My trip to Squee-town

Ah! The things we do for love (and squee)! Anyone who knows me even casually can tell you that I hate these three things with a passion: heat, crowds and chaos. Yet, I endured them, and happily so, for the chance to see my TV boyfriend up close and in person last Thursday night.

Backstory in a nutshell: Somehow I got caught up watching American Idol this season and found myself enthralled with a rather unassuming guy named David Cook. He was unassuming in looks but completely masterful in voice. Soon, his looks blossomed to meet his voice and but even way before then, I was hooked for good. Yes, I have a history of being a fangirl, I won’tdeny that, but this obsession has taken the term Fangirl and moved it to a whole new level. And his winning the whole thing was really the icing on the cake (as it were).

Back in the day, we had to read Tiger Beat magazine (published once a month) to get our monthly dose of squee. In the world of the internets, gratification is almost immediate. Concert ended ten minutes ago? Where are the videos?? Why aren’t they posted on YouTube yet? What Mavid dance went on? Was he wearing the elf boots? What bling was he sporting? Answers to these questions and a whole lot more became my de facto reason for being. I had it bad. And it was only to get worse.

What have I done in the name of my newest obsession? (More like what HAVEN’T I done??) (This is just a sampling of the official list is just too embarrassing to document in public!)

* Bought a Go Phone so I could text message votes in on the last night of the competition and spent four hours texting, calling, checking in online and fretting

* Purchased tshirts (3) and mugs (2) and buttons (1) that all relate to said Idol

* Spent hours and hours and hours reading the various forums (mostly TWOP after a while)

* Spent some good fundage on Itunes downloads of videos I already had from YouTube but wanted the official version of them in HQ on my computer

* Made cds of various Cookie tunes and sent them to fans who weren’t as savvy as I was in that sort of thing

* Bought six tickets at 80$ a shot for the American Idol Tour at Verizon Center

Despite my abhorrence of all things sweaty, chaotic and crowded, there I was, along with my new friend Sandy, on line outside of Verizon Center along with about 100 others for a glimpse of this person who has somehow engaged me beyond anything I’ve experienced before.

Mostly women, a good smattering of tweens and youngsters and the occasional confused looking gentleman were already lined up against the metal bar segregating the area. We met some cool people from the AI board who were WAY organized with sharpies (for nose plugging), banners (for fan signing) and gifts (for Cookie giving). I meandered my way up and down the sidewalk to see that fans of the various Idols had somehow found each other and congregated together. I couldn’t t take the full-on Archuleta vibe (nice but ewww) so I scurried back to the safety of greater downtown Cook-ville to hang with my peeps.

A rustle of excitement ran through the crowd as we were told the Idols were inside (having seen the buses come by a bit earlier) and making their way out to meet us. David Cook was the first one out (I could see his hair bobbing along the top of the crowd) and he started signing at the opposite end of where I was standing. I believe Archie was out there at the same time along with Kristy Lee and Syesha. Since I was only interested in DC, I sort of went up and down on the outskirts of the crowd, watching his interactions with everyone. He was looking gorgeous in a suit (we found out later that he had been to Capitol Hill meeting with others regarding cancer advocacy) and yet, looked very moody and peevy. (That was my impression.) I was totally bummed because everyone had said he was great in person and just my luck, I get him on a day where he’s a grumpyass. Hehe Not to worry, though. By the time he got a third of the way down the line, his demeanor had softened and he was his usual goofy (and did I mention gorgeous?) self. He took pictures with everyone who wanted them, shook hands, gave hugs, acted silly and signed autographs for over an hour and a half.

And now the part you all want to know what happens when this fangirl meets the object of her affection?

She stutters.

Isn’t that attractive? Me. Ms. Wordy McWordchick, herself. Totally unable to get the words out of my mouth in a coherent fashion.

As he’s signing someone’s book, I go to ask if I could have a picture with him. Yeah. That’s what’s in my head. What comes out of my mouth?

This: David, Can I, Can I, Can I?

He looks at me and says playfully “Can I what??”

*sigh*

I think I managed to utter something about a camera and proof that I met him and who the hell knows what I said? I was flustered and embarrassed. OY!

But, I did get my picture and he was nicer and even more gorgeous (operative word, that) than I had imagined. My visit to Squee-town, while not quite as I imagined (I was hoping for bon mots of wisdom and erudition to flow from my mouth), it was really was all I could have wanted.

He’s the real deal – talented, smart, funny, goofy, sexy and kind. I’d marry him or even just be his girlfriend for life, if only I didn’t belong to another (and were about 25 years younger, tall, blonde and thin, like his real life girlfriend).

The End.

(Well, the end of this story. You know there’s more to come, right??)