Monday, March 26, 2007

One of the Best Weekends EVER!

How glad am I that I decided to be in the Variety Show? Pretty dang glad. Haha. I'm also very glad that Jen helped me get backup singers/dancers! I'm almost positive I wouldn't have won without them. Seriously. I had so much fun; I felt like I hadn't performed in forever, and I keep forgetting how much I love it. There is a complete difference between performing someone else's song and performing your own or even just playing guitar. I like playing the guitar, because it gives me something to do with my hands. Haha. Without the guitar, though, I get to let loose. And wearing a dress most people would never imagine me wearing? Yeah, I'm a different person. But still entirely me, if not more than usual. Make sense? It's another side of me that doesn't get out often. ;) It was really funny afterwards when people said things like, "You didn't tell me you could sing!" Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself properly: "Hi, I'm Daron! I can sing and love to do it. What's your name?" Lol. I will try to stop neglecting to mention that fact whenever I meet someone new. One of my friends about died when she saw me before the show. She was laughing. I believe it was a shocked kind of laughing, like she didn't know what else to do and couldn't believe it was me. It was pretty funny. I know about 90% or 95% of the Union community has never seen me with makeup on, much less with such a dress on - so I'm sure it was a shock for those who know me. Anyway, it was a blast and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Not so much makeup next time, though.

Saturday was a slow day; one of those good slow days when you can just chill. Last week felt so hectic and I was feeling the need for spring break, so Saturday was a good slow down day. That night we had a softball game, which we actually won! I don't know what happened; I mean, we were actually hitting! Haha. We ended up killing the other team 22-5. Harsh, I know. We scored 17 points in one inning! It was crazy. Everybody on the team was like, what the heck is going on? We're really hitting the ball and scoring! Of course, there were many fielding errors on the part of the other team, so we can't take all the credit. I'm going to stop, cause I don't want to sound mean or something. Oh, yeah...I slept in until 12:30, and I felt AMAZING. Finally, I felt entirely rested for the first time in a long time.

Yesterday - Sunday - was a good day. I went to church, made lunch, hung out outside, wrote my YoungLife talk for today, hung out in the commons, then went back to the room to get ready to go to the FLYLEAF CONCERT! I bought tickets for Brittany's birthday, which was last Monday. They played at Newby's in Memphis. It was quite an experience. Haha. I've never been around that many people with beer; I've never been around more than like three people with beer. Lol. And cigarettes. Oh, man - Brittany and I wanted to punch this one girl who was smoking...and looked about eight months pregnant. I coulda smacked her so hard. And her boyfriend/maybe husband was looking stupid with his shirt off - not that he was the only one. Also, there was almost a fight that went down like right in front of us. Evidently one guy didn't like getting involved in a mosh pit. There was never a hardcore mosh pit; it was just a small group pushing each other around. I thought about jumping in, but I decided not to. ;) Brittany and I both had beer spilled on us, which was definitely unpleasant. Besides all that, it was AWESOME!!! There were four bands that played, with a half hour in-between each one to change sets. It went from seven until eleven; we were standing the whole time. The first band was Resident Hero, who was the only unsigned band on the tour. They were pretty good. Next came Fair to Midland, whose lead singer either was or just acted like he was high. Half the time he would kind of stand there looking like he was lost, and the other half of the time he looked like he was having seisures and convulsions on stage. I didn't really care for them as much, and it wasn't because the lead singer was crazy. After them, Skillet came on. Now, I've heard of Skillet, and I'm sure I've heard their music, but I loved them! I thought it was so sweet that they had girls on the drums and a guitar. The lead singer looked pretty good, too. ;) I'm going to have to get hold of their stuff now...

Finally, Flyleaf came on! Oh, man. I can't even describe it. I have never been to a rock concert - not a real one. You know, I've heard Christian rock bands at youth retreats and stuff. This was entirely different. One difference was the fact that the sound was absolutely deafening; I'm still struggling to hear in my left ear. Haha. It was just...so cool. Lol. I really can't explain it; you just had to be there. What made it even better was the fact that Flyleaf (and Skillet) is a Christian band; it was surreal that they were in this place filled with people drinking, smoking, and possibly doing drugs. They get in these places that so many conservative Christians condemn as hellholes and won't touch. I'm not saying that we should all go on bar ministries. But I will elaborate...

There is this opinion voiced by some conservative Christians who believe that the only truly Christian music is gospel music. I'm not bashing gospel; I honestly don't care much for gospel. Anyway, they believe contemporary Christian music to be something from the devil or say that it doesn't belong in the church. Think about those people that won't come within five miles of a church, yet go to concerts religiously. How can they be reached with the Good News? We have an obligation to reach out to unbelievers and show them our faith; what better way to do that than through music? If you don't like Christian rock, don't listen to it! Don't go judging the Christians in the band or the ones who listen to them. It's not sacreligious to have drums, basses, or electric guitars with the Christian message. It's another ministry that is doing so much more than we know. Sorry, I found a soapbox to jump up on, and I'll stop now.

After the concert, we drove back to Jackson and ate at Steak and Shake, because we hadn't eaten since lunch. It was so much fun to spend that much time with Brittany; it doesn't happen very often. I got into bed a little after two. I thought about taking a shower before I went to bed, but I'd already taken two that day. I definitely got up earlier today in order to take one; I smelled like smoke and a little beer. I ain't putting up with that. The smoking pregnant girl's boyfriend/whoever turned around at one point and accidently blew smoke directly in my face. I gave him a face like, "Excuse me! What the heck do you think you're doing?" That's what it said. Lol. I waved my hand in front of my face, and he mouthed something that could have been, "I'm sorry." The music was going on, so there was no chance of me hearing him unless he put his mouth to my ear and yelled, which is what Brittany and I had to do. And we still couldn't hear each other most of the time! Still one of the greatest events of my life...

So, that about wraps it up. It's Monday, and there are FIVE DAYS until SPRING BREAK!!!! WOOHOO! I'm excited. This is the best I've felt on a Monday in a while; it's because I'm still floating on the cloud from last night, and spring break is so close I can taste it. Mmmm...

Spring break tastes good.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:28 AM

    We Really enjoyed Friday night,too. You did great!.That place was packed and they seemed to really get into your song.Way to go Daron!I want to print some of the pictures from your camera. Glad you had a good time last night and hope you didn't permanently damage your hearing,oh and glad ya won your game Saturday.Some weekend,huh.
    Love you lots,
    Mom

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  2. AMEN AMEN AMEN!!! I had the GREATEST time Sunday night with you! I can't tell you how awesome it was to spend that much time with you...that we so seldom get! And, the concert was SO AWESOME! I felt AMAZING afterward, and yes, I floated all day Monday in my semi-deaf haze. I keep reliving it... AH! I think the best part, besides just being with you, was sharing that VERY new experience (for both of us) with you! I'd never been anywhere near a place or an atmosphere like that one...neither had I been to a real rock concert. It's something I've always wanted to experience. Getting to do that with you made it even better. Definitely one of the best nights of my life!!! :D
    I completely agree with you on the Christian rock thing...Surreal, it was! But, it was so natural...like, the music was so powerful in the spiritually uplifting kind of way without being cheesy or making you feel like you're in Sunday school. I just looked around and smiled at the broad variety of people there...no group alienated or isolated. That kind of music (rock music) has such an impact on me, and knowing that the impression it is leaving on me is a positive and constructive one is...awesome! It was the best feeling to just let myself go in the songs...I could really feel my soul. I mean, I was really aware of my soul as a real part of me...No, as who I am; as me. It's such a contrast from the abstract idea that we hear about in sermons...when we hear about the threat to our souls of more intangible concepts of evil. God was there...I felt Him.
    Yay for your soapbox! And YAY for Spring Break! And YAY for your outstanding performance (that I didn't get to see) Friday night! I'm so proud of you! :D

    I can't thank you enough for Sunday night...for being my best friend...for being you!!!

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