90 Seconds with Celine or A Dream Comes True

90 seconds with Celine
or
A Dream Come True.


Oh What the hell does it matter what the title is...this blog is BOTH of those things.

It just occurred to me, a year and four months later that I never really publicly shared the in-depth, play by play moments of when I had my Celine Dion private meet and greet.  WTF Feola?!

This is certainly a memory that I don't mind reliving - but I figure I better put it in writing if I ever DO start to forget in my old age.

It's no secret - old friends and new friends that are reading this - I've been a passionately loyal Celine Dion fan for more than half of my life.  From that moment when I was dancing with a gal named Lindsay at the Sadie Hawkins dance in middle school and heard the first bar of It's All Coming Back to Me Now - I was hooked.

It had been the first time in my life that I was truly moved by a voice, and lyrics, and music, and the (7 minute) story...It was the combination of the passion behind the storytelling and this voice that did me in.

That night, I recall this conversation with my mom...

Mom:  How was the dance?
Me: Good!  MOM!  I heard this song, that was something like this (humming) and it's this woman and her voice is amazing and its something about Gone With The Wind and something about coming back to me now!
Mom:....

Well, it went something like that.  Someone in the conversation casually goes, "Thats Celine Dion.." That christmas I got the Falling Into You album.  From 13 years old and on through high school I grew up listening to each album that came out and watched each appearance on The Rosie O'Donnell Show and Oprah.  I remember cheering her on in my living room at my moms house for every award show and every acceptance speech -  Still, 18 years later, a dedicated fan. (I got less crazy as I got older...)

Fast forward to Summer 2013 during my time as Company Manager on Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812.  A member of the band told me he plays the Cello in Celine Dion's orchestra in Vegas, after I told him I was going to Vegas to celebrate my 30th.  I then revealed that I will be attending her final show of the year.  After a brief chat, he casually says, "...and if you want maybe we can go downstairs and say hi to Celine..." *gulp* "Sure, that'd be cool" I nonchalantly say.

Goes to show you that there are amazing people in the world.  The funny thing is, he never knew that I was even a fan - this happen-by-chance moment ended up being a moment of fate.  The stars were aligned.

He went on to further say we may be able to take part in a back stage tour of the set, in addition to a *gulp* meet and greet!  Two weeks before our trip to Vegas, I got an email from my friend.

I find myself disappointed when I couldn't find the actual email, but it went something like this:

Jeff - looking forward to seeing you in vegas.  I hate to say that someone ruined the backstage tour for us and we're no longer able to give them...

Immediate thought: F$#K

However, I was able to set up a meet and greet for you and your mom at 7:15.  You'll get your picture taken with her and get to say a few words. 

All I remember was calling my mom pretty overwhelmed with emotion telling her this good news.  My thirtieth birthday was going to consist of my amazing mother, my one in a million brother, and my mental cousin Anthony (sorry Ant) and we were going to be in Las Vegas and I will be meeting my idol and seeing her show the night I turn 30.  Sounds good.

The actual experience of standing in front of her will never be fully explainable.

The whole trip was amazing - the sun, the swimming, the night life - amazing.  The process of getting dressed, and getting in the cab, and driving to The Colosseum all happened so fast.  I remember walking through the casino, to the entrance and seeing the happy face of my friend that set this all up.  It was a monumental moment in my life - I had my new friend, my mom, Ryan, Anthony and Bethany and Kelly were there too - i was bursting with excitement.

We were led through an exit door, to another door, that led to a staircase - I remember begin amazing how everything went from glamor to white cinder blocks and iron staircases.  My friend ended up taking us to the dressing rooms and the administrative offices where he introduced us to Rene's son and another family member.  Talk about a fancy waiting room, with some comfy sofas!  Gorgeous!

Now, at this point, it's 7:22 - her show starts at 7:30, and I hear, "OK, you two are first."

This was it - they put us in another room with a backdrop and a camera man.  There was a door open to my far left that I was SURE Celine Dion would walk through any minute.  My mom saw every ounce of my nervous and excited energy - any minute now - now, I'm starting to sweat - and I hear, "Ok, she's coming" from some girl on a walkie talkie - and you felt the energy of the room just SHIFT!

The moment I heard the clicking of high heels on a marble floor I couldn't believe she was about to walk through that door.  And then...she did.  I remember gasping like a big ole queen and starring at her, in her beautiful red ensemble, talking to my mom.

"Hi mom" Celine says, and shakes my moms hand.  I remember looking at my mom and seeing her face so genuine and awestruck when she said to Celine, "You look beautiful" in which Celine responds, "So do you"!

She makes her way to me and I just couldn't believe it.

She is shaking my hand while I'm just gushing to her - trying to fit almost 18 years worth of feelings into 90 seconds.  I go on and on about how she's inspired me and how I was a fan before My Heart Will Go On, and saying how its a dream to celebrate my 30th birthday with her - and she tilts her head to the side, clearly touched by my nuttiness, and says a little "awww, how sweet" and then a "Happy Birthday" and we took a picture.  I don't think I'll ever forget the way her clothing felt - such a weird thing to remember right? I shook her hand again after the photo, cupping our handshake with my other hand, probably borderline not wanting to let go, and overcome with emotion, I breakdown a little, and said something like "This is a dream come true".

No big deal, just 90 seconds with Celine.

Of course the show was amazing - just everything I could have hoped for and more.

I share this story not to brag, but to put a good thing out in the universe.  Good things can happen, and there are good people out there. Dreams come true all the time - I think never losing hope and never giving up is the key.  I always knew that I would get to meet Celine.  I always had a feeling. I just had no idea it would happen so early in my life. Having passion and drive helps too.  Go for it people!

So, yeah...thats my Celine story.   Anytime I am down or sad I know that I can always look back on this memory and a smile will wash away anything bringing me down.  That's a powerful memory.