It’s been exactly one year since I chose Bono over Obama.
I had planned to see U2 for months and the concert was on Sept. 21, 2009 in Foxborough, Mass., at the New England Patriots Football Stadium. Just days before the concert is when word came in that for the first time in decades, the current president of the United States was coming to Troy.
I thought it over. If I stayed, I might be one of the few able to meet our country’s first black president for a few minutes and then write about the reaction. If I left, I would be guaranteed an amazing show by some of the best musicians in the world.
My father, an American History and Government teacher, may have been a bit disappointed, but I chose the latter.
The weekend prior to the concert, I went with a friend of mine visiting from Germany to Cape Cod where we drove the Cranberry Highway, went to a winery, ate our meals on the ocean, and saw three seals in the process at two different beaches.
It was actually the first time I had been to the Cape and it was magical. It was probably one of the reasons I decided to bring my boyfriend there this past weekend for his birthday. And he said this was the best birthday he’s had in 15 years (I think the only year that compared was when he got a G.I. Joe and went to Chuck E. Cheese’s).
The way I see it: If I had stayed to cover the Obama visit, I would not have gone to Cape Cod. If I hadn’t gone to Cape Cod, I might not have decided to go there this year for my boyfriend’s birthday. And if I hadn’t gone there this year for my boyfriend’s birthday, I might not have had such a great time this weekend. (And I definitely would not have sat next to Britney Spears having dinner with her possible fiancé – check out my prior blog about this.)
So, I think everything worked out for the best.