Road Trip USA part 5 – Meeting the Great George Watsky!

Wednesday was the “George Watsky: Nothing like the First Time” concert in New York City!!!

Literally 30 seconds before I met Goerge Watsky!

I was extremely excited to go to this concert and I convinced my friend Mike Young to go with me when we were finishing up teaching in Madrid in June. And I’m glad that he agreed without even knowing who was playing, because we met some amazing friends that night due to his outgoingness! 

Me and Mike and our new friends Tom and Brittany waiting in line!!!

I had purchased my ticket a few days after they went on sale, because, being the first concert ticket I have ever purchased in my life, I was a bit excited. Maybe too excited!  Also, the tickets were insanely cheap and I would have paid SOOOO much more to see the One and Only George Watsky on his first tour. I rearranged my road trip visiting family and friends across the USA before heading back to teach again next year in Madrid- JUST to see this concert! And I have not regretted a single moment or penny of that decision.

This is Brittany's photo! Such a great photo!

To top it off, Mr. George Watsky himself was standing outside the theater when Mike and I were walking by to go to Shake Shack in Madison Square Park!!! So I got to meet him and say hello before the concert. I did feel horribly rude interrupting the probably extremely important conversation about the show he had in two hours, but I guess excitement got the better of me. (George Watsky, if you ever read this, I do apologize for interrupting your conversation, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.) 

I personally liked the accidental artiness of this photo of hers as well.

We shook hands, I introduced myself and my friend Mike, and we had a small conversation about how many shows he had done so far and he expressed his excitement and gratitude many times. I swear this man is one of the most grateful performing artists I have ever encountered and I worked in bringing artists like Bo Burnham, Daniel Tosh, Ben Folds and many more to Missouri State University as an undergrad, and I guarantee you, they did not personally thank me or the crowd or everyone individually like George Watsky. 

The venue was great too! Great sound, lights, all around awesome-sauce.

He said thank you just to us personally before the show three times, and during the show he said thank you to the crowd from the “bottom of his goddamn heart” at least ten times, not to mention individually thanking and meeting every single person who waited in line after the show. I hope that he continues to stay true to himself as he grows and becomes bigger and bigger in the future. Because I know that this amazing performer is just at the very beginning of something extraordinary!

Dylan Saunders singing Rich Girl with George Watsky!!

You could tell that him and his crew really cared about what they were doing and cared about one another. This group put in a lot of hard hours for us fans, for everyone and themselves, and I am so glad it paid off for them! They looked like they had the time of their lives, and we all know Watsky did because he said it during the concert. 

“I’ve been waiting my whole life to say this; Hello, New York City!!” – G.W.

“A lot of MC’s say it’s no big deal […] but it’s a big fuckin’ deal to be here!” –G.W.

And my personal favorite, after expressing how record labels think that our generation is stupid, and how we proved them wrong by a “sellout crowd in New York City and I ask if I can do some poetry?” and the crowd goes wild.

“You guys are gonna make me cry, and I can’t cry, because if I cry, I won’t be able to spit fire. And I have to spit fire- so I can’t cry.” – G.W.

Couldn't ask for a better up-close-and-personal feel for this concert!

The show opened up with a Dylan Owen who I actually really liked, and a second group who I never caught the name of whose last two songs caught my attention. The crowd was pumped; we were in the third or fourth “row”, cramped, sweaty, exhausted, dehydrated, but HAPPY AS HELL. And everyone around us was just as excited as we were. A cute blonde girl next to me screamed after Watsky did his first poem, “I CAME FOR YOUR POETRY!” We were immediate friends. 

Not only is his poetry amazing, but his stage presence is captivating!

The show was incredible and he said it himself, “it’s not a one-man show”. Everyone came together and it was a beautiful concert! Everyone loved it so much that they chanted his name until him and the guys came back on stage to do an encore, where he also decided to crowd surf over the top of us – Brittany being especially excited about us being up in the front and getting to move him over us! It was a scene out of a movie, and no one wanted it to end.

I took this from his facebook fan page, but damn it's an amazing photo.

And to top it off, after all of that work, being on stage for hours, sweat, smiles and maybe a twinkle of a tear, Watsky was outside greeting a line that wrapped around the building to meet each and every one of us that came that night; signing anything, taking pictures with everyone, personally thanking everyone again and again for making his dream come true. Not to mention he remembered Mike and I! How cool is that! I asked him if he would sign the first concert ticket I have ever purchased and his response “Absolutely.” 

My first purchased concert ticket of all time!!!

After posing for a blurry picture, I commented that he’d been working hard because he was sweaty as hell, and he said that “actually, this is the least sweaty I’ve been after any of my other shows.” He was really happy that the Gramercy Theater was air-conditioned and I think we were too, even if in the crowd you couldn’t tell. His smiles were genuine, he was floating on air, and it was amazing to be a part of something so important to him- to see his excitement, energy, and emotions before and after his first headlining show in New York City.

I don't care if it's blurry; the imperfection of this photo makes it perfect.

Seeing Watsky live was an incredible experience, and I admire him as an artist. Being on stage for five minutes at Triskel Tavern is nerve racking enough for me, I couldn’t even imagine doing an entire show in NYC with a sellout crowd- but Watsky did it with flying colors. He is an inspiration, as an artist, as a poet, as a rapper, as a musician and most of all - as a person. We could all use a little George Watsky in our lives.

Watsky and Brittany after the show. I can only imagine how many amazing photos like this were taken that night!!

Thank YOU George Watksy, for following your dreams, proving to us that it is possible, and not forgetting who you are in this crazy fucked up world.

~ Raelynne 

And to my great readers- I know part 4 of Road Trip USA is missing, but this could NOT wait any longer and Road Trip USA part 4 - Boston Freedom Trail  will come soon.

Loves!

Road Trip USA part 3 - Time with Great Grandma: A Spiritual Journey

Sunday was a beautiful day; I slept in, had breakfast with my Great Grandma, Great Aunt and Uncle, was a lazy bum and chatted the day away. The highlight of my day was hearing Great Grandma tell stories about her first job as a magazine saleswoman, and teaching in a one room school house. She is 90, born in 1921 and raised in Quebec. One of 13 children!!! I can’t even imagine having one child, let alone 13!! And to top it off only 7 survived, many passing in infancy and at young ages. Oh what it must have been like to be a mother of so many children in those days. 

She loved the shawl I got her from Spain <3

She has seen so many things. Moved to the US around my age, not knowing the language at ALL, and look at her now. Hundreds of outfits handmade for her kids (and others), 47 afghan blankets, 9 decades, 5 kids of her own, 2 languages spoken fluently and one unique and amazing life have made me wonder if I will have so much to show for if I someday live to be her age. 

Uhhhhhh... How many kids?

She wore her silly hat again from the Hat Party. My Great Aunt gave it to her to show my Great Uncle and his wife when they got back from VEGAS on Monday. I love seeing them; they are all so sweet and always trying to look at the bright side. I can’t wait to be visiting Matt and Stephanie down in Vegas in a few weeks!!! 

She loved her hat and fake blond pig tails.

This weekend was a much needed weekend of visiting with my family- reconnecting, after doing so much disconnecting. I think it reminded me of why I am going to school in Madrid and why I am following my dreams. Being here reminds me that I want simple but amazing stories to tell one day, to be able to look back and smile like she does and say that was my life. 

Yup, this is my life at the moment.

I love my Great Grandma Rose-Marie, she is one of the pillars of my family that construct - Me. 

She taught me how to knit today - It’s hard work by the way. Then explained how her and her mom spun their own yarn to knit!!! Ten times harder than just buying yarn and knitting like me! haha. I think sometimes in this world, we independent women are afraid to look weak by having or wanting a family, by learning how to cook or wanting to provide for our families, by committing to someone, by not being selfish or caring and by being too “motherly”. I think that being independent, does not mean being alone and emasculating yourself as a woman; we do not have to be more like men to be successful- men and woman are different. Get over it. It’s okay, we need to all work together as a whole world and society. 

Learning to Knit makes me a BAMFF.

My Great Grandmother did not stay at home to cook and clean and make clothes because a man was trying to suppress her, she did so, because her and my Great Grandpa were a team, and she was a strong part of that team and did what he couldn’t do. We now have stores, manufactured clothing, appliances, making our lives easier every day. We forget sometimes how short of a time it has been since these changes- like teaching, 50 years ago we still had one room school houses. 

I know Bailey, this wears me out too!!

So what did I learn on this particular part of my journey?

Let’s give each other a break, and figure it out- together. Culture to culture, gender to gender, sex to sex, language to language, hand in hand and eyes and hearts wide open.

Cupcakes... MMMM Delicious

And I don’t mean to get all soap boxy- but I am blogging my Adventures, and this weekend just happened to be more of a spiritual one.

I will KNIT all I WANT! And you can't stop me. na na na na. ne neh, ne neh na ne

Tomorrow, I am off to Boston for a little more of a real action packed adventure! Wish me luck!

Road Trip USA part 2 - A Hat Party

Today was an easy day driving; I only had about 3 hours in the car driving from Spring Valley to Albany. I was so excited about this HAT themed family party. I was also very excited to see my family up here because I don’t get to see them very often (although Danielle, Teal, and Naomi weren’t there it was still fun). 

2010 Party- Danielle, Naomi and Teal. It was a Disney Theme that year!!! MISSED YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!

I came prepared. During the fourth of July festivities I walked passed this AMAZING hat in my Grandma’s house, so of course I tried it on and walked around with it. Everyone loved it and I asked my Grandma if I could have it. She said yes of course, because (as I learned this weekend) Grandmas are made for the word YES!!! 

Raise your hand for coordinating outfits based on accessories....  lol

All of the kids had fun hats and a handful of the adults had various types of hats. My Great Grandma had on a fourth of July hat that had fake yellow braided pig tails. She kept taking it off so I don’t have a photo of it. I also forgot my camera inside and my phone died, so I only have photos of ME in the hats my Great Aunt and Uncle and Cousin brought AFTER everyone else left some of which kid Naomi took before her mom took her home (because I am lame and forgot I needed photos for the blog!). 

kid Naomi. She took this by herself and asked me to hold the fake dread lock like a mustache for her.

I wonder where she got that preposterous idea??!?! (kid Naomi took this photo too)

I also decided that my generation is LAME because we DON’T wear HATS or write LETTERS, and I love those two things so I’mma bring it back like spandex pants and fanny packs that people seem to find appealing these days (hats are so much more attractive than those nasty pants and I think people will actually be much happier this way!). 

I mean I just freaking love this hat!

I also got to meet my cousin Jordan and his wife Siobhan and their new addition to the family - Lucas! So that was super awesome. My cousin Michael was here with his fiancé Jen which was great and I wish I could have come in yesterday and went to see some live music with them! He plays the drums and is the cousin I am closest to on this side of my ridiculously large family (other than the girls- who I truly missed this year!!!!). The only other cousins here that I knew were Rory and Adrian and they had to work so they had to leave early. :/ But I did get to know my Great Great Uncles Alfas, Norman, Herve, and Roger and their families, so that was great.

kid Naomi: new photographer prodigy!

Seriously, photographer prodigy... I just gave her my camera and she ran around taking photos.

Artistic concrete... I feel like I am at an art exhibit!!! Go kid Naomi

And then she took one of herself of course! CHEESE!

I also got to hear amazing stories about my Great Grandma’s life and since she is my all time favorite and the only reason I even had the privilege to know this side of my “secret” family, I was extremely happy to get to chat with her. Tomorrow we are going to put puzzles together and maybe knit - I would make up an excuse for how excited I am, but if you have all watched my rap video Blue and Green Pills (rap at 3:52), then you know that I am a “ripe 85.” 

My Great Grandma RoseMarie Gertrude Beaudet. I love you!!!

To make it even better the Red Sox and Yankees played today - so my family was being silly as they always are this time of year - back talking each other over which team was better and sulking over losing. They always try to recruit me, and I tell them that I have a losing team and am okay with that. Go Royals… what? I think if I were to be recruited my Great Grandma in her adorable full out Yankees uniform and baseball cap would win me over! [That’s right boys, be disgusted and devastated, that’s how most women make decisions about sports teams! :P hahaha] My Great Uncle Bill thought it even more amusing that Guillaume is a Tigers fan, not understanding why a Frenchman would pick Detroit to be faithful to, and then realizing that a friend, David, obviously brain washed him into routing for them. HAHA. Oh Uncle Bill. I love it when they all argue baseball; especially because they don’t actually get awkwardly mad like boys do when they talk about politics. 

Another past photo - but Uncle Bill still pulls the same stunts trying to convert me....

And on this note, here’s the new slogan I created today- Politics: Gossip for Men. 

Typed in Gossip for Men into Google Images. There were 10 pages of this exact photo.......

Today was definitely one to count on the ALL AMERICAN scale; hamburgers on the grill, baseball, swimming, family, and a whole lot of fun. 

Hrm... Did I forget anything? OH YEAH...

Stay tuned for the next adventures here on Raelynne Travels around the USA. 

What's next? you ask. THIS FACE for your answer.

Do I even have to tell you that kid Naomi took this amazing photo here at the end? and that I obviously took the horrible one before that of me in the Bob Marley looking hat? Ugh so Jealous of her skillzzzzz.

Road Trip USA part 1

Thursday July 5^th I packed and embarked on my All American Road Trip, to visit great friends, family and to rediscover the good ole American Way. Traveling the world and living in Spain has shown me the wonderful things that the world has to offer, but actually I rediscovered the excitement of the USA from my students this year. Everyone asking me questions about the US and me having to teach about my own culture has made the US exciting for me again. 

Like Fireworks, you just have to light more!!!

I couldn’t wait to embark on this great journey.

Almost as exciting as these Confetti Shooting guns! Way better than dart guns for sure!

What day to start a road trip better than the day after the great celebration of the wonderful Independence Day of our country!?!?! 

Oh yeah these Confetti Guns are super festive!!!

When I got home from the crazy fireworks celebration at my grandparents house that consisted of painting the “famous” storm drain with colored smoke bombs, sparkler dances, popper baseball, traditional sky fireworks, and a new pop gun that shoots confetti war that ended in a car chasing Audrey down the street to perform a “drive by confetti shooting” I had to pack for an All American Road Trip!!! How could I represent and celebrate our country better than driving around it and seeing the wonders it had to offer?

The infamous storm drain! We made it pretty, then blew up the inside with fireworks and strobes. So mature :P

July 5^th was the beginning of our journey. I woke up late which is what you should do on vacation (sleep in), picked up my cousin Audrey (who was actually ready before me), and we made great time to Indiana where we had great food at the SlipperyNoodle Inn. I wanted to eat at Slippery Noodle Inn because it is a cultural monument in Indianapolis. It was a hiding place during the Underground Railroad, a speakeasy during the prohibition, and now one of the top live music venues in this part of the country! The food was good and the building and décor definitely met its expectations. Definitely the highlight stop of the day!!!

We were only sad we had to leave before the live music started!

Indianapolis out the drivers window. The architecture was really pretty!

And then- oh and then - we hit Ohio. Where there was a cop every speed limit change, and finally by the fifth one they decided I didn’t change speeds fast enough and they pulled me over to give me a ticket. After that we just wanted to get out of Ohio so we drove to Erie PA, where it was quite eerie. We witnessed something go down in a parking lot of a place we were driving by looking for a hotel because EVERY hotel was booked (because I forgot that it was the day after the biggest holiday (other than Thanksgiving) in the US). We also witnessed a ton of cops arresting people in front of a McDonalds, and then FINALLY we found a group of hotels after we decided to just get back on the highway, which were all taken (but we kept stopping at each one and asking just to make sure before we slept in our cars) and by 4am we found a Microtel to stay in!!! Thankful to have somewhere to sleep, we stopped. 

Now I know why we passed so many of these guys on the road!!! They knew the hotels were booked!

To be honest, the first day was AWESOME. My cousin Audrey couldn’t have been better company, we drove 16 of our 21 hours, made it to Pennsylvania from Missouri in one day, say Indiana and discovered a new route to NY. The second day however did not include a Pennsylvania ghetto or a speeding ticket, so we have to say it was better; also we made it to our first destination - Spring Valley NY. Sadly I will leave my cousin Audrey with her boyfriend and his family here in Spring Valley and I will continue solo tomorrow to my yearly family party in Albany NY.

She was soooo excited to finally be here!!!!

I am so excited to see my family tomorrow; this year’s theme - Silly Hats - pictures to follow with the next blog entry!

It is always great to see family!!! Can't wait to see more tomorrow!

So far the beginning has been rocky - I forgot to mention that I am driving a rental and have to return to KC on July 16^th to pick up my car because it is in the shop due to a suicide deer running in front of it and destroying the passenger side- but I have high hopes for the rest of the trip, and actually this returning to the US gives me an extra day in a few places due to some changes that had to be made due to this slight inconvenience of fixing my car - again. 

I get to drive through more beautiful New York tomorrow!

I hope to keep you updated as much as possible about my adventure across the country, and as always, thanks for reading!!