June 12, 2017
It's not about getting your photo taken with or of your favorite artist or band to impress others or to have something to boast. It's about living in the moment and creating a connection during the performance. Capturing a single or few photos is sufficient enough to recall one of many thrilling days you'll experience while you're here. You don't have to share the experience verbally or show with a photo to prove it happened. Take a single photo and then live in the precious time you're given.
It's not about meeting the artist or band to get that photo or autograph. It's about having the chance to connect, relate stories, and ultimately binding and strengthening the circle with an unbreakable bow. It's about giving thanks for the sacrifices it takes to create music and to tour: being vulnerable to compose the music, forcing oneself to dark and light places of the soul in order to articulate haunting lyrics or instrumental notes, and being absent during monumental moments in family members' lives.
It's not about proving you can afford the VIP treatment. It's about going the extra mile to invest in the artist's or band's craft; what you gain from it is invaluable and truly can't be bought. The positive impact music provides isn't a single, tightly-pressed package you find on a store shelf. If you have the means to do so, then great! If you don't, that's okay too; appreciation is often found in the simple, little things, such as writing thank-you letters or dropping off the artist's or band's favorite food!
It's not about indulging in only the one-on-one time you get. It's about completing full circles as a group and between you and the other fans. Watching another fan's smile - sometimes even tears of joy - during a meet and greet is a beautiful moment to witness. The joy others experience can easily make you joyful, too. Don't be afraid to start conversations with other fans; everyone is already part of an exclusive, special group! Don't lose sight of your family or friends being in this with you, too. If you're blessed with that opportunity, seize it.
It's not about proving you're the biggest fan by parading the plethora of memorabilia you own, memorizing all the lyrics of every song and never missing a beat, or having a tattoo dedicated to the artist or band. It's about expressing yourself in the ways that feel most right, doing what makes you feel good and things that respect the music and people associated with it, following your heart, and deciding the right time - if at all - to visibly show the fandom to others. Who's to say there are right or wrong ways to show you're a fan? There isn't one definition of how that looks.
Never be ashamed to admit you're a fan - "just a fan" or "a confidently committed and passionate fan" - of an artist or a band. Heck, this holds true for sports fans, movie fans... fans of anything! Truth is, you're never the only one. No matter your level of fandom, the circle isn't complete without you.
The best Vertical Horizon concert experience to date.
June 4, 2017
It's officially summer concert season! Looks like this fan-girl is going to splurge not just this summer, but this whole year. Ahh!
Like the crazy woman I've been more and more since the start of 2017, I decided to go to two Vertical Horizon shows -- including one VIP package -- within three days. Was it worth it? Definitely!
It's officially summer concert season! Looks like this fan-girl is going to splurge not just this summer, but this whole year. Ahh!
 |
| HOME Bar, June 2, 2017. |
Come spring, come baseball and baseball movies!
May 27, 2017
I've changed the URL to my blog to "mudanemandaa", as I did with the rest of my social media. Being a Muskie will never change. Despite my tendencies to follow routines and order as much as possible, change is sometimes wanted, needed and totally okay. In honor of this post being baseball-centric, here are some softball-related photos of yours truly back in the day:
Yeah, you can clearly tell I loved the sport.. ha. I don't have any action photos with me; let's hope the old man keeps those somewhere safe back in Illinois.
I've changed the URL to my blog to "mudanemandaa", as I did with the rest of my social media. Being a Muskie will never change. Despite my tendencies to follow routines and order as much as possible, change is sometimes wanted, needed and totally okay. In honor of this post being baseball-centric, here are some softball-related photos of yours truly back in the day:
Yeah, you can clearly tell I loved the sport.. ha. I don't have any action photos with me; let's hope the old man keeps those somewhere safe back in Illinois.
I'm still going to love Alan and 'love today.'
May 7, 2017
The other morning at the gym, I had a random thought to check Alan's IMDb page to see what films or appearances were in the works. A brief moment later, I had to stop what I was doing. Oh yeah. Holy shit, I said to myself with a trembling grin, now that's a depressing, disappointing thought.
The other morning at the gym, I had a random thought to check Alan's IMDb page to see what films or appearances were in the works. A brief moment later, I had to stop what I was doing. Oh yeah. Holy shit, I said to myself with a trembling grin, now that's a depressing, disappointing thought.
"Don't tease me about my hobbies...
May 2, 2017
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
It's hard enough as it is,
to let you into my life
to let you bear witness to my insecurities
to let you see how the anxious-ghosts control me.
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
These hobbies are not true to definition,
not quite fun and games
not quite leisure-like activities
not quite my choice, if were able to have one.
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
My struggles are not for your entertainment,
the decision on how monthly income is spent
the decision to make use of my already low social energy
the decision of my food intake beyond its obsessive-compulsive routine.
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
The past haunts me to follow these pursuits,
my fear of not having money to spend
my fear food inflict sickness I attempt to prevent
my fear I'm disappointing you all professionally and personally.
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
I'm the only who has to embrace the routine,
getting through the day with an imposter's smile
getting through all my obligations finding an unrushed breath
getting through the what-ifs of tomorrow every fucking day.
Tease me about my hobbies.
Adding another anxiety isn't a concern at this point,
like another dent to a bashed-up car
like another ghost in line with a mafia of them trailing my thoughts
like another match in the flame keeping a boil to my panic-attack cauldron.
Tease me about my hobbies.
I have to live through them
no
matter
what.
... I don't tease you about being an asshole." - Mark, in the movie Garden State.A poem, titled: Don't Tease Me About My Hobbies
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
It's hard enough as it is,
to let you into my life
to let you bear witness to my insecurities
to let you see how the anxious-ghosts control me.
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
These hobbies are not true to definition,
not quite fun and games
not quite leisure-like activities
not quite my choice, if were able to have one.
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
My struggles are not for your entertainment,
the decision on how monthly income is spent
the decision to make use of my already low social energy
the decision of my food intake beyond its obsessive-compulsive routine.
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
The past haunts me to follow these pursuits,
my fear of not having money to spend
my fear food inflict sickness I attempt to prevent
my fear I'm disappointing you all professionally and personally.
Don't tease me about my hobbies.
I'm the only who has to embrace the routine,
getting through the day with an imposter's smile
getting through all my obligations finding an unrushed breath
getting through the what-ifs of tomorrow every fucking day.
Tease me about my hobbies.
Adding another anxiety isn't a concern at this point,
like another dent to a bashed-up car
like another ghost in line with a mafia of them trailing my thoughts
like another match in the flame keeping a boil to my panic-attack cauldron.
Tease me about my hobbies.
I have to live through them
no
matter
what.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)