The Grand Finale: Taylor Swift's 1989 tour

I left early in the morning from Evanston, said my goodbyes to Madeline and her amazing family, and drove into Ohio through Indiana. Stopped in Cincinnati planning to spend the night at my great-aunt's, but after visiting with my family in Cincinnati, I found out that my mom — out of all nights and all places — was in Columbus, OH just a couple hours away on a business trip. So I drove over there and we got to see each other for the first time in almost three weeks. It was really sweet. (You would think we never talk or something, but her business trip had been rescheduled and she could hardly keep track of what state I was in on what day. I don't blame her.)

And it was really convenient to have the hotel room in Columbus where I was planning on driving to anyways for the Taylor Swift 1989 tour concert. This was the final event of the trip that I was so excited for. Like the grand finale. 

I had gotten two tickets for her concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for my birthday. When I realized I could trade in those two tickets (which were the seats at the very top — still an awesome experience, but when you can trade those in...) for a floor seat! I felt like I had accomplished so much by figuring out StubHub and selling those tickets. Major feat.

I was also excited because my friend Amanda, and another friend of hers were going to this particular concert on the same night as well! So I was able to meet up with them beforehand and get some merchandise and then go inside the venue.

The concert felt like I was also at a Taylor Swift convention. I thought I was a fan having listened and followed her music since I was 15 and have gone to two of her other tours, but then I saw what real fans do. There was a variety of Taylor's and Taylorisms — you could see all of her identities from the past ten years of her career all in one place along with more imaginative dress-ups like of her cats. I really liked the people who brought the signs that lit up. 

Vance Joy opened for her. I almost cried during Vance Joys "Riptide" for some reason. I mean, I love that song, but I haven't even had an inclination of crying to it before. Emotions were running high.

And then Tay came out (we're like, on first name basis #notreally) and the production began. She had lots of lights, set designs, super cool costumes. Most of all I had anticipated from seeing clips or pictures on her Instagram. 

And then she'd have her monologues about moving on, and moving forward in life when you lose a relationship: "Day by day you start living your life on your terms and not on anyone else's."

I sang along with everyone else. Almost in shock that I was even in that moment. It was pretty surreal for me. I could see Amanda and her friend up the seats a little bit from me (we had already each purchased our tickets so we weren't sitting right next to each other), and even though I didn't know anybody personally on my left or right, Swifties sing and dance together like we've all been friends with the common thread of TSwift and her mesmerizing lyrics uniting us. So it worked out swell.

The night was literally sparkling with all the beautiful lights. I'll never let it go ;)