My mom came over and mentioned how she heard aforementioned "guy" had mentioned "doing the second two shows tonight." And my suspicions were pretty much confirmed right there. Then came Sharon, a ways down on the sidewalk! My mom said "I think that's Sharon." Me: "me too." Mom: "well do you want to walk towards her?" Me(laughing): "not if it's not Sharon!" Mom: "why don't you wave?" So I waved, and Sharon waved back, in perfect Sharon-mannerism. My parents and I walked to meet her, and we all said hello and hugged and such (since Sharon and I had seen each other 3 times before). I told Sharon about seeing the probable blue man, and just as I was done explaining, the guy was walking back towards the theater again. We all went silent as he walked through (mom says he said "hello, ladies"... even though my dad was there, I guess... uh, maybe dad didn't look at him like we did, or something). This time he DEFinitely noticed my shirt. And he just had this air about him, this look in his eyes... I was positive he was a blue man. It really made me realize how some guys just have that "look," a way of carrying themselves... and of course that's a big part of the audition process. Anyways...

Sonia finally came up (to my surprise... she popped up out of nowhere, it seemed to me! lol) and told us how her train was late and such. But no problem... It was still before 5:30 and we had lots of time to waste. ;) After meeting Sonia, my parents headed off to do whatever they did, and the three of us started chatting. Sonia had brought her trademark Blue Man doll/beanie things, and gave Sharon and I each one. It's so adorable! Sonia also gave us tatoos and magnets from the Briar. Sharon gave Sonia and I "Twinkie the Kid" with a twinkie inside... Haha, it just cracks me up. [So the two characters (blue man and twinkie cowboy) are sitting on my desk staring at me while I type this... actually I think I'm gonna eat that twinkie now. *munch munch, minutes pass...* mmm, that was good. But I just realized that one doesn't "munch" on a twinkie.] I, on the other hand, had nothing to give and felt sad =( but there's always next time! Thanks for a great gifts you two! Couple of sweeties. =)

Anyways... we then headed to the box office to pick up our tickets. Sonia said she'd gotten in contact with one of the Boston staff members, Heather, and was told to ask for her. So Sonia did, and Heather came out and said hi. We all got nice goody bags, complete with: XL black t-shirt (yet another PJ shirt for me, lol), mousepad, Boston magnet, two pens, two pins, and an eyes bumper sticker. Thank you much Heather! We really appreciate it. =) It's too bad we didn't get to talk longer.

We hung out in the bar for a little while, and Heather told us who all the Boston Blue Men were: Kalen, Jonathan C, Jonathan T, Michael, Rick (at this name my intuitive nerve twitched, and I immediately tagged this name to the guy I'd seen outside), Matt, and Eric. She then told us that Matt (who I'd seen in Boston a few times before), Rick, and Michael (former Chicago Blue Man) would be performing in our show. This was neat info but I promptly forgot it, except that Rick would be playing--all the pieces fit and I was curious to see the bike guy in blue ;) hehehe.

So then, the 4:00 show was over and the blue men were outside. We couldn't resist sticking around to watch. Sharon got a picture with Matt (that cheater! ;) hehe), and we otherwise just admired the blue men from afar. We were going to head for Sonia's hotel, but just couldn't leave while there were still blue men to be watched. As soon as they left, we headed out to the hotel, only a couple blocks away. We went up to her room, which was very nice and comfy... complete with AC and hotel smell (haha). While Sonia fixed up a last Blue Man Beanie, we talked some more, just hanging out. I felt a little weird being the youngin', but I didn't really mind. I know Sharon well enough, and had talked to Sonia enough, to feel perfectly comfortable. A washcloth in Sonia's bathroom had fallen into the toilet--There's your random fact for the paragraph. After a little while we headed back to the Charles and went to the bar. Sonia treated us to drinks--ginger ale with grenadine--which was really nice of her. =) At first I'd been uneasy about being in the "bar"--like I'd get kicked out or something--but upon seeing all the younger kids in there with their families... yeah. haha. I'm such a wuss.

Finally, it was time for the show!! We had sweet seats, floor and center, towards the back... but on the aisle so we got to see the Blue Men up close a few times. Anywho. The show started. That's where I was, right?
The drumming silouhettes in the beginning were just as remembered... I indentified Matt as the Phil Part, Rick as the Matt part, and forgot the third name, so was satisfied to wait to see his blue face (hehe). A few minutes later I realized this guy was Michael... I won't forget that now, he was awesome! Hehe.
All three blue men were positively spectacular! Matt is better and better every time I see him. His real moment to shine was in "Drumbone," where he totally rocked out. He's an amazing, furious drummer. (Hell yeah!) During the PVC pieces, Michael and Matt were like partners in crime, beating the living crap out of those tubes in perfect sync, while Rick played the most interesting and energy-filled bass line I've ever heard on those songs. It was just awing to watch the three of them go. As a team, they may have been the best three I've ever seen. They worked together so beautifully. Anywho... Rick turned out to be a great blue man as well (I KNEW that guy was a blue man!), and in his steadiness, acted as a great contrast to Michael's elaborate expressions. Michael was so adorable... I don't know how to explain it; he was just precious.

Random highlights of the show, in no particular order:
--During the twinkie feast... The girl opened her twinkie right away, and upon seeing Rick (next to her) struggling with it, grabbed the thing out of his hands and opened it for him. She broke it in the process though, oops. When Matt-part's girl-on-the-painting flies into the vacuum, Rick did the most hilarious reaction I've EVER seen. He totally spazzed out, turning around in his chair 3 or 4 times it seemed... looking absolutely bewildered. I was in TEARS. lol. And later, when all four on stage had bits of twinkies on their forks, the girl's bit fell off and in perfect response, the blue men all knocked their pieces off too. I'd seen that before but it caught me by surprise, so it was still hilarious.
--During "Drumbone," Michael kept changing the notes... I don't know if that's something that's been changed to make it more interesting, or if he was just improvising, but it sounded great. We loved it. =)
--One guy to our right was having the time of his life. Between acts, he'd proclaim things like "you have to be real talented to do that **it they're doing!" and other such phrases. Really amusing and enthusiastic at the same time... The whole crowd was really great actually, hooping and hollering. Sonia said it's probably the best crowd she's EVER been in... that's a HIGH compliment considering how many shows that crazy woman has seen! ;) Anywho... plug for Boston. ;) Woo!
--Towards the end of "Endless Column," Rick was over in our aisle gently "head-bopping" (as Sonia calls it) to some people on the other side. Seeing that the people weren't responding, Sonia and I joined him instead. He noticed, and came over to us to spend a few moments head-bopping with us, which was neat.
--The band was solid as a rock. Somehow their loft seemed moved centerward a bit, but I think that's my own imagination. Unfortunately I am too drawn by the blue men to be able to watch the band much, but there was not a flaw to be heard in the music. The set-drummer and one other were both guys I've seen a few times before. And I highly enjoyed their dancing at the end, as usual. Nice work, guys. You keep the whole show both cohesive and rockin'. Keep it up. =)
--Matt made a beauuuuuuuutious spin-art. um, yup, that's it.
--Michael's marshmallow catching was so classically wonderful. He was too busy staring at the crowd below him to notice when he was supposed to start... but when he did, he caught every single marshmallow. The clump got so huge that half of it was out of his mouth... I don't know how he managed to balance it like that, but it was really, really funny-looking. lol... Still grossed me out when he spit it on the table (speaking of gross-outs, throat cam is still disgusting, even after "getting used to it").
--Sonia was the funniest person to sit beside. Even though she's seen the show umpteen times, she laughs at everything like she's a first-timer, which made me giggle internally every time. She also does the blue man salute at random excited moments. That woman has so much energy, it's insane. And this is AFter having "train lag." Haha.
--"White Rabbit" was the only bummer of the show... The middle LED screen was a little off--a little behind... so those that didn't know the words couldn't really sing. But Sonia did (very nice voice by the way), and I did for some of it... but got distracted by the sign for those that fit in the "neither" category, and also by the words "HIPPIE PAST." lol.
--The "House Song" was a lot different than I remember, which a lot of style and/or tempo changes thrown in. That one's always really fun to watch and listen to, since we don't get to hear/see it anywhere else, really.
--KLF was fun as usual, really overwhelming though... I was trying to pass paper, dance, sing (occasionally), and keep an eye out for blue men all at the same time. It didn't work too well.
--"God I love the sound of my own voice." (Or keyboard keys tapping... um.. nevermind.)
--All three blue men were nailing the heck out of all the drums and such. Later I found myself with a pounding headache, but it was worth it. No doubt they were easily egged on by the crowd. At one point during "Klein Mandlebrot," Michael was on the two small, higher-pitched drums... they're supposed to be two different pitches, but he was hitting them so hard you really couldn't tell. Ouch. ;) hehe...
--By the end of it, the crowd was deafening... The goodbye cheers and salutes were absolutely crazy. The audience must have just adored the show. With good reason! It's easily one of the best I've seen, anyways. =)

Now for my favorite part--the meet and greet. Woo! After giving the band guys a dollar for the Aids fund, I headed over to Rick first. I went up to him and said, "I knew you were a blue man!" and then gave him a half-hug and told him he did great. Or he WAS great. Or that was great. Or something along those lines. By the look on his face, I was pretty sure he remembered me from earlier. (At least I hope so, because if not my comment would've sounded pretty silly.) At this point, I was real excited to play with my new toy--my digital camera, which I was still figuring out. I took a picture of Rick before the hoard of people wanting pictures and signatures stole him away.

Then I turned around, and got a picture of Matt...

By that time Sharon and Sonia were outside, and one of them got a picture of me with Matt, which came out pretty well... which is good because it's the only picture I ended up getting of me with a Blue Man. Anyways, when I approached him for the picture, he gave a little smile and hello (and did the same for Sharon somewhere in there) and seemed to recognize us (Sharon and I). He didn't SAY so, but he looked like he did, and as far as I remember he's always been the quiet type. He, like Rick, gave a quiet thank you for our compliments--I tried to tell him he was an awesome drummer but I think I blubbered it... and other people were coming over to him, so I'm not really sure if he heard.

So then I focused my attention on Rick (bike guy ;) haha), trying to get a good candid. I was hoping to get a half-pose between his other pictures (which is how I managed a great shot of Bryce a couple year earlier), but he kept turning away to face other cameras. I ended up getting one more of him, but it looks almost identical to the first because he posed. Darn.

Then he asked if I was from the message board (I suppose he saw my shirt or something). (Ahhhh the attack of the parentheses! mwhaha.) I said "yes, I'm eternallyblue" and he nodded, then asked for my name. I was so tickled! He wanted my name! Maybe he just didn't hear me say eternallyblue and he was really asking for my screen name (again)... but I'd like to think he was asking for my birth-given name, which would be a sweet gesture in my book. Anyways. I said, "Jen... and you're Michael, right?" After I said my name, he said "Jen? I'm Michael." It somehow worked out that we said his name at the same time, hehe. Anyways, he then proceeded to say it was nice to see me, and he also thanked me for coming to the show again. (Haha, he was thanking me... that's funny and backwards... ;) heheheheh.) Then Sonia and Sharon came over and they of course wanted pictures too. Sonia explained to Michael how he'd been at her first Briar, Astor, AND Charles show... then she got her third and final kiss of the night (which gave her the lead-in to say that he was her first blue kiss and you never forget that... he gave a little laugh like he was embarrassed--really cute).

Sonia presented him with his Blue Man Beanie, which he seemed to love. I took a picture of him with it... then I looked to see how it came out on my camera, and, loving how cute it is, showed it to him. His response was, "oh, put that one on the message board!" Which I did, of course, as soon as I figured out the whole digital camera transfer thing.

Anyways... Sonia, Sharon and I were definitely hogging Michael, while the staff guys were telling everyone "no more pictures, the blue men have to go" (awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww =( so sad). Michael didn't heed the directive at first though, and continued to chat and pose for pictures for another minute or two, hehe. Finally though, he had to turn and leave us. *sniff sniff*

So sad, so sad, the blue men had to go. I asked Sonia and Sharon if they'd seen anyone with the spin-art, since I hadn't. They said no, and I hurried back into the theatre to see if I could snag it. I asked a staffer if it'd been sold and she thought not, and let me up. Sure enough, there it was on the wall. For 30 bucks, it's mine. Beautiful Matt-painting for 30 bucks... not a bad deal in my mind. Earlier, I'd been hoping for the spin-art... but didn't want purchasing it to take away any meet and greet time. So I ended up with full meet and greet AND the spin-art! I was very pleased. Hehe.

Back downstairs, the girls admired my "find" and we headed over to my parents, who'd been present on the street since we came out in the first place. Dad took some pictures of the three of us (BIG MEET HUH PEOPLE? lol) with our cameras... First smiling, then some "blue man stare" ones... I have a feeling my "blue man stares" aren't quite up to par. But ah well, it was fun. It was hard not to laugh with Mom right there giggling though.

After a bit, it was time to go (Sharon--"Time to Start!" lol)... being 18 and escorted by parents doesn't lend for much party-time afterwards. Sonia offered to treat us all to drinks but the parents didn't want to get home too too late. Ah well, perhaps next time.
The three ladies at this meet had a wonderful time. Thanks, you two, for helping to create such a memorable evening!!!! =) Sharon and I are now determined to make our way to Chicago sometime... The two of us still miss Bryce ;) and have never seen the Chi-town show... And Sonia had SO MUCH FUN (hear that, other cities? Boston!!! woooooo Boston) that she'd like to host us sometime. So look out Chi-town, here we come. =p

Hmmm... I think that's all...
Oh, driving on the way home, we say a car that had the license plate "NITRIDR." Now, we think that's supposed to be "night rider," obviously... but what if the guy's an exterminator and it really is just what it looks like--"nit ridder"? Haha... just had to put that in there. OK, I'm done. *whew* That's all folks!