| I handed the box over. I said, �it�s not much. and I hope it�s your style. it�s a little early x-mas gift� he said, �thank you so much� while he was still opening the box. He opened it and grabbed the x-mas card I wrote to him, handed the box to Ken, the booking agent. Mark exclaimed, �oh wow!!! this is TOTALLY my style. I�m totally gonna wear this. Actually, I�m going to wear it right now. It�s cold in here� I smiled, �I hope u really like it� mark replied, �oh yeah, I do! I really like it. like I said, i�m probably gonna put it on, right now� As he was saying that, he opened up my card. I was starting to get REALLY red b/c I did NOT expect him to read it in FRONT of me. So I jokingly say, while looking at ken and mike tremonti, �oh sure, let�s read it out loud so everyone can hear!� Ken said, �you�re not supposed to read cards in front of the people who wrote them� Mark looked at me, �Why? B/c she�s blushing?� And he continued to read. I was blushing HARD-CORE now! Ken then says, �but u see? did u get ALL the guys a x-mas gift?� I smiled, �ummm..well...� Mark then says, �No, b/c I�m her favorite.� Ken laughs. �You�re her �joey�. � Mark smirks: �yeah, i�m her joey� I was like �huh?..whatever� I was GONNA say, �don�t make me all out to be this teenybopper� but I held my tongue and smirked. Then I said to Mark, �I met you in WPB but u probably don�t remember.� Mark: �Yeah, I do remember� I look at Ken. �LIES! he doesn�t, he just doesn�t want to hurt my feelings� Ken laughs. Mark looks up at me and says seriously, �No, I DO remember. You and your friend.� I said �yeah! she was going to be here with me today but she had snow problems. she�s in Chicago� Mark: �yeah, I know. my family had problems getting here also.� He finished reading the card. Closed it. �Thank you so much.� And reached out to hug me. �You�re welcome�, as I hugged back. And of course, I couldn�t let this moment pass without me asking, �can I get a picture?� *big smile* �Sure� So I got a pic with Mark. I THINK he has the gift in his hands. Not sure. Kind of blacked out. haha! Mark handed the card and sweatshirt to someone and said �don�t throw this away. put this in with my wardrobe pack� Needless to say, I was riding high. Then Ken started talking about some ping-pong match. Mark was like �you�re on�. Then I blurted, �OH! and that�s another thing, I want a one-on-one ping pong match� Ken said , �uh-oh!� and laughed. Mark said , �Sure, are you any good?� �I warmed up in WPB. I kick ass� haha! he laughed and said �ok�. He asked where the tables were and no one knew. I didn�t know where they were either. Finally, Mark pointed back into the room and said �well, I have to go back in there and take care of stuff..Thanks again..it�s awesome� He just stood there. So I had to do what any hot-blooded female would do. I ran back and hugged him again. haha! i�m a freak. �Thanks again�, he said as I walked away. I looked over my shoulder, �You�re welcome� I walked away. I almost left a poop trail back to the office. So by this time, it was close to doors opening. I headed to the doors. Saw all the people I know. Met some I didn�t know. Got my wristband (just in case). And got ready for some action. I said my �hellos�. Then went back inside and planted my ass against the barricade. In front of Mark�s mic. About 10 minutes later, the rush of GA�ers came swarming in. I was surrounded by BB�ers in like 10 seconds. It was very cool. The concert kicked so much ass. I was truly soaking up every moment, especially b/c I actually exchanged words with the some of the members. Clint looked over and smiled at me like twice. That was cool. i gots much love from Mark. ? That is ALL I have to say. He threw me his first pic. Damn, i�m starting a huge Tremonti collection. and the one of the two highlights was the wink he gave me during �Never Die�. Poop-city. Stapp poured out his heart as always. Brett and Scottie kicked much ass. I have NO idea why I didn�t see Scottie at ALL before the show except at soundcheck. Strange. But anyways... the second highlight of the performance was during �Higher�. That is my song. That is the song that gave me hope when I thought there was none. And this is going to sound stupid. But for the first time, Mark actually �acknowledged� me during Higher. I mean, b/c I go NUTS during that song. I even started crying when the song came on. I�ve NEVER cried! But this time I did. Maybe b/c I knew it was the last time I'd see them in a LONG time. So with tears in my eyes, I sang my heart out. And Mark looked down, smiled and nodded. It was amazing. These words can�t ever express the magnitude of emotion that went through me in those 4 minutes. I will always be grateful for that. The love in my heart for this music is so big, there�s nothing to compare it to. After the show, I said my �good-byes� to everyone. I went back-stage and right away saw Tremonti munchin� on some pizza. Dude, my GOD, this guy is EVERYWHERE I go! hahaa! I do NOT mind! It�s hilarious. I don�t see anyone else as much as I see him!... I see him and he turns around looks at me, grabs my hand again... �Hey! What�s going on?� �nothing much, AWESOME show!� �thank you so much� and he just stands there looking at me expecting me to say something...and all I can say is... �and...I don�t know what to say� |