Can you tell how psyched I was? And how short I am?
There are few things in life that I totally geek out over. A space shuttle launch. A good glass of snazzy zinfandel. My daughter’s beautiful smile. And Better Than Ezra. Yes, I’m a fan, but not in a creep way.
I used to work in the Public Affairs office at the Johnson Space Center. I had access to every building and gave a lot of tours while I was there. When the big stars would come through, like U2 or Larry the Cable Guy (LOL), I never had the opportunity to get in on those tours. So one day, I took matters into my own hands. There was a band I had loved for years and they were coming to play at the rodeo. Using my super-sleuthing skills, I found some contact info and sent them an offer for a tour. Within 30 minutes I had a text message from Tom Drummond, base player for Better Than Ezra. I nearly died. Not because I’m a super freaked out fan, but because I actually pulled this off!
BTE in Mission Control
We exchanged a lot of texts and set the tour up for a Saturday afternoon. I was so nervous. I was afraid I’d sound like a major tool while telling them all the neat info about the International Space Station and the cool things that NASA does. I called in my BFF for reinforcements. She’s as big a fan as I am and was willing to help out.
The best part of the tour was how much they all cared about space. I was impressed by how much they already knew and how they saw the need for better public relations from NASA overall. The best part of it was that they were very down to earth and fun to hang out with. There were even jokes about deploying payloads in the NASA bathroom. I counted this as a personal tour and even came in on my day off to do it, but it was worth it to meet the guys behind the music I’ve loved for so many years.
That's me right behind Tom on the right.
At the end of the tour, they offered us backstage access at the show. My BFF and I were so excited. We watched the show from the stage and had all their security guy never let our beer run out.
And now, in 20 days, I will be partying with them at Mardi Gras as a part of the Krewe of Rocckus. Vacation time has been scheduled, the sitter is booked for the weekend and we are set! I desperately need a vacation and I’m super stoked to let loose for three nights in one of my favorite cities in the world. If you are looking for a good time the first weekend of March, come on out and hang with us! Great music, amazing food, lots of booze and tons of fun – what more could you ask for?
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