The first time I met Roz Valentine

I've been trying to remember the first time I met Roz Valentine.  

The first time I heard the name Rosslyn Valentine was when my manager at the time Michelle, returned from interviewing people to join the volunteer team at the RSPCA.  Michelle said that this Rosslyn chick was cool and was going to fit in really well with the team in the Ausco shed.  I remember thinking 'cool name'.  Then Roz started work with us.  In our usual cool and calm manner, Michelle and I quizzed her about every detail of her life (do you have pets? Do you like cats or dogs?  Do you like tacos?  Do you like Bon Jovi? (this was more me than Michelle to be honest) Are you married?  Where did you work before this?  - the big issues.  I remember my excitement when she told me her husband was American (I was/am slightly obsessed with all things USA) and when she told me his name was Maurice Valentine I remember thinking 'well that is quite possibly the coolest name I've ever heard'.  Then during the 'when is your birthday' round she said her birthday was November 5^th.  I was taken aback.  My birthday is November 6^th  - holy cow she was stealing my birthday thunder!  Luckily we soon decided that we could have a joint birthday and all was well again.

All of us in the Ausco shed all worked so well together.  Being the volunteer department it was never empty.   The phone never stopped ringing (bugologist anyone?) and the emails never stopped coming (especially the days after there was something on the news about the RSPCA - "I just want to help all the animals").  We always had a constant flow of volunteers and staff popping in during the day (The Meredith Banks memorial chair springs to mind) - including a Rickland or a brown bear on the couch.

Birthdays were big in the shed.  I've never worked anywhere before (or since) that had such amazing birthday celebrations.  We would be in at the crack of dawn preparing for the birthday persons arrival and making sure everyone knew just what day it was.  This was was one of Rozzy's birthdays - we transformed the office into "Poopy's Palace":

Makeshift birthday office to hide in

SURPRISE!

The Queen, the Princess and the King

Who doesn't need a sugar lumps mug?

LOL!

Birthday Girl!

We also seemed to go to events where we danced a lot.  Really, really bad dancing.  Roz could bust a move (or three).

Busting a move with Michelle, on a jumping castle, with a spotty dog.  Degree of difficulty? 10/10

Showing Mo how it's done at the skating rink.

Back to the jumping castle!

...and even while bowling!

Roz would laugh so much she couldn't make any more sound and would even fall down cracking up.  This was out one day for lunch at Fasta Pasta and who knows why she was cracking up, but she was:

Ha!

We all went a little crazy in that shed somedays:

"Hello - Welcome to our office"

Just hanging out, pretending to be Michelle's dogs.

So unimpressed.

And I will never forget the days that Roz met and fell in love with the loves of her life (after Mo of course):

Poppy

Poppy

Winnie

 
No matter what though - I wouldn't change that time for anything in the world.

So anyway, I became slightly obsessed with finding out the exact date that I met Roz Valentine.  I was looking in old diaries, going through emails and facebook trying to work it out.  I don't know why.  

But then I realised.  It didn't matter what day, date, time or year I met Rosslyn Valentine.  It just mattered that I did meet her.  I am so lucky to have called her my friend.  

You will always be my latex salesman Rozzy.  I will always see you checking out my sugar lumps.....and yes, I will have some candy for myself.

I miss you.

Whoa....we're halfway there......

The Brisbane show is over!


It was possibly the best night of my life - from the backstage tour, to the touching (!), to our fantabulous seats - it was amazing.


We picked up our tickets and merchandise when the backstage tent opened at 2pm - ran into Debbie and Jo from the fan club and did a lot of excited chattering with them. Raced home and got back to Suncorp just before the backstage tour started. It was great to see the stadium all setup ready for the show, but empty.





Met up with our tour guides Kendra and Jon's brother Matt (they have the same white teeth) and I got in trouble with Matt for taking a photo while walking down the stairs. Something we had been told not to do six seconds earlier. Whoops. Then we got split up in to smaller groups and then we got to head in the backstage area - it was amazing - so much stuff in one little area. There were so many cables, and screens, and buttons and wires and holy crap it was hot in there. Then we got to go past Jon's quick change area - we weren't allowed in (bummer), but got to see it. Twas very exciting to think in a a few hours JBJ would be standing there sweaty and sans shirt :-)


Then a white light came down from the heavens (or it may have been a techie testing a spotlight) and shone upon.....Jon's white mike stand. Squeal! And yes I got to touch it where he touches it.





We also got to see all Jon's guitars - completely forgot about shaking his maracas though! Never mind, next time. And oh yes there will be a next time.





Then we got to go up on stage. It was so weird being up there and looking at the view they get. The stage is so tiny, there is just so much stuff packed into the area. We saw Tico's drums and David's keyboards and Richie thingy that goes "waw waw" and then got to walk out onto the circle part of the stage that goes into the crowd. That was freakin' awesome.




Then we headed downstairs and lordy be we got to have a photo taken with the guitar Richie uses to open the show with every night. I was terrified I was going to drop it - hence the terrified look on my face:





We also got to see all of Richie's other guitars (I think it was 34 in total) and Kendra gave us one of his picks to take home. Score.


Next up was a chat with Matt who answered any questions we had and then we headed off to dinner. Dinner was great - we ate where the crew were eating and the food was really good.


Next up.....showtime!


Our seats were freakin' amazing - 2nd row dead in front of Richie and close enough to the circle to make the dash when they walked on to it. The setlist was pretty much the same as Melbourne, but I really didn't care, just being that close up made the show awesome (plus any Jovi song is a good one.) Anyway they were about the 3rd song in and JBJ came and stood right in front of me, looked directly at me and SANG TO ME! I was so overwhelmed I forgot to get my camera out and I just stood there and looked like a nincompoop instead. The world slowed down and it felt like 5 minutes, but I'm sure it was only 5 seconds (best 5 seconds ever!). Then JBJ headed the other way and ran out onto the circle and started to come around - I vaulted over everyone (benefit of sitting on the side) and positioned myself ready for a hand slap. Unfortunately he finished the hand slaps and started to run off the circle, but then stopped right in front (above) me to sing something and do jazz hands. I thought "not missing out on this opportunity" so I put my hand through the bars, grabbed his leg mid calf and ended up with a vice like grip near his ankle. He finished singing, ran off (not in horror I hope) and I screamed. I screamed a whole lot.








After a while Jon and Richie moved to the circle to sing some songs (I'll be there for you - siiigggghhhh) and as they were going back to the main stage Richie was heading my way so I put up my hand and got a Sambora high five. He ran off (again not in horror I hope) and I screamed. A lot. Good grief - Joneee and Richie in the same night. I was a very happy camper.






Anyway the show was amazing and was another two and half hours of pure Jovi awesomeness. I can't wait to see what happens in Sydney. Saturday afternoon I am going to the Q&A with JBJ (how can you not say yes to an email with a subject of "ever wanted to be in a small room with Jon Bon Jovi?") Derr.






Next stop Sydney....two down....two to go!

Number 1 - Melbourne

So...the Melbourne show is done!

IT. WAS. AWESOME. I don't even need to add an exclamation mark to that statement, that's how good it was. Two and half hours of just Bon Jovi doing what they do best.

Anyway though rewind a few days back to the start - got to Melbourne and was picked up by Lady Chauffeur Lopez as I had booked my flight to the wrong airport - whoops! Apparently I don't understand the phrase "Don't book a flight to Avalon". It was Oprah mayhem everywhere as she was supposed to be appearing at Federation Square. It was rumoured that JBJ would also be appearing so some fans had been there since the wee hours of the morning - Oprah didn't show up until 4pm and even more unfortunately JBJ wasn't there at all. Lucky I didn't hijack the Lopez/Robinson Hyundai and demand to be driven there :-)

We had dinner at this place called Misty Diner - good gravy it was fabulous! All the food was amazing (and so very American!). Next day did some shopping in Melbourne (my fav shop Minotaur), spent an hour trying to explain to Cara that JBJ does not wear a wig and lurked around the place until it was time for me to be dropped off at my hotel. I'm pretty sure they were glad to see the back of me and my Jovi hysteria :-)

Hotel was great - used my fancy settings on my camera to take a panorama shot. Turned out fancy. Also showed me what a freakin' mess I can make of a hotel room in 10 minutes:

Had some food and then it was time to head for the stadium - was so happy to find that my hotel was pretty much across the road from the concourse to the stadium. Perfect!

Met up with some friends and we had a Jovi chat (the best kind) then went inside.....purchased a $5 bottle of water (bargain!) and headed to my seat. The show was starting at 8pm as it was being streamed live over the net. That means that someone in Japan, Scotland or even the North Pole may have heard my screaming. Lucky them.

My view was pretty good - I was right at the side of the stage, but very close. Had the most annoying person in the world in front of me for a while - she danced like she was at a hoedown (hands on hips and frantic bending at the waist from side to side)....it was very odd. I eventually had to step back and left some other person/sucker in front of me as she was about to whack me in the head. But it was hard to distract me from the main attraction:

Loved the show so much.....so many highlights. Took heaps of pictures - it's hard not to get so caught up in trying to get that perfect picture that you actually miss what is happening. A couple of times I had to force myself to put the camera down and just watch what going on in front of me.

Anyway, Brisbane tomorrow....one down....three to go.

Jovi: 5 days to go. It Begins.

Okay so we are 5 (that's right people FIVE) days out from the first Bon Jovi show I'm going to in Melbourne. I thought I'd share with you all some of my calm, non-panicky, laid-back, totally nonchalant feelings about my upcoming Jovi experience:

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Yes that's right, if you didn't know already, I'm possibly ten seconds away from the wetting of the pants. I really hope I don't implode/explode prior to December 11 or I will have wasted a lot of money on tickets, flights, hotels and other general Jovi merchandise.

So here's the story for those not currently in the know....

Friday 10th - fly to Melbourne, have awesome catch up with awesome friends Cara and Anita and their various awesome cats. Possibly drive them batty with Jovi talk and ask if we can stalk the band around Melbourne. They will be more than ready to push me out the door Saturday.

Saturday 11th - MELBOURNE SHOW! Am in pretty good section (A1) Row P, seat 1. Seat 1 will be great if it's the side nearest the pit so fingers crossed:

Sunday 12th - fly home to Brissy and resume normal working day on Monday. Possibly drive everyone at work insane with talk of how Jon looked, how Jon sounded, how Richie played guitar, every facial expression Jon made, what band was wearing etc etc. They will be more than ready to see me leave work Monday.

Tuesday 14th - DA DA DUM! First VIP Package I've got for this tour. Mum (the lucky woman) and I will be going to Suncorp stadium, getting a backstage tour, some goodies and dinner. Then we get to see the show from the Pit, SECOND ROW. Oh yeah. He is totally touchable from there:

Wednesday 15th - rest and recovery. Also a trip to the dentist, but I don't really think anyone is really that interested in that (me included.)

Saturday 18th - fly to Sydney with my wonderful sister in law Jo. Then at 3pm I'm going to a Q&A with the man himself. That's right, I shall be in a small room with JBJ. Yes people I do realise how dangerous this may be, but I'm willing to take the risk. But what shall I ask him? I really want to know if he likes cats - if he doesn't unfortunately things can never work out between us, but possibly may be a waste of a question. So am still working on the perfect question and praying I don't stand up, open mouth and keel over. This could be a tad embarrassing although the question "Is there a Doctor in the house" would be quite appropriate.

Saturday night Jo and I are heading to the show - I'm so glad I get to go to a show with her! We have seats in the lower half of one side of the stadium which will give me another view of the show:

Sunday 19th - I wave 'bye bye' to Jo and have a day kicking myself for whatever embarrassing thing happened during the Q&A (something will happen - of this I have no doubt). Then that night is my final show - another VIP package - in the Pit, THIRD ROW!

Monday 20th - head home to Brissy and prepare slide show of every single photo I took to show everyone I've ever met. Shed a tear that it's all over and start panicking that I haven't got Christmas presents for anyone sorted.

And that's it!

But never fear.....now we commence the countdown to....

BON JOVI - LAS VEGAS.

103 days to go.

Jovi Tickets....The Quest Continues....

So....it's been a big month. Pretty much my life has been consumed with waiting for Bon Jovi tickets to go on sale, searching for the best Bon Jovi tickets I could find , buying Bon Jovi tickets and counting down to the Bon Jovi shows.

So the last time I blogged I was waiting for the Fan Club Presale tickets to go on sale for the Brisbane show.....I was going to the Brisbane show and that's all I was focussed on....

Well a month later and....I've got tickets for FOUR shows.

You heard right. I've got a ticket for the Brisbane show, the Melbourne show and tickets for two of the Sydney shows. "How did this happen?" I hear you ask. Well to be honest I'm not quite sure.....it all started when.....(flashback music starts and the screen goes blurry)......

All I wanted was the best seats possible for the Brisbane show. The fan club pre-sales were available from 9am so I organised to come into work late and that way I could get my tickets in the comfort of my own home and away from all distractions! I was so naive thinking I could just get tickets in a stress-free way. Ha! I started casually hitting refresh on the "buy tickets" page from about 8.55am and at 9am on the dot the magic words appeared "Fan Club VIP Packages". Now it should be noted that there were no prices or seating maps or really any information available until the minute they went on sale. So I was going in blind.....

Of course I clicked on the front row diamond package (duh). Then the price displayed - 3,500 big ones. It was for two tickets so pretty reasonable really to me , but I still rang my parents (who keep my spending sane) and in the six seconds it took my (sensible) mother to say "hmmm" and my (not-so-sensible) dad to shriek in the background "go for it!" the front row package tickets were gone. I nearly started to cry. That's a lie actually - I didn't nearly start to cry - there were actual tears forming and about to trickle down my cheeks. So I went for the second row tickets - gone! Third row....gone! Fourth row.....available! By this stage my heart was nearly pumping out of my chest and I was slightly hysterical. The cats had long since retreated to the safety of under the bed. "Fourth row, fourth row...there are fourth row available" I screeched to my poor mother who was still on the phone for moral support. "For the love of god just get them!!" she yelled back (by this stage everyone had gone nuts). So I clicked and entered the credit card details so fast my mouse nearly burst into flames. Seriously. I still have the burn marks. Success! I had the tickets and at a much more reasonable price - although after nearly spending $3500 anything seems quite reasonable.

It was now 9.04am. The most stressful 4 minutes of my entire life.

So I toddled off to work, relieving the highs and lows of those four minutes. I did a victory dance upon arrival at work and everyone as very impressed with my tickets. Or they thought I was crazy. Most likely the second one.

So all was fine and dandy until I was sitting at my desk, just minding my own business, doing something work related and my mobile rings....and it's an international number. "Hmmm" I think. "This is going to be really, really good or really, really bad."

It turns out it’s someone from the Bon Jovi fanclub in America telling me there was a bug in their system and they had oversold my Row 4 tickets, (at this point the tears started) but did I mind if they put me in Row 2.

Erm No. No I don’t mind!

Woooooooooooooohoooooooooooooo!

Check out my seats:

I am so going to touch him......

Stay tuned for the next chapter in the incredible Jovi tickets journey:”The Stress Continues....”

Bon Jovi tickets...the quest begins.

I knew it was coming. I just didn't know when. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, it was here.

"What is it?" I hear you ask. "Must be important?"

Oh, it is important.

Very very important.

IT'S JOVI TIME!!!!!!!

I knew they were doing a world tour, but wasn't getting too excited as "world tour" doesn't necessarily mean that Australia is included. Apparently we aren’t part of the world according to some tour promoters. I'm just thankful I don't live if New Zealand. They get nothing. Or Perth. They get less than nothing.

Two weeks ago my wonderful sister in law Jo, who has been well trained to inform me of all things Jovi, messaged me and told me about the small blurb in the Sunday Mail that gave hope that the Jovi was in fact considering coming to Australia in December. Not just to Australia, but to Brisbane! Last time they only played in Melbourne and Sydney and I had to go to Sydney and stay in a hotel that was across the road from a Hooters. Not classy.

Now I was on the lookout for any information pertaining to confirmation of said tour. And last week the same paper confirmed the story and even gave a date and a venue. GLORY BE! Life is good!

But not for long.

I then realised I was entering stage 1 of the Bon Jovi concert preparations - securing the best tickets possible. Stage 1 is not fun. No one enjoys this stage. But it must be done. Stage 1 back in 2007 nearly caused my parents, brother, sister in law, co-workers, the telstra network and possibly the group of people I was training, a nervous breakdown.

I've done my research and there are three dates I can get tickets:

First chance tomorrow - these are the pre-pre-sale tickets for members of the Bon Jovi fan club (member since 1983*). The tickets include the elusive VIP concert package tours which include food, drinks, and *dances in joy* a front row seat. Sweeeet. Ever since I was second row back in 2002 and got sweated on, all I want is front row and the chance that there could be contact. Any sort of contact - I'd be happy to touch his shoe (ala Keith Urban 2009 - still talking about that concert). Front row ticket – want, want, want!

Second chance next Wednesday - these are the pre-sale tickets for visa card members. These also include packages, but not sure what sort yet and if there will be the front row packages. These tickets are obtained via a website but this is a highly volatile site and seems to crash if more than three people logon at once.

Third and final chance is the Wednesday after next – these are the tickets on sale to the general public. Do not want to have to get to this level of desperation. Refuse to sit in row ZZZ. REFUSE!

So tomorrow is the first chance to lay my hands on the golden ticket. Cross fingers. Cross everything. If you hear a scream around 9am, Thursday 24^th June 2010, please say a prayer for me that it’s a happy one :-)

*only really a member since 2008. In my head though I’ve been a member since 1983 so I think that counts.

Which one is not like the other?

As an addendum to my last blog about the great car parking debacle of 2010 - I've just found out we have access to a "Carpark Cam" on our computers. You can basically login and see how busy the exits are before you go to the carpark. This seemed excessive to me - how much could it possibly be backed up? Since then I have been told some horror stories of being stuck for AN HOUR AND A HALF in the line to exit the carpark. Note to self: look into the bus timetable.

So now on to some more of the minor/major differences between the new and the old:

Food at the old workplace:

A salad from Coles at Fairfield Gardens. If feeling adventurous, venture to Buranda Shopping Centre for Pizza Capers. If Michelle had her way - Montezuma's and whipped beans every day until we die.

Food at the new workplace:

Choices, choices! Sushi, pizza, subway, crepes, sandwiches, roasts, soup, wraps, hot chips, salads and more. All conveniently located within about 2 minutes from my desk (some very conveniently located next door to my desk). For afternoon tea: cakes, slices, biscuits, chips, chocolates (seriously I've never seen so much chocolate in my life and I've been to the Cadbury Factory). All this is not very convenient for my waistline however -- probably be better to go back to old workplace options. Although the time spent walking around looking for my car in the carpark helps with this.

Doors, windows and fresh air at the old workplace:

Doors left open to let the fresh air in. Windows that looked out over the horses grazing in the horse paddocks (or that looked out over the back of Rickland's head) and let in the natural light. Most of all - FRESH AIR!

Doors, windows and fresh air at the new workplace:
No windows or windows that look out to other rooms with no windows. No doors to open to the outside (well that I can see - obviously there is at least one or we'd all be stuck in the building forever ala that Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode). Very bright fluoro lights that give you a headache before 9.30am. As a hater of the great outdoors who would have thunk one of the things I'd miss the most would be fresh air and sunlight? Not me in a million years (I can hear Michelle fainting from the shock). I actually have to get up every couple of hours, go to the front entrance and get some fresh air. I stand outside taking deep breaths with all the patients who are in their PJ's and attached to IV's, smoking away. They all eye me nervously in case I tell them to put out the ciggy and get back to bed.

People v Animals v "the kids" at the old workplace:

Animals pretty much outnumbered the people. I liked this. Although if the animals ever did organise some sort of meeting and banded together to take over the place we would have been in trouble. The people that were there either didn't have kids or didn't really talk about them (they knew it was a lost cause for the most part). I also liked this.

People v Animals v "the kids" at the old workplace:

People everyone. No animals except for the occasional pigeon flying overhead (probably looking for it's car in the car park). I do not like this. And kids....everyone has got 'em and everyone talks about 'em. I have started talking about my cats as though there were actual human children which seems to confuse and frighten everyone:

Co-worker: "I'm tired, I couldn't get the kids to bed last night and then they kept waking up..."

Me: "Me too. Mine just wouldn't settle last night and then started chasing each other around the house"

Co-worker: "Wow....yeah it's hard isn't it? Then they don't want to get up the next morning..."

Me: "Totally - especially when you get up and step in one of their fur-balls"

Co-worker: "Err....your kids have fur-balls?"

Me: "Yes of course. I have three furry kids. They're gonna get fur-balls!"

Co-worker: *Silence* "Bye - I'm just going off to make a coffee."

And the worst/scariest thing about kids at the new workplace is something I discovered a few days ago. If you venture outside at 1 minute past three there are literally HUNDREDS of them, swarming down the hill from their school, screeching at each other, talking about Justin Beiber and Twilight. Okay yes I know I talk about Twilight as well, but it was still terrifying seeing them all come towards you at a semi-run, chanting pre-teen things and wearing the same outfit. Children of the Corn anyone?