Long Time No See...

"So here's to all the ties we've tied..."

I know that it's been a long ass time since I've actually blogged here... I've attended many shows since the last time we last saw each other here. Don't worry. I am about to catch you up on ALL of them. (Edit... I only have time tonight to make it through HALF of STL... I am so sorry... I will do the best I can to get everything else to y'all soon... comments might help motivate me. *wink*)

I hope that you have a fucking comfortable seat. Grab yourself a cup of coffee or your preferred beverage and enjoy the read; I hope I don't bore you too much. If you do, however, make it through the entire thing, I would love to hear from you and read some of your feedback.

I have been called out twice on the fact that my posts here are no longer passionate and that they don't seem "genuine". I have to agree with you there. I am sure that y'all (who are perceptive) have noticed a difference in my writing style from when I saw the boys in Nashville (November) to when I saw them in Tulsa the first time (January) and then I am sure the ultimate changes in my writing style came around the Las Vegas time... (late January)

I could actually give you one very specific reason for why that is... I am not going to say it aloud, but if you're smart, you'll figure it out.

I will try to be as honest as possible... I don't mind sharing some of my memories with y'all, however so many of them are so large and special that I wish to keep them to myself and share them with my close friends. (Some of them I don't even share with my close friends... if that tells you anything...)

Memories are something very different for me. I have mentioned before that I don't have the greatest memory. Almost as soon as something happens to me, it leaves me... so I have enlisted my best friend Jennifer to help me out with the details for these previous shows I am about to recall. (Save for Louisville, she wasn't able to attend that one.)

But while on the topic of memories... those that I do remember I can recall perfectly; every touch, scent, emotion... the way a voice rings perfectly in my ear... the words said... sometimes *those* things are what sustain me... what help me press on until my next whatever.

You know... if you go back into my blogs far enough (I believe I started this shit back in 2008...) I was once so blatantly honest because I knew that no one read it. Now, I unfortunately have to censor myself for so many reasons... but like I said, I will try to be as honest as I can and divulge as much as I am comfortable with. ;)

I believe we last left off in St. Louis... oh lord, St. Louis.

STL is a four hour drive from Kansas City and we arrived there around 10ish... right across the street from Vintage Vinyl was a Starbucks... Lord, I have never been so happy to see a Starbucks in my life. :) Hello, Venti Iced Coffee...

The performance and meet and greet was at 1... they were a sight for sore eyes when they finally got there. :) Got a pretty awesome high-five from the BFF upon his arrival and got smiles and "hello"'s from the rest of the boys... the set was short and sweet...

I hadn't slept the night before, I didn't eat that day and the only thing I had had was my Venti Iced Coffee... while standing in line for the meet and greet, I nearly passed out. I managed to distract myself, thankfully, by looking at Zeppelin records and taking pictures of The Shins gold record mounted on the wall... by the time I got up to the boys the moment [of exhaustion] had passed. Thankfully.

Lisa went before Jennifer and I to give the boys their gift, she gave Jackson a little monkey dressed up as a vampire and he laughed, he was about to sign it and she said, "no, that's for you!" He said "Oh, well I could always autograph it to myself," and he chuckled... I chimed in and said, "To Jackson... Love, Jackson," and he laughed.

Lisa gave Jerad a sticker for the van of a guy in a mohawk spanking a monkey. (In the literal sense.) Jerad fucking ADORED it and Jackson said, "Jerad loves to spank his monkey..." I facepalmed. XD

So... then it was our turn... Jerad was first. I was sooo ready to give him his special present. :D

I had made bracelets for Jay and Jerad with special little charms on them. Jerad's was a friendship bracelet, Jackson's had a charm in the shape of Texas.

I gave the bracelet to Jerad and he said, "I have been waiting for this moment for SOOO long!" I giggled my ass off.

Jay's reaction to the bracelet was just as adorable, however, one that I am keeping to myself.

(I have the left piece to the bracelet and Jerad has the right.)

The boys wore the bracelets for the next four shows after that. :)

So I was basically the happiest girl on the planet for a while... :D

Gave Jay some plaid duct tape. Thought he was going to spontaneously combust from happiness. Gave Johnson a slinky. He is now prepared to be awesome.

So we went straight to the venue after that... we didn't get lost this time around. Jennifer and I have a knack for getting lost in STL... so we were prepared to spend hours trying to find the venue... I don't know what it was, but thank our lucky stars, we were the first ones there. :D

Tin Tin Can arrived shortly after we did and I almost fangirl'd out on them. (As I type this I am wearing my Tin Tin Can shirt that I got in Nashville... Fucking love them like a fat diabetic loves cake smothered in ice cream and topped with rainbow sprinkles... They ARE my rainbow sprinkles.)

They were having trouble getting into the venue to set up... I felt bad. Eventually Lisa asked the venue where the boys could load in and then I went over to TTC (who was across the street playing basketball... all four of them... just over there alone... *hyperventilates*) to tell them. I nearly fell down in front of them. Twice.

They thanked me and I gushed at them, telling them how stoked I was to see their set that night. Later they came out and took pics with us.

BEST PICTURE EVER:

FUCKING ADORE.

I wish I could have rainbow sprinkles daily because they are so awesome.

Meanwhile, I actually hate sweets, but I digress... (*Willow*)

I hate to leave y'all hanging there, however I have to meet a friend for dinner... so I will see you again soon. I promise to not let it go as long as I have. Also, I am almost done editing Tulsa photos. Kansas City was just loaded up to my private Facebook acct... will load them up to my pages in a day or so. I am sure that you'll be able to catch them on Jackson Rathbone Online soon however.

Rock on,

Jodie