Weird sleep schedule..

The minute I finished school, I reverted to an almost European sleep schedule. I only slept four hours in the day on Sunday, and come Monday I was so hyped that I just had to make  red velvet cupcakes with eggnog cream cheese frosting at 7 AM???? Yeah, I don't know where my thought process was going with that either but they turned out amazing. Here's a picture for your references, by the way.


Then I had tea and a cupcake in my new cup. (my Jack Skellington cup got broken, unfortunately) but my new cup is amazing and Donald Duck (it's true, it's not as good as Scrooge but I can't seem to find one for myself.. sadface)


I then went to sleep and woke up four hours later. We had company and Daniel was making penne with Alfredo sauce from scratch so I had to be up. We had dinner, cupcakes, tea and coffee and our company went home. I was so exhausted I collapsed in bed at around midnight, but woke up wide awake again at 3:32.. This number seems to be haunting me. I've seen it twice a day (even if I'm asleep I'll wake up and check my alarm cock or cellphone and there it will be..) for about a week now. Also, 3:33, too. Anyways, I was up until 8:30 AM or so and then went back to sleep.

I swear I should be living in Europe. Preferably Scandinavia. Maybe Sweden or Finland. I don't really know.

Regardless I just wanted to check up and post another blog. I'm doing a Nightwish project soon and I haven't really elaborated but I will. Really soon! I promise.

Bailey Dawn <3

Wheelchairs and Concerts!

Now, I saw this little gem on tumblr today, and I just have to post it everywhere I can because it's just so true. Now, I like my symphonic metal and with that comes it's own problems but I always get shafted in the back by security, or someone looking out for my well being. Did I not pay for my ticket? Do I not have the right to see the show like everyone else and in some cases, hear it? I don't care if you mosh around me, just try not to hit me please and we'll be all good.

Please be respectful of the damn wheelchair and each other because I can't count the number of times I have been shafted in the back and cried because I couldn't see anything or hear anything more than muffled voices and it really ruins my  mood. Concerts are a package deal for me, I need to see and hear them and enjoy the thrill of being there, entwined with the band and connected to all the individuals as the music invades my senses, and really that's what a concert should be and I'm sorry if you don't feel the same way.

I was absolutely heartbroken in Montreal when I was told I couldn't go up for Nightwish front and I was shafted in the very back left. Granted, a friend did everything she could and they did eventually move my halfway through Kamelot's set but the view wasn't any better, I could just hear better.

and I know management and staff were just really trying to look out for me, but why isn't there more accessible seating at shows? Most venues don't have any, let alone know what to do when a disabled person wheels in.

My point was, be respectful and try to look around you, anyway. I always ask all the people around me if they can see okay and everything. It's the right thing to do. Also, don't mosh into me, because my wheels do and will hurt when I decide to retaliate.


Bailey Dawn

Varg, Wintersun and Eluveitie at the Starlite Room, Dec. 5th.

Well I went to the show last night and it was awesome, but I guess I should start where this all started, hmm?

We bought tickets literally the day that they were released. It was suppose to be Daniel, a friend and I, but the friend couldn't come.

A week and a half before the concert, Daniel pointed out to me that there was a contest running where a certain member of Eluveitie would give you a lesson in their particular musical instrument, and he knows that I've been interested in whistles for years, so he suggested it to me but told me there was only two days left. I had my reservations that I would win, after all I had to hand it in two days from the date it actually was, but... I don't know, it was more of a lapse in boredom than anything. I posted it, and messaged a few friends to like it. People must have caught on, because when I woke up on Sunday morning, it was up to 30 and when I checked when it was time to submit on Sunday night, it was up to to 60. I submitted it and took a deep breath and said to myself, "If I have a greater lesson to learn from them, it'll happen.. If not, then some other lucky fan will win!"

I didn't really think about it for the next week and boy was I busy in school, studying and doing my best not to get snowed in seemed like a wonderful idea, so I honestly completely forgot about it, until the next Sunday. I wasn't feeling well, so after dinner I had a nap until late and I woke up all groggy to check my phone and saw an email from something Eluveitie.. I assumed I was dreaming, since I'm not ever this lucky, so I rolled over and went back to sleep for twenty minutes and then got up and logged onto my computer while drinking a cup of tea that had long since gone cold. It was there! You can imagine my heart skipping a beat when I clicked on it but my heart sank as I read, "Hi Bailey, you've won the contest for Calgary and the fiddle lesson!" oh my god. They thought I was the person that submitted for the Calgary lesson, and a fiddle too, which tugged at my heartstrings just a little bit since I use to play before I lost my right hand.

So they had me confused with someone who probably got a thousand likes and deserved to win, but in any case I emailed them again saying I was from Edmonton and I actually wanted the whistle lesson, or vocal, whichever was most convenient for them. Well, he emailed me back saying it was his mistake and everything was good, could I be there for 5:30 and he would meet me outside? My heart swelled a little bit and I was happy giddy enough to do a little dance in my computer chair.

The day of the show comes and I wake up to full on snow storm, so much so that I can't go to school or anything. I quickly re-gather my thoughts and decide to call a cab in advance, after all, if I call in advance, it's all taken care of. So I pre-call a cab for 4:30, tell them they need to be able to take my manual chair in their trunk and they assure me everything will be alright. The storm stopped at around 2:30 which made me happy and I spend the next several hours within a haze of folk metal blasting from my computer while I got ready. I was upstairs from 4 PM on but then the cab didn't show up.. At 4:45 I called them, they assured me I was next in line but because of my wheelchair they needed to find a cab with an appropriate trunk space and there weren't many on the road from the torrential snowfall earlier. Every fifteen minutes we called back, but they assured was next in line. Finally, the time is coming upon when I have my appointment, so I text Päde and tell him I might be a bit late, still hoping that I can get there. He texts me back telling me that it's fine, since sound check is running late anyway, so if I can be there by 6 it'll be okay. I call back to the cab company one final time and this girl tells me that I was 4th in line and that they couldn't spare anyone to pick me up.


5:30.. 5:45.. 5:55. No go, So I text Päde to tell him I'm sorry, I can't make it, thanked him for the opportunity and I'm sorry for wasting his time. I'm crying so hard that I can't quite seem to make sense of the words on the screen, but I send it anyway and I'm about ready to give up. Daniel calls another cab company and  they quote us at half an hour. Well, I'll still be able to see the show at least, so I wander off to use the washroom, the cab shows up in twenty seconds, I swear so we pile into it and Päde texts me them and tells me It's alright, can we be there by eight, and I tell him yes, we're FINALLY on our way.

We get there and I'm waiting in my wheelchair, looking at my phone while Dan goes off to try and find a person to talk to about what they want to do with me to get me up there, when this man walks by.. I mean, I wasn't really paying attention, I was staring down at my phone and fucking cold but relieved to be there.  He takes a step backwards and asks me if I'm Bailey. He introduces himself and tells me at 9 PM they'll come to find me and have this meet and greet. He told me they understand and it happens to all of us.

I am sitting there and my face is just blank as I thank him.  Eluveitie doesn't owe me anything, they could have just said, "Oh well, she missed her chance at five thirty, and it's her loss!" but they didn't. They did everything they could to accommodate ME. This has never really happened to me before, to be honest. So I was a little taken aback, to say the least.

The Starlite room staff take me up and sit me in a booth and I'm totally in the backstage area.  Who comes up to talk to me, but Chrigel. I had a fan girl moment right there.. Inwardly, I hope! Anyways, we're talking about things, life, instruments and I told him that I use to sing and play the violin but I lost my right hand, and I am just as of recently picking up the love of music again. I want to play the flute and I was thinking of picking up a pan flute.  He tells me that I should just get one made with four holes and that he was impressed and surprised I wanted to get back into it after so many setbacks. I was really honored that he would even listen to me ramble and even say something like that. It made me smile and want to get into music even more and quicker. Dan raided the Merch table, and I had one Eluveitie t-shirt and a hoodie! (Came in handy later, while we were waiting for a cab, that's for sure..)

He left and Varg started performing. They are not my cup of tea, but some of the riffs and melodies in their music were very nice. Then Wintersun came on and I've gotta say, I absolutely loved them. About halfway through, Päde came up to us and pulled us to the side outside the venue room where the back staircase was.  The entirety of Eluveitie (and that's quite a lot of people!) were standing in front of me. I didn't even notice but the girls, Meri and Anna were standing behind me. I asked for their autograph and handed it around to all of them, and then I asked for a picture. Everyone crowded behind me and I got one, then one of the girls took one with me, Dan and the rest of the band. It was lovely. I told them about my blog and Chrigel asked for a picture of me and the band for the Facebook page! Then they had to get ready for the show so I went back to my booth with Dan.

Finally it was time for Eluveitie's set and they were absolutely fantastic. The sound was really really good and the bagpipes, whistles, guitar, fiddle and vocals could be clearly heard. They played "Rose for Epona" which is my favorite song, not only for the vocals, but the lyrics. They hit me really, really hard the first time I listened to them and I ended up crying in my friends car! So... Seeing it live, was equally as awesome and breathtaking.

After the show, we sat there, told that we couldn't go out the same way because all the roadies needed that space to move the bands gear. So we went out another door. On the way by, I eyed up the merch again and bought another t-shirt and then was the trek down the slippery back stairs outside. I had two Starlite Room employees help me while Dan carried the wheelchair. On the last step, I almost slipped and ended up on my face but the employees were bracing me, thank god!

Meri came up to me and asked me how the show was and if I enjoyed it. I told her it was awesome and I enjoyed it very much. I also wanted to say that she, personally, was amazing but I got really shy.

Dan pushed me to the front and called a cab. While I was waiting, Chrigel and Päde walked by and I wanted to thank them but they looked super busy. I'm distractedly looking to my left and they came by again and stood in front of me. I'm so absent minded that I didn't even notice them til Dan called my name. They thanked me, I thanked them and Päde shook my hand. It was kind of wonderful, anyways. The cab came, and we left.. I dreamt of Eluveitie's music all night, which... Really, can it get any better?

After that adventure with cabs and stuff though, it's primarily my job to let you know what it's like. You got an awesome concert review and disability mumbo jumbo. :) I aim to please, though I was sad I missed my lesson.


Another thing, I think I've realized why it was me that went. Everything happens for a reason and if nothing else stuck, Chrigel's words did. Don't fight the flow, create the flow. By creating a whistle or a flute for only one hand, I'm using the waters as a place for creation and paddling downstream, not constantly fighting to go upstream. I will take these words and turn them into something beautiful! Thank you Eluveitie, you were awesome and outstandingly compassionate.. I'll never forget it.

And now my concert withdrawals have kicked in. Come on good bands, come to Edmonton so I can go!!

Bailey Dawn <3

The Nightwish Fandom.

You  know, guys.. This is going to be pretty truthful blog, so if you can't handle it don't read it.

I love Nightwish. I really do, I eat, sleep and breath their music. (I guess that's what happens when you listen to them compulsively for ten years..) They also happen to be really awesome people and I couldn't be blessed more than to have met them, not once, not twice but three times, and to hang out backstage and watch observantly, the shenanigans that go down.

Now, onto the Nightwish Fandoms.  Every social networking site has them. I'm going to talk about two in particular. Facebook and Tumblr. Alright, now the good sides of these fandoms is you are never far from like-minded people who just seem to share in genuine awesomeness. I have met so many of my friends through Nightwish, and am connected to said friends in one hundred million ways. We can talk about the concerts, posts pictures, have a laugh and share in one oogey, gooey Nightwish moment. That's the cool side of fandoms, and I enjoy that.

But there's ALWAYS a downside isn't there.  Let me post some of the things I've seen on the tumblr Nightwish tag within the last month:

Nightwish is selling wine now? WTF. Sell outs! (First of all, go home, you're drunk. Maestro loves his wine, it's featured in how many Nightwish songs?)

It's all Tuomas's fault for Anette and Tarja! He goes through women like I go through underwear! (Every five years? Uh, that's pretty gross..)

Floor Jansen is a man and she sucks. (WHAT?! This doesn't even make sense..)

Tuomas is a diva and he's ruining the lives of the other band members. (Hm.. I didn't see any shackles backstage in Montreal or Toronto. Perhaps they are invisible shackles..? That's the only explanation for why they stay right? He's making them!)

Troy's an asshole and should have never posted that thing on Facebook! (Troy has a typical British sense of humour! It's how he is.  I didn't find it particularly offensive, it was meant to be taken with a dose of laugh or shut the fuck up, too bad you guys missed the memo)

I think that's all I've seen on Tumblr, but now let's move onto Facebook.

Facebook is less annoying, because if people post assholeish comments, they don't pop up on your feed (unless you liked that group) like they do on Tumblr.

ON THE BANDS FACEBOOK STATUSES! People asking them to come their on their current tour! You know they already have a schedule right and flights booked back and things like that.

People commenting that Tarja is the best and Anette or Floor can't compare. (I guess that's true, because they weren't hiring similar voices,  and Anette and Floor have different voices all together. If Tarja was the best for you and you will NOT listen to anyone else with Nightwish, go buy Century Child and before, and shut up!)

How expensive concert tickets are. Yes, they run a lot of money, indeed. But do you want to see this band?! Are you okay with missing Nightwish for another three years or so. (*sadface* no.. and I went to both the concerts in Canada!) Then STAHP and pay for it!

You people make me crazy and really, I'm making it out to be a bit more of a big deal than it is, because in reality this is probably about half of the Nightwish fandom and the other half is awesome, still...

STOP IT AND BE A FAN OF NIGHTWISH. But at the same time, if you want like Anette Olzon, and Tarja Turunen. Hey, let's throw some ReVamp in there too.  It isn't a competition and it's not a one up challenge. And in the mean-time, stop posting nasty, negative comments in the wonderful, supportive Nightwish fandoms.

Dedicated to all my Nightwish friends.. There are a lot of you guys.. Probably about fifty, if not more. <3

I'm going to go listen  to Slaying The Dreamer now and have a nice hot shower.

Bailey Dawn

Can I just say how awesome....

Disney and Pixars "Brave" is?! Normally I don't usually like pixar ovies except for Toy Story, but this is AMAZING and so very celtic it makes me turn into goo at every turn! Bah! I love love love it! I'm going to try recording a cover of one of the songs for you guys tomorrow and hopefully posting it if my snowball will ever work! Until then, I leave you with a song from it! It's genius and makes you feel so uplifted and warm and fuzzily! It makes me imagine doing things independently like hiking, riding a horse or even just sitting in the sun light and enjoying the cool winds. Too bad it'll be about 6 months before I can do that again. Oh why did I wish this summer away?! Oh right.. because I was seeing Nightwish twice in the fall. Upon further reflection, no regrets at all. :)


Enjoy the rest of your week, I'll be secretly fantasizing about being in the forest in Scotland..  I really need to just buckle down and go to Inverness... My grandmother would definitely want me to and Troy Donockley said it was beautiful.

Bailey Dawn

One more month..

One more month and I'm free to read, sleep, watch movies and listen to music whenever I want! It's unfortunate that I'm stuck in the house from December to April (to keep myself from getting stuck in a snow drift somewhere) but I'm really excited. Perhaps my other, more artistic ventures will start to pick up again.

I love being at school and  having fun with my friends don't get me wrong, but it'll be nice to have some me time. It seems like I'm always surrounded by people and now it's time to just unwind, before starting school in the summer... I've changed my mind so many times about what I want to do now that I'm just at a loss. I wanted to work in event planning, specifically for concerts, then I wanted to be a radio broadcaster, then perhaps in tourism helping people in wheelchairs..

I know what my heart wants to do though, but I don't really think it would be practical to take musical theater. Why, why, why? I'll never get any roles, and when I do I'll be typecast to all shit. Still, I'm yearning for the human experience of it all and I haven't been in a musical since high school and I miss it.

The Phantom of The Opera is there, inside my mind...

Bailey Dawn <3

Tick tock... Happy Birthday to me. Tick Tock..

Well, I'm 23 in just a few short minutes and as I sit and reflect back on my twenty three years of life, I remember the good, as well as the bad. I've been through my fair share of things in my life, but here's what I'll say.

I am eternally grateful for everything I have, and what I have to look forward to walking with for the rest of my life. It has been a mess of opportunities, challenges and most of all, love.

I would never change my experiences, because they have shaped me into who I am today. This quirky, little firecracker who wears her heart on her sleeve and cries at the drop of a hat. The young lady that, above all, has so much passion that it hurts sometimes. We all have to hurt, don't we? We ride the roller coaster of life and have to enjoy it's ups and downs. (I prefer the Ferris wheel, but then you probably wouldn't have the adrenaline running through you that you do in any given situation)

I am made up of a dark side, stitched together so lovingly that it scarcely matters because I have good intentions. I love my life and I love the emotions I need to go through and the lessons I need to learn to accomplish what I need to do. 

The physical disability, the body that I'm in, the awkward freckles, the copper coloured hair and the deep dark brown eyes. None of that's important, because it's what's on the inside that counts. The soul, the aura and the mind. The perfect balance between the two that I'll never achieve doesn't hold me back from dreaming, it just makes them so much more vast.

I regret a great many things in my life, but I have to deal with what's here and now, not there and went.

Thanks for being there guys, and reading the blog. I love that you're all there every step of the way. Tears are pouring down my face at the moment and I'm beginning to realise just how much support I really have. <3 You've meant the world to me since that crazy girl in the wheelchair decided to start this blog and realised that there were people such akin to me.


And I leave you with this... This beautiful piece of music that seems to soothe my soul. <3

Lindsey Sterling's "Lord of The Rings Medley"

Bailey Dawn <3

I'm posting one of my many stories. It's.. boring, but I feel like it, so read if you want. :P

The scuzzy hotel room was dimly lit by the cherry on Baine’s cigarette as he eyed his newest prize. She was absolutely beautiful, a red head with hazel eyes that relinquished in fear every time he moved. Ah, she would do. Her father was some business executive, who made millions of dollars every year from plugging pharmaceutical companies, but also ran a drug ring which he also profited from immensely. She kneeled there on the bed, hands tied behind her back and wearing nothing but a soft white chemise that left barely anything to the imagination. Baine could see her chest heave as she took a breath with a cloth tied into her mouth. She stared up at him like a little lost doll and he felt sorry for her, “You poor thing.. You look absolutely terrified, but I’m not going to hurt you.. Not at all, in fact once your daddy hands over the money and drugs, I’ll let you go and you’ll be right as rain…” He exclaimed, standing up from the cherry oak chair which grated against the worn hard wood floor and slid along the wall which caused a crunching noise as it chipped the dim green paint from wall. Baine lowered himself on the bed behind her and reached around towards her mouth with well-worked, calloused fingers to untie the cloth from around her mouth, letting it fall onto the dirty and worn burgundy sheets. He touched her neck with his fingertip and traced downwards where the tattoo of an orca was placed in the middle of her upper back, inhaling the smoke from his cigarette as he did so, letting it hang from his lips as he spoke, “A killer whale, huh?” He said softly as he let his hands trail down to her hands, tied behind her back and undid those binds as well, “I’ll bet there’s a story behind that..” He murmured against her ear.

Bailey shivered, “Just that I want to be free… I want to be free from the chains that bind me..” She remarked, her voice hoarse. She soon realized that his hands were not malicious, but rather kind and gentle. Baine took a deep breath and picked her up gently, placing her under the worn duvet before leaning back on his knees, “That’s philosophical... At least it isn’t a butterfly like every other tramp out there...” He chuckled, his thick Irish accent coming to full brim as he spoke. He stood up and tossed her a water bottle from the mini fridge before drinking the last gulp from a bottle of beer. He looked at her oddly, “What’s your name, luv?” He said with the most charming smile she had ever seen. Despite the fact that he was covered in tattoos and scars, he was still beautiful. His soul showed that. She started to feel more comfortable around him, her body ached and she looked at him, “Bailey… I’m Bailey..” She whispered softly.

Baine didn’t know what had come over him… He wasn’t above showing kindness, but he felt so a kin to this young woman that he could barely contain himself. He couldn’t help but ask a million and one questions and she had an answer for every single one. As the night wore on they sat on the bed, facing each other and talking about the world, life, inspiration and a deep understanding of humanity.

Baine looked at her as the sun came up and glistened over her face, lighting up her features and casting a shadow on the back wall, “So what are your dreams then..? What do you want to be..?” She smiled softly, reaching for the sheets and bunching them between her fingertips, her eyes lighting with a soft glow as she stared up at him, “Free…” She muttered. She glanced out the window as dawn had come, her eyes dancing over every single flower and blade of grass. “You’re nothing if not free, free to fly into the morning light, like a dove that breaks from it's cage…” She stated in a hushed tone, turning to look at him.

My god, yesterday was trying...

Today is starting out the same way as yesterday and if so, I think I'm just going to go cry in a corner...

Yesterday I was heading to Calgary to see Dan's family and have my birthday celebration with them. My friend John was driving and Dan was in the car too. We get to Red Deer (about an hour and a half drive and the halfway point) and pull in to get some gas at 2 PM. Well John's tire went flat right then.. There was NO ONE on earth who would fix it (apply a patch and some air) and we went to 10 different tire shops, most of them closed. At this point, I have about 20 people going to a local pub in Calgary to celebrate my birthday so I'm trying to let them know that we might or might not make it.  No one can help with the tire until Tuesday, that's right.. TUESDAY.

We're stranded in a small town, with no one we know near by and darkness upon us... What do we do? Why, have coffee at Starbucks, of course! We did this to warm up (it was -20 there) and to regroup. We went through lots of options, like... Dan's father coming to get us, Dan's brother.. But ultimately three hours passed and we couldn't just ask them to come out, especially since it was now starting to storm in Calgary. John re-subscribes to Onstar as a last ditch attempt for help at 7 PM, and at 7:20 they were there putting the donut tire on the car.. We had to drive back to Edmonton and it took us three hours in relatively good conditions to get back.

I still feel guilty about letting Dan's family and my multiple friends down, and I feel disappointed that I didn't get to go have fun with the friends I'm NOT going to see next weekend, not to mention seeing Dan's family whom I love to pieces.. It fell through and apparently Mother Gaia was trying to teach me something about trusting my instincts, because on Thursday, I was thinking we should NOT go.

Back in Edmonton now, we are all starving and it's justified since the last time we ate was 11 AM. We were going to go to The Keg Steakhouse because OnStar was quoting 90 minutes, but they came so quickly that we had no time. So back in Edmonton we decide to go to our favourite pub, Runway 29. Everyone orders they're favourites, and I do too.  Everyones food comes out and it turns out that not one of my orders came in right. I eat my food, much later than everything else's (since they had to correct it) and we go home. I lie down while eating Lindor's milk chocolates and just cry.  Can anything else go wrong?

and now it's the next day.. I'm awake. What mysterious bad things are going to follow me today I wonder? I'm intent on working on my reading, writing my story and staying away from any ladders... And the whole time we were joking about how I should have been in Finland at the "Imaginaerum" premiere and then none of this would have happened. I wish. I'm sorry to those of you who braved the weather in Calgary and came to wish me well only to find me not there. <3 Love you guys. I have the best friends ever!


Bailey Dawn <3

and we've entered the...

part of winter where I need to seclude myself for my own safety. Hey 3 feet of snow, how are you? Don't get me wrong, I love the snow. In my estimation, I could probably lay in it for hours and make snow angels and have fun in it.. But my wheelchair hates it and I feel awful about missing school.. In the last two week, two days have been missed. bah, I'm not going to keep myself ahead  for very long if this keeps up. Plus, my battery in my wheelchair seems intent on committing suicide every 6 months, rendering me paying lots of money to have it replaced. YAY!...can we sense the sarcasm in my typing? I sure hope so..

People wonder why I'm secluded and weird. lol Maybe it's because I spend 8 months out of the year locked in my house, watching the snow fall and reading books..? It's heaven to me, but it does get lonely watching all my friends and family being able to come and go as they please and me just being.. stuck here. I guess such is life...? Hm, I wonder when they'll make a hover wheelchair?

By the way, I would like to post my social media again.. I know I have a lot more readers now.. (hey thanks Tumblr!) and I would just like to post my facebook and email if you guys want to chat at any time! I always enjoy new friends, especially over the internet kind where they can't see the dumb expressions on my face when I get a new email/Facebook notification, or how shy I am! Please do talk to me though, I do get terribly lonely at times.

missbaileydawn@gmail.com or https://www.facebook.com/missbaileydawn

Ironically, I'm not a miss anymore, but this email is old and I just haven't got around to changing it.

So what have we learnt today? I need a new chair, which will cost around 15,000 or so. Preferably a hover chair, but I don't think they make that yet.. :P I'm weird and a shy recluse who prefers the company of books to people. We already knew this. I hope I can get through until the15th of December, because that's when my class ends and I want my 87.5 average to STAY.

I'm also kind of excited about having something to do this upcoming semester.. I'll be trapped in my house, sure.. But I can pour all my energy into my poetry, but also the Nightwish Canadian fan club.. Which you should totally check out and join if you are Canadian. *cough sputter advertising* I can't wait to make it lift off of the ground and fly to highest arch in the tallest tree! It's going to be so awesome! LINK TIME! Aso, I hope you like the art.. I kind of shoved their hands a little bit into Orca's and my friend Joanne is amazing and did this for the club!

http://www.nightwishcan.com/

Also, can there be anyone more awesome than Plamen Dimov? I think he's an awesome guy and so very sweet. :) A big shout out to him who helped me by posting the link on his facebook wall. THANK YOU! :)

Also, a big thank you to Ioana, who also posted it everywhere she could! You are fantastic!

ramblerambleramble.

By the way, I just rediscovered Nightwish's "The Siren", a song I use to listen to on a daily basis, for hours on end. It's fucking fantastic! Go listen!

Bailey Dawn

This weekend is going to be awesome...

I'm going to Calgary to celebrate my birthday with Dan's family. Then I'm going to the pub, "The Regal Beagle" to sing karaoke or do name that tune and hang out with all those friends from Calgary I tend to neglect, sorry guys! I'm then going to be coming to school for the week, doing a final in class on my actual birthday and then the next weekend I'll be having my party in Edmonton. I've done roughly about 6 hours of homework in advance to have this luxury so.. yay!

People think it's weird that I never get presents for my Birthday/Christmas/Anniversaries.. I guess I'm just so use to it now though that it never occurs to me. But someone asked me what my ideal present would be at this moment and that's a REALLY hard question.

I guess it would be something somebody made with their hands, wrote or something that came from the heart.. I've never been too concerned with material gifts, but having a poem or a story, song or what have you, would be just as wonderful.. I could cherish it and put it in my scrapbook or frame it. I don't know, that would be probably what I would want. I give gifts freely, it delights me when I see someone smile, so that's really enough for me.

Maybe I should start a birthday card drive.. Thoughts, comments, questions? :3

Bailey Dawn Coty

Feeling..

Pretty damn good, I must say.. I am all caught up in school, I am looking to my future and probably the main reason I'm feeling better: Disney movies. God, I love Disney movies. I love everything about them. I just finished watching Hercules and now on to Alice In Wonderland. I have the flu, but this is like the best flu ever. Tea, books, Disney and vocal lessons. :)

I can't wait to watch Ducktales tomorrow. I <3 Scrooge McDuck. ^_^

Bailey Dawn

An Ocean Soul...

Ignore my gross back.. This is very soon (probably within the next couple of months even) going to be my tribute to the song "Ocean Soul" by Nightwish. It's going to have ocean around it, and the words "Ocean Soul" somewhere on it.. No idea where yet, I'm letting it come to me as it comes. It's also a cover up tattoo of another poorly done Orca, so that's why it had to be so huge. Only four more hours, collectively to go...

I've loved that song ever since I was in the hospital with my brain tumor and managed to get my hands on Century Child and I listened to that song over and over again.. It made me imagine things, like camping by the ocean, swimming with orcas.. But one thing, it made me feel like I wasn't alone in the world...

I wish I wasn't such a burden..

Just what the title states. I'm a burden on everyone.. My family, friends and those who I'm acquainted with. It's so hard for me to get by a day without thinking about it lately. Tonight, my wheelchair died halfway home, in the cold and I was already half frozen. Dan had to put it in neutral and push me home.. Now my chair is 350 pounds and then you add my weight into it, so it's no easy feat, that's for sure. He was grouchy and frustrated when we got home with me and I just felt so helpless.

This isn't the first time either, it inconveniences nearly everyone I'm with. I'm so self conscious of the chair, it's ridiculous. Waiters/Waitresses trip on it, people of all kinds trip on it and hurt themselves. I can't go into any store that has a step. You want to go to a pub that has stairs ? Mmm, nope! Forget a pub, how about anywhere? You want to go to a play, show or concert? Has to be meticulously planned to a T so that I don't get hurt and I'm not a "fire-hazard" as they say. How about just going for a walk? Some places there are no ramps and others is simply grassy terrain. It hurts so much, and if I may feel sorry for myself for but a moment, it's just not fair. I get this feigned sympathy and the questioning glances of so many people, so many people who don't know me, don't want to know me and just carry on with their day.. I wish I could do that with such ease.

Everything in my life is a challenge, a roller coaster ride. What do I need to do if I'm to carry something? How about if I'm to get to point A to B? God forbid something as simple as a twenty minute bus ride and walking in the winter can be a two hour cab ride and "driving" for me. It's times like these that I wish, sincerely that I could just lock myself in my room, read Moomin and LOTR and listen to music.... Have no use for the world... A roller coaster ride, yes.. Lately the downs outnumber the time flying high, that's for sure.

I long to go hiking again, feel the grass under my bare feet.. Play the violin just one last time..... I wish I could. Some times I wish things were different. But as my grandmother use to say, "If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride.."


BurdenBurdenBurden.

I'm going to go get lost in a fantasy world where I'm an elven archer, defending a kingdom of middle earth.. See where I'm going with this? Oh, I forgot to mention, on the up side.. I think the words "Ocean Soul" around my Orca are going to be tattooed in Elvish, specifically Quenya, which was based on the Scandinavian languages. I'm excited.. I hope I can find proper references!!

Bailey Dawn

Nightwish's "Imaginaerum" is going to be...

played in Hartwall Areena on the 10th of November.. Just a FEW short days away. Then there's going to be a concert by Nightwish just following the movie premiere! I am so happy for them, the movie and the music getting what it deserves...

The tenth of November is FOUR days before my birthday. gahh.. I would love NOTHING more than to be there, but alas, the fates have not directed the wind that way for me. You'll never ever see this Nightwish, but rock extra hard for me! ^_^


Bailey Dawn

Pretending to be something you're not..

In this world we live in, it can be so easy to get caught up in things and put labels on yourself. We all do it,
every single one of us. I think it's important to stop and realise what's around us. Stop and smell, taste, breathe.. Without the knowledge of things around us, we fall pretty short, don't we?

Still, in this world there is a standard of everything, for all of us to live by.  Are you pretty, fat, skinny, chubby, goth, punk, preppy...? What kind of food, music, clothing, weather, scents, books or movies do you like..? It's all a big race to get to be someone, to have an identity and be part of a group and search out what you truly love and want to do..

The truth is is that limiting yourself to one genre of music, movies, one type of food, one manner of clothing or anything I've just mentioned is boxing yourself up to a rigid set of ideals that might not flow freely.

People change every day, they are constantly moving with the water within their bodies, to the beat of the tides, streams, the rain, lakes and the oceans.. So why can't things just flow naturally between our inner and outer selves? Why can't we enjoy and not limit ourselves to one type of living, of being? To move with that natural flow of change should be an accepted ideal, but it is not. It is seen as a weakness, and that my dear friends, is shameful.

Stop judging everyone you meet based on appearances, race, sexuality, religion and spirituality and take time to look beneath that.. I am a firm believer in not judging until you have walked a mile with them, and not telling them that you know what they are going through.. You have no idea. We can guess, we can be supportive and be there for them. But everyone handles things differently, we are all people with our own thresholds to to cross and our own ways to deal with things.


Be authentic, be vulnerable, be you... and most of all, be kind and gracious. Treat other people the way you would want to be treated, and don't skimp on friendships, they can last you a life time... Let the universe take you where you need to go and manifest it. We're all just but a piece of this ever lasting thing we call the universe. But we do have one thing going for us, and that thing is love. <3

-Bailey Dawn

*Squeek* The Haunted Mansion!

I can't wait until next year!!!! Me and Joanne..  Disney World!!!!

Disney Movies! and more from my brain at stupid oclock.

I swear to god if it wasn't for my biology class and Disney movies I would have gone ass over tea kettle crazy by now...  What with this brand new website, the fact that I seem to be writing things a mile a minute and seemingly have insomnia, plus the thought that I'll be going to school for computers next semester, (For those of you that know me.. I know right? I can barely turn the thing on, let alone build a website.. But singer and historian seemed to be out of the question, so computers it is!) and attending concerts.. I'm pretty much going crazy. I don't like people.. Never have, never will. I avoid them like the plague. A person is nice, people are terrifying, so it's hard for me to socialize and not act like a total wallflower. I have to really push myself to do so and some times it's not really that pretty when I do.

Bio class and Disney movies are sort of my escape. For one, Biology is awesome and it's very.. nature oriented. Plants, the sun light, lakes, oceans.. All good things, things I've often ..escaped.. too. Yes yes, I'm sure everyone thinks I'm a giant lamewad for using that word, because if you know anything about me, you'll also know that one of the people I look up to is an Escapist. Bah, I'm not even trying to make myself sound deep here.. It's a real problem, to be honest. I wish I could change it and be as fun loving as the next person, but it's just not me..

Now on to Disney.  Have you ever just.. felt right about something?  Like, all the things in the world just fit? That's the way I feel about Disney.  My father and I use to watch Disney movies before he passed away.. Beauty and The Beast had just come out, and we use to watch it together every day. He was quite like the Beast and he use to call me his Belle (y'know, back when I was cute cause I was four. lol) and we use to watch it over and over and OVER again. It was like my escape. When he died just shortly after, I didn't watch Beauty and the Beast for a long time.. Until about three years ago because it was just way too painful for me to do. That was my introduction to Disney. From the time I was four, I was hooked. Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Cinderella, Robin Hood and Peter Pan.. Those were among my favourites and still are to this very day!

When I had been suffering from my brain tumor for about a year and a half, my mom applied to the Make a Wish Foundation of Canada to let us go to Disney World for my last, dying wish. Man, the parts I can remember (that aren't little clouds of brain surgery and stuff) was... I found out I adored the Haunted Mansion.. I met Minnie and Mickey and Huey and Dewey and Louie, which was just awesome! I bought a huge jawbreaker that was red and white and tasted like Cinnamon and finally.. I felt like a normal little kid. Things from that trip seemed to blur. I saw Orca's for my first time in Sea World, and the dinosaurs in universal studios are weird and scared me. Also, the Animal Kingdom was cool! I got off on a tangent there,  point is.. I had escaped being sick for awhile and that was what mattered to me, ultimately. That I could be a normal little kid.


I had my second taste when I was fifteen and I went to Disneyland.. Which is by far my favorite park, I think, though I've never been to the one in Asia, or France. I road the Haunted Mansion 27 times that day.. Count em, 27! I also found the Nightmare Before Christmas store and was in my prime! I loved everything about this park. The quaintness, the view, the smell of the park, but most of all the parade. My grandmother had died just earlier that year, and she was my mother. There's no ifs and or butts about this.. She was my mom. My real mom had and has been too busy drinking everything in sight and calling me names like fat ass and downright physically abusing me all my life to even be called that, so my title of my "mom" goes to my grandmother. My grandmother and I loved The Lion King (Hans Zimmer, oh yeah!) and she was a huge believer in re-carnation. She never had a bad thing to say about anyone, and I could listen to her talk in her Scottish accent about being in Invernesse and meeting my grandfather until the cows come home. So we watched the Lion King together every Friday/Saturday night while my "mother" was out getting drunk with God knows who. In the parade there was a part when they played The Circle of Life and all the lions, and animals came out, and I lost it. The first time I had allowed myself to cry in months just came to a head. In a way, that was my release, and my escapism of that situation.

It doesn't make anything better but what it does do is make the situations bearable for me to handle. I cling to my dreams, my wishes and my hopes.. Why is that so hard to understand....? Let me have my alone time with a Disney movie or two.. and my homework. I need that to refuel. Hmm. I feel a poem coming on....


In memory of Frank Cardinal and Elizabeth Coty. I will always love you guys, you're never more than a dream away.. <3

Bailey Dawn

Hey guys, for any Canadian Nightwishers..

We've created a fan club website for them. You should join, the artwork is by my BEST FRIEND Joanne and she's just lovely! :D We plan on getting t-shirts made, and having a pin and other cool stuff, but for right now membership is free while we're building our community.. Also, come into the forum, I'm bored and want to chat with all of you guys! :P This is me and Marianne's baby, so I really hope to have a community of us fans from the North, mostly because Nightwish fans are the most passionate and lovely bunch of people I know!

Here's the link, please check it out!
Nightwish Canadian Fan Club

Bailey Dawn

The love of the literary world..

Since there are no concerts to go to this month (sadface) and I just found out that Sonata Arctica is not coming here, only hitting up Toronto, I felt the need to post this.

Books are awesome. You should love them. I read all sorts of books from books within the fantasy world(my favourite kind!), fiction, non fiction, war time books, books about biology, music books, autobiographies and the like. I write too, I do.. It's lame, but I write like CRAZY. I just will be driving down the street and get sudden inspiration and I literally cannot think of anything else until it's formed on my computer or paper. It's why I always carry my pirate book with all my poems, stories and lyrics in it. I have literally had to drive off the sidewalk into the grass and write down ideas before I could continue getting wherever I was going. I think I said this in a letter that has yet to be delivered yet but, it's strange how pouring your feelings out on a fresh piece of paper can sooth you.

Anyways, this wasn't the whole point of this post, this post was about the Kobo.. I just recently got a kobo, but it's not the same as holding a book in your hands. Smelling the musty smell when you open a particularly aged one.. (Now I'm speaking about it as if it's scotch or wine.) or feeling the weight of it in my hands. I enjoy crying on those pages occasionally and having my finger run over the words. I'm currently reading the entirety  of the Grimm's fairy-tales in book form, and having a blast of it.  Next, I'm moving on to reading "The Hobbit" for the third time in my life in preparation for the movie release and that is on my Kobo.. It's just not the same..


Long story short.. Books are awesome, Kobo is... not thrilling. Now on to my reading since it's 2 AM and I can't sleep. Ohh, Snow White..

Bailey Dawn <3

How did we get here?

Two weeks almost to the day I get back from my trip, an I've been in kind of a depressed haze. I don't know what it is, but I've been getting kicked while I'm down since I got back from my awesome trip. I've been running through life at a hectic pace, but not really feeling any situation at all. I go through this every once and awhile but usually it's never this long, or bad.  I feel like Pippin in Return of the King when he finds out Merry and him are going to be separated, this longing for.. something. I don't even know what this something is! It's hard, and this feeling of hopelessness and foreboding is just a mist I can't seem to shake. I've had so many issues here at home and I found myself missing my grandmother to the put of breaking down on the street and crying. Just awesome.

Yesterday, however, my friend Echo stopped by to give me a divination reading to clear some things up. It really helped my mood and the mist finally seemed to be lifting. Finally, after that, I felt better. Then last night, I had a dream I was vulnerable, and exposed to the world. There were all my feelings, just lying out there for people to pick up and shatter into a million pieces... When I woke, I was dreaming I had been falling over a cliff and I jolted awake. Dreams, as they are, make you feel emotions you've never experienced before and you can't shut the feelings off. I can't help now being guarded and reserved, even though it was just a dream. I'm going to try not to let it ruin my mood, go out, and as always put on my happy face and be that person that everyone wants me to be. This is just a non nonsensical rant to no one, since no one reads this anyway.. I kind of like being anonymous. I'm that girl that everyone nods to, but doesn't really see and sometimes I'm really okay with that.

Bailey Dawn

Nightwish in Toronto on September 20th, 2012.

Oh man, that day I was hurting. Not getting back to the hotel until almost 3 AM and deciding to pull an all nighter because we had to be gone from the hotel and to the train station at 5:30 was so hard! Remind me why I do these things to myself..? Oh right, Nightwish! Good enough reason to sleep deprive myself, that's for sure!  We took the train there, a grueling six hour train ride. Before Dan could fall asleep, I managed to get this stellar shot. Don't we look exhausted?

Dan slept most of the way, but I didn't, content to listen to "Last of the Wilds" and watching the scenery go by. I had breakfast, went on my laptop and the trip was over very soon for me. We walked to our hotel which was the Hotel Victoria and it was completely beautiful! and then I crashed in the bed from about 1 PM until around 3:30. The cab was coming to get us at 4:30 so that gave me an hour to get my make up on and get dressed. That day was all about comfort, that's for sure! Jeans, t-shirt and flat ankle boots all the way!

We were told over the phone that  if we lined up early we would get in early and get to our places but that didn't end up happening. At least "our place" wasn't on the second floor in the very back. There was another guy in a wheelchair there, and we spent the time shooting the breeze about how many concerts we've been to and how we couldn't see anything because they've always stuck us in the back. Just then I realized I wasn't alone in feeling this way and I had a kindred spirit of sorts. We get escorted inside and told we cannot sit at the front, and there is a special side for us. The area didn't end up being too bad, but it wasn't ideal. I hate being on the right side at venues, it drives me bonkers because I feel helpless, being left handed and having something to grab on to comforts me in a way. As the show started and Kamelot came on, I got a profound new appreciation for them, so that was good.

Then Nightwish comes on, and my friend Marianne texts me really upset. Ewo told her to get in contact with him to get backstage passes but he was nowhere to be found, to make matters worse she was stuck in the VIP section which absolutely sucked and had a horrible view. Now, I didn't even really care if I got to go backstage, but I assured her we would find him so she could! After all, I was just the tag along girl in a wheelchair.  I am determined to find Ewo, so I spend a good chunk of the time Nightwish was playing their first few songs looking around. I don't see him, but I see Troy just off to my right! I think I waved, but he was watching the stage! I start to loosen up again as Daniel has gone to look for Ewo and start to head bang my face off. It must have made Marco, Anette and Troy happy, because they all looked at me and smiled. Anette waved and Emppu gave me the horns! Which was just awesome! I was all melty, that's for sure! hah.


PICTURE TIME!

Thanks for letting me steal your pictures Marianne! <3

All in all the concert was an unforgettable experience, it was just wonderful for people alike, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I gotta say the best part for me was Last Ride of the Day because that is one of my favourite songs off the album and I needed to hear it. I'm not sure if I've told you guys but my father died of bowel cancer when I was only four years old and he was a very, "Live like it's your last day, everyday" kind of man so that song, I feel encompasses him really well and I always try to live by his philosophy, even if he's not here. He's still a huge part of my life and he is in every part of how I was raised. I love you, dad. <3

Want a set list?? HUZZAH!

Now here's where stuff gets a bit tricky, after the concert I am determined to find Ewo. Me and Daniel had discussed it, and to be honest, we really didn't need to be backstage. I had crossed that off my bucket list the night before and had such a lovely time that it didn't really matter. It would have been nice, sure, but I felt fulfilled on the dream quota for this trip. We finally find Ewo, and he gives Marianne and Joe two passes but before we could say anything, he goes back and finds me and Dan two passes as well. So we're all waiting in the line up, and I'm reading "Moomin and The Comet Chase" because I'm lame and a bookworm. We finally get escorted in, and I'm having trouble fitting through the doorway because my wheelchair is standard width and this door is a little bit less. So finally I get in with the help of Dan and Ewo and I'm blocking the god damn bathroom door where Tuomas comes out and stands because he can't move cause I'm there. GREAT! This room is small. Like a small bedroom, it's tiny and there's about 20 people in it so suffice to say I was smushed. I turn my attention to Emppu and Marco sitting on the couch and I say hey! Marco smiles, nods and holds up a pop can and Emppu is like.. "Hey!" A bit of back story for those who haven't read my blog before, I was on the cruise and Emppu evaded me at EVERY turn. It wasn't like it was on purpose or anything, it was just the luck of the draw, really. So Here's how the conversation with him went down.

Bailey: So, I was  on the cruise with you and you evaded me everywhere I went, all I wanted was a  picture!

Emppu: *Chuckles* I was probably sleeping!

Bailey: That's a-okay, sleeping is amazing. Mind if I get a picture?

Emppu: Not at all!

So that was the awesome part! Just then, Tuomas comes behind me to grab his backpack and I stop him and ask him to sign my Moomin book. He looks shocked that anybody knows Moomin but I love them so I tell him that, and then I ask for a picture. Dumbest expression ever on my face, by the way!

So Tuomas seems a lot more contemplative and quiet but he disappears after, but I figure I need to thank him for.. well everything, so I follow him with Dan. He's surrounded by fans asking him to sign things and talk to him so we wait until he's free and ask for another picture, this time, with Daniel included! He looked like he was about to leave though, so I felt bad because he must have been tired. I kind of pull him to the side and say, "I was wondering if you'd wake up today and wonder who'd signed your arm!" and I chuckled. "Oh no, it's still there, even. I think we took some pictures last night, but I can't remember.. and there was something to do with a garbage can..." He look troubled and I had to grin, "Oh, well yes. We took lots of pictures, but I can't vouch for the garbage can.. I wasn't there." and I smile to get off of this topic and what I was  really trying to say. "Well, all I can say is thank you for everything.." I said, and I wasn't even really meaning it philosophically but it came out that way and.. It sounded better. I kinda teared up at hearing the words out of my own mouth and the weight they had. He smiled and said, "All I can say is your welcome.." really softly. I'm glad he darted into the bathroom just then because I needed a moment to compose myself. By the time he was out of the washroom, most people had left and we had this other very awesome picture!


























We chatted up Marco for a bit and I was  dimly aware of the door opening and closing and movement behind me, but I was so busy telling Marco that I WOULD definitely see him again and I couldn't wait until next time! He agreed with me and I got a hug. We left, and I felt very strange about the whole thing!

Marianne and Joe left and as we were waiting for a wheelchair accessible cab, I watched the bus pull out and drive away. I sighed, "Bye, bye Nightwish., For another few years, that is!" I whispered  I'll never get this opportunity again, I don't think. I was very grateful to have had legitimate conversations with the band and had a few laughs along the way..  Nightwish is awesome, and I really highly suggest that if you ever have a chance, go see them. I would have been perfectly content just seeing them and not meeting them but this was just an extra added thing that seemed to spiral out of control, in a good way that is. <3


So those are my reviews, lovelies! Until next time, guys!

Bailey Dawn <3

Nightwish and Montreal! September 18th until the 20th, 2012!

Well well, here I am and I just got back from my trip, which was awesome by the way. So, you wanna know all about it? Well I'll skip the boring stuff and go into detail about the Wednesday and Thursday. After tasting some excellent food in Montreal and realizing that everything is open 24/7 there (so cool!) we found ourselves waking up late on Wednesday. I had an hour to get ready, so I ran around and did my make up and threw on clothes. It wasn't like I was meeting the band or anything, I didn't need to wear anything special.... heh

We get to the venue and realize rather quickly that it's like, inaccessible to the max. We met up with Marianne, her boyfriend Joe and her cousin Mark. The line up was mostly just excited about Nightwish and who wouldn't be?! They had to escort me into a special door and all the way around and we get tagged and everything and then they escort me to the front of the VIP Meet & Greet line and tell me to go in. I'm nervous, I'm shy. But the band is all beaming and smiles. I knock into one of their tables cause I'm a klutz. From left to right, there was Troy who had a really nice conversation with us, then Anette. Now, I gave Anette two gifts, neither of which she opened because.. Well, 100 people in line behind me, I understood. I go to hand my mask to Emppu, and my husband is coming up behind me with my Nightwish vinyl that Marianne traded me for her Apocalyptica shirt. Jukka and Marco start talking about my mask in Finnish and I really wish I knew the language just so I could understand what they were saying.. Finally I get to Tuomas... I wasn't as nervous this time around, mostly because he smiled at me when I came into the room and it reassured me that he remember. I slipped his gifts on the table, and he (being the eternal child) opened one of them. He noticed it was the a "Haunted Mansion" made from a smashed coin in the actual theme park and this is how this conversation went down.

Tuomas: Oh the Haunted Mansion! *GRIN*

Bailey: Yeah, I have one too, see?! *shows him the one that's copper and is dangling from my wrist* It's my favorite ride!

Tuomas: Mine too, and Jukka's and Marco's!

Bailey: The other one is so much better!

Tuomas: I'll take note of that and open it later!

So that was our conversation and it was rushed and labored, but whatever. I get back in the line for seating and they inform me that I CANNOT go up front, or anywhere near the stage. In fact, I have to head to the third floor because I'm a fire hazard. Uh, thanks guys.Tuomas didn't get to open his Scrooge McDuck pen in front of me and I get to sit in the very back where I can't see?! Awesome.

But before all this goes down, Marianne comes to me and says, "I have a surprise for you, a gift of sorts!" and I'm kinda sad and crying (okay so I'm emotional alright?!) and she hands me a backstage pass! What?! She tells me that she has a mutual friend regarding her backstage pass and that we're in too! Holy shit, Marianne! I've never been so happy in my life.

So they put me with all the other wheelchairs but in the process they take me through the dressing room areas. lol. I believe I almost crashed into Emppu, Marco and Tuomas darted back into the dressing room before I could get to the other side where the elevator was. I kind of looked at Dan and we burst into fits of giggles!

Now in my spot I realize I can't see shit and not only because of my eyesight, but because of the fact that they have placed a side speaker. Here was my view... So I post that picture to facebook and tell them I'm bummed. I don't know how but Sandra Talley pulls off miracles. She pulled some magic and five minutes later I was moved to this.. Not much better height wise, but at least I could see. The show went off without a hitch, it was beautiful and I headbanged my little face off. It was amazing. Dan went to talk to Ewo about midway through the show since he saw him down by Merchandise and asked if  he could get a pass too, since his wife had one. Ewo said,  "Well that won't do, here you go!" and handed him one.

After the show, the security escorted me down to the dressing room. Nothing was underway yet so I was playing Bubble Blast and Troy Donockley was beside me talking about the 70,000tons of Metal cruise. I looked up at Daniel, situated in a little corner and we giggled again. Then Tuomas comes from beside me and starts talking about it. Everyone slowly arrives including Marianne and Joe, unfortunately Mark had to go home, he wasn't feeling well. And I don't want to go in the room because I need to talk to Tuomas and he's chatting with some fans. Finally I decide to go in and the most awesome time of my life happens in that room. For one, Tuomas came in and I caught him. I asked him for a  picture and to come outside. He agrees and I am sitting there  talking to him before the picture. Marianne, Joe and Dan are all around us. Here's how this conversation went down.

Bailey: I have a question, did you open the gold box yet?
Tuomas: Not yet, it's in my bag.
Bailey: Could you open it right here, right now? It's really important to me that I get to see your face. You won't be disappointed!!
Tuomas: But..
Marianne: Trust the lady, Tuomas, she wants to see your response as you open it.
Joe: Open it, it's great!
Daniel: You will be amazed!
Tuomas: *sighs exasperatedly and goes to get it. Brings it back and looks at the the open box* What is it? *Asks Marianne*
Marianne: It's a Scrooge McDuck pen..
Tuomas: Holy fuck, Scrooge McDuck! Is it real?!? Help me figure it out, how do I get it to write? *hands it to Daniel*
 Daniel gets the tip out and hands it back to him.
Tuomas: Okay, we need to make sure that the ink works, will you autograph my arm?? *hands it to me*
Bailey:.... Sure? *Signs his arm* Upon further reflection, you probably have a million of these things, but I figure you can never have too many pens...
Tuomas: I don't.. I don't have it, not a one. Thank you! I have the perfect use for it...
Bailey: Really glad you like it!
Tuomas: Yeah..

PICTURE TIME!

He insisted the bottle of wine be in this one. We decide to go into the room and he's talking with us some more and offers me wine from the bottle. Now, anyone who knows me knows I hate wine with a passion. I can't stomach the stuff. I was a little hesitant at first, but when Tuomas Holopainen offers you wine, you drink the god damn wine. So I had a sip and to be honest it wasn't awful. He told me to have another big one so I did, I probably drank half his bottle.. Sorry Tuomas! Now here's the thing, running on two hours of sleep and no food does funny things to your tummy when you drink, and I was starting to feel drunk already... and I found out later that bottle had been a total slut. Jukka, Emppu, Troy, Tuomas of course and god knows who else put their lips on it!

We're in the room and Emppu made his way out before I could even say hello! Damnit! Jukka comes over though, and he's chatting with  us.. I've always loved Jukka, severely under-rated as he is, he's the most personal and kind person and my soul feels at ease when I'm around him. We're talking about how he loved 70K and he's working on trying to go back! (YES! *SQUEEL*)

Then there's Troy. He's just so lovely, honestly. He's such an English Gentleman and it makes me swoon. We started talking about Inverness, (where my grandmother was from) and Scotland and then he starts talking about Cumbria and how it's all very Middle-Earth and Tolkien based his middle earth off of it, how if we're going we should Cumbria. I started taking pictures of Tuomas and Troy this is how it turned out!

Troy insisted I send him the picture so I did on facebook! :D

So at this time Ewo asks me if I want a mixed drink since he's making one for Joe and I said sure, little did I know he mixes his drinks like 6 parts vodka one part orange juice. Pretty damn drunk here, that's all I can say!










Then I'm leaning over and talking with Jukka and Marianne and Tuomas comes from behind me, scaring the hell out of me and does this!

After this happens, I get a picture with Ewo cause he mixed me such a fun filled drink!


We decide to leave and I'm sky high, I give Tuomas a hug and he trips on my wheelchair for about the millionth time and thrusts me into his hair.  I was surrounded by hair, it was chuckle worthy!


Then as we're leaving, we see Marco getting some coffee and he stops Dan and I and I'm like, "Mmm coffee...!" He explains to us why he really doesn't drink anymore and this is the fruits of that!





We leave, and it's 2 AM. We walk home, and get some coffee, sighting that we're going to pull an all nighter, since we have to be at the train station for 5:45  AM. We end up crashing at 4:30 and then waking up at 5 AM. We're hurting units, for sure..





Bailey Dawn

Sweet Songbird of Eternity..

Above the clouds, the freedom roams where noone can know,
Can you hear me, sweet song bird of eternity?
Can you hear my calls or primal lust, fading into elegant dust.
Can you cast a glance at my life for me, sweet song bird of eternity?
You mean so much more than you know, forever child, eternal laughter, innocence redeemed.
Smile just once for me, sweet song bird, intoxicate me with the passion of a thousand ages,
release me from these clandestine cages.
Forever child, eternal laughter, innocence redeemed....

Nightwish Montreal & Toronto

Alright guys, this blog has been dead for a few months, but I'm finally back. I've been busy with arranging for school, actually going and doing buttloads of homework. I literally just finished my homework until October because I'm going on this trip. Today, I got my hair and nails done for the trip to Montreal and Toronto for the Nightwish shows.  I like to look pretty, alright!? Also, the only advice I gave my hairdresser was I wanted purple streaks and I wanted it to be headbanging length. Hah.. /geek. I ended up with this mix of purple/blue, black and red. The pictures don't do the purple justice, it really is more purple than this, I swear!

And the nails, which have purple glittery tips! *squeek* Did I mention I love the ever living shit out of purple?! Probably my second favorite color, next to red that is!

So, I'm all packed and kind of bummed to be honest. My Nightwish USA order (t-shirt and a hoodie) didn't get mailed until later cause they screwed up on the sizes and I still don't  have it. I had previously thought I might for this trip but the  only day they can deliver it is Monday, otherwise I am gone for the week.  So let's hope I get it on Monday, though with my luck, I tend to doubt it! I have my outfits all picked out for each show, but more on that during the week.I will give you a hint, though. One of my outfits includes my skinny jeans and my knee high leather boots! I will be uploading pictures, a video or two and separate concert reviews.  I cannot wait for my trip and I want to share it with you guys too, so get ready.

TWO DAYS!

Bailey Dawn.

Shinedown, more Nightwish, School, Traveling and gifts for people. ^_^

Turn up your volume guys, and listen to me ramble! <3

Oh and here's the page where you can get the Nightwish Usa Fanclub t-shirts. Though you have to sign up for the forum, which I did cause it's awesome. ^_^

Official Nightwish USA Merchandise link

Bailey Dawn <3

HOLY AMAZING SHINEDOWN!

Shinedown was awesome, but my camera went "POP" and is not working, so I'll have to wait for my good friend Corrie Ann to post the pictures before I do a review! :3 But rest assure, it was the sweetest thing.. I think the part where I nearly died was when Brent Smith gave me a hug... How cool is that?! Their music is so genuine, compassionate and riddled with emotions.. How could I not like this band? *sighs in happiness* Between Ice Cream, frappuchinos, books and arcade games, I'm flying high on life right now.

For now, off to bed where I'll read my new books "Snow White and The Huntsman" and "Sinful".

Huzzah!  <3 Sweet dreams and many a daymare.

Bailey

Shinedown, Nightwish, 70,000 tons of metal school and life.

Sorry I haven't updated.. Things have been so very crazy here. Between moving furniture around and trying to get everything organised for school I've just been so busy...  Right now, time is flying! I go to school in early September, then off by plane to Nightwish in both Montreal and Toronto, with a viarail trip in between.. Then my birthday, Christmas and New Years.. and then maybe 70,000 tons of metal again.. Basically it's going to be a busy year and leading into the next year, even.

A few things are really getting me worried though and I'm going to explain them to you since.. Well, this is my blog. If you don't like it, go sit on a cactus. :3

First things first, next Thursday is the Shinedown concert at the Edmonton's Event Centre and I'm nervous about getting thrown around like a ragdoll and beat up again, since this is an all ages show and it was the girls (both under age and adult) who did that to me at the H.I.M concert, for the most part. Apocalyptica was great, and there weren't many issues, except someone spit beer on me and my friend, but even then.. Key difference? This is an all ages show, Apocalyptica's was not... *sigh* I guess we'll see when we get there, won't we? I just remember the ever sickening feeling of wanting to get out of that 800 person crowd and the intense breathing problems I had when leaving that crowd and after. Also, Shinedown is awesome which is why I totally want to see them.. Most other bands I'd be "meh" for but Shinedown inspires me. :)

So, next up: We can't get a hold of the managers for the Toronto Nightwish show..  We've already got a hold of the producer for the Montreal show, and he's going to accommodate us the best he can, wants us to call when we get into Montreal so he can arrange things, which is an amazing feeling! But as always, my joy isn't long lasting because the Toronto venue will not call/email us back. We've emailed them twice now, and tomorrow we call them to finally see if we can get to the bottom of this.

I've had people look at me strangely and say, "Well, why can't you wait in line like everyone else and just get in with everyone else?" and sometimes I feel a little guilty for getting in early and getting up front or whatever it is they do for me, but have you ever tried to get into a venue in a wheelchair? Very rarely are people reasonable or even polite and it becomes the herd mentality of the group that takes over, which is why I always try to clear it with the manager/producer. Also, it's rude for me to just waltz in like I can take any spot because I might be a fire hazard, and where I'm sitting might not be appropriate and things like that, so really, I try to curb my guilt, but it's still pretty much there. I just have an over-active conscious. Also, it's no fun not actually seeing/hearing the band because everyone is taller than me.

Also, the gifts.. I bought Tuomas Holopainen a Scrooge McDuck pen and Anette Olzon a green butterfly necklace. What if they don't like them?! What if I do what I did on the cruise and get all clammed up and shy again?! GAHHHH.

The next thing I'm worried about is school.. I'm missing four days for these shows, possibly three if classes line up right and I'm just worried about being able to catch up.

The final thing I'm worried about and this is just me rambling. OH DEAR GOD, A PLANE, AND I HAVE TO GET ON THAT?! WHAT IF WE CRASH OR GET DELAYED AND I DON'T MAKE THE SHOW! PLEASE, IF I HAVE TO DIE MAKE IT AFTER THE SHOWS!! *flail squeal die* x.x;

This has been a message brought to you by the shy and anxiety ridden wheelchair lady,
Bailey Dawn. <3