Okay. I have a lot to write about. But I'm tired and I have to organize my thoughts. So let me just hit on the main theme of the weekend.

Hmmm. Well. Actually let's not, because I can't find a way to put it that fits a theme. I guess the closest I can get is "I made it."

I know this is horribly cryptic. Okay. I'll sum it up right quick, in third person because it's easier even if it is mad annoying:

Anne is sick on Friday morning and is horribly divided over what to do, nearly all day long. She decides to go with Chris and Brooks and pick up Brooke to go to Charleston. Fights off panic all the way to Charleston, wondering how much she'll regret not asking Chris to drop her off or take her back home, like a wussy. Anne has very little in the way of fat reserves to take over when she doesn't feel like eating.

Arrives at Loni's where there is no A/C; Anne has a fever. Spends night under a fan on a futon; feels like Martin Sheen at the beginning of "Apocalypse Now" and morbidly imagines having a deathbed that is a futon adorned with a single Pac Man sheet. Next day, is utterly listless. Asks friend Loni to take her to the ER just in case. Three hours mostly spent in ER waiting room result in peanut butter crackers, Tylenol and Phenergan (her old anti-nausea friend). Goes back to Loni's and relaxes while others sightsee and whatnot. Reads most of Little Altars Everywhere that Loni had from the library. Was expecting happier and funnier book, but still good. Dozes off now and then because of the Phenergan.

When others come back, getting ready to go, Anne decides to take a shower anyway, and gets dressed to go to the show. Loni promises to take her back if need be. Anne puts on glitter gel, but no makeup. No makeup! Too hot. Buys Passion Fruit Gatorade and a tube of Ritz crackers. Drinks while waiting in line to get in to the venue, for what seems like ages. Sees friends and non-friends alike.

Waits, with a little bit of worry and anxiety, during Will Hoge's set, as the sun goes down. As Jump sets up, they project some episodes of "Underdog." Anne wonders if and how they got the rights to show it and use the character on their merch. Anne was once a cartoon geek, but for much better cartoons than "Underdog."

Tries to find a place to sit. Ends up sitting on the ramp near Katie and Doug, about 8:00 to the front of the stage, giving an unusual view -- that of the backstage, and once the band emerges, the faces of the crowd, looking up at the band. Nice viewpoint of Ward's elbow and the back of his nice white shirt. Cannot take missing-out feeling any longer and gets closer a few songs into the set, back down in the front, to the right, with friends, as usual. Drinks, eats crackers. Wanders a little during less interesting songs. Sees Hung; they get overpriced ice cream from Ben and Jerry's booth. Complain about being tired. Feels better. Walks back up to the front half of the bus shed and joins in on sing-along shenanigans. Points out to Brooks the fact that Evan is wearing a wifebeater. Watches Brooks freak out. Pats her reassuringly.

Experiences fun, beautiful-sounding, joy-filled show. Hits that good old Jump show high that nothing else quite matches, tragically enough.

"How are you feeling?" people ask Anne with concern after the show. "Maybe it's the adrenaline rush, but...," she replies. Cops fuss at people to leave. Anne and Brooke manage to quickly give Ward the Sleater-Kinney CDs they burned for him on a whim. As is often the case he is a little too polite, but whatever; what a thing to complain about, huh?

Eventually, cops leave. Anne manages to follow Erin Emerson and Loni back into the venue where Erin is looking for her wallet. Anne finally gets a Matt-hug and after mock-complaining that she never has a long discussion with anyone in the band at shows, a decent Matt discussion ranging from Matt's desire for a cable modem to his idol-worship of Bono and his envy of Anne's closeness to the stage at the Atlanta U2 show. Anne examines Matt's purple nailpolish and proclaims it to be "Pretty!" eliciting a happy smile from Matt. Anne wonders why she can quasi-flirt with Matt almost effortlessly and yet feels as if she is wading backwards throught peanut butter and oatmeal when talking to Ward.

As she follows Chris away, can't resist urge to say another goodbye to Ward, and does, and it is rather stupid but brief. Decides ultimately to blame it on the glasses and the white t-shirt.

Back at Loni's, she drags the futon downstairs and sleeps in the cooler living room with Brooks and Chris and Brooke and the charming Sara-Synne, who is going to China soon. What little sleep she gets is peaceful, non-feverish. The sun is in her face when she wakes up, and the little group leaves at 9. Burger King breakfast food is consumed, and then Chris drives them around his childhood home of Summerville for a while. The ride home is nausea and fever-free.

At home finally, there is a sudden intense thunderstorm that might symbolize something or other, but what, Anne is not quite sure.

She feels accomplished, even if what she accomplished was simply seeing her favorite band and her friends five hours from home while she was sick.

[Wasn't such a brief summary after all, huh?]