, but we could only fake that for so long, then we hung out at the little bar area for a bit, but it was obvious that they wanted us out. So we saw some of the first band The Break and Repair Method outside and there were also buses and people moving equipment, so we figured that couldn't be too bad. Outside we met the drummer (Mr Smiley) and the guitar player and I got a picture with the drummer, whose name is Ryan. We told them how much we loved them and that we show them in Utah. I told Ryan he was my favorite new drummer and I hugged him. He in turn invited Erika and I to the after party which was at a bar called Streets of London, and as fun as hat would be, it was late and we were exhausted. We told him about our plight for a ticket for the next night, but said that since they were the opening band, they didn't really have any tickets they could give to people. I accosted each other member of Matt's band and got signatures and photos. I was glad to get a photo with Konrad. He seemed very impressed with our tale of driving all day and getting tickets last minute. He shook my hand several times and was very sweet. I had Aaron pause in his work of getting everyone's stuff onto the bus (seriously, everyone else is standing around and working intermittently, but Aaron, he's always working) and he took a very serious looking picture with me.

We asked if Matt was coming out, since there weren't really any other fans left, it was band members and roadies. Aaron said that he was with friends but would probably be coming out. There were 2 other girls waiting for Matt, that was it. At this point we felt a bit stalker-ish, but we'd come so far and it could be our last chance to see Matt, and they didn't say he wouldn't come out, so we waited. The other girl had a tattoo on her foot which we learned was her name in Hebrew.

Matt popped out of the tour bus, which means there must have been another door to that things that we couldn't see, we'd been guarding it closely. He talked to the other girls and we took their picture for them. He recognised the Hebrew writing on the girl's foot right away, which was neat. He saw us and smiled. He gave us hugs and we took a picture together. He asked how we'd been and Erika asked him if he really wanted to know. He was all sorts of intrigued. Erika related our story about tickets and the drive. He was really impressed. I apologized for my annoying behavior 2 nights prior. I explained that I felt like anything I wanted to say to him needed to be said soon, since he probably wouldn't be able to do meet and greets with fans anymore since he was getting to be a bigger artist. He told me that he was the master of his own destiny. I said that he would have to be more like Tori Amos and have the fans behind the cattle fences and he laughed and said that he loved Tori, but that Tori also loved Tori and the myth that surrounds her, which sounds weird, but I totally get was he was saying. I thanked him fro playing Letter to Elise and that we had been listening to a show from 2005 that day where he'd done the same thing. He said he's played it a few time this tour and talked about the new Cure record. We were both apprehensive about it. I told him that my favorite album was Still Waiting For Spring and he said I must have been glad to hear Loud, I said that I was and also Amazing Again two concerts in a row and I explained the way I listen to that album and song over and over. I told him that while Disintegration may have been the best album ever at the time, Still Waiting for Spring was my pick for only album on a deserted island. Erika took a photo of us, but thinking she wanted us to pose he got distracted and we then faked an action shot while I got to say "Okay,act like I totally just said something funny."

He asked if we were headed to see them in Boulder, I told him that we were going to try, but we'd have to see how things went. He told us to try and get tickets, but if we couldn't just to find one of his people. Now I've given thought to this kind of situation when things have not gone well for me at concerts, so I asked him how that would work, how I would find his people. And he said "No, you know what, you've come too far. Don't worry about it. I'll put you on my guest list." Then he wrote my name (first and last!) on his hand and wrote +1. Matt Nathanson had my FULL name written on his HAND. The one he holds the guitar neck and microphone with. I rock. We said thank you and that we wouldn't keep him any longer, we'd just see him the next night, and he said bye, and as we were taking off his manager yelled "Bye Willow!" and we yelled bye in return and giggled our way back to car. I finally looked at what Matt had written on my poster and it made me giggle even harder "I need Willow" How awesome is that? It was about 2 am now and even though we were insanely tired we still had to drive and find Erika's brother's house. So we didn't get into bed until 2:30 and much giggled happened after that. We were too excited to sleep. I had visions of getting backstage, being let in first before anyone else to the show and things like that. It took a while for my brain to shut down.

Making the Tough Calls

These are going in chronological order, so start at the bottom and work you're way up if you are so inclined.
When I got home from the Salt Lake show I was just still so jazzed, that I hopped right online and found that disappointingly, the Denver show was sold out, but the Boulder show didn't say and when i tried to get tickets, they just said unavailable. There was still hope. I texted Erika and we went back and forth on how we could get tickets and if they were really sold out, and what we would do if they were. Erika was excited to see her family and also to see Matt again. The show was so amazing, it was a ride we didn't want to end so soon.
We decided to try for tickets tomorrow and finalize our plans.
Soon enough it was Sunday and I was trying to get my lesson figured out and still talked to Erika at least twice before church. Tickets for Boulder were also sold out, but the box office said that if there were unclaimed tickets, we might be able to get some. They also recommended Craig's list, which i had never thought of. I spent so much time googling tickets and looking at ticket brokers who didn't even have tickets, but every time someone posted on Craig's list that they had an extra ticket or two, they were gone in minutes. There were only single tickets that we could possibly get. We decided that we needed to get 2 or there was no deal, since it would be terrible if only one of us got to go to a show.
We decided that Boulder was our best bet. It hadn't been sold out as long as Denver and was a smaller town. We were hopefully but not overly optimistic. There was a real possibility that we wouldn't get into either show. Erika posted on Craig's list that we were looking for tickets and gave out her cell number so people could reach us while we traveled. We decided to both head into work on Monday, make our excuses, take care of a few essentials and come home on Wednesday. We would leave late Monday, probably noon, and make it to Erika's brother's house around 8, which is when the Denver show would be starting, so we had pretty much written off that concert all together. I had written to someone on Craig's list and told them that if they wanted to make some extra cash on their $20 ticket, I might be willing to pay $60 for it, since if we had one ticket, it would be easier to get just one more, I reasoned. They said they would get back to me if they were interested.
Erika showed up just before 11 to get me. She was too excited to stay at work, I took almost every Matt CD I owned and we were off after getting gas and snacks.
After we'd been the road about an hour and after we'd been keeping in touch with her brother via texting we got a call from a Colorado number. Thinking it was Erika's bro, we told him to call us back. After a few minutes I noticed that their was a voice mail. I checked it and it was someone from Craig's list about tickets for Matt! I called them back, but since 15 minutes had passed the tickets were gone. We were bummed and decided that since Erika's number was online, I should hang onto her phone to make sure we heard (or felt it) it with the music on. We listened to Matt, I had 2 live CDs and all the albums that I own. We listened to every one of them before we turned on some 80's tunes. The weather was a bit crap in Wyoming and about 3:30 it seemed like the sun had set. It got dark and then we hit Colorado. The scenery was much nicer from what I could tell while there was some residual daylight left. About 45 minutes away from Denver there's another phone call that i answered. I thought it was Erika's sister in law at first, so I didn't quite catch what was going on and it was hard to hear in the car. It was someone else calling about our Craig's list posting. They had tickets for tonight's show and they would give them to us for face value or $25 each. Erika and I decided to go for it, we were going to just make it in time to get the tickets and go. We were lucky that she lived close to the venue so we had Enough time to pick them up since we still had to finish driving to Denver!
We got a little lost on our way to her house, but not too bad, our gas light also came on, so we ended up paying way too much for gas since it was 20 cents cheaper just one block farther, but you can't chance those things. The girl whose tickets we were getting was so nice. She was a med student and had to study that night. It was a Monday, even if it felt like a weekend to us.
It was such a cute neighborhood, all little older houses with no driveways or garages.
We flew to the Walgreen's and got dressed and put on new deodorant and make up since we'd been sitting in a gross car for 8 hours. Then it was on to the show!!!!

First of the Gang

Wow, it's been a whirlwind adventure, but now I'm here to catch my breath.
First off the Salt Lake show, be patient with me, I've been to 3 shows in 4 days and sat in a car for over 18 hours to do it.

Salt Lake! What a show! Let's get started.

I spent time figuring out what I wanted to wear and trying not to get too excited. Around 3 pm I left my house and headed over to Erika's to help her finish get ready and for a final opinion about my choice of outfits. I wanted to be there at 4:30 and that's when Magen got to the venue. and called us while we were on our way there. She could hear Matt sound checking, he was playing Car Crash! So we drove fast and got there to hear some more songs. Mostly he played covers, things I didn't recognize that weren't Matt songs. We were standing by the stage door so we could hear, but then we saw other people heading up to the main door, so I sent my friends to go and stand by the door so that I could keep listening. But they let us into the front door, so I had to leave my little spot and go stand just inside the venue and so we could hear the rest of the sound check and then the other band started their sound check and I mostly didn't pay attention. There was a poster up for some band called Aiden that had a picture of Morrissey and Michael Jackson photoshopped onto a picture of 2 people boxing and that formed enough of a conundrum to keep me thinking until Trish got there with our food. Mmm Arbys! They kicked us outside to wait in the cold for a little while and then we got to finally and officially go inside. It sucked though because the people who had gotten tickets through the pre-sale were all will-call, and so they had to line up in a different line with the people who didn't have tickets at all. But Trish was the only mega fan to buy her tickets early enough, so she had to go stand all by herself. So lame.

They opened the doors and we ran in and right up front. I was just stage left of the center monitor that Matt would be standing in front of, so it was a good place to be. The opening band came out. They had a lovely little electrical piano set up on stage and when the singer came in, he was wearing Elvis Costello glasses, argyle socks, converse sneakers and suit pants that were cut off at the bottom. I was sold and they didn't need to play anything! Then they started. And I was completely blown away. They were so amazing! Up front where we were the sound was rather muddy, but I could still tell how incredible they were. The singer pounding out the melody on the piano and singing with his gravely, raspy voice and the drummer! He was Mr. Smiley. He was singing along and smiling and rocking out. They are called The Break and Repair Method and I highly recommend them to anyone who likes good music. You can listen to 3 songs at their myspace http://www.myspace.com/thebreakandrepairmethod and make them your friend or you can go their website http://www.thebreakandrepairmethod.com/ and listen to the whole awesome album. Then you will know what greatness truly is.

They played an untitled song and asked what they should call just after they had told a story about playing the night before in Boise. So someone yelled that they should call it Boise, but that's not what he heard. Let's just say it was a pretty dirty word that he heard, so he was shocked that us Mormons would say something like that. But then it got all figured out. These songs rock, really you need to see them live to really get it so here's a youtube of a concert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtpx7BejYe4 it even shows the drummer a bit, so that you get what I'm trying to tell you.

It was during the break between Break and Matt that we heard that David Archeleta was there, up in the sound booth. We couldn't see him very well from where we were, but there were definitely a bunch of people up in that booth. He even vlogged about it! David Archeleta's vlog

He doesn't say too much about it, but it's cool that he was there.

The manager brought out the setlists and while there was one right in front of me I tried not to look at it, I wanted to be surprised. I did see the first song and I also saw that he was going to play "Amazing Again" which, I can tell you that I squealed like a little girl. That's not only my favorite Matt song, it's probably my favorite song ever. But I was getting nervous, the lame guy next to me that kept trying to push me so he could get more in the center was eying it and asked the strange hand if he could have the setlist and they told him he could take it after the concert was over. But then Matt came out, to a Queen song, I'm not sure which one. He came right out and spit his gum onto the setlist by his microphone. The guy didn't look pleased. I was ecstatic! How cool would that be to get matt's gum? Okay I'm a freak, I'm aware of this.

He started off with "Gone" which is really rockin and so much fun. Before "Princess" he of course said how he stole some of the song from Rick Springfield and discovered that "Ghostbusters" And "I Want a New Drug" are pretty much the same song, and played "Living on a Prayer" with "Heaven is a place on Earth" to show that they were also the same song and then said that Rick had nothing on him if those songs could do that.

The crowd was so into his set. The screaming was deafening, after every song, and people were singing along to all the songs, not just the new ones. Before Falling Apart he played the beginning of "In A Big Country" and the original artists have nothing on Matt here, it was beautiful.

I, of course, screamed when he started playing "Amazing Again." I knew it was coming, but still hearing those opening notes I didn't know if I was going to cry or pass out, but it was a totally happy kind of cry. I'd never heard this song live, only on CD or a live recording. He sang the beginning of Losing My Religion during the instrumental part, just like I like it.

For the solo songs he played "Suspended" and during the sing along for the chorus, he said we sounded like we belonged in the tabernacle. He then played "Romeo and Juliet" which is a cover song that I don't love. It's fine, but I would have rather had a Matt song. He was suppose to play Sooner Surrender, but it was nice to get a cover that he doesn't play all he time.

The band came back with "To the Beat of Our Noisy Hearts" which is one of my favorite songs from the new album, so fun. Someone called out for "Come on Get Higher" which is really his "hit single" and he said that somethings in life are guaranteed, death, taxes and that he would play that song.

They did a sing along for Ah-Ha's Take on Me, which was fun, it was a totally lounge version and he had each side of the room take turns on the chorus and then judged who was the winner. It wasn't my side! Oh well, it was really fun. Detroit Waves was the last song of the main set which incorporated Kids in America and I think Eminem's 8 mile too, but only a little bit of that. Then he told us that it was the last song in the main set, but we all knew that they had an encore to play but to scream and clap loud anyway.

They came back with Answering Machine which also has a sing along part and is just an incredible song. Finished up with Come on Get Higher. That's right, make the people wait for it, that's makes the night finish on a positive note. I had my buds help me grab the setlist because that guy didn't even want it! Ha!

Now for the after stuff!

Trish and I bought shirts and Erika finally decided on a hoodie and then we got kicked out of the venue. I was a bit concerned that we weren't going to be able to see Matt. Outside we saw little David Archeleta, he was cute and twee, but I didn't take his picture, he had a small crowd around him posing for pictures and autographs, so good for him, it was nice that he came.

We walked to the back of the venue, security was trying to make us believe we needed to leave, but there was a pretty big crowd. I talked to all of Matt's band and got their signatures on my setlist. I felt dumb because I got a hug from the drummer Konrad, but didn't get a picture with him or any other band member. Some guy saw me and said "This girl is a super Matt Nathanson fan!" I asked him how he knew that and he told me that he was the person that I followed backstage after the Park City show 2 years ago. I can't believe he remembered me, I sure didn't remember him.

We were a bit concerned that Matt wasn't going to some out. It was chilly and they were packing up. Erika and I started talking about how much fun it would be to go and see him in Colorado. A Matt road trip had occurred to me, but more for the Boise show the night before since Boise is only a 6 hour drive, but Colorado never crossed my mind. Erika's brother lives there so we could crash with him. My mind was racing, I totally wanted to go! We had so much fun this night, I wanted it to last.

Matt finally popped out from behind all the vehicles and came over to sign stuff and take pictures. He seemed to recognise us (or maybe at least me and Trish since we had seen him and stalked him so many times) and he signed my set list, we took a few pictures, I told him that I was so excited to hear Amazing Again. And he didn't even know who David Archeleta was! Apparently he doesn't watch crap TV. Except for Gossip Girl. We asked if the Denver or Boulder shows were sold out and he didn't know, but said if they weren't, we should totally come and see them again.

Don't I look so blissful?

We got our pictures and Trish said goodnight. Erika asked me if I wanted to get another picture and of course I did! I also had more stuff in my purse that he could sign, and after the first Boulder show, Trish and I went back and talked to him 3 times! It was nuts! So we hoped back in line. The girls in front of us had Matt call their friend and he sang them the first part of Journey's Don't Stop Believing, and I was so flustered that I didn't get it recorded on my cell phone, but it was lovely. We got up there and posed again for pictures, and I was totally bossing him around, I handed him my CD and told him not to write "willow is the bomb" since I had that on at least 2 other things that were signed at different times. And he was all "Geez, you're giving me orders!" and I told him that I was being so annoying that he would remember me if we got to see him in Colorado. It was weird. I could tell how annoying I was, but it was something I was not able to control. Like when you're really angry and you can tell you are being unreasonable but you can't seem to help it. It was like that. We went back to Erika's and picked up my car, the whole while talking about how fun it would be to go to Colorado and that if it's not sold out we should totally go...

I Must Be A Sight to See

So remember when I said a road trip might be in order? I guess I have the world's best husband, because he's totally fine with me taking off for 2 days. And that's why I love this man. He totally gets me and that I do weird and crazy things. So I may have to report on 2 concerts! Sorry, not a full review tonight, Sundays are a weird day for me, but I'm working on it kids! It will be epic!

I got the gum!!!

He played "Amazing Again"!!!!!! More later on how I annoy rock stars, right now I'm deciding if a road trip is in order....

Fabulous Friday!

I almost forgot to post today! That's how crazy it's been today, what with watching last night's Grey's Anatomy and yoga and lunch and dancing. Work is hard!
So I'm actually touching the computer at home!
Yoga today was hard! It's not a real yoga class, it's a class for students to learn how to be yoga teachers, so today the chick leading us was having us listen to orchestra versions of Metalica. It was a little weird, but it was also tough, and that's what I'm looking for in my yoga. Also, I don't know what all these people are talking about with the farting and yoga. I have yet to pass gas in the yoga setting, maybe because we're doing a more "power" yoga kind of thing. But I thought there would be people breaking wind every which way, and so far (about 2 months in) this has yet to happen. But there's only 2 more weeks of yoga. Sad face! I like it and it gives me something to look forward to during work on a Friday, when usually all I can look forward to is coming home again.
So gas prices, huh? I filled up my tiny car for just over 20 bucks and I was still kicking myself when I saw gas for 4 cents less somewhere else! I could have save 36 cents! Curses! But I'm glad that gas isn't so crazy. (Not the gas for my house, for some reason the rates only go one way for that) but I'm crossing my fingers for under $2 a gallon. Suck on that Europe! (please note that I love Europe and all it's diverse cultures. Except the French, they're just rude { except that guy I met at DisneyWorld, here's looking at you Olivier!}) I love ellipses. They rock my socks. I must be slowly getting into a great mode here at home with all the work stuff slipping away. And the fact that it's just barely over 24 hours until Matt. I've been waiting for this since March! Which was the last time I saw him! But really, if you saw him, you would also be excited for the next time you could see him. So go and see him! www.mattnathanson.com It's a crappy site to maneuver, but that's not Matt's fault, he just plays the rock and leaves the websites for the other people who are less awesome to dealt with it.
Since the concert is starting fairly early I want to just post that tomorrow but my brain could be mush until the next morning, so we'll see how things pan out. But it might just be a picture. But that's a post and that counts!

Gets the Blade

Today actually didn't drag on. It could be due to that work thing that I did for all those hours or the long lunch. But it's almost over my friends! Too bad I'm still full from lunch. And that eclair. Oh man, today has not been the best eating day. I mean, it's been the best, just not for my thighs. Those hot wings, I will never forget thee, O wings of hotness! But it's Thursday, which means great TV opportunities tonight and also some girl time. Which is fun with Hayley, but she's not so good at painting my nails, and her foot rubs? Well the word pathetic comes to mind, but she'll learn, these are the tools to help her be an esthetician after all, I'm teaching her a life skill. Which is more then I can say that school has done for me. I'm ready to pack it all in and go live in the woods. But then the squirrels would sue me because I stole their nuts and I don't even know a good lawyer.
But Thursdays also mean that tomorrow is Friday, the second best day of the week. If I could just sleep in an extra hour on Fridays, it would be the best day of the week. Because there are chores to be on Saturday, but not on Friday! No one cleans the bathrooms on a Friday! That's ridiculous! Of course this Saturday is something that I'm trying not to think about too hard. It's Matt Nathanson day! And while I'm formulating questions in my head, I don't want to think it'll be the "best day ever!" because I don't want to jinx it (but it totally will be!) so oh! look over there! It's something shiny! I think it's the beautiful packaging that Thursdays come in. Yes, new and improved Thursdays. Now with extra lunch hours!

Falling Down Gently Down

So the first real snowfall and it's still snowing!

And my vehicle is the one that sits in the drive way since the garage is full of tools. So even though I am certain to have to drive somewhere every day of the week, I am also the one who will scrap the snow off my car while the other car rests warmly in the garage and may or may not be driven around. But! If I force my hand and get the garage spot for myself, my little one will be forced to get into a freezing car and wait while the snow id shoveled off of it. Winter is full of conundrums. Like why snow is okay in December but it's rather annoying any other time of the year.

The snow is currently "misting" which is a term I just made up, but it's when the snow is so tiny that it's barely anything at all, but yet it's still perceived as snowing. The kind of snow that melts the second it touches your face and leaves a tiny damp mark, like a fairy kiss! Yes! If we connect the snow with happy things, it will be so much easier to drive through.

I think that in spite of the snow, I will actually go workout today. I'm not pleased at having to walk outside, as I've been at work for 5 hours and my toes are still mostly frozen.

But after a workout everything will look better.

Oddly enough Christmas songs have been just popping up on my music player today. Maybe it's time to get out those lights and celebrate the snow!

PS Niki's husband is having surgery tomorrow, so send them some happy thoughts!

Whither the Way?

So I don't want to post about the elections, because that's lame and I'm a totally uninformed voter (for the most part) but I don't want to pretend like it's not there. The big elephant in the room. Who Poops! So just go vote, okay? if more people voted the world would be more awesomer? Okay? Good.
Now that that is out of the way, I will tell you something that I have done some research on. And that's people who blog. Or have websites. This is more then just a blog, it's full on craZy! http://thepioneerwoman.com/ Niki introduced me, but today I really got into this site. Spending the better part of my day there. Not only do I like to read about what she cooks, she wrote the whole story of her meeting and falling in love and marrying her husband. Well, I thought it was the whole story. After getting to last post listed the story just ends! After the couples first real fight! I have to know! Obviously they get married, but what was the aftermath? It's like reading the third book in the Eragon trilogy only to find out that book isn't the end. Except that I haven't read that yet, but I plan on it!
Anyway, as you may have guess from my posting I'm participating in NaBloPoMo, which means something that amounts to Post on your Blog every Freaking day in November.
http://nablopomo.ning.com/profile/willowkist So here we are. I'm going to try it. Although i already cheated by posting Saturdays and Sundays on Monday, but I'm trying, and I think I get points for that.
So I'm out to go vote! Just like a stoat! Come on, you get that reference, right?