CelticWomanForum.com

Well, here is my review in all it's glory! ;D

Also, here's a little preview of the M&G section of my review:

(http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1421/thankyoulisa.png)


This is going to be lengthy, y’all, so sit yourself down with a cup of joe (or a beer, whatever, haha) and get comfortable. I’m mostly gonna focus on Saturday night’s show…because that was the BEST EVER.

I was REALLY excited for WPB because I had never been to a really BIG forum gathering, I had never sat front row at a CW show, I had never seen back-to-back shows, and I had never seen them in a theatre. I was EXCITED.

So……Friday night:
I got to the hotel on Friday at around 5:15 and as soon as I walked in the lobby I spotted Chris and then everyone else! It was nice that we were all staying in the same hotel. It made for some good opportunities to hang out!

The Friday night show was great! I sat with Mel, Kathleen and Sara (and eventually Sara’s brother when he moved down during the second half, hehe). They are a lot of fun to sit with and were able to put up with my enthusiasm! We had okay seats, not in the pit, but we could still see everything, hehe. The girls were fantastic, even if the crowd was a little dead that night. I was so excited to see Máiréad and Lisa!!!!! Throughout the whole show, I kept looking down at the front row and thinking, “My God, I am going to be sitting there tomorrow night!”

And yes, I did say “Oh sweet!” when “The Voice” started. :D Basically, I had completely forgotten about this Lisa solo because I was so excited about hearing “Fields of Gold” again! When Máiréad and Lisa came out, I thought, “Wait…what is this song?” and then when the music started I realized what it was and just blurted out “Oh, SWEET!” LOL. It was very spontaneous. The story of my life, I guess!

After the show, we all headed back to the hotel. We saw Ray, and he came up to the car to talk to Joe (btw, thanks to Joe and Kathy for letting me bum a ride!), so I yelled out, “Hi Ray!!!!!!!” and he said hi back, haha. I’m an enthusiastic one, I tell you. ;) For the record, yes, some of us did see other members of the cast and crew, but I refuse to write about that here. I don’t believe in strategically positioning yourself in the lobby or on the grounds of the hotel where you know the cast will be just to say that you “accidentally” ran into them. Enough said about that. I will meet my CW girls in the appropriate place to do so (M&Gs), thank you very much.

Anyway……….on to Saturday and the big show!

On Saturday, I woke up and the first thing I thought of was “Oh my God, today is the DAY!” LOL! :D

The whole group met for lunch at O’Shea’s Irish Pub and we toasted to absent forum members and friends. We had a great lunch with lots of laughs, random photos taken (some of which are probably really unflattering, lol), and good food. We went back to the hotel to get prettied up for the show, and then off we went!

I could barely sit still during the wait for the show to start. I could touch the stage, and that just made me crazy! It was SO cool.

When “The Sky and The Dawn and The Sun” started, and I saw Máiréad walking down the steps through the fog, playing those first few notes, I burst into tears! I couldn’t believe I was sitting here, front row center, watching her. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get this unbelievably lucky. It was kind of an emotional moment for me! I was thinking back on my first ever CW show in Jacksonville in March of ’08, and thinking that if someone had told me that night that 1 year later I would be sitting front row center and going to a meet and greet afterwards, I would have told them they were crazy!  

Needless to say, however, I got over it and my enthusiasm was THROUGH THE ROOF for the rest of the show! I was sitting in between Rich and Joe, and I thank them both for putting up with me! :D The crowd that night was completely INSANE, and I have a feeling it had to do with forum members in the first two rows, lol. I mean, we were cheering and clapping when the songs STARTED, LOL. Standing ovations all over the place! You could tell the girls were eating it up, because they were more energetic than I’ve ever seen them. It was just….unbelievable. I can’t even put it into words. They were rockin’ it from start to finish and the audience was going positively nuts. It was, by far, the greatest concert I have ever been to in my entire life. It was absolutely incredible. Nothing is ever going to top it. I will never forget it.

I got tons of attention from Máiréad and that was a huge highlight for me because that was the one thing I wanted from that night, haha. You all know how much I love her, so to have her looking at me straight in the eyes was just amazing for me. Every time she ran by us I screamed! Haha.

Lisa gave us lots of attention too, which was awesome. She looked at me a lot and smiled a ton and it was just amazing!!!

During Chloe’s little speech right before “Oh America,” she said something to the effect of, “We really love being in Florida, in fact, I don’t think we want to leave!” and some of us (specifically ME lol) yelled out “STAY!!!!!!!!” and she’s like, “Okay we’ll stay!” and we cheered, hahaha. It was hilarious. She could barely get started with her speech because of all the clapping and cheering!

In the end, when they were all taking their final bows, I was screaming for Máiréad and I looked at her and gave her thumbs up, and she looked back at me and smiled. Highlight for me! She must have thought I was a complete nutcase, because I think I yelled out “I love you, Máiréad!” or “Yay, Máiréad!” like 10 times when they were taking their bows! I was actually jumping up and down when Lisa walked out, LOL, and I think I yelled her name a few times too. ;)


I was sad when the show wrapped up, but not too sad, because I knew what was coming next: the Meet and Greet.

Meet and Greet:
We gathered in a very nice room where they had fruit and drinks and whatever else for us. I was too nervous to have anything of course, and was just praying it would be Máiréad or Lisa. I had prepared myself for no Máiréad because I knew she had been in Ft. Myers on Wednesday (SHOULD HAVE GONE TO THAT SHOW! GAH!). So the girl (I think her name is Claire?) walked up and announced that the girls at the meet and greet would be Alex and……………LISA. I yelled out “YES!!!!!!!” really loud and she gave me this weird look and was like, “Uh…Lisa fan I take it?” LOL, sorry Claire!

We of course were at the end of the line, and when we came up to the girls, Alex was first. I had met her before in Orlando, but hadn’t gotten to speak to her (I had literally only shook her hand and said hi…that was it). She did remember me though, because she said, “So you’re back to see us again, are you?” She’s so nice! She asked me if I had driven or flown to get here, and I told her how much I loved the show and that I was sad that this was my last one. She told me not to worry because they’d be back. :) Then I told her how much I loved “True Colors” and we talked about how David is apparently a Phil Collins fan. Alex is easy to talk to and very friendly. I felt a little bad because I was occasionally stealing nervous glances over at Lisa during the time I was talking to Alex. I hope she didn’t notice, but if she did, I’m sorry Alex! I love you!

Then…..the moment I had been waiting for was here.


Lisa smiles, stretches out her hand, and with the cutest expression on her face says, “And you must be Emily!” I nearly died. Now, I had written Lisa a letter and in Orlando I had given it to Rachel to give to her. I had no idea if she had ever gotten it, although I assumed she had because I know Rachel is great about that, but then Lisa says, “I have to tell you that I absolutely loved your letter to me, I thought it was hilarious!” In the letter I had told her how her music calms me down when I’m driving, and that that was a good thing because I had just gotten a $279 speeding ticket. I also joked in the letter that I was going to have her autograph said speeding ticket, but that unfortunately I had to send it back to the court when I paid it. She told me that she had read it on the bus and they had all “howled with laughter” about that. We then discussed how the cops really nail you when you’re driving on the highways in Florida! Haha. She’s so easy to talk to, I loved it. Then she said, “I was really surprised at how many of the words you knew tonight!” I told her I knew all of them, but that with the Irish lyrics I kind of make it up as I go along, and she goes, “Oh so do I!” LOL! And then she said something to the effect of, “Lynn would kill me if she heard how I sing ‘Dulaman’!” Hahahaha, I love you, Lisa. You are too much! Then I got to tell her how much I loved her, and that she was so special to me. She took my hand and smiled and said, “Awwww, thank you!” It was so, so sweet.

Then we all got to watch as Rich presented her with her birthday gifts. It was such a great moment. I watched in awe. She was excited over the Starbucks! It was SO ADORABLE! I nearly died!! Then she teased Rich about where in the world the sunshine was here in Florida (it’s been raining for like 2 weeks straight here)! Haha. At one point, I think she almost accidentally signed Alex’s photo, and Alex was like, “You can sign mine, I don’t care.” And Lisa goes “Okay!” and pretends to scribble all over Alex’s face in the photo. LOL. I cracked up!

So then the Meet and Greet was over, and as we were waving bye, I blurted out “I love you, Lisa!!!” like the huge, unbelievable dork that I am. I couldn’t help it. It was just too great of an experience!!!!!

Back at the hotel we indulged in champagne, and I toasted to Lisa Kelly, the greatest human being ever. We finished off Maggie’s chocolate covered strawberries and chatted until the wee hours!

All in all, this was absolutely the best weekend EVER. I can’t really remember when I’ve had a weekend that was this much fun. I don’t think I ever have. I’m determined to do it again! Even if I have to fly all over the country! WPB is great though and it’s close to me, so I think we should all keep going there. ;) Hahaha, I’m so greedy.

Thank you to all of my forum buddies for a great time, and thanks for the sisterhood for making Room 912 the party room of the weekend. ;) Thanks to everyone for putting up with my enthusiasm and giddiness! Special thanks to Rich for getting our tickets and being so organized. You rock, dude. More special thanks to Miss Maggie for bringing all kinds of yummy food and Champagne….and Smithwicks! ;)

To my CW girls, you are all amazing, beautiful and talented. Thank you for the best show of my life.

To Máiréad, I WILL meet you next tour. I am hereby dubbing the next tour MISSION MÁIRÉAD! I am determined to get you at a M&G. Thanks for all of the attention on Saturday!!! I hope you know that I loved every second of it!

And finally, to Lisa, you will never know how special you made me feel. You made my lifetime. I will never, ever forget the moment that I met you, and there’s only one thing I can say to you at this point: Thank you.

Loved the review Emily! 

Great review. It even had enthusiasm...all in it! And you are right ...Lisa and Rich both Rock!

You are a cutie...and I know I speak for all when I say...You also helped make the weekend wonderful. Keep up the Energy!

hope to see you in the future

hugs
Kathleen

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a brief announcement.  There WILL be a forum gathering in WPB in 2010, and it will have a name.  And that name will be:
MISSION MÁIRÉAD!

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Somebody might have to tie me down. ;D

     Great review, Emily!   You've finally gotten the concert experience you deserve!  I'm sure your enthusiasm was appreciated by all!  Now everyone can envy  your experiences!  Also, I'll bet there will be no more Mairead-anxiety dreams!  :D  And with the company you were keeping, it doesn't get any better than that!  :) ;D

Zee and I discussed today the fact that neither of us intend to miss the next big forum gathering...so, I daresay, count us IN for Mission Mairead!  ;D

Howard, you are a generous man, thank you for your huge part in helping Emily's dream come true.

Emily, I wish I could have been there, but this review was pretty darned close!!  I am so happy for you....

Thank you, Kelli!!!! I wish you could have been there too....but next time you and Zee both have to be there, mostly because I want to see you again and I have to meet Zee! Many great things were said about her this weekend and I could tell that the sisterhood was missing her something fierce!

Hi Emily,

Thanks for such a wonderful review....It was like reliving it all over again!!!
All I have to say is you too are SWEET ;D ;D
It was wonderful meeting you. I'm glad you had such an over -the- top experience meeting Lisa and Alex.
I hope to see you next year in WPB.

Rosie

It was a great review and I have to say, Em.... seeing you so thrilled made my weekend in WPB. Your enthusiasm was contagious. You psyched up our forum members who psyched up the people around them who psyched up the whole rest of the crowd! It was insane! Saturday was probably the concert I was craziest at and it's mostly because of catching the bug from you! Way to go!

Chris

P.S. It's my belief that Lisa thinks you're pretty darn cool.  :P

Wow Emily, reading your review makes me feel like I am actually right there. You have become the cheerleader of the forum; good for you!! Without even meeting you, your personality just shines in your posts. I would be comfortable saying that you have probably been the most memorable young lady that Lisa has had the pleasure of meeting at a M&G. Always keep your enthusiasm going strong; I am confident that you bring more pleasure to others than you realize. Actually, you seem to have as much energy as Mairead!
Joan

Great review, Emily! 

Chris is right of course.  Your enthusiasm is contagious and a joy to be around.  The couple next to me was attending their first CW concert this year, and were a little reserved at first.  A little ways in they asked if I knew you and I wasn't sure I should tell them. :D  They had big smiles on their faces and were soon rocking with you, standing with the forum and having a great time with the rest of us.  I told them about the forum (they were unaware) and asked that they come join us.  Hey guys, if you read this, Welcome to the forum!

Here's to front row seats, M&G's, theater-type venues and forum bashes!  Thank you, Emily for putting a smile on our faces.  On to "MISSION MAIREAD!!"

Jack

Your energy and enthusiasm radiates from your review, and frankly, I couldn't stop smiling while reading it.   :)

Congrats, Em.  The moment of a lifetime is something always cherished.

You should have gone to O'Shea's on Friday night. Most of the cast, including all the girls except Lisa were there as was most of the crew (and me!). The cast and crew are as genuine and gracious as you would imagine them to be.

Wow, I don't know what to say. Thanks everyone for the sweet comments!

I am really glad that my enthusiasm doesn't annoy people too too much. It's just hard for me to be reserved and calm at a CW show. I love these girls just too much and they make me way too excited! Really though, they just bring me so much joy, it's hard to contain. I thank them for that. Very few things or people have made me feel the way they do. :)

BTW, reflecting back on the show, I think this was my expression when Máiréad was playing Shenandoah and when Lisa was singing "Fields of Gold":

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_klxbufI6dQ8/ShhrR_mRufI/AAAAAAAAAOY/91QXX3tkFDc/s400/black-spider-monkey.jpg)

;D ;D ;D ;D

I don't know... had she been there too, on top of the weekend she had, I'm sure it would have done her in.  At least she'd die happy  ;D

Hehehe.

Well, I would not have approached them, to be honest, and I would have felt odd about being there in the first place.

I don't believe in approaching them when they're out in public having a good time, especially not at a restaurant. I think it's more respectful to keep your distance and let them be and let them live their life, especially when it's after a show when they need to wind down and take a break for a few drinks or whatever.

That's just my opinion.

I feel the same way...although if I ever run in to Lisa at a Starbucks......................... :o ;D

I agree, but I know some of them and was invited :-).

Anyway, this is kind of beyond the point of this thread and off topic, so I will move us along.

I am already ready for another CW concert? Can't we just tell CW to come back to WPB and do this again next weekend? :D

Here's hoping next time it's on a weekend too...big forum get-togethers on weekdays are tough. 

Those bribes finally paid off! LOL

Seriously, I love my fellow sisters and forum members and look forward to the next major gathering. As Kelli said, we are so there for Mission Mairead!!

Absolutely loved your review and your enthusiam is contagious! ;D Thanks for sharing with us and I am so happy you got to meet the one and only Lisa Kelly. I look forward to meeting you in the not too distant future, I hope!

Zee

I'm so happy that met Lisa, Emily!  Yay! 

Thanks for a great review.

Coleen

LOl- I loved it, Emily!!   I share your feelings for the girls and the show and I totally agree that meeting Lisa has to be one of the highlights of my life.  She is absolutely they greatest and so warm and friendly and what a charmer.  Thank you for the review and doing a terrific job on expressing your feelings.  Thank You!!!

    BTW-- count me in for 2010 Mission Mairead!!!! 

I'm so glad Lisa got to meet Emily.  It's been a dream of hers for a long time.   :D

I thought Emily would be excited to see Lisa, but I guess she was just toooo reserved.

Jim

OK I want this on record......I am hereby reserving the front row seat next to Emily, or no more than 3 seats away!
I will even break my rule about M&Gs.....I have to be there.
And yes.....a special request will be submitted to Máiréad. :D

MISSION MÁIRÉAD!

 ;D ;D ;D ;D :D



Maggie, I can't imagine you not being there when I finally meet Mairead for the first time! Man, I'm already getting excited for 2010....do we really have to wait that long? :D

I didn't want to interrupt her dinner but I sat 10 feet in front of her and facing her.
:)

What a beautiful woman she is.

Jim

Whoa, Jim! You really like Emily a lot, don't you?  8)

Talking about Mairead

WOW! Fantastic review. Brought back memories of my meet and greet with Lisa just a few weeks ago. She is absolutely amazing! And Emily...you crack me the heck right up! I hope to meet you someday!

Excellent review Emily!
We've been to many CW concerts and Saturday night's concert defininetly ranks as one the best!
It was a blast experiencing this concert with you from the FRONT ROW.

Here's your FRONT ROW pics:

Touching stage @ Start of concert
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i272/cjjensen/2009__WPB/IMG_1071.jpg)


Still touching stage @ Intermission
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i272/cjjensen/2009__WPB/IMG_1072.jpg)

wow. Emily, you could have jumped up on stage. What stopped yoou?

did you even move throughout the show?

Emily!!!!  A star is born!!!  You absolutely nailed it in every way...what a great review!
I know that feeling when it all starts and you think..."I AM REALLY HERE" !   :D  I am so glad
you got to meet Lisa...that is a dream of mine along with Chloe...actually all of them
but those two for sure!   ;D Does the Sisterhood ever come West?  You can all stay at
my home...plenty of floor space and a huge side yard!! ;D What a great group you all are.
I have to work more "play time" into my life...too much work...you really know how to do it
up right!   ::)

Mission Mairead!!  That's a great goal!   :D  Here's to 2010!  Yahoo!!

Rosie Allen

Ahhhhh!!! Joe!!! Thank you for posting the photos!! I am so happy to have them! They will help to preserve the memories of that night! :D :D :D So brilliant. Thank you!

And no, I didn't hop onto the stage. :D I'm not THAT crazy! ;D

Excellent review. So Glad you got to meet Lisa. Reading it made me smile the whole time.

Mission Mairead in 2010 sounds good.

Glad to hear that the place is still standing.  ;D ;D ;D

Sadly.... all was not perfect in this paradise. Emily was brutally and completely let down by the lack of playing hide and seek in the venue before the show.  :P

Chris

Wow, I loved that part about the speeding ticket, I mean how you made it humorous...so that Lisa and the gang had a good laugh over it. Your description of the m  & g was so much fun. So you never know which two performers will appear?
I am so glad it was Lisa for your sake....She seem to put everyone at ease when she talks to the fans. It sounds like all of you all...had a great time...thanks for the post. :-*


shankdee

Emily, A very SWEET Review!! :D..


Sorry...your never going to hear the end of that word hehehehe

*sigh* Yes. Unfortunately we couldn't play hide and seek in the venue before the show. Next year, next year. :D :P ;)



Hahahahahahahahahaha.

OK guys....competition time!!! (Mod please don't move this to Fun & Games, it is pertinent to the subject!  8) )

The picture below is part of a Forum Member.

If you get it right, you get a signed picture of the person. (However I haven't asked the person yet, so it may not happen)
If you get it wrong, you haven't been paying attention, have you?

(http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x177/MaireadRua/WPB%2009/Emilysmile-1.jpg)

A bit obvious isn't it. It is a SWEET smile.

Emily does have a very nice smile, though I think it looks even better attached to the rest of her face.  CQTM (Chuckling Quietly To Myself, like LOL but more accurate for reserved personality types like mine.)

Thank you for the review Emily.  It honestly brought tears to my eyes.  It was both SWEET and sweet if you know what I mean.  What an awesome weekend!  It is wonderful to hear you describe a dream coming true.

Taken from that pic of Emily clinging to the stage......

One nice touch we have all noticed......the silhouette of Máiréad on the stage curtains.

(http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x177/MaireadRua/WPB%2009/Emilysmile-2.jpg)

The best silhouette in the whole world! One of my favorite parts of the set!  :)

OH, this was such a wonderful review - I WANNA GO !!!  Come to California !!!    :D    Emily that was such a fabulous job, and what an incredible experience for you and everyone!  I can't believe how much LIKE ME you are   ;D   Next time I want to be there, even if it is in Fla. and Emily, you can sit on one side of Rich - and I will sit on the other - then we'll see how patient he is   ;D   ;D   ;D   Honestly, I was like that at the concert I went to last year - I think I was the only one - I wasn't on the forum at that time, so I don't know if anyone from the forum was there or not (Palm Desert, May) - but I was just as crazy, thrilled to see Chloe, Orlagh, and Mairead in person - but crying inside because Lisa wasn't there.  :'(   (mat. leave), but I didn't know that until I joined the forum!   Then I was happy   :D   I found the forum address in my programme   :)  and joined right away after that.  I didn't get to M&G though - next time for sure, and I will be right in the middle of the front row screaming and waving and giving thumb's up to them all with YOU Emily !!!    Thank you so much for making it LIVE!

We have members telling us to go to Arizona, California etc.....it won't happen!

WPB is WPB. Y'all will have to come on down! :D

Emily lives in FL and goes to College here...she is working hard to get her long black robes and white wig,  so I don't see her going to CA.
(http://sixthformlaw.info/04_images/lord_chancellor_small.jpg)

I live in Orlando and will not go West.

(Well, unless FEMA sends me to Texas again!)

The Orlando concert is usually at the Amway Arena, 10 minutes from my door, but I will never go there again......I would rather travel to a class venue like the Kravis Theatre, 165 miles from my home.
That is quite far enough for me to travel to a concert.
I once drove 620 miles to a CW concert.....with two good friends, Jerry (the horse trainer) and Kathy (who died last Oct). It was a wonderful concert in a park, we could have literally reached out and touched the CW Ladies.......we had a lot of fun, but I wouldn't do it again. Plus I got a $180 speeding ticket on the way home. >:(

Dave and I have been invited to the Richmond VA concert but we won't be going.

Great Review! You're so lucky to have met Lisa and Alex. I would have loved to have met Chloe or Mairead but meeting any of them would have been a real treat! I'm so glad you had a good time, as I did as well. And the audience was really insane that night, lol. Were they really dead on Friday? Guess because it was a week night. Anyways, glad you had fun, and I cant wait for the next tour!  ;D

I'm glad you got to meet Lisa and Alex, Emily. It sounds like you had a lot of fun. I wish I could have been there.

:D Yeah, unfortunately I won't be flying across the country for CW anytime soon, unless the parents want to give me a loan, and seeing as how they're graciously helping me out with the good ol' law school tuition, I'd never ask! :D I'm confined to FL for the near future when it comes to CW, but after the fabulousness of this weekend, I don't think I mind!  8)

On the subject of traveling to shows, and to Richmond, and keep in mind I know little of travel....

But I once thought that I might have to travel there, so I checked into planes, trains, automobiles, and buses. Seemed I didnt have a good direct route in any way. Planes, trains and buses all hit Phily or DC first, then required a transfer to another trip. And even if I drove, the route was strange. Would need to go east, then turn south. Or if I wanted to be daring go south, then take smaller roads east.

Em, thanks so very, very much for your review, it was awesome to read!!!   Once at least, I've been in the front row, and I whole heartedly agree, there is just absolutely nothing like it. It is truly the greatest way to experience a Celtic Woman concert. 
   And I might just have to find my way to WPB to join in Mission Mairead!

Great review, Emily. I'm glad you got to meet Lisa finally. ;D

I really enjoyed reading your review Emily.  Just Fabulous..!
(and entertaining too!!  I had to pop me a bag of popcorn while reading it...**smiles**)
Glad you had a great time and I'm very happy for you..!     :)
Mike

Love your review, Emily!  Hope to have the opportunity to meet you at some point.   Wish I could've joined you all for WPB. 

Now that I CAN READ THIS BOARD! :D Great review Em! I laughed at the M&G part haha! 

Wow Emily... so glad you finally got to meet Lisa!!  I have a feeling she won't forget you!   ;D

Emily, I'm so glad you got to meet Lisa!!! I must say that I'm a bit jealous...I'm glad you had fun!
Elizabeth

I hope she won't, because I certainly won't be forgetting her anytime soon! ;D

Yeah, I think I'll have to come up with a nickname if I ever meet Lisa.  If I introduced myself as Emily, I'd likely get a sideways look and "No you're not!"   ;)

Say you are Sweet Emily :)

It would be funny if Emily went to her next M&G, and both Mairead and Lisa are there, and they say...Oh SWEET!! It's Emily!!

 :D :D :D :D :D

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA that would make my life. :D

In reality, they'll probably both see me and go "UH OH!!!!!  :o"

;) ;) ;) :D

Kind of like the feeling I had Sat night when some said that Lisa mentioned me in the M&G...I was...Uh OH... what did I do??? :o, then it was explained  :D :D

*manages to stop laughing and take a breath*

Oh, wow, Emily, reading this was absolutely fantastic!  I hadn't gotten around to reading any of the WPB reviews, so when I was in the Chat a few nights ago, I had to ask Rich what "Mission Mairead" was all about.  He explained, but it wasn't until I read your post that it REALLY clicked! 

I was lucky enough to meet Lisa and Chloe at my first concert and M&G in Oct. 2007, and I agree completely, it was an amazing and unforgettable experience!  I'm still hoping to meet Mairead at some point too, and I would absolutely love to have it be at WPB for "mission Mairead as well.  I have no idea how I'd get the arrangements made, but I can sooo tell it would be absolutely worth every effort!  *lol**

Anyway, thanks for the review, for making it bring the whole experience to life for someone who missed his concert this year, and here's hoping evertything works out just right for you for next year!

Peter

Peter, since I hope to be involved as well, I truly look forward to meeting you!  No health problems next tour, OK?  I'm looking forward to Emily's next "Weekend to Remember"!

*laughing a bit*

Kelli, at the moment,  the biggest difficulty foreseen for next year would be my dialysis schedule and having to arrange for treatment there in WPB.  I'm certainly planning to avoid any other health problems, I've done my fair share for a while!

Whenever it is, though, and wherever, I do have to say that both you and Emily, along with Rich, Chris and Maggie, of course, are all high on the list of forum members I'd dearly love to meet someday.  I just have to either win the lottery, or start saving now (especially since I'm only now getting to go back to work after my illness in February!)

I love this. Alex and Lisa, the two moms being kids. During the Oh America Speech Chloe said NYC is a very special place because this was the 4th time they've played it and always in the same time frame. and I WANT TO GO TO A MEET AND GREET.!!!!!!!!!!