The absolute best day of my life

10/6/00

This is going to be unbelievably long, but let me begin. OK, I got to the Arena about 10 a.m. where I met up with Lori and adam_gaynor_girl. We hung around awhile and I was still waiting to find out if I was for sure meeting the guys. Finally, Jana00 came and I led them to the hotel (because I'm from Carbondale). Well, the busses were parked right outside the hotel. Anyway, I was waiting for Jana to come back, so we could drive to the venue when I looked out my venue and who did I see... ROB AND MARISOL. Well, I was in shock contemplating whether I bother them. Anyway, they walked up to the road but traffic was too heavy and they couldn't cross. Then they started walking back and I got up my nerve and got in my car and walked up and said, 'Rob' and he looked at me, so I extended my hand and shook his hand. He was wearing a cream colored button down shirt, jeans and a baseball hat. Anyway, I said my name, Amy, and he introduced me to Marisol and I shook her hand. Then I asked to get a pic of him and M and she asked if she could take a pic of Rob and I instead (I have a new found respect for her). I asked if I was bothering them or disturbing him. I'm really glad I didn't draw a crowd and he said, 'no' and I said, 'are you sure?' and he said, 'no problem' as he walked near me. I got my camera and I got a pic. My legs were shaking so badly at first, I felt I was going to fall over. He put his arm around me and I put my arm around him and we got our pic. Anyway, he repeated my name like 3 - 4 times during the conversation. Then I couldn't wait for Jana anymore so I returned to the Arena.

Jump ahead to about 4:15. Adam_gaynor_girl, Lori, and I all went in the back to find restrooms and I changed my shirt and put on my 'MAD FAN' t-shirt. Then we waited in back to see when the busses pulled up. Well, the busses pulled up shortly after and there was a small crowd. I can't remember who came out first because that is a blur, but each of the guys totally saw my MAD FAN shirt. Adam was like, 'what do we have here' and he saw the front and back and when I asked if he remembers me from the GD he said yes. I got my pic taken with Adam and I did a bad thing. Adam just had surgery on his back and my mind was so freaking out that instead of putting my arm down low on Adam's back, I put it up high. He said he wasn't injured and I felt so bad and kept apologizing. He was OK though. Then, the lady with the camera came up and asked if she could film my shirt which they did (I guess for the live tape... if they make one). Adam signed my poster really cutely I might add (the HONK if you love matchbox twenty sign). Then Kyle came out and said, 'what is that?' in response to my shirt. He thought it was really cool. What was funny was when he was signing stuff I jokingly said, 'Kyle, you have to work on that signature' and he laughed at me. I said, ' for 2 years (exaggerating) I thought you were Brian Yale because I had you 2 confused and since I hadn't met Pookie, that was who I thought he was. Then I asked him not to take offense. I really hope he didn't, but he laughed at me and said, 'that's why they put our name in the CD booklet so you know who we are' and he laughed and smiled at me. I know he meant it sarcastically, but he didn't mean to insult me. I thought it was cute. By the way, going on pictures and not really hearing them live before, I didn't really know who was who, except Rob, Adam, and Paul. Then Rob came out and saw my shirt, which Jana00 already told him I designed it. I just said, 'hello' to him and he said, 'Amy, from the hotel', so he knew who I was. Then Pookie walked on in and didn't come out. Paul then came out and I said, 'Paul, how are you?' and he said, 'good, you' and I said, 'good'. Anyway, he smiled and I said thanks for coming out. Well, that was the bus meet.

Skip ahead another hour. I finally found out I would be meeting the guys. I had thank you cards all made out to them and each one was individualized and each included a power bead bracelet. However, no one knew about the pass except the dj. However, it all got worked out and at 6:30, we were taken back to meet and greet. There were maybe 15 of us. Anyway, all of them came in, and one by one I got pics, autographs and handshakes from the guys. Again, Rob was like, 'hello' and took another pic with me. He even wrote 'hello' on my autograph. I love when he put his arm around my back... ahhh. Then, I met Pookie and I said, 'hi Brian or shall I say Pookie' and he said, 'that's my nickname' so after a pic with him, I said, 'Pookie got da booty' and he said, 'I've seen that around so much. I don't know how it got started and I said my friend started it.' Well, then I dropped my stuff and picked it up and I gave Pookie his card when he said, 'that is addressed to me'. Then Paul came around and I said, 'Paul, I'd like to apologize. I met you in 1997 and all I did was ask for Rob' and he said, 'I get that all the time, and besides, I wake up asking for Rob everyday,' which made me laugh a lot. Then I said, 'I wanted to give you a belated apology' and he said, 'no apologies necessary'. Then I said something really funny. I said,"'do you know why I love talking to you Paul' and he said, 'why?'. I said, 'because we are the same height' and he just laughed. He said, 'it does take away some of the intimidation factor,' and I laughed. I said, 'no,' and smiled at him. Then I got my pic with him. Then I got Adam. OH my, where to begin with this fellow. First of all he was like, 'hey,' and then he said, 'this is my friend Virginia.' Then I said, 'can you do something for me Adam?' and he said, 'I will do anything for you Virginia.' Then I said, 'Can you sign this for me?' and he again said, 'I will do anything for you Virginia.' Then he said, 'thank you for supporting us and coming on the GD and chat room.' And he said, 'Oh, I read your posts.' I said, 'uh oh,' and he said, 'I don't read all of them,' which relieved me. Then he said, 'thank you,' and I said, 'thank you' and we repeated that again and then he said, 'I love you' which he signed on my picture. Then I met Kyle and the first thing he said when he saw my shirt was, 'you got in' and I said 'yes.' Then he noticed my cowboy hat which I had just put on for the meet & greet and he said, 'you didn't have that on earlier, did you?' and I said, 'no.' Then I got a pic with him and I dropped my envelope of cards again. Kyle, such a gentleman, picked them up for me and I gave him his card. He said, 'OH. Presents.' He then opened up to see the bracelet. He said, 'cool. Are these beads,' and I said, 'I don't know if you wear them' and he said, 'well, it's the thought that counts.' Then I asked and got my picture with Jason, which Kyle asked Jason what it is like to be on the other side. Jason, btw, was so nice to take the pictures for me with Rob, Paul, Pookie and Kyle. Thank you Jason."Well, I gave the last of my cards out (the ones that I forgot to give) and the boys left. Then we all left and had to go get into the venue, which the show would be starting very soon

Showtime - Even though I got there at 10 a.m. - the first person - I couldn't get through to where my friends were saving a spot for me, but I got over about 6 feet away from where Adam is. Shelby Lynne was OK. I think she has a good voice, but not my kind of music. Anyway, matchbox twenty came on, opening with 'bent', and they played everything on Mad Season but 'leave' and 'bed of lies'. From YOSLY they didn't play 'shame', 'damn' and 'kody'. \Let me just say I thought the improv through 'Real World' was unbelievable. I love that worldly sound with Kyle and Adam singing 'I wonder what it's like to be the rainmaker' and then Rob singing. It was beautiful. 'The burn' was great live. It was so cool. Rob really moved around. I even saw Marisol and Meridith on the side in front of me and Meridith was dancing. It was funny. I said 'Marisol' and I think she waved at me, but I could be mistaken. Rob was wearing leather and he was so cute and sexy the way he was rubbing his tummy the whole time. YUM!

The after show. After the show was over we all went back out to the busses. We waited about 45 min in the cold. It's about 40 degrees here. Anyway, Pookie was first to come out and he wouldn't sign my thing because he already signed something earlier. Then Paul came out and I said, 'Paul' and he smiled at me. I said I didn't need his autograph again (I just got it twice that day), but I wanted to thank him for such a great show and shook his good hand (you'll know what I mean in a minute). Paul smiled. I congratulated him on his impending marriage and he was saying how 'sweet' Moon was and how she must be good for him to want to marry her. Then I said that she seems really nice. Then he said, 'thank you for the card. That was really sweet,' so he read my card. Paul's hand was bandaged, so I asked him if he was OK and he said he had tendonitis, so I told him I hope he gets better (although I don't think that's something you can treat easily) and he said thank you. I melted. Then Rob came out with Marisol, but she said she was cold and was getting out of it and he gave her a peck on the lips (which someone blocked for me, but that's OK). When he got to me, Rob did sign one more thing for me, because out of the 3 prior times I met him today, I didn't get his autograph. Then I said, 'hello' because he signed that on my picture at m&g. He looked at me and said, 'how was the show?' and I said it was 'great' and he said, 'thank you for the letter. That was really sweet. Thank you' he said in that humble manner as he put his hand on his chest. I could have melted. That was so sweet. Adam's guitar tech, Aidan, came out then and he gave a few of us guitar pics and I got an ADAM guitar pick. WOO HOO! Then Adam came out and said wouldn't sign anything else for me (I wasn't expecting him to because he already signed 2 things). He did smile at me. He was sweet. Then Kyle couldn't come out because he wasn't feeling well and we all left