Not Quite Right: Night Before Christmas...

T'was the night post apocalypse,
And all through the land,
My house fuckin' shook,
Snowmageddon at hand!
 
The windows they rattled,
The trees bent and bowed,
I hope my hubby's toasty,
My toes...they be froze!

Final shoppings and mailings,
Of cards, gifts and such,
The pressure, such pressure,
To post them - a MUST!

The week had flown by,
With hellacious clammer and clatter, 
The car is now acting off,
Flat tire's what's the matter!

When what to my wandering eyes,
Should appear?
But a UPS truck,
Another package! Oh dear!

From near, and from far,
Wrapped parcels so merry,
Ripped open delightfully,
To see what they carry. 

Last gifts to be buying, 
Then to wrap them up nice,
While watching Duran playing,
What can I say? Its my vice.

To Rach, T&G, to Kirsten, and Tracey,
To my Glamazon Girls,
And of course,
dear sweet JT.

Have a wonderful Christmas,
To all of y'all,
Now open your pressies,
So you can look at them all!

On this final note,
I will bid you adieu,
The Mayans might not have made it,
But hey! We made it through!!

One Last Glimpse,
Happy Christmas to you all...
I love you.

~K

PS. Yes, I wrote it....last night before bed. If your name isn't mentioned specifically it does NOT mean this is any less meant towards you. I only had so much room and had to get it to rhyme.
xoxo
~K

Dinner out with my two best guys

So two of my children (my daughters) went to my youngest sister in law's this evening for a few hours to cat sit (one of my sister in law's cats had just been neutered earlier today and so she wanted someone to sit with him in case there were any problems while he was still under medication). For dinner this evening it was my son, my husband and myself. A rarity.

Alan (my husband) asked our son Adam where he would like to go to dinner. He said he wanted sushi. Alan and I have been eyeballing a new restaurant between our house and work that just happened to open a week or so ago. We pulled up, the place was packed. Always a good sign. We were right, the food is really good.

We get our seat after a little bit of a wait (no biggie), and we're sitting there enjoying our food, and the music (GREAT playlist while we were there... Bowie, The Clash, Chic, Roxy Music, Guns and Roses, Def Leppard, The Cars, Queen, Amy Winehouse, Nirvana, and (Alan literally dropped his California Roll at this one when he realized what was playing) Duran Duran. "Do they follow you???" Yes. Yes they do. I carry them here, in my pocket....John keeps squirming...*grin*.

The place is a ALL YOU CAN EAT place...21.95$ Flat. Period. End of sentence. It advertizes that it is a BUFFET on the damn building, On the front sign. On the awning. It's everywhere you look that it's an all you can eat joint. No mistaking it.  You know where I'm going with this, so I won't belabor the point.

These two chicks get sat behind Alan, they order their food whatever it was. And it gets brought to them. I don't know if it was when they got the bill or what. But at some point, they realized they were going to *GASP* have to pay 21.95$ for their single sushi roll that each of them ate and felt how UNJUST that was (they had grabbed a 'take out' menu - which also says on it there is no a la carte menu in house). Okay yea sure...that would be fine IF IT HADN'T BEEN EVERYWHERE that it was a bloody BUFFET restaurant.

So after much arguing (quite loudly) with the manager who had a packed to the tits restaurant, they left. I don't know what (if anything) they ended up paying for their sushi rolls. I DO know though that the manager was not a happy camper dealing with these two, they were rude and ignorant to this guy. I felt badly for him. It could not have been any plainer the sort of place it was if it had been tattooed to the inside of their eyelids.

Other people's stupidity astounds me sometime. Something as simple as reading! HELLO??! Pay attention to your surroundings!! I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this by now...but I think I still have some foolish notion and faith left that the world isn't going to hell in a hand cart. Perhaps what the world needs is for us people who AREN'T daft monkeys to rise up and have a revolution to shake up the joint. Right the wrongs. Get your shit together or get out of the pool!

Who's with me??

Vive La Revolution! 

One Last Glimpse,

~K

At a loss for words

Sometimes, at times like this, I boggle at where the human race is headed. As if the normal everyday war torn rage isn't enough. Someone goes and does this. To what end? What is the purpose for such a horrific act? It's not justified or help advance we as a being and get us further ahead. It just doesn't make any sense.

Those poor children and families will never have a future. Never have a chance to change the world with their potential. Nothing left but grief, sadness and mourning for their senseless passing for those left behind. Questions. Pain. Why? Senseless.

To you and yours my dear and gentle readers I send peace and love.  No matter where you are, right in this instant reading this message, know that you are loved. Keep that in your heart and pass that love onto others.

With peace I remain yours...

One Last Glimpse,

~K

Of tunnels and castles

Okay....I have a serious confession to make. And if someone can figure this out as to WHY please...by all means... let me know.

For the last...I don't know how long, for as long as I can remember I guess I have been fixated on abandoned castles/mansions and subway stations. Why were they abandoned? Who would leave such glorious places untouched, unused, unwanted? Why?? For something better?? Better than what??

I've had dreams in the last where I'm walking through abandoned places like this, looking for someone not sure who or why. But I'm not scared, it's not ominous or foreboding, it just is. I have no idea what it is I'm looking for or who I'm looking for, but I'm always searching.

Some of the majesty of these buildings and stations is seriously staggering. The architecture and craftsmanship that was involved in making these places is truly and seriously breathtaking. But then to just...up and abandon it? Baffling.

 

It's odd because I've seen some of the 'newer' and 'better' ones (subway stations). They're not really. In some cases (for a subway) they've just gone to a lower level or an above level and rebuilt. Why? What for? What was wrong with the perfectly good subway you just had built that is in perfectly pristine condition? Mind blowing.

 

Castles abandoned, why? Divide and conquer? I took over a bigger and better place so I don't need this one anymore? But no one buys them up (in modern times), and no one lives there. Why??

It just doesn't make any sense to me.

Can someone explain it? And if anyone happens to have a castle in semi good state that they have laying around, I'm willing to take it off your hands. Somewhere near South Wraxall would be nice. I'm JUST sayin.

One Last Glimpse,

~K

Tales of a Gasbar Glamazon: Music soothes the savage beast

I know I bitch a lot about the people that frequent my work. I often talk about what idiots they are, and how much they annoy and piss me off. But this entry dear readers, my lovelies is a horse of a different colour.

Where I work I get almost an even ratio of men to women come in for gas but also for beverages, ciggies and what have you. I almost always have music playing: Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Savage Garden (Darren Hayes), David Bowie, Sixx Am, Poison, Amy Winehouse, Adele and the like. Occasionally there have been some people commenting and such on my music. But none have conjured quite a response like Duran Duran.

I have had people in with varying responses to their music (all good) with different levels of enthusiasm. I had one gentleman (debit was being particularly slow) and he burst into random counter and air drumming with a Duran song. he got right into it. Singing along and everything.

I had an asian woman come in who speaks only enough english to let me know which pump she is at. But boy let me tell you she knows who Duran Duran are! The Reflex came on one afternoon and she went completely bananas. She began yelling "JAN JAN!" pointing wildly at my MP3 player with a big smile follwed by "Ta nana na!" right along with the music.

I understand their enthusiasm, I appreciate it. They are after all, in their own words: "The band designed to make you party". And speaking from experience they have done just that. Not just with Duran but also music on the whole. However to me their music is infectious and my outlet...my very own personal Mozart.

I had a gentleman make me turn "The Chauffeur" up one afternoon declaring it "one of the greatest songs ever written and produced". In my personal opinion he wasn't wrong of course. I quite enthusiastically agree.

The reason for this blog entry today was a gentleman who came in today in fact. I was listening to "New Moon on Monday" and in came this large (6'5") burly line backer of a man, stopping in for cigarettes as he often does on his way home. He was head to toe in paint and drywall dust when I saw a smile creep across his face. "I remember this video" he said with a smile "Isn't this the one where they were dancing around staging some revolt or something". More of a statement of fact than a question. I nodded in agreement and said "I do believe it is yes!". His smile grew as he said on his way out the door "They're not very good dancers...hell of a band...but not very good dancers".

Somedays I honestly love my job and my customers.

One Last Glimpse,

~K

Movember

So here we are... remember, remember the month of Movember....

No kids, that's not a typo. Movember was prostate cancer support month. So, if you've seen more than a few caterpillars under the noses of men lately or perhaps even a little midgen of dirt... that's why. Either that or it's a mass resergence of the 1970's Burt Reynolds Smokey and the Bandit, Cannonball Run,  porn-stache in which case, screw the zompocolypse (Zombie apocolypse) and the Mayan calendar.... the end is upon us NOW. RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!

All kidding aside, it's a worthy cause to be sure, showing your support for such a thing.  I'm sure there are even a few women out there who are sporting a moustache for the cause. Actually, I work with one (OUCH!!!)  Okay she's not REALLY sporting a moustache....but she could. Hey, I'm just tryin to keep it real folks!

So, as you're shaving those mustaches off gentlemen know that you've done a good thing. You should be proud of yourselves. And if I could grow a mustache I totally would, I'd likely grow one of those Snidely Whiplash ones...

 

One Last Glimpse,

~K

Cheap Trick and Aerosmith

This past Saturday I received a text message from my dear friend Amber. She asked me what I was doing on Tuesday (the 27th). I told her I was scheduled to be working - why? She replied saying she had won tickets to go see Cheap Trick and Aerosmith in Toronto at the Air Canada Center did I want to join her. The answer? HELL YEAH! I quickly texted my boss asking if we could switch the shift around to accommodate. Being the kick ass boss that she is, she agreed and arrangements were made.

I was quite excited to see Cheap Trick and Aerosmith. Initially; for some reason if I'm being completely honest; I was more excited to see Cheap Trick than I was Aerosmith. It's not that I don't like Aerosmith - I absolutely do, but for some reason the thought of seeing Cheap Trick excited me. I guess perhaps it was because it was sort of an unknown wild card, a dark horse if you will. I knew for sure Aerosmith would be Aerosmith and put on one hell of a killer show. That was sort of a gimme. But how would Cheap Trick be? Not to mention they sing one of my all time favourite songs...which they DID NOT perform Tuesday night (TOTAL bummer).

Cheap Trick hit the stage right at 7:30 on time and ready to rock. The reception from the Toronto crowd for the most part was less than enthusiastic in my opinion (for whatever reason). And yes, they weren't headlining but it's not like they're an unknown band either! I was surprised quite frankly. People still milling about, coming in and out of the arena. As a concert goer, honestly I found this very distracting, I found it hard to focus and enjoy Cheap Trick as they were ripping it up onstage. I think in all honesty, they were distracted and annoyed too. It wasn't until towards the end of their set list that they seemed to have the audience attention and were able to maintain it. It wasn't that they weren't good, they brought it, they rocked it and they had a great time for the most part I think. But the audience didn't seem to be feeling it and I think they were likely frustrated by this. Personally I thought they put on a great show.

 

A little music history lesson was learned during the Cheap Trick set. The bassist (Tom Petersson) was the inventor of the 12 string bass. The thing is massive, and produces a great sound. I am intimidated by 4 strings! I can't imagine 12!! But the sound was fantastic.

By the time Aerosmith hit the stage by 9pm the place was just about capacity and I, quite frankly, was very excited. I'd not seen Aerosmith before and I knew they'd put on a great show. I've never heard anyone not enjoying themselves at an Aerosmith show. And as predicted it was fantastic - Steve Tyler came out saying "This ain't no fuckin American Idol"  ... no, no it wasn't. They were there to party and bring us along like it or not.

There was a gentleman who was two rows ahead of us who didn't sit down from the moment Cheap Trick hit the stage to the moment Aerosmith left. He danced, sang, whistled, cheered, played air guitar, held his bic lighter high in the air and generally rocked out. Honestly, I don't know if he was high, drunk, or stone cold sober but he was there to party his ass off.

Steve Tyler did not stop from the moment he hit the stage (save a little lie down in front of a fan on the stage during a guitar solo) until they left. For a man who is almost 65 years old, he can move. And yes...he really is that sexy. Honestly, I've never really thought that before - until the show. I thought he was "alright", but honestly he exudes sexuality. It drips from his pores like sweat and you can't help but walk away from the show thinking... damn that man is sexy. (Okay, I'm sure there are men that can and I'm sure some women too).

 

I have to admit, as I stood there in the Air Canada Center, my mind flitted back to October 27th, 2011. Back to Duran and that experience with my friends. Back to Simon's birthday party and the amazing show that they put on that night. The fact that I was sitting less than 20 feet from where I sat didn't help that fact.


Would I go back and see Aerosmith again? Absolutely! They put on one hell of a show and I'd recommend it to anyone who may ask.

***If rock and roll, drums, guitars, tattoos and guyliner is your thing, be sure to go check out the ladies at http://tattoosandguyliner.com/ . They're awesome and are always reviewing new gigs and albums. You can also find them at: Drums, Guitars, Tattoos and Guyliner on Facebook or follow them at @tattoosguyliner on Twitter!!!!***

Cheap Trick setlist:
Clock Strikes Ten
Big Eyes
On Top of the World
Ain't that a Shame (with Brad Whitford) (Fats Domino cover)
I Know What I Want
Sick Man of Europe
Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/ The End (The Beatles cover)
I Want You to Want Me
Dream Police
Gonna Raise Hell
Surrender
Goodnight

Aerosmith setlist:

·  Mama Kin

·  Love in an Elevator

·  Jaded

·  Oh Yeah

·  Livin' on the Edge

·  Movin' Out

·  Walkin' the Dog (Rufus Thomas cover)

·  Last Child

·  Drum Solo

·  Rag Doll

·  Boogie Man

·  Red House (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)

·  Combination

·  Lover Alot

·  What It Takes

·  No More No More

·  Come Together (The Beatles cover)

·  Dude (Looks Like a Lady)

·  Walk This Way 

One Last Glimpse

~K

Sleepless in Gas Bar Glamazon-land

I've spent the last hour and a bit laying in bed staring at the proverbial ceiling. I can't technically see the ceiling in my room at night, it's dark, my glasses are off and usually (hopefully) my eyes are closed. Plus I don't often sleep on my back. At least not through the night anyway. But I digress.

Alan is having a snorefestapallooza that apparently I wasn't privy to having prior knowledge and final veto of. So there I lay...every so often I'd give him a nudge, he'd turn over and then the freight train to Hogwarts would start allllllll over again.

I got to sleep once (I think) I was aware of what was going on around me, but also aware that I was starting to dream. I think there's a word for that sleep state (I don't think it's quite REM sleep) but in any event I'm pretty sure I was there. I know what I was dreaming about and I remember thinking at the time (in my dream) I'm almost there...maybe this time I'll get fully to sleep before he starts again. No such luck the 2:15am snoretrain was right on schedule. Bastard.

It's not like I have to work in the morning, in fact tomorrow night I'm going to a concert with my friend Amber, we're going to go see Aerosmith and Cheap Trick. I'm super excited! It's my first time seeing either of those bands, and it's the first concert I've ever attended with my friend Amber! Plus I'm off for two days - which is good, I only worked 4 hours tonight and that was plenty enough for me let me tell you! I'll regale you with a quick tale for tonight shall I? Yes, I shall.

So we have this thing called "Pay at the pump" at work (I've discussed it before, you should all know how to do it in your sleep by now, I've all but done a 3D diagram for you or a CGI reenactment). I think all places have it at this point except for maybe those odd Mom and Pop places that still may have those 1920 pumps that likely leak and have cause some sort of environmental outbreak. You know the types of places...there's usually a front porch, a banjo and a coveralled toothless hick named Jeb or Bobby-Ray-John running the place. A nice enough guy but you wouldn't want to leave him alone with the family goat if you know what I'm saying.

Anyway! For whatever reason my blurb of "If you wish to pay at the pump, you need to hang the nozzle up FIRST. Insert your card; stripe to the right AND LEAVE IT; follow the prompts on the screen and then remove your card and lift the nozzle" goes unheeded and eventually someone (at least once a night) will engage a security feature on the pump so that NO ONE can pay at the pump at that pump until the computer decides it's time to unlock it and allow people to; invariably; bugger it up again.

Such was the case tonight on pump 3. So I went outside and tossed a bright red "OUT OF ORDER" bag on the pump. We were busy tonight (I'm not sure completely as to why, the price was alright but it wasn't unbelievable) so cars were all over the place.

I'm dealing with customers inside and this person pulls up to pump 3 (I didn't see them at first) gets out and starts reefing their card in and out of the slot. So I look up (an alarm goes off inside when someone does that) and I see this dumbass slamming his card in and out of the slot. And he's getting pissed because it's not accepting his card. So I'm bewildered. The bag is no more than 3 INCHES from his hand, in fact I watched him touch it at LEAST twice.

Eventually I get on the PA system as he's about to shove his card in for the fourth time now and I said to him "SIR that pump is OUT OF ORDER, that's why there's a lovely festive Christmas RED BAG ON IT." He wheels around and looks at me, like I'M the moron, gets back in his car, slams the shit out of the car door and leaves.

I love my job, I love my job, I love my job....

One Last Glimpse,

~K

Random Poetry

This came to me partially last night as I was going to sleep, and while I was sitting here this afternoon at my computer voiding out doing nothing. Hope you enjoy.


Full earthen moons and fallen angels,
Lost hopes and forgotten lives,
Distant dreams awaken,
Fraught with confusion and uncertainty.

Distant clairvoyance fills my mind,
To speak over the din,
To clear away the confusion,
To help me find what lies within.

Lost brothers, sisters and loved ones,
Pull on my heartstrings from the past,
Reconciling between the two,
All fighting from futures past.

Come together oh children of the Hall,
Stand side by side as we did before,
Remember forever ago how we once were,
And be alone again never more.


One Last Glimpse,

~K

 

Of Christmas lights and the smell of rain

I love the smell of rain. I love how it hangs heavy in the atmosphere and you can feel it...smell it. It's fantastic. Another one of Mother Nature's beautiful things. Last night laying in bed, my dear husband had the window open as he's prone to do when we first go to bed. I don't mind, it cools off the room and makes me sleepy truth be told.

While we're lying there, having our regular chat about the day I make a remark about how it smells like snow. I guess I've noticed that before that snow has a smell, just like impending rain does...but I never verbalized it before. I guess it makes sense.

I don't mind snow truth be told. From now until New Years I like it. It's a pain in the arse, it can be a bitch to drive in...but it's just so damn pretty. When I was a kid I was horribly winter accident prone, and if I'm not careful...I'm still the same way now.

I'm dying to put up my tree and lights....but we usually wait until my youngest daughter's birthday on the 11th. It's our little family tradition that I like to stick by. We only have a few "family traditions" in my house, that is one of them.

When we were kids my Mom would always put the tree up on the 12th (My sister's birthday). We'd go out the night before my sister's birthday, pick out our tree from the Christmas Tree lot at the Canadian Tire on London Road in Sarnia and it would sit overnight and "open". The night of my sister's birthday we'd go out to dinner to celebrate (either to a restaurant or to my Grandparents house). My sister and I would go down to the family room to watch television, and then usually about half way through watching tv one of us would invariably go upstairs and my Mom would be decorating the tree. She never did it with us around as she always said we'd of been ripping all the decorations out of the boxes. Truth be told in retrospect KNOWING the decorations my Mom had (hand blown glass by Royal Dalton) I wouldn't have let me at them either! Only a few still exist between my sister and I, and they are treasured and treated like gold in my house rest assured.

Wherever you are, whatever you do my dear sweet readers....whatever you are doing for your holidays, whatever you may celebrate. I hope you have a wonderful season. Treasure your family and friends and the time spent with them. Love each other, remember to breathe and take deep breaths when others act a fool.

And if all else fails...stuff some mistletoe up their beak and say "look fucker - do you want to live to see New Years?"

One Last Glimpse,

~K

American Horror Story: Thoughts on a TV show

I've started watching a television show called "American Horror Story". It's a freaky little tale of woe that reminds me of an 80's movie called "House" which stared Greatest American Hero himself William Katt. To say that one "likes" this show is a quandary. Because, to be honest...it's a wack-fuck of a show -- and what in turn, does that say about ME as a person if I say that I like this show? I suppose though it's no different than saying that I like "Dexter". That's a messed up show too.

 

American Horror Story is a story about a family who moves into this stunningly gorgeous house in Los Angeles. The husband is a therapist and the family have moved to LA to escape the affair that he had with one of his patients and try to rebuild his family. However the ghosts of the house; who have all died tragically; won't let sleeping dogs lie and a whole new drama unfolds. There are plenty of twists and turns in this show and just when I think I've got it all figured out, it throws a whole new twist at me that blows my mind.

 I'm almost done the first season which is coming to an end at a rapid breakneck pace. I suspect that my mind will be completely blown come the end of this season and I've heard nothing but rave reviews of season two, which is currently in progress.

 

The show stars Jessica Lange; whom I adore; Connie Britton of Spin City, Friday Night Lights and Nashville fame as the scorned wife and Dylan McDermott as the philandering husband. It also has Zachary Quinto (Syler from Heroes, the new Spock in the newest Star Trek movies) in it whom I adore!!! But honestly  there are too many to mention guest star appearances and I'm only part way through the first season!

I would recommend this show if you're looking for something off the beaten path. It's chock full of sex, cursing, violence and some gore but a whole lotta mind fucks. It's generally a great show. It surprises me (and doesn't) that it's from the same makers and minds that brought us Nip/Tuck, Glee, and Popular. I can't imagine where this all ends up and is heading, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

One Last Glimpse,

~K

Fear not dear readers I have returned!

Oh my friends, my lovelies, my minions! I've been woefully neglectful this month and for that I do apologize! It seems like November is careening along at breakneck speed spinning us ever so rapidly toward the end of the year and all that it entails.

I've been writing like a fiend and things seem to be going very well, at times I question as to if or not I am actually writing this story or if I am just the vessel that holds the pen. Either way, I am thrilled at my progress and continue to move forward with that.

Yesterday (November 15th) was my dear friend Natalie's birthday. We spent the afternoon together as we so often do on her birthday. We went out to visit her Mother, who from the moment I was taken home adopted me as one of her own. I adore her Mother, and her Father for that matter. We went for lunch at Costco and did some people watching as we often do. We took some time to leisurely stroll through the store and discuss things we'd like to buy if we could afford to and stared in childlike wonder at the Christmas decorations and lights.

Our final stop was Winners. If you don't know what Winners is...I can only liken it to something like Walmart...but (dare I say) higher class and less likely to make you want to put your foot up someone's arse. Here we browsed through clothes (of course) and looked at purses and hats and scarves. Even though it was Nat's birthday she insisted buying me a purse that I loved. Recently a friend of mine said "When people tell me there not a hat person , I simply reply you just haven't meet the right hat yet." I found this to be exceptionally true. I found not just one, but two hats I absolutely fell in love with. Unfortunately I am currently on a budget and I am sad to say neither hat came home with me yesterday. I'm hoping next week when I go back to the same store at least one will still be there waiting for me...call me a dreamer!

It was a lovely day spent with someone I have known most of my life (we were 10 I think when we met), someone I am very lucky to call friend. 

One Last Glimpse,

~K

Essence of being: In The Pleasure Groove

 October 29, 2012. I think this is one of those days that will forever be etched into my memory.

I didn't sleep well the night before (surprise surprise). I couldn't find my "off switch" ironically enough, and I think because of this I only got about 2.5 hours of sleep. But before the alarm could even go off at 6:30 I was up and starting my day.

We picked up a friend of mine Penny on the way and headed out to Toronto. Penny is a total treat. I love her. She's a lot of fun and I enjoy her company a lot. We were both nervous and excited to meet John, which of course, went without saying. We talked about various gigs she had been to, had some laughs as we drove. I was watching the Indigo Tweets closely as they said that people had already started to arrive. I text with another friend of ours Deena, who was already in Toronto and told her that people had already started to arrive. She said that she would leave for the store as soon as she was ready.

We arrived in Toronto at noon, Alan dropped Penny and I off at the Indigo Books and while we went looking for Deena, who had just arrived prior to us getting there. While Alan went looking for somewhere to park the car. We were directed to where people were starting to line up and happily we were about 20th or so inline. I have to say, I was super excited to meet Deena as well. She is a total doll, very vivacious and fun. I adore her.

We met up with others, some we knew...some we didn't (Like our new friend Cathy in the picture below!!!). I'll say this much for Duranies...when you find the GOOD ones -- stick with them. The drama queens and nutters suck...but when you find a good one. Stick with them if at all possible. Taking a ride like this is fun, but its nothing by comparison of sharing it with some great people. I am thankful for the friends I have made and love them beyond imagination. 

The air was palpable and thick with excitement. Everyone was buzzing and waiting for John to arrive. We took a bunch of pictures. (Okay - yes...I took a shit tonne...even by my standards!) At one point we even went and had a 'photo shoot' with a John Taylor banner much to the chagrin of a Barney Fife rent-a-cop. We didn't care, we were having fun. 

L-R: Cathy, Christine, Kristina, John, Me, Penny, Deena

Around 5:30 or so they moved us to where we'd be sitting. We found our seats and Penny (one of my partners in crime) pointed out to me that John would have to walk right past me in order to get to the stage. My jaw dropped and my heart went up in my throat.  I was a total wreck. I had a prime opportunity to get the perfect picture of John from my vantage point. I was terrified I'd blow it and it would be all blurry and shakey. *Beams proudly* I didn't. I got the shot. It's amazing if I do say so myself. I'm so chuffed.

Before John came out they had a few 'games' to give away some gift cards. The first one was "What's in  your purse?"   They wanted a coin from the 80's and you had to give a 'fun fact' about the 80's from the year that the coin was minted. FYI "Duran Duran were hot" is only acceptable once in a game such as this. The next was a shoe receipt. The 3rd question was: "Is anyone wearing shoulder pads?" Hey! *I* was wearing shoulder pads!! I gingerly raised my hand and stared incredulously at our "Game-Show Host" (The VP of Events for Indigo Books - The wonderful Jeremy Cammy). He stared back at me just as perplexed and said "Really??? You are????" I nodded bewildered at the fact and said laughing "Yeah! I really am!" He invited me up to get my gift card (prize). He laughed as I approached about he couldn't believe I admitted I was wearing shoulder pads, the thing of it was...I couldn't believe it either! While standing up there he said to me into the mic "Can I touch them?" I said "Sure!" So he did. My shoulder pads I mean. As I was walking back to my seat I cheekily tossed over my shoulder "They're real too!" He then said laughing "She says they're real! They are real! And they are SPECTACULAR!" (It should be noted my husband, who was sitting in a corner near by by that final statement KNEW it was me that Jeremy was talking about!!) 

The next was the dance off. Four contestants danced to The Reflex. And by audience applause - the winner was chosen. One young man stole the show completely. He was so fun. So charismatic - honestly he was seriously hysterical. See for yourself!!! Please however, forgive the volume in the video...it is LOUD - you have been warned. 

Soon the moment was upon us. John came out tall, confident and as lovely as one could imagine. He looked happy, albeit perhaps a little tired in spite of his "delicious nap" he informed us he'd had before he came. (Jealous!!)

The interview, reading and Q&A were a-typical. Although via other people, I did get questions answered that I had Tweeted to him a while ago but never got an answer about. It was oddly ironic and bizarre that they were asked and answered there. But hey - let it flow and roll with it. Right? 

The  line up for the autographs began about 5 minutes after the interview finished. John quickly vanished once the interview was done and did a quick change and sprinted back out to sign the books. Once on his pedestal behind the desk he began to sign. I was 20th or so in line and I was very, very nervous. It was my idol after all...the man with the eyes and face through my teenaged years I would fall asleep and wake up to everyday for many years was now 10 feet, 6 feet, 4 feet away. I still hadn't decided what I was going to say, or even if I'd be able to say anything at all!

I stood in line waiting my turn...Suddenly I was next! I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and up into my throat. My mouth was dry. I was nervous...when suddenly while signing the person ahead of mine's book, John turned and looked at me. Held my gaze for about 3-5 seconds and smiled. Had that really just happened? Really?? Penny leaned forward whispering in my ear "I SAW THAT!" I inwardly sighed. "Good! Then I'm not imagining things!" I replied. No it really happened she assured me. Then it's my turn. Right in that moment I realize an enormous wave of complete calm has washed over me since John turned and smiled at me. I knew in that moment I'd find my voice to say at least some of the things (that weren't x-rated) that I so desperately wanted to say. Maybe that's why he did it. I don't know.

He was first handed my friend Jane's book. He read her name off the stick-it note "Are you Jane?" he questioned with an odd puzzlement on his face, like he knew I wasn't or that the name didn't quite suit me. "No." I replied "It's for my friend. She's a Cali transplant...like you. Except she's a Kiwi from New Zeland and lives in Nor Cal. She couldn't make it to your reading in San Fran." I explained He nodded and wrote in her book "So, this one is for her." I continued. He then grabbed my book "Kendraaaaa." he drawled. Almost with recognition and comfort in his voice. I think I said "That's me." But I can't be certain. The man had just said my name after all!

I hesitated for a fraction of a second at that moment as he began to write in my book. I then told him what I had been waiting to say and I knew it to be what I wanted to say all along. "I just wanted to say thank you for being the reason I wanted to pick up a bass and learn to play in the first place." He smiled at that as he wrote in my book. I added "For my birthday a few years ago my husband bought me a Peavey Cirrus much like yours. And I love it." He smiled again up at me and said "Aww...that was sweet of him! Does he play an instrument as well?" I nodded and said "Yes he plays guitar." He nodded saying "That's fantastic! Do you jam together then?" I said "Yea...sometimes." He smiled at me and said "that's great! You know what they say! The family that plays together..." "Stays together" we say at the same time. And just like that... the moment is over, I collect my prized books and walk away. It's not until I get to where Alan and my friends are that I remember I still have the card I wrote for him in my hand...DOH!

We stayed around until he was finished signing. And oddly enough the moment he was done it seemed like all the people, all the din...vanished into thin air. There was no one. He went walking towards the back (the way he'd come originally)...and may I add, he walks really fast! Perhaps it's just his long stride or maybe due to the weather he was eager to leave. In any event, I stepped out stopping him as he approached and said "I meant to give you this and forgot." He sort of chuckled and said "Thanks a lot" and continued walking. My job was done. Mission accomplished. Did he read my card? I don't know. I'd like to think he did. 

I had hoped that my two Glamazon girls Kristina and Christine might get a moment with John for arranging everything. All their legwork, emails and phone calls had made the event happen after all. But alas, it wasn't to be. 

We (Alan, Penny, Deena and I) walked through the pouring rain and wind to where our car was parked. We received a phone call from my Glamazon sisters...dead car battery. Yuck. Major suckage. And not in a good way. We drove to where they were parked and made and attempt to help them...unsuccessfully. Sadly, we left them in the underground parking waiting for CAA to arrive (Which they did about an hour and a half later). 

Starving and tired the four of us made for food. Like a beacon in the dark and dreary night "The Lone Star" was our port of call. With tummies full and toasts to "Friends of Mine" made, we dropped Deena off at her hotel. We drove Penny home next and them made our weary way home to finish off the day. 

This is one I will never forget. John Taylor is an exquisite, lovely gentleman. He is sweet and kind. Of course he's still handsome with a boyish grin that lights up a room. I've read before "Never meet your idol you'll only be disappointed."  That is a complete fallacy when it comes to John Taylor. If you ever get an opportunity to meet him. Do so. You won't be disappointed. 

John...if by chance you do in fact read this - please know everything I said in the card is true. It expresses everything I couldn't find the voice to say. 

John,
I just wanted to take a moment to say how grateful and thankful I am for you. This opportunity you’ve afforded people to have “their moment” with you goes above and beyond the requirement of the norm. And for that I; for one; am eternally grateful.
You’ve been accessible on Twitter and every interaction and Tweet you and I have ever exchanged (and there have been a few) has been wonderful. And I thank you for that.

You are a man of your word, a man we; as a collective; are very proud of, as I know your Mum and Dad were of the man they raised – and as you should be of yourself.
Thank you for being the reason I wanted to pick up a bass and finally taught myself to play in the first place. Thank you for being inspiring and a true gift. And for just being you.
With much affection,

Kendra Campbell (@cheriqui)

One Last Glimpse,

~K