on july 11, exactly six months ago, he wrote:

“i hope to bump into you again. as in: soon.”

strike that.

that’s utter bullshit and even i know it. feels like forever, really.

a lot has changed, ya know. did i tell you i got a christmas tree? yeah. last year was too depressing without one. i barely remember the holiday at all. i have visions of swearing at some stupid-ass lights i just bought that already were half-burned out after only one day. but at least i had lights out on my new railing. it was something. it made me smile. even if it looked absolutely ridiculous.

life sucks sometimes. and then … you know what? then it doesn’t.

alas.

this isn’t a post about me falling apart or whatever. i guess it’s, well, a coming-out of sorts. for those of you asking “what the hell is going on with the jacksons?”

well, the jacksons seem to be doing just fine, thankyouverymuch. all five of us. we are kicking ass in our own ways. we are apart, yet together. and it works.

and did i tell you i got a christmas tree? well, i did. it’s fake and i love every bit of it.

it kicks ass, too, yo.

so.

it turns out i have some really good friends.

thank you all. really. thank you.

you know who you are.

and to you, oh-so-many-miles-away friend … get over here. now.

methinks it’s time for a hug.

please and thank you.

xoxo,

me

What else can I say but that?

Seriously, people. The night kicked ass in so many more ways than I can type here. You’d have to hear my stories in person so you can see me blush when I tell you that I touched Mikel Jollet of The Airborne Toxic Event.

Not once. Not twice. Not three times.

People. This is big.

I touched him at least a half dozen times.

And I liked it.

A lot.

I was over-the-moon excited for the concert and had no idea, NO IDEA, it could end up being as kick ass as it did. My friend Amy and I got there a little early, but not too early. There were a lot of people in front of us in line for the general admission show, so I figured we’d get a spot on the floor, maybe several rows back from the barrier. But when we got inside, we walked straight up to the stage and were behind only one row of people.

And then.

After the opening acts finished, several women left the show because they had come just to see MONA, which, by the way, also kicked ass and I got a drumstick from that show.

I moved up to the barrier.

Front and center.

Mikel Jollett of The Airborne Toxic Event was RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

And not only that, but he walked up to the barrier right where I was standing and hopped up on it and used my shoulder to jump down in the crowd with us and then came back up to the wall right with me to get back up on stage. Then at the end he did a little high-five thing with several of us in the front.

I seriously needed that night.

Wow. Just wow.

It really did kick ass.

Side note: If only I had my real camera … but these fun, blurry shots are from my old iPhone … and while they don’t really do justice to how close I was to the band members, they are still fun in their own way. Hipstamatic pics add a little quirky surprise to each shot and I love them, even if the lighting was HORRIBLE in there. I was surprised how bad it was. Several times the band members were in total darkness. You couldn’t tell where anyone was on stage. It was so odd. I’d never seen anything like that in my life. But still, an amazing, amazing night and one I won’t soon forget.

I’ve posted this before but GAWD I LOVE IT SO MUCH and I’m seeing them tonight and the song just hurts to listen to even though I love it with every fiber of my being.

“You just have to see her. You just have to see her. You just have to see her. You just have to see her. You just have to see her, you know that she’ll break you in two.”

Such an emotional song. I hope they play it tonight.

And if they do, I just may lose it.