“It was a weird feeling. We all knew it was gonna happen…but it just always seemed such a far away thing, really. It was quite emotional, really. Partly it was kind of seeing Dan cry, I think. I’ve never seen him cry, I don’t think. We’re not really used seeing each other cry at all, really.”
- Rupert Grint (When Harry Left Hogwarts)
It’s probably sad that I instantly recognized what this is from… I miss me some Andy Milanokis show :(
My Very Quick Attempt To Summarize The Happiest Days of My Life
Being from small-town Ohio, population less than five thousand, I never thought I’d ever see the Pacific Ocean… However, this past weekend saw my accomplishment of not only that, but several other things that I never imagined would be checked off of Nicole Taylor’s bucket list.
What started with a random little tweet by @BSBSuthrnBelle quickly went from fantasy to reality. When she suggested a trip to Los Angeles, we all liked the idea but I don’t think we ever really thought it would happen.Of course, there were some points where it seemed like some of us wouldn’t be able to make the cross-country journey, and there were a few who didn’t get to go… but it happened, and those four days are something I’ll never forget.
It’s an amazing feeling…being part of something that’s bigger than yourself. That something is not only the #MidnightRedMovement, but being part of MidnightRedOnline.com in general. I think the origin of the website and its team is hard to really pinpoint, but I know where it began for me:
When Midnight Red took the stage at the Columbus, OH stop on last summer’s NKOTBSB tour immediately thought to myself “oh no, not another boy band.” They quickly changed my mind with the opening harmonies of “Rockstar Lover.” That night I decided that they needed and deserved recognition similar to that of the Backstreet Boys or N’Sync. I took it upon myself to create the Twitter account @MNR_Streetteam. I didn’t know what I was doing. I was in a blind territory. Pop music wasn’t my typical “style” and I didn’t know how to get people’s attention and spread the word. There was a girl who sent me an email within a day or two saying she’d love to help out. I was hesitant. The street team was my baby, my brain child… but I needed the help. She and I shot ideas back and forth. We wanted to start a website, we were going to print up posters and stickers to put around our respective cities and we even designed t-shirts. Soon after, in our first video chat, she introduced me to current web team member @emilylovesfrack. We were a dynamic trio, staying up all hours of the night (until about three am) to work on Midnight Red promotion. There was even a magic moment where we got to sit on TinyChat…the three of us and Joey. It was like a dream come true. Soon we connected with other Midnight Red fan twitters. Our group gained a lot of members and worked together while operating our individual accounts. We eventually earned the title “Sexy Flirty Dirty Party Animal Girls” or SFDPAG for short, thanks to a crazy themed picture tweeted to the guys. We would video chat with each other every night for hours on end, sometimes being lucky enough to catch one of the guys on their website’s chat room or by inviting them to our own. We gained some members, we lost some members…Our website officially launched in October and the moment was magical.
On my flight from Dayton, OH to Los Angeles, CA, I sat and thought about all of these things (aside from thinking about my fear of flying… after all, this trip DID mark the first time I’d ever been on an airplane). We’ve been working so hard for so long and we going to finally see each other in person for the first time. If I said I wasn’t nervous, I’d be a liar. In the back of my mind there was a fear that we’d all get together and no one would get along or that spending a few days together would lead to the group to falling apart. The result of our meeting was the exact opposite of what I had feared.
The moment I walked into the baggage claim area of LAX’s fifth terminal and saw @cassiebanaszek standing there waiting, reality hit me. I really was thousands of miles away from home and this weekend was really happening. We shared a quick hug and shouted “I can’t believe this is really happening” before rushing through the crowds to find Steph and @Zackoid (Jessi). The four of us together, I still wasn’t 100% sure what to think. Nothing seemed real. I was still in small-town girl mode and didn’t even know how to react..but I was happy. Best moment in the airport had to have been when Steph screamed and a random guy asked if we wanted him to take a picture because he heard “screaming girls” and figured it was something important.
This is where my first complaint comes in… Dear California, get better weather. You ruined my hair and made me look like complete crap all weekend. I’ll only forgive you because I got to spend the weekend with some amazing girls.
After our airport meeting, we rushed off to a Build-A-Bear to make gifts for the guys. Best idea ever. They were fun to make (even though we had to make them without @KAYYkiwi because her bus was slow) and they turned out adorable. After that, we did a lot of walking around the mall… had lunch, that sort of thing. Eventually we ended up in Burbank searching for things to complete the bears and make them unique to each guy. We went from a Michael’s craft store to a Toys ‘R Us. It was chaos. The trip was fun though (especially when Steph and myself were shouting things at the people on the streets…they were nice things, though. Don’t worry).
Eventually we dropped all of our stuff off at Brad’s house (that’s Cassie’s friend… He let us stay with him. Poor guy, haha) and the group split up. One to pick up Kailey before heading to (SURPRISE) Disneyland, and the other straight to Disney. Sure enough, Jessi, Steph and myself ended up getting lost (I don’t remember this because I took a power nap in the car), but we got to Anaheim so I suppose that’s all that matters.
After the few hours we spent at Disney, we finally got back to North Hollywood (I think this was around like, midnight or one or something… I honestly can’t remember). We were all hungry so we decided to stop in a grocery store. Best decision ever. As we stood there, half asleep, staring at milk (Steph and I), Jessi notices the one and only THOMAS AUGUSTO walking down the aisle. We had a quick and fun conversation with him. It was really cool, definitely never expected anything like that. We awkwardly ran into him on the other side of the store about ten seconds later…haha.
We stayed up until four am that night. I volunteered myself as seamstress. I had my work cut out for me, sewing some things… haha (you’ll see what I sewed here in a minute). We made signs, finished up the bears and called it a night (only to wake up 3 hours later).
Then it was THE day. We each got ready, rounded up our Build-A-Midnight Bears and piled in the car to head to West Hollywood (not without a stop at Starbucks first).
If I remember, we got to The Roxy around ten/ten thirty (the doors didn’t open until twelve thirty). Steph and I took a walking trip down the road to find a bottle of orange pop for Colton and when we got back to our spot at The Roxy, I went back to sewing. Thanks to our friend Liz (“Lizard”), we were at the front of the line.
That’s when magic truly began to happen. The five of us slipped to the back of the venue hoping to catch the guys and get the chance to give them their gifts… We chatted with one of their assistants who was waiting for them to arrive. We missed them entering, but she told us she’d try to get us in…sure enough, she did. There we were…Inside The Roxy before the show and with the guys. Each girl had the privilege of giving a bear to one of the guys. I got to give Thomas his, and with good reason. That thing that I was sewing for hours the night before? Augustohawk. I gave the bear its own Mohawk, and I was proud of that thing… Thomas’s reaction was priceless. What I saw of all the guys’ reactions was simply amazing. They truly appreciated and enjoyed the gifts and that warmed my heart. We took a quick group photo with the guys and the bears, and then it was back to outside for us…though luckily (after some people had heard how far we travelled) we were invited to stay for sound check. Let’s just say the next hour was the best hour of my life. We got to hang out with the guys candidly. Just sitting and having conversations with the guys about anything and everything felt nice…and it was surprisingly the most comfortable experience ever. Talking with them was like talking with best friends. It felt like they were part of our group. There were no nerves, it was just comfortable. I do, however, wish I had talked more… I tend to be quiet in large groups of people in general so being with all of them I wasn’t sure what to say. Thomas did attempt to include me in the conversations though and that really made me happy. He and I talked about having a fear of flying and that was really nice. I still giggle when I remember the moment someone had sent a Naked juice back for Thomas and Colton started to sing “Naked” by the Spice Girls…Priceless.
After we watched the guys do “Hell Yeah” for sound check, it was back outside to the California heat (I still hate the dumb weather in that state) before heading back inside for the actual show. The girls and I were front and center… it was perfect. When the guys did come on stage, everything came full circle.
Here we were… Five girls from all around the country who didn’t even know each other a year ago, brought together by five guys and their own personal dream. It honestly makes me tear up to think about it. Nothing exciting ever really happens in my life and I’m never really all that happy. My self-esteem is low, I have no confidence… that’s just how I am. Being with those girls, being in that moment and meeting those guys made the hole in me fill up with true happiness. If any of the guys were to happen to stumble upon this and being reading it, I really do want to thank them. Words cannot express how special you made not only me, but all of us feel this past weekend and how thankful we are for bringing us our best friends, because that’s exactly what you did. Those girls mean the world to me… And as for the guys, I know I’m just a fan, but they really went that extra mile that day…they made us fans feel like friends.
Singing along and dancing in that crowd, hearing the people cheer for Midnight Red…it all gave me goosebumps. The interaction with the guys wasn’t bad either (:
After the show, the guys had a meet and greet where we were able to give them our last goodbyes. My only regret from that moment is not hugging each and every one of them. I don’t know why I didn’t do it, but I really hope that in the future I have a chance to give them that final squeeze. They signed my poster…We took a few pictures. Best part? The way they all chanted “Ohio” when I came up. Haha, gets me every time.Now I must point out, if you guys are ever in Ohio hit me up. I’ll take you to dinner…my treat. People give Ohio a hard time, but trust me, it’s really not that bad of a place. I’ll show you around. I really hope you guys don’t forget about us Midnight Red Online girls and that we do all see each other soon. As we walked back to our car, the guys rode by in their van…They beeped and threw up some hearts through the window. Bless their little souls. They really are too cute and they deserve all of the success that is inevitably going to come in the near future.
The rest of the day was pretty chill… The east coasters got to enjoy their first trip to In-N-Out (Joey would be proud). They really do need to bring that swift little joint over to this side of the country. After that, we parted ways with Lizard and her daughter Daisy and headed to check out the touristy stuff. We strolled the walk of fame, checked out the hand prints at Grumann’s, it was really cool (and cold… Seriously, California. Fix your weather). After that we enjoyed a night in at Brad’s place, complete with Rock Band (Brad did a killer rendition of Spongebob’s “Best Day Ever” and “Bad Romance”). Like all of the other nights, I was the first to pass out.
The next day, our last full day, we attempted the Hollywood sign. That was…interesting. Then we headed to Santa Monica where I froze thanks to bipolar weather. We walked the pier, continued to play out our inside jokes (SOMEBODY!!) and even rode the crazy ferris bueller wheel (which I freaked out on). It was just a slow day of bonding for all of us girls, and it really was special…We eventually met up with Steph’s friend Cody before heading back to Hollywood, where we made a final attempt at the Hollywood sign. With the clouds and smog covering the sign (we were literally right in front of it, up close and personal), we sort of just hung out on top of a mountain laughing and joking with each other. The night ended with a home cooked spaghetti dinner and The Muppets.
The next morning started our goodbyes… First we lost Cassie. It didn’t really hit me yet. Then Steph and I parted ways with Jessi and Kailey… It still hadn’t hit me. Steph and I walked through North Hollywood with our suitcases and Midnight Red posters in hand to take the subway downtown to Union Station. Then we took the bus from there to LAX. That’s when it hit me. As we stood outside of our respective terminals, I hugged Steph and began to cry. Like, serious tears. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the girls or to the weekend because it was literally the best thing to ever happen to me. But it wasn’t goodbye, it was “see ya later.”
I hung out alone at LAX for two hours before flying to Dallas, Texas, then went from Dallas to Dayton, Ohio. That was the best flight ever. No one was sitting next to me and I was in the front row so I had lots of leg room. It was smooth sailing. Then there I was, back in Ohio.
I realize that this blog really isn’t the best, but it feels good to talk about things and get it out. I’m not good at putting things like this into words. How can I express just how magical the whole weekend was? I’ll never forget it, and hopefully it won’t be the last time something like that happens to us. I’m so thankful for the events and the way things played out… Some people may look at me, or the girls in general and think, “Why do you put so much effort into that website,” or just things like that. People might think we get nothing out of the work that we do. Sure, we’re not making money and we’re not hanging out with the guys every weekend, but it’s special moments like this that make what we do worthwhile… and not only that, it’s seeing their dreams come true because they’re really sweet guys and they deserve the world.
I can’t wait until the moment the girls and I reunite because when that happens, it’s going to go down. For real. I love them. They’re my sisters. No one means more to me than they do…thank you Midnight Red.I could say so much more…but I really hope everyone understands (at least a little bit) where I’m coming from at this point.
<3 – Nicole (:
Two of my favorite things together: Build a bears + Midnight Red :)
We got together and created the Build A Midnight Bears!
I’ve had the Red beenie for a while. And all the girls pitched in, designed the shirts and ideas. Thanks to Nicole for her handy sewing work for creating Thomas’ fabulous Hawk and eric’s foxtail :D
I sewed that shit! haha. Oh, they’re adorable.
