i think one of the best days of my life...

I don't want to sound like one of those pathetic, awkward, stalking fans who go see their favorite bands perform and "stumble" (stalk) across the lead singer, shake his hand, and then proclaim "I just shook Bono's hand! And I'm not going to wash it ever again!"

But I really did shake Bono's hand today and I think my hand is actually turning into gold... and I don't think I'll wash it either.

The gold look is possibly half because of the bronzer that's in my lotion and part bruise that is beginning to spread across the palm of my right hand. And the bruise is pretty darn cool because it is from moving U2 and Greenday's stage all day across the field of the New Orleans Superdome. And when I saw my chance, I really did walk right up to Bono and say, "Can I... just... say hi to you?" I don't know what kind of question that is. "Hi," I said. And then I mumbled something stupid that he's heard a thousand times, "thankyou so much for what you do." And he looked at me with this pathetic pity (because I probably looked like I was about to cry) and shook my hand and said, "ah, honey." Bono called me honey. Atleast I think he did. I don't remember the whole scene very well.

So I spent an entire day "practicing" for the pregame show for Monday night football, New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons. My job is to help move one of the big heavy stages out to the middle of the field, then stand there and pretend to be a wild, screaming teenager (which I might do quite well), and then wait for U2 and Greenday to get off the stage (they get off the stage right next to where I stand... I could lick one if I wanted to... but that might be really strange), and then help move the stage aside so the New Orleans Saints can rush onto the field (as they whiz right by me!). It's surreal. I just had one of the craziest days of my life.

I met Bono. I stood next to a tv crew interviewing Billie Joe from Greenday and The Edge for U2. I watched them perform this pregame show all day long as I casually layed across the 50 yard line, then strolled over to the players benches for awhile. A really nice lady came up to us and shouted "Americorps! We helped start you!" and then someone introduced her as Alexis, our Secretary of Labor under Clinton. She said "Bill was just down here." I think I heard daddy Bush is going to be here tomorrow. This funny little man that reminded me of Elton John pranced around in a tight black suit. He turned out to be the head of the whole show, one of the producers for Disney. He asked me to get off the teams bench. As we talked to the Secretary of Labor, we realized Harry Conick Jr. was standing behind us. Our leader for the day was telling some of us some stories of his favorite Super Bowl gigs and we just had to ask about Janet. He stood 10 feet away when the whole thing went down. Turns out, he has some really solid evidence that it truly was an accident. And he says 50 cent is really well spoken and P Diddy is a jerk.

I stole some pieces of rubber off the turf that are sitting next to my computer. I have no pictures cause we weren't allowed to take camaras. My turf is my only evidence of this amazing day. But if anyone happens to watch Good Morning America, we are scheduled to be on tomorrow morning, but it's still alittle up in the air. And if you watch the ESPN pregame show tomorrow night and you wonder why that stage just looks so centered and beautiful, and you see wild screaming fans at Bono and Billie Joe's feet, that's the only other evidence I got.