Thinking and Over Thinking... pt. 1

I promised a recap as soon as I was able to physically, so I am hoping to be true to my word. First of all, I am still hurting, but much better after taking a Flexiril, aspirin, etc. so I could sleep. I've been trying to stretch a little very gently so I don't get really stiff, but it's not too bad now as long as I don't raise my arms too high, too much. LOL I'm really grateful I am not working. My nose is sore, but the small bump went down, and I it really only is actually painful if I put pressure on it, which I have no plans to do. LOL I really do hate pain, actually!! ;) Face it, I'm a weenie. LOL

At any rate, the latest adventures started on Thursday, when I headed out for Graywhale (used/new records, dvds, games.) I ended up leaving at about 2:30 for
Taylorsville to hear Anberlin play an acoustic set at 7 p.m. I know it was really early, but I find being 45 minutes to the north, I can get there really early, or
risk being late. Anberlin is rather popular here, so I was a little concerned if I arrived late that I would not be able to get in, especially since X96 FM was promoting it on the air. So, I arrived very early somewhere around 3:15. I looked around Graywhale, and purchased a Buddy Holly set for $9.99. (What can I say, Peggy Sue was my favorite song when I was 3, and I loved the B side, Everyday.) When you pay for a product, they hand you the cd on the other side of the register so it won't set off alarms. So I had to leave the store and come back. I decided to clean out my car a little while I waited, and listen to my Zune. My original "ear buds" from Zune quit working, so I was using some old CD headphones. I put them on and they snapped, so I went back into Graywhale to see what they had. They had some cheap ones for $4.99 and some pretty pastel ones for $9.99. I bought the pretty ones, and again ended up out of the store. So, I listened to music (Anberlin, of course) for a bit. At one point I went over to Albertson's and bought Stephen some Throat Coat tea and used their restroom. Then I headed back again to Graywhale. This time I found a cd by Waking Ashland (used) and paid probably too much for it, but I didn't have any of their cd's and I really wanted one. Again it was handed to me in a manner in which I pretty much had to leave the store. I think I just put everything in the car and killed a little time, looked at Rite-Aid and their Christmas Trees, and decided to head back to Graywhale to wait for the show. They had put out a bunch of copies of Anberlin's new cd, so I picked up a copy just to be sure I got one, and waited. I ended up sitting on what was to be the stage platform next to a couple and chatted. Finally, some friends I was waiting for arrived, and we chatted and waited by the stage as they set up. Three of the guys played - Stephen, Joey and Christian. The acoustic set was completely amazing. Stephen's vocals were simply unbelievable. He has an amazing amount of volume, too, and at one point sang a line without the microphone. I'm pretty sure everyone heard it just fine. The most memorable songs to me were Daylight Friend, and The Unwinding Cable Car. I was really hoping that in an acoustic set list, UCC would show up, and it did!!! It was absolutely beautiful.






After the set we waited in line to get autographs. Some friends and I waited to ask the guys if they wanted to go to dinner at Wendy's or something (in the same lot) so we waited for the very end of the line. I was planning to get my cd signed (which I purchased while waiting) and ended up getting a free 12x12 poster signed. I love 12x12's because they are scrapbook page sized. LOL I chatted a bit while going down the line. There was a donation box at the end of the line to help cover treatment costs for a 10 year old girl with cancer. The caption on the box made me chuckle. LOL

Finally, the last person went through the line (we were almost the end) and I asked Stephen. He said they would, but they just flew in and were dog tired (I think he said dog bone tired, or something like that) but they would hang out tomorrow night. Nicole (one of the friends) went and told Stephen that she was the one that carved the pumpkin of him, and he got pretty excited about it and thanked her a bunch. We all kept waiting because they said they would do photos at the end.

Finally, after some individual conversations, the guys did pose at the back of the store for photos. Then at the very end, 2 new friends, Diane and Tuyen and I had a pic taken with them. Then I asked Stephen if I could get a copy of the set list for the next night after the show, and he said I should talk to Ping. So we went over to talk to Ping, and Tuyen asked for a guitar pick, and I asked about a set list. He promised he would try to remember to save a copy for me and get her a pick.

Then I stayed and chatted with Diane & Tuyen a while (I did my bad habit thing of talking their ears off) while the Anberlin guys shopped. Then I remembered that I had throat coat tea in my pocket for Stephen and I handed it to him. He thanked me and said he might use it before the show the next day. Just before I told Stephen since there wasn't really many places to eat at Salt Air, is there something they liked to drink that wasn't usually available on tour. He said some of the band likes Dr. Pepper.

Then Dianne & Tuyen talked a little more and I went to Albertson's and picked up some Dr. Pepper, got into my car, headed for the Wendy's, and ate a hamburger before hitting the road for home.

I wondered how I would sleep.

.... end part 1 of the Thinking and Over Thinking