Y'all.

Austin feels like home.

Thing is, I have never been able to fully explore all the realms and secrets this place probably has. I like to think of Austin as this person whom I deeply love that I want to run to and fully embrace in a hug that shows my love for this person, but I only get to see them once every blue moon, and even then, I only get to high-five them in passing.
Heartbreaking.

For this trip, the same, tiny high-five visit was in order and I had a mere 24 hours to do AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY COULD in those too few hours.
A good portion of the trip was devoted to seeing Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in concert and the rest came about from methodical planning and plotting from me with the occasional vote and input from my two travel buddies, True and Halley.

I'd like to take a moment and point out that going on a trip with me is nothing short of exhausting. I have the mad idea that I can do 100 things in two hours and I always try my best to get at least 98 done. If you are not fully prepared for my whirlwind antics, the trip can be exhausting to us both. Over time, I have gotten MUCH BETTER at compromise and actually asking people how they are doing and what they would like to do next instead of running the show. You can ask my family, or any person on the Disney Cruise trip back in 2013 or my best friend Nigel who went to Disney with me. They will all agree, I'm crazy ambitious and I'll stop at nothing to cram all I can in.
Seriously. I ditched my best friend at Disney for an hour so I could run around a bit on my own and do 45 things. (Good news: Nigel is super easy going and loves me a lot and didn't take it personally. He knows I can't sit still. And, when I came back for him, he was right where I left him, chilling happily and having a calm hour without me.)

This trip was in honor of True's 16th Birthday. He had never been to a concert before and shares an undying love for Macklemore with my sister and I and that is how this concert came about. Imaging going to see your favorite artist at your first ever concert and getting to MEET THEM AND TAKE PHOTOS WITH THEM. Yeah. WAY cool.

True would go on to call this day the "Best day ever" from the "best sister ever"
We are assuming he meant to say "sisters" but that is still unclear.

Okay. 24 hours in ATX + Macklemore and GO:

True came prepared to party with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

This is Leon Bridges. He is from Fort Worth. Ask me about him in person sometime. It's a funny story. He's famous now. He did a fantastic track with Macklemore called Kevin. Give it a listen.

I knew Eric Nally was on tour, and yet, when he came out, I still felt weak in the knees and might have cried a little when I saw him. IDK if this is love, but y'all IT MIGHT BE

Katherine and JA came on whim to the concert with us. Best decision of their life...you will see why in just a second

This is the Monkees. Macklemore's dance crew for the tour

I am not usually one to take a selfie with someone, but COME ON IT'S MACKLEMORE
We waited outside the backdoor of the theater that the show took place at in hopes of meeting with Macklemore and Ryan. Well guess what, waiting payed off.
In my encounter with Macklemore, I hadn't yet said a word to him when he reaches over and grabs the ends of my hair and says "I love your hair"
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
I managed to squeak out, "Thanks. I love your work!"
And then proceeded to ask him to take a photo with me and "could you maybe stick out your tongue or something?"
After the photo, I invited him to come to VooDoo Donuts with me.

Ryan Lewis is HOT. And short.
When he came out to his bus, his security guard was not interested in having him take photos or sign anything, but Ryan was down for a good time. After a few moments of being surrounded by the others waiting by the buses, the security guard grabs Ryan and yells "He is leaving"
Ryan yells "I'll do two more photos"
I yell "TAKE ONE WITH ME OKAY THANKS" and push some people out of the way.
I got my photo as one of the two.
To quote Into the Woods: If you know what you want, than you go and your find it and you get it.
I sure did

This is myself and Macklemore chatting about my hair and donuts. He looks like he is smiling at me. *heart eyes*

Eric Nally.
You guys, I think this is what love feels like. I love Eric Nally. Not kidding.
He was exiting the building and was walking AWAY from the small cluster of people waiting for the artists. I yelled out "ERIC NALLY" and he looks our way and waves. By this time, I feel seasick and my knees feel the way Eric Nally's look when he is prancing about on stage: aka jello. My heart is RACING and I yell out once more "will you please, please come over here and take a photo with me?" For a second, he looks like he might not, but then he said, "okay" and he starts strutting toward me.
Then the masses (really 20 people) rush him and demand autographs and photos and my heart is bursting cause he came over cause I asked but whatever.
Finally, I get up to him and hug that guy. I am pretty sure I babbled something stupid about Foxy Shazam and then I get my photo with him. Katherine snaps and picture with the Polaroid and he says "your camera is awesome" and I thank him, even though it isn't mine and we part ways.

I also took a photo with Zoe Rain, but I can't find it for the life of me. Weird.

24 Hours in ATX + Meeting Macklemore