So the Warped Tour concerts were amazing! This year to mark the 25 year anniversary of the event, Kevin Lyman did two 2 day shows – one in Atlantic City June 29 & 30th and one in Mountain View CA on July 20 & 21st. Each show featured about 50 bands on 4 stages for 10 hours each day and all were completely sold out! My god-kid and I went to both events and had an exhausting but wonderful time!

Most memorable for me was finally working up the nerve to crowd surf. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, that is when you are lifted up and passed over the heads of the rest of the crowd. Back when I used to attend concerts a lot in my teens and 20’s this was not really a thing but the first time I saw it happen at a Pierce the Veil show about 6 years ago I thought that that looked like something I should try some day. And for 6 years it’s been on my “bucket list”.

Now there have been a lot of other things on my list that I have tackled full steam ahead – like zip lining, parasailing and SNUBA but for various reasons I just kept pushing this one off. I let my brain get all self conscious about my age and my weight and my inability to bounce as well as I did when I was younger … but every show I went to I saw it happening again and again,  and it still called to me.

I told myself weeks in advance that Atlantic City would be perfect since it was happening on the beach and if I got dropped I would simply hit the sand and that would be way better than an asphalt parking lot! But even while I was at AC I felt myself chicken out saying “I’ll do it next time” or “As soon as I lose 20 more pounds”. (which we all know is way harder than it sounds). So I went home disappointed in myself and feeling like I blew my best opportunity and yet California was three weeks away.  I certainly wasn’t going to magically drop 20 pounds in three weeks and I knew that was an arbitrary number and a BS excuse anyway.  I just needed to work up the damn nerve to try!

So at the California event on the first day I decided to try the “Van’s Comfy Stage Dive” where you jump into a giant pit of foam but they take a photo making it look like you dove into a crowd. I chatted to the young lady that had you sign the disclaimer and told her I always wanted to crowd surf but I was a afraid I was too heavy and she said that she weighed at least 50 pounds more than me and has done it many times. Hmm I thought – could I really do this and survive? I started with the foam dive and looked completely awkward and terrified but I DID IT … in pearls no less and have a pic to prove it!!

And then next thing I know the last band was playing on the last night of the event – and there I was deep in the crowd with the kid (who had crowd surfed twice that day) and I thought – “This is it – either you do it now or you may never get the chance again!

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This is the last band of the last night of
what may be the last Warped Tour –
JUST FREAKING DO IT!”

So completely on impulse I offloaded my backpack and handed my phone and everything else to the kid and pushed my way over to a spot where there were several tall, strong looking guys and said “I am scared to death but I have always wanted to try this and have no idea what to do … can you please help?” Next thing I know I was in the air being passed over head for a good 10 feet or so before there was a lull in the crowd and I was swooshed down to hip level and was able to stand right up … no drop – no hitting the cement … totally gentle landing. I saw a security guy a few feet away at the barricade looking very concerned in my direction but I popped right up and gave him a goofy gleeful thumbs up and a loud “Wooohoo!!” and worked my way back to the kid giggling and grinning like mad.  She of course high fived me and although it was fairly short experience it was totally exhilarating and I am so freaking glad I got over my fears and self doubts and just did it.

Sitting here now .. I am reminded of the time there was a fire walk at “Paradise Unbound” and the entire concept scared the hell out of me because while chasing fireflies as a kid, I had accidentally stepped on hot barbecue coals that my dad had dumped out in the corner of the yard to cool.  I remember the incident being fairly traumatic at the time and my feet were blistered for a long time so I could not wrap my brain around how walking on hot coals could possibly be a good thing.  But I was completely intrigued any way.  I watched as they lit this perfectly stacked pile of wood on fire and there was drumming and talk of clearing away things that “no longer serve you” and ‘releasing negative thought patterns’ and I decided I needed to do this no matter how much I was scared and shaking while standing on the line.  They suggested you write down an intention or something you need to release and then place it on the burning embers in front of you and when it was gone you walk through the fire. They had a person on both sides of you to walk beside you and hold your hand if you like – just in case you need help in a hurry which I graciously accepted. When my turn came my heart was pounding like mad but I did it and my sweet Brett actually filmed me doing it so I had proof, and it was not nearly so scary as I had imagined.  I faced a fear and walked through the fire. Dang!!

That sweet but annoying boyfriend of mine says if there’s no video or pic of my crowd surfing it didn’t actually happen, but since I had destroyed my phone once already at a concert that month I decided to leave it safe with the kid who didn’t think to video tape me doing it – that and she is too short – lol! Perhaps next time I do it I will bring my go pro! And don’t worry, I’ll make sure there are plenty of pictures when I punish him for being such a smart ass!

My poor long suffering BF will never be as much as a thrill seeker as I am and when I told him that I don’t want to be sitting in a rocking chair some day saying “Gee I always wanted to do X Y or Z crazy thing and now I am too old” He replied once that “Did I ever stop to think that maybe the only way you will get to be old is NOT doing all the crazy stuff you do?” Maybe – just maybe sweetie – but I am going to go out with a freaking bang. And no matter how much he was cussing me in the moments before he has often admitted that he has enjoyed some of the things I have talked him into doing with me and would definitely do a few again. 

So do something that scares you in a good way – whether it’s crowd surfing at a rock concert – zip lining in the Caribbean or booking an appointment with a Dominatrix – you’ll be glad you did!  Trust me,  there will be plenty of time to not live life to the max when you are dead.  🙂

And just because … here are a few more pics from my vacation.  There were a ton more but many include the kid who shouldn’t appear here.  🙂

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