LAST EDITED ON 11-10-06 AT 12:03 PM (EST)Let me start this off by saying I suck. I was so rushed to get there. It took me much longer to get there than it took me to get to Cleveland because of traffic (and getting myself lost but we'll not mention that part because it was a straight shot but I needed gas so I had to get off I79 and couldn't figure out how to get back on north. heh. *sigh*). I have no idea which is farther mileage wise but time wise... ugh. I had to go home after work. Home is, of course, in the opposite direction. I emailed the lady who was the contact person for the concert earlier in the day. She told me doors opened at 7. 7?!?!!!!! There is no way I could possibly be there by 7. Rush hour traffic? yikes. So when I was finally on my way, it occurred to me that I forgot to put extra batteries in my purse for my camera. No biggie. I'll just take a few photos. Right? So I get there. Go in. It's this like big auditorium. Much much different than the Cambridge Room at HOB. Much. So I sat in this seat and called a friend I met on Tuesday. She texted Ryan's road/merch manager, michelle, and then texted me to tell me she was in the lobby. duh. That's a good place for the merch table, eh? So I went out there with her. The show started and we went in. We sat in the back and just took it all in. I have to tell you that Ryan in a big auditorium is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. I got to hear "Dance With You" live. And? I got to take the whole concert in with a truly beautiful person. We couldn't get my camera to zoom in without shutting off. I have no pictures... oh wait, no, I have one picture. Ryan joked with the crowd the way he does. He's just an amazing amazing amazing performer. Everything about him is so natural and just so... wow... did I say amazing? After the show, I stood aimlessly and uselessly to the side. I saw Stone running around up on stage so I went to ask him if I could do anything for him. There really wasn't anything I could do, of course. He asked me to run Ryan's jacket out to him or to Michelle so I did that. I was talking to a couple security guards... I use this term VERY loosely because they were 12 year old boys (okay 17 or 18) with yellow t-shirts... and a lady came over and was talking about how many tickets were sold. I don't remember the exact number (I'm so very scatterbrained lately... like, you have NO idea) but it was somewhere between 2 and 3 hundred. Much much different than HOB. Much. I went outside to return some phone calls. I talked to the contact lady, Carla, who was very lovely. Then I spoke with a cute, yet very shy young lady who wanted an interview with Ryan for the school paper (or something... again, I'm scatterbrained). She said he would probably stop the line right in front of her. (We were in the back.) I assured her that he would not. When she finally did get to ask her questions, she didn't write anything down. Ryan made a comment about being misquoted. When she was gathering her stuff, I said, "so ummm.. do you remember his answers to your questions?" She half-heartedly said she did so I made a conscious effort to commit them to memory. I may be scatterbrained but ouRStar will not be misquoted when a Dark Whore is in sight. (I have to figure out how to get a copy of that interview.) I wanted to get another picture of Ryan and I. One that wasn't so freaking funny. ~ though it is pretty ##### priceless, I must say ~ The tambourine chick offered to take it (the interview girl offered to take it but ran out the door) and it shut off on her. Dead batteries. Michelle took a few with her camera (that I don't necessarily like). I walked to their car with them and felt my heart sinking. In that short walk, every single memory I have of Tuesday and Thursday night flashed through my brain for the millionth time. I realized how much this has meant to me and how very true it is when I say these people are beautiful and amazing. This comes not only from a fan but from somebody who has had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with them. There were lots of hugs. Lots of tears when I got to my car. Grateful and overwhelmed tears. Sad tears because I have NO idea when I'll see them again. Happy tears because I am SO honored to have had this opportunity. I can't wait for the day when those of you who haven't been able to meet him/them get that chance. I'll always remember my first time... "just let go and you'll feel alive"
If Ryan Star comes anywhere near you, anywhere, go. You won't be sorry and it will be something you will remember forever.
Beautiful. Amazing. Magical. All pretty overwhelmingly so.
oh yeah... Ryan shaved... and he had the ring.