i’ve never been great at keeping secrets...
but when the ultimate asks to meet you, you come through. a week ago this past saturday, @taylornation DM’ed me on twitter (while i was literally going to the bathroom) and told me i was invited to a super secret event in NYC... mind you i haven’t been noticed by taylor since literal 2015. to say i was shocked, excited, grateful, and wonderstruck is a vast understatement. i could only ask “after 11 years, IS THIS IT?? WOULD THIS BE MY MOMENT??”
it was a LOOOOONG week of anxiety, nausea, anticipation, and waiting. thankfully this indie artist taylor swift (not sure it any of y’all have heard of her before?) released her new album and i was distracted for a couple days learning new lyrics and sobbing about how happy she was and how she had grown into this amazingly strong and empowered woman and how meredith still wasn’t getting her moment to address her reputation.
skip ahead to monday night and i showed up at the meeting spot with a crew of some amazing friends and new acquaintances, not really knowing what to expect. i checked in, went through some metal detectors and got a cool rfid ts now wristband and a green wristband for my “bus”.
on the bus ride, i has zero clue what to expect. i was lowkey worried i️t was just another party like in houston and that taylor wouldn’t show. BOY WAS I FRICKING WRONG. HOLY MACKEREL.
when we got to the party location (above the pop up shop?!?! ummmmm) we checked in and registered our wristbands and then that indie artist taylor swift wined and dined me (HER SIGNITURE REPUTATION SPRITZ WAS PROSECCO, BLUEBERRY LIQUOR, AND A POP ROCK?!? LIKE WHUT?!) for about an hour before we all sat down in this lounge area and watched some exclusive footage of ‘making the song’. then an extended version of new year’s day played and i started hearing screams... THAT CINNAMON ROLL INDIE ARTIST TAYLOR SWIFT (JK SHES NOT INDIE) WALKED OUT. I DIED. I CRIED. I SCREAMED.
she thanked us for being the most amazing fans and for supporting her through everything and for showing up at the party. THEN SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO MEET US ALL. LIKE WHUT THE FRICKITY FRACK?!? ID BEEN WAITING ELEVEN YEARS LIKE WHAT?!?!
plot twist time... those “bus” bracelets were actually our meet and greet groups... my group was green so i lined up ready to accept my early death... i kept crying and freaking out and my girlfriend and friends just kept reminding me how wonderful that taylor hug was gonna be. and a special shoutout to ts now guy who saw how anxious i was and pumped me up by telling me how down to earth and chill taylor is.
finally it was my turn to meet that CINNAMON ROLL PUFF PASTRY LOVE OF MY LIFE. i posted our conversation already, but just know this... her hug is the most secure hug ive ever felt in my entire life. it was warmth and sunshine and happiness. she made me feel so comfortable and at ease. and she fucking LAUGHED SO HARD at dumb things i said.
i spent the rest of the night dancing and drinking and blubbering to ts now about how amazing that entire experience was. i can’t believe taylor and her people deemed me worthy of that experience and i will not stop being extremely grateful for that chance to hug my hero.
thank you so so so much for that hug and for deciding you wanted to meet me. i’ll never be able to thank you for how much you’ve impacted my life. your music has been my security blanket in my darkest and most anxious moments and it’s been my foundation in turning my life around. in coming out. in building beautiful friendships. in building a wonderful love. in having the courage to take risks and better myself. please never stop being unapologetically yourself. it’s inspiring and ignites each and every one of us to save ourselves. im forever grateful for your music, passion, kindness, and laugh. i love you.
goodnight tumblr... goodnight t...