I haven’t been on Tumblr in probably over a year, but I’m going to try and blog more - so actually be ready for a flood of pictures if you follow me. If you follow me on IG & Twitter then you already know! Anyway,
I spent $3000 in March to fly to Los Angeles, Calif. all the way from Canada to meet my hero — Tom DeLonge, at a bok signing he & A.J. Hartley did for the first Sekret Machines book “Chasing Shadows” (which I love)
My dream came true. I got a VIP wristband & was like 7th in line to meet him…Nobody was able to get a hug, but I was so much more calm than I expected…I don’t know if that’s because it was all sinking in so wonderfully as I mentally prepared myself for this for so long or if because I had already exchanged some friendly nudges with Tom & his To The Stars team on social media before, but it was perfect!
So before I walked up, one of his company’s staff members recognized me from Instagram & all the posts I have had before & was SO NICE TO ME! She said all of them over at TTS know who I am & she thanked me for my contributions to the company as a fan – which I have to say are pretty significant.
Then it was time for me to meet the king! Tom smiled so adorably as I walked up…I said, “Hi Tom! I came all the way from Canada to see you!”
Tom did this cute *gasp* & his eyes widened & he was like “YOU DID?! Omg Thank you sooo much for coming all this way!” Then he saw that I had something for him (in the second pic, I’m holding a piece of art I hand drew from scratch for him of an astronaut riding a skateboard with an Astra Tr-3b in the background, which is a triangular UFO that’s actually made by the U.S. military) Tom saw it & was like “IS THAT A PRESENT FOR ME?!” I’m like – “Yeah!!!” He goes, “Well that is so kind of you!!” As he looked at it (which I know he likes because a mutual friend of our told me that he put it up in one of his offices over at TTS headquarters in Encinitas)
He grabbed my hand & held it for a bit & looked into my eyes & said “What’s your name?”
“Jay” I said
He’s like “Well, nice to meet you Jay - I LOVE YOUR JACKET!”
(the one I’m wearing - which I patched with Sekret Machines and TTS patches, haha I knew he liked it because he actually saw it many times on Twitter & liked the pictures I had of it….I knew him & TTS would recognize me in it if I wore it to the signing)
We chatted about how busy Tom is, I told him how much I love Sekret Machines & every TTS project & he told me “I’m glad you like it, thank you! And there’s a ton more coming.” I also told him where I was from in Canada & he said the Canadian Rocky Mountains are wonderful as he looked at me.
Tom DeLonge is one of the sweetest & most genuine people on the planet I have ever had the gift of meeting….& I’m not saying that just because he’s famous or my hero, I’m saying that because it’s absolutely true. He is. If you’ve ever met Tom DeLonge, you KNOW he isn’t being nice “just because he has to” to save face with fans … he’s so genuine & kind.
We said our goodbyes & the TTS crew thanked me from coming from Canada & gave me a 10% off discount card for the online store. They told me to have a safe trip home.
I didn’t get a hug, but nobody did because that table was so big & B&N runs their events to be smooth — BUT TOM WANTED TO HUG PEOPLE, he spoke to crowd a little bit before the signing & said “I WANT YOU TO ALL COME UP HERE & JUST BRING YOUR BODY INTO MINE…I KNOW WE WON’T ACTUALLY HAVE TIME FOR THAT BUT BRING YOUR BODY INTO MINE”
Hahah classic Tom…making jokes about bodies lol.
I met amazing people that night who were so kind to me….A few of them recognized me from my Box Car Racer & Blink bunny tattoos on my legs & couldn’t believe I was Canadian. There were people from San Diego who were really nice. I love Tom’s fans because they are all ages…There were teenagers, people my age (young adults in their 20s) and even full-scale DADS.
I had a great time in LA too at the wonderful Grove Mall where the B&N was located in the La Brea neighbourhood of Los Angeles. I also got to visit the Griffith Observatory’s space museum. Which is free, by the way. If you’re ever in LA go check it out!
I tell people this story of me flying from Canada & meeting Tom, because I would get really sad when I couldn’t go to an event at To The Stars because they would always be short notice & I live so far away…..I thought I wouldn’t get to meet Tom soon, but it happened sooner than I thought. Even though I saw Blink-182 3 times while he was still in the band and I saw Angels & Airwaves once before back 2010, I never met Tom. I dreamt of this day for 12 years (half my life) & I made it happen….
I love to tell people this story especially other fans because I feel it ties into what Tom DeLonge, AVA & To The Stars is all about…..
Take chances, if you see opportunities, do the thing you wanna do. Dreams are real & dreams power us to get through the waking world - dreams might seem like fantasies that serve as medication for dealing with reality, but they are not medication — they are the cure – but only if you believe in them. Do the things YOU want to do..>Work hard…..
Because I was also at the end of a college semester when I had to take this trip….I sacrificed 2 years of my life of doing anything at all let alone take a trip to LA to meet someone who has been a huge inspiration to many people. And I took the risk of cramming in studying for finals & completing assignments once I got back…..My family spent $3,000 to do something some people have only spent the price of a concert ticket and gas to go and do….
But it was worth it. Holding onto your dreams is always worth it. Having HOPE is worth it.
jacobvanloon
amandla
origamiaround
areudirty
pixelskylines
dailybridgerton
gracieabrams
