One night yeah and one more time...

As Keri so delicately put it: "You need to update..." So, here I am!

I got sick Christmas night while at my parents' house. By the time I returned to my home the next day, I was in full-blown cold mode. Not fun. Not only because a cold, in general, is no fun; but with my high blood pressure, I can't take any medication! Grrr. My colds last longer and are more miserable because of it. I doubled up on my multi-vitamins, ate Vitamin C tabs like candy, drank enough orange juice to eat the lining of my stomach away and took a few layers of skin off my nose blowing into Puffs tissues (total misnomer). The good part? I slept. And slept and slept. Mmm...sleep...body heal thyself. With all of the sleep/rest, I figured I'd be better by New Year's Eve. If I wasn't, then I'd drink it out of my system - kill it with alcohol! Uh, yeah. Not so much.

There was *never* the thought 'Reese, you shouldn't go to the show.' Come on! A) it's the English Beat (my 12th show in 2007)! B) it's Richard Blade :::squeal::: doing a live broadcast of the show on Sirius Radio! And C) it's the English Beat *and* Richard Blade doing a live broadcast of the show on Sirius Radio from MALIBU! Yeah, Reese ain't missin' it. Besides, it was too late to cancel the hotel (totally lucked out getting a room with a view of Malibu beach at a ridiculously excellent rate!).

2 of my musical heroes - Richard Blade & Dave Wakeling

I lug my tissues, water, juice, vitamins and stuffy nose over the canyon to Malibu. Ahh, fresh ocean air! I opened all the windows and the balcony doors of the hotel room and...slept. Scot & Linda were picking me up at the hotel around 7 or so - I had plenty of time. Can I just say, I looked killer in my new dress? OK. I looked killer in my new dress! It was a Christmas gift from my co-workers. I know!

That's me with Linda

Scot, Linda & I had dinner then hit the Malibu Inn around 10. As we enter, I spot Richard Blade on the stage. :::squeal::: I froze or grabbed Scot or something, it's a bit fuzzy. But I walked right past him. I know. I'm 12. Really, it's the only excuse I have. We sorta ramble around backstage, greeting the band, yada yada yada. I'm just fidgety. We walk over to the stage, Richard says 'Hello! Happy New Year!' and jumps down to greet us. He hugs me. Uh huh. Hugs. Me. :::squeal::: I thank him for introducing me to all the bands and music that I love. He asked if I'd like to make a request. So, I did! (Should I Love You by Cee Farrow - *never* hear that song anymore) Scot snapped a pic of me with Richard and we went our merry way.

Richard Blade and me :::squeal:::

The show was fantastic, of course. I had such a great night! I really wish I could explain it. There's something…the band, the music, the vibe, the energy…I don't know. But, something about seeing the English Beat live makes me incredibly happy! For those two hours, I'm in a space that is so full of joy and nothing else. I think that's why I get so pissed at Flying Hair Girls, Drunk Dancing Girls and the Aggro-Pogo Boys – they're messing with my happy! I get it, I get it – they're getting their happy on, too. Anyway, that feeling – that happy, that outrageous joy – is why I go see them every chance I get.

That's me with Scot

Wishing all of you outrageous joy and an abundance of all things good!