My Mraz Weekend

Saturday started with a lazy sleep in. I rolled over to see a window full of blue sky and couldn’t help but just smile. I met a friend for brunch after a brisk walk down to the bridge and then headed back to the house to have a shower. I put Yes! on repeat and took my time prepping for the weekend ahead. It was glorious.

As I sat charging my phone, it occurred to me that I had not yet had a chance to write my letter to Jason. I do this usually because I know he’ll probably not have much time to chat and because I know I won’t say half the things that are on my mind when I see him. I start writing. Half an hour later I know why I’ve been putting this off - it’s the hardest letter I’ve written in my life. By the time I finally finish writing it I am crying so hard I can barely see. I tell him thank you, thank you for giving me the strength to get through the last two months of complete and utter hell. I write some pretty heavy stuff and trust that either he won’t get it or he will and will understand.

Afterwards I wonder down to the ferry stop to get a ferry to the south side of the bridge - where my hotel and the theatre are. I leave early on the off chance that I might see Jason outside the venue. I find the theatre and curiously look around, wondering where the stage door is and part of me wants to wait outside but it’s too busy to stop and wait around, I was also nearly 4 hours early for the show but too late to have caught Jason on his way in. Fortunately there’s a huge shopping mall across the road so I wonder over there and window shop my way through the next 4 hours.

I had dinner with the lovely Ghinny, there was this moment where I was walking through the shopping mall trying to find her and we spotted each other and we had this epic walk up and hug moment. It was so fantastic meeting her and her lovely friend Liv. After a nice dinner we kind of had to rush over to the venue (we had lost track of time) but luckily the foyer wasn’t as busy as some other shows that I’ve been to. The venue itself was out of this world. I was waiting in the line for merchandise and I spotted Jeff Coffman and I’m pretty sure my heart stopped for a moment. Seeing his face bought back the memories of the last show in Melbourne (and he’s a pretty damn good looking guy).

I had a great view and the show was outstanding! I have no words for how incredible it was. I was worried that I wouldn’t find the show funny or exciting because I’d heard all the jokes already from various fans in the US and UK but I guess when you’re there and caught up in the atmosphere and listening first hand - the jokes are still hilarious. Even though I sat there mouthing the punch lines word for word. I had a really annoying girl next to me who kept recording everything and freaking out over the stupidest songs (the usual I’m Yours, IWGU & Lucky crowd) her friends were endearing but I swore to myself then and there that I would never be the girl who recorded everything because it’s really annoying!!!!! I met up with the girls again after the show, Liv had to go home but me and Ghinny decided we would try our luck at the stage door and after asking a guy who worked at the theatre we found the door and stood waiting.

I was excited at the prospect of Ghinny meeting Jason. I’d had my time - my goal for the night was to get a hug and give him my calendars with letter. I stood there with them in my hands and all of the other people waiting got curious. I explained the whole Cats Who Look Like Mraz thing to them and they thought it was cute. I’m pretty sure a girl kind of asked me why Jason would be interested in them and I very proudly said ‘he has this year’s calendar hanging in his kitchen’. After that I’m pretty sure a portion of them started treating me like the leader of the pack. It was pretty cool.

Security were complete asses and made us move on to the street where they promptly shut these huge white doors so we couldn’t get back in. There were some pretty big gaps where the doors hinges were so we all peeped through. I saw the girls come out first followed shortly by Jason and we all yelled out to him (he nearly jumped out of his skin) I was pushing the calendars through the gap by he just waved and kept walking. We all went down to the other end of the alley way to see what was going on - just as the bus drove past us. I grabbed Ghinny’s hand anticipating to run after the van but I soon gave up. I was absolutely defeated. As embarrassing as it is - I was pissed off. I couldn’t believe that this guy who I absolutely adore took one look at me and kept walking away. I was  p i s s e d. It took at least 3 people to talk me around to reason. I’m not proud but I was absolutely shattered.

Myself and Ghinny spoke about her possibly coming back and trying again on Sunday night but it seemed unfair for her to come back in to the city on a whim that things might turn out differently. I offered to take her ticket and get it signed if I met Jason and would return it to her regardless of what happened.

I spent Sunday out and about. I went to the aquarium and managed to walk from Darling Harbour to Circular Quay without getting lost. I also stumbled upon a gorgeous market that was happening at The Rocks before I was promptly saturated in rain. After that I took a taxi back to my hotel so I could get ready for the show. I was front row for the show so I put on my favourite dress, spent a little bit of extra time on my hair and makeup and then headed down to grab another taxi to the venue (Sydney taxi’s are actually a hell of a lot cheaper than Adelaide taxi’s and I have to admit it felt a little bit like I was in Sex and the City just hailing cabs all the time).

I was about half an hour early, they had only just opened the door so I wondered in and had a better look around the venue itself. Part of hoped I would see Jeff Coffman again so I could give him the calendars so I could be sure they would get to Jason. I was leaning against a wall, ever so casually, just scanning around the room for a familiar face and simultaneously chatting to Evie on Whatsapp. I was about 75% sure I saw Jerry at one stage, but, I wasn’t confident enough to go up and ask a guy I’ve never met before if he’s the guy I’ve heard about.

I was just about ready to give up when I glanced up and spotted Jeff Coffman. It was a bit over dramatic - my breath caught in my chest and my hands started shaking. Just as soon as I’d seen him, he’d disappeared again. I suspected he had walked out to the front of my building. I contemplated following him - would it be creepy? How was I ever going to pluck up the courage to strike up a conversation with this - let’s be honest - absolutely gorgeous human being. If you ever read this, Jeff, I hope you’re flattered but how flustered you had me. Looking back now, I know how risky it was going out after him. On my way back in the guy tried to scan my ticket and the machine made a beeping noise to say my ticket had already been scanned - thank God he recognised me.

So anyway, I wondered out to the street and leant casually against a wall to the right of the entrance and tried to spot Jeff again - he was across the road getting a shot of the entrance. He came back over and was kind of standing in the entrance filming a little bit and he looked over at me, naturally, I avoided all eye contact. I gave him the kind of look that you give people who are looking at you and he looked utterly confused. He said ‘have I met you before?’. Now I have no idea how I managed to be so damn together at this point, the words tumbled out of my mouth - ‘um, you’ve filmed me before’, and as if the situation couldn’t get anymore ridiculous he said ‘oh yeah, in Melbourne!’. I made a joke about how he must have recognised me because he’d spent hours working with frames of my face, he laughed it off with ‘not that many’. He asked me how I was and I think my brain stopped working. He asked me if I had flown in from Melbourne and had been to the show there, I told him I was actually from Adelaide and had to explain to him how far away it was. Just as I was about to walk away, I remembered the damn calendars. I put what I hoped was my best suck-up smile on and asked if he could do me a favour, he said yes and then I gave him the calendars. I explained that Jason knew what they were and he just looked as perplexed as ever.

The show was phenomenal - so many old songs and a fairly rowdy crowd. Raining Jane ‘whored’ out Chaska and it was absolutely hilarious. Chaska shared her first experience with Australia and how she cried when she had to leave. I’m definitely sure that she is officially my girl crush. I sat next to some lovely girls who chatted to me during the ‘inner mission’ and we discussed the possibilities of him playing Geek in the Pink - I shared with them how he told a friend of mine that he would never play that song again. It just so happens that one the first few songs after the break was Geek - I nearly fell off my seat.

In terms of interaction - he was hilarious as usual it certainly wasn’t the same as it was 18 months ago in Melbourne where we had moments when were singing to each other but in a way, that’s a good thing. There’s no point going to a show if it’s going to be the same all the time (that and I could actually breathe this time). I was able to just sit back and enjoy he show this time instead of having my best friend standing next to me just challenging me to prove why I had just flown to a different city to see my favourite man in the world - I didn’t have to prove myself this time.

A few people look at me strangely sometimes when I say I’m going to a concert by myself - I went to John Mayer and Sara Bareilles by myself - but I think I definitely enjoy shows more when I’m by myself. I’m nowhere near as rowdy and I actually give myself a chance to enjoy the subtle nuances - little things like harmonies and a certain guitar riffs. I’m nowhere near as starry eyed when I’m by myself. And there certainly were a lot of little moments to enjoy on Sunday night. Sleeping to Dream… Be Honest… 5/6… Geek in the Pink… Song for a Friend… so many stunning songs that I thought I’d never hear live.

When the show ended I dragged myself out the door to wait at the stage door - only this time I had no calendars so I wasn’t entirely sure what I would do if he came out. I leant against the wall trying to look like I was meant to be there - it was easy, I was the only one there. The security guard looked me up and down and said hello and asked how I was, I gave him my sweetest smile and told him I was good. He asked if I was there to see Jason, I grinned at him and said yeah I am. He looked around to see if anyone else was listening and said ‘I think you’ll have better luck waiting at the end of the alley way, otherwise you’re just going to end up on the other side of those doors again.’ I thanked him profusely and started to make my way back down the alley way. I ran in to a couple that I’d seen during the show and remembered from the last concert in Melbourne. They asked if we had been kicked out again and I filled them in. We waited in an alcove in the alley way but when the van came in to pick up Jason we were asked to move out on to the street.

We were all busy chatting about things, joined by a woman who I think was a little bit intoxicated (I’m not sure). We saw Becky come out and this woman yelled out ‘come down and sign shit’. They were still chatting away and I was a little bit too tense to really join the conversation, my eyes were on the van parked 10-20 metres up the alley way. I saw a figure walking down towards us in a white shirt and truckers cap. My brain was slow - I recognised this person despite the fact his head was down and suddenly the words spilled from my mouth - ‘it’s Jason!’.

I’m pretty sure time slowed down as he walked towards me. My mouth took over, my brain lagging behind by a minute or two. I was the first one waiting for him, having taken a few inadvertent steps towards him. ‘Can I have a hug?’ I ask. He didn’t even skip a beat as he engulfed me in the biggest hug I’ve ever received from someone. It was fierce, the kind of hug that makes you feel so damn safe. And I did, I felt safe, and at home. It’s so damn cheesy but that hug was the one thing I’d been torturing myself with for the last 18 months, how I’d never gotten to hug him because of that damn fence between us and it was warm and I’m going to stop talking about it because it’s going to make me cry.

I had my hard copy of Yes! in my hands and I gave it to him to sign. I ask him, ‘did Jeff give you the calendars?’ he pauses and looks at me a little wide eyed, ‘I did! Congrats on graduating!’ It was deja vu. He had hit me with something I wasn’t even expecting, again. Those damn letters. I stare at him and then a smile breaks over my face, ‘you read that already?’ he smiles, ‘yeah’. We look at each other for a few seconds and it sinks in as I remember writing to him about all the shit that had happened in the last 2 months. I still cry thinking about the way he looked at me, like he had so much he wanted to say but all I could do was stare, absolutely awe struck at this human being standing in front of me. The one person who was able to comfort me over the last 2 months and he knew it and just the look that he gave me told me that he was there for me, no matter what. He knew he was my strength, and he wanted to be that for me as well as a look of sadness at my pain. It was breathtaking. All I could do was tilt my head back and say ‘that’s so good’.

He kept signing stuff for people. Since I was first in the crowd it somehow ended up that I was standing next to him and everyone else was crowded in front of him. Like we were in our own little bubble. I remember that Jeff is filming just behind Jason and I turn to him and just mouth the words ‘thank you’. At this point I could have just kissed the guy - he was my saviour after the first night of security hell and just thinking I was never going to get those damn calendars to Jason.

I also managed to get my head together enough to get Jason to sign Ghinny’s ticket and ask him about the Cats Who Look Like Mraz tshirt that Evie gave to him in the UK. He was so sweet. He laughed about it and said he thought it was great that we had this little group of us around the world - I’m assuming he was still feeling a bit tickled by his FaceTime with Mona (it’s not every day you get the chance to speak to a fan in ISRAEL). I also asked him if we could take a selfie, which he agreed to but said it would have to be quick. He kept signing stuff and just as Matt was saying it was time to leave I asked again and we got the best picture together. Unfortunately, this cued every other person in the crowd to ask for selfies, which he sadly had to refuse. I thanked him again and he walked away and I tried to push my way through the crowd to get my taxi back to the hotel because my phone was dying and I was exhausted. I had just enough battery to attach my selfie with Jason to the whatsapp conversation with the girls, unfair since I couldn’t reply to their numerous questions.

Back in the hotel room I crawled in to bed and tried to go to sleep but soon realised that it was never going to happen. I was buzzing. I went and plugged my phone in to the bathroom plug (also the only plug that my charger would fit in to) and turned on my hotspot so I could chat to everyone on Facebook. After retelling the entire story I sat there quietly with the most stupid grin on my face. And then I cried. And cried. And cried. I remembered the letter and the look on Jason’s face and I just thought to myself ‘is this it? Is this what you were waiting for before you could move on?’. The answer, of course, is no. The moving on will come in February when I go to South Africa - coincidental since Jason is in the country playing shows at the same time as I’m there, not in the same city though and flights to see him just aren’t an option. God knows I’ll need him then but I’ll look down at our photo and know, he’s only a thought away and I can look forward to the next time I get to thank him for holding my life together.

After a little bit more sightseeing on Monday I headed to the airport. I’d rather be waiting there for 5 hours than be wondering around the city. I also had work that needed to be done for some clients. Just my luck my flight was delayed, but, God knows I had enough going on in my head that I didn’t mind at all.

But it’s still nice to be home.


And if you’re still with me, thank you for reading this (I’m sorry if there were typos and sentences that didn’t make any sense).



Much love and gratitude,
Marchelle

Jam & Mraz Say Hey To The MrazWomen

As self-proclaimed delegate of the group I started, MrazWomen, I requested Jason Mraz to say hey on camera to the rest of my girls who couldn't make it to the show, and he gladly said yes!

Pardon my loud woohoo. Obviously I was too excited to keep calm. :P
 

The First Time I met Jason Mraz (cuz you know there will be more!)

We were supposed to mulch with him that morning but because of the rain and the cold air he cancelled. Luckily the radio station set up this sound check party.

We arrive to the venue and Jason is on stage doing sound check. We sit in the front row and he starts playing and talking. Looks at us and says sorry about the tree planting. He's like 'it cleared up about an hour later' a guy says 'that's Indiana for ya'. He said ‘oh really?’ And I said 'yeah just wait and it will change' and Jason says ' Oh I didn't get that memo' :-) lol So there were several times like that where we talked back and forth during the sound check. He played Be Honest, All Dialed In and Bella Luna! I'm really glad he played All Dialed In because he didn't play it at the show. So then he walks off stage.

The radio station informed us we were going in groups of 6 and that we couldn't use our own cameras. Claudia and I hung towards the back and were the last two in our group of 6. We were the 3rd group. Up until that point Jason had been shaking hands with everyone so I get up there and shane his hand (and in my head I’m thinking no way is he getting away with just a hug!) He says "Hi, I'm Jason" (duh) I said "Hi, I'm Jen, is it ok if I give you a hug?" He said "Of Course! So I hugged him and then looked him squarely in the eyes (swooon!) and very calmly and quietly handed him my 3 page letter and said 'I need you to take this. I don't want you to sign it, I just want you to have it' and he said, "sure no problem." And then he said "Rad! I love what you did with your shirt! (my blend shirt, I cut the collar off and tied it in the back) I said Thanks! I was trying to make it a little more girly" He laughed and said "maybe I should do that with mine" LOL

So then he saw Claudia and she gave him a hug and then he saw her shirt and said "OH! MrazWomen! Awesome!" I said yeah we're together, I mean in the same group. He looked at me and said ‘Have we met before?’ I said ‘no, but I'll I have meet n greet in San Jose’ He said "oh sweet, awesome" So then Claudia stands to his right and I was thinking " I am soooo standing next to him!” Luckily, Merritt (his violinist) was to his left and she said "Do you want to stand here?" I said "Oh! thanks!"



Then (I remember this very vividly!) I put my arm around the small of his back and he did the same to me, I put my head on his should and moved in close for our picture!!!!!!!!! After the picture I looked at him and said "Oh thanks for playing All Dialed In! It was awesome!" He said, "Yeah I don't know if it will make the set list, but...." I said "no it was great we still got to hear it!" I looked at Merritt, and said" Yeah it was awesome! Thank you!" Then we said bye and that was it..... Of course we ran into Michael Bram (his drummer) right after that and I got our pic with him too! Amazing Amazing experience.......then came the end of the show.....



So I had been wondering all night if he read my letter then at the end of the show, he was waving Hi to everyone and I'm waving my arms like I'm trying to flag down a rescue truck or something and he sees me! He points right at me and stops moving, tilts his head to the side and gives me a warm (aww so sweet) smile, blows a kiss and puts his hand on his heart....... I'm really hoping that means he read it but I'm totally asking him in San Jose!!!!! LOVE!!!!



I was really amazed I was so calm and talking clearly and not going ' OMG I LOVE YOU!' LOL It really was like talking to an old friend! I can’t wait to do it again in San Jose!!

And here was my letter:

Jason,

First, I wanted to tell you that I am so grateful to finally meet you! I have been waiting to meet you for years! I actually bought meet and greet passes for the San Jose show (so I’ll see you again in a couple of weeks!), but being able to spend a little bit of time with you doing something we are both passionate about really makes me happy.  I knew that I wouldn’t have a lot of time to talk to you and I have so much I want to say. So I thought I would just write it all down and let you read it when you have time. So, thank you for taking the time to read this and… here it goes…

I could sit here and say ‘Oh I’m your biggest fan, or you are so awesome’, and it would be true but the one thing I really want to say, out of everything else I could say, is THANK YOU! You and your music have always been a source of inspiration and healing for me. I always find myself turning to your music when I’m sad, confused or hurt and I always have a sense of clarity after I do. This was especially true 2.5 years ago when my Mom suddenly passed away from a massive stroke. She was only 56 years old. My Mom and I were very close. She always supported me, was there for me, and was the best grandma to my kids a Mom could ever ask for. After she passed, I was lost, hurt and angry. I just felt so cheated, like I just didn’t have enough time with her. I didn’t know how I was going to move on. One day, while driving home from work, I was so tired of listening to the daily shit on the radio that I just grabbed a CD from my case, without really looking and threw it in the player. ‘Sunshine Song’ started playing. I burst into tears! I cried and cried, but not because I was sad, because I was relieved. In that moment I knew that her light would always be there to shine on me when I needed it. I felt like a veil had been lifted from my heart and there was a light I hadn’t felt in a long time. A couple days later, I was looking through some old FF5000 blogs and found a blog that completely changed my outlook on life. You wrote about being grateful for the little things and that we truly have the power to make up how we see the world. We can make up that something sucks or make up that this it’s awesome. We have the power to shape our life. It is all perfect, even the heavy shit that happens to us, it was and is all perfect.  I saw the world in a whole new light after that. The things that used to annoy me, I found gratitude in and shortly after that I bought my first piece of Energy Muse jewelry, my Gratitude bracelet. It is there to remind me on a daily basis of all the things I am grateful for. I love it. So thank you for being there to shine a light when I needed it most.

Now, I’m not an only child. My sister was also very affected by the loss of our Mom. Because my Dad left when we were very young, my sister, my Mom and I had always been very close. To add to the pain of losing our Mom, about 8 months after she passed, my sister’s husband left her. My sister, Shannon, was a mess! She slipped into a deep depression and couldn’t stand staying in Indianapolis, in her house, any longer. So she decided she needed a new start in a place where she had fond memories of my Mom, in Boston. I was devastated. My sister and I are best friends and we’ve never lived more than an hour apart. I was really scared for her and for myself, so I decided that I would make her a gift. Through your music and Tricia’s affirmations I was able to come to terms with my Mom’s passing and knew that they could also help Shannon. I gave her what I called the ‘Hope, Love, and Gratitude Journey’ gift. I put about 40 of your songs (old, new, unreleased) on an mp3 player, made up about 30 note cards with affirmations and included a blank journal tablet. My instructions to her were to wonder this new city, take in the sites, visit places of inspiration and write down her hopes and dreams. Then she had to post them on her mirror to see every day. She had to do all this while listening to YOUR music. The next instruction was to sit in a place of solitude while listening to some of your deeper songs (When we die, Song for a Friend etc) and write down all the things that made her angry, sad, or hurt. She then had to burn those pages! Rid herself of that pain. The final instruction was to listen to some of your most inspirational songs and write down everything she is grateful for and tape it up on her wall so that she never forgets.  She now tells me repeatedly that this gift, your music, and Tricia’s words are what saved her. She had a renewed sense of hope; that she wasn’t ready to give up! She now has a great place on the water, a job she loves, and new man in her life. I cannot thank you enough for the inspiration to give her that gift. She, herself, has even passed on that gift to friends in need.

If fact, last week in Mansfield, MA my sister and I went to your show on the anniversary of her move.  We were the ones with the ‘Jason, Thank You for being our Ray of Sunshine’ sign. Of course, we cried during that song. In fact, so many of your songs trigger so many different memories and emotions when I hear them. They always seem to show up just when I need them. Like, ‘1000 Things’ for example. I’m sure that wasn’t written for a child. But whenever I hear it I am immediately taken back to when my beautiful children were born. Seeing their beautiful eyes for the first time was like nothing I had ever seen before! Or, one of the most profound times was on February 15, 2011, the 1 year anniversary of my Mom’s passing. I obviously was very sad that day and kind of lost and turned to YouTube for some distraction and I hear ‘When We Die’ for the first time. It was exactly what I needed at exactly the right time. And of course, hearing ‘Geek in the Pink’ always takes me back to the first time I ever heard your music. That song is what got me ‘hooked’  ;-) It’s such a fun song. I continually share your music with others, and they are always so pleasantly surprised and become huge fans themselves. I love seeing how you and your music have not only impacted me, but others as well. I want you to know that you mean so much to so many people and that at least for my sister and I, we are eternally grateful for you, your words, and your music.

In LoVE and Gratitude Always,

And Then There Was That Time We Met Mraz.

So, something fairly extraordinary happened yesterday.

First, a recap.

My friend Jen told me that Jason Mraz would be on the Today Show on February 16th. He would then be going to Z100 and the Late Show with David Letterman, and would I want to take off of work and go with her to try and find him? I told her that I wasn’t sure and that I’d let her know in a few days. I thought about it a long while and figured, if nothing else, I’d have a day off from work and I’d get to spend it with a newly formed friend. I told her that I’d go and that I’d put in for the day off. This was about a month ago.

We hammered out the details as the day drew closer. We’d go in the night before and stay with my dad. Then we’d get up before the sun the following morning and drag ourselves to Rockefeller Center and wait outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man. Then we’d casually follow him (read: stalk .. innocently) for the rest of the day, hopefully having a moment to speak with him.

Everything pretty much followed the plan Wednesday night. We each took our own train into the city and met up at Penn Station. I took her to my dad’s apartment and we went out to dinner in Brooklyn, his old stomping ground. We nestled under the covers at about 10:30, dreading the sound of the alarm in only a few hours’ time. Well, at least I was. Sleep is probably one of the most important aspects of my life, and it takes a lot for me to get up at such an early hour. I was skeptical about our plan the following day. Deep down, I was hopeful, but the pessimist in me kept whispering her ugly, down-trodded words, and it was hard for me not to doubt our excursion’s goals.

My dad drove us to Rockefeller Center as the city was waking up. Business men and women were scurrying to and from every sidewalk, cars and cabs were whizzing and darting in and out of lanes. I told my dad that I was thankful he knew how to drive there since there was no way in heck I’d be doing it. He dropped us off and wished us luck. We stepped out into the cold of the early morning and made our way to the Today Show window, barricaded off and manned by security guards.

We made a stop at Starbucks first, naturally. Warm drink in hand, we went through the barricade and stood with the handful of other people who were all hoping for a few seconds on camera. Sure, that was enticing, but it wasn’t our goal. We came there to see the one and only Jason Mraz, to hear him sing, and to maybe have a chance of meeting him (though the pessimist in me was still skeptical). We were waiting outside for about an hour – and managed to actually get on camera twice – without a word from the news anchors about his appearance. I started worrying that maybe he wasn’t even there, maybe he wasn’t even going to show up. Jen then saw that he’d be coming out at about 8:35, so about ten minutes earlier, shivering and cold, I told her we should run back in and get more Starbucks. So off we went back inside.

As we walked through the doors, I muttered, “I hope we get to meet him later,” as I checked my phone. Jen replied, “Or .. we could just meet him right now.” I lifted my eyes and – BAM. There he was. Strumming his guitar, an entourage behind him, looking peaceful and calm. Jen managed to say, “Hi Jason ..” and I think I may have squeaked a “hi,” as well. We said hello to Mona, his percussionist, who seemed surprised that we knew her name. He waved and walked off into the studio since he was about to perform.

I was stunned. Jen and I looked at each other with the same thought: “Did that really just happen?” We managed to get our legs to move again and went downstairs to get the Starbucks we originally went in for.

After his performance, we knew that he’d have to walk back down the stairs he had walked up when we had our chance encounter. So we bolted back inside and waited patiently, trying our hardest not to scream. I was trying my hardest not to wet my pants.

And then .. there he was. No longer holding his guitar and quietly singing, but looking just as peaceful as before. I had my phone out, Jen had her camera out. He approached us and said, “I see you have your cameras out .. You guys want a picture with Mona, right?” And then we started chatting. He went to each of us, shook our hands, and asked our names. He listened when we spoke. Jen asked about his trip to Antarctica and listened to them talk about penguins. We talked about global warming and saving the environment. A third girl, also a huge fan and wearing a Jason Mraz shirt, had found her way in and was staring at him, wide-eyed and bashful. He talked to her about what she was studying in school and took the time out to really listen to what she said.

We even got our sought-after picture.

We chatted with Mona and I relayed a quote that a social work professor had told me in college: “You may feel like what you’re doing is pointless, because how can one person change the world? But everyone has a light that shines, and it may seem dim on its own, but imagine how bright it would be if we all came together to do something good?” She gave me a high-five and thanked me for sharing.

If it wasn’t for the security guards who asked us to leave the lobby, I have absolutely no doubt that they would have kept talking with us.

After it was all over, it took everything in me not to start crying. But it hadn’t even really hit me at that point. I was still in shock, completely stunned by the fact that I had just met and spoke with the man who was the inspiration behind turning my life around. It’s very cliche, but honestly .. his music, his outlook, his message .. they all saved me from the destructive path I was on. He helped me find gratitude and happiness in every aspect of my life. I don’t think I can even adequately express how he changed me for the better, without ever knowing me.

On the way home, I started thinking about it more and started crying on the train. With the melody and words of “I Won’t Give Up” filling my body and my soul, I was suddenly overcome with this unbelievable humility and gratitude for everything. Everything. That day, every day, my life, every decision, everyone, the man sitting next to me, all of it.

Life is such an extraordinary creature. It truly, sincerely is. I refused to see it for most of my life. Or maybe I just wasn’t ready to. Maybe I couldn’t accept the beauty of life. And, sometimes, it’s easier to just look around and complain about the bad things. I had always found excuses as to why my life wasn’t good enough – or why I wasn’t good enough – but I get it now. We are beautiful, as we are. We have such power to make this world magnificent just by being in it. It all makes sense.

And it’s all thanks to a man in a hat (which, funnily enough, he no longer wears).

I know, for sure, that 2012 is going to be the best year ever. I’m going to make sure of that.

L to R: Jen, Jason, Me, Mona!

Oh, did I also mention that Jen and I also won tickets to the taping of the Late Show with David Letterman where - surprise! – the musical guest was Jason Mraz?

My Mraz Adventure!

My first year of college, five years ago, my best friend Erin introduced me to the wonderful music of Jason Mraz. It did not take long before I became completely and utterly obsessed, not just with his music, but with Mr. AZ himself. Jason Mraz is an inspiration to me as a person. Everything he stands for is incredible and his music never ceases to put me in a good mood. Some artists fade in and out of peoples lives and others seem to really "stick". I have never gone through a period where Jason Mraz has faded. And at the rate I'm going, it probably never will.

In 2009, when I heard that tickets for Jason Mraz were going on sale for a show at Jones Beach, (THE place to see a concert on Long Island), I was thrilled. I got up early and landed Erin and I some awesome seats. Floor level, center stage. I gave Erin her ticket for her birthday and the Mraz countdown began. About a week after I purchased the tickets I realized that with all of my excitement, I didn't notice that August 7th, the date of the concert, was also the date of my boyfriend's, at the time, sister's wedding. Let me just say, I had to do the right thing. His sister was like a sister to me and even though missing the concert was going to be devastating, I handed over my ticket to Erin's little sister Kim. Well, obviously they enjoyed the concert. They got me a t-shirt and from then on I got to hear stories about how amazing it was. They tried not to rub it in but it was a bit of a sore subject. I was pretty jealous.

My Jason obsession never lessened. After that concert I was determined that the next time he came even somewhat close to New York I would be there.

In 2010 my boyfriend and I broke up. This hit me hard. We had been together for a while and I didn't see it coming. (I tried to refrain from telling him that I wish it had happened a year earlier so that I didn't miss that concert.) And, as cheesy as it sounds (well, maybe not to you gals) It seemed as though no matter what my mood was, whether I was at a high point or a low point, there was a Jason song to get me through that moment. His blog always provided inspiration to move forward and even though he will probably never know, Jason Mraz helped me more than he could have imagined.

Erin's sister Kim called me one day at the end of July 2011 when she saw that Jason and Toca would be doing 3 shows at Carnegie Hall. One show on November 23rd and two shows on November 25th, the day before and the day after Thanksgiving. Tickets for all three shows had sold out in less than a day but I was not going to let this concert pass me by. Erin wouldn't go. Kim didn't have the money. I tried and tried but I couldn't get Erin to come. So, I did what any other crazy Mraz Woman would have done. I bought two crazy expensive tickets off of stubhub for mediocre seats for the Wednesday night show and gave one to Kim for her birthday. She was happy. I was beyond happy. The countdown began. I bought the tickets on August 27th and the three month countdown seemed to take forever.

As the time grew near, I was becoming more and more excited. When we finally boarded the train for the city it felt surreal. And I was determined to think like Jason and find him in the city at some point. Kim was excited too, but she must have called me nuts twenty times throughout the day. I didn't argue though, she was right, and I was okay with that. We spent a good amount of time walking around near central park, we grabbed some lunch and walked around some more. By 6:00 we were exhausted and cold from walking in the rain since 11 am. We made our way over to Carnegie Hall and waited for the doors to open. We made our way to our seats which were in the second row on the left side of the balcony and when I saw the stage I didn't know what to do. I was finally here, soon to be in the same room as Jason Mraz. And Toca Rivera. This was going to be incredible.

The concert was beyond incredible. When Jason and Toca first came out, I nearly lost my mind. The fact that they played all types of songs, especially the Jason Mraz classics made the concert so special. I mean 0% Interest and RKOP!? That's unheard of! I sat on the edge of my seat the whole time and even though I didn't think it was possible, when I left my seat, I loved Jason Mraz even more than I had when I walked in. Before I left, I checked the ticket counter for tickets to the Friday show. It was sold out, but I was again determined.

We waited by the stage door for about 45 minutes for Jason to come out after the show. The whole time someone had a Ukelele and the whole crowd sang along to Jason's songs. It was a great way to end the night. Unfortunately, we had to catch a train home and left before Jason came out. When I got home, I texted Erin to see if she would come to the Friday show if I could get tickets because Kim had her fill of the city for a while. After some persuasion, Erin agreed to come to the Friday show IF I got tickets. I spent a good portion of the next day, Thanksgiving, searching high and low to tickets to either of the Friday shows. I found one pair of tickets and leaped on the opportunity immediately. It was for the 3:00 matinee show where The Fresh Beat Band would perform with him. Yes! I was making my way back to the city to see Jason Mraz again, this time with my best friend!

Only, at 10:00 Thanksgiving night, the night before the concert, Erin bailed. I was left with two tickets and I was NOT going to give up going again. I picked up the phone and called my aunt, who is a music lover but not particularly familiar with Jason Mraz. Because she's the best EVER, she agreed to come in and see the show with me. Little did she know what she was getting herself into.

We drove into the city this time, and I introduced her to Jason's music beyond "I'm Yours." She was excited, I was elated, it was going to be a great day. When we got to Carnegie Hall, it was flooded with small children. The woman next to me was complaining, "I don't know who this Jason Mraz is but my kids came here to see the Fresh Beat Band and he better not take up too much time or bore my kids. These tickets were expensive." I screamed a little inside. SERIOUSLY!? YOU SHOULD HAVE LET A REAL MRAZ FAN HAVE THAT TICKET!

Our seats for this show were awesome. Tier 1 in a box. AMAZING. Much to my surprise, the Fresh Beat Band didn't open for Mraz, they actually played most of the show with him. It was great, obviously because all of Jason's work is, but not exactly what I had hyped the show up to my Aunt as. He sang his usual hits, plus "Merry Holidays," "Outdoors (from sesame street)" and "Rainbow Connection." He also sang about the number five and the song he sang with Bushwalla a few times, "Spiders Doing Push-Ups On a Mirror." It was a great show, only an hour and fifteen minutes, but not at all like the night before, which lasted almost three hours.

Afterwards, I led my poor Aunt to the stage door with me. Hundreds of small screaming children were chanting "F-B-B" for the Fresh Beat Band to come out. About twenty minutes of "FBB" chanting in, Toca walked out the door and made his way through the crowd. Nobody acknowledged him so I yelled "Hey TOCA!" and he turned around and goes "Oh my goodness! A REAL fan who actually knows who I am!" When he came back, he took a picture with me and thanked me for coming to the show. Once all of the kids cleared he actually came out again and hung out with us for a little while. He was so awesome to talk to and was very down to earth. It was like he was happy to sign my ticket. By the time he went back in it was just me, my aunt and another Jason fan still waiting by the door. The head of security came down and told us that Jason was meditating and that he wouldn't be coming down before his next show. I was disappointed, but then he told us that after the Wednesday night show it was so packed by the stage door that they couldn't bring him out and had to sneak him out the front. He also said that he MIGHT have to do the same thing tonight, around11:45 ,"if you know what I mean." Too bad I didn't have tickets for that show.


Too bad I'm an obsessive nut who was NOT going to miss the last show. I turned to my Aunt and asked her if we could go check for tickets for the later show. Now, don't be fooled, I just graduated college and have a ton to pay for, including loans and a horse. The last thing I NEEDED was to spend more money on tickets to another Jason Mraz concert. Yet, I was in such a zone at this point, I would have probably dipped into my life savings if it meant spending another few hours being in the presence of Mr. AZ. And I was yet again determined, this time I was going to show my Aunt what Jason Mraz really is. We headed back into Carnegie Hall and checked for tickets, so far none had been returned but we started a cancellation line. As people came in with extra tickets, the usher would walk them to us to be sold at face value. It was packed though and there really were no tickets to be found. The show started at 8:00 and buy 7:30 all we had was one balcony seat. We were willing to split up, but not one of us goes to the show and the other doesn't. That wasn't going to fly. Just as we got ready to sell back the single ticket, three young guys walked in looking quite confused. The told the usher that they had an extra ticket and didn't know what to. The usher and I were buddies at this point and upon looking at the ticket walked quickly over to me. "Look at this ticket. Take it. Front row, seat 12." FACE VALUE! AHHHHHH!

So I did it! I accomplished all three Jason Mraz shows, the last one I sat in the front row. Talk about dreams coming true. My Aunt didn't mind sitting up in the balcony, she was happy I wound up in the front row. According to her, my feet didn't touch the ground all day. This was by far the BEST of the three concerts and I honestly could have died each time I made eye-contact with Jason. I met back up with my Aunt after the show and she already knew the next move. We would wait. By the front, because that's what we were advised to do earlier. We grabbed hot chocolate quick and then stood our post and waited. And waited. And waited. Toca came out and we thanked him for being awesome. He remembered us from before. Even more awesome. After Toca walked away, I told my Aunt that when Jason came out, I was going to ask him what it means to have a road unencumbered by cats. Because seriously, I know he's all about the wordplay, but that line has been making me nuts for five years now. And who better to explain it than Mraz himself.

At this point, it was me, my Aunt and the Ukelele kid from Wednesday night waiting by the front. And then, BAM! A secret door opened and out came the security guard, who winked at us upon seeing us, and then JASON MRAZ. I should his name and he came right over and greeted us. The kid with the Ukelele spoke to him first as I just stood there completely star-stuck. Then it was my turn. My heart pounded and I muttered "Hi Jason, Uh I'm a HUGE fan." Then he asked me my name and asked if I made it to any of the shows. I told him I made all three and he looked at me thanked me quite sincerely, pressed his hands together and bowed to me calling me a "most loyal fan." He took a picture with me and I could have died. At that very moment. He thanked me again and walked away. Best Day Ever. With the Best Aunt Ever. And the Greatest Man Ever. And The Coolest Toca Ever.

I was convinced that I was going to be hit by a bus or something while we walked to the car. There was just no way that my week could go that good without it being the end. (That sounds morbid but you know what I mean.) I couldn't even form complete thoughts. Jason Mraz is Love.

My mother called me a stalker, so did Erin. But when it comes down to it, I look at myself as someone with passion. Jason Mraz is an inspiration to put my heart into everything that I do. And seeing him in person and then actually meeting him proved everything that I thought about him as true. So, no, I'm not a stalker. I prefer the term Dedicated Super-Fan. And now, even better, a Mraz Woman. <3

And guys, if you are with me the next time I meet Mr. Mraz. Please remind me to ask him about the roads being unencumbered by cats. Please, I've gotta hear it from him. :)

You are Loved,
Jen
The Dedicated Super-Fan

Let's play a game!

Hope you girls like it... and I'm sorry for my annoying voice, it's not always like this.. dunno what happened! uahuahhuaha

Love,
Ana D.

Halfway Home

I started this blog entry in hopes of getting a kick start on this topic.


We need to have a Mraz Convention.

I know it sounds freaking bonkers cause we live all over the world, but wouldn't it be freaking rad?!?!?

I mean, I'm pretty sure that would be like, the best thing ever.

We should do it around Christmas Time of Next Year.

Like.... December 22nd, 2011.

Does that sound good?

The only thing... place? where the hell are we going to make it a meeting ground for 20 some-odd girls around the globe to meet in the middle?

I say....

Virginia.
It's where it all began, no? and once you get in the US, it's not that big a deal to travel across anyways.
I'm pretty sure if I can ever make it out of Texas, I'll be alright (since Texas can cover more distance inside the state than 3 or 4 other states can together).

So what say you, little mamas?

Anyone up for a little planning?
Even if it isn't anywhere near Virginia or in December of Next Year, i don't care.

Just wanna get the idea pumpin through y'alls minds.

Let's do this.
Please?


Let's call this project "Halfway Home"

Cause in a way, i am halfway home.

And so are you.



On Being Love,
ChristinaMarie(:

Jason goes to Ghana

The end is so beautiful

[VIDEO] Songwriting

Interview (Tristan Prettyman, Dawn Mitschele, Bushwalla, Matt Costa and OF COURSE, HIM --> JASON MRAZ) -- 2008

Favorite Part: "I'm gonna shake both sides of your butt, yeah!! I just think that's cool!"

~Lovin'

Mraz Women, Ana Diegues.

It's comforting..

It's comforting to know, that at heart, our very own Mr. A-Z is a crazy cat lady, just like me :)

My latest friend, fittingly named, Friend :)

Being love, ladies :)

TJ

A funny story.

A few days ago, I was relaxing at home when one of my best friends, Tessa, texted me. She was freaking out, saying, "OH MY GOD, TJ, OH MY GOD I FOUND YOU A HUSBAND." She's always a little crazy like that, so I always just play along :)
"I'm at this swim meet out of town, and I was on the blocks right as they were about to start the race and I heard this guy singing Jason Mraz behind me. But he wasn't just singing Jason Mraz. HE WAS SINGING THE ASS-CRACK ZIPPER SONG!"
(In Tessa language, the "Ass-crack zipper song" is Older Lover Undercover, bahaha.) That's one of my Mraz favorites to just sing-a-long to when I'm bored, and I always play it while I'm driving, so she knew it pretty well too.
She seriously stalked this guy at this swim-meet for two days because she was so sure that he and I were meant to be, haha. Though, she failed at relaying my phone number to him, bahaha.

It's pretty awesome to have friends like that :)

Just youtubeing around

Here, in Sweden it's almost midnight. Since I'm working tomorrow, I should sleep or at least be heading for bed. insted I'm just youtubeing around. Just found this older version of I'm yours and fell in love immediately.

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greetings from the desert

I am thrilled to be welcomed into the Mraz Women blog. I wish I would have found you all sooner! I thought for my introduction I would combine a few ideas from previous blog entries, so please forgive the length.

My name is Brandie, I am 26, a single parent, chronic laugher, truly happy, peace seeking, jack of all trades, and very long-winded. My 4 year old took this picture of me a couple of weeks ago. She's an excellent photographer, and for all intensive purposes is known very affectionately as the tatertot.
I love the idea of a Gratitude Journal and feel that everyone should keep one. My story of gratitude begins at birth. I will forever be grateful to my mother for giving my twin sister and me up for adoption. Without that selfless act, I would have been born into a life of nomadic homelessness. Much gratitude is given to my foster parents who, at the time, cared for 4 children under the age of 2. And the utmost gratitude must be given to my parents for taking my sister and me into their family. They adopted us after their oldest daughter was killed in a car accident (I'm also very grateful for her sacrifice everyday). Without them, nothing in my life would have ever happened. I am very blessed and often give thanks for my beginnings.
I have been listening (astutely) to Jason since 2001-2002. I randomly heard "The Remedy" on the radio, and at first the song annoyed me because it sounded so much like John Mayer, who I couldn't stand, but I couldn't get it out of my head furthering the annoyance. The song stuck with me throughout my freshman year of college, and it wasn't until Fall of 2002 that I finally heard "You & I Both."

I'm pretty sure that song changed my life. It's definitely one of those moments in life when you will always remember where you were, what you were doing, what you thought and felt. I distinctly remember hearing it for the first time on a mix CD my best friend had playing in her business. Luckily for me, and fortunately for others, the store was empty so I was free to play the song over-and-over for 4 hours straight. The song brought me to tears. It felt like Jason had been in my head and wrote that song from my memories and experiences. As briefly as I can say without rambling too much, for me it was about love and loss, and overcoming that loss through understand the old adage, "it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." It is still one of my favorites by Mr. Mraz.

My fascination with his music has maintained its fervidity since that fateful moment. I couldn't believe it took 3 years for "Mr. A-Z" to be released, and I soaked that album up like a sponge. Its release coincided with my pregnancy, and the message of love that emanted from that album spoke to me on such a personal level I will never adequately be able to describe. I patiently waited for a third album, and I never thought it would come. When "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things" came out in 2008, I can honestly say my love for Jason reached epic proportions.

Last year for my birthday, my best friend bought me tickets to see Jason in concert and made me this card. I saw the card, knew what was inside, and digressed into insanity and had a "shut up!" moment much like The Princess Diaries. For real, I did exactly that, in a restaurant, at a table of 20 people. Everyone thought I found something in my food or was having a complete mental breakdown.

"I'm Yours" was another song that stopped me in my tracks, and the second time I'm almost positive Jason was in my head. In general, I love people readily, but I have never truly given my heart to anyone besides my daughter. If I ever truly fall in love, my idea of love can be found in the lyrics of that song: uncomplicated, fated, nonsensical, divine intervention...