I introduced myself and the rest is history. Gotta make a move or you'll miss out. and here's to living in the moment.

Introduction : Okay, so after a few attempts at trying the video blog, Ive decided Im just going to do what I do best and write about this past September 30th: the best day of my life and a life-defining moment for me. From the day I arrived to my college campus in Fall 2005, I dont know how many times I had to pass by my school's Greek Theater on the way to class or starred out the third floor window of my World Politics class that had the view of the theater and had wished and imagined Jimmy Eat World's presence on that out door stage. When I found out about September 30th my heart had raced like it had never raced in my 20 years. I had found myself more privileged than ever before. Two years of picturing it in my head, seven years of excuse after excuse for why I could never go to their shows; I am now a junior in college, and I was finally going to get my wish.

Let me make a few things clear: I hate the word fan, I hate the phrase "favorite band" they are just too generic especially when talking about  them. You know how people have a soul mate, that one being who just gets them in anything and everything, well I'd like to think about Jimmy Eat World as a uhhh "soul" band (thats as close as im going to get to trying to explain them)...they just get me and move me, and the amount of time Ive loved them does not matter; too long to count anyway. Okay well thats as much as Im going to say about my passion for them, because everything else only I will understand and appreciate.

They played at my school this past September 30th. I knew beforehand this day was going to be incredible and special. A suupper early 21st birthday, a supper early christmas present for me; this day I knew was going to be unforgettable. It really felt they were here to perform especially for me. The night before the festival some of my friends, both RA's, and I went to Jack in the Box and they had the 411 on "what was going down" for Fall Fest and they made the big mistake of telling me at what time they were going to arrive. dont worry I didnt do anything, and if i could've, I would've. I would've loved to have had greet them at the break of dawn when they arrived and to have welcomed them and made them feel at home. I dont feel shame in saying that no one would've deserved that privilege more than me, when it comes to them of course. Deal is I was soo unsteady that night I ended up going to sleep close to 4 a.m. wishing I was the one who needed to get up in two hours to go greet them. all i really wanted to say was thank you for being here.

Morning arrives and I wake up to hear the bands warm up  in the Greek Theater, this was about 8 am; I let the fact that they were actually here hit me and I just got a rush of "why am i still in my room I need to go say hi" and jumped out of bed. Ha! dont worry I didnt do anything, deal is, I woke up faster than you can say "Its time to go to class", it was Sunday though, so thank god! 

So how big was this day for this me? even what I wore that day had to be something special, something that would just make me stand out from the rest of the crowd. I had bought a sundress during the summer that just was the most earthy soft dress I had ever seen. It was going to be mine. Anyway, this dress just made me feel beautiful and soft when I tried it on. Decision on what to wear on this day was not hard at all. The day of the festival I had felt so incredibly great, I admit I had a different light, a glow, in myself.

The Dress (not day of show)


The Redlands Show: Opening bands play and Im enjoying the moment and Im am getting pumped. Oh and by the way, I did have front row 0:). I stood Standing there for a good 4 hourse before they came on. When it came their turn to play and they walked on stage I had to pinch myself and all I remember is my hand on my chest trying to hold my heart from popping out. That, and I had the weirdest giggle. When they played 23 it really hit me that I was seeing them and I admit, I did get teary eyed. They moved me just like they always have and just like I had expected them to. so they played for a good hour and fifteen minutes. When they walked off stage my heart dropped. So the show was over and I couldnt walk away. I physically couldnt, something kept me there. they came to my second home, I needed to thank them for that. I knew this couldnt have been it, my gut just kept telling me that. it was funny because my friends were waiting for me to walk out with them and then the security people started making coversation with me, so I just told my friends "dont worry Ill head out after you guys" and they left. even my friend greg left who was peeing just like I was about Jimmy, only, of course, a little less than me haha. well minutes were ticking and people were leaving,  the longer I was there. so eventually I start making peace with myself and begin to walk out. As I kept walking out, i kept looking back, trying to let it sink in, wanting to remember every detail of that show.

When I exited, there was a volunteer booth for students who wanted to help with clean up. My friend veronica was there to help and I go up to say hi to her and we start making conversation, so the longer I stayed talking to her the more tempted I was to stay and "help" with clean up. So I do. I ended up in the backstage area a few times but I got nothing. So when that was over, I walk back to my dorm with Veronica and Shella. They witnessed  me going back into my room, close the door, i think we even said good night. I walk in my room, I take my shoes off, tell my roommate how amazing the show was and how much fun I had especially when Tom waved back at me during the show, and I tried relaxing...ha, yea right. In  a matter of good 15 minutes something pushed me and I start putting my shoes back on, grab my sweater and wallet, and camera and walk out the door, out of the dorm and back to the Greek Theater. That must have been one of the longest walks I have ever taken. I sneak through the back of  the administration building that lead to Greek Theater and I knew no one would be able to see me there. so I proceed and observe that the security people had left, no one was really checking for anyone anymore. So I keep creeping up until I get to the top steps of the theater and I just sit on the steps and observe people taking down the stage. pretty sad but definitely more memorable than sad. im sitting there and I could tell there was this 'One man" looking towards my direction, or at least I think he was and Im like "damn it! someone is going to throw me out", afterwards I notice students who were there helping with the show taking pictures with this 'one man' and then three other guys walk up to the group of students. I knew it was them. How unfair to have been witnessing this, but yet happy for those kids. so I push myself to the lower steps of the theater and I keep going lower and lower til im in the front: ok, now Im visible to everyone and I could see who this one man was. It was Jim and he was the only one left still talking to the kids. Two girls walk out of there and head over to my direction, as in leaving the venue and I ask them to get me in there that I really needed to meet them. They were so relaxed, they just tell me "Oh, dont worry they're not checking anymore just go in." I didnt want to walk in there though without one of those working staff badges and risk getting kicked out and humiliated in front of him but I suck it up and just start walking: "now or never, now or never, now or never".I walk in and beg to God (silently) that i dont get thrown out.  luckily the girl in charge of my dorm was one of the main directors. I whisper to her to not throw me out and she reasurres me and lets me stay and says: there he is. So I go, look at him in the eye, shake his hand, introduce myself and tell him what an amazing show they put on. I was there for a good 10 minutes with the rest of the kids just talking to him. I really dont remember what was said though or what I asked him, i know i asked him something else, but have no clue what it was. I do, however, remember being teased about what I had done though, and thats ok, because we laughed and he laughed and it was such a relaxed atmosphere. But thats why its been pretty hard to write about this and has taken me forever, because it seemed like a dream, like a blurr, trying to just keep to myself what I remembered most; that if i talked or wrote about it right away, the more id forget. it took a while for it to sink in. I dont even know how I got to sleep that night, the smile was glued to my face. Needless to say, its taken me almost three weeks.

When I went back to the Greek Theater...Glow? Yes, No?...Pretty Real. What a sweet guy he is in person.

Best part, is that it doesnt end there.

The Wiltern Show October 16th: Before the Redlands show, I was predicting seeing Jimmy at Fall Fest was going to be a huge tease, that I was going to be left with seeing more. so I decide to try and look for tickets for another of their shows here in southern california.The Wiltern was my perfect target. I had seen them on my college campus, my second home, how better than to watch them in my hometown.They played October 16th, this past Tuesday, their release day album too btw ;), (which you NEED to go get!). So I found tickets to the show (how I found tickets is a whole other story, in one word: craigslist...eeekkk!!! this was the only exception though). I was headed to the Wiltern! My brother graciously joined me. The tickets were 'down' so once again I had conquered the front stage...ok, ok like two or three people were in front of me. The show was amazing. More importantly I am glad I was there to support them on their big day. Incredible night. They played "For me this is Heaven" (which you can hear on my playlist, i suggest you do) and I teared up yet again. I fell in love with their new song "always be" and "firefight". After the show my brother patiently waited with me at the back of the Wiltern for a chance to meet all four guys this time. We were out of luck though. It was cold and he had to go to work in the morning, on our way to the car, im passing by these other people who were also at the show in redlands and I heard this girl say "hey that girl was at the redlands show. remember? the one with the sundress on" Bamn! I made myself stand out, made someone remember me! thats part of what I wanted and that made me feel good. I said hi to them and wished them luck on seeing the band. I head home and Im sad but at the same time, I still had that memory of meeting Jim and that kept me happy.

I arrive home and Im feeling like it was not over, just like I did when I arrived to my room back at redlands. So I remember the fact that they were having a signing the day after. But how to stay? I needed to go to class. So I have a huge dilemma and ask for opinions. Everyone who was aware of my deep fond for them, rooted for me to stay. I knew i was going to feel guilty as hell, but hey its what you pay for. and it had to be worth it right? I inform my mom and she wasnt too happy about it but I insisted on how they werent the typical artist band. that they mean something wayy more to me. I end up convincing both of my parents.

The day of the signing, I was pretty nervous. I knew he wasnt going to remember me and that was going to be bum me out some, I mean why would he? I cant even remember a student I met on campus the day after, why would he remember me?  So I arrive and it starts hitting me that I am going to meet the guys together. How amazing. I get to the front of the line and I help take the picture of Krissy and Dane, couple I met the day of, and now its my turn. I walk up and I make eye contact with the band and then Jim, smile and say "Hey guys, how are you?" and then Jim "Hey you were at the show in Redlands! *big smiles from him*". Yeah, I felt my eyes get small and my cheeks warm up, and I had a huge smile from left to right: "Yes I am!" and I highfived him and thanked him for remembering me; remembering my face after all of the faces he's seen. I never thought I was worth remembering and he proved me wrong, out of all people. I mean who knows, maybe he just has a good photographic memory, he's good with faces. But after the number of shows he was in after Redlands, remembering me was the last thing I expected. Anyway if it is that he just has a photographic memory, Id still like think there was something worth remembering about me. I felt so special. I still feel special. I'd like to think that because of it he will always remember my school, the show, the day I was courageous enough to come back just to shake his/their hand, that he'll remember this community and I hope he liked us, by the way he posted a picture of us kids that stayed chatting with him on his band blog dated 9/30, pretty kool feeling when I saw that, I must say..."remember that one girl that highfived me?" hehe.
October 17th

The Best part of going back to the Greek Theater that one night, was seeing how down to earth Jim was, how simple he was, how human he was, how real and friendly he was and I know he speaks for the other guys as well, just as they would speak for him. Knowing that fact made it all just more worth while. Seeing Jim smile and laugh made my night, even if it meant that it was at my expense. I was so privileged being there in that moment--I would do it all over again. You know how some bands have that power of speaking to you through their music and lyrics that it can detail almost every aspect of your life, making you feel like that they have known you forever as you have them? Well when you get the chance of meeting them, even its just one of them in person, it still feels like they have known you forever and you have known them forever, only seeing them in person and embracing their presence (even if its just for 10 minutes) was just delayed a bit and that was the case for me. My defining moment: courage, determination and drive combined together will get you to do things you would never thought you'd ever have the guts to do.

My Lastest Message to the Band:
Oct 17, 2007 9:02 PM
These past two days have been amazing. Thank you for the show yesterday night, I consider myself lucky to have been part of it and thank you for giving me an opportunity to say hello to all four of you this evening. Thank you jim, for remembering me and where from too, it really meant a lot and a lot is an understatement. Keep my school close to you guys and when you leave california and you happen to pass by Redlands, just know that you have left a huge imprint on that campus and when I need to find serenity that stage will always be there for me to go to. Im glad I finally got to meet you boys together. going back to Redlands tomorrow morning is going to be bittersweet. stay amazing. stay cool. and I'll see you when I see you :)

Blessings and Be Proud with what you have Accompished,
Yvette

University of Redlands, Greek Theater


The Wiltern, 10/16


University of Redlands, 09/30