I met Keith Urban!!!

I've been asked a lot and I really want to share but didn't want to type it 100 times so I'll tell my story, share it here...Sorry, it's longwinded

So as you all know by now at 12:32pm Sunday July 9th (Which also happens to be the anniversary of my mom's passing 16 years ago) I got the tweet from Keith that got this crazy day going. 

I was just about to head out the door to go to a get together of friends to celebrate the life of another friend who passed away three years ago. I'm beginning  to think this friend who was also a crazy guitar loving player and knew my love of Keith, might've had a small  hand in me getting the meet and greet today. Whatever your belief of the afterlife, that's what I would like to believe. I went to the memorial, met a woman who had been to the Keith show the night before so we were gabbing and swapping stories! I came back home, changed 6 times all the while my phone is going craaaaazy lol

I stop shaking long enough to pick up my friend Pam and drive to Toronto.  I picked up the passes at Will Call and  it began pouring cats and dogs. This is about an hour before the meet. We waited in my car until it let up about 10 mins before  we had to line up - Thank goodness! I didn't want to look like a wet dog!

We get told to wait in a line and she tells us to follow her  to a tent where we will meet Keith, have our pictures take and he will sing a song and answer some questions! I so wasn't expecting to be included in that! What another great surprise!

So we are led to the tent where bevvies and finger food are being served and  in there is the stage set up where Keith is going to sing. We are led out of that room two at a time to line up outside another room  to meet Keith. The whole time I felt like I was going to pee my pants I was so nervous. I've never felt like that. The young girl in front of me was 18 and hyperventilating. Her mom was trying to calm her down. I learned they had won a contest from a radio station in New Brunswick and were flown in that morning , that nothing had gone as planned with hotel and the limo picked them up late so  they made it to the venue late. We got her calmed down talking about other things trying to not make her think too much about who she was going  to meet in a minute.

The curtain opened for her and her mom to go in and she said oh my god! put her hands over her mouth and she almost started to cry. I talked to her mom after and she said Keith was so good with her. Chelsea was her name by the way.

That meant it was us next. For some reason watching Chelsea go in calmed me down completely and some great confidence washed over me waiting outside for our turn. the curtain opens and we are told to go right in

Something possessed me as we were waling in to sing  "Honey I'm home and I had a hard day' (Shania for those who don't know) ... He giggles and  says "woah! Shania karaoke! I love it, you're keeping it local!" As he reached out for a hug and says "Hey Baby".  Big bear hug, it was awesome! As we hugged I said I was hoping you would chime in with the next line... He pulls back and says oh! and I can see him thinking and he's mouthing trying to think of the words, so I said, I'll start you off again...so I did, he was so cute, he stumbled and I don't think he got one word right lmao so I put him out of his misery and told him what it was. . He laughed and said "its SOOO awesome you came in singing!"

Then I turned around realizing I was hogging Keith, I introduced my friend Pam and told him it was her first Keith show. He said hi Pam and walked over and gave her a big hug asked her how she was, they talk.  He walks back to his spot looks at me with those blue eyes and my mind went blank and I said "so...how you doing today?"  And I lifted my shoulder well shrugged them really like I was all shy and he laughed and shrugged his shoulders and copied what I was doing and says why you playing all shy now? and I said I can't help it, you're awesome 

He says well take a pic with me baby (Oh the baby word again...le sigh) and he pulled me in and wrapped his arms around me! We got individual pics! What a great place to be, with his arms wrapped around me. Lost all thought, can't remember if I had stupid big perma grin or how my hair was sitting(with all of the rain/humidity I probably looked like Monica from the show Friends when they went to the Caribbean. Big fuzzy curly head) I asked for one more hug and told him he is awesome again and that he smelled so good. As the hug ended I told him "everyone's advice to me was to take a big whiff of him" He laughed and said, "Is that a good thing?" I said it's a VERY good thing.
I asked quickly if he was going to sing Only you can love me this Way or When Summer Comes Around, tonight?
He said no baby sorry
Pam got her snuggles and pictures taken, Hers are going to look so good I can tell already! We walked out saying, Love you Keith! and headed back to the other room.

In the other room Keith was introduced and he sat down and asked what people were eating and joking that he was in the back making all the food himself. Then asked "what would you guys like to hear?" I think before he finished his sentence someone yelled out "Shine"!!! Keith said" WOW! That was fast! Ok, Wow! of all of the songs, you pick one I've NEVER performed live! "You can tell he's searching for the lyrics in his mind. He says out loud he was searching the filing cabinet of lyrics in his brain but he couldn't come up with it. He did figure it out and sang the first chorus and verse then laughed about how stressed his brain was in that moment searching for the lyrics. Then Chelsea yelled out asking for "My heart is Open" and he laughing, saying "really people?  Hold on... let me search a different  filing cabinet of lyrics for that one..." then quickly said to her if she could tell him with the first line he could maybe remember it. Keith laughed and said "I'm asking you guys to help me out with my lyrics" lol Chelsea did tell him the first line, but it turns out he couldn't do it. Then there was a couple in there who had a sign that said 'Forget the cat can I have your sweater"  so he sang You'll think of Me. Keith explained that they had been practicing Habit of You so much the past couple of days that the filing cabinet to the other lyrics seemed to be closed. He was so funny and light-hearted about it all :)

It was question and answer time. Someone asked what his fave song to perform live is. He says that can change per night and by the energy of the crowd but typically its one of the upbeat ones the crowd really gets into and sings back. My turn, I got to ask him a question. I said that many people want to know when he is bringing his guitars to the shopping channel in Canada. He says it may not be the shopping channel but he's working on something right now for Canada, the uk and Australia very soon!!!

Next, Keith picked Chelsea out of the crowd and I guess she had told him in the meet and greet that she sings in musicals, most recently the Sound of Music. He said to her, if I have to sing for you, it's only fair you sing for me. She was nervous as heck but did a great job and at the end he said Chelsea "You're going to Hollywood!!" just like on American Idol :)

There was a question about his typical Sunday at home with the family. He answered there is rarely a typical day. Another person asked if he was able to do anything in Toronto because he had stayed overnight. He said not this time but that he had been to the city many times before. Told us of a story of his first time in Toronto in 1991. He was meeting a friend/ songwriter here. Keith found out Van Halen was playing at the Skydome and asked his buddy if he wanted to go. His buddy said no. So Keith took the bus and train downtown and went by himself and says he had the best time that night! Says he has had a long history with Toronto so he always feels comfortable coming back.

And with that.... Keith said his goodbyes and it was all over. We headed to the amphitheatre and caught the last song of Maren Morris' set.

I didn't remember to ask/say to Keith everything I wanted but I don't even care. It was a once in a lifetime experience - One that I hope to maybe experience twice in a lifetime ;) but I won't complain if this is the only one. What a great great GREAT day!

Thank you everyone for your well wishes. I read them on Twitter,  I already can't wait to see him in concert again! If you haven't been, you need to go!!

I hope all of you get to experience something similar some day. Here's my picture with Keith...

How much is too much to expect?

Do we as a human race not expect enough of each other? As friends, as spouses, as parents, as employees - which ever shoe may fit.

As friends, it seems alright these days to allow a text to 'sit there' until we deem it worthy of a reply if we reply at all. It's true that cell phones have invaded our personal down time instead of being a convenient, "I forgot to ask you to grab milk while you are out", we now have numerous people texting, "what doin" how many times during the day. With land lines we deal with one person at a time, one situation, one story. Give them our undivided attention.
Now we give many people small pieces of attention, possibly at the the cost of what is really important in your world. Take a step back. Think about it for a minute. Are you more worried about texting these people back than calling someone important in your life and having a verbal conversation? Your mom, a close friend you haven't talked to in a few weeks, your cousin... someone important to you but isn't begging for your attention with constant texts. What is the saying? Squeaky wheel gets the oil? Maybe the not so squeaky wheels need some attention too. Is that too much to expect?

As parents, do these not so important texts get in the way of you sitting around the dinner table asking your kids about their day? Possibly your child's phone is taking their attention away from some family activities everyone could be doing together. Board games, family bike rides, having actual verbal conversations with each other ;) Many of us don't expect, or at the very least we find it common and acceptable for people to stare at their phones while sitting beside you at the table or on the couch or in bed. Put it down once in awhile. Make an effort. Even if its one evening a week. Pick that day, silence the phones and live in the here and now with your kids. Make those that matter a priority. Is that too much to expect?

As a spouse/partner do you still make your spouse a priority? We all get in those ruts. Family life, sex life, daily tasks become routine and mundane. Boring if you will. Things need to be kicked up a notch. Throw a wrench into the daily routine. Change your expectations of the day. Surprise your partner with something. Men surprise your woman, Women surprise your man, whoever you decided to spend your life with, or at least decided to spend the here and now with, pay attention to something they like to do and set it up. Don't buy something that you give them and 10 mins later you're both sitting on the couch not talking. Engage in an activity together, give them your undivided attention. Let them know they mean something to you.

As employees for some reason many of us think our employers owe us something before we even start a job. People are offered a job for a certain pay and they accept, for some reason 2 months later they're bitching. I actually had an employee of an establishment say to me, 'what do they expect, it's a minimum wage job' Ummmmm you agreed to take the minimum wage job. If you don't give 80% of your potential, should the employer only pay you 80% of your paycheck? Why should they give you 100% when you aren't doing the same in return? People agreed to the terms of the job upon hire. Yes eventually pay raises are to be expected with performance and cost of living, but I don't know why so many people expect something for nothing. Jobs are an essential evil. Most of us need them to pay the bills. If you were an employer, you wouldn't want to pay someone who was giving a half-assed effort, right? Is that too much to expect employees to give 100%

I'm not an employer, but I just don't understand some of my coworkers thoughts in the past and present about that issue. Things that are important in your life will get the most attention. It might be your spouse, it might be your bff, it might be your mom, it might be your kids,  it might be your pet. Whatever or whoever it is, give it the attention it deserves. Don't forget those important people who mean something to you. Remind them you care. Remind them they matter. Take the time to make the effort to single them out once in awhile and make them feel special.

Is that too much to expect?

Blue Jays win ALDS

To text or not to text? That is the question

Have you ever made a mistake with a friend? Said something they took the wrong way. In my case it was a text or two. 

The problem with texting is that one can not hear HOW the other person is saying what is written. Quite possibly depending on who is on the other end of the text, they think people always think the worst of them so they automatically get defensive. Even when the intent wasn't a jab at them, but a thought about society in general.

My heart hurts that my friend feels that I would say something to hurt them. Is it my fault really? I'm willing and have taken the blame. I could have worded it better I suppose. It was also a text that really wasn't necessary. My friend needed support, not me trying to justify why other people act certain ways towards them. For that, for not being a supportive friend when they were in need, I am truly sorry. 

This whole generation of texters, is raising people to be more cold, distant and anti - social. It appears to be 'acceptable' to text ones boss or supervisor to say they won't be able to make it to work. Anyone who was a supervisor at any job 15-20 years ago would laugh if someone were to tell them how young people 'call in sick to work' It's not even a call in. They don't have to try and fake sounding sick when they just want to spend the summer day at the beach with their friends. There is no pressure. There is no guilt. It's a quick text, hit send and off they go.

Same thing for relationships these days. As quickly as a relationship can begin it can end. What used to take a couple 7, 8, 9 dates to find out likes and dislikes and personalities of the other person can be done in a day or two over text. In some ways that may be good. You don't have to waste 7 evenings of dinners to find out that you two aren't really compatible.

The bad thing about texting in relationships is miscommunication ie can't hear the tone the text is said so the recipient reads it thinking there is attitude when there isn't any. Also the end of the relationship is as easy as, "Hey, I don't think this is working out. Sorry. I don't want to go out anymore" Then hit send. If the other person wants to call, text and talk about it, we can just block them. Game over. There isn't the dreading, "We need to talk" Phone call.

Texting has made things super impersonal. While it does make some things easier. Like when your spouse is at the store and you can quickly text "hey hun I forgot to ask you to grab some milk while you are out'. Other than things like that, I believe relationships should go back to using our verbal words. Whether it be our work relationships, friendships or love relationships. Lets get talking people! Verbally conversing I mean ;)

Do you Allow Other People's Opinions Affect Your Mood?

Okay, so I used to allow other people's opinions to affect my mood. Now I have narrowed it down to a smaller group of people. Even when I think I have convinced myself that their opinion won't upset me, they say something I wasn't expecting and blammo! I'm having a bad day. Some of these people I think might just be doing it for sport, to get a rise out of me. Some I believe genuinely don't realize how their words impact those around them.

Trying to have a friendly conversation with an ex. He has moved on, seemingly content in life. Calls me one day out of the blue last week after not talking for 3 weeks, says he needs to see me, needs a hug, he's having a bad day. Hugs me when I see him, cries that he always wanted to be with me, wanted me to have his baby. We talk some, I leave. I text today and he seems short. Tells me something I said didn't sit well with him the other day. Why didn't you say something before now, I asked? I can't fix or explain what I don't know about.

Turns out the fact that I even mentioned I thought about moving on and trying to date, seemed to annoy him. He is living with another woman, no intention of leaving, but I'm not allowed to move on? If I end up sleeping with someone else - he basically called me slutty if I do. Double standard is, I called him on it, why is he allowed to sleep with another woman and live with her but I'm not. Truth comes out. It will be okay with him if I move on with someone as long as I promise to have sex with him still, now and again.... and I'm the one being called slutty.

Rewind a month and someone I dated for a month when I was 17 - never slept with - messaged me one day. Wanted to meet for coffee. We do. Seems to be some mutual attraction. He says he isn't in a relationship with his childrens' mother. They have a 'mutual agreement' when the kids are out of the house they are going their separate ways. First one is leaving for college in a couple weeks. They work opposite shifts so they don't sleep in the bed at the same time but as far as the kids are concerned they are together. they go to family functions together blah blah blah... I know... I realize how stupid this sounds as I am writing this out but at the time piece by piece it seemed legit. Until the childrens' mother messages me one day and introduces herself as his other half and wants to meet up. So I agree, I have nothing to hide cause I haven't done anything wrong. I didn't sell him under the bus but oh ya, as far as she's concerned they are together.

So I tell this gentlemen. We can still talk and do coffee as long as she knows about it and is okay with it and she can even come along cause I DO NOT want to be the other woman. We both agree there still is a mutual attraction and sucks that the timing obviously is not going to work out. Fast Forward two weeks and we have been chatting here and there...last night and this morning he has been hounding me to hook up and have sex with him. Nice to be desired I suppose but I'm not convinced it's me, or any woman would do and he thinks I'm convenient. I'm not going to. I told him no. Just feel crappy these two make me feel wanted and then used in a short amount of time.

I think I give up on men. I have to give up on these ex's anyways. But these experiences make me gun shy to even try someone new =/ So it's noon and already my day has gone to crap.,.. Yesterday I had come to terms that they don't want me. I was not going to have any expectation of them. If they didn't text, I wouldn't care, I wouldn't allow myself to feel rejected anymore. But basically being called a slut this morning for even thinking of dating another man and then a basically married man asking me to have sex today.... well it's affected my mood. I should just cut them loose.

After the morning I had I just needed to vent and my best friend isn't available =/