Day 11: 10 Words or Less

I really don't like the topic of this post either. This is the second time I've vetoed the prompt. It's okay. Instead I'm going to write about something I really didn't want to do but am SO glad I did.

I'm 29. I put my kids to bed around 8:00, and then I'm usually in bed by 8:30. I either read, or my husband and I watch a few episodes of something. I don't like to stay up late. I don't like discomfort. I don't like environments where the control factor is questionable. Lame? Perhaps, but there you go.

Which means I outgrew the concert scene YEARS ago. One of the best things about moving to Lawrence was that my husband gained a concert buddy, and between him and his brother, I never have to go. However, for our third anniversary, we had tickets to see John Mayer in concert. Rick had seen him right after Room for Squares had released and about two months before "No Such Thing," his first single, skyrocketed and propelled JM onto the front cover of the music scene. It was at the Granada. There were about 70 people there. By the time we got tickets, he was a household name. We were stoked. I was 23 and not quite as concerned about comfort and sleep. But because of some family issues, we had to pass the tickets off to my brother. I remember being devastated. I really wanted to go to that show.

So when JM came around this time, and Rick found Groupon tickets for $20, he decided we were going. I said that sounded great...as long as I had a chair. No problem (I specifically remember him saying). Fast-forward to the week of:

• heat index says 100+ degrees
• paying a baby-sitter for 5+ hours
• NO SEATS!

Say what? I thought we had seats! My husband insists that he never told me that. I insist that he did because I wouldn't have agreed to go if I had realized I would be STANDING for three hours! I was pretty selfish about the whole thing. I complained. I tried to get someone to take my place. I dreaded it.

And then I realized it was important to my husband. It was one night. Suck it up and deal with it.

When my attitude changed, things started looking up. Funny how that happens.

We got there, and lo and behold, there were signs that said "Upgrade from lawn seats to reserved section for $10 - see Box Office." Enter singing angels and harp music. We (and a whole ton of folks behind us) made a beeline for the box office window.

All that stressing about having to stand for three hours and lo and behold, I get a chair. Best $10 I could have spent. And $30 seats for JM is pretty good anyway.

And thanks to all my yoga, I didn't sweat once the whole night. Turns out 85 degrees (the original predictions went down), when you're not sticking your legs up in the air or doing flows, really isn't that hot! There was a nice breeze and things were wonderful.

Enter the music. It. Was. Brilliant. JM's voice is like straight up butter to me and always has been. Apparently he's been lying low for the last year and a half due to vocal nodes :( and you could hear it in the music. He sang "Waiting on the World to Change" with completely different (lower) melody. Made me wonder why he didn't just change the key...? Oh well. He's the millionaire.

Bottom line - I had a great time. I had this idea of what it would be like - hot, sweaty, hard on my bad back from standing, crowded, pot-smelling (and there was still some of that), bug-infested, miserable. It was WONDERFUL. And it just goes to show that trying new things, getting out of your comfort zone, and doing things for the right reasons pays off.

:)