Garth Brooks' Biggest Fan

      

On my TV right now, this very minute, is Garth Brooks.  Garth Brooks, Live from Las Vegas. Be still my heart! I love Garth Brooks.  I am his biggest fan, not because he is such an excellent singer-- even he says he is not that great a singer, but because he is so funny, he is such a showman, I like how he sings, and he just seems like such a nice guy.    
        My heart was broken when he was on Oprah one year, quite a while back, and I could not get tickets to go even though it was filmed right here in Amarillo.  Do you remember, in 1998, when some fool monied rancher here in the TX panhandle sued Oprah because she said -- on her TV show -- she would never eat a hamburger again and cattle prices fell the next day?? Obviously her fault. (picture big eyes rolling here) It was during a mad cow scare.  Oprah brought her crew here to Amarillo and filmed her show from Amarillo Little Theater for months during the trial.  That was back before Phil McGraw, PhD was "Dr. Phil."  He was here too, every day, guiding her through the trial.  At the time he had a company in Dallas called Courtroom Sciences, Inc, a trial sciences firm.  He is a big guy -- we saw him on the local news every night right next to Oprah, and we all thought he was a bodyguard.  By the way, she won.
     Anyway, back to Garth.  I didn't get to see Garth on Oprah, except on TV like the rest of the world.  It was his birthday.  Oprah had for a surprise for him -- she brought his Momma & Daddy out with a big birthday cake.  Oprah seems like a real nice person too.  However, one year, I DID get to go to a Garth Brooks concert ... the only concert I have ever in my life been able to attend.  Some times one is enough, if you get to go to the best one.  The year Garth Brooks came to Amarillo for a concert my daughter wanted to go.  I hadn't planned, even dreamed of being able to get tickets but my daughter, who seldom asked for anything, wanted to go.  I have no idea how I came up with the money but I did and me & the 4 kids had the time of our lives.  I remember standing in line f.o.r. e.v.e.r. with my daughter to get those tickets.  I remember going to the concert.  It was outside at a football stadium.  It was awesome. That was one of the best nights of my life -- me and my kids having a blast listening to Garth Brooks.  Life was good. No, life was great.
    I am enjoying this TV special so much.  If you are a Garth fan I hope you were able to see it too.  The only thing I don't like is how often he stops singing and lets the audience sing the words.  Well, at least we know he does not lip sync! :) 
     Tonight, sitting here watching Garth on this TV special I felt happier than I have in I don't know when.  I love his songs, I love his facial expressions, I love his fun, I love his sense of humor and he made me feel good. It reminded me of good times with my kids. It made me feel Happy with a capital H.  That, my friends, is no small thing.  I think this feeling is "the joy of life" my therapists and psychiatrists have told me for decades that I should feel (as I look at them like what the heck are you talking about).  Something even bottles and bottles of Cymbalta haven't been able to do for me.  I am grateful for this 2 hour special that brought me so much happiness. Some where I have some worn out CD's of Garth's.  I need to find those and play them all day long tomorrow and try to keep this feeling inside of me.
    P. S,  I also giggle at myself ---- me, this almost 60 year old, non-alcohol drinking, can't carry a tune in a bucket, Mormon grandma, belting out "I've Got Friends In Low Places Where The Whiskey Flows And The Beer Chases My Blues Away"  along with Garth on the TV.  Too funny! 
     And one more thing,  I am starting my bucket list.  It seems impossible but you never know.  The first thing I am putting on my bucket list is to have a front row seat  (okay, I will take any seat) to see Garth Brooks in Las Vegas.  Or anywhere else, for that matter.