Rock Stars, Kool-Aid, and a January Recap

I am a little over a month into Journey now.  And already getting behind on sharing as well.  Still, I wanted to get caught up with a couple of the most impactful photos from the end of the first month of 2018.  What a start to the year it's been!

This photo I used for the "Rock Star" theme day on the Journey broke so many rules.  First being it was a day off.  It wasn't taken on the day of the prompt, but the day after.  But when a prompt like "Rock Star" comes up, and you've already got tickets to a concert you've been waiting years for...you wait one more day!  Second, it's a cell phone photo.  DSLRs aren't allowed in the venue and honestly, I wouldn't have brought mine even if I could was permitted!  Third, and the one I didn't share on the Journey page, was that I didn't take this photo.  My brother-in-law did with his awesome new cell phone.  My photos were crap.  Being short and using a really old iPhone doesn't make for good concert photos.  I was seriously impressed with the ones he took, so much so that I'm finally considering a phone upgrade and more than prepared to get rid of Apple products for good!  (For many reasons!)

The concert was "Walk the Moon" and the band was amazing.  I knew they would be of course.  I have all three of their albums and love every song on every album.  That doesn't happen often!  The crowd at this particular concert however left much to be desired.  I couldn't believe how rude the people were.  We all paid the same amount to be there.  (Well I was graciously gifted my ticket by my amazingly awesome sister and her husband), but the point still stands.  We all have the same right to be standing there enjoying the show.  In a standing-room only venue, it's first come first serve.  We had been standing in one spot perfectly fine, until some people shoved their way up behind us, and got seriously upset they couldn't get any further.  So much so that they were shoving into us and eventually poured beer over my head when I wouldn't move so they would be one foot closer to the stage.

I have been to many concerts over the years and the crowds are usually equally as fun as the performances.  People coming together enjoying the experience and the music.  This was not one of those concerts.  It really speaks to how immature, selfish, and sad we have come as a society.  There is no respect left for those around you.  I really wanted this to be a fantastic experience, and my memories of this concert will now forever be of that small horrible group in a crowd of thousands.

So disappoint and then controversy.  This Kool-Aid image has a 'fun' story behind it.  Or rather the reason this particular prompt had been chosen.  I'm not going to go into detail about what instigated this one, but it was a " grab a bowl of popcorn while scrolling through these comments" thread.  I'm not sure whether I'm a "drink the Kool-Aid" or "don't drink the Kool-Aid" kind of girl.  In a way these unopened packets are exactly where I'm at.  I've purchased the Kool-Aid, but haven't used it yet.  I'm on this Journey, but not necessarily buying into the whole style and mindset of those behind it.  I'm making an effort, but I'm not.  It's a metaphor I didn't even realize at the time I took the photo.  

And finally, my January collage.  I can't wait to see all 12 of these lined up at the end of the year.  It's interesting to me to see the light and dark, the contrast, the subdued feel of most of them and the brightness of some others.  The reflections and memories in just these few short weeks.  It's a small window into who I am, and learning to be comfortable sharing that with others!  Let's see what's in store next.