We were on the road early this morning….and by early I mean it was still practically dark whilst walking to the car park from the hotel….and then we were all packed up and out of the car park by 8.50am!!
The trip was long again and I think the weather threw everything it had at us - snow, sleet, rainstorms and a bit of sun!! We made a few stops along the way and had this crazy notion of stopping to buy the boys some sheep!! No, not real ones (even if I did suggest that!) but Gillian thought they must get tired of everyone buying them monkeys, so we’d get them sheep!! We tried a few shops along the way and even the market once we got to Birmingham, but nothing, and our crazy idea died…until next time!
After awhile of driving, started to panic a little about getting there on time - Meet and Greet was slightly earlier tonight at 4pm and I was trying to sort out bloody tickets for other people en route on my phone - why I bother I don’t know!! Anyways, in the end we got to the hotel and checked in in plenty of time, changed, got ready and then took a cab to the venue. Only to have to wait in the absolute bitter cold for about an hour as Bauer was late with the M&G stuff!!
Eventually he checked us all in and he did allow us to wait in the little box office entrance. There was quite a few of us tonight, including some friends of ours with M&G and we persuaded all the other zookeepers to let us go very last….hoping we’d get slightly longer with them :p
Tonight I was once again nervous about the M&G…mostly because I was about to present Jackson with a Jasper photo to sign…and I wasn’t sure whether he’d be annoyed by it! I’d hate him to think I was merely some Twilight geek and that was my only interest in the band…but I couldn’t not get him to sign a Jasper photo whilst I had the chance!
So, we were the last to go in and had to walk down this long corridor as they watched us, which was a little embarrassing!! They all said hello and we were like, it’s us again! I think Gillian said we’re back again :p I put my stuff down by the wall, conscious of them watching me and then for the first time ever, approached Larry and Jerad first! I had individual photos of them to sign, and there’s were on top, so it made sense. At this time, Gillian was with Jackson and Ben getting her CD signed…and Jackson was muttering something about where she could stick the poster after he’d signed it!!
I gave Larry the photo to sign and Jerad said that was a great photo of him., I said it had been hard to find photos of Uncle Larry, so had to crop a group one. Really don’t remember Uncle Larry saying much :s Jerad was next and I said as much when I found his photo, he signed it for me and had trouble with the pen, I said it might be frozen since it’s so cold outside! Can’t remember if he replied to that or not!
Moved over to the desk where the other lads were signing, Gillian was having some weird conversation about who she thinks about before she goes to sleep….and got embarrassed when Jerad figured it out! And then I asked Ben to sign my photo. Whilst he was doing that, I was stood next to Jackson, I had Ben G to my Right, Ben J opposite the other side of the desk and then Jackson to my left, at the end of the desk. And whilst Ben was signing his photo…I muttered that Jackson was going to hate me in a minute…I was scared about asking him!
Jackson sort of laughed and said ‘yeah, I know what’s coming’ and as he said that, Ben J slid his photo away to sign it revealing the photo of Jasper. And….I said I was really sorry, but I had to just get the one done. Jackson seemed to be studying the photo and then I added ‘and I have a favour to ask‘. Playfully he said ‘no’ before I’d even asked him. So I asked in a soppy voice, could you put my name on it for me. He looked at the photo again and considered it for all of a second before saying yes and taking the pen out.
Gillian told him he had to guess my name, he said he wasn’t going to guess my name. and I must have still been apologising about asking him to sign the Jasper thing, because he looked at me, cheeky grin on his face and said ‘your name’s sorry?’ and laughed. I said yeah, being silly and then panicked thinking he might have written that on there and ruined it! So I said no, and told him my real name. he asked me how to spell it, whether it had an e on the end. And I said yes. At this point Ben G was asking me if the photo was from the Phoenix Taylor book, I thought for a moment he meant the Jasper one Jackson was signing and started to say it was from some weirdo movie. And then realised and answered him that, yes, it was (didn’t mention I had printed them off the internet :P) and then waved to what Jackson was signing, who was dithering over where to place his name, that that was from some weird movie!! And Ben G or might have been Jerad said something about it being taken back when Jackson was a blonde, making Jay laugh!
Once photos were signed, I tried to say to Jackson that there was much debate about when his birthday actually was, but he wasn’t listening - he was talking to one of the lads (Jerad) so once he’d finished I just said ‘erm…Happy Birthday’ and handed him his card and the little Monkey coaster gift which was wrapped up. He took them from me and said thank you. And then I added that the gift was just something stupid. He frowned at me and waved it saying ‘what, it’s stupid?’ I said yep, stupid….all this time Ben J was sat quietly watching the interaction! Bless!! And then I added that I’d bought it in February!! And he just looked at me as if t say ‘why are you telling me this’? Jackson put his gift with a bunch of other things he had, but didn’t open them. Quite glad he didn’t open the gift in front of me - might have been embarrassed!!
I think it was photo time next….can not remember who went first - but no prizes for guessing who I stood next to :p I got Ben G the other side of me tonight as well and muttered to him whilst having the photo done that he was really warm! Had my arms around both guys, Ben G definitely had his around me….am never sure of Jackson, Gillian says he puts his hand on the small of your back…I never notice it - probably because my damn hair is in the way! Oh, and my camera was playing up again and I asked Lani if it as being a git, saying that camera hated me…whilst stood with the boys! :s Not sure if they said anything about it!
Photos done with, I think Gillian told them they wouldn’t have to see her after tonight as it was her last show (shall have to check with her!) I said I’d still be at the last 2 shows. And then as I was collecting my signed photos off the desk, I noticed a couple of silver pens, one of which was mine. I wasn’t sure which one it was, but guessed the one with the lid off. I asked Ben J if that was mine, but he didn’t say anything so I said I think so and pocketed that one - I might have stolen their pen!!
And then whilst I was picking my bag and jacket up off the floor and Gillian was heading back down the hallway, I was still talking to Jerad about our drive down from Glasgow being rather crazy and all the snow and everything we’d driven through to get there, he peeped his head around the wall as Gillian shouted something back about it being great and stuck her thumbs up. I agreed and then followed after her.
We’d no sooner got back to the little room we’d been allowed to wait in (although Gillian had to wait outside L) , when Bauer was leading us all back to the doors to enter the venue. Only, the boys were still stood by the desk signing things for someone else that Lani was sorting out. Felt a bit silly and tried to just ignore them as if it was a regular event! Especially when some of the girls went to use the bathroom and we were just hanging around. Once the boys were done, they all walked past us and they said they’d see us in there and something else (might have been enjoy the show!) and as Jackson walked past, I noticed he had my card (with some others) and gift in his hand J
Eventually were allowed into the venue - after being moved back to the little ticket office and back to the doors again! Got front row in my favourite space and the woman next to me left a huuuuge gap for some reason, so I saved it for Gillian, who came in not long after me and was grateful for the front row I’d saved her!
Now, for one reason or another…possibly because we know that they know we fancy certain members, maybe because we’re getting more relaxed and familiar with them or simply because we’re conscious of the fact they have seen us 3 nights in a row, but we both felt really awkward for the first few songs of the show, especially when taking photos! We seemed to get that recognition and interaction with them the moment they came out on stage and it barely left!
Ben J lost one of his drumsticks whilst playing, it just flew out of his hands (which reminded me of one of the kids at work!) and he just grabs another!! There was one point when Gillian bobbed down behind the barrier to fix something, I laughed at her and Jerad was there trying to peer over the barrier to see what was going on!! Another when Jackson was singing Aim High, looked right at me and said ‘die’ as he opened his eyes wide….erm…yeah, thanks! :s When Jerad was getting ideas for the improv, I yelled sheep right at him. He asked me ‘sheep’ and I said ‘yeah, sheep!’ And he must have thought I was an utter loon!!!
In the end the improv was ‘Flex your fingers’ and I think Jackson sang it tonight…and it was a slow number. This I know from watching the video back! I truly wish I had a memory camera in my head or something, so I could remember every last second of all these gigs, because they are ALL awesome and it kills me that I can’t remember every little look and grin and moment from the stage…and there were a lot! Eye contact with all of them…and me suddenly shouting about Ben G’s shoes being cool and pretty sure they all heard me - oh well….:s
At the very end of the show, Jackson came back on stage, having forgotten to mention the signing after. Before he had chance to speak, the crowd broke into a chorus of Happy Birthday….and my poor Jackson looked SO embarrassed!! Bless him!! He was fiddling with his hat and rubbing his hair…and then he thanked us all, said his heart was bursting with love and that we were so sweet….and we were making him blush!! He made the signing announcement and ran off stage again. Bless him!! He is SO adorable!!
After the gig, we waited around again for the signing to happen. Grabbed some drinks and had some girl who was alone suddenly cling to us and not exactly chat with us, but listen in on our mad conversations of our concert and M&G moments!
We both wanted merchandise tonight, so held the line up whilst we spent some more money. Poor Jerad….he looked a little stunned and I don’t know why! So, once I had finally got everything I wanted again, gave him my cover from the DVD to sign and pointed to Gillian and said she’s going to cry tonight. He looked most worried and asked me why, I told him she’s sad because it’s her last show, he pouted and then I think he had a conversation with her about it.
I was really annoyed that they had sat the boys in such a cold area as well, the front doors were open and the freezing air was blowing in down the hall, after they’ve sweat so much on stage and they’re all damp, it’s not good for them and I asked Jerad and Jackson why they were making them freeze, it wasn’t fair. And Jackson said something about it being damn cold…and I honestly can’t remember what else we spoke about, but I know there was more between him and I! I think I was promising him he had a night off from me tomorrow :p
And then Ben G….oh Ben. I am not sure here whether or not you were being rude or whether it was an innocent question. But once I got in front of him, he suddenly said ‘wow, you must be cold’! okay, I only had my top on and had all my jackets in my hand - I’d been sweating in the gig too after all. But…I just moaned to him about how they’d made them sit in the cold and everything. But now I am wondering if he meant something else….if I was displaying the fact I was cold with some chapel hat pegs since my top was rather snug. Naughty little boy!!
As Ben J and Uncle Larry were signing and I promised them they’d not have to put up with me at the M&G tomorrow, but I was going to the show, Uncle Larry called me sweetness and assured me that they looked forward to seeing me every time - bless!!! I was still chatting away to him and Ben J whilst at the end of the line whilst they were signing for others - oops!! And Bauer just let me - cool!!! Told them I’d see them tomorrow eventually and left with Gillian.
When outside, Gillian showed me her arm…Ben G had signed on her arm!! Apparently when he was signing her bag, he accidentally drew on her arm and when she pretended she’d get that tattooed, he grabbed her arm and wrote his full autograph on it. She told him she’d definitely get that tattooed and he panicked, asking her not to, saying please don’t and stuff!! Silly boy!!
We walked home, back to the hotel, after that, Gillian sad it was the end for her…and yet being hyper about the gig going over stuff from the M&G, the show and the signing….and trying to remember every last second!!
After eating in the hotel lobby/cafe, since we were living on a packet of crisps that day, and chatting with a few other fans and zookeepers we kept meeting up with, it was time for another perving session over cameras and videos and signed stuff in our room….and then it was time for sleep - it had been a long day!
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