It's just incredible. (A more toned down squee blog.)

I got into this sight at the beginning of a phase, a huge phase that changed me, changed who I was, what I liked, what I did. I got an account on this site right when everyone was going through the same phase and met so many people.

About four years back, when buzznet was full of fakes and full of terrible fan fics, back when it was somehow at its peak, everybody was into a group of bands. They were just the main bands of buzznet and they were My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, and AFI. I was one of the AFI kids.

I couldn't write well, I was shallow, and I didn't understand hardly anything that I was listening to by them, but I knew one thing. I loved them. Those boys, Adam Carson, Hunter Burgan, Jade Puget, and Davey Havok, I loved them. They were my heart and soul for the longest time. I think they were the first band that I felt any kind of true connection with.

All the kids back then, all we wanted to do was write and read and fantasize about our idols. We all wanted to meet them, but we also knew that it wouldn't happen. AFI was and still is a huge band, They're so mainstream it's ridiculous and we knew it. We knew how slim our chances were. I don't know about the rest of the kids I talked to on this account, but I know I just stopped thinking about it. It was unrealistic and I just didn't even try.

Four years, three months, and seven days after joining this site, I finally went to an AFI concert here in Houston, Texas. It was at Verizon Wireless and it was probably one of the best nights of my life. Although Crash Love isn't my favorite album off of them by far, they played it well and also played a CD's worth of other songs. The lights were spectacular, their stage presences were amazing, and the sound altogether was just phenomenal. It was the first show that made me cry just listening to them.

Still, we had had some excitement before that. At a previous show we had gone to at the same venue, we bumped into someone that Kay's dad knew and got some hookups, signed setlists and what not. This time, we planned in advance.

A good hour of waiting in line, plus thirty minutes of bouncing around inside the venue with anticipation next to a giant bouncer, a father, and a family friend, and we were suddenly walking backstage. We ran into a particularly tall drummer, making my jaw literally drop and causing him to laugh as he walked away. All of us chilled in the friend's office for a bit. It was Kay, my cousin Sarah, and I. It was Sarah's first show and it would be one to remember.

A buzz from a familiar voice on his walkie talkie and we were up and walking again. We walked down two flights of stairs and turned into a hallway, seeing Hunter Burgan on a laptop and a door at the end of the small hall opened, revealing Adam again and Dave.

If my body wasn't being shocked with adrenaline over and over again, I probably would have died.

They introduced themselves and Adam started us off with a generic, "Where are you from?" Kay answered, being the tlakative type and launched us into a conversation about Sugar Land, cows, and wildcats. Hunter was "into it". Another question about a Brandan Schieppati confused poor Davey, but we got through it with the help of Mr. Carson.

Smith came down at one point in boxing gloves. I duked it out with him for a good few seconds, got a couple of laughs, then returned to my former place.

We didn't have much time because the guys had an interview to do. Jade was in the Despair Faction room with the other kiddies while we got this little private meet and greet. It was quite nice actually.

We got a picture, the boys signed things, and we got hugs, Dave letting out a pretty surprising, "I like where this is going," when I wrapped my arms around him. Heh, yeah.

We returned to the main venue after thanking Smith and Kevin profusely and watched the rest of the show.

So, to sum it all up, I went to the show I've been waiting for for over four years with my best friends, got the hookups we'd always wished for, met three- fourths of the band I've idolized since I was eleven along with their tour manager, heard Dave use a double negative, watched as Adam stole my cousin's shoe, boxed with Smith Puget, talked about wildcats with the guys I would have sold my soul to if that had been the trade- off, got hit on by the man who held my heart a few years back, then watched a fantastic show from the back of the crowd, which was completely worth it.

Looking back, I never would have thought it would happen. To be honest, I still don't believe it did, but I've got the proof.

Holy crap.

Thanks to Kevin, whom I owe my soul and others, Smith, for getting the guys to meet us there really quickly, the guys of AFI themselves, Dave, Hunter, and Adam for coming in and talking, and Jade for staying with the other kids and not giving us THAT much of an ego boost, Papa Rob, for trying his damndest to get us back there, and for the kids I spent a year with on this website, writing, wishing and dreaming with, which only made my love for this band to grow.

It was the opportunity of a lifetime.

11.21.09