Sunday, November 27, 2016

Five Years ...



It's been five years.

Five years since I last saw your face.  Five years since I last heard your laugh.  Five years since I last hugged you.  Five years since I last said good night.  Five years since I sat next to you on your bed, held your hand, and watched you take your last breath.

Not a single day in the last five years has passed that I haven't thought of you.  In a sense it seems like it was only yesterday, but in another it feels like forever has passed.

Five years ago today I lost my mother, my hero, my best friend.

Pain.  Anger.  Sadness.  Tears.

I miss you more today than five years ago.

Thankful for our memories;






Tuesday, November 15, 2016

A Dream I Never Knew I Had (discovering and meeting Delta Goodrem)

One evening in the middle of August I typed "The Voice" into the YouTube search engine.  I was trying to find a video showing the flowered ensemble Miley Cyrus had concocted.  For weeks I'd seen a commercial of this seasons The Voice, which was now featuring Miley as a coach.  I had never, before this night, seen an episode of The Voice, however, I was curious to see more of this outfit than the commercial was showing.  The only videos that came up were the same ones I'd seen, I wanted more.  So, I delved deeper.  Nothing.  Frustrated, I continued on.  Since this season of The Voice (U.S.) hadn't actually started at the time, I didn't know that I wouldn't find what I was looking for.  What I did find, however, was a video of a young girl from The Voice Kids Australia.

I clicked the link, it was her blind audition (I learned this later on).  She was good, and all four of the coaches had turned their chairs around for her (I also learned what this meant later on as well).  I listened to the banter between the coaches - I knew three of them, the forth one I'd never even seen before - and watched as the young girl picked the coach I knew nothing of.  I was just about to click on another video when a snippet of a song played as the unknown coach walked towards the stage.  Even though the snippet was only about 10 seconds long it caught my attention, quickly.   

I opened up another YouTube tab and typed in the lyrics I had heard; just sitting on top of the world.  I had no idea whose song it was, had never heard it before.  All I knew was that the song resonated with me and I needed to hear more.  Up popped a list, among them was a music video of Delta Goodrem's; Sitting On Top of The World.  

I could say that I watched the music video and the rest is history.  But with the history comes a story - a journey that took me from a small basement room to a concert venue, nearly half a world away, in less than 3 months.  

After watching Sitting On Top of The World music video I searched for more.  I sat and cried thru Dear Life, shook my booty in my chair to Heart Hypnotic, and held my breath in utter amazement with Believe Again.  I had been reeled in; hook, line, and sinker.  The next several days every chance I got I was searching and listening to anything and every thing Delta Goodrem, including any upcoming tours.  I was disappointed to learn that she had only toured in Australia and was about to embark upon one in a few weeks time; nine to be exact.  There was no way I could pull together a trip in that short amount of time, especially one from the U.S. to Australia.  

I downloaded all of Delta's songs that were available on iTunes, and went to several local music stores in search of the one I really wanted; Sitting On Top of The World (Child of The Universe).  No one here had heard of her, but I was determined to get my hands on the song that started it all, so I turned to Ebay.  This is when I discovered B side songs from single releases.  Soon my credit card was being pulled from my wallet too many times to count.  Never in my 40-something years of life had I been so drawn to one person.  Never had I dropped so much money on a single artist, especially one I had just discovered mere days earlier.  I had to take a step back and breathe. So,  I took a break, which lasted oh about 12 hours (go ahead laugh, I just did).  

Less than 2 weeks after doing my initial The Voice search I was on the phone to my niece, Ashlee, my side-kick.  I asked her if she knew who Delta Goodrem was.  Nope, not her either.  Within days she, too, was hooked.  Not as profoundly as I was - but a new fan none-the-less.  I looked up on Delta's website to see if tickets were still available then entertained the idea, to Ash, of traveling to Australia to see her in concert.  She was on board, but here it was the end of August, Delta's tour started 27 October.  Without looking we both thought plane tickets, hotel rooms, etc., would be astronomical.  So the idea was shelved.  

Then came the news that I had lost my job.  Plans stopped, hopes were dashed, life moved forward as Delta's songs played on repeat.  Next I did something that is so incredibly out of character for me.  This shy, hermit, social media anxiety sufferer reached out to another Delta fan.  I'd done my research and discovered that she doesn't tour very often so I was hoping to be told this was wrong, and she would do another tour next year.  This wasn't the case.  Hopes were dashed yet again. 

Days passed, yet this desire to travel to Australia to see Delta live in concert continued to grow.  I didn't want to have to wait 3-5 years for another tour so, I crunched numbers, made some calls, and on 13 September - less than a month after discovering the exemplary talent of Delta Goodrem - reservations were made, and tickets (very last row) were purchased.  Ashlee and I were headed to Australia.

The count down was on.  To pass the time we thought up a hashtag and designed some shirts;


 I was able to score some better seats for the concert.

We even played This Or That (all things Delta) daily, often times not being able to choose;



We watched as Delta Fan's convened on Australia.  Grew more excited as pictures and videos were posted of the Wings Of The Wild Tour.

Before we knew it 8 November was here.  Ashlee boarded a plane in Texas, myself in Utah and we met up in LA;











The dream I never even knew I had, with an unexpected surprise happening at the end, was being lived out.  We squealed out with delight as we saw our first glimpse of Australia;




  









Made our first purchase with Australian currency;














Got many stares when we screamed, then sang out loud when we heard The River being played on the overhead speaker in Target.

And I FINALLY got the CD that had eluded me for almost 3 months;











After 36 hours in Australia the moment we had waited for was upon us.  We made our way to the Brisbane convention center, and took our seats.  The anticipation of what was ahead made us both giddy.  Lots of laughter and funny selfies were made (sorry Ash would be so mad if I posted any haha).  Then the lights went down and the music started.  We were on our feet, hands clapping, and smiles on our lips.  We screamed as Delta emerged from behind stage and stood in front of a diamond shaped screen which flashed her pictures.  We sang along to the songs we knew, which was almost all of them.  I jumped up and down, then proceeded to get a little teary eyed when Sitting On Top Of The World was belted out.  We got up when Delta asked us to, then laughed as she loudly told a few who didn't obey to GET UP.  When she showed us the hand gestures to use for Just Call, Ash and I both looked at each other and grinned from ear to ear when she used the sign for "name" correctly (Ashlee's mom, my sister, is deaf, so we both know/use American Sign Language).  My heart skipped a beat as Delta walked right by us on her way to the little stage at the back of the arena.  And all too quickly Delta took to the piano and told us we had arrived at the last song of the night.  How did almost 2 hours happen?  If we had blinked I am sure we would have missed them.  We both sang out to Believe Again then watched as Delta left the stage.  We knew she'd be back because we'd already sneaked peeks of others pictures, but we were both sad the night was coming to an end. As Delta came back out we screamed some more, and waved glow sticks in the air as she sang Born To Try.  The entire crowd was on their feet as she sang Wings, and there was a thunderous response when confetti was released into the air.  Then the whole band came to the front of the stage and together they took their final bow before leaving the stage for the last time.  The whole show was amazing.





As confetti slowly swirled around us we sat back in our chairs and took in what had just happened. From the moment the music began to play until Delta walked off stage the energy was unbelievable.  I am 100% sure that Delta's voice permeated every single person in the room and touch their hearts tenfold - even the ones she had to tell twice to stand up and dance.  There couldn't be a single soul unfazed by her magnificent voice and her energetic stage presence.  Not one.

As we sat in awe I recognized the fan I had contacted several weeks earlier.  I debated on going down to the floor and introducing myself, letting him know that I had made it after all.  I was on cloud 9 after such an amazing show that I didn't need much convincing to do so.  I know Ashlee was shocked when I got up out of my seat and headed in his direction.  I just about turned back as I got closer, but I didn't.  I introduced myself to Paddy and we talked as we made our way out of the building.  When he asked if I had ever met her, and then asked if I wanted to when I said no I think my heart skipped several beats because I had to gasp for air.  We followed behind him unsure of what to think really.  Could I actually be on the cusp of meeting Delta Goodrem?  I started sweating profusely, not sure if it was my nerves or the humidity outside.  As we waited at a back entrance gate I almost walked away twice.  I had never intended on taking the trip with the intention of meeting Delta.  I just wanted to see and hear her sing live.  The shy, hermit in me wasn't sure what to think, really.  And then she was there.  Stepping out of a van, just feet away from me.  Paddy took the lead, thank goodness because I was starstruck.  He told her we'd only just discovered her a few months early and had traveled from America.  I could have left right then and been completely satisfied.  But Paddy and Ashlee both encouraged me to get my picture with her and talk to her.  I was shaking from head to toe, my heart pounding out of my chest.  When Delta put her arm around me and asked if I enjoyed the show I was speechless.  The picture we took turned out horrible, but it doesn't matter because that moment in time is engraved on my heart forever.












It's crazy to think that I went from not knowing a thing about Delta Goodrem three months ago, to flying almost half way around the world to attend her concert and got the surprise of a lifetime by getting to meet her.  Her music has touched me in ways I never knew I could be touched.  I have been inspired to lift my head and see the good in everything (including losing my job) when life seemed so dim before.  My outlook on life is anew.  I have been changed forever.  Thank you Delta Goodrem.  These Wings Were Made To Fly.