I feel so...so SHINY... (Page 1 of 2)

See, gary, I told you back on August 30 of last year that you'd need a calendar to count down how long it would take me to get to 1,000... 

Bonus points to everyone who got the Firefly reference in the post title...

Yeah, this is going to be one of those posts, I'm afraid. If you're the sort of person who flips out if a post has more than a couple of sentences in it, you'd best be on your way. And if you're the sort of person who thinks that people make too big a fuss over “meaningless” things like post counts and Forum labels, you can excuse yourselves as well.

They gone? Good. Now, for those of you still reading, this post has been in the works for awhile. Once I knew I would be seeing Joe three times in a week (Omaha, Sioux City, Des Moines), I planned it so that my posts about those shows would take me right up to the brink, and that's how it worked out. I have spent a lot of time over the past couple of days putting the finishing touches on Post No. 1,000. For reasons which I hope will be apparent as you read it, I wanted it to be special. I don't know if I achieved that, but I will say that writing it has been most gratifying. It is long in part because there is so much I want to say, and in part because I know that, after I post it, I have to go back to dealing with the professional, economic, physical, and even romantic turmoil that is my life right now, and that means I will be back to posting only sporadically, for awhile...

I first began lurking here back in December of 2010, but decided to hold off on joining/posting until the arrival of my Epiphone JBLP (aka “Paula”). That happened on January 3, 2011. Here's that post: https://forum.jbonamassa.com/viewtopic. … 22#p174222  The very first person to welcome me to the Forum was my fellow flatlander Lee, whom I have now met at a couple of shows (along with the wonderful Renee). Little did I know what that simple post would lead to...

Early on, I spent most of my time commenting on other peoples' posts, mostly in the gear section and the show reviews. I didn't know a soul here, but no one seemed to mind that I was a noob, not only to the Forum but to Joe and his music as well. It wasn't long before I became comfortable enough to begin commenting (and even initiating threads) with some regularity. This is a most congenial community, easily the friendliest of any I have encountered online (and I have been involved in online forums for 20 years)...and one of the few I have ever seen where the person to whom it is devoted actually reads and contributes!

On March 9, 2012, I took delivery of “India” (the Ernie Ball Music Man 25th Anniversary model that Joe is holding in my avatar photo). Here's the announcement I posted that day (I wasn't trying to be coy, I really did want Joe to be pleasantly surprised at the Meet & Greet, and he was): https://forum.jbonamassa.com/viewtopic. … 91#p226991 As it turned out, when I finally got to meet Joe and show her to him, I was so nervous that I actually forgot to have him sign her, a story you can read here: https://forum.jbonamassa.com/viewtopic.php?id=21150

As I have said many times, I think I like having that story to tell more than I would have liked Joe's sig on the guitar.    And now you know the REAL story behind my avatar photo...

I have gone away from this place a couple of times after getting caught up in some drama or other, usually involving someone saying nasty things about Joe and/or the people around here who matter to me. In particular, I take umbrage at being told I'm a “mindless fanboy.” As I wrote the last time that happened: “This isn't some garden-variety message board devoted to music in general, it is the gathering place for Joe's fandom. It is Bonamassaville. That is its purpose. If you think we are mindless fanboys, kindly go elsewhere. We sort of like being fanboys. And, speaking strictly for myself, there is nothing 'mindless' about my appreciation for Joe and his music, thank you very much.” But I simply can't stay away for long. This place is too important a part of my life to stay away...and Patty wouldn't stop bugging me to come back... 

What else? Well, I want to take some time to express my appreciation to some folks, if that's okay...

Thanks to all the various folks I have interacted with at J&R, including Brett, assorted Alexes (Alexi?), Andy, Eric, and Larry (I know Larry caught a lot of heat from folks in these parts, but he went out of his way to do me a true kindness, and I don't forget such things)...

I owe at least one adult beverage to bunches of you with whom I have interacted here, including (but not limited to): cindyron, AD3THREE, sally12333, JBFan4Life, jb best there is, dknight16, hansamike, Bill S, Sandy Girl, AndreS, macg1, Devan, JBFan1, conorb, gary, Greenose, NPB_EST.1979, Brack, airportdon, Blues4Life21, stevebonamassive, Denbon18, matt74, bigjeffjones, DaveWammbarro, kestrou, helrazr84, ohiodawg13, Shredit, cathysiler, jclark42796, Guytron, wvgirlinky, Bonamazing, BluesMan,  Angela, Pete The Cabby, iahawk36, Psmith1946, Rockfarmer, kevman13, stefanhauk, Curby, Schritzer, Deezer, Stu Craig, BansheeUK, Jimi75, RV Flyer, samjp4, Lizzee, bump827, guido, RoadcaseBoy, whirlwind, matirocker, and Buzzy. The RiverCat, on the other hand, can kiss my Irish ****! (Just kidding...  )

Big hugs to the Forum regulars I have met over these past three shows (Omaha, Sioux City, Des Moines). I met a bunch of you in Sioux City, but I was in so much pain that night I know I will forget some names. In any event, it was SO much fun to finally meet you all, including Phil & Natasha, Lee & Renee (whom I sat behind and met briefly at Des Moines 2012), and of course Rick, with whom I had a marvelous chat at the Des Moines M&G...

My undying affection also for a small number of Forum members who have, in one way or another, done me kindnesses far above and beyond anything I had a right to expect. These are special people to me, even though I have never (to my knowledge) laid eyes on them: Jane H., jim m, Spider, Rocket, and Amsterhammer...

As I mentioned earlier, when I first found the forum, I just “lurked,” and concentrated my attention on the posts about gear, and about live shows. But it wasn't long after I began visiting that I started noticing posts from someone calling herself pattyluvsjoe, who lived in Indianola, Iowa (which is only about 85 miles east of where I live). She seemed to be Joe's most enthusiastic fan. Her cheerfulness and enthusiasm had a lot to do with my decision to officially join the forum. I am grateful beyond measure to know her, and whether she knows it or not she has been a grace from God in my life. Thanks, Patty!

I am deeply grateful to all of the wonderful folks who work so hard to make the live shows such a thrill, and grateful as well to all of the peerless musicians who have appeared with Joe onstage or on his recordings. There are too many such folks to list, of course, but I did want to mention two: Rick Melick, whom I miss, and whose haunting drone at the outset of the RAH encore is STILL the soundtrack in my head every time I pick up “India,” and Gerry O'Connor, whose beautiful violin playing evoked tears from me repeatedly in Omaha, Des Moines, and especially in Sioux City (because I was just a few feet away and could see the expressions on his face as he played)...

So, what to say about Joe? Well, wvgirlinky once wrote this to a newcomer to the forum: “Welcome, sounds like Joe B found your heart and filled it up.” I thought that was an apt description of what he has done for many of us. It is certainly apt in MY case. Before I discovered Joe, it had been so long since I had found any new music that excited me that I had pretty much given up hope of ever experiencing that joy again in my life. I was wrong. And since I found him, I have had my heart filled up over and over with some of the most stirring music I have ever heard...

Joe, that is the best gift you could ever have given me, far in excess of any handshake, chit-chat, autograph, etc. Thank you for all you have given, and will give to us all...you, too, are a grace from God in my life.

To everyone who has read this far, thank you. And to one and all in Bonamassa Nation: Hope you had a safe, joyous, and blessed Easter!