I've posted this on a couple other messageboards and thought I'd share this again here. It is truely an honor to be associated with all of you fantastic people that happen to also be Shania Twain fans. This is something I wrote to describe what it means to me to be a Shania fan...In the end it all has to do with enjoying the company of some of the best people on earth while listening to Shania's music.....This take a while to read but after you've read through it, I'd love to read how and why you became a fan too.....

Where does one begin to express the feelings and experience of being a fan of Shania Twain and her music? When it comes right down to it, it’s not an easy task. There are many great aspects of why we are fans that it seems almost an injustice to place one before another; each having virtues of their own which collectively add to the whole.

But in the end, the fact is we are Shania Twain fans. So with your indulgence, I will do my best to explain why I find my association with this group of people such an honor and privilege. These are my reasons and not in any specific order. I don’t presume to speak for the group but find myself smiling with a calm confidence that what I’m about to write is what my friends feel as well.

MUSIC.
It is said that music calms the savage beast. What a strange statement to use when beginning my laundry list of reasons for being a Shania fan. The fact is that there are hours and days and weeks and months, perhaps years in our life that are just plain difficult. Life isn’t always easy. The very first time I ever remember hearing Shania was driving my pick-up truck. I was having a really tough day. I clicked the radio on and was trying to let the music drown the worries resting on my shoulders. It didn’t seem to be working. Then the discovery! I was taping my toe to the strains of music coming from the radio. I wasn’t thinking about my troubles. Relief! Short lived but nonetheless relief all the same. The radio jockey came back in the segway between songs and announced, “That was Shania Twain folks with her new hit release: Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Underâ€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

THE WOMAN IN ME
No, I’m not talking about the hit album with that self same title, although we all agree it is a great piece of work. I’m talking about what that statement implies. Those of us who have come to love Shania’s music have taken the time to learn a little bit about her. We have discovered her roots, her family life, her introduction to music, her greatest triumphs and her saddest moments. These experiences are the building blocks of life. Though our individual experiences vary, we can universally relate to them. It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to those circumstances. I confidently put Shania on a pedestal that I can point my children toward. You see, I don’t explain to them that she’s made millions of dollars or that she is famous or that she has a fantastic talent with music. They already know that. I point them in the direction of something even better.

The woman in Shania is named Eilleen. It is Eilleen that I speak about. It is Eilleen that I point my children toward. Let me tell you a little bit about Eilleen. She was born into humble circumstances. When Eileen was quite young her mother married Jerry Twain. And Jerry was always Dad. Always will be. There wasn’t money. There wasn’t much to eat. There were tough times. But there was also love. There was heritage to the Ojibway Nation. There was a mother who believed in her daughters God given talent. There was a guitar. There was a desire to be musical and make expressions with music. There was practice and sacrifice and more practice and more sacrifice. She was on her way. And it was her courageous selfless decision to take herself off that upward path filled with possibilities in order to shoulder the responsibility of family in times of great personal tragedy. More tough times followed. But family came first. It always did. Still does. Eilleen is a person of confidence. She follows her heart. She doesn’t bend to peer pressure because she has made the wonderful discovery that she doesn’t need to. Her decisions generally have nothing to do with what others equate “needingâ€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

LYRICS
I’ve always been fascinated by lyrics. They tell a story. They bring through us certain emotions that are difficult to express in any other way. The talents of Gershwin, Taupin, or the combination of Lennon and McCartney have seldom found equals. I once had the opportunity to speak with Elton John and part of our conversation turned to the lyrics of Bernie Taupin. When Elton asked me which set of lyrics I liked the best, I actually startled him with my reply. Expecting me to name one of his greatest hits, I told him my all time favorite of their work is “The Greatest Discoveryâ€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

GRANT PARK, CHICAGO
After 23 years working for the same International Trading Company, with skills including Japanese language fluency, a workforce restructure found myself with a lot of colleagues out on the unemployment lines. I needed a boost in the summer 2003. And I found that boost with the announcement that Shania Twain would be kicking off her Up! Concert Tour in Grant Park on July 27. It was an event never to be forgotten. But not for the reasons you’d typically suspect. For the 80,000 of you that attended that event, you know first hand of the exceptional entertainment we experienced that evening. Many more have seen the DVD version of that concert and have some understanding of the spectacular performance that took place. But there was something more.

Although the performance was free of charge, it was still a ticketed event. I secured tickets for me and my wife and as many others did, showed up in line many hours before the event, snaked our way in the never ending line to the ticket takers and then made our way as close to the stage as possible to stake out a place on the lawn for our blanket. That being accomplished, we still had about four hours on the lawn in that sea of thousands before we would hear Shania exclaim, “Are You Ready Chicago ???!!!â€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

FAN/CON
I had no idea what to expect when I arrived in Timmins for my first visit. I won’t go into detail about what we do at the fan convention (fan/con). Let me simply cut right to the chase here and tell you that when I first arrived, I thought I would be somewhat of an outsider. As I was checking in at the front desk of the Days Inn, I could tell right away who the Shania fans were. They were generally decked out in some sort of T-shirt that had Shania’s image on it and were buzzing back and forth greeting each other as families generally do when picking up another family member from the airport; calling each other by name while offering big bear hugs. “Wow! These are a friendly bunchâ€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

STC
For those of you who consider yourselves true blue Shania fans, life won’t be complete until you visit the STC. On your life list of “To Do’sâ€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

THE BOARDS
Another way that I was introduced to the habits of Shania fans was a revelation about a thing called “the messageboardsâ€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

ON STAGE
I attended my fair share of Up! concerts during this last tour. More than I should have and not as many as I wanted to. Those of you who did the same understand what I mean by that. All told, I attend twelve. Every one just a good as the last. Every one just as exciting. I had the chance to mingle a time or two with members of the band, meet up with fellow fans before and after the shows and buy my stockade of merchandise.

The first concert was in Pittsburgh. Even though she had already played a few concerts in Canada, Pittsburgh was the first venue in the USA. Had a second row seat on the aisle. I was so close I could see her breathe. And it didn’t take long to find out that she loved the fans. I’d been warned ahead of time to bring a few sharpie pens and I’m glad I did. She signed my Shania Twain ballcap and my fan/con name tag at that concert. She looked me in the eye a couple of times and smiled. Gave me several high-5’s. Went through that giddy schoolboy emotion of swearing I’d never wash that hand again. And afterward congregated with former and newfound friends across the street at the Marriott Hotel as we jabbered about the spectacular event we had just been a part of. It was pretty much like that at every concert…all except two.

The two I speak of are the Indianapolis and Grand Rapids venues. Experiences I’ll never forget. The first was Indianapolis. I had made a sign that caught Shania’s eye and tickled her funny bone. The result was that Shania invited me up on stage to get a hug during the middle of the concert. I was starstruck. I couldn’t speak. She found it a bit amusing and did her best to help me gain my composure. We chitchatted for a few seconds, she signed a couple of autographs and gave me a hug. She squeezed harder than I did. I remember thinking “I don’t want to break herâ€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

HEY, GOOD LOOKIN’ !!!
I can’t write about being a fan without some mention of the obvious. I’ve never yet met an Ugly Canadian. They might exist, but I’ve never met one. I’ve concluded that it probably comes from a combination of cool crisp clean air, crystal clear water and generous helpings of poutine. Shania is every definition of “eye candyâ€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

The following were some of my thoughts leading up to the November 2004 Homecoming visit of Shania to the STC.......

Having another one of those late nights that a father occasionally spends worrying about a child. My youngest daughter Kelly (who is now 15 years old) has not been feeling well this evening. As a matter of fact, she has been feeling downright rotten. I've been up a good part of the night at her side to support and comfort her. Now that she is resting, I find myself awake and came to "The Boards" and while browsing decided to read this post again. I find myself waiting with eager anticipation to meet up with all of you soon in Timmins this coming weekend as we unite to witness Shanias' official visit to the STC. Most of the world won't know that it's happening. Most of the USA will be glued to their TV's as votes are tallied for a Presidential election. For most of the world, it will be just another day. But for a handful of us that have spent the week-end together, the highlight will be our cheers in the parkinglot of the STC when Shania emerges to a makeshift stage and we hear her make a statement to the world...what the content of her statement will be about we can only guess. There will be smiles, maybe even a tear or two, some laughter, some kind words and even expressions of gratitude. To those of us there, it will be a significant moment. And we will talk about it for days.....no, for the rest of our lives. Shania will leave and will seldom return. But there will be a certain glow that will eminate from the STC from that time forward. The connections we have always felt toward Shania as we have visited the STC in the past will now feel a bit more complete. And that will add to the strength of our freindships (old and new) with the fans that will visit the STC from that moment on. What a magical thing it is! Thank you Eilleen for sharing your gift of music with us.

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

What a fantastic event this was.....Would not have changed a single thing really..... I finished my twelve hour drive at 9:30pm Wednesday night, Allisons family was at my home waiting for her and she got off okay with still yet another two hours to go. I had enough energy to tell my family a few things but had to hit the hay......hardly slept the entire time in Timmins and need the rest last night. The pictures and comments in this thread have been fun to view. A few random thoughts in no particular order before I escape and have to face the reality of work.

TRACY ROCKS!!! Yes folks as you've read, she said it. And it's true. I could not have been more pleased with all the wonderful things "WE KNEW" Shania would say about Tracy and the center. That was what we came for and that is exactly what we got. Shania said if a person wants to know about her personally and about her carreer, the STC is the place to visit.

FREINDS!!!! Reunion with so many that I've met before in Timmins and others that I've only met in these boards and others whom I had never met until they happened to show up. We celebrated life together..... I danced with Claudine from southern France late on Sunday night in the middle of Shania Twain drive to the music of Shania while waiting for wristbands.....She speaks very little english...I speak no French...She is old enough to be my mother and we had a grand time. One of the Canadian National TV stations broadcast our dance on the news from what I hear. We danced, we sang, we laughed, we enjoyed life together. Friends...thats what its all about

DAX !!! When most of the event was over and we were waiting in line for our wristband turn, Tracy came running out all excited to obviously tell our group something.....And mind you she could have had plenty to say....however the one thing she wanted to tell us was "She really loved Dax's work...She spent alot of time looking at his pictures. It sort of made the media people frustrated because she spent more time with your pictures than they wanted her to do.....When she saw the pictures of her hugging Tim she touched it with her right index finger and let out a loving "Awwwww Tim." She spent alot of time looking at the sports Jersey pics. Shania said She looks better as a cartoon.

MEDIA!!!! They were all over the place....The headline news on Nov. 2 in Canada (from what I've been told) was Shania in Timmins...Not the USA Election. Good Choice news guys !!! I had countless interviews with Newspaper, Radio and TV people...couldn't tell you how many. Most of it I'll never see unless one of my Canadian freinds makes a copy. Guess it doesn't matter if I see it or not. The point was to make positive public comments and stear the reports in the right direction. I think it worked. I did about a 5 minute segway fro the PF2 video for CMT Canada with a very pretty reporter (sorry I don't even know who she is) that will be used in a special on Shania that they'll broadcast a little later this month. (Can somebody record that one for me???)

HELPING HAND !!!! After the 12 twelve+ hour drive up to Timmins, it was my pleasure to go spend time helping out on Saturday afternoon/evening before dinner putting final finishing touches in the centers displays. I hung a very heavy lead glass award on the wall in one of the new sound booths, only to have Ren point out..."Hey Rich....Ummmm.....it's crooked" YIKES!!! he was right...had to take it down and start all over.....In the end the place looked fantastic. The STC crew did a great job.

CHEERLEADER !!!! The Timmins Daily press hung that new title on me on page three of the Nov. 3 issue together with all the other articles on Shania's visit. Because I arrived at 8am before the other fans for media interviews inside the STC and didn't get out until about 10:30, there was no front row opportunity for me. So i made the best of it by dancing around in the gated security area in front of the stage, helping to pass out posters to the crowd, Jumping/dancing to the tunes to liven up the crowd and even dusting the snow off the flowers on the stage so that they could be seen once Shania came out. When the main event happened, I left that post to the people it was designed for (security) and stood off to one side behind the crowd with my sign in the air for Shania to see.

"Alanb".....He did more than others realise....He was very helpful in the STC prep on Saturday, posting pictures in these threads and did somethig very touching that I imagine will be posted at a later date. It was a honor to have him as a "Bunkmate" in my car on Sunday night while waiting in line for a wristband.

SHANIA !!!! When she saw me, she recognised me right away and said.."Oh it's you....It's so good to see you again. (Gave me one of her million dollar smiles). Thanks for what you gave me. (She remembered) Truely a highlight for me to have her recognise me straight away and acknowledge the exchange we had on stage. She said let me autograph your sign. Wow!!! So I said, Personalize it to Tracy. I want to give it to her....She gave me a twinkle of a smile in her eyes and signed it away to Tracy..Asked her to date it but she was being rushed by the Universal Mercury guys and so she said,...Gee, I don't even know what day it is, you'll have to date it for me.

There is probably more that I want to say here but have to get to work,,, I imagine there is more to follow.
Luvs -n- Hugs
=Richard=

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

I have to admit….. I’m having a terrible time trying to concentrate at work today. I find that my mind is constantly wandering back to my friends and the experiences of these last several days. Indulge me a little further as I let my thoughts again turn to the whole experience.

TOM !!!! It would be easy to say that we feel sorry for Tom and his missing this event by just a weeks time but on the flip side, he is the one who will be able to visit the centre time and again upon his return to Timmins to feel the residual glow that Shania left behind. Tom will also find on his dining room table, copies of every news article I could find during my stay, including the full page ad in the Shania booklet, his own Nov. 2 2004 issue of the STC commemorative coin, a full size (2 sided) poster promoting both the GH CD / Nashville DVD, and maybe a few other goodies we’ll leave unmentioned.
Thanks for your hospitality Tom !!!!

Clode!!!! (Sorry if I’m not spelling your name correctly.) You married a great guy Nancy! He has become one of us through support of his wifes’ interest in Shania. He was taking care of everyone, including me (lent me gloves and a knit cap that I still need to return), making coffee runs in the middle of the night for those who were cold, getting postcards and posters for the crowds……heck this list would go on and on. In my book, there is a place in heaven carved out for people like him.

Steve and Ted!!! Steve was really feeling the cold more than others on Tuesday. I could see that…yet, his love of Shania overcame that and he can say he was there through it all. I can’t wait to see the pictures he took on regular film (not digital) Those photos will be filled with love because of his effort to tough it out in the cold. Speaking of love, after we had all got our moment with Shania, the sun was setting and a group of us stood in front of the STC to get group pictures taken with everyones cameras, (Ren acting as Photographer…. two cameras at a time). It was at that moment when Ted said his “goodbyeâ€

_________________


Up! Up! Up! Can only go Up! from here !!!

WOW, Richard!!! You've said a mouthful, lol! I totally agree w/ you. Shania has the best fans in the whole world. Even when she's 80, we'll still be buying UP! everything she puts out! She, by far, is the most talented and gracious performer in the world. I hope she keeps going, and going, and going... LOL!

_________________
Shania FAFA #1 in the Captains log
http://captainstevephoto.carbonmade.com/
http://www.myspace.com/steveloop

Wow, you certainly know how to write! Great story, very interesting and thanks for posting all of that