Serenity in Stamping

Here’s my story – the ‘how’ I won the tickets is a direct result of “It’s not what you know, but who you know”. I had been trying to win the tickets for DAYS on the radio station! I believe it was trivia to answer. Well, while at work it was extremely hard but one time I had the right answer, I was the wrong caller. I gave my sob story to the DJ and he took my info & said he'd see what we could do. Well, he called me the morning BEFORE the lunch to say he found some extra tickets & I was going to be able to meet JD! How cool was that?! I always grew up asking for what I wanted & thought the least that would happen is I'd be told no, but hey no harm no foul just for asking! It pays off lots of times, so why not just ask??

btw – I’ve always loved INXS and from the very beginning of Rock Star INXS I said, “I’d really like for JD to win, I can see him as the lead singer, he has a great voice & I wouldn’t mind at all watching him all the time” and it sure came to pass – but little did I know that one day I would MEET HIM!! Oh and I have to tell you on the final episode when he was announced as the winner, I literally jumped up & down & screamed! My DH thought I'd lost it.
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First of all, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect other than we were meeting at Cool River Café a local restaurant I hear about a lot but have never been to. Wasn’t sure how many people would be there either.

Well, we had a nice buffet lunch (which I could eat very little of because I was nervous about him coming) and all the winners had CD’s compliments of Mix 94.7 (sponsor) and a card that welcomed us, it was neat. JD’s plane was coming in late and when he finally got there said a quick hi & left while we finished eating since he had already eaten lunch (bummer). He came back & signed full-color photos of the band, cd and 1 other item for everyone. Then, we would have a photo taken in groups of 4 (other bummer) I wanted one alone with him like you! Oh well – what I got was even better.

When it was nearly my turn, I kid you not – my heart was beating so fast & I still wasn’t sure what I was going to say to him. I walked up, smiled & said hi and I told him! I said, “My heart is beating so fast” as I patted my chest and he smiled and said, “That is so cute” and I said, “No, I’m serious” and he and I and his manager smiled & laughed. So, as he started to sign my stuff and I was crouching down next to him, I saw his manager was clutching the photos of the band and I asked him if I was going to get one. He said “Yes but is it o.k. it’s not signed”?. My heart sunk and I said, “How come I can’t get it signed?” and JD explained about how some gals might ask how come she got 4 things signed and I only got 3 and tenderly reached out to touch my hair and said sincerely, “Let us do our thing and you just be beautiful” and I melted!! I just said ‘oh, we’ll you’re almost done’ because there were only a few after us. I was in a state of shock I got such a sincere compliment from HIM!! But as we finished I got everything I asked for and more…I asked him if I could have a hug and he said sure and I leaned over for one and hit his knee. I said sorry and he said that’s o.k. I was just going to get up and I stepped back and said o.k. As I got my hug the whole room got quiet and in unison the gals all went, ‘aahhh’ Everyone was jealous, I’m sure. With all my excitement, I missed the excitement my friend got – a kiss on the cheek and before yesterday she had no clue who JD was! When she told her daughter who is my age what she was doing she came unglued & let her know what a privilege it was for me to invite her, emphatically saying, “Everyone in the office knows who INXS is!” Kathy was very grateful to me for a photo, signed CD, a free lunch and kiss on the cheek!

Well, my excitement wasn’t over yet!! As I walked back to my seat I had to share with several of the gals about what happened & how I got my hug. I sat in my seat and as JD finished the rest of the line and started to get photos taken, he was about 6 feet away, stepped toward me and made what I thought was a snicker at me probably for giving him a hard time. I smiled back at him. Well, the gal across the table from me said, “I can’t believe he just blew you a kiss” and I had no idea! (Let me remind you I am near sighted and was NOT wearing my glasses and that’s why I missed it!) I explained that to her and quickly got flush & picked up a piece of paper & started fanning myself!

I need to remind you I’m a married gal & when I told my DH (John) last week I wanted to win tickets to meet JD he asked me, “if you go, are you going to come back” kind of seriously but I really don’t think so. I said, “yah, ‘cuz I don’t think JD would take me home with him!” (not for a lack of want on my part married or not). I have to admit I did have a dream about him a few months back, JD that is but I wasn’t going to share that with him yesterday – he would have quickly thought I was a nut and not as normal or sincere as I wanted to come across. I did share the dream with John though.

Anyhow – it was time to get a picture taken and it was going to be with 3 gals who were about 5’ 6” and up and JD who is clearly more than 6 feet and all 4’ 11” of me ;o) I actually wrapped my arm around him as I approached him and he smiled and said, ‘you’re giving me a hard time’ and I said, I know – sorry and something stupid about what he thought of Austin when all he did was drive from the airport to the restaurant and it was his first time. UGH Then I said something about them being back in June for the concert. We all took the picture and I actually got up on my tip toes so I didn’t look so out of place with all the tall people! I snapped a few photos I’m attaching to the email during the lunch. I am supposed to be get the group photo emailed to me by the station.

HOW COOL WAS MY DAY!?!? Most memorable, actually!! I’m still floating around with a big smile on my face about it!

Thanks for reading! Donna