Anyone Staying Up Till Midnight To Welcome In Nov. 18, '08?

Squeal! Squee!...Do cartwheels!...Twirl around in joy!...

I'm guessing those of us who pre-ordered at iTunes will have the album available for download as soon as midnight comes around? (I've never been crazy about any other artist to this extent, so have never pre-ordered on iTunes before.)

So excited...I just want to scream out loud.

I'm going to celebrate right here at midnight with several shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey. Who wants to join me? BYOB (ha! ha!)

Three cheers for David Cook! Hip, Hip, Hooray! Hip! Hip! Hooray! Hip! Hip! Hooray! (It almost feels like New Year's Eve!)

For he's a jolly good fellow, that nobody can deny...

Angie

How Do You Upload A Siggy Or Banner?

Hi fellow Cook lovers,

I have a few basic dumb questions. I admire all of your beautiful siggys and banners, so I decided to try my hand at making a banner on mybannermaker.com. I would like to upload it so that it'll appear with every post I make, like a lot of you guys have at the end of your posts. However, I cannot figure out how to do this (Stupid, right?) I go to My Controls and then what do I do? I clicked on the Signature choice, and then tried to copy the HTML code from bannermaker and pasted it, but what appeared after my post was the actual HTML code and not the banner itself. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this properly, but hopefully some tech savvy person knows what I'm trying to say.

Also, how do you change the words underneath your avatar photo? Mine just says "Starting to like cookie" which was automatically inserted for me when I joined david-cook.org, but I'd like to change what it says. I'm not just starting to like Cookie, I LIKE HIM ALREADY and always will.

Thanks in advance for anyone's help.

8/20 Sunrise, FL concert

Hi everyone,

Here's Part II of the story. For those of you who haven't read Part I and would like to do so, it is in this same forum, same Topic Title, except it says Part I.

Part II

So after meeting David, I went over to MJ. Over the course of the event, I ended up going back to talk to MJ three times because he wasn't being mobbed like Cookie was. One comment that MJ made to me was funny because I went to see him three times. He said, "You sure love me a lot for someone who has a Cook shirt on." My husband said, "Looks like he got your number there!" My reply to MJ was, "Well, look at my shirt to see who I let sign it. I only asked you (Michael) and David to sign it, and none of the other idols' signatures are on it. Only yours and David's." Michael laughed at that. I also showed him a photo of just him and Cookie that he had signed for me (the one where MJ's shirt says Dance Machine and Cookie's head is on MJ's shoulder), which further proves my point that he and David are special to me. Okay, he smiled.

Carly was nice; while I was with her, she suddenly heard someone playing on the electric piano and she said, "Oh no! I was the one who turned on the piano, and now someone's playing on it. They're going to be mad at me." Brooke is a very authentic and beautiful person. She looked even much thinner than when she was on Idols. And she looked thin then. So I hope she's eating right on the tour. Next I met Jason. Jason is Jason (you guys know what I mean.) Didn't really have much to say, you have to ask him questions, and then he'll answer. Not a natural conversationalist like Cookie or MJ. After this, I met Chikeze. A sweet teddy bear of a guy. He didn't have a lot of people standing in line to see him the whole time. I felt bad for him. He has a warm smile, and he's a very genuine person. Archie's line finally dwindled down and I finally met him (again). I didn't get a photo with him during the pre-show meet and greet, so I asked for a photo now. Of course he said yes. He is so sweet. This is a guy you want around your house because of his beautiful smile and positive energy; he's like a ray of sunshine that just brightens your day.

Next was Ramiele, who was friendly enough. She had a huge contingent of Philippino family and friends around her all evening, as this is her hometown. So I think she was mainly preoccupied with them. Did not meet Syesha because this is also her hometown crowd and she was busy with them. Kristy Lee did not show up at this after-show event.

I noticed that Cookie's crowd never let up at all the entire time, and at one point it got so out of control (nobody was standing in line!!! Grrrrrrr....) that he had to go get AI security to tell the crowd to form a line. I saw him hustling (half run-walk) across the room back to the crowd. He was always engulfed in a large semi-circle of people, so unless one was up front, you could not see him. I was glad when security came and finally made everyone stand in line, to give him a bit of breathing room. Towards the end of the event, I heard him say to the crowd, "Okay, folks, here's the dilemma. I've just been told I only have 20 minutes left and there's still a lot of you. So I'll just sign, but there's no time for photos." As the crowd dwindled, I stayed till the very end (I wouldn't leave the room as long as Cookie was still in it because we were at least breathing the same air! Ahhhhh!) I stood at the end of Cookie's line thinking I'll get him to sign my word nerd hat and the photo of him and MJ since it wouldn't be complete without his sig on it, too. When I got up to him, he seemed to recognize me and I said "I'm going to be greedy and ask you to sign a couple more things." He sweetly obliged. I wouldn't have taken up his time if there were still a lot of others in line since I already had one turn with him earlier, but since it was the end and most people had left, I did it. I told him that I voted for him 950 times. He said, "Thank you. It's because of fans like you that I'm here." He even let me take another photo with him!!!! Is it any wonder we love him so? He's just wonderful with his fans.

I love Cookie more than ever. And I'm so glad so many of you love him, too. Here's to his success and longetivity in the music industry!!!!

For photos and a blog about David I wrote after my perfect day, please go to:

Photos of Sunrise, FL concert, 08/20/08

Blog about David Cook after Sunrise, FL concert, 08/20/08

Sunrise, FL concert 8/20/08

Hello fellow word nerds,

Very sorry I didn't have a chance to post until now. Life happens even as we're crushing on David Cook, right?

I want to preface this by saying that I'm in my late 40s and this is the first time I ever have done anything like this, even though I've had many crushes on celebrity/stars at various stages of my life. (My husband is teasing me and calling me a David Cook groupie.) I felt like a teenager that day, although I have always been young at heart and look very young (nobody ever believes that I'm 49; Annie702 whom I met that day will probably verify to this.)

At this arena the buses are parked in the back, but we were instructed to wait at the front entrance, so I didn't see anyone get off the buses.

I'll mention very little about the concert itself because it's more or less the same song and dance in every city (I'm guessing?) The special touches are the Mavid Bromance Dances, and as you guys may already know by now, our boys did not do the dance. Each held up a 8.5" x 11" sign, which they then crumpled and I saw David throw his into the crowd (wasn't looking at Michael, can you blame me? Although I have to say MJ is very easy on the eyes, too.) However, I'll add my observations to what I thought stood out only as it pertains to our cookie. I'll mainly share my experience at the after-show meet and greet.

I got to the Bank Atlantic Center at 12:00 p.m. hoping that they would come out for pre-concert meet and greet. There were less than a 100 people (maybe more like 50-70?) the entire time I was there, not the huge crowds of hundreds we've been reading about in other cities. That's probably because it was the first day of school, due to Tropical Storm Fay blowing into town on Monday, 8/18/08, and postponing the first day of school. We were told that they'd be out at 1:30 p.m. By 3:00 p.m., there was still no sign of any Idols. About 3:15 p.m., Archie came out. And Kristy Lee Cook came out about 20 minutes later. Archie is a teddy bear sweetheart. He took pictures, signed autographs and had conversations with everyone. By the time he got to where I was at the end of the line (about 4:15 p.m.), the security guy said his time was up and he had to get back inside to get ready. You could tell he felt bad from the look on his face that some of us were going to be short-changed because he had spent so much time with the other people before us. Although he felt rushed, he continued to sign and even take pictures. I was able to speak to him and tell him that his voice is so pure and beautiful and that I was very impressed by how well he carried himself at his age. I told him that I spoke to his Dad, Jeff, minutes before, and had complimented Jeff on how awesome Archie is and that he should be very proud. David is so polite, sweet, respectful and humble. And sooooo nice to everyone. He has the most beautiful eyes and eyelashes (thick, black and lush) and the sweetest smile. Although very handsome already, he is only going to get even more handsome as he gets older. (Look back at pics of him when he was young and compare them to how he looks today.) His complexion is flawless! And his soul is beautiful! You cannot help but love him, even though at this site our hearts belong to Cookie.

Archie appeared before Kristy Lee to see fans, and he stayed long after Kristy Lee. Kristy basically just blew by and did her "duty" quickly and disappeared, but Archie spent close to more than an hour with everyone. (This is just an observation, not a criticism, so please don't send me hate mail.)

I asked Archie if he knew whether the others would be coming out. It was now already close to 4:30 p.m. He said the girls were not allowed to come out because the hairstylists who were doing their hair were afraid the humidity would ruin their hair. (So I have no idea how Kristy Lee got to come out!) Earlier, we had learned from one of the AI security guards that five of the ten Idols were doing press and likely will not be coming out, but a girl can hope, can't she? That's why I waited till close to 5:00 p.m. and then it was obvious that no one else was going to come out.

The concert itself was very entertaining. Our seats were not on the floor, but it was a lot closer to the stage than many floor seats. I was beside myself with excitement and whooped and carried on like the 49-year-old teenager that I am!!! (Ha! Ha!) People around me were quite subdued (seldom stood up) but I didn't care. I made a lot of noise for Archie (having only met him hours earlier and then seeing him on stage was a surreal feeling.) But when our Cookie was announced, I think I completely lost it. I screamed and waved my word nerd shirt in the air, then screamed more. I noticed that he didn't wear his usual amount of jewelry (necklaces and bracelets). The only thing he had around his neck was the star choker he always wears. The only bracelets around his wrists were 3 or 4 rubber bands, no watch, no silver cuffs, no leather cuff, etc. His attire was also very plain, compared to how he dresses at some other concerts with vests, and other embellishments. He had on a simple T-shirt and his lace-up-on-the-side black pants (the one that came untied at one of his concerts where he said, "I becoming untied") and his usual pointy cowboy boots. But he was his royal hotness self that night, as usual. It doesn't really matter what he wears, he is just smokin'.

He started with Hello, then TOML, IDWTMAT, My Hero, and finished with Billie Jean. "Hello" had me when he first sang it on AI, and it still gets me every time I hear it, and more so than ever hearing it live. It was remarkable. TOML was great, people actually sang along to it. IDWTMAT was a killer. It's one of my favorite cover songs from Cookie, and it rocked the house. When it was done, David said , "I think this is the best I've ever done it." No kidding, David! That's an understatement. He dedicated My Hero to Adam. When he started playing the opening riffs for Billie Jean, the whole crowd went nuts. Everyone on the floor stood up. Where I was seated, even the people who never stood before, stood up for a short time. When he started the song and went, "Billie Jean..." the audience was very quiet, Cookie then paused and looked around the crowd as if to tease us, I screamed, "Oh my God!" very loudly, and I know he heard it because it was so quite at that moment.

Anyway, David's set ended too soon. I could have listened to him all night, which is something we word nerds will say "Amen" to. I had two passes to attend the after-show meet and greet, so I didn't feel as bad when he walked off the stage. Otherwise, I would have sat in my seat and wept, because there is such a feeling of missing him the minute he walks off, almost similar to the feeling of emptiness and missing him when AI's season ended. I know a lot of you will agree to this sentiment and know what I'm saying.

I tried to get to the room where they held the meet and greet as quickly as possible. Upon entering the room, I quickly tried to locate David. He was in the back of the room, and was already surrounded by maybe 4 or 5 people. Not the crazy crush of people that were to come in the next few minutes. I kept thinking about my first reaction to seeing David so close up and LIVE. I had no idea of what I would say or do. I wanted to be cool, calm and collected, but that didn't happen. I was so excited upon seeing him that I ran up to him and blurted out, "David Cook!" within about 3 or 4 feet of him. How uncool was that? He was signing an autograph for someone and he looked up, with a slightly quizzical look on his face. Then he motioned with his hand to wait, because he was with someone. There was actually no line formed to wait for our turn at this time, because he only had a few people crowed around him in a semi-circle. And some of the ladies who were already there said to me, "There's a line" very sternly. I was so embarrassed because David was standing right there. I said, "I'm very sorry, I wasn't trying to cut in line. I didn't know there was a line." I felt like such a big dork because it looked like I had jumped the line, but I wasn't. I was just freaking out and excited.

Then all of a sudden a big crowd rushed around him, and this time, I said, "There's a line." David then walked to another location, probably hoping that people will actually form a line rather than standing around him in a circle and jumping out willy-nilly to get his pic and autograph. As David was walking off (I was close enough that he could hear me) people were rushing behind him, I said, "I thought there was a line." David thinks on his feet. I noticed that this new location he picked did not allow people to get behind him, so no circle could be formed. I followed him to this new location, planted myself about 4 feet directly in front of him, hoping that others would stand behind me, since it was "technically" my turn to meet him at the previous location. Instead, no one lined up behind me, they all stood to the right and left of me, so that once again a semi-circle was formed. People were about to pounce on him from where they were standing again. I stood very still, just looking straight at him, and he pointed to me and said, "You've been waiting." Wow! What a guy! (Is it any wonder we love him?) He recognized me as the person from the previous line! I was so grateful. He is very observant even amidst the chaos, and he had heard me say, "I thought there was a line."

I went up to him, and everything I had prepared to say or ask just flew out of my head. It was an out-of-body experience. I told him that he was so loved by his word nerd fans and that August 20 was one of the three most important dates in my life--my birthday, my wedding day, and today. He smiled and said, "Thank you." He signed 3 autographs for me (one on the back of my shirt) and I asked to take a photo with him. He had put his right arm around my shoulder for the photograph, and I said my husband over there is taking the picture, and he joked, "Whoa! Hands off, then!" and actually took his hand off and you can see in one of the photos that his right hand is open behind me and he seems to be saying something ("Whoa! Hands off, then"). Funny guy, right?

I wandered around the room a bit and got other people's autographs and here are my impressions. The next person I approached was MJ (of course!) because I love him, too; just not as much as Cookie. MJ was very sweet, charming, laid-back and easy going. Very handsome.

I actually have been "summoned" to go to bed by the family. But for those of you who have been patiently waiting for days for news of the 8/20 concert, I will post this as Part I. I'll continue with Part II this weekend.
Sorry this is so long, but there really is more to share. And I know how you word nerds like every single detail. My husband just walked up behind me to read part of what I'm writing. I said I have to put in all the details because that's what the word nerds want. He shook his head and said, "You cooksters!"

Photos in Part II!

Anyone going to show in Sunrise, FL?

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone who is going to the show on Aug. 20th are planning to be there around 11am-noon and hang out until the AI tour bus brings the idols to the Bank Atlantic Center. I've read on these threads that a lot of fans have met the idols this way. Apparently, when they get off the bus they will come over to meet and greet the fans who have been waiting to see them. So I am planning to do this and keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get to meet Cookie.

I thought since we're all fans on this site, we could get together for moral support and chit-chat about all things David as we wait (it'll make the waiting time go by faster!)

Perhaps even make a big sign to do a shout-out to David from all the word nerd fans on this site.

I don't even have tickets to the show yet, because I learned about the Pop-Tarts pre-sale too late, and by the time I got onto TicketMaster when the tickets actually went on sale, all the good seats had already been sold out during the pre-sale. So I've decided to wait till the week of the concert, and then buy my tickets from eBay, stubhub, or ticketsliquidator. I want to get really good seats, so I'll pay whatever price (within reason) is being asked for them by that time.

I've never loved another musician as much as I do David Cook. I'm sure you know what I mean. LOL