Job Offer and BACKSTREET BOYS!

Great news! The manager of the cruise company Hornblower Cruises that’s right next to the Tiki Mermaid where I worked, sent me an e-mail telling me that I should come in for an interview if I was interested in working there! They knew what happened from one of their workers who I spoke with and had seen me around the whole year. So I met with him, his name is Cory, and he talked to me about the differences between where I used to work and there. It’s pretty much exactly the same as where I worked at McCormick Woods! Everyone works as a team to get the job done, whether its bussing tables, filling waters, setting up and taking down for events, etc. So of course I’m excited. He then had me fill out the paperwork for the background check and gave me the form to bring in to get a drug test done. He said as soon as the results come back we can move forward. So I got the job! YAY!

I also let him know about when I will be gone and he said that it’s fine and I can start training as soon as I get back! Woo hoo! Theeeen right after that happened I found out that tickets were going on sale for the Backstreet Boys Tour for their new album! I immediately looked up prices and to get close to the state they were over 200 dollars! I was so bummed! BUT THEN my friend Dana said "Don’t get tickets! They are coming to Jimmy Kimmel live and I can get you in up close for free!" It turned out sadly that Dana couldn’t go, but her connection came through! Me, my friend Caroline, and a couple of her friends, all got to skip the line and get in before anyone else so that we could have the front row! It was amazing! They were literally only 5 feet from me! I felt like I was in middle school again, all giddy and excited, singing along and waving my arms.

After the short concert security was making everyone who didn’t need parking validation leave. However, I waited by the gate where I knew the boys would be driving by. I waved at all of them as they left hoping they would stop, but nick, kevin, and howie all didnt. Then I saw Brian leaving and I waved to him. He pulled right up next to me and rolled down his window. I said Hi Brian! Can I get a picture with you please!? He said sure! Let’s make it quick! I was fumbling with my phone because I’m still trying to get the hang of smart phones and he said "Here I’ll do it no problem!" He took my phone and took a picture of us! It was so cool! What an awesome guy!

Caroline said that they were going to be doing another free concert at The Grove the next day at 7pm and it was first come first serve. I really wanted to be in the front so I did some research on it. It turned out that Barnes and Noble were giving out bracelets to anyone who purchased their album, that would allow for a meet and greet after the show and to get their autographs!  Sooo I left at 7:30am to get to barnes and noble early, in case there was a line, in order to get the bracelets. Lucky for me, THERE WAS NO LINE and I think it was because not many people knew about the bracelets! I mean, I had to do research to find that out. I bought two albums to get two bracelets, one for me and one for caroline. The manager in charge told me that not only would we get to see the Backstreet Boys after the show, but that the bracelets would get us priority seating for the concert! Hooray! However, when I was leaving to go back to my car to go get caroline, I noticed a line starting to form at one end of the building. So I went to the concierge desk for the Grove just to double check that what the woman told me was correct. The people at the desk had no information to provide me and said that Barnes and noble were handling that so I should go back and talk to them.  So I went back to talk to the lady and she told me not to worry, that I didn’t have to wait in that line and that there was going to be a separate vip line for us right by the stage for barnes and noble , citi pass holders, and the grove priveleges members. All we had to do was show up at 6pm and we were sure to get in! 🙂

So I picked up Caroline and we hung out at my place until about 5:15. We got to the line exactly at 6. Then all of a sudden someone from security comes up to Caroline and I and says that we have to leave the line because we aren’t citi pass or privilege members. I was shocked and said "Excuse me, but I got here at 7:30am to get this bracelet and the woman in charge assured me that i didn’t have to stand in the general admission line because this bracelet would get me in to the vip section." The woman said "I’m sorry maam there’s nothing I can do. Did you speak with the concierge?" I said "Yes I did and they couldn’t give me any information. They told me to go to Barnes and Noble and ask them about the details. If I had known that this bracelet was not going to get us in, we would have been waiting in line starting at 8. You really think I’m going to get a chance to see the concert now with the thousands of people lined up around the building?! This is rediculous. I would like to talk to your manager." The woman said okay and that she would be right back. In a couple of minutes a pretty blonde lady named Alexis came over and asked us what the problem was. Again I repeated what was told to me and she said she would take care of us. 10 minutes later she came with two red wristbands and apologized for the mixup, saying that she really didn’t want our experience to be ruined. We thanked her and then headed in to where the stage was! YAY! Omg that was so close, we almost didn’t get in! I couldn’t believe that the woman told us false information! I hope that nobody else got kicked out of line because of that!

It was a great concert and again we were right by the stage! There were 20,000 people there and we were 3 rows away from them! It was amazing! Then after the concert all of us with the green bracelets were taken by that same wretched woman to a holding area where she would come and get us for the signing. She had us line up in two lines, green and silver. The silver bands were those who had just purchased the album, the green bands were those who had purchased the album and had a barnes and noble membership. So we got to go first!

Caroline and I were in the very first group to go! They took 10 of us at a time. Through the crowds we went with security on each side making sure that nobody was trying to cut in line and sneak their way in. We were taken into the hotel where the backstreet boys were and up a long flight of stairs to where they were all sitting at a table for the signing. Two girls in front of me were yanked out of line because they didn’t have bracelets. I felt bad for them, but they should have been there early like I was. I got to shake all of their hands and talk to each one of them! It was awesome! When I got to Nick I said "Hey Nick what’s up?" he said "Haha nothing much! " Then he took my hand and looked into my eyes and smiled and said "What’s your name?" I felt like my heart fell to my stomach! "Hannah." "It’s so nice to meet you Hannah." He winked and then signed my album. AHHHH! lol When I saw Brian I showed him the photo of us from the day before and he was like "Oooh yeah! Smartphone girl! Haha." Yeah it was such a great experience! I made a video of the whole thing (which I will try to post below) Man. 10 years of trying to see them and I finally did TWICE for FREE and not from a tiny seat in a giant venue far far from the stage. Right up close and personal! The stars had aligned 🙂

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