I Got It From My Mama
Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, Pennsylvania, December 11th, 2011. It was a strange time in Jonas fangirl history now that the JoBros were on a break. Nick did a solo album and was going back to his acting chops starring on Broadway in Les Miserables and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, while Kevin was becoming a pioneer in construction and the tech world, and now Joe was taking his crack at going solo with his album Fastlife. It was different seeing them apart, but it was also glorious being able to see them more than once a year now that they were doing things at different times. I finally had my first opportunity to get a professional picture with Joe, but that meant we had to travel to Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Joe was doing a Christmas concert tour with radio stations across the country, and the closest he was coming to us was 98.5 KRZ's hometown of Scranton. Each VIP experience ticket included a professional picture with Joe, a seat in the first 5 rows, and a dinner party before the meet and greet and concert. If my mom was going to take me all this way for this epic event, it's only fair I buy her a VIP experience too, right? After all, moms are fangirl's too. You should know the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, because I'm reliving my moms former concert life of the 80's. When Prince was in town you knew where you could find my mother, front row at every show. My mom knows how much all of this means to me because she's experienced it herself. I was at work when I found out Prince died, and I had to tell my managers I needed to call my mom to see if she was okay (she was not). I don't even want to know what that would feel like if it happened to me, but we're not going to talk about that.
As it was December, naturally it was freezing outside and even flurrying, but fashion doesn't stop for weather. I was wearing a sweater with leather shorts and sheer stockings underneath with combat boots, practical right? Maybe not, but when me and Joe ended up matching it sure was 😉 Because we're not exactly familiar with the obscure town of Scranton, we did get a little lost on the way. After a minor heart attack, we were right on time in what would become my usual meet and greet timely fashion (this was when I began to realize these things never start on time, so why should I be?).
All the fans with the VIP experience package gathered in the dining hall of the event center and enjoyed the chef's selections for the evening, or what we could of it since it's hard to eat when you're going to meet someone you can barely talk to. It was time for last second beauty checks while we formed a line to wait for a picture with Joe. His people were trying to bamboozle us and make people who came together take a group picture, but that was so not happening. As far as I was concerned, I did not know my mother. As far as everyone else was concerned, she could be Joe Jonas' mother. I swear he looks more like her son than I look like her daughter. Do you see this proud mom graduation-esque picture? I'm almost more happy to have their picture than my own!
We couldn't have a better seat at the concert, front and center in the third row. I caught a guitar pick from Hot Chelle Rae and I was literally attacked when Joe threw a bouquet of roses during his cover of Chris Brown's "Beautiful People". I knew going in it was not even worth potentially losing an eye trying to get one, so instead I just took a picture of Joe with the roses in his mouth. When the concert was over, it was time to go collect our meet and greet pictures. I was so nervous to see it because until this day I'm always concerned I look like a chipmunk because I'm cheesing so hard. Not bad for our first Jonas family Christmas photo 😍