Since I talk about it constantly, you guys probably know how much I love music, and how it shapes my life. For the last 10 years, one of my big constants has been Jack Johnson. When Michael and I started dating, I was so excited to learn that he had also been listening to Jack for just as long as I had. Minus the complete heart-throbbing love interest in that man and his guitar.
No one ever comes to Oklahoma, but a lot of musicians trail through Dallas. So last night we took a road trip to Texas to see Jack, in the heat.
And guys, it was hot. Really, really hot. I love Summer, and I love hot weather, but Texas on an August day is just about the ugliest thing I've ever seen. The concert was outdoors, and after it decided to stop raining, the sun came out and it got muggy, to the point where it was hard to breathe.
And then Jack came out, and it has hard to breathe all over again.
We got there early, and a couple hours before the concert started, he was out in the main area with his guitar, just singing to the handful of crazy fans that got there early enough to endure the temperatures. I took one (exactly one) picture with my camera before security took it away from me for the rest of the concert.
So my terrible camera phone it was, for the rest of the night.
And then I started itching. And got more and more hot. And hotter. I partially blame this on Jack.
We got out of there right before midnight, and still had a 3 hour drive home. In the car I started getting even more itchy, and noticed I was getting a bit of a rash. "Bit of..." turned into my understatement for the year. The next morning when I work up, I looked like THIS:
Over every inch of my body. My scalp, ears, neck, face, back, stomach, and even my toes were covered in incredibly itchy, swollen welts. The worst part was first waking up, opening my eyes, and realizing they weren't open. They could only crack. And Michael looked at me, and said "oh....you poor thing. you look like you got beat up."
Guys, I never get sick. I never take medication, and a doctor visit is even more rare. The last visit I had was 7 years ago. The last antibiotic I took was closer to 10 years, and the last pill I took period was almost 2 years ago. That means no allergy medicine, no Aspirin for a head ache, no birth control, nothing. But this morning I went to the minor emergency and decided it was time to break my streak. My entire body looks like this, today:
Pretty, right? I'm thinking of writing Jack a letter and telling him that he gave me hives....but it's okay. It was worth it.
There are still a few cities left on his tour, so go see him if you get a chance. 100% of the profits from the tour, merchandise, and his new cd go to charity. He is definitely one of the most admirable musicians out there, and his All at Once organization works towards making the Earth a little bit of a cleaner, more conscience place, one bit at a time.
(the server is down right now, but check back on the website, later)
Also, here are a few videos for you to enjoy. I always have a really hard time picking my favorite songs when ten years have been spent listening to his music, but here are a few:
"Adrift" -Jack. you're welcome, ladies.
"All At Once" -Jack.
"What You Thought You Need" -Jack.
"You And Your Heart" -Jack.
"Better Together" -Jack.
"If I Had Eyes" -Jack.
63 comments:
Oh dear! Those hives don't look too pleasant! You poor thing! Maybe Jack will feel bad and send you free stuff, and deliver it himself! :)
i am a HUGE Jack Johnson fan! Better Together was my wedding song! :)
I hope you get better...that looks awful and terribly uncomfortable. Let us know how you're holding up!
OMG, I have the same reaction.. You are allergic to chiggers.. In HI. I would get the same welts.. I had to get antibiotics.. what it is, is that u are allergic to the chigger bite... the germ from the chigger gets in your bloodstream... also to stop the itching.. u can put clear nailpolish over the bite...it will kill the urge to scratch...
oh NO!!!! bummer! looks like a bad allergic reaction...
feel better soon!!
Missy - what is it!!??? I hope you are OK...
:( Oh dear. I'm glad you went to the doctor! You should definitely write Jack! Maybe he'll send you a get well soon card!
you poor lady! that looks so painful.
there must be something with jack johnson concerts and catastrophe ...
the one i went to was way out in the boons of canada, with about twenty thousand people,
and getting out of the grounds that night, there was nearly a stampede ... people climbing fences, flooding the gate.
feel better, and thanks for a great post on a great musician.
Feel better soon pretty lady. Ouch!
sweet baby Jesus! I hope you get rid of that soon, I can only imagine how painful that is. :[
I've been a huge fan of Jack since my Hawaii days, back in 02, when he was just a local. Ahh, the memories.. I was going to go to that concert last nite (I'm in Dallas) but when I saw it was outdoors I said no thanks. :[
I was excited to see you had posted something but I feel so bad! I'm so sorry to hear/see that happen to you! How awful. I love that you haven't taken any kind of medication etc for such a long time! I would love to be able to do this, do you have any rememdies for bad cold with coughs? I am tired of taking myself and my daughter to the doctors only to be prescribed more and more antibiotics.
Get well soon!
It seems strange that every time I read your blog I relate. Hives are no fun. Jack Johnson is amazing. I've been listening for about 5 years. I would have been 8, 10 years ago, thus I really don't remember Jack then.
Oh my, that's intense! Hope they go away soon!
Did they tell you it was a heat rash or heat induced? Goodness...
Whoa, those hives do NOT look fun at all!!
I just saw Jack Johnson at the Mile High Music Festival last Saturday, along with many other good groups too. He was really good, and he was the last act of the day when it got dark & nice and cool out! :)
holy-moley!! You looked like a crack head in that pic! yikes!! I am soooo sorry for your hives flare up....and yes, Jack Johnson is totally worth it!
Oh my goodness!!! I hope it has calmed down! Oatmeal baths can be soothing for poison ivy rashes, maybe it could be helpful for that?
oh you poor thing!!! i would freak out if i woke up like that. you are one tough cookie. hope you feel better soon! :(
what caused that reaction , I have never seen as bad a hive reaction as that ? do you know the cause?
Wow! I have never seen anything like that. I have, however, seen Jack--just this Monday in KC. Totally amazing. I've played him in my classroom for years and I'm planning a unit using his lyrics as poetry this time around. So many of his words resonate with me. I am so interested in hearing more about what got a hold of you...Hope you're finding some relief.
bless your heart! I hope you feel better soon! you are in my prayers =)
I'm actually listening to Jack right now. Rain is falling down outside and the house is quiet. Except for Jack. It's the perfect evening.
So hope you are feeling better after those hives! Yikes girl! That's so stinken terrible!
Oh my goodness- you poor thing! I hope you're feeling better very soon.
Jack is my favorite. We bought tickets months ago, and the show here is next week!!! I can't wait :)
you poor thing!!! that looks painful!
my husband had no idea i was just reading about jack and he just put on "better together" as he's being productive and i'm sitting here on the computer. :) i think it's a hint to get up and help him.
Oh man. I had an allergic reaction to Amoxicillin once and the rash was all over red. Thankfully no puffy eyes like you! I can only imagine how horrible and uncomfortable that is. I hope that you get better soon Aura!
i have been in love with jack for years and years also. He is coming to a city near me but sadly because of his paperless tour (which is pretty cool) and the fact that I don't have my own credit card im missing the show. honestly heartbreaking for me I still get so upset knowing hes gonna be playing so close and I cant go. I'm sop jealous! but those hives yikes thats horrible!!! hope you're feeling a bit better now though!
oh dear :( I hope you feel better soon sweetie
Oh my goodness!! You poor thing!! Did you find out what caused it? And I'm intrigued by your no medication... is this a conscious healthy living thing? Or are you just always well? I'm constantly looking for more natural health things, thus the intrigue. I hope you feel better soon!!
OHEMGEE poor lady! feel better woman.
oh you poor thing! but again this post is why i adore what you share--you are such an optimist about the entire thing. :)
maybe it's time to right jack a letter with the photos. "dear jack, i think i deserve to meet you. or at least get free tickets."
:)
Oh my gooodnesss!!!!! It sucks that such a wonderful night could bring you such physical discomfort!! i hope it passes for you soon!!!!!
We've been plagued with a heatwave in Vancouver the past few weeks, and it's been brutal.... I live for autumn nights!! Crisp and cool. Plus it's beautiful to see all the leaves change colour :) :)
Oh, this looks awful! I hope you heal quickly!
I also LOVE Jack. I love his new album too. You are lucky to see him live! I've only seen him on "live" dvd!
Oh you poor thing! That just looks painful :(
I hope u will be ok soon :(
Get well soon Aura! I hope the medicines will help soon for the itch and swollen parts.
I have question, how you handle your allergies and headaches (and all rest) when normally would need medicines but don't use? The medicine wave took me again, need to take 4 different strong ones for my aching back and it makes me so miserable.. i think it's causing soon depression or something :( not good!
OH MY GOD YOUR LEGS.
That is exactly what happens to me when I take most antibiotics!
Hope you feel better soon aura xx
bless your heart! i hope that you are feeling better. joey and i also share you and michaels love for jack, our first dance at our wedding was 'better together' he is amazing! i am so jealous that you got to see him. again, hope youre feeling better :)
You had me feeling guilty the other day that I was finally starting to wish Summer away. I was glad to hear you found the weather horrible here too! (I'm in Houston) It's pretty terrible isn't it..
I hope you're feeling better!
Oh my! At least you got to see an awesome concert! Hope you're feeling better.
Oh my goodness Aura!! You poor thing indeed! I hope that you feel better soon, there is nothing worse than being itchy... all over!
I love Jack Johnson! I saw him 3 years ago, great concert.
My two fav songs are "Traffic in the Sky" and "No Other Way."
Like I said before, feel better soon!
that's terrible - hives are the worst! looks like you had a bad case too, i hope you are feeling better love!
so neat that jack was out with the fans like that... just one more reason to swoon over him :)
also, wanted to let you know that i deleted my old blog. you can now find me at heathleigh.blogspot.com :)
Oh no! that looks painful and itchy...hope you feel better soon!
I wonder if it is a heat rash? I get a heat rash if I am in the sun for too long, but they look like little mini blisters after a day or two goes by- you poor thing, maybe someone had something or maybe you are allergic to Dallas lol
Oh Aura, those look so painful. I hope you get some relief. Oatmeal baths, perhaps? Did you find out what bit you?
Yikes! As if the heat weren't bad enough!
Oh my WORD. You poor thing. I hope you're much better now. And I totally hear you on the doctor thing...we live as naturally as possible, partly because I hate going to the doctor.
Mother of pearl, that looks itchy! I broke out in hives from head to toe the day after I got married and it was awful! Anyway, I hope you are doing better and that the hives are gone. Just an aside, I was totally laughing about Jack Johnson giving you hives. You totally deserve a mention at his next concert. :)
OMG. That's seriously painful to look at, I cannot imagine living it! I hope you feel better asap!!! xo
You poor sweet thing. I really hope it gets better soon, but I'm glad you had an awesome time at the concert.
Believe it or not I'm allergic to codeine, and this is what happens to me when I take it! (although not that bad!)
xxx
PS. even with hives and a puffy face you still look beautiful :)
oh you poor thing :( get well soon!
i am going to see Jack tuesday night and thank god...it is INSIDE bc florida in august is no joke either.
OH MY GOD, Aura!!! I hope you're feeling better :( I thought I had it bad when I broke out in a rash from head to toe 10 days before my wedding, but your hives look WAY worse!!!
I was so happy to see your post. It looked like you had a blast at the concert. I'm so sorry you ended up with a terrible case of the hives. I hope you are feeling better real soon.
Peace!
Sorry to hear about your hives! That sucks. Just getting over some weird sickness myself that put me down with a fever for several days.
But I didn't realize you lived in Oklahoma? That makes you even cooler, considering I love it when there are people that make my home state cool instead of making it look psycho (like normal).
Wow. I know exactly how warm, itchy and uncomfortable hives can be. I hope you are feeling better and have figured out what caused it so you can avoid getting them again.
Be Well.
Oh, that must hurt badly! I hope you feel better soon!!!
You poor thing!!! It looks like a wicked case of chigger bites (not even sure if that is the scientific term for them). I used to go rolling around in the grass as a kid and would come home covered in bites like this and welts. I hope you get better soon.
You may want to try an oatmeal bath if you're still itchy.
I adore Jack Johnson - I think he's starting to grow on my boyfriend. Some nights on the front porch I insist on listening to Jack. Everytime I listen to Brushfire Fairytales I'm transported back to Costa Rica, I had purchased the CD for the trip and listened to it every, single, day.
Get well soon babe, I'm sorry you got the hives, but I will say yes that getting them from jack isn't so bad at all.
oxox
Oh no! I hope you're feeling better since this post. I think it's hilarious and adorable that you're okay with having hives in the name of Jack Johnson. We share the same hometown...but all the musical talent went to him. :)
Oh crap, what happened to your pretty face!!!! I hope you're feeling better.
I'm going to see him on Wednesday - it will be a huge difference to see him in the big event since I used to see him in a tiny restaurant on North Shore years and years ago... I think I'm going to be homesick and cry....
Poor girl!! Looks super sore and irritating! Hope it went away quickly! :)
Aura!
Imagine your fright! Allergy "Jack Johnson"! hihi
Allergic reactions are dangerous! What good is well!
Kiss of light and great week.
I agree. Jack Johnson is so worth it.
Me and my guy are totally Jack Johnson fans, we are getting married in Santa Barbara in October and seeing him in concert that night. So special to us... I used to break out in hives due to stress, but my goodness not like yours, hope you healed quickly.
oh yes! been there! I got a rash like that once from an allergic reaction to poison ivy and once from the sun—well i think anyway... it is the complete worst! feel the pain...
ox
Jack is an amazing live act. Ive seen him three times now, and he seems to have grown quite a bit as a musician and performer since I fist saw him 8 years ago!
My friend Lael Neale is pursuing a career in music as a singer/songwriter. She does a lot with the lead singer of Tea Leaf Green. With your love of music, I thought you might enjoy something new.
http://laelneale.com/fr_home.cfm
Hope you like her style. She's awesome.
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