i'm only sleeping
So...the past couple of weeks have been absolutley surreal. I can't believe this is my life.
To start us off...
On tuesday night around 8:30pm myself and Abbey went down to Piccadilly Circus. We were armed with 1 sleeping bag and abot 5 layers of clothing each. We found the end of the line wrapped around the flagship Virgin Megastore, threw down our sleeping bag and prepared ourselves for a long night. Soon after, another kid from our program, Tim from Pennsylvania, joined us and our crew was complete.
We then sat there for SEVENTEEN hours. In the cold. Like, really cold. We never slept because none of us could feel our feet.
BUT OH WAIT NOW-
Why? Why did we do such a thing to ourselves? Well, because the one and only Sir Paul McCartney was doing a signing at 12:30pm on wednesday. And that is all the reason you need. He was promoting his new live concert dvd, and his new classical cd. And probably trying to get some god press away from all that heather crap.
We received numbers upon arriving...we were 155, 156, and 157. The rumor was he would be signing for between 150 and 200 people. The night went on well. It really didn't feel as awful and long as it should. Their were certain milestones, such as some random drunk Brit coming up and attempting to play us McCartney songs on his acoustic guitar. He was just super drunk though, so he had...difficulties.
We eagerly awaited 7am when the stores would open up allowing us food and bathrooms. I did wander away a couple of times through the night to walk and try and get blood back into my feet. It was weird to see Piccadilly and Leicester square so completely empty.
Around 8ish they started compacting the line. LOTS more people had started to show up around 4am. We eventually were counted off and allowed into the store, to buy our cds which would get us the wristband that would keep us in the line to meet Paul. We each bought two, as that was how many he would be signing per person. From here, we were moved to the second floor where the line wrapped in and out of the aisles. We settled down in between folk and blues, and it was here we got a few minutes of sleep.
Only 200 people were let upstairs. The rest, some who had to camp out almost as long as we did, were left in the looong line that wrapped around the building. They were still out in the cold, it eventually rained on them, and security kept telling them to hang on in case there was a chance paul really felt like signing alot.
Around 11 I got up and ventured downstairs and outside to go to the bathrooms at the tube station to brush my teeth and whatnot. It was pretty rad coming out of the store, with all the press hanging out on oneside, and all of the dissapointed fans on the other. Even cooler flashing my wrist to security and being allowed back into the store.
A little past 12:30 paul entered the signing area...without a spectacle of an entrance which was a slight disappointment. He started the signing...and we started the freaking out.
Longest line of my life...eventually the three of us get up to The Man, and had the most ridiculous moment of each of our young lives.
Paul told abbey he liked her hat. She asked him to personalize one to her dad, and he did.
Tim, I am jealous of, because as he passed the cds to paul, paul noticed he was shaking and had the following conversation:
Paul- Oh, wow you're shaking.
Tim- Yeah, I'm just really excited to meet you.
Paul- So what are you doing over here?
Tim- I'm studying.
Paul- Oh yeah? What are you studying?
tim then paused for an unnecessary long time, I suspect he may have forgotten his major,
Tim- Film.
Paul- Good luck with that.
Paul then reached over and gave Tim a handshake to emphasize his last statement. Tim receieved two handshakes total.
Then there was me.
I, being a complete fucktard, started crying about four people away from Paul. Once I got up to him, there was nothing I could do to subdue it or hold back. So my conversation with him was skewed and uncomfortable, as I couldn't articulate my words. I did however get a personalized cd for my dad (who I called my 'Pops' to Paul, which is a term I have never used in my life). I also receieved a handshake and a warm 'Cheers!'
Paul is an adorable man. He's aged for sure...but there is no denying that this man is still completely Paul McCartney.
It rained on our way to the tube. None of us could get over what had just happend. On the train on the way back we would just look at each other and start smilining and laughing. This, compounded with the fact that no one bothered to tell me that my face was still completely tear stained with my make-up, I am sure made me look completely insane.
It was one of the best experiences of my life, handsdown. I've listened to nothing but the Beatles ever since. Its like a need.
The next day, exhausted still, I went to City Hall for adoption panel. This was a very cool experience too. Cooler though, because the boardroom was on the 17th floor on the corner. This meant that I had two walls worth of amazing london view. The London eye and St.Pauls were behind me, and to my right and straight down was Buckingham Palace. This meant that when things got slow, I was able to watch the changing of the guards, from above.
After the meeting we went to our communication professor's house for Thanksgiving. Everyone contributed something, and everything was delicious. Our prof's girl is also a vegetarian, as are alot of the girls on our trip, so fake meat was even provided. Everything was so, so good. I couldn't have asked for a better london thanksgiving.
And that brings us to yesterday. We had our british life and culture class all day, which entailed us touring Westminster Abbey, then breaking for lunch, then meeting again to tour the Imperial War Museum. We did the Abbey, and then Abbey, Alyssa, Mitch, Anthony, and myself ditched class to take the light rail to Greenwich, so we could see the Prime Meridian.
This really shouldn't have been as fun as it was. We were all ridiculous and it was a beautiful day, and the park that the line is in is gorgeous, and we were all just happy.
It was good.
I also fed my addiction, and listened to Golden Slumbers at LEAST 7 times in a row on the train. I just needed to.
In conclusion, good people make good times. Under different circumstances, sitting 17 hours in the freezing cold on the street next to a leaking pipe could have really, really sucked. I couldn't have asked for better Paul-Meeting-Companions. Thanksgiving without my family could have been depressing, but we were all warm and happy together in the house of a very amazing woman.
I absolutely love this city, and I love the last few months, and I love every rad person I've met here.
Once again I will state: I am never coming home.
At least, home is something different now. I'll elaborate when you're older.
To start us off...
On tuesday night around 8:30pm myself and Abbey went down to Piccadilly Circus. We were armed with 1 sleeping bag and abot 5 layers of clothing each. We found the end of the line wrapped around the flagship Virgin Megastore, threw down our sleeping bag and prepared ourselves for a long night. Soon after, another kid from our program, Tim from Pennsylvania, joined us and our crew was complete.
We then sat there for SEVENTEEN hours. In the cold. Like, really cold. We never slept because none of us could feel our feet.
BUT OH WAIT NOW-
Why? Why did we do such a thing to ourselves? Well, because the one and only Sir Paul McCartney was doing a signing at 12:30pm on wednesday. And that is all the reason you need. He was promoting his new live concert dvd, and his new classical cd. And probably trying to get some god press away from all that heather crap.
We received numbers upon arriving...we were 155, 156, and 157. The rumor was he would be signing for between 150 and 200 people. The night went on well. It really didn't feel as awful and long as it should. Their were certain milestones, such as some random drunk Brit coming up and attempting to play us McCartney songs on his acoustic guitar. He was just super drunk though, so he had...difficulties.
We eagerly awaited 7am when the stores would open up allowing us food and bathrooms. I did wander away a couple of times through the night to walk and try and get blood back into my feet. It was weird to see Piccadilly and Leicester square so completely empty.
Around 8ish they started compacting the line. LOTS more people had started to show up around 4am. We eventually were counted off and allowed into the store, to buy our cds which would get us the wristband that would keep us in the line to meet Paul. We each bought two, as that was how many he would be signing per person. From here, we were moved to the second floor where the line wrapped in and out of the aisles. We settled down in between folk and blues, and it was here we got a few minutes of sleep.
Only 200 people were let upstairs. The rest, some who had to camp out almost as long as we did, were left in the looong line that wrapped around the building. They were still out in the cold, it eventually rained on them, and security kept telling them to hang on in case there was a chance paul really felt like signing alot.
Around 11 I got up and ventured downstairs and outside to go to the bathrooms at the tube station to brush my teeth and whatnot. It was pretty rad coming out of the store, with all the press hanging out on oneside, and all of the dissapointed fans on the other. Even cooler flashing my wrist to security and being allowed back into the store.
A little past 12:30 paul entered the signing area...without a spectacle of an entrance which was a slight disappointment. He started the signing...and we started the freaking out.
Longest line of my life...eventually the three of us get up to The Man, and had the most ridiculous moment of each of our young lives.
Paul told abbey he liked her hat. She asked him to personalize one to her dad, and he did.
Tim, I am jealous of, because as he passed the cds to paul, paul noticed he was shaking and had the following conversation:
Paul- Oh, wow you're shaking.
Tim- Yeah, I'm just really excited to meet you.
Paul- So what are you doing over here?
Tim- I'm studying.
Paul- Oh yeah? What are you studying?
tim then paused for an unnecessary long time, I suspect he may have forgotten his major,
Tim- Film.
Paul- Good luck with that.
Paul then reached over and gave Tim a handshake to emphasize his last statement. Tim receieved two handshakes total.
Then there was me.
I, being a complete fucktard, started crying about four people away from Paul. Once I got up to him, there was nothing I could do to subdue it or hold back. So my conversation with him was skewed and uncomfortable, as I couldn't articulate my words. I did however get a personalized cd for my dad (who I called my 'Pops' to Paul, which is a term I have never used in my life). I also receieved a handshake and a warm 'Cheers!'
Paul is an adorable man. He's aged for sure...but there is no denying that this man is still completely Paul McCartney.
It rained on our way to the tube. None of us could get over what had just happend. On the train on the way back we would just look at each other and start smilining and laughing. This, compounded with the fact that no one bothered to tell me that my face was still completely tear stained with my make-up, I am sure made me look completely insane.
It was one of the best experiences of my life, handsdown. I've listened to nothing but the Beatles ever since. Its like a need.
The next day, exhausted still, I went to City Hall for adoption panel. This was a very cool experience too. Cooler though, because the boardroom was on the 17th floor on the corner. This meant that I had two walls worth of amazing london view. The London eye and St.Pauls were behind me, and to my right and straight down was Buckingham Palace. This meant that when things got slow, I was able to watch the changing of the guards, from above.
After the meeting we went to our communication professor's house for Thanksgiving. Everyone contributed something, and everything was delicious. Our prof's girl is also a vegetarian, as are alot of the girls on our trip, so fake meat was even provided. Everything was so, so good. I couldn't have asked for a better london thanksgiving.
And that brings us to yesterday. We had our british life and culture class all day, which entailed us touring Westminster Abbey, then breaking for lunch, then meeting again to tour the Imperial War Museum. We did the Abbey, and then Abbey, Alyssa, Mitch, Anthony, and myself ditched class to take the light rail to Greenwich, so we could see the Prime Meridian.
This really shouldn't have been as fun as it was. We were all ridiculous and it was a beautiful day, and the park that the line is in is gorgeous, and we were all just happy.
It was good.
I also fed my addiction, and listened to Golden Slumbers at LEAST 7 times in a row on the train. I just needed to.
In conclusion, good people make good times. Under different circumstances, sitting 17 hours in the freezing cold on the street next to a leaking pipe could have really, really sucked. I couldn't have asked for better Paul-Meeting-Companions. Thanksgiving without my family could have been depressing, but we were all warm and happy together in the house of a very amazing woman.
I absolutely love this city, and I love the last few months, and I love every rad person I've met here.
Once again I will state: I am never coming home.
At least, home is something different now. I'll elaborate when you're older.
posted by N @ 2:08 AM
2 Comments:
At 4:43 PM,
Robin David Brown said…
You may want to turn on that feature that makes it so you don't get spam comments like the one on this post.
Just log in. Click on your Articulate Aristocrats account. Click on Settings. Click on Comments. Scroll down to "Show word verification for comments?" and select "yes"
The word verification keeps the spam out of your comments... or so it has worked for me thus far. I used to get a lot of spam comments until I turned that feature on.
cheers!
Robin
At 3:12 AM,
katthewondernerd said…
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU MET PAUL MCCARTNEY. I was laughing to myself while i read that because you had your Beatles shrine. And i'm sure you made a wonderful impression on the man. Well, im glad to hear that you are having a wonderful time over there.
your lovely cousin
Kathleen (if you even remember her)
HA!
Post a Comment
<< Home