Aerosmith and Senior Citizens; Smile:)

Aerosmith, and Senior Citizens,

 A Match Made in Heaven

I was nearly fifty-five years old when I became a fan of Steven Tyler. That’s when I went to my first Aerosmith Rock Concert with my then fifteen-year-old daughter, Shiloh. Trying to give her a great birthday present I agreed to the trip to Tampa, Florida and the induction and introduction into the Rock music genre.

On the trip over she indoctrinated me to the sort of music we would be hearing. I wasn't sure I knew but a couple of Aerosmith's songs, and wasn't sure how I was going to deal with all that loud music. But, it was her birthday trip and I was going to be a good sport about it. I was thinking I needed to get my groove on, but as it is with teenagers, just when you think they want you to act like their friend, they will surprise you with another response.

“Mom, you aren’t going to wear that are you? You’re my mother, not a teenager!”

We arrived early only to have to wait for hours outside, as the opening act was canceled. This conservative stay-at-home mom was way out of her normal comfort zone.

Then suddenly the doors were open and we were ecstatic to see that our seats were really close to the stage!  I looked around and was surprised to see there were more people there my age than Shiloh's. I was seated beside what looked like three generations of Asian women and a few couples that looked older than me, were on the aisle seats. There were big college guys standing behind us with huge glasses of beer, "Oh Lord, please don't let them spill that on us, I don't want to smell like a brewery.” Sheltered woman that I was I didn't even know they served beer at these things.

When Steven Tyler got out there singing and shaking his booty that couldn’t really be me screaming that loud? Or was it? Shiloh looked at me real funny.  This was supposed to be her concert, her birthday present.

“Mom!” she said as she tried to figure out some way to pretend she really wasn’t with me after all. When I embarrass her at the drive through restaurants she can slump down in her seat in the van, but she had no way of escape here. Besides I had always heard it was part of my job description as a mother to embarrass my kids!

That was the most exciting and energizing concert ever! It was a good thing we were sitting in the middle of the row of seats or Shiloh would’ve been totally embarrassed by her mom dancing in the aisles. As it was, I could only do the Paula Abdul, American Idol, thing and dance where I was. In fact, I had to scream my critique of each performance hoping it would reach the stage and my new BFF (best friend forever), Steven Tyler. How could someone with that much energy be older than me?

     Words of their songs gave me a glimpse of heaven on earth and the lyrics from “Dream On”* encourages even the seniors among us to dream, aspire and really rock, too! “Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year
sing for the laughter, sing for the tear
sing with me, if it's just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away

 Dream On, Dream On, Dream On
Dream until your dreams come true”

As the concert was winding down and the haunting strands of "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"* started playing, every older woman in my aisle jumped up, singing, and yes they were screaming, too. I was the first one out of my seat.

Don’t want to close my eyes
I don’t want to fall asleep
I don’t want to miss a thing

     Now, I’ve decided I want to try more Rock Concerts and take my ever-loving hubby with me, too! It was really invigorating and made me feel like a teenager again to go. Seriously, aren’t we all still teenagers in our mind’s eye? I had decided since I am getting my groove on maybe I can compete to become a judge on American Idol? But then they hired Steven Tyler; you can be sure I will be watching him this season. Who would’ve thought this grandma would start wearing feathers in her hair like Steven did last year on Idol? And even though my kids aren’t too cool with it, my hubby loves it. He even called me his own personal Native American at Thanksgiving!

Now that we all are getting older I’m wondering when they will start offering a “senior citizen” rate for tickets?
Donna Collins Tinsley
You may not recognize my writing in this one; different than most of what you have seen so far:) It is posted on this link, too.
http://www.divinecaroline.com/22088/126181-aerosmith-senior-citizens-match-made