It
started out innocently enough....I was IMing with my friend Maria and happened
to mention that Nick was gonna be at the Mall of America on October 31, 2002.
Maria
was IMing with Erin at the time and they started talking about making the
trip..the next thing I new the three of us were making our plans...we only had
a few weeks to work it out...and Erin and Laura had never met Maria or myself
yet either..at least not until a week later!!
Before
we knew it we were ready to go..the trip down was fairly uneventful..we made
our way down from Canada through the border to Minn, MN (an 8 to 9 hours drive)
and managed to find our hotel some how. We would have been there a half hour
earlier if we hadn't gotten a little lost...LOL.....the next morning we were up
and ready to go..we got to the mall about 9am..I think..not to bad...we got our
spot in line and got our wrist bands, the line up was very big yet...then took
turns getting in and out of line to do what we liked...about noon I headed off
to meet up with Cat, Alice, Susan, and Rae..(these are ppl that lived in the
area that I chat with on a regular basis)....I also met Amy a friend of
Rae's..my other local friend Dawn couldn't make it cos it was Halloween!
At
first Rae didn't realize it was me cos I was introduced by my real name not my
online name...We had a good laugh about it later...Cat, Susan, Alice and I went
for lunch..Rae and Amy headed for the line...after lunch and a great chit
chat..we all got back into line again...after a short time I noticed another
girl further back in line who looked familar...it took me awhile to realize it
was my online friend Shark...I had first met her when we had been in Denver
together...(she had moved from Florida to MN) She had learned about the Autograph
session the night before when she had logged on and another chat friend of ours
told her where we all were...Funny she had to move all the way to MN to finally
meet Nick...I also got to chat with Dawn on the phone for a bit, thanks to
Rae!! I know she so wanted to be there!
My
friends and I sat in line for 9 1/2 hours listened to 'help me' at least 80
some odd times and the whole cd at least 5 times before Nick showed up...he was
early too!! First he came out with a
funny little mask on..in honor of his fav holiday!! Then he and the DJ had a little chat...gosh with all the
screaming and excitement I'm amazed I heard him...I think he was a little
surprised at the reception he got... I
can't remember for the life of me what he talked about..I know it was the about
the album and all the routine questions that he had been answering since the
album came out!
Okay
I won't tell ya all the details on the down side! There was some confusion
between the people hosting it, on what we could and couldn't do cos one minute
we could do something then a few minutes later we couldn't....so it was a
little frusterating and at times I felt they were a bit rude!
Next
it was on to the autographs...My friend Erin went first...them me...Laura and
Maria come up behind me..I stayed calm this time..very calm...I got up there
and he signed my pic...then I set down his gift and said "This is for you,
nick!" He looked at the gift and
then at me...(I didn't get a chance to show him the Tshirt *shrugs* and I will
never know if he ever got it cos the person beside him whisked it away before
he could actually see what it was and she put it in a huge box with the rest of
the gifts) Once I had his attention I held out my arms to him..and he willingly
reached over to give me a Hug!! As he
leaned in I quickly place a kiss on his right cheek and then finished the
hug..he was warm and his cheek was soo soft...*SIGH*
Afterwards
I tried to set up a meeting time and place with my travel mates (they wanted to
do some other things yet) and I wanted
hang out with the other ladies a bit longer..My chat friends were futher behind
me so I wait till they made it through...after observing for a bit from a much
safer and less crowded perch..we all headed to the bar upstairs to chill for a
bit!
About
an hour later we all scattered...Cat and Shark had a 3 hour drive home yet
too..Alice and Susan were headed home..and Amy and Rae..were the last to leave
from my group. Then I caught up with
Maria, Erin and Laura again to head back to the hotel. Where we relaxed ordered pizza and talked.
The
next day we all packed up..and left, making our way home....All four of us
agreed that the trip was worth the 5 seconds each we all got with Nick! And would do it again in a heart beat!!
On to my pics of the Mall Of America Pics
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