Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes

There are so many new things David’s going to come back to in 2014….

Hey David, Kate Dangerous has a suitor….

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Have you heard Biebs’ new song?

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How’s your English, btw?

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Did you hear that Jackie Castro tweeted about you?

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“Chica, I’m back… call me.”

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Lots of people you know are expecting babies… how will you play with them?

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Is this you on a plane to Canada????

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haha, as if!

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Did you catch Miley’s VMA performance?

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Are you excited to hear Sara Bareilles’ and John Mayer’s new albums?

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Did you hear The Civil Wars broke up?

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And the Jonas Brothers….

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Oh, and Charice came out.

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Ya, so?

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There’s a worldwide mango shortage, jsyk.

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Word is you’re getting married, having kids, going to college and entering the space program instead of music?

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Have you considered changing the name of your song to “Twerks for Me”?

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Oh, and “What Not to Wear” has gone off the air.

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We’ve all missed you like crazy btw!

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Posted in Utter nonsense | Tagged | 36 Comments

These boots are made for moshin’

photoThese boots. Sigh.

They are on their last legs, so to speak.

The sole is cracked. They leak. The zipper sticks.

But I love them so.

Not just because they’re uber-comfortable and they go with everything I own.

But because of David.

These trusty toe-warmers have accompanied me to some of my favourite David concerts.

They’ve kept me warm in frosty lineups waiting for MoTab to begin.

They’ve bounced me senseless for Zero Gravity.

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Yes, this is my key chain… I’m a little too not over using it. 🙂

They’ve pounded the pavement in Times Square before helping me put one foot in front of the other over to Irving Plaza.

I’d like to say I was wearing them when I heard the Announcement but I was at home in my slippers listening to the cell cast… so my boots were spared being salt-stained by my tears. (Sorry, couldn’t resist, hahaha.)

But I think I will cry when I finally have to say goodbye to these babies. Every time I put them on, they transport me right back to those amazing times.

I hope they at least last until 2014.

How about you guys? Do you have favourite David mementos you’d be sad to lose?

P.S. Up to 16,366 18,463 views already btw!

Posted in Fan experience | 17 Comments

Soul man from Utah

Moaarrrrr please!

Yessssss!!!

Sing it, David!!!!

Encore!

Encore!!!

How about you guys? What’s your favourite soulful performance of David’s?

p.s. this is also a tribute to guys with deep voices who shout out “We love you, David!” during concerts. 🙂

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged | 27 Comments

A @DavidArchie good fan / bad fan questionnaire (not really)

shockedI’ve never liked the terms “good fan” and “bad fan” … in my mind, we’re all just plain “fans” who have good days and bad days.

But hey, those terms are out there, so why not have an actual questionnaire that will let us know which side we fall on. Completely scientifically accurate, of course. 🙂

Calculators ready, aaaaand go!

The Officialish David Archuleta Fan Questionnaire 

1. I have purchased every single David Archuleta album: Start with 10 points.

2. But I couldn’t bring myself to buy the stooopid memory box: Subtract 10 points.

3. I’m one of those people who spends most of David’s concerts filming or cell-casting them to share with others: Add 1,000,000 points.

4. I have been known to tweet “David Archuleta doesn’t walk, he floats on silver-lined clouds of magnificence that radiate with the perfection of a thousand stars”: You’re right… but subtract 1,000,000 points.

5. I’ve gifted other fans with concert tickets or CDs at least once: Add 500 points.

6. Pre-mission, I mailed several letters to David that included self-addressed envelopes… doused in perfume: Subtract 25 points and return the grass you stole from his yard.

7. I try to donate to David’s charities when I can: Add 65 points.

500653-david_archuleta_live_617_409-e12959217938518. I’ve been known to creep David’s friends and family on social media: Subtract a point for every incident… two points for downloading family photos.

9. I’ve gone way out of my comfort zone by traveling to faraway David performances: Add 100 points.

10. Cozying up to David’s team has wrangled me backstage/meet & greet opportunities: Subtract no points but feel the daggers of 1,000 jealous fans.

11. I power-voted for David on Idol: Add 1,000 points.

12. I fake-name-and-age voted for David for the Teen Choice Awards: Add 2,000 points… and you can throw out the Clearasil now.

13. I wish this was a pic of David and not his cousin Fernando: Subtract 25 points and wash your eyes out with soap.

14. I’ve never seen David live and my country will probably never be on his tour list but I’m still his forever fan: Add 2 million points.

15. I believe he’s keeping his hair so short because he doesn’t want anyone but himself selling his locks on eBay: You’re right… but still subtract 50 points.

16. I am listening to David’s music less and less and Beebs’ and Miley’s more and more: Subtract 50 points and smack yourself in the head.

17. I cried when he made his Announcement… with sorrow: Add 250 points.

18. I cried when he made his Announcement… with joy: Add 250 points.

19. I like his songs but download them for free online: Subtract all your points and set yourself on fire.

20. I have Chords of Strength memorized: Subtract all your points and set the book on fire.

21. I love Elevator: Add a bajillion points and come on by for cake anytime.

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Credit: Miranda Tacchia.

Now add up your points and see where you stan… um, stand:

1-250: You barely scrape by as a fan. In fact, your stan card is under review for possible revocation. To be reinstated, you need to say four verses of Prayer of the Children and the Fa La La poem… aloud… on your lawn.

250-500: You’re a six-degrees-of-separation fan. You believe that if you shine Justin Timberlake’s shoes, crash Jeannette McCurdy’s garden party, and tutor little Jonah, you’ll eventuality become bff ‘s with the Archuleta vet and get to hang with David. (Side note: The Archuleta vet’s not returning my calls for some strange reason.)

500-750: You are an average fan. You are so average, in fact, that you probably aren’t reading this because you aren’t extreme enough to troll Twitter or lurk on fan sites. It is rumoured you spell Archuleta with two “Ts”.

750-850: You are a good fan, except on the days when you’re a bad fan. You only criticize David, his team, his family, his beliefs, and other fans when they truly deserve it and you make sure you do so under the uber-creative screen names of “Anonymous,” “Lurker” or “Feel Free to Smack Me.”

850-1,000: You are a goodish fan. You only bought his Idol tracks and Glad Christmas Tidings. You might consider buying more if he comes back and duets with Susan Boyle.

1,000-1,200: You are a moderate fan. Moderately insane. You have so many David autographs, you’ve considered forging cheques with them. You sublet in Rancagua and sleep with a Josh Bradley body pillow.

1,200+: You are the perfect fan.* David has no clue who you are and he likes it that way. But he appreciates everything you do so much that when he looks straight into the camera during “Touch My Hand,” he is totally looking at you. For real.

*Yes, this was my score. Thanks for asking.

Posted in Utter nonsense | Tagged | 44 Comments

Theatre of the Absurd: One @DavidArchie fan’s story

I originally posted this after the David/Demi tour and when I came across it in the dusty archives I was surprised how much of it still applied… although “absurd” has morphed into “bemused acceptance,” for me at least, lol.

How about you guys??

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DemiLovatoPoster-246x300I think it was the email from the Demi Lovato fan club that did it.“Hey, Demi Lovato fan!” it started innocently enough. “We wanted to let you know your fan club welcome packages have been ordered! They will include a Demi poster, exclusive fan club laminate and mirror compact… be sure to check your mailbox over the next few weeks.”Gulp. Mailbox? Next few weeks? I pictured my husband intercepting my “welcome package” … the mirror compact crashing to the floor dooming me to seven years bad luck – or worse, seven more years in her fan club.

That’s when the light bulb went off.

When the sheer absurdity of my life as a David Archuleta fan hit me in the head harder than a beach ball kicked by you-know-who.

I’d completely forgotten about the stupid membership. I’d bought it back in the spring, desperate to gain access to concert presale tickets — tickets to a show hundreds of miles away. Tickets for myself and three friends — friends I’d met on the Internet.

But the absurdity didn’t end there. Oh no. When the concert was cancelled (sorry, “postponed”), for a moment I forgot that the average concert goer attends shows in their own hometown, making it no big deal if the date is rescheduled. For me, it was a big deal. Too big. So for that moment, I wailed and flailed like these kids.

I mean, doesn’t everyone take vacation days and make elaborate travel plans to faraway cities to hear an 18-year-old sing a handful of songs? “How could this happen?!?” I screamed to no one in particular. “What is wrong with you people?!?”

But once the shock and crushing disappointment abated (who am I kidding, I’m still disappointed), I had to laugh at myself – and at the year or so of absurdities I’d been racking up in this, my first experience with extreme fandom.

Please allow me to share a few highlights:

Absurd scenario #1: Spotting a vest in a men’s store window and walking in to check it out because it would look great on a kid who doesn’t know me from Adam Lambert. The sales guy asks if he can help me find anything. My sanity, maybe?

mozart-arias-cecilia-bartoli-daniel-barenboim-cd-cover-artFlo_Rida_-_Right_Round_Official_CoverAbsurd scenario #2: Blowing off a chance to attend a rare Toronto performance by renowned soprano Cecilia Bartoli. Why? To rush to Buffalo, of course, for the Kissmas Bash, also featuring Flo-Rida.

Absurd Scenario #3: At the office, grabbing my wallet out of my purse and inadvertently yanking out my VIP lanyard thingie, with David’s face emblazoned on one side…. Who needs that raise anyway?

Absurd Scenario #4: Not having a clue what many of my friends or family were up to yesterday, but knowing David saw yellow hills set against a blue sky.

Absurd Scenario #5: Trying to convey to a pal why I’d planned to go to more than one show. “So each one has different songs?” she asks, struggling to make sense of the absurdity. How do I explain that the songs are almost irrelevant – it’s that Voice, it’s just David. And yet, that alone sounds absurd.

But then my friends and I finally get to the one show left of our tattered road trip. And David starts to sing. And everything makes sense again.

It’s a VIP. The song is I’ll Be. He holds the “I” so strong and true, if I could climb inside that note and live there, I would.

I well with love that spills from my eyes. Nothing absurd about that. Nothing at all.

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
Emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky
Never revealing their depth
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I’ll be captivated
I’ll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

I’ll be your crying shoulder
I’ll be love’s suicide
and I’ll be better when I’m older
I’ll be the greatest fan of your life


Posted in Fan experience | Tagged | 24 Comments

Benedict meets @DavidArchie: Fame, what’s your name?

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Goggles and snowsuits can’t hide The Archuleta.

The lovely Jonerz sent me this quote from the actor Benedict Cumberbatch (yes, that is his real name) on fame and I couldn’t help but think of David, and how he’s handled his “ever-shrinking island” of privacy, and other trade-offs for being a well-known face.

“You can’t imagine fame. You can only ever see it from an outsider and comment on it with the rueful wisdom of a non participant. When it happens to you, it doesn’t matter what age or how, it is a very steep learning curve. The important thing to realize in all of it is that life is short, to protect the ones you love, and not expose yourself to too much abuse or narcissistic reflection gazing and move on. If fame affords me the type of ability to do the kind of work I’m being offered, who am I to complain about the downsides. It’s all relative. And this are obviously very high class problems. The way privacy becomes an ever shrinking island is inevitable but also manageable and it doesn’t necessary have to get that way…”

I have always been impressed with the way David’s handled his “fame” since Star Search days. I noticed that whenever an interviewer asked him what it was like to be famous, he’d say something like, “It depends on what you mean by that word … more people know who I am now” … it really struck me what an accurate non-boastful way it was to describe celebrity.

Simply that more people know your face… and think they know you.

“If fame affords me the type of ability to do the kind of work I’m being offered, who am I to complain about the downsides.” In David’s case, you could think of that statement in terms of his music career but also the loftier goals he appears to set for himself … to help and serve others… to help and serve God.

What do you guys think? Will the assault on David’s privacy ever drive him from the music business? Or is he savvy enough to know that it’s part and parcel of the path he’s chosen to take? And will the fact that his career hasn’t blown up to Bieber-size proportions yet help him retain a more private personal life?

P.S.

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend all my fellow Canucks!!!!!!! Thankful for all of you guys… oh, and David, too! 🙂

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged | 15 Comments

Fill in the @DavidArchie blank

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Click pic 4 source.

Don’t you love those songs that make you want to jump out of your chair and dance your feet off? “My Hands” did that for me from the first album.

And as far as non-David songs go, my Top 10 would include the original Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Whitney’s “I’m Every Woman,” REM’s “Losing My Religion,” Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl,” and anything by Michael Jackson.

I would love for David to release a song that made people leap onto the dance floor.

How about you guys? How would you complete this sentence:

I would love for David to release a song that _______________________.

 

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged | 14 Comments

Dear Mr. @DavidArchie postman

DavidMailDid anyone else see this on their FB feed? Slightly different that the tweet that went out around the same time.

This seemed like more of a “please send David mail, stat!” message. Or maybe that’s just me.

It got me thinking though. Thinking about what it must feel like for David knowing that in less than six months you’ll be home. Wondering how many fans are actually left. Wrestling with decisions about what to do next. Maybe seeing your mail dwindling to a few lonely postcards.

As much as I’d love to, I can’t find an ace mentor for him or line up a label or bankroll his next recording. Heck, I’m not even qualified to cut his hair.

But I can grab a pen and some paper and splash out for a stamp. Even if I just say “Still here, D.  ~ Hasta luego… à bientôt.” That much I can do.

What do you guys think? Am I overreacting?

Posted in Fan experience | Tagged | 19 Comments

Happy B-day, TOSOD!

Screen shot 2013-10-04 at 11.05.34 PMI still love TOSOD. I still listen to it. A lot. Not just because it’s David but because I love the songs. Especially the Asia Tour Edition because just when I think it’s at the end … *SURPRISE!* … there’s more!

So happy 3rd birthday, TOSOD. Celebrating by watching this epic live chat from album release week.

Fave parts:

  • “I’m not yelling. *eyebrows* I’m just stating a fact.”
  • Spontaneous singing. (Does he only do that in Spanish now? 🙂 )
  • Spontaneous burping.
  • “My brain’s kinda like wkkkcykkk
  • “Hi Gladys from Argentina!” 🙂

Fave bits:

Fan tweet: “We love Melinda.”

David: BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Melinda: “Why is that funny?”

Fan tweet: “Will you come to Canada?”

David: “I actually would really love to. Canada’s so close to here. It shouldn’t be too difficult to plan a trip over there. And that’s something we discussed today again too. That’s a concern I brought up. I know it’s hard to get to other places but Canada’s pretty close by and a lot of those fans come over the border so I should make the effort to go over to say hi to them too.”

*sigh*

He loved reading the first Harry Potter book so much he read it all day??? How did I miss this????

“I might be a hoarder.”

“Thank you, Anna, for helping out.” 🙂

How about you guys? What were your favourite parts of the chat? Or songs on TOSOD?

P.S.

The lovely @rhiminee’s TOSOD tribute started a month ago!

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Posted in Fan experience | Tagged | 15 Comments

Possibly the most hilarious @DavidArchie convo. Ever.

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So there you have it, guys, David Archuleta is real… or is he??? *Twilight Zone music*

P.S.

"RICOLA! RICOLAAAAA!!!!!"

“RICOLA! RICOLAAAAA!!!!!”

Posted in Utter nonsense | Tagged | 25 Comments