Andrea Hylen

6th concert: Tacoma, Washington
June 28, 2009

Author’s Note: Going back to the beginning. This week two blogs. One was the 5th concert in Portland and now this one in Tacoma, Washington, the 6th concert. (June 27 and June 28, 2009) If anyone has videos or pictures from either concert, go to Jonas Watch Fan Page on Facebook and post them. Thanks!

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Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. – Mary Mannin Morrissey

Concert 6: Tacoma, Washington
June 29, 2009

I messed up. I made arrangements to sleep in two different homes in Seattle.

Instead of Sleepless in Seattle. We were Sleep-Full in Seattle!

Yesterday, on the way to Portland, I realized that my friend Chad lived in Seattle, not Portland. You may say, how much of a friend is he if I don’t know where he lives?

Chad and I had been in a Transformation Circle together. It was a year long personal, transformation program with Barbara DeAngelis. Our group of 30 people met in Palm Springs and in Sedona several times for weekend retreats. We wrote to each other on a yahoo group. We spent hours and hours on coaching calls on the phone. I knew some of his deepest desires, his greatest pain, and the joy of seeing him heal and transform. He knew my old story and had seen me emerge with a new life, too. I had visited with other circle members on the East Coast but I had never visited the West Coast members. And somehow, I got it into my head that Chad lived in Portland.

Then another friend from Baltimore, Karen Porter, had a friend in Seattle who jumped through hoops for us to stay with her. Karen’s friend was going to be out of town. She changed the sheets on the beds, made arrangements with the neighbors to serve as support for getting us into the house and setting the alarm. Several weeks of going back and forth. I would imagine she had food or something to welcome us. She is that kind of welcoming hostess.

I thought we were staying in Portland on June 27 and in Seattle on June 28. So, on the way to Portland, I looked at Chad’s address and saw that it was Seattle. I was so mad at myself. After a little bit of driving and thinking, I decided we would stay with Chad for both nights. It would give me a chance to visit with Chad and would give Hannah another full day to rest. I wrote a note to Karen’s friend and apologized for the mix-up.

It was a long drive from Idaho to the Portland concert and to Seattle. We had one time zone change and gained an hour on the clock but not in the body. Ten hours of driving with dinner and a 3+ hour concert in Portland in the middle. As we rolled into Seattle at 3am, Chad was waiting up for us with Tanner, his dog. Tanner had lots of barks and kisses for us. He was very excited to have visitors. (I meant Tanner, but Chad was happy to see us, too!)

After a few hours of sleep, I woke up early to check e-mail and finances. We had made it farther than I had thought we would a week ago. I was checking on bids on my house, looking at bank balances, estimating the expenses of the next week. My parents were willing to loan me some money to pay the mortgage and house expenses. This would give me time to think about current bids on the house and allow for the realtor to contact the 27 people who had expressed interest in buying the house. It would give Hannah and me a little more money for a few more concerts. We could finish the concerts on the West Coast and head towards Baltimore. Today was also a day of coordinating the details of places to stay and tickets for the next few concerts.

The idea of sponsors came to me a week ago. It could be someone who was interested in being a part of the adventure, something I had done for other friends and their kids over the years. It is wonderful to support someone with a dream.

It could be a company with a product that was in integrity with our values. It would have to be a product we would use. American Eagle or Urban Outfitters clothing stores for Hannah. Ann Taylor Loft or J. Jill for me. Apple Computers. Panera Bread Company. It would have to be a win-win for everyone involved.

In this economy, advertisers are looking for unique opportunities. How do they get information about their products out to their target audience? I have been a part of many events that had sponsors for conventions, expos, and theater productions. I wanted to talk with Chad to see if he had any ideas about companies or how to contact them.

I was feeling impatient with myself and a little frustrated that I was so far behind in my blogs. Between driving and staying with people who we wanted to talk with, there was little time for sleep. Blogging consisted of jotting down notes on pieces of paper, napkins, hastily typed into the body of the future blog. I was looking for time to sit down and write.

When Chad woke up we talked about finances, going for the dream, the transition we were both in and our willingness to find new ideas and opportunities. We talked about the sponsor possibilities and we talked about the companies Chad was interviewing with for his next consulting job. He was weighing the pros and cons of travel, moving, selling his house, commuting and what to do with Tanner if he was working part time in another city. Chad had sold some of his furniture while thinking about selling his house and moving. Hannah and I had slept in our sleeping bags on his carpeted guest room.

We decided to let Hannah keep sleeping while Chad and Tanner gave me a tour of the city in their jeep. We drove to a park with an overview of the Space needle, Puget Sound and an overview of the entire city of Seattle. Tanner got a bit of a walk and we all enjoyed the beautiful day.

Chad and I talked about going to the gay pride parade, but we opted for driving through some of the neighborhoods and getting some good coffee and bagels. Both of us needed some time to slow down and let the ideas flow.

When we arrived back at Chad’s apartment, I woke up Hannah so she could shower and get ready to drive to Tacoma, an hour away. Chad and I continued to talk about our lives and brainstorm ideas for jobs and income for another hour.

When Hannah was ready we drove to Tacoma. It was an easy drive and we arrived really early. It was a Sunday and was quiet at the Tacoma Dome. After picking up our tickets from the will call office and I took a long walk around the community.

Hannah won a Sound Check pass for today by purchasing tickets in advance through her Team Jonas account. She was randomly selected to win. This was one of the reasons we were so early. We wanted to make sure we arrived on time, found parking and picked up the Sound Check pass.

I heard some music down the hill and joined a group dancing with Radio Disney. Cha, cha slide, and a little macarena.

Standing by the Verizon Wireless bus recording studio, the members of the Honor Society slipped out a side door of the exhibition hall and appeared right next to me. I talked with Alex, the drummer and reminded him who I was. Recognition in his eyes and a smile with the words, “That is so cool!” popping from his lips. I hadn’t talked with him since Denver, but he remembered. You could see it in his expression. I got a few pictures from the back. They were all facing the crowd and I was in the mix of people behind them.

It was still sunny and 85 degrees with a slight breeze blowing across the water. The wind was gently swirling my hair and waving the flags on the flagpole. The tree made sounds of quiet rustling sounds whispering a sweet song. I decided to half sit and half lean on a wall and watch the crowd. The wall was slanted, like a right triangle. I had one leg straight like I was standing and then sat on the wall with the other leg at a right angle slanted down the hill. The Tacoma Center was on the top of a hill overlooking Commencement Bay. From this angle, I could watch all of the people walking up the hill and think.

I needed silence. My mind was racing with questions and I wanted to find a stillness to hear the answers. For me the silence is best in nature. I can take a quiet walk. Or I can sit and watch the birds, the flowers, the trees, the wind, the clouds and the sky. As I sit in that still connection between myself and something greater than myself, the questions begin to appear.

Jonas tickets. How to get free tickets. Contests.

Warren from Verizon Wireless walked by me. I jumped off the ledge and slid next to him, keeping the pace of his long stride as I asked him about the Verizon Wireless contests. “Where are the Verizon contests for tickets? Last year I sat near a row of Verizon marked seats that were empty in Indiana and I saw the same thing in Denver, four days ago.” He didn’t know anything about ticket contests and the seats in Denver may have been for company employees who didn’t come to the concert. He said he would look into it.

Back to the leaning wall.

A woman approached me with information about diabetes. She was wearing a long, flowing skirt with hair to match the flowing energy. Her name was Maggie and she was traveling with her daughters, Jennifer, age 17 and Aribelle, a toddler. They were passionate about educating people about diabetes and raising money for research. They were planning on traveling to most of the concerts this summer, too. Another group of adventurers with a passion. I wonder how many of us are doing this. I would like to hear the stories of everyone.

As I sat on the wall thinking, some of the songs started to play in my mind. I could feel the possibilities of the theme songs for the summer. They are another clue to the journey. I could write a book about my life and in each of the joys and challenges there would be a song. Don’t you feel this way, too? The music is a touchstone, a part of the memory. The music is there to soothe, awaken, heal, get you moving, crying, laughing. Music. Ah, music.

My Summer Songs of 2009:

From the Jonas Brothers, the song is, “Fly With Me.” The song really taps into the place inside of me that has stopped believing in dreams and adventure and love. The words, “To believe once again,” make my heart do a flip flop of joy every time I hear the words.

From Jordin Sparks, the song is, “One Step at a Time.” Losing the contract on my house has placed me in a state of one step at a time. The words, “It’s your faith that makes you stronger, The only way you get there, Is one step at a time.” This is the message for me right now. How much faith do I have? Am I listening to the inner guidance of the silence of my day? Yes. I am listening to hear the next steps and open to the path. Lots of opportunities for growth here. Let go. Live in the present. Quiet. Listen.

From the Honor Society is the song, “See U in the Dark.” This is stirring something in me that is ready for the next chapter in my life. I am closing the chapter of homeschooling Mom. Wife of Hurley. Baltimore resident. I am ready to move into this next chapter and it is scary at the same time. The words, “I’ll never see you the same, The veil has been lifted, now I see you’re gifted, My whole perspective has changed.” This summer I want to explore the questions, “What are my gifts? What is the next step for me? How do I support Hannah in the last two years of school and begin to explore my own new life?” What’s next?

Nobody by the Wonder Girls is just pure fun for me right now. I love to dance with them!

This is the beginning of possibilities. How many concerts will we make it to? How will we do it? I want the answers and I also want to relax into the moment of now. More will be revealed!

Finally, I entered the building. It was an interesting concert. The seats felt like I was in a large auditorium in a college. The feel of the metal bleacher stands with folding plastic seats. I was on the side, diagonal to Garbo, second row. Not a floor seat, but a side seat. I was able to see the band members walk from the side of the arena to the stage. It was hard to take pictures of the stage with all of the people walking around and standing up to dance. I did get a picture of Big Rob, the Jonas Brothers security guard, and Christa Black, string player, and Miguel, one of the horn players.

The Honor Society seemed different. Their energy expanded and filled up the stage. Alex was getting wild with the drums and Michael stood on the drum frame and then jumped high into the air. Andrew twirled his guitar. The crowd went crazy! They are figuring out how to play to a large audience. Great to watch them grow.

The Wonder Girls wore red dresses.

Jordin Sparks continues to change clothes and hairdos. I have to admit that I really love that. It’s funny because I do not put effort into clothes or hair, but I love watching her and the band members change their look every night.

The Jonas Brothers. What is there to say…Fly with me!