I'm heading out for adventures.

My favorite band has announced that they will be staying in for 2011. No shows. This might make life easier, it might make it weird. I don't know- I've never done it before.


Some of my favorite/funny memories:


Gorge, Washington, 2005.
 Priscilla and I had (luckily) gotten into the venue after I realized I had left our tickets home in California. Bonehead. We were looking through a knothole in the fence at the band backstage. I guess Dave saw eyeballs in the wood, because he waved. I jumped back and didn't really think he was waving at MY eyes. Priscilla reassured me by saying, "Vanessa- he wasn't waving at a fence." I was sure it was love. How did he know it was me?!?!


We later found our seats  and were in them hours before the show started. Priscilla and I had matching bracelets, so we started pretending they were time control devices/voice transmittors. You know, just to pass the time. We would clank them together to boot up some energy, then spin away on an intergalactic trip. We were laughing so hard. I also practiced my hippie dancing. I looked SO GOOD. Later that evening, a crew member with the hots for P took us out for drinks. He told us that they had been watching us on the monitors backstage. Sweet.


Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, 2004
Priscilla came up for the trip. There was a suspected drug dealer named Dino, his cronies, lounge passes that we didn't know what to do with, crepes, Dave smiles, wristbands to get close to the stage, and stalking the hotel after the show. Priscilla stayed an extra week to drive up to Washington with me on a whim. We drove 16 hours to see Dave Matthews play like 8 songs. It was so awesome. He saw us, I got butterflies. So happy. Priscilla had no sneakers, so she wore some cheer shoes I happened to have in my car. It was freezing, we were broke. A boy bought us pizza, and I think it was our only food other than the breakfast my dad had bought for us that morning. I almost did a back handspring in a taco bell on the way home because a guy said he would give us $100 if I could flip. I also got a speeding ticket. I hope Priscilla is actually with me one of the times I get to talk with Dave Matthews. She has paid her dues. The ultimate wingman. We laughed so much.


Vegas, 2007
Jessica drive out from Utah to meet me. A friend got us lounge passes and tickets, we were super cool in the hospitality area. Jessica got her song, and everyone around us gave her a hug and congratulated her on it. We got up to the front, like 5th row, and Jessica realized she couldn't find her lounge pass sticker anywhere. We looked around, and then I said, "Jess- is that your lounge pass stuck to that guy's back?" It had somehow affixed itself to a dancing man in front of us. We gently peeled it off of his happy little hawaiian shirt.
We took an entire package/roll of Oreo cookies from the lounge and sat outside on a curb in Vegas, happy as clams, laughing and eating our Oreos. My friend called and asked if we wanted to go see Prince, because dmb was going, and we could join them. Not sure if it was a lie, or if we just got uninvited, because we never saw no Prince. We met some fellows and hung out until 6 am. We laughed and walked around and ate breakfast.
 I told the guy that we had been sharing a timeshare with that I had to leave like 5 hours before I actually did. He thought Jess was dropping me off at the airport, but I actually just had her drop me off at the other end of the strip, then took a cab hours later.


Gorge, Washington, 2007
Best Gorge trip EVER. Awesome seats every night, thanks to a special friend. I wrote a blog saying I'd love to hear The Stone. The next night, they played it for the first time that summer, and Dave looked at me and POINTED. Make of it what you will. My heart was so happy. Damien laughed at my sign making and blogging efforts at first, but he came to appreciate them as time went on.


Texas, 2007
Wayne said we had 10th row seats. He gave me my ticket, said, "Go see if you like the seats," and walked away. I walked down the aisle, and kept walking....and walking.....and walking. 2nd row. Center. Wayne had fibbed. I was standing there, out of my mind, so happy. I looked over to the side of the stage, and Dave was sitting there, looking. We shared some smiles and waves all on our own. I'm sure I was blushing like a maniac. No one else was around my seats yet. He is almost never on his own, from what I can tell. It was one of my favorite things. Looking up while he played that night felt mighty special. The girl next to me asked, "Do you guys know each other or something?" Nope. Not at all. What a nice man.


There are many more....but I'm tired. Blowing kisses, laughing, following following following. One day I will write it all out. For my memoirs.


Anyway, I've been more reserved the past couple of years. In 2007, I decided I would go nutso, and then that would be IT. It was an effort to live a life outside of planning around The Dave Matthews Band. I was obsessed, I was crazy, I wanted too much recognition for my insanities. The keyboard player used to tease me about my determination to stay away after my crazy summer. I saw the band 12 times in 2007, and just 9 times since then. I was supposed to feel like I won, but I just felt like I was missing out. I want to run back in, guns blazing. I'm gonna. All I can do, I will do. You friends in other states can expect a visit from Vanessa!


This song has been on repeat for me for the past day. The opening line is funny if you know that "Where Are You Going" is a dmb song. Hyuk hyuk. Mr. Matthews, this is what I think of your tour break.

The big break up

I've said it before, but I keep going back. This time, I'm keeping my word. We're breaking up, Soda.

I know, you look so refreshing and, according to this particular ad, very inexpensive. Lies!

If I eat at a restaurant 3 days a week (not counting the times I just swing by a fast food joint drive thru for a soda), I spend at least $6.00 on soda. At least. 3 sodas for the cost of a 24 pack of canned soda. This is not making sense, because I ALSO buy 24 packs of soda to have at my house. So, every two weeks, $5.00 on a 24 pack, plus $12.00 (or more) on soda while out and about. That is almost $450 per year. I don't have an extra $450 per year for that kind of monkey business.

Also, my waistline has been asking me, "Hey- Nessa. What gives? We used to be so tiny....we used to love to buy new clothes. Now you're all grouchy about us. What happened?" Waist, I'm sorry. Soda happened. You know I don't love that diet stuff, so I feed you lots of sugar. It won't happen again. We'll go buy new pants someday soon. I'll have an extra $450/year in my budget for those sorts of things.

So, its been 2 days. I had a half of a small McDonald's coke on Friday, then none on Saturday. Friday night I slept for almost 12 hours, Saturday I napped for 3 hours and STILL went to bed by 10:00. My poor body was so tired, and the caffeine had us fooled. I think I'm all caught up now, having slept for another 10-11 hours last night. We should be good to go. Energetic, $450 richer bikini body, get ready. I'm sure we can rule the world. Who cares if we still drool a little about the thought of a Coke? Not me! I win!

The Longhouse

This past Saturday, a family friend turned 70. We celebrated by enjoying an evening at The Longhouse in Gilroy. People flew and drove in from all over. The party was for Roy McMeans, a drummer who actually toured with Elvis Presley. My dad came down for a few days, and it was nice to spend time with him without any home improvements involved at all.

The shirt my dad is wearing is from the club he and my mom worked at. She was a bartender, he played the music. The club closed in the late 80's, I believe. That shirt has got to be 30 years old. He got a lot of happy comments from friends that used to go regularly to line dance, party, then head to my parents' place for the AFTER party.

Uncle Johnny loves going dancing. He must have called my mom and I 15 times during the week before just to confirm we'd pick him up and drive him to the party.

We can pretend I got up there and belted out some amazing song, but truthfully, it was a little (a lot) rough. Haha. Oh well- next time! I just like the pictrue of my dad and I on the bandstand.

Inspiration

Yesterday, I stumbled across this blog.

It is a big, beautiful love story. I felt a little hesitant about sharing, because I don't know her, or the family, or anything, but I was compelled to do so, and I try to never hesitate when I feel my directions are coming from somewhere beautiful (Wow- I used that word twice. It really is, though). Plus, she has been on Oprah and Today, and I am just late to the party.

I won't tell the story. It will piece itself together as you read. She speaks of her faith and her love, and I almost remember such blind devotion. Sometimes I feel a little lost, being out on my own, religion wise. I wish I had scriptures to turn to that confirmed for me what I believe. I believe in love, integrity and morality, but my idea of morality seems to vary from the norm when it excludes the love part. It will happen. I'll find my scriptures one day, and I'll find my forever love. I'm not worried. This blog helped me realize that.