Jenna's House of Idiosyncrasies Version 10.0 [Focus.]

Last Thursday night I went to see Will Hoge play at Tastyworld. He played everything I wanted to hear. I danced a lot, and sang along at the appropriate parts. I got drunk. Really, really drunk. I officially introduced myself to the Tastyworld bartenders, even though they have known my face and my drink for quite a while now. Julie and Jason both praised me at different times for being such a wonderful, easy to deal with customer. I felt special.

Talking to Will after the show I felt like a not-so-responsible music geek, because I had to inquire into the interludes/breakdowns during “Sweet Magdeline”.

“Led Zeppelin — ‘How Many More Times’, and the Beatles — ‘Helter Skelter’.”

“Led Zeppelin.”

“Yes — I'll tell you what you do. You go out, you buy Zeppelin I and II.”

“I and II. You know, I have IV.”

“No no no — by IV, they were into to much of that devil shit. This is pure solid rock n roll. So, you listen for about 2 weeks.”

“2 weeks.”

“That's about how long it really takes. Then you go out and buy a DVD called How the West Was Won. You'll love it. Then email me and tell me how it changed your life, because it will change your life.”

“It'll change my life.”

“Yes ma'am.”

“I have to tell you, I got into Otis Redding a few years ago because of how much you talked about him.”

“See, I've never led you astray.”

“Never.”

I did the fangirl thing, waiting outside in the back while those chuckleheads loaded their gear, and then ended up at IHOP with Will, his new tour manager Russell, and four random girls. We entertained the waitresses. I annoyed everyone with the drunken laughing and carrying on.

I got home at about 5:30 am. I don't remember falling asleep, but I do remember waking up to my alarm, still drunk, feeling like I hadn't slept at all, abso-fucking-lutely amazed it was 8 am already. I seriously could not believe it. I was sure there was some malfunction on my alarm clock, and I checked it against my cell phone. Unbelievable! I thought. Did I even sleep?

I went to class and sat there for about 20 minutes, staring at the slides, hearing the teacher, before I realized that my drunkness was quickly turning into a hangover and I didn't know what the hell was going on in the class itself. I got up, out, and walked to work in the bright morning.

The first couple of hours at work seemed to take My Entire Life. At one point I realized I had been staring at my monitor for 15 minutes, mouth slightly agape, eyes glossed over. I clocked out, went home, and took a nap for lunch.

That night I went to bed just after 10 pm, and slept til noon the next day. I got up and padded around the house in my pjs, made food, and contemplated traveling to Smith's to see Will Hoge. Yes, again. The kicker was when Tessa posted in her livejournal that she had a plus one that someone could take advantage of. I called her up, and I had a free ticket that I couldn't back out of. It was etched in stone.

With that decision made, I drove into Atlanta, by myself, for the first time ever. I got all the way to Smith's without getting lost and without getting freaked out by traffic on 85 (although I did nearly get slammed into by a little white muscle car trying to get into my lane on the right and totally not paying attention to where his rear end was, but I honked at his stupid ass and he backed off).

Will Hoge rocked so hardcore. I almost died when he broke out a Will classic interlude, “Let's Get It On”, during “Sweet Magdeline”, which I'm pretty sure was a surprise to everyone in the room, including the rest of the band. That transported me back to the best part of being 18. The only thing more magical was when the band left the stage, and when the crowd called for a encore, Jeff, the keyboard player, came up by himself, and started playing “Carousel”. The house lights came up, and Will appeared from nowhere in the back of the room and sang the whole song sans-microphone. It was even magic when he realized he had the wrong harmonica and hollered at their old manager, Cliffy, to bring him the correct one.

Will, smiling, “I know this is very awkward, but I promise I'll make it up to ya.”

They closed out the show with a bang, and afterward everyone milled about in typical fankid fashion, until they kicked us out on the street, where Will hung out and took pictures and warned people before hugging him that he was ridiculously sweaty. That's what you get from rocking out so hard.

I hung around long enough to realize I was way tired, and starving, and essentially by myself in Atlanta. It was time to go home. I left Smith's an exactly 3:30, and pulled up in front of my apartment at exactly 4:30. You might say I made excellent time.

I passed out in my bed at about 5:30 am, after having some eats and talking briefly to a half-awake Abie. I slept for about 12 hours. I got up and did typical Sunday things: cut coupons, watched movies, annoyed my roommates with my total inability to self-schedule at all. I then doped myself up and went back to sleep around midnight.

What do I love? Feeling really rested, and ready to rock n roll again.