On the 3rd Day of Rick Springfield…

My obsession gave to me:
A tear-filled breakfast. Let me explain.

I went to Rick’s show in Pennsylvania in December 2005. My husband and I stayed at a hotel that was close to the venue. We arrived to the hotel early, about 4 p.m., to check in and have dinner in town. When we arrived, the hotel was sponsoring a Toys for Tots toy drive for the holidays, and I entered a raffle to win a backstage pass to Rick’s show later that night. $50 for the kiddies and a chance to meet Rick? No brainer. I didn’t win. Bah Humbug.

We ate dinner in town then off to the show we went. This show was my first in many years, and to my sheer delight, Rick came out into the audience! Please don’t ask me how quickly I left my husband at our seats on the side so that I could sprint and leap down stairs towards the middle seats. I did not have a camera at this show, but I did touch his butt. Hey, it was during Human Touch and he was RIGHT THERE, as in, Holy Freakin’ Crap, Rick Springfield is standing in front of me. He was having some trouble walking on the chairs, and I didn’t want the man to fall and hurt himself. I think I learned in First Aid that if someone looks like they are about to fall, if you hold said person by the buttocks, all will be well. All was well, at least with me.

I was on Cloud 9 from that point on. The concert ended, and I chattered like a butt-touching school girl about, “Did you see me touch him? I touched him! I think he dripped sweat on me!” My husband deserves some kind of medal. Or at least to touch Jessica Alba’s butt.

We got back to our hotel at about 11 p.m. I got ready for bed and then we just relaxed and watched TV. Somehow, the TV landed on the History Channel and we got sucked into a documentary about Jeffrey Dahmer. Just what you want to watch before drifting into slumber. As we watched, I heard some noise down the hall. I’m usually nosy about these things and would’ve popped my head out to see what was going on. However, I was too lazy and enjoyed the fact that I had potentially 12 hours of sleep ahead of me and wouldn’t have to get up before the sun rose with our 9 month-old Monkey Man the next morning.

I awoke the next morning refreshed and giddy and happily remembering my evening and did I mention the butt touching? I laughed and joked with my husband about the concert and how much fun it was, and then off to breakfast we went down the hall. While enjoying our waffles, the owner pleasantly chatted with us. Conversation follows:

Owner: “Did you go to the show last night?”

Me: “Yes, it was great!”

Owner: “Did you meet Rick?”

Me: Thinking, what an odd question, why would I meet him? Is that usual standard concert happenings in these parts of Pennsylvania? I stated bluntly, but with a very quizzical look on my face, “No.”

Owner: “Oh, he stayed here last night and after the show he hung out in the lobby until about 2 a.m. talking with guests and people that were at the concert who stopped here to see him. He was also here yesterday at about noon taking pictures with Santa in the lobby.”

Me: This is where the tears start. “You are kidding me, Really?” Because clearly this was the meanest joke anyone could play on me and there had to be cameras on me waiting to put me on some practical joke show.

Owner: “Yeah, it was great. He stays here whenever he plays at that venue. He is always so nice.”

Me: “Awesome. Want to know how Jeffrey Dahmer began his career as a serial killer? No? Neither did I.”

UNBELIEVABLE. I still get a little misty-eyed thinking about it.

The breakfast area where my heart was broken.

The lobby where everyone - EXCEPT ME - but including Santa, got to hang out with Rick. And hey, guess what's behind that fireplace and down the hall? A girl not nosy ENOUGH to poke her head out.

Ugh. And this guy? Dude, you did some really horrible, heinous, disgusting things. And because of that they made a documentary about you. And because of that, I didn't meet Rick Springfield! You're an even bigger jerk than I thought.

On the 2nd Day of Rick Springfield...

My obsession gave to me:
An iron-on t-shirt for Rick's concert when I was 8 years-old!

I have my mom on a special mission to go through all of my childhood pictures to find the photo of me at my first concert ever – a Rick concert in August 1982 at the Garden State Arts Center (now PNC Arts Center). I want that picture for this blog! I was wearing a baseball-type t-shirt, white with lavender sleeves, with an iron-on of Rick circa the feathered hair days. Let’s not forget the white carpenter pants (on me). Very stylish 8 year-old I was. Loving a 32 year-old man.

12 Days of Rick Springfield

There are only 12 days until my next Rick Springfield concert! In honor of this, I will begin a countdown to July 26. This countdown will give you useless information about my infatuation with the man, as well as trivia you couldn’t care less about.

You may recall from my March post that Rick signed my Working Class Dog album and I got a hug and a kiss from Rick at his concert at the State Theater in New Brunswick, NJ. My heart still flutters thinking about that. On July 26, not only will my husband accompany me on my pilgrimage to Long Island, NY, but I am bringing along a friend (and her husband) who is a Rick concert virgin. I ordered her a Working Class Dog album (I’m bringing my Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet album) and I’m hoping for her sake (and, selfishly, mine!) that we’ll get more hugs, kisses and signed albums. Oh Virgin Friend, let the deflowering begin!

And now, the 12 days of Rick Springfield:

On the 1^st Day of Rick, my obsession gave to me…
An idea for my Life's To-Do List - Before I die, I want to sing Jessie's Girl on stage with Rick Springfield. Trust me people, this will happen! I have other, less lofty goals like paying my parents back for college and spending my retirement traveling the country in an RV. But this one is at the top, because how much fun would that be?

Every wedding, bar, party, place I go to with music, I request Jessie's Girl (just because it’s the only Rick song they know!). I even request Jessie’s Girl at the Dueling Piano Bar, Jellyrolls, in Disney World. It took about 3 years before they finally learned it, but learn it they did, and I tip them generously! I've had DJs and piano men and band singers look at me like I have 3 heads, especially in college in the early 90s when I was in the minority while the other girls were swooning over Kurt Cobain, Gavin Rossdale and Eddie Vedder. That’s okay, just more Rick for me!

Best Weekend Ever!

Call VH-1 because my weekend was way better than Angelina Jolie giving birth to Knox and Vivienne! Mommy usually writes these posts about me, but I'm filling in for her because I wanted to tell all of you about my weekend because it was just so much fun.

Mommy said that for a 3 year-old, my weekend rates right up there with a mommy’s weekend in the Caribbean – a weekend full of lying on the beach, reading a good book and dinner and dancing at night. Actually, the real reason I’m writing this post is because she’s on the other computer booking her trip right now. I’ll miss you Mommy, but thanks for the rockin’ weekend!

So here’s what I did...

Friday night:
I went to my big cousin’s birthday party and ate pizza and cupcakes. My big cousin was sick and in bed, so I got to sit in his birthday chair while everyone sang Happy Birthday to him, but it was really me! Then I got to blow out the candles! It wasn’t even my birthday!

Saturday:
I went swimming with cousin, aunt, uncle, Mommy, and Daddy. The water was freezing cold and Mommy didn’t want to go under water, but because I am the CEO (whatever that is, but that’s what Mommy calls me) I told her to go under water and she did. Her lips were this weird blue and purple color after. I’m not sure why. Oh well, I love to swim!

After we went swimming, Mommy and Daddy took me to see Kung Fu Panda. It was funny and I liked when the Panda said, “Skadoosh!”

I didn’t take a nap. This still comes as a bit of a surprise to Mommy and Daddy. Poor things, they try so hard to get me to “rest” but I have too much to accomplish in a day! If I nap, that’s like one hour that I can’t drive them nuts! When will they learn?

My aunt, uncle, and cousin met us at a fair in town after dinner. I rode on the carousel two times and I also rode on the train ride with my cousin! I didn’t think this day could get any better, but it did! We went out for ice cream and I had a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone with sprinkles! Am I the luckiest kid ever or what?

Sunday:
There’s MORE?? It must be Christmas in July! I went to Sunday School with Grandma and Papa. When I got home, Mommy and I took Poppy on a Caboose train ride for his Father’s Day present. I got to sit in the top of the caboose with Mommy and wave out the window.

After the train ride, I met some of my friends at a park and I ate COTTON CANDY. Have you had this stuff? Wow, I can’t believe after eating cookies Mommy let me have this pink sugar on a stick. I also watched Daddy play volleyball and Mommy said she was happy he didn’t have a heart attack. I’m not sure what that is, but she did mention something about life insurance.

How are the most wonderful parents in the world going to top that next weekend? They said something about needing a break and letting the grandparents try…

Monkey Man - The Early Years

I keep getting threatening emails from Kodak telling me they are going to delete my pictures if I don't order prints from them NOW. So I went back to my pictures and started getting all, "awwww, oh my God, look at Monkey Man. I can't even believe he was that little."

All the pictures are pretty much from his first year, and even though he's the cutest preschooler ever now, wait til you see the baby pictures! Makes me want to have 10 more! Sorry, that was the crack talking.

One of Monkey Man's first smiles - April 2005

This one is my absolute favorite! Could his head be any rounder? August 2005

We call this his "Bubba" face. August 2005


The beginning of his silliness! October 2005

Sunday Funnies

What is wrong with my husband and where does he come up with this stuff??? I swear he's a great dad, really!
popculturecomics.com

Cloudy Vision

Upon gazing out the car window yesterday while waiting in the parking lot for the “big town pool” (as Monkey Man likes to call my parents’ town pool) to open, Monkey Man made a few observations:

Monkey Man: “That cloud looks like a dinosaur. I see its tail there and its head.”

Mommy: Looked up at the clouds and actually saw the one at which he was looking. “Yes, it does look just like a dinosaur!” It really did. Pretty cool!

Monkey Man: “That cloud looks like Woody.” He was referring to Woody from Toy Story – he’s a big fan. “Only some of his parts are missing.” (I have no idea what that meant.) “Mommy go up there and put back the parts.” Huh?

Mommy: “I can’t go up there. Those clouds are high in the sky!”

Monkey Man: “Yes, you can fly. You’re Super Mommy!”

And Monkey Man, you are one Super Kid. For all your terrible three-ness, you really do rock! It is because of moments like these that I decide yes, you may continue to live in my house and eat my food.