Finally Accomplished Something on My Bucket List

It's entirely possible that I live under a rock. It's not even necessarily a huge rock, but I think I live under it anyway. There are things that I think the average American person has done in their lives that I've never even dreamed of doing or somehow just missed out on. Senior Prom, for example. (That may have been partly my fault for not being a good girlfriend to a great guy, which resulted in us breaking up shortly before prom, and him taking some other skeevy chick instead of me, but that's a whole other blog entry anyway, right?). It's those things that we've always sort of wanted to do but haven't ever been able to do that are on our bucket lists. Last night I finally got to check one off. I went to my first real concert. Well, I guess I have been to one other concert when I took the kids to see Imagination Movers, but does that really count??

Yes, it's true. I am 33 years old and had never been to a concert before last night. I remember when I was in high school begging my parents to let me go see Tiffany with New Kids on the Block at Lake Compounce. Alas, it never came to pass and I think I was the only kid in the entire school who wasn't hangin' tough and had the t-shirt to prove it. That's right, people. Up until last night, I was a concert virgin. I was untouched by the adrenaline rush that comes from being in a huge crowd while some amazing artist is covered in sweat as he performs his finest music. Well, I'm a concert virgin no more...and I think I'm addicted!

A friend of mine at church was given season passes to a series of country music concerts from her husband for Christmas. They were planning to go together, but he was going to be out of town for last night's concert. She read on facebook that I hadn't ever been to a concert, so she invited me. ME!!! For once I was cool enough to be invited to a concert. I was so excited about the big event that I even splurged and brought brand new lip gloss!!!

I got babysitters lined up, purchased a good rain poncho (it was raining and we had lawn seats), applied my fancy lip gloss, put on my cute denim capris and a fancy little top, pulled my hair back, and was ready to go. I could. not. wait.

My friend picked me up and off we went. I was so giddy inside that I just rambled on and on about whatever and probably talked her ear off. Finally we got there, and I was excited just to be in the parking lot. I wondered if I'd find myself under a cloud of someone else's second hand pot smoke or something like I'd heard about from others. Or maybe I'd witness someone making babies out in the grass somewhere. Or maybe I'd see girls taking off their bras and panties and throwing them at the performers. Oooh! Or for a real thrill, maybe I'd witness a riot and see people being hauled off to serve hard time by the police. For the record, I didn't see any of those things and I STILL had an awesome time. I did see some girls in outfits that barely qualified as clothing, lots of beer, and even a couple of mullets. Yep. Country music. It was AWESOME.

When we got there, some vendors were selling seat upgrades for $10, so I sprang for it and got us both upgrades. Oh my gosh! It was so worth it! We were in the center of the ampitheater with the stage dead ahead of us. We got to sit on real chairs that even had cup holders. Cup holders!!! Whoa!

Finally, as the sun went down the first act came on. He was okay and I recognized some of his songs that I could even sing along with. Then it happened. BLAKE SHELTON CAME OUT! He had a five o'clock shadow, wore a denim shirt with a cool design on the back, played the guitar like no one's business, and he was sweating. How do I know he was sweating? BECAUSE I WAS THERE!!! I'm pretty sure he was singing just to me. Well, maybe to a couple of other people too, but mostly just to me. He was amazing, and I think I might have been swooning a little bit. It made me wish Byron was there to share it with me.

Then, BRAD PAISLEY CAME OUT!!! What a performance he gave. He came right out to the audience and played up in the "cheap seats" where we were. He was maybe ten rows in front of me and I was kicking myself for not having my camera with me. There were lights, guitars, an amazing fiddler, people everywhere, and a lot of sweat. What is it about music that makes people sweat?? Who cares? It was so much fun!!!! At one point, Brad invited people to make out to the one song he was singing. I wished again that Byron was there with me because...well, I really liked the friend I was with, but she's not so much my type. I'm really more into dudes that I'm married to. So, instead of making out we sat back and sipped our lemonade while the drunks around us made out.

So, there you have it. One thing is knocked off my bucket list and I couldn't possibly be more thrilled about it. I can't wait to go again!!