My so called life, part 2

It has been a fun, strange, interesting and busy week. I have probably wasted enough time, just the same, to post the rest of this blog at least 2 or 3 times. It's not like I've done nothing at all, but I probably should be doing more, but I'm rather unmotivated. So, mostly I have been editing and uploading photos.

Day 2 of Creation West I woke up rather early -- somewhere in the neighborhood of 7:30 a.m. Now that may not be early for some, but it is quite early for me. I tried to get myself organized for a shower, ate a bowl of cereal and headed off to the showers. The line was not nearly as bad as I had expected and it seems like it went rather quickly. I was still undecided as to what I was going to do for the day. Switchfoot was playing on the main stage in the evening, and I really wanted to see Ruth, Everyday Sunday and MXPX on the Fringe Stage. It was exactly like last year. Everyone I wanted to see on Thursday was on the Fringe stage until 5 p.m., but if I went to the mainstage that late, I wasn't sure I'd be able to see Switchfoot close up and all. Jon Foreman is definitely someone you want to be in the front for. I guess I'm way too spoiled.

I arrived just as Phil Wickham was getting ready for worship and I was glad not to miss it after all. After the message, Phil played the main stage and it was a pretty good extension of what had taken place earlier. Justin Lookado spoke. He's a pretty good and dynamic speaker, although I don't think I quite agreed with everything he said during this day. Some of his points were good, so I can't complain too much. I was really looking forward to seeing Storyside B afterwards. I was not disappointed. :) I was able to see them again later in the day, and subsequent times promoting the Gotee Records booth at the festival. Sometime during the morning, I someone really nice and she tried to save a spot for me for Switchfoot so I could go see MXPX, et al, and I kept her place when she needed to leave. She kept most of my belongings with her. That could have been (and almost was) a disaster. It almost worked. In the end, I did end up in the front, so I guess it did work in a sense. All of the bands on the Fringe stage were pretty good. When I arrived, there was a group playing a rather acoustic set. They weren't too bad. Afterwards, Run Kid Run played , then Ruth. I really liked Ruth, and that is good because I am going to try and see them with Relient K and Switchfoot in November. I was rather surprised to see Jerome of Switchfoot standing at the side of the stage watching. A little bit later he was joined by Andrew. The fact that I recognized Drew must have shown on my face - I hope I wasn't staring. He gave me a little nod, then walked away for a sec, and then came back. I think it's cool that they were able to catch the show. After Ruth, Reggie Dabbs was supposed to speak, but he wasn't able to be there. One of the guys from the Christian Medical Response team spoke instead. I think his name was Dan or Don Diamond. Anyway, I really enjoyed everything he had to say. I wish I would have been able to pick up a copy -- as he was actually one of the better speakers. I did get some good photos of him. LOL Everyday Sunday played a good set, and then it was time for MXPX. All I can say is that I am glad I didn't miss MXPX!! They gave it 100%. The only disappointment on the Fringe stage that day was really the fact that there were barricades there this year. Last year there weren't. It made getting photos a bit more difficult, but I did manage to get a few here and there. It did seem like there was less shade at the Fringe Stage this year, but that could be due to the barricade being further back from the stage since I was at the front both this year and last year.

My other disappointment is that I didn't make the connection that Barlowgirl and MXPX would overlap, so I missed a good part of Barlowgirl's set. I did catch the last 3 songs or so and I heard "Never Alone" which I love, so it was still good. Skillet played after Barlowgirl. I was able to move up to about two or three back, and I kept looking for the girl with my things. At some point I did find her, and she handed my things back to me. I absolutely loved Skillet's set. I was able to get some good photos of Korey Cooper, although it was difficult to get pics of Jon Cooper. I'm still going through them all. The sun was really bright, and it was quite hot, as it was all 4 days. I know that Skillet performed, "The Older I Get" and I just love that song. Then it was time for worship with Phil Wickham again (they really made him work on Thursday!) and he played a lot of what he had played during the morning. I really did enjoy him, though. Someone left after skillet, and I was able to move up to the front. Then Ron Luce spoke (the title of his talk was "Who's brand are you") and Chris Tomlin was coming onstage next. Chris was really quite amazing. The crowd started to get closer and closer for Chris and Switchfoot's sets. Switchfoot was absolutely incredible! Jon gave it 200%. At one point he came down into the crowd, and sang before going back up onstage. He grabbed a cymbal and started banging it during the show, and was just very animated onstage. It was probably the best I've seen them. If there is a video of that show, it will go down as a "Best of Switchfoot" performance!! I was pretty excited to hear them sing Awakening for the first time live. And I have my one usual complaint -- it was just too short. In reality, the set was not at all short, but I didn't want it to end. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end. LOL Afterwards, I stayed to pick up trash as usual, then headed over to the tent to hear Sean McDonald sing. I like Sean. I worked hospitality for shows he was opening at, and he is a nice person as well. Afterwards, I waited to see if he was meeting anyone. He was behind the stage while people were loading in, and there was a short line of people. I didn't know if it was o.k. to go back there or not, so I waited. Several others went back and no one seemed to care, so I followed. I waited while Sean talked to a few people, and then I told him that I had worked hospitality in Salt Lake City. He didn't remember. I told him it was fine that I didn't expect him to remember. I think he felt bad. I told him next time I saw him here he could forget me again. LOL Seriously, I told him that I didn't think he would remember me and I would have been surprised if he had. He was very kind, and we talked for a sec. and he posed for a photo with me. Then I said good-bye, left the tent and saw a cut out for Veggietales and "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything", which of course, reminded me of Relient K. So I had someone take a pic of me with it. I was quite exhausted, so I slowly headed back for my campsite. Then I had something to eat (I think it was tuna and crackers again, some soy milk and a few snacks, found the "not so sweet" Honeybuckets, and turned in for the night. Two more days left. I fell asleep pretty easily.

Well, this is a novella after all as I was sure it would be. Stay tuned for Chapter 3. To cite an old tv program, same bat time, same bat channel. (Yes, that was very cheesy.)

Peace out,

Melanie