I'm Not Going to See the Stones, After All

So, a couple of weeks ago, I planned my day around Rolling Stones concert tickets going on sale. I had someone pick Nina up from school, I worked, but rushed out early so I could be sitting at my kitchen table at noon, calm, settled, with my wits about me.

I googled Rolling Stones Tickets, Newark, NJ at about 11:55.  Some ticket sites came up that seemed to already have tickets for that show for sale.  Weird, I thought.... Then, worried I wouldn't be in on the action at 12 sharp, I found where I needed to be on the Ticketmaster site, and started the process, exactly on time.  Any price, location. I just wanted 4 tickets. That's all I wanted.

I made my choices and this screen came up:

The whole online ticket buying process stresses me out.  I just want to push all the right buttons and be the lucky winner of some tickets.  And now I have to pass a test, or figure out a puzzle.  Is that a T? A zero, or a picture of a bucket of popcorn? I get the answer wrong. The computer tells me so, but is nice enough to give me another try:

These are not bad quality cell phone pics- this is pretty much what the secret code for smarter people than me looked like.  I tried again:

This time I'm feeling confident.  My hands are a little shaky, which doesn't help with my typing, and my heart is slightly pounding, but, bingo! I get the correct answer!  I feel confident, cocky. What should I wear to the concert? briefly crosses my mind. 

Then I get the screen with the timer thingy that warns you to not leave this page, or you will be sent back to the beginning of the line. Like I'm a preschooler or something.......

So I wait. And wait. And wait.

And then this screen comes up:

It's 12:05 and they don't have 4 tickets together at any price, anywhere in the arena. I go through the whole aggravating process over and over, for half an hour, trying every possibility- obstructed views, one ticket, 2 at $1300,  nosebleed, floor, etc.  I finally give up and decide to go back to those Stub Hub type sites.  And they have all kinds of tickets for sale, of course for ridiculous amounts of money.  I'm mad, and I somehow feel like the Stones don't like me. They don't want me to ever get the chance to see them.  And fine, if that's how they feel, I don't like them. They are greedy and selfish and don't care one bit about me and my silly little life and the aggravation I've put myself through for over 40 years now to try to go to one of their shows. ( http://dotthefish.blogspot.com/2012/10/i-want-to-see-rolling-stones.html )

Anyway, I read somewhere that that this was the number one Rolling Stones song of all time, according to their fans.  And it did make me sad to think that I probably will never see them perform it live.  But, you never know. I also read that they are talking about doing a real tour in 2013. I'm running out of time- this could be their real "farewell tour." If I do finally make it to one of their shows, they'd just better be happy to see me, after everything they've put me through.