Today was a great day. Do I dare say I had Happy moments? Sure, I dare. I had a lot of happy moments today. It's such a respite from the Debbie Downer phase that I've largely been in this year. 2025 has sucked. But today was a respite in the dark.
I am a child of the 80's (born in 1968) but I graduated high school in 86 and went to college 86-90. It was one of the best decades of my life, I think second only to the 2010's. I do believe the 80s was the best decade ever with an honorable mention to the 50's and roaring 20's in the US. Interestingly the best decades seemed to have come the decade after major world wars. The 80s gave us Reagan, MTV, Spielberg movies, Big Hair, and Apple Computers. I was also a big fan of the music of the 80s. Music was very important to me during my formative years. I had already seen most of my favorite bands in concert previously (Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Loverboy) But one I hadn't seen yet was YES the progressive rock band started in the 70s but exploded in the 80s courtesy in part because of MTV. My favorite all time album is from YES 90125 released in late 1983.
So I was quite excited to see that YES was coming in concert to Durham. I need to see the bands of my youth quickly as the band members keep dying off (RIP Ace Frehly). So I went to look for tickets 2 months ago. The only tickets I could find were $1000 each. (YES was playing in a smaller venue in the Carolina Theater in Durham with only a capacity of 1048.) So while I love the 80's I don't love them that much. Plus, I don't have anyone to go to a concert with me. I don't have many friends I hang out with just yet. That is part of my challenge. But as the date got closer I kept checking habitually for tickets to get cheaper. I found if I ordered them directly from the venue I wouldn't have to pay the exorbitant 3rd party fees. Still there weren't any good seats available. The only seats I could find were the nosebleed seats in the second balcony. Plus, there were only a couple of seats left. I reasoned if the concert sold out, I have good excuse NOT to go. It would save me money and I'd get to sleep on time (Im getting old). But I kept checking. The nose bleed seats were slowing being bought up. OK, it was not meant to be, I reasoned. Then last week I checked again ready to buy the nosebleed seats when a couple of seats in the PIT (right in front of the stage) suddenly opened up. Not only that but those seats originally listed in the VIP section with a $500 price tag. Now those same seats were only $15 more than the nose bleed seats. I snapped it up quickly. The next day the seats were gone. So instead of second row from the back, I was now in the second row from the stage dead center. (Pics attached). I had something to look forward to.
But still I bought only one ticket. I thought to myself, are people allowed to go to these sort of things alone? I wasn't sure, I had never been to a concert alone (movies yes, but concerts no). It's not like I would stand out, I would go enjoy the music and the experience by myself. I'm starting to become accustomed to being alone. Having someone to share those experiences with would sure be nice but it's not in the cards for me right now. I'm making the best of it. I got to the show early. The lobby was packed with a bunch of old people. It's not lost on me that I'm an old people now too. I just thought a venue full of my peers made me laugh. I don't feel as old as they looked. One thing for certain is the crowd would not stand up during the entire concert and ruin the view. That's a perk of all those seniors. I jest....kind of.
The show started right on time at 8 with no opening act. The show was awesome. I really enjoyed myself despite the fact that they didn't play any of my favorite songs from the 90125 album like Owner of a Lonely Heart, Leave It, Hold On, It can happen to you etc... I had so much fun, just by myself. That was so refreshing to me that it can be done. I'm even so jazzed that I'm writing this blog way past my bed time. I have to be up for work in 5 hours. I believe the feelings I'm having at this moment is confirmation that God does indeed have my back. God wants his children to be joyful and even happy sometimes. “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”— John 15:11. “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”— Psalm 16:11
. So does God care about the little things like one of his followers wanting to go to a concert to be happy? You bet he does. Psalm 147:3 says "He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds." I'm certainly broken hearted and today I felt like my wounds were tended to emotionally and psychologically. God cares about the minute details even while He's managing the universe. He's actualy concerned with my Peace and Joy and wanted me to be whole again. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. It's been really difficult to delight myself in the Lord in 2025. But on Oct. 16 I was able to Delight in him even though I was alone...YES!
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