March Wrap Up

You don't know how truly alone in the world you are until you become too sick to care for yourself. For the most part, being single suits me. I do what I want, when I want, with whomever I choose. Or, more often than not, by myself. It's taken some time, but I enjoy the freedom that comes with this lifestyle. Still, there are moments when being single sucks huge donkey balls; like, any time I have to deal with anything automotive related, whenever there's a thunder storm, and when I get sick. So, when I got the flu last week, not only was I violently ill, but I had the added bonus of feeling utterly alone.

I've never had the flu before. I hope I never have it again. There was coughing and vomiting, a fever and the chills, and the worst migraine I've ever had in my life! I didn't eat at all for four days, and it was another two before I managed to actually hold anything down. By the end of it, I was so weak with hunger, I couldn't stand for more than a few minutes at a time. I would have given my left boob for someone to make me soup and brush my hair. Still, I survived.

So, the Year of the Monkey continues ...

Garth Brooks was the highlight of this month, but the rest of March was supposed to be spent putting my ducks in a row; writing a will, making sure I'm setting aside enough for retirement, establishing a budget, filing my taxes -- that stuff. I didn't do any of those things. I could blame it on being sick, but the truth is, I was just too busy. I definitely over booked myself. April was supposed to be my month, filled with hair appointments, massages, and manicures. It looks like I'll have to forgo those, so I can focus on those ducks I neglected.

On Thursday, I leave for London. Wait -- I have to type that again. I'm leaving for London on Thursday! I could scream, I'm so excited! Even though YA is my scene now, I started with historical romance. So, the idea of visiting merry old England and seeing all the places I've read about so many times is thrilling, to say the least.

I can't wait to see a new part of the world, to try new foods, and meet new people. I've made no secret of my wanderlust. I keep a lid on it. Loving the Littles means staying in one place. It's a sacrifice I make gladly, but it is a sacrifice. Of course, when I began planning this year, I had to make concessions for travel. The longer I stay in one place, the harder it becomes. So, I decided to see more of the world, even if it's just one weekend at a time.

After I return from England, I'll have a little over a month before I fly to Boston with the Big Little. In August, I'm taking the Little Little to New York. And, in October, the Boss Little and I are going to Philadelphia. I'm already trying to decide where to go next year!

I still have a ton of things to do before I leave on Thursday. I was ahead of the game until the flu laid me up. Now, I'll be pushing to wrap up loose ends before I go. At the end of the day, I'll be on that plane no matter what, but I'd like to take off with peace of mind. So, I guess I'd better get to work.

Garth-Fricken-Brooks Ya'll

I know Country music isn't for everyone, but I love it! I remember being eleven or twelve years old, flipping between Jukebox, BET, MTV, and VH1. Somewhere between those channels, was the one that played Country music videos. "That Ain't My Truck", by Rhett Akins, just happened to be on and, for reasons I can't explain, it caught my attention. That night, I left my radio on the Country station, trying to hear it again. And that is where my love affair with Country began.

Garth Brooks is one of my favorite country artists. Christmas of 1998, my boyfriend at the time gave me Garth's six-CD box set. I still have them! They're worn and scratched, and skip constantly, but I still have them. When Garth set up shop in Las Vegas, I planned to go see him there, but never got around to it. When I found out he planned to come to North Carolina, I couldn't get my ticket fast enough!

I couldn't find anyone to go with me, so I flew solo, as I so often do to these things. It worked out, though, that the woman in front of me, Kristen, was also by herself. So, we chatted throughout the show. The couple sitting next to me were really friendly too! I didn't get their names, but they were as nice as two people can be. It was her 30th birthday and he'd surprised her that morning with the Garth Brooks tickets. How sweet is that?

Karyn Rochelle opened the show. Her most popular song is Red High Heels, but that's the only song of her's I'd ever heard. She played some of her new music too, though, and it was good! Karyn has a great voice! After the show, she held a Meet & Greet. I got her autograph on her new CD and snapped a photo. Check out my new favorite shirt!

Garth came out and did his thing! I spent the entire time on my feet, dancing and singing. He has a new album out, and he played one new song, but the rest was all the old stuff. I knew every single song! I screamed and sang along and had just about as much fun as you can have on a Friday night! I drank a couple of beers when I first got there, so I had pee just three or four songs in. Some people had started partying too early, apparently, and one of them was already tossing her cookies in the bathroom. I refused too pee anymore, just because I couldn't make it up those stairs again, but given the volume of the revelries, I'm sure there was a lot of bathroom action!

I've talked before about loving music for the lyrics. That's what I love most about Garth Brooks' music. Even if you can't get down with the Country twang, you should google the lyrics. They're poetry, I swear! That show was worth every penny! I would see him again, in a heartbeat! Unfortunately, I somehow managed to delete a bunch of the videos I took at the show, so I'll leave you with one of the best Garth Brooks songs of all time. I'm almost certain he wrote it about me, so I'm partial to it.