Mixtape Festival Feedback

I've mentioned that I submitted feedback to ground(ctrl) about the Mixtape Festival. I figured I'd share that feedback with all of you since some people were curious. These are purely MY opinions. Some people LOVED Mixtape Festival. But for the amount of money I spent on my VIP, I don't feel like I got my money's worth.

My Mixtape Feedback:

"I wanted to send an email about my experience and thoughts about the first Mixtape Festival in Hershey, PA. I KNOW you have probably gotten lots of feedback via angry tweets, happy tweets and possibly even face-to-face confrontations in PA. But I wanted to actually think about my feedback before sending it to you, hence this email. I hope you take this as "constructive feedback" rather than complaining or whining.


I purchased the VIP Side A ticket for me and another friend. We travelled to the festival from Michigan. Overall, I walked away from the weekend happy with my experience. My favorite band is NKOTB.

- I was able to see them perform TWICE in a weekend

- I had a pretty decent view of them for both shows

- I got a M&G with them that was wonderful.

- I experienced new bands that I now love.

- I REALLY loved how as soon as one artist ended on one stage, another artist started right up on the other stage. There wasn't any waiting around to hear music!

- And the softball game was my favorite part! Such a nice change of pace!

However, amidst all of this enjoyment, there were some very frustrating parts. The absolute outstanding problem was there were WAY too many VIP tickets sold. WAY TOO MANY. And for the price we paid, that was very disappointing.

When I was purchasing my ticket, I expected the Side A VIP to be a very small group of people. Maybe 200 maximum (although I was hoping for less). I knew at that rate, the chance of getting a ticket was slim, but I was ok with that because if I DIDN'T get the Side A, that just meant I didn't have to pay as much. But if I DID get Side A, I thought I was going to get some exclusive perks that were intimate and special. When I arrived at Mixtape, I realized I was completely wrong.

I don't know how many Side A tickets were sold. That was another thing that bothered me - the complete secrecy leading up to the event about how many VIPs were sold. I've heard rumors about the numbers and was horrified by them (but they were rumors, so I take them with a grain of salt). I could see with my own eyes that there were FAR TOO MANY people who had a Side A VIP. SO MANY that it was NOT a VIP experience.

- The lines were insane. Initial check-in was just about the worst way to start off a weekend (I'm sure you agree with that statement too). I don't think your staff or anyone else was slacking off, but I think it was because you completely oversold the VIP tickets.

- The VIP parties were fun, but very crowded. There was a small amount of room to breathe, but again, I did not really feel like a VIP there.

- The Meet & Greet lasted FOREVER for NKOTB. The guys were very gracious and spent time with each of us, which lead to them being there an entire 2 hours longer than they had planned.

- I never got a massage because the line was too long.

- There was ALWAYS a line for the bathrooms, but if you went into the stadium to the GA bathrooms, there wasn't a wait.

- Even the parking lot was a mess. We had to walk literally a half mile to our car at 1:00am, in the dark, because so many "VIPs" had taken the closer parking spots.

Besides the sheer number of VIPs, there were some other issues that could have been better. I'm sure you've already realized what some of these are since things were changed between Friday to Saturday, but I'm still going to state them here just so you know where I stand. Who knows - maybe some of these will help to inspire new ideas for next time:

- The tickets should have been sent out earlier. My receipt said the estimated ship date was 7/27. My ticket was shipped two weeks after that estimate and arrived 2 days before I left town for Hershey. A bit too close for my comfort.

- Side A VIP & Side B VIP should have ALWAYS been separated by barricades - in both nights of concerts, VIP parties, M&G, and the softball game. I know you realized this on Saturday and did so, but I also noticed I had Side B people STANDING in front of me (still don't know why they stood when they had chairs) at the softball game. For $750 (plus ENORMOUS fees), I guess I expected to FEEL like a VIP. To NOT wait in line, to NOT feel like cattle being herded around to just wait and wait. And I expected to get MORE than those who paid $500 per ticket which didn't happen until Saturday night. Friday was VERY frustrating.

- Don't build up that we're getting exclusive gifts then just give us a cup and a bag. Especially after we've just paid a total of $750 per ticket. If you're going to give us items like that, just don't mention them beforehand and let them be a small surprise.

- If you anticipate lines during a outdoor summer concert, having a tent over parts of the lines would be phenomenal. Maybe even bring the Aquahydrate out to those in line. We're not spring chickens anymore and standing in sun and heat is not really a good idea.

- We were told we would have "Access To VIP Compound: upgraded restroom facilities, baggage check, pampering areas, snack/beverages, misting tents, private merchandise booths". There were NO misting tents and there were NO private merchandise booths. In fact, when my friend went to the main merchandise area on Saturday she found there weren't even any XL shirts left and is pretty upset about that.

- Despite being told that "you will be able to check your bags throughout the day, at night, and during the after parties at the VIP tent" the only time I tried to check a bag (during an after party), I was denied and told 'pick-up only'".

- I was personally not affected by this, but we were told that all ages were permitted at the festival, however we were not warned about Steel Panther and The Dan Band having extremely inappropriate language and I think many parents were shocked by that. A disclaimer next to the band name probably should have been provided.

- When we purchased tickets we were told "Golf cart/shuttle access to/from events/venues", which I was kind of excited about. But then we were told all activities were close enough to access. The Shecky's Girls Night Out was very far from the VIP tent, therefore I don't know anyone who made it over there. However, if we had golf carts, I'm sure more would have made it over there.

- As I entered the softball game I was not told where to sit except for small signs mentioning VIP seating. As the game ended, a friend showed me a towel she had received as she entered. We did not get one offered to us at all. I was also told there was some sort of breakfast that was free? But that was not told to me until we were leaving either so we didn't get to enjoy that perk.

Again, I know this was the first year, and things are never perfect the first year. But after this experience, unless I am GUARANTEED specific perks next time and told how many VIP tickets are available, I do not think I will do another VIP event through groundctrl or Mixtape. I was let down too much this time to have to have the problems repeated again. I believe many of my friends feel the same way. At the time that the craziness was happening, it was really hard not to wonder if the people behind the event were just unethical people trying to make money. I'd like to think that isn't the case, but would need some guarantees of specifics in writing next time to be sure it isn't.

I do appreciate all of the hard work you and your staff put into this. The part of the festival that everyone (including those in GA) got to experience really was WONDERFUL. Great artists, well done concerts, good venue, and lots of fun. But the VIP pieces need some work. And a LOT LESS PEOPLE. Please.

Thank you.


In all fairness, I wanted to include the response I got from ground(ctrl). I was surprised to get a response at all, but after I read it, it seemed to be a lot of them being defensive and also some canned responses. I STILL hope they take my suggestions to heart and consider some improvements in the future:

Thank you for contacting ground(ctrl) support.


We are sorry to hear that aspects of this VIP package did not meet your expectations. We appreciate that you have taken the time to let us know what happened, especially since you have been with the fanclub for such a long time. As with anything new, MixTape Festival was a learning experience for everyone involved. It’s virtually impossible to predict everything that could go wrong and the staff, artists and management teams all learned lots of ways to improve the festival for future years. That being said, w will address your comments in the order you wrote them.

We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed about having to wait in line to get checked in. It is very normal and standard that patrons of a music festival with so many people in attendance are going to be waiting in line for a while. The vendors were sent out as a convenience to the patrons waiting in line. Several fans expressed their gratitude about having access to water and ponchos without having to leave their place in line. Please note that the schedule of events was posted online for weeks leading up to the festival and if you chose to leave the grounds to go back to your hotel to check-in, change and eat just as the first acts were starting to come on the stage then ground(ctrl) can not be held responsible for that decision.

As soon as Kelly Clarkson wrapped up her performance, the after party was starting in the VIP tent. People were being checked into the after-party tent as soon as the NKOTB performance wrapped up. Once Kelly Clarkson finished her performance there was virtually no line to get into the after party. Also, please note that there were barriers in the after party, ensuring that VIP Side A holders were at the front (near the stage) and the Side B holders were near the rear of the tent. Water was free for every VIP holder and the staff on hand tried their hardest to keep the supply stocked and accessible to all the fans who were there.

The NKOTB meet & greet was an event that was added by NKOTB to anyone who bought a VIP package and was NOT something that was listed in the item description of the Side A VIP package. The band members originally were just going to line the girls up and say hello to them as they came through the line and at the last minute they decided to allow professional photos to be taken as well. While every fan wishes they could have more time with the guys, we have to keep the line moving to ensure that the guys had enough time after the meet and greet to go back and rest before their big performance. Essentially, the meet and greet ended up being more exciting than planned as the guys decided to allow photos to be taken (which are now posted to the MixTape website for you to look at and download!)

All VIP ticket holders had front row seating to the rock’n’jock softball game and VIP ticket holders were also selected at random to not only be bat girls but also to play in the game alongside the band members. The stadium sold the $10 admission tickets to the game, not ground(ctrl). We still made sure all VIP ticket holders had priority seating and additional perks despite other people being in attendance.

Everyone involved tried their hardest to ensure that all fans would have a great time. The VIP tent was a great resting area in between sets and many fans enjoyed that they had a place to hide from the rain, the sun and all while conversing with fellow fans and sipping on drinks.

We do thank you for writing in and letting us know all the positive aspects of your experience and all the things we can work on to make next year even better! We review all customer submissions and appreciate the feedback.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

ground(ctrl) Support

Just what I needed

Yesterday I saw a woman who has met me many times in the past, yet she still didn't recognize me and didn't realize we had met before. This got me thinking... I am not a memorable person. I never have been. I bet half of my high school would say they had never seen me before. Of course I have friends who know me well, but those people who have brief interaction with me typically don't remember me.

This is a huge reason why Joe McIntyre remembering who I am is so meaningful to me. It took me a long time to even believe he knew who I was. My mind couldn't accept that a man who sees thousands of women each night could recognize me while people who were in my math class of 30 people did not. I will never forget the first time he proved he knew me. I was floored. If I hadn't been a Joe girl already, I sure would have been after that moment.

NKOTB is amazing. Its as if they have this wonderful ability to pinpoint our insecurities and boost us up. Feel unmemorable? Joe will remember you. You think you're ugly? Donnie will tell you you are beautiful. You think your handmade bracelet for them is cheesy and lame? Danny will put it on immediately and love it. Having trouble sleeping at night because of all of your problems? Log on to Twitter and chat with Jon. He'll lighten your mood. Think you aren't very smart? Talk to Jordan. (I'm kidding! I just couldn't think of anything really good for him.) I think that is one of the reasons we have embraced them so eagerly - they have given us so much of what we have needed. Not only an escape from our troubles, but also love, support and confidence.

So, to NKOTB - thank you. Thank you for making so many of us feel like the most special person in the room.

Heather's Favorite Things!

It's the hottest ticket in town! My favorite things!

Well, not really. You aren't getting any of this stuff for free from me. Sorry. But my tastes are much more affordable than Oprah's so you can just go out and buy this stuff on your own! These are some of my most favorite things! I hope if you invest in any of these items that they give you as much joy as they have given me!

1) Power Up MP3-8370 4-Way iPod Charging Kit - $39.99 on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Power-MP3-8370-4-Way-iPod-Charging/dp/B000QTTKSS

Sounds sexy, doesn't it? But trust me, this thing is a LIFESAVER! This kit has a plug that goes into a computer, a wall or a car. It can charge your Blackberry, your iPod, or even my GPS. I love this thing so much, I carry it around in my purse all of the time. And it has totally earned its way into my favorite list - when my two friends and I had to drive from Boston to Michigan because of a snow storm, we realized we weren't going to be able to charge our phones or the iPod because we only had wall chargers. THEN I found this baby in my purse! We charged all of our stuff and had a great unexpected road trip!

2) Picnik.com photo editing website - Free for some features, $24.95 for Premium membership
http://www.picnik.com/

If you follow me on Twitter, you've been seeing the products of me using this site. Picnik.com is a really easy-to-use photo editing site that allows you to do fun and goofy things to photos, but also to do more subtle touch-ups to photos that can make a good photo a great photo. You can erase wrinkles, add a tan, clean your teeth, give yourself different color eyes and highlight your hair. You can also add a hat, turn a photo black & white and add a watermark. Picnik.com also works with Flickr.com (a photo storage site) so if you have photos on Flickr, editing your photos is only a click away.


3) Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau de Toilette - $69.00 for 1.6 oz at Sephora
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P110113&categoryId=B70

One day on Twitter @katewhinesalot was saying how several people had stopped her and told her she smelled wonderful. She said it was this new perfume she had just bought. I had been looking for a new perfume and had to know what kind would make random people stop and sniff! She told me it was Narciso Rodriguez. I searched and found out my "small" town didn't carry the fragrance. Macy's said they do in their big city stores, but not in Lansing, Michigan. So I went online and without ever smelling this stuff in person, I took a chance and ordered a bottle of it. I loved it! Its a musky and "sensual" scent. After wearing it for only a week, someone actually said they loved it and wanted to buy their own too! Now, although I don't wear perfume often, its the only one I ever wear!


4) Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams - $9.99 for a pint at my local store
http://jenisicecreams.com/

I discovered this gem during my recent visit to Columbus, Ohio for a concert. First of all, if you are ever in Columbus, visit this place! I think the woman behind the counter gave us at LEAST 15 samples. Maybe more. And we didn't even ask for half of them, she just encouraged us to try it all! If you aren't headed to Columbus any time soon, check their website to see if there is a store near you that sells it. I was lucky enough to find out a store in my hometown has it! If no one has it, you can ALWAYS order it to be shipped directly to you!Jeni's makes amazing flavored ice cream using cream and milk "from cows that eat grass". Flavors include Bourbon Buttered Pecan, Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet, Wildberry Lavender, Bangkok Peanut and Black Coffee. I currently have Salty Caramel in my freezer. Imagine an ice cream version of those wonderful caramels in speciality candy shops. It also makes me think of Garrett's Caramel Corn. And a little goes a LONG way. My pint has lasted two weeks! So even though it is more expensive than other ice creams, its worth it in the end!


5) Kindle - Starts at $139
http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wireless-Reader-Wifi-Graphite/dp/B002Y27P3M

I LOVE MY KINDLE. No other way to say it. I got my Kindle when they first came out so mine is slightly bigger than the ones that are out now and I STILL love it. You can increase the font. You can carry your library anywhere. You can instantaneously buy a new book if you're not enjoying the book you're currently reading. You never have to lose your place (with kids, this is a great benefit). You can read it outside and not have to worry about a glare. The "page like" technology is simply amazing to me. And I prefer it to an iPad or the like because I can also touch the screen and not have to worry about the page turning. When you travel, you only have to bring one item and you can read TONS of books! And it fits in your purse! You can bring it anywhere! Many people say they like "real books". But having an e-reader does not mean you have to give up regular books! You can still go to the library or buy your own books, but having a significant library of books to choose from at your fingertips is amazing.


6) Aveda Comforting Tea - $15 for 20 bags. Free while getting services at Aveda salons.
http://www.aveda.com/product/CATEGORY10701/PROD7943/Body/Tea/index.tmpl?ngextredir=1&cm_vc=XCATEGORY10701&SKU_ID=SKU19079&cm_sp=Cross_Sell-_-body-_-Aveda_Comforting_Tea_Bags

I don't normally drink tea. I'm a big time coffee lover. But, I NEVER turn down a cup of Aveda Comforting Tea when I visit my favorite salon. Even if I'm only in there for 15 minutes to get my eyebrows waxed, I still make sure to get a cup of this tea. The peppermint flavor and scent is extremely soothing. One sip and I'm calmer and more content. If I'm not feeling well, the tea helps to ease my stomach and inhaling the minty smell is wonderful for my sinuses. The tea is organic and is sugar-free but has a wonderful, natural sweet taste to it. Consider this tea for the next time you need to unwind after a long day. And if your salon/spa offers it, accept it and enjoy it!


7) Teva Mush Flip-Flops - $24 at Teva.com

http://www.teva.com/productdetails.aspx?g=w&productID=4198&model=Mush

While traveling on a cruise 4 years ago, my cheap Old Navy flip flops started giving me a blister and started breaking. I needed to buy something fast. I found some Teva Mush Flip Flops. From the minute I put them on, I felt like I was walking on a cloud! The mush foot bed is SO comfortable and forms to your foot perfectly! Everytime I put them on, I audibly breathe a sigh of relief from the soothing feel of them. The fabric strapping is also extremely comfortable and gentle in between your toes. And they last a long time! I still have that original pair! My preschooler couldn't stand her classic flip flops because they hurt her inbetween her toes, so I bought her a pair of these and she happily wears them every day! Sure, you can get a pair of plastic flip flops for $5, but for just a little bit more you can get a pair of incredibly comfy and sturdy pair of Tevas.

8) Bell's Oberon Ale
www.bellsbeer.com/brands/8-Oberon%20Ale

This treat may be a bit harder for everyone to find (I looked it up and see only 14 states have it), BUT if you ever travel to Michigan in the summer, look out for this stuff. Bell's Brewery is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They make a variety of beers but the Michigan favorite is their summer wheat ale, Oberon. Oberon is only available from March until October, and let me tell you, this beer is so loved there are PARTIES to celebrate the day that the first keg is tapped. I've heard someone say "Oberon is the color and scent of a summer afternoon" and its true! The beer is traditionally served with an orange slice to enhance the fruity/citrusy flavor. But be warned, it may only have 5.8% alcohol content, but when this beer hits, it can hit hard. ;) Drink responsibly.


9) Travelzoo.com Top 20 Travel & Entertainment Deals emails - Free to sign up
http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/

Each week, Travelzoo sends out the Top 20 travel & entertainment deals they have found on the internet. The deals include hotels, cruises, international trips, and musicals. I once had a wedding I needed to attend in Chicago. I received my weekly email with a GREAT deal on a gorgeous hotel right downtown for less than $125 per night. Once we got there, we found the room was HUGE! It was such a awesome deal. These emails also remind you to TAKE a vacation. Working day after day, you sometimes forget to take time off for yourself. These emails put that idea in your mind and also prove vacations don't have to cost an arm and a leg. Signing up is free, so really...what do you have to lose?

10) Photo Books - $24.99 at Snapfish.com
http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/photo-books

Scrapbooking is wonderful, but who has the time??? That's where these awesome photo books come in. I think most people have discovered these wonderful keepsakes, but I'm not sure people use them enough yet. In this day of electronic photos and files, many people don't print off their photos, which I think is a shame! BUT with the amount of pictures we take now with our digital cameras, I also understand. Printing, labeling and organzing those photos could take FOREVER. This is where photo books can come in. Make a photo book instead! The books look amazing and highlight your best pictures in a beautiful way. Plus, if your family is anything like mine, people tend to pull out pictures from regular photo albums and never return them, resulting in lost pictures. These photo books keep that from ever happening! A variety of websites make photo books and one of them (if not several of them) are always offering deals on the books. I take advantage of the sales and now have a photo book for every year of my child's life, plus a book for every big event. A couple of them even have my daughter's face as the cover and she LOVES that! And everyone else who sees the books loves them too! So, go ahead and scrapbook as a fun hobby, but if you just need your photos displayed in a beautiful way, BUY PHOTO BOOKS!


Bonus Favorite Thing: Dipping fries in a Wendy's Frosty

I have tweeted about this treat before and am just using this forum as a reminder to TRY IT if you haven't already. What I often will do is order a regular Value Meal that comes with fries, and then will also order a junior size chocolate Frosty. Then I have a mini-Frosty as my "dipping sauce". There is just something about the salty & sweet and hot & cold combinations that makes this DELICIOUS! I could probably eat this every day and be happy (although I'd also be very large). So next time you are at Wendy's, take a chance and try this yummy treat!

SERENITY NOW!!!

Some of you may have seen my slightly cryptic tweets while I was in Canada saying things like "I'm afraid this is the end of a very long era." This blog will clear that up. This blog is also a heads-up to all of my followers regarding future tweets.

As most people know, I have been a die-hard Joe girl since that blue-eyed cutie looked up from his pool game in the I'll Be Loving You Forever video. And I still am a Joe girl, but this Joe girl is going to be taking a step back. Not because my adoration of that man has wavered, but for the sake of my own sanity.

For the past 2.5 years, I have had some AMAZING experiences with Joe. It started with a kiss on the cheek the first time I met him (in 2009), then being chosen for the Let's Get This book drive, then shockingly winning a spot in his Here We Go Again video, to being followed by him on Twitter, having him remember me, where I'm from, and (with prompting) my real name, then having countless moments with him in meet and greets and during concerts, and most recently one of the best days ever, my Ultimate M&G which included an incredbily awkward moment (nice one McIntyre), but was still like a wonderful dream come true!

All of these things are incredible, right? A LIFETIME of experiences! Yet I still find myself wishing and hoping for more and getting disappointed when I don't get it. THIS is why I need a break.

Please know that its not that I am ungrateful for anything I have recieved. I am SO incredibly grateful and I truly know how lucky I am. But this man has made me no promises for anything more and I need to get that into my head.

I find that when I go to concerts lately, I have a mission. Get Joe to see me. BUT, him looking at me is not enough. I want him to SEE me and light up in recognition and mutual adoration. I'm lucky that he has EVER done this, but at some point along the way, I've come to expect it. And I've had moments at recent concerts where Joe looked at me and some obnoxious sign I was holding and did NOT light up. Sure, maybe he smiled, but it wasn't the look of recognition I wanted to see. Therefore, I was heartbroken. Hell, he may not have even seen the sign OR me. But the point is, I don't want to feel that way at all. I've even sent DMs to him trying to see if I could get extra time outside of the concert with him. Not alone or anything, just a drink/coffee or something between "friends", but still! "Friends"? Who am I kidding? Dude is an entertainer! Can you say BSC???? This man has given me SO much! And here I am being selfish expecting more? And really, after all I've had, what else can I even get??? This is crazy. I'M acting crazy. And I need to stop.

I want to get back to the point where I could be happy sitting in the 200 section of a venue because at least I'm there and can hear the music and support my favorite band (and "Kid"). I want to be thrilled if I get ANY floor seat, even if its the one furthest from the stage. I want to soak up the energy of a concert and just enjoy it, no matter what happens. I want to get giddy just because Joe's on stage, even if he's looking in the opposite direction from me the entire show. And if I ever get anything more than this, well then I am just one lucky ass girl and need to recognize that. I also want to step back and let OTHER Joe girls get their chance with this wonderful man! He's kinda like a delectible cheesecake - so amazingly delicious you HAVE to share and let others take a bite.

Achieving this level of sanity and appreciation is going to be difficult while emersed in the crazy life of concerts and Twitter. I realize the current tour is over, but I know there is the possibility of upcoming solo tours and plans for the cruise. So, I have decided I'm going to take a few steps back. I'm not leaving Twitter. I may even send the same number of tweets as I always did. But I'm not going to talk about Joe as much. Sure, I'll pass on information I see, since I know so many of my followers are Joe girls and I still love the guy and am damn proud of him and want EVERYONE to go see him in ANY concert he's a part of. But my tweets are going to be focused on other things in my life. I realize this may make me kind of boring to some of you, which is totally understandable and if you're bored, I encourage you to unfollow me. Please don't let me bore you! Twitter is supposed to be entertaining and I wont be hurt if I lose a bunch of followers. Its totally my choice to move from a very exciting topic like Joe's underwear to the slightly mundane fact that I made up a new song for my baby that goes "Poopy poopy poopy!" And Joe girls, don't feel bad talking about Joe to me. Just realize, I may not be as "fangirl" as I have in the past.

I have a strong feeling I won't be going on the cruise...or if I do I won't secure a spot until way later. I also don't know what I'll do if Joe & Eman go back to Vegas. Like I said, I still love the guy and his music. I may have to see the show once, but I'm sure I will not be going several times.

Many of you know I have a new baby. I'm going to take more time to be with my family. More time to be happy at home surrounded by true love. My family has been very patient and understanding over the past couple years and I owe them... big time.

I will continue to support Joe and NKOTB. I still totally consider myself a Blockhead and Joe girl. And yes, I DO love the rest of NKOTB. I just don't have any expectations of the other members of the group. So, I just need some time to cool off, regroup, and learn to appreciate all I've already experienced.

Finally, whether he reads this or not, I need to thank Joe for ALL that he has done for me over the past 2.5 years. Thank you Joe from the bottom of my heart. He is an incredible person. Truly. My heart feels so full when I think of all I have received from him.  He has made so many dreams come true. I've experienced things I couldn't even have dreamed of. He's not losing a fan at all. Hopefully, he's just gaining a perfectly sane and grateful fan. ;) I'll always be one of his biggest supporters. Thank you Joe.

Now Joe girls, go get YOURSELF a piece of that Joe McIntyre cheesecake! Its to die for!

*PS* I had to add as a side note that I decided on Saturday night (in Hamilton) that I needed to take a step back and not be such a crazy fan. Then as we had front row on Sunday night in London, Joe walked right past me on stage in his underwear. HELLO CRAZY JOE GIRL! I figured the sane behavior could just wait until Monday instead and I screamed my head off. :)

ULTIMATE DAY!!!

This blog is focused on how my Ultimate 5* with NKOTB worked. I've had many girls ask me about what they should expect for THEIR upcoming Ultimates, so here is my experience.



My itinerary was sent out from ILAA a few days before the concert at the same time as all of the other 5* packages. I was supposed to show up at the same time as everyone else. When I went to check in, for some reason I wasn't on the list (I think I was supposed to be). So I had to show my confirmation from the day I purchased the package. They had my envelope which included my seat ticket (Section A, Row 1, Seat 1), two drink tickets and my Ultimate VIP laminate which was a different color than everyone elses.

We headed upstairs to the party and stood around waiting as always. Once they were ready to line everyone up to go in, they started with the groups. Ultimates went last. We had groups A - R (or so), so it was a long sweaty wait (I sweat when nervous!). Once they called the Ultimates over, we all stood around and looked at each other (there were about 10 of us) and no one wanted to go first! LOL! Eventually, one person volunteered and we all nervously waited our turn. Thomas of ILAA came over and explained that he would be coming to get anyone who wanted to go behind the barrier to the "B stage" (the tip of the penis stage) during the concert. He said it would be right after "The Right Stuff". He said it was totally up to us if we wanted to go or not. He said only 3 people went in Detroit.



Photo #1



When it was finally my turn they let me in and I walked in all alone and all the guys were standing around EXCEPT Joe who was sitting in a chair playing with his phone (Lumpy, Donnie's dog, was even in the room). I said "HE'S SITTING DOWN!?!?!" and Joe looked up surprised and said "I'm sitting waiting for you. Come over here." And he patted the chair next to him and I sat down and we chatted for what seemed like FOREVER! At that time, the photographer seemed to be taking photos of us chatting (I just recently found out it was actually video he was taking). Eventually Joe and I got up and continued talking as we walked over to the other guys for the photo. I looked at Jon and said "So, can I hug you now or am I supposed to wait until after the pic?" And they all said "Its whatever YOU want!" So I hugged them all then went to pose. I posed completely normal for the first one, then Joe stepped back and looked at me and said "Is there anything special you want to do?"

I looked at him, got very shy, and pointed at my cheek and said "Can I get a peck?" and he said "Yes" and got in position to kiss my cheek and the second pic was taken.

After the photos, I talked to Joe a tiny bit more and hugged him again then slowly walked out of the room. I was NEVER rushed or told I was out of time or anything. There was just a natural flow to the M&G. The staff showed me which way to go and I left.



Photo #2



I went to get my 5* bag and because I wasn't on the list, they didn't know my size. They said they were out of Large, XL and I think XXL. They took my name and said they would bring me the correct size bag right to my seat at the concert (although they never did find me, but I know others got theirs at the show).



Nick Carter laying at the edge of the stage - no zoom



When I got to my seat, it was confirmed that I had the BEST seat in the house. Right on the corner of the main stage and the shaft of the penis stage. It was great. The guys did a great job of looking down at us. And of course Joe gave me lots of amazing smiles, winks and even had a convo with me at one point during the concert! It was amazing. Thomas did come by and I decided not to go with him to the B stage. It was a great choice FOR ME because we had some great moments with NKOTB (Joe) during that time that we would have missed otherwise.

I had no cell service in my seat, but the ILAA pictures were posted before the concert even began. SHOCKINGLY FAST. They were great pictures too. I think the Ultimate 5* was totally worth the $$ I paid. I felt like a TRUE VIP. ILAA and the guys were so sweet to us. All of you who have an Ultimate to look forward to will have a great time. Don't worry too much about your M&G or the pics. Even if you have nothing planned (like me) it will still be the best you've ever experienced.

Joe - I've put in my time... now you put out!

Friday: It was my first time seeing the CasiNo Tour and I was SUPER excited! I'd seen pictures online but no video so I had no idea what anything sounded like. Our tickets were 2nd row in the far left section on the aisle. Close but so far over it was annoying sometimes. The concert started, as did the screaming. I LOVED the show. It went fast because they didn't talk much at all, but it was such a well done show! I LOVE the mash-ups they did! The concert went on and I kept trying to hold up my sign that said "RocksicleLover" but I couldn't tell if he saw it. I was getting NO eye sex and no pointing. Finally, during Hangin' Tough, Joe came over to my section and started grabbing hands. Being in the 2nd row, I couldn't really reach up there, so I just held up my sign. He FINALLY looked up and saw it. He pointed and opened his mouth wide and kinda stuck out his tongue. PHEW! After blocking people's view for a whole show it was finally time to put the sign away. After the bow Joe looked like he was coming over to our area for one last round of hand grabbing. I scooched my way up so when he came over I could add my hand to the mix so he could grab it. Instead, Joe made a b-line straight for me and wedged his foot at the edge of the stage and reached over to me. I wasn't sure if he wanted to give me a hug or what so I moved closer and he stuck out his hand. I grabbed his hand with my left hand thinking "YAY! He came over to hold my hand!" and he moved my hand up to his lips and kissed it! WHA????? Then he promptly let go, turned around and ran off the stage. My friend screamed so I did to. Then I turned around facing my friends in the rows behind me, held up both hands and jumped up and down screaming. I was so floored! That kiss was the sweetest thing Joe had ever done to/for me!!! The only way to describe the moment is MAGICAL. The rest of the night, I was on cloud 9. Maybe even cloud 10.... See my smile from after the show to the right.

Saturday: Another great concert. Again, I got no eye sex. I held up my "RocksicleLover" sign a little bit and also a sign that said "Let's kiss this...again!" It looked like he saw me and my sign during "Close To You" but I just stood there and smiled back, so it was hard to tell if he was looking at me or over me. *Blow a kiss next time. Blow a kiss next time.* After the concert, Donnie came out and did an impromptu after party that was pretty fun. That man definitely won me over a little bit more that night. No special attention to me, he's just a great guy.

Sunday: Sunday was the big 5* day with @SimplyShannon! We were planning on just going in and having a fun goofy time with our man. She looked beautiful in a black dress and I was spunky in my hot pink shirt that said on the front: "Joe, I've put in my time" and on the back: "....now you put out!" We had told the other girls in the group that we really wanted to just stick with our man. They could have a hug if they really wanted one, but we probably weren't going anywhere. They were very cool girls about it. Unfortunately we had 3 girls added to our group last minute and they didn't really play by the rules. Butted in where they really shouldn't have. The Donnie girls were totally gypped. :( Sorry girls.

The way we entered, I was 9th walking in and Shannon was 10th. I walked in and Joe and I saw each other. I held out my arms and he lit up and said "Hey". Then I said "Wait" and I showed him my shirt and he read it out loud. I turned around and he said "Now you put out.... OOOOOHHH!!!" then I hugged him and gave him a big squeeze (hopefully not TOO big of a squeeze. I was VERY excited!). Then he saw Shannon and kept his arm on me and pulled her in and said "My two girls!". Honestly, at that moment my meet and greet was complete. That made me so thrilled that he said that and I felt like anything that happened after that moment was all just extra! LOVE HIM! So, I knew Shannon had never gotten a true full-on hug from Joe so I backed up enough that he couldn't reach me anymore so he could hug her with both hands. Once she got it, I went back in and he grabbed me for the picture.

After they took the picture he said "You know, I can't kiss people, but here's the deal.... Donnie!" And he reached over and grabbed Donnie. I remember looking over and thinking "Oh hey! Donnie is here too???" Seriously, I didn't see ANY of the other guys until that moment. Donnie looked good but what was Joe up to.... Then he said "Donnie here can give kisses and..." and both Shannon and I said "NOOOOOOOOOO! NOT DONNIE! YOU!". I was up in Joe's face grabbing him saying "NOOO!" lol I did NOT want to kiss Donnie! I mean, he's a great guy, but what the heck Joe? Just cuz he's in NKOTB, you think I wanna make out with him? No no no no no. Besides, I did NOT need the 5 Donnie girls now in our group to be mad at me. As we were pleading with Joe to leave Donnie out of it, some girl snuck up behind Joe and started talking to him. She was one of the extra girls in our group so she apparently didn't know the rules (Joe is OURS). lol! While he was talking to this girl, he still had his hand on my left shoulder and around Shannon's right shoulder. Security was yelling for us to leave, but we just stared at Joe and ignored security. He was finally done talking to her and turned back to us and said "I just can't kiss people" and Shannon said "No, but we would like to kiss you on the cheek" and Joe said "A kiss on the cheek??" and kinda stuck his neck out a little. It looked like Shannon was going in for the smooch, so I followed suit. I kissed him on his right cheek. His cheek was a tiny bit scruffy. I think my kiss was just a tad to big and slobbery. I could also tell I left a tiny bit of lip-gloss on his cheek. But come on! How could I help the drooling??? I was KISSING JOEY MCINTYRE!!!!! I was getting ready to leave and quickly stuck my hand right in his face and said "You could kiss my hand before I go!" and he looked at it and then looked up at me and said "I already did!" Then he pointed and said "See? You had made that shirt before and then I kissed you! How's that!" I laughed and said "Yeah yeah". Shannon and I started walking out of the room with our backs to the guys. Then I heard Joe yell to us "I love you guys". My face lit up as I thought OMG! Why didn't I say that first??? and I yelled back "I love you too Joe!". I walked out of the M&G area and promptly licked my lips. :)

Made for Broadway

February 22, 2010 - The BEST longest day of my life!

I got up at about 3:20am. My flight was at 7am out of Flint. There had been a Winter Storm warning for Michigan from 4am until 7pm. I had tried to change my flight to the 21st, but there was nothing available. When I woke up, it had already snowed and was STILL snowing. I loke dup the flights and they were on time, however, the winter advisory said that the storm was expected to be worse during the morning comute hours. Great. Right when my flight left for DETROIT which was ALSO under a storm warning. I was so scared I wasn't going to make it! I arrived at the airport at about 5:40am. It was STILL snowing, and I could see planes covered in snow, but my flight still said it was on time.

We all got on the plane at 6:45am. They shut the airplane doors at 7:14am and it seemed like we were going to actually make it. At 7:30 they announced the de-icer had run out of fluid and we were going to have to wait to get more. We were officially delayed. We didn't actually start leaving Flint until 7:45am. This was NOT good since I had a connecting flight in Detroit 8:40am. We landed at 8:20am and I was ready to run. But then we had to sit there and wait for the stupid ramp. And my flight was literally all the way across the airport. I tried to run but carrying my bags it was hard. It was already 8:40, but I kept heading to the gate (as did several other people). We finally made it to the gate at about 8:46am and were told the plane was gone. We were then told we had to go to the other end of the concourse to get a replacement flight. We took the shuttle thankfully, so I could rest. The running did NOT agree with me. I go thtere and was offered a 1pm flight but I knew there was an earlier flight since one of my friends was going to be on it. I searched for another and got on the 10am flight. I walked over and met up with Regina near the new gate and finally relaxed. The pilots were delayed so we didn't actually leave until 10:45am but we FINALLY were on our way. We finally arrived after noon.

Gina and I took a taxi to our hotel, the Loews Regency, which was the same location as the show (which was held at Feinsteins at the Regency). We dropped our stuff off and went to get last minute things done before the show. The other two girls, Emmie and Sherry, were already in NYC and were shopping. After our shopping, we all got ready and headed down to the threatre at 6:00pm. There was a long line that went all the way outside. We decided to just sit and wait in the warm lobby. We saw some people we knew an took some pictures then headed inside. We were seated against a back wall, but the theatre was so small we were actually pretty close! The pic to the left shows our view. The blue stuff on the left is where the stage was. Before dinner I sent a Twitpic of me hold a breadstick in my mouth and said "I'm waiting @joeymcintyre!" ha ha! For dinner I had the Pumpkin Ravioli and a nice pretty blue drink called a La Mystique. Yummy!

The show started at 8:00pm. The host came out and introduced Sutton Foster. She came out and I realized we had been on the elevator with her earlier in the day! She looked so young! I thought she was just at the hotel for a wedding or something. Sutton = AMAZING! What a gift! See her if you can! She seems to be able to do anything and everything with her voice! She sang some BEAUTIFUL songs. She sang one called "I couldn't love you any more (than I do now)." I hope to find that song somewhere on the web so I can download it. WONDERFUL!

Then Joe came out. When he came out he said "Where are the breadsticks?" We weren't sure if he saw my Twitpic or not. It was pretty funny either way CONSIDERING the picture! LOL! He was wearing the leather jacket and tie again. (Someone needs a new wardrobe. ;) ) I forgot exactly what he called it, but he basically did a 'Joe's life performing' show. It was just him and a piano. He started with 'LOVE' and during the second round when he sang "L is for the way you look tonight" he was using his arms to spell the word, like with YMCA! It was so funny! Then he sang "Gary, Indiana", apparently the song he sang to get into NKOTB? Hard to believe THAT! He sang the 'necking version' of 'I'd Do Anything' from Oliver, a song he sang when he was 6 with his 16 year old sister. He also sang an acoustic version of Please Don't Go Girl. He brought out two of his castmates from Tick Tick Boom, and they sang 'Louder Than Words'. That was HANDS DOWN my favorite song of the night. Gave me chills and made me want to weep from its beauty. Basically turned me into a sap. Then he sang 'As Long As You Love Me' fro Wicked with Natacia. He also sang an awesome verson of Wyclef Jean's 'Grateful' which he tweaked to be about him. It was so cool! Joe is just so creative and amazing! He ended with 'Give My Regards to Broadway'. GREAT show!!! I love Joe's pop career, but after seeing him at the Cabaret it made me realize that he was MADE for Broadway. He's so much better able to show off his voice! He is capable of belting out notes! I never knew that before! With the pop songs he sings, he never gets the opportunity to do that, but he sure does with Broadway tunes. Whether it be 'As Long As Your Mine' or 'Gary, Indiana', that man's voice gave me CHILLS!

After the first show ended, we darted upstairs to do last minute primping before our meet and greet before the second show. Meanwhile, Joe sends this tweet: "@joeymcintyre: For all those who came to first show, I will see you after the second show!!! That was a blast!!! Xoxo" What??? Really??? That man is amazing. We headed downstairs, chatted with some friends, Steph and Bobbi, and then sat at our table at about 10p. We weren't front row like we were told we would be, but we had a table right in the walkway where Joe came in from! We had a drink, this time mine was green, and tried to calm down, but THAT was NOT easy. At about 10:40p, they came to get us and took us thru the kitchen to a room set up for pics. Joe and Sutton were there.

I walked up to Joe and he said "Hi" and smiled as if he recognized me. I said "Do you know who I am?" He said, "Yeah, you're the RocksicleLover." I said, "Yeah! I'm Heather." He repeated y name then gave me a hug. He then looked me up and down and said "Your dress..." Then he looked at all of us. "You all look very nice." I think I said "thank you". I was just so stunned that Joey McIntyre had given me a compliment (AND had looked me up and down) that I kinda blanked out for a second. I then handed him the MSU book I had for Griffin and Rhys and said "I meant to give you this in Michigan." He looked at it and said "Hey! Michigan?!?! Sutton knows about that!" I turned and looked at Sutton and asked if she was from MI and she said yes. I asked where from and she said "Troy". Then Joe said "Troy? That's why he's a Trojan" and he pointed to Sparty on the MSU book. "It all fits together." Ummmm... ok. I said, "Uhh, Trojan? He's a SPARTAN! And MSU is not in Troy, its in East Lansing." Ah, Joe. At least you're pretty. ;) I went over and chatted with Sutton. I told her how amazing she was the first show and she said "You're going to the second show too? WOW!" I had to ask her how old she was and she said "34". "What? Really? I would have NEVER guessed that! You look so much younger! Like 20!" She laughed and looked at Joe and said "I really like her!" LOL! We all got together and took a couple of group photos. On our way out, we saw Sherry standing in line still and realized she had somehow missed being in our group! We decided to stay with her and take pictures of just her and Joe since she missed out with us. She got some great pics with him! :)

We headed back to our seats and the show started very shortly after we sat down. It was once again amazing. When Joe came out, I stuck my hand out and his cold hand grabbed mine. I was surprised to was so cold... and unfortunately that probably meant mine felt hot and sweaty. Great. Sorry Joe! Joe was funny and stunning again on stage. I taped 'Louder Than Words' since it had moved me SO much the first show. I just wanted to be able to listen to it again. At one point, Joe took a drink of his martini and made a face. Sherry yelled "Too strong?" and Joe looked right at me and said "What?" I tried pointing at her but he just looked at me. I was so embarrassed that I ducked my head and wouldn't look at him. Nice. I'm such an idiot. After the lack of response, he said something like "'Too strong?' Uh no." On his way out, I again held out my hand and he grabbed it then he touched me on the shoulder.

After the show ended, we worked on taking care of our bill (they kinda screwed it up). I went into the lobby to go to the restroom. When I got back Joe was back in the dining room taking pictures with people. He finished up there and headed to the lobby where he took pics with every person who waited in line. SO SWEET!!! It took a long time. We decided to get in the back of the line since we had already talked to him once. But we definitely wanted some one-on-one pics with him before we left. By the time we got up there, it was 12:30am and I think everyone was getting a little bit more tired. I went over, stood next to him and realized I could see the top of his head. As we posed I said "Oh my God, I'm taller than you right now." He said "No, that's GOOD" and I said "Ugh. I'm mammoth tall." I took Emmie's camera then and TRIED REALLY HARD to take their picture but the flash wouldn't go off. I'm sorry Emmie! Joe finished up with his pics with everyone then said goodbye at about 1:15am. We headed upstairs and went to bed... in the same hotel that Joey Mac MIGHT have been sleeping naked in.... ;)

In the Joe Shows...

TORONTO
First things first - GIRL TIME!!! We always knew Toronto would be awesome because Renee and Amy were flying in for the show to hang out! I drove to Toronto on Saturday morning, January 16. When I got there, Renee and I went and got manis and pedis at an awesome spa! It was wonderful! On the way to the spa, we believe we saw Joshua Jackson! Yep! PACEY from Dawson's Creek! Unfortunately, all of our nerves are saved up for NKOTB and we didn't say hi or anything. After the wonderful spa, we went back to the hotel and ordered Pizza Pizza, an Ontario original. It was so yummy! We then sat around the hotel room and chilled out while we watched stuff on the computer and on TV. It was so fun to just hang out!

The next morning, Sunday, January 17, Amy arrived! Unfortunately, Renee and I both had working phones but neither of us answered them when Amy called. SORRY AMY! We had to save up on sleep for the nights ahead! ;) Thank you for being a friend. So, we got some coffee then hung out in our hotel lobby for a bit... hoping some recognizable people would walk in. ;) They never did. In fact, right after we went upstairs after our lobby time, we found out they had been tweeting that they were still in NYC. Darn!

We took our time getting ready, then headed out to the Hard Rock Cafe in Dumbass... I mean Dundas Square for a dinner with Blockheads! It was so much fun! We had an awesome waiter, named Denis, who just happened to be cute too! We played NKOTB Jeopardy with cool prizes and had some yummy cake! Crystal also made us all adorable treat bags!

Amy, Renee and I went back to our hotel room and played our own personal NKOTB Jeaopardy with some special questions (e.g. "The owner of this nipple.") We also did some tweeting, laughed at some I Got It party pics (OBVIOUSLY not mine since I DON'T HAVE MINE YET JOHNNY!) ;) then headed to bed to rest up for our big day on Monday.

Monday, January 18, we woke up bright and early to head to CHUM FM where Joe was doing an interview. While we were getting ready, Renee looked out the window and saw a bus! A BUS! I literally ran to the elevators and got downstairs and confirmed it was Joe's bus!!! I stood around for just a bit waiting for Renee and Amy. While I was down there, Ethan walked in. I said hi but he was busy talking to another fan. Renee and Amy headed downstairs and Johnny walked in. He was taken away by other fans too, so we left and went to CHUM FM.

We got there and there was a very small group of girls waiting. Two of the girls were girls that were kissed at HOB! Starbucksapron who MADE OUT with Jon and Mac_Steph who got kisses from Joe! Lucky girls! We all stood outside and could see Joe wrapping things up upstairs. He looked out and waved at us once. We expected him to walk out the door closest to where we were since that is where his car was waiting, but after about a half hour or more, the car started creeping forward. I turned and looked and saw Joe had come around the side of the building. I ran over and showed him my MacPac bag and gave him a hug. I didn't say much at all because he looked so tired. I MIGHT have said "Thanks"and that was it. So we just turned towards Renee who eventually caught up (I said I ran) and took our picture. People were rather shy going in for pictures but eventually everyone did. Renee and Amy got some great ones with him! Then Joe got in his car and headed off to his next gig at MTV Canada. We headed back to the hotel to get ready to see Joe on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulus (I had to carefully copy that last name from Google), a Canadian late-night talk show.

When we got back to the hotel, I was yelling for JOHNNY to GIVE ME MY FACETIME PIC!!! We saw Sherry (@JoesGutterGirl) and @Claby and said hi and chatted for a bit. Johnny came out of the bus. I'm pretty sure we said hi and I immediately went up and asked where my Chicago FT pic was. He barely believed me that it was still missing, but he explained it had been a mess. I SETTLED for a pic with Johnny instead. ;) Too bad he had to point his damn finger. He explained he started that finger pointing after seeing the Uncle Sam poster that says "I Want You". Renee and Amy talked to him about how they had hung out with him a bit at the HOB after party. They admitted they took a pic of his butt. He looked cutely flattered. Amy tried to remind Johnny he needed to follow her after she found him and Donnie in Cali. Then we got some great pics of Amy & Renee with Johnny! We headed inside and decided to eat some breakfast at the hotel. We went and had a nice breakfast... well, they did. I woke up earlier than the West Coast girls and ate breakfast on my own earlier. Johnny was also there with another one of Joe's crew. We let them eat in peace. They finished before us and walked by and Johnny said "Enjoy your breakfast, ladies" It was so cute! (Johnny started growing on me at this point)

We got ready and went to The Hour. It was kind of 'first come, first served' and we ended up sitting in the 2nd row of a back section behind Michele, who was the girl who told us about the talk show. She was also one of the girls from the video! She's awesome! The Hour was very cool! I have been to the David Letterman Show before and this was totally different. At 'The Hour', you can kinda do whatever you want in terms of cheering and such "as long as you don't end up on stage, then you're all good." They even said holding up signs was ok! So, OF COURSE I pulled out my signs! George taped some segments without any guests and we squealed whenever he mentioned Joe's name. Then George went to change and came back ready to bring out Joe. Joe came out in an awesome suit looking HOT (as always). The interview was awesome. George asked some very cool questions and Joe, while seeming a little nervous, did a great job and was very honest and funny. At one point when Joe was talking about the old days, I started to get a little choked up. It suddenly hit me that this man, who I had adored when I was 14 and who was and incredibly untouchable super star back in the day, was now sitting several feet in front of me. Not only that... this man KNEW ME! It made me so appreicative of everything. I ALMOST cried, but I'm sure Joe cracked a joke and got me out of THAT mood! ;)

During a commercial break, Joe was relaxed and was looking around. I had my @RocksicleLover sign and held it up quickly. He saw it, smiled big and winked. I smiled back and Eeeeek'd a little. Amy and Renee were hilarious. I think one of them said "Oh my." And the other one said "He wasn't even looking at me and I'm still all excited!" I did feel very special after that look. Those looks are amazing gifts! :) Joe and George finished up the interview and Joe left. Then we had to sit through 2 more interviews! Not only that, right after Joe we had to sit through the new associate bishop for the Tornto diocese!!!! WHAT??? That was one of the biggest mental shifts I've ever had to make! He also interviewed Rosanne Cash, Johnny Cash's daughter. She was very interesting and talked about her new album "The List" that is songs from a list her father made of the best songs.

After 'The Hour' was done, we headed straight to The Mod Club, where the Joe Show was going to be. We met up with Tinkerbell (aka, Suzanne) in line and stood with her. Yota came over to say hi. She was running an awesome donation for a local shelter. She handed us some yummy Starbucks coffee for our donations and we chatted as we waited. Diane and Stacy also joined us and Crystal also stopped by to say hi. Eventually our toes were freezing and they finally let us in. We got a spot about halfway into the venue. We were also smack in the middle. We knew we wouldn't be up front because we were late to get in line after The Hour, but I think it was worth it! Plus, I realized our spot was awesome later. We stood around listening to the DJ play. As we stood there, it got warmer, and warmer, and warmer. By the time the concert started, we were all sweating. But as soon as I saw Joe, WHO CARES how sweaty I was?!?!? Joe came out and started with Here We Go Again. It was AWESOME! Of course that song holds a special place in my heart and I cannot help but get extremely excited when I hear it! It started the show off JUST RIGHT! Joe ROCKED it!!! Seriously! I was floored at how amazing he sounded. He did several of his songs from the new EP right at the start. I held up my @RocksicleLover sign and he saw me during the second song. But I have to admit.... I can't remember what he did. :( Smile? Wink? Point? I can't remember. But I KNOW he saw me! :) I also said earlier we were in an awesome spot? WE WERE! He sang to the middle of the venue all night. It LOOKED like he was looking at me ALL NIGHT LONG! I know he wasn't, but WOW. It STILL was very cool! The show went on and we got to "I'm Waiting". I had heard one rumor about the song, but had no idea what I was in for. IT WAS A STRIP TEASE! My jaw was on the floor. THE. WHOLE. SONG. I think it HELPED that he was sweating so much. Made it even more sexy than any other show that I saw after. My response to that song is in the picture to the left. ;) The show continued and I continued to be impressed. I laughed a lot too.

The show ended and it was time to go to the after party at the C-Lounge. We got there, I changed into my clubier clothes and we headed to our table. We had originally turned down sitting at a table with bottle service, but one of the cool girls we met in Boston had a table and had extra room there. She told us we could sit with them and pay less if we didn't want to drink (which was what we decided to do). We sat and recapped the evening. The club started getting more crowded and we could clearly see there was a roped-off VIP area off to the left. Official looking people started heading into the VIP area and it seemed like Joe might be coming soon. Then Johnny came in, a sure sign Joe wasn't far behind.... Then, JOE! He was wearing a black v-neck t-shirt with a scarf. He kinda just stood around in VIP not doing anything for a while. But then it looked like Johnny was letting in people who had MacPac cards. I HAD ONE!!! I ran over to the area where Johnny was. I apologize to any girl who I pushed aside or elbowed, but I HAD A MACPAC CARD! ;) I eventually made my way up and they let me in. I waited my turn and asked Johnny again "Where's my FT pic?" (he heard this a lot from me over the week) I also asked him if he was hot in his vest and why didn't he take it off? He said all of his junk was in the pockets so he couldn't! lol! Then it was my turn. I had my sign with me so I walked up holding the sign up. Joe looked at me and said "I know who you are, sweetie." and reached out and gave me a big hug. I said "Sorry. I just never know." I told him thank you for everything he did and that the show was great. (The pic to the right was taken by Samantha while I was w/ Joe. I love it cuz of the way he's looking at me. The way I look... not so great. But oh well.) I also told him I was going to be pooped because I was going to Detroit and Chicago over the next two days. He said "Oh really? Aww, I'm sorry" and I said "Oh no, its a good tired." The whole time I stood there talking to him, he was rubbing my back. This seems sweet, doesn't it? It would have been, if I hadn't been wearing Spanx that ended right where he was rubbing! All I could think about at that moment was "HE'S FEELING MY BACK FAT!" I tried to inch away from his hand but he just kept rubbing. I considered grabbing his hand and holding it, but I figured he'd expect me to say something poigniant if I did that, and I had nothing. So I let him continue. I might have given him another hug (I was too distracted by the back rubbing to remember) and then I left.

I headed back to the table and everyone came over and wanted to hear what happened. No one else had their MacPac cards yet because the intertnational orders were taking longer and we were outside of the US. For some reason Amy didn't have hers either but she had the bag???? Amy? WTF? So I lended out my card. First to Amy & Renee who got some great hugs. Then to a few others. I saw Renee talking to Joe when she was up there and had to quiz her on what they said! It looked so cute! She had told him she came all the way from Calgary which I think my have gotten her an "Aww" and maybe another hug. I quizzed her on what else she said. Then she told me she said she was "friends with RocksicleLover and I want to thank you for making her so happy. When she is happy, it make me happy." Joe said "She makes me happy too." WHAT?????????? *thud* Seriously. I'm dead. WHAT?????? Even now writing this, I can't believe it. Renee? Are you telling the truth? That is the exact thing I asked her that night and I STILL don't believe it. Ugh. Dead. Dead. Dead.

Alex, Donald and Ethan started walking around the club. We stood up and said hi to them all. We asked Alex if his amp was tired (ha ha). We introduced ourselves to Donald. And we told Ethan how happy we were to see him again. At one point, Renee was talking to Ethan and somehow spilled his drink on him. It wasn't a big deal, but she felt SO BAD! She offered to buy him more drinks, tried to apologize, just did everything she could to make up for it. He just kept smilng huge and laughing and telling her it was ok. I chatted with Donald for a little bit and found out he was an incredibly nice guy! Really!

After we all got our hugs and the band walked away, we figured we should probably head back to the hotel since Amy & Renee had early flights. We went back, giggled some, and went to sleep. When I woke up, my lovely girls were gone. :(

FERNDALE
I got to Ferndale, Michigan at about 2:00pm on Tuesday, January 19th. I met up with Karie and Vicki who were bundled up but seemed to be having fun. We sat in line and were fairly close to the front. Just next to us was BadHolly too! So glad to meet her in person finally! We sat around and chatted and tried to stay warm. I also started working on some new signs for the evening. Julie and Stephanie eventually joined us too along with several other awesome Michigan Blockheads!

Eventually a big white bus drove by. THEIR bus! I recognized it from Toronto and RAN to follow it. The crew got off and started carring stuff into the venue. They told us Joe was not on the bus. We pretty much knew that since we knew he was at a local radio station, but we were hopeful anyway. We went back to the line and Alex eventually came out and walked by a few times. I said hi, asked hi if his amp was tired and gave him a hug.

Like I said, Joe was on a local radio station for a while, but since we were in line, we unfortunately could not hear it. Grr. I got a couple of calls/texts from Dawn who was at the radio station! She got some great pics of Joe that day! After he was done, Dawn called and said he left the station in a black limo. We were on watch! The limo showed up and we again ran to the parking lot. We saw Joe pop out and run into the bus while on the phone. That was it. We hung around the bus just in case he felt like coming out to say hi. Apparently he didn't. Boo. But we did get some fun pics in front of the bus and I got to get ready in my warm car!

The band eventually came out of teh bus and I got to talk to Donald, Alex and Rob. I reminded Donald I had talked to hi in Toronto at the bar and I think he KINDA remembered. He is super sweet. I also talked to Rob and told him I was friends with Renee who was teh one with breakfast for kids charity idea. He lit up and said "Oh yeah, yeah, yeah!" I told him that Renee had wanted to go to his brunch in Toronto but she was being a loyal friend to me and was doing something else that I had wanted to do. He said "That's cool." I told him that Renee had really wanted to see him and get a pic with him. He said "Give her my love!" Then he also said "Tell her to email me. I want to start talking to her about the breakfast plan and get it started!" I told him I would tell her and that Renee would definitely be excited to start working on it. He the again told me "send her my love". And gave me a hug.

We went and got in line again and were let in. We were in the 4th row right behind Holly. It was again and amazing show. Joe saw my sign during Forget About It. He kinda just looked at the sign, read it and nodded. The eye sex I got then was pathetic. LOL! But then he redeemed himself with some great eye sex during Outta Nothing At All, which got captured on video by two people! He saw me, smiled nice and big, and sang a line to me (as I sang back). I found the picture to the left which appears to be the moment he was singing to me! Later in the show, we held up our Michigan signs that Karie and Julie made and did an excellent job on. "MI BH?" he asked. "Michigan Blockheads!" was the reply. He said they were great but he couldnt' tell what shape the signs were. I thought he said it looked like a pork chop or something. But then we explained it was the state of Michigan. He also said we won for the best/most signs at the show. JBlock (Jason), the guy who sang with NKOTB on the cruise was at the show and Joe started talking to him. When Joe realized who he was, he invited him up on stage. Jason did the Games rap for us!

After the show, we went straight to the buses, but Joe was already on board. The band came out and said hi to everyone and mingled around. We stood around and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited some more. We were freezing! But it gave us all time to talk to a lot of friends! I talked to and met @Brandi1123, @brebaby143, @joesguttergirl and many many more! I made my way over to the bus at one point and was right near the door when Johnny came out. He started yelling "Listen up!" EEEEEEEEEPPP! He explained he was going to let people with MacPac cards on the bus first. WHA???? We were going to go in groups of twos. We were told to line up against the bus to get our turns. I rushed up and was 3rd in line. I knew teh girl in front of me too so I wished her luck. She went in. About a mintue or two later, she cae back out and was thrilled. My turn ALREADY!! I had NO time to figure out what I wanted to say or what I was going to do. I just had to do it. I walked up the stairs of the bus and saw Joe. I said "HEY!" He looked at me and said "Hey!" Then he got a better look at me, recognized e and said "Oh, HEY!!!!" I gave him a big hug with my coat on and I said "I'm so sorry I'm so cold!" and he said something along the lines of "Wow, you ARE!". I asked him if we could do pictures with him and he said yes. I gave my camera to the girl who came in behind me and told Joe that I wanted to do something different for this picture because I have so many other pictures of us just posing normally. He kinda looked confused, but then held out both arms to engulf me in a great hug! I went in to hug him close and put my face up to his and looked at the camera and saw that my stupid blue coat hood was in my face! I said "NOOOOO! My hood!" and backed up and started to take off my bag and my coat. I said "I'm sorry. I'm stripping on your bus!" I set my bag and coat on the couch and went back in for the cozy hug and pressed my face up against his warm soft cheek. He was so warm, I couldn't help but say AGAIN, "I'm so sorry I'm so cold!" After the pic, I said thank you and Joe pointed to Rob and said "Have you met Rob Lewis yet?" Rob was sitting on the opposite couch without a hat or sunglasses on and was eating Doritos (hence the reason the ENTIRE bus smelled like Doritios!). I barely recognized him even AFTER Joe pointed him out! I shook Rob's hand and said hi (he didn't remember me from earlier). I told him I didn't have a picture with him yet and he said "You don't? Let's get one." and he called over Dave (one of the guys who sets up the stage) and asked him to take the pic. I went to sit down on the couch and hat to move the empty Doritos bag. LOL! I think Rob felt bad so he said "No, we can stand up to do this!" and he put his arm around me and we got a cute pic together!

I turned around and Joe asked e if I'd take a pic of him with the other girl. I took the camera (which was the exact same one I had... so WHY was the pic SHE took so blurry???) and I took a GREAT photo of them. VERY CLEAR! After I did, Joe turned around and picked up my blue marshmallow coat. I ran over and took it from him and said "Thanks" and grabbed my MacPac. I started to get ready to walk out and he said "PUT your coat on BEFORE you go outside." Yes Dad. I apologized and said I was just trying to hurry up. So I put my bag back down and put on my coat and gathered my bag again. I told him and Rob I'd see the tomorrow and Joe's eyes got big and he said "Oh really? Ok!" and he put his hand on my big poofy back and said "See ya. Travel safe honey!" (HONEY! As if I'm his wife! LOL!)

I then went back t the line to talk to Stephanie and the other Michigan girls while they waited for their turn. Johnny yelled to us and said "Let's chant something!" I said "Let's Get This!" He said "OK, when they open the door, let's chant "Let's Get This!" So the door opens and everyone chants. He started to do this for every time someone new went in or came out "Let's chant....." It was so funny! I appeared to be his partner in crime. If he couldn't think of something, Id suggest something. When he came up with something new, I'd pass it on to the back of the line. Very fun! He was also asked about the stupid finger in the photos and he started explaining the poster badly so I yelled "I WANT YOU!" He looked at me stunned and said "YEAH!!!" as if someone finally understood. Yeah... I still don't get it Johnny. ;) Then he started complaining about how cold it was. He yelled "FAHK, IT'S COLD!" and he looked at the line and said "Seriously! Go staht your cahs! Get the heat goin!" He said it over and over too! "Get in your cahs!" I was just cracking up at his accent!

Stephanie got on the bus and while in there her camera died!!! She had to have someone else take her picture but it turned out great!!! Karie and Julie also got on the bus. They took FOREVER! To the point that Johnny was like "What the hell? What are they doing in there?" They finally came out and were freaking out. They had a great chat with Joe including some recognition on his part and some great pics. Karie is a very funny and.... umm.... honest(?) girl! ;) It sounds like they had some fun on that bus! Karie also said that at some point she thanked Joe for making Julie and "RocksicleLover" so happy. ;) So thoughtful. Tricki got on the bus and FINALLY got her MacPac picture signed. Joe couldn't believe that it wasn't, but she showed him and he made up for it by signing it TO HER. Emily got on the bus and had such a moving time that when she came off the bus she was crying! So sweet! When Megan got on the bus, she called Cheyenne, a Michigan Blockhead who now lives in Texas, and Cheyenne even got in on the fun! So thoughtful! After the excitement and hearing about everyone's experience on the bus we headed home. Wednesday was going to be another long day and we needed our rest.

CHICAGO
A bunch of us Michigan Blockheads took the train from East Lansing, Michigan to Chicago. It was a pretty fun train, but we were all pretty tired from the night before. We all tried to sleep at some point. Jessie (4everBraveheart) also got on the bus in Kalamazoo and joined us. We got to Chicago around noonish and took it easy. We stayed at the Days Inn on Diversey which is literally about 2-3 blocks from where I used to live on Diversey! It was my old 'hood! Stephanie, Jessie and I went for some crepes at La Creperie. YUM! Then we headed back, relaxed and then started getting ready. While we were getting ready, Jen, who I knew from the video, stopped by with her husband, Bob! We were going to have a mini-video mates reunion! Shannon, Jen, Gina and I were all going to be at the show and we had matching shirts! Shannon made the shirts and they looked GREAT! She even made one for Joe! We finished getting ready and headed to Lincoln Ave. Shannon had arranged for us to have dinner at the venue, Lincoln Hall, prior to the show. With this pre-dinner, we were able to also not have to wait in line and were the first ones in the venue. It was awesome! The dinner was very yummy! Mac & Cheese! I also got to enjoy my favorite drink from living in Chicago - Black Cherry Effen & 7! YUM! The area we were in was a bar-liek area, separate form the actual room with the stage. We could hear Joe on stage doing sound check.

We got in line and of course Shannon was first. Once the doors open and we all ran in, we ended up right behind Shannon who was front row, DEAD CENTER. We had to stand there for a while before the show began. That gave me just enough time to freak out about how close we were. It was different than a regular NKOTB show! It was JUST HIM. He didn't really move from the center, unlike at a group show where they switch positions. And there was no space between the crowd and the stage. It was just him, right there. When he came out, it was even more insane. It was like he was standing on top of us!!! I COULD HAVE DIED! I have never been closer. NEVER. And those of us who know Joe, know how he likes to spit. I like it when he spits too. ;)

I decided not to hold up my sign. I decided to trust the man who says he knows me. Yeah. I never got the same eye sex that I have gotten in the past. Sure, he looked at me. He even smiled at me. But it was never that sudden wonderful recognition I have gotten in the past. I missed it. But the show was STILL amazing. "I'm Waiting" was almost unbareable that close. And what was really funny was that if we yelled or something, Joe could actually hear us! We almost had to watch what we said! Being where I was and being as tall as I am caused me to be the bearer of gifts. Right before Joe started the sweet song 'The Difference', people started passing up Traveling Jon (TJ) for us to hand to Joe. I passed him up to Shannon. She tried to get his attention but he was already starting his song. After the song, he turned to her and said "What is it that couldn't wait?" She handed over TJ and he checked him out. Jessie had Flat Joe Mac with her and was trying to pass him up but her arms weren't long enough for Joe to see him. I took him and held him up and Joe took FJM from me. He said "What is this called when you do this?" And everyone yelled "Flat Joe Mac"! We were VERY excited he finally met FJM! It was all thanks to Jessie! He handed everything back to me. Then Shannon gave him the t-shirt she made for him. He read it and talked about the video. He said "Didn't I teach you guys timing at the video?" since Shannon had tried to give him TJ right before he stared the slow song. He read the shirt (which had our names on it) and thanked us. Then a can of popcorn got passed to me. I handed it over. Joe is lucky I did considering how much I LOVE Garrett's popcorn!!! Later, the whole crowd started holding up their signs. Before we had gone in, someone had given me a towel that said "Let's Joe Show This". I held it up and he took it right out of my hands.... and NEVER gave it back! lol! Shannon showed Joe her "I heart EG" sign. He asked her about it and she told him it meant Evil Genius. They had an adorable convo about it! It was so cool! Gina also had some great moments with Joe! She tends to cry during slow songs. Joe saw her crying during two different songs and looked RIGHT AT HER, smiled and sang to her! Sweet (but evil). Joe finished up the amazing show and we were left giddy as school girls!

Afterwards, Jessie, Stephanie and I darted over to The Underground where there was an after party. It ws raining and it sucked, but because we had a table, we got escorted in right away. The doorman took us to a table that was just up the stairs to the right. There was only one table between us and the VIP roped off area and NO ONE EVER SAT THERE! It was basically ours! WE WERE RIGHT NEXT TO VIP! I LOVE the staff there for hooking us up with that table! We went and got changed into our club clothes, Gina joined us, and then we had some drinks and waitd. When Joe came, I stood on the seat against the post that was kind of the line that separated our area from VIP. He stood on the ledge and sang some songs and danced. He was RIGHT in front of us. :) At one point, Joe asl came over while he was in VIP and gave hugs. I got a nice soft hug with his lovely cashmere sweater. GOD it was soft! But I don't think he actually recognized me when he hugged me. Eventually, they took down the extra stage/table Joe had stood on in the beginning and expanded the ever-growing VIP area. There was no longer anything blocking me from just stepping down off of the seat into VIP. So I did it! I stood near the seat for a bit before just running in, but the Underground guy really didn't seem to mind me being there, so I just walked right in! Shortly after I got in VIP, Joe actually did a round around the bar and hugged people. I missed that part! Who knew VIP could be bad?? During that time, Jessie was able to get her pic with Joe which was AWESOME! When they came back, I talked to Johnny a little bit (of course asking for my FT pic) and got my pic w/ him and a pic of him w/ Ethan. I chatted with Donald some more and met his friend and talked with him a while too. There was a girl sitting up next to Joe (w/ one guy in between her and Joe). She recognized me from Twitter and tried to get me up there with her, but the security guy said no. I was still very thankful to her for trying! She really didn't have to do it at all! I love Blockheads!!! Later, Stephanie gave me her phone to take a picture of Joe with. Johnny saw me trying to take Joe's picture and grabbed Joe and pointed at the camera. But hte camera would work!!! UGH. I got my camera out instead and stood right in front of Joe and got a pretty pic of him smiling. Again, I really dont think he recognized me. He was wearing sunglasses. I bet it was hard to recognize anyone in the dark club. I talked to Joe's other crew guys including Dave and Nate too. Joe got up on the ledge for one more song and to say thank you, then said good night and disappeared seconds later. The bar started getting ready to shut down but the band and the crew stuck around. Julie and I kept talking to Dave and Nate a little bit more. Ethan gave me two INSANELY tight hugs! To the point that I thought he was going to break me! LOVE HIS HUGS! Nate was still around so I shared some champagne with im since we weren't drinking it fast enough. We eventually all headed outside and I saw Alex and said hi. He said he saw me in the front earlier having fun. Of course! :) We all chatted a little bit more then headed back to the hotel. I was pooped and fell asleep very quickly. We took the train back the next day, all VERY tired but with WONDERFUL memories.

One last thing... a few days later, Joe was on Twitter. I tweeted: So, I didn't hold up my sign in Chicago. Did you recognize me? I still doubt your memory and recognition skills. He responded: JM: I'm insulted.

Ok ok. So MAYBE he MIGHT recognize me a little bit. Or maybe he's just a cutie who likes to flirt and tease! ;) Either way is fine with me!