I can't stop smiling

This board is absobloominlutely incredible. Here's why:

My 'Roo experience had already started to go downhill precisely a week before we were to depart for Manchester from NJ. We discovered that the vehicle we (myself and five friends) were going to travel in had a faulty transmission. Things looked bleak at that point until I managed to get my mother's brand new Toyota Camry for the ride. My girlfriend and I traveled in that with most of the gear while the other four crammed in another car.

About 12 hours (out of 14) into the trip--somewhere in Chatanooga--I made the mistake of trusting my girlham to drive while I caught some much needed Zs in the passenger's seat. She rear-ended a car going about 50 mph, which in turn rear-ended the car in front of her. We did get lucky. The car was, aesthetically, completely fornicated up, but ran (and still runs) completely fine.

Regardless, the whole weekend, as I was watching all these incredible musicians and performers and meeting some of the coolest people ever, the accident lingered in the back of my mind. I tried hard not to think about it but all attempts were utterly futile. I felt like my fun was divided by 2. Half of me was at 'Roo; the other half predicting the repercussions of what happened.

My post-'Roo world hasn't been very pleasant. I have been constantly on the phone with insurance companies, awkwardly explaining to my girlfriend's parents (who currently lives in NM and did NOT tell them she was going) where she had been and what had happened as well as catching up with a whole week of work for my accelerated college courses. Also, my mother has decided to take the accident very personally, making home very uncomfortable. All in all, I regretted going to 'Roo completely, felt like I had an awful time (let's not forget the dust and heat too!) and vowed never to go back.

But when I finally found some free time tonight, I decided to jump on these boards once again to see what everyone else's experience was like. I have not wiped the grin off my face since. Reading all the accolades and funny stories has made me realize how 'Roo wasn't really that bad, it was actually pretty flippin' great.

Watching the Rod y Gab "Wish You Were Here" Youtube vid (thank you, mshot) made me remember that I was THERE, singing my heart out and thinking, "This is so completely awesome". Reading about Morello's prolonged appearance at Tool is really funny because it felt like seconds to me (alterrreeed). I was 30ft away from Wayne Coyne's descent to planet Earth, something I share with only a handful of likewise mind-blown 'Rooians. I now recall vividly lying beneath the shade of a tree by the Which Stage, eyes closed, hand-in-hand with my girlfriend, smiling wide and listening to Jack sound track my life with "We're Going To Be Friends".

What I'm getting at is:

Now engulfed in all the consequences of the accident and the trip itself, I doubt I would have ever had the opportunity to remember all the good experiences of 'Roo if it wasn't for this board. Just by having a good time and sharing your stories with each other here, you have transformed my lamentation into a jovial post-'Roo haze and ensured that I will be back next year to do it all over again.

If you read through all that, thanks. If you didn't, it doesn't matter. You've already done enough for me, Inforoo.