Groupie. Groupy. Groopy.

I thought I knew how to spell the word 'Groupie' until I typed it in.

Then it just looked weird.

Kind of like when you say the words 'toy boat' 7 times fast, you all of a sudden think, "What? ...Toy boat? Those are a couple of the weirdest words in the English language!"

When I type in 'Groupie,' it all of a sudden looks jibberish.

Which is why I typed in other phoentic spellings of the word. Maybe if it looks weird to me, it looks weird to you too and you won't know if I'm spelling it right...

Weird looking or not, I think I may have just become a 'Groupie' (the correct spelling.)

Last night I went to a concert. It was a cultural event. Some might call it 'high brow.' It wasn't a concert that you wear torn jeans and skanky tank tops to. People definitely didn't throw their undergarments on stage, or bring their lighters to raise above their heads swaying to the rhythms (did that just date me or what? I think people use their cell phones now).

It was a concert of beautiful Neapolitan (Italian) opera music, mingled with Sinfonietta performances, mingled with Rogers and Hammerstein, mingled with show tunes, performed by an amazing tenor voice.

Alfie Boe is the newest and greatest tenor that is making headlines these days. If you happened to catch the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Theatre (recently broadcast on PBS), then you happened to catch Alfie Boe. He was cast to play the part of Jean Valjean. His rendition of Bring Him Home is stunning, breath catching and simply phenomenal.

And when he sings in the Jean Valjean quartet.... well, watch it for yourself!



Every time I watch it, it takes my breath away. And since I'm known locally for being a cry baby, I will admit that it makes me cry. Especially when Mr. Boe starts singing... Holy cow.

Isn't music wonderful? Isn't it amazing how it can move you? How it can touch your heart and uplift you? Music soothes my soul and brings peace to my life. Especially music like this. Especially talent like this. (I really hope that I can have a beautiful singing voice in the next life. I feel so gypped that I was born with a love of music and I can't sing it the way I want to!)

Anyway, I found out that Mr. Boe was coming to MY LITTLE TOWN to perform a concert at the University.

Really?

My little town of 25,000?

After performing on a stage in front of THOUSANDS with some of the best talent in the world? He's coming to Florin to perform a concert in front of a few hundred?

What the heck?

That gift horse wasn't going to get kicked in the teeth. I was going to take advantage of it. I called my parents and asked if they'd like come up from Guilder and go to the concert with me. No hesitation on their parts -- even my dad -- and I had a date!

We got there early, settled in our seats and the minute Mr. Boe came out on the stage, we were blown away. He started off by singing 7 Italian operatic songs and after a short intermission he sang show tunes from his current album. My mom cried, I cried and (amazingly) my dad had a smile on his face.

Afterward, I really felt bad that Max hadn't been there with me. I know he would have loved the concert. And I also knew my children would have enjoyed it as well. (I'm so grateful that they were born with a love for good music!)

Good news!!

Lucky, lucky me. Mr. Boe is performing TWO CONCERTS here!

Yay for the groupie!!

The next concert is on Friday night, which is the night Max comes home. So I called him and asked him to commit to leaving early enough to get here on time -- and I bought 3 more tickets. Yep. I'm going to make Inigo come along as well. Poor Buttercup.... always working. (I'm probably not telling her that we're going. She felt bad she couldn't go last night.)

I apologize that the video moves so much. I didn't want anyone to be bothered by the LCD screen of my camera, so I held it on my chest. Yes, the camera captured my breathing.

So does this make me a 'Groupie'?

Maybe.

But I promise NOT to throw any unmentionables on the stage!!! :)