Write It Down, Without a Sound

July 26th

Dear Journal,
Don’t have much time to write tonight. Basically today was a normal tour day, with lots of fun random moments with the guys. Today was pretty laid back compared to most tour days even though the band did an acoustic set as well as their usual one. They didn’t have much press to do so it was the usual hang around the grounds, signing and hanging around on the bus.

Kennedy tried to show me the basis of using an acoustic guitar but I’m not good at that sort of stuff when it comes to my left hand. I don’t know why but it’s useless for complicated things like that, I can’t even play Guitar Hero above easy difficulty. It was a good hour spent alone with Kennedy sitting in the sun. He sang a couple of songs for me. He has a really nice voice. I already knew that but to hear it like that, just us and him singing alone really showed how nice of a singing voice he has. I might have to ask if he can do that more often.

The band worked on some new music this afternoon and I finished my current book. Other than the usual video game saga and telling of old tour stories (I love listening to them, my favourite nights are when this happens) nothing much else happened. We hung around and went to bed. I think it’s getting to that part of the tour where everyone is content but tired and starting to think of home. I think we have about 2 weeks left, or so. I can’t remember.

Time goes past way to quickly.

July 27th

Dear Journal,
Hotel night, finally! Soft bed, proper shower and a shampoo bottle that isn’t sitting in my night bag empty.

Apart from a decent sized bed, long showers are probably one of the luxuries that I miss the most. Just being able to clean myself without having to rush and realising I still have soap somewhere that didn’t rinse off properly when I’m half way through drying is amazing. That and being able to wash the mop on my head that I call hair is relieving. My head gets itchy when my hair starts to get really oily and the last two days it’s been driving me bat shit insane.

Kennedy and I are sharing a room - surprise, surprise -thanks to the guys. Somehow they convinced Tim to get a room for us behind our backs for the night. We had no idea until we were given the room keys as to what they did and by then we really couldn’t say no. Though I doubt we would have. I have no idea how Tim managed to score the room and one that has a queen size bed. The hotel looks completely packed, so I’m guessing he swapped with another band or something.

Naturally as we got to the rooms, John shoved us inside the second we had the door open with a ‘Have fun, kids. Don’t be too loud!’ while wiggling his eyebrows, then run down the hall laughing. If I had been wearing flip flops I would have thrown one after him. My face was on fire from blushing so hard, Kennedy didn’t look much better. We could hear John and two others laughing like 13 year old girls for ten minutes after that.

We settled into the room easily enough and Kennedy let me have first shower as he texted furiously on his phone. I dunno what he would have said and to whom but twenty minutes after I got out of the shower Garrett brought is dinner from Macca’s down the street.

As usual there wasn’t much on TV, we watched Mythbusters and turned the TV off after that. I got one of my larger notebooks out and we curled up on the bed talking through ink for a long time about anything and everything. It was really nice and I got to know more about him and the things the guys have gotten up to on tour. I think I have already written in here that I love hearing tour stories, but I’ll write it again. I love them. They are just so fascinating and interesting. It amazes me some of the places they have been to and seen. I’ve never thought much about visiting other countries but there are some things I’d like to see one day given the opportunity.

Eventually our conversation turned towards things to do with my muteness and Kennedy wanted to know some new signs he didn’t know yet. I’m not terribly great with sign language but I know enough to get by if I really, really needed it. My notebook or phone usually does fine. Oddly enough I can read sign language much better than speak with it. Kennedy is a fast learner and we attempted to only talk with vague sign language for an hour (it was more like a game of charades) and gave up after ten minutes. It was hilarious though.

It’s only early still (by our standards anyway) but after talking for two hours we decided to pack it in. Kennedy is already trying to go to sleep just as I’m about to, but I thought I’d better write in here first or I would miss a day. I’ve been good on not missing any for a long time. I actually thought I’d given up writing a journal by now. I’m so glad I haven’t.

Well, Kennedy is saying he’s waiting for his ‘goodnight kiss’ and snuggles (I’m sure he’s only saying it out loud to make me blush, again)... I could totally get used to the goodnight kiss thing though. ‘Night.

July 28th

Dear Journal,
Travelling day. Finished another book. Played a bunch of games and kicked everyone’s ass at Crash Team Racing. Movie afternoon with Kennedy in his bunk.

I miss the hotel bed. I miss my bed.

It’s 2am. I’m tired. I didn’t miss writing today though! Yay me!

July 29th

Dear Journal,
We have about 9 days left on tour (or possibly 11? I dunno) and it’s weird to think about going home. It’s like I finally got used to this, used to the idea of being here and comfortable with the whole thing and now were going home.

In a way I’m still not used to doing this, living on the road in a moving bus, but I’m so much better and comfortable with everything than when I started. I didn’t even want to be here, not really. I guess I can say I’m glad I did now. I’m starting to worry about what I’m going to do when I get home, go back to job searching again I guess, oh fun.

I don’t want to think of that yet.

Today was the usually happenings. Arrive, set up, sound check, watch people play and wonder the grounds, watch the guys play, pack up, wonder around, possibly party and leave. It’s pretty repetitive despite everyday being different. Kennedy said their usual tours are a little better because they have more time for stuff like exploring the cities, sight-seeing and relaxing in a place that isn’t packed of people or on the bus. I guess it would be a little more laid back too for the most part compared to Warped Tour.

It’s a great opportunity to meet people though, see different things and really get into being the bands part-time photographer. John said I should sell some prints of pictures I took of them, to have some extra money for myself. I’m considering it.

I watched All Time Low play again today and Fall Out Boy. I also watched a couple of the smaller and local bands too. They were pretty good. ATL and FOB were awesome, like normal. I got some really good photos of them, my favourite would be of when Jack and Zack do their duo jump thingy and I snapped it at the perfect second. I’m really stoked about that. It will look amazing printed in a large size.

Garrett, Kennedy and I started what was going to be an Angry Beaver marathon before word of a bus party spread around like wildfire and everyone wanted to go. I didn’t really want to and was humming and haring about it for a while, but somehow John – I’m sure it was a trick – convinced me into going. Kennedy seemed happy that I was but didn’t saying anything about it. We were off the bus and headed for one of the open backstage areas. The music was that loud that the tent over the stereo system was vibrating. The music was good though, re-mixes and song mashers of every band on the tour. Normally a lot of re-mix songs like that don’t appeal to me but whoever did those songs did a great job. I got Kennedy and Jared up dancing!

“I can’t dance yet, I haven’t had a drink.”
‘and? Your point is?’
“I’m only a good dancer when I’m drunk.”
“Same here.”

I gave them both a very pointed look and that was the end of the whining. They were both grinning in less than 2 minutes and managed to drag a whole bunch of other people into our little dance area.

Other than the dancing I mostly stuck with Kennedy or Garrett, it was hard to keep a conversation with how loud the music was and it was making it harder for people to understand me and some were getting quite confused trying to talk with more than one other person and have me flash my notebook. In the end I mostly just listened or talked to people when they wanted to speak to me directly.

If it wasn’t for bus call I would have probably spent all night talking to Zack Merrick about photos. He didn’t happen to have his camera on him but offered to show me some pictures that he has taken during the tour when we got the chance, which is really nice of him. He and the rest of the ATL guys are great to hang out with, it’s a shame we don’t have much time to do so. I got to talk to Patrick Stump for a little while about music, it was awesome!

I’m still star struck talking to some people here, it’s embarrassing. Patrick didn’t seem to mind if he happened to notice. I hope he didn’t.

We didn’t get back to the bus until late (2 am bus call) some of the guys stayed up partying quietly in the front lounge while others went to bed. Pat and I had a little pushing fight over who got to brush their teeth in my bathroom first. Somehow we both managed to fit in there (how?!) and brush our teeth with only elbowing each other every two seconds. Garratt got a picture.

Kennedy squashed himself with me in my bunk and talked about the party for a while. He just left to go to sleep, like I should. Hopefully I get a little sleep in tomorrow.

I was planning on going to bed around 11, oh well.