Bono In Grand Rapids, Michigan

[Liesje]

i'd much rather hang around devos then try and get in the club, pay my dues, then request tickets to the dinner.

if anyones up for hanging out let me know. i live in kzoo!

Have we met before? If not, I look forward to seeing you in May!

 

[xERINx]

^ i dont know.. drop me a line joeperry924@aol.com

 

[Sad_Girl]

I'll definitely be there milling around Devos Place that day

LWpic@yahoo.com if anyone wants someone to wait around with for the B man. and Congrats to LivLuv on getting to actually attend

 

[Liesje]

I need a dinner date!

 

[u2granny]

I need a dinner date!

 

[Liesje]

Seriously! I'm asking a few people I know and giving those that are actually from GR first priority, but if no one gets back to me in time, I still have two spots left. One of my profs is basically giving me use his membership for this event b/c he can't make it so I get to take three people along.

 

[thankyou]

Seriously! I'm asking a few people I know and giving those that are actually from GR first priority, but if no one gets back to me in time, I still have two spots left. One of my profs is basically giving me use his membership for this event b/c he can't make it so I get to take three people along.

So nice of you to share this opportunity!! I wish (man do I wish!) I lived closer, but it would be a 9+hr drive for me. I don't have that kind of time. Too bad.
However, have a wonderful time, together with whomever the other lucky people are you are sharing this with.

Really happy for you!!

 

[eep]

I'm going!!!!

 

[Babydoll]

when am i going to meet him, ever??

 

[Liesje]

I'm going!!!!

Hecks yes you are, butt warmth buddy and honorary resident of Grand Rapids.

 

[eep]

Hecks yes you are, butt warmth buddy and honorary resident of Grand Rapids.

Wow, bw buddy....that seems SO long ago! I guess you were an honorary Nebraskan then eh?

I'm SO excited!

An honorary resident....yay for me!

 

[Liesje]

I've found some peeps to come with me so we're all set. Now I just need to come up with my share of the ticket money before Wednesday....

 

[dazzledbylight]

Congrats LivLuv & eep!!! and other who made it in so far.

 

[Liesje]

when am i going to meet him, ever??

Aw, I would take you in if you could come, but honestly I doubt we'll meet him there unless they specifically arrange for guests to meet him. I've been to DeVos Place for other events and I don't have the slightest clue where people would even stand around to try to meet him. He'll probably show up right before and leave right away after. My friend said something about him being in Dallas the next day?

 

[eep]

Aw, I would take you in if you could come, but honestly I doubt we'll meet him there unless they specifically arrange for guests to meet him. I've been to DeVos Place for other events and I don't have the slightest clue where people would even stand around to try to meet him. He'll probably show up right before and leave right away after. My friend said something about him being in Dallas the next day?

What's he going to do in Grand Rapids anyway? Party with us?


He does have that thing in Dallas the next day....

 

[Liesje]

What's he going to do in Grand Rapids anyway? Party with us?

He doesn't know what he'll be missing! Oh well, his loss

 

[eep]

He doesn't know what he'll be missing! Oh well, his loss

A party with us, what more could an Irishman want?


Oh well, we'll have fun anyway.... I can't wait for the U2 party on the big screen tv! But he'll be in Dallas while we're doing that.....

 

[Liesje]

Oh well, we'll have fun anyway.... I can't wait for the U2 party on the big screen tv! But he'll be in Dallas while we're doing that.....

Yeah what is this I keep hearing about that? I've been enjoying the slow, southern lifestyle for too long now and I really need to get caught up on U2 stuff! (as evident by my recent reaction to Bono's hair...)

 

[eep]

Yeah what is this I keep hearing about that? I've been enjoying the slow, southern lifestyle for too long now and I really need to get caught up on U2 stuff! (as evident by my recent reaction to Bono's hair...)

We're having a party on the 4th! Watching some U2 stuff on the big tv at Renees.....

 

[Liesje]

oh duh! Yeah, Renee's system rocks.

(hey do you have a clean version of the Grand Madness interview? We REALLY like that one but my copy is like a 10th gen VHS)

 

[eep]

oh duh! Yeah, Renee's system rocks.

(hey do you have a clean version of the Grand Madness interview? We REALLY like that one but my copy is like a 10th gen VHS)

I think you got your copy from me.....

 

[Souly]

I'll be with you in spirit.

 

[Liesje]

I got my dinner confirmation today so it's finally setting in that I'm going. I'm so psyched! I knew there had to be a reason why I stuck around this shittastic excuse for a city for 21 years...

The only obstacle now is the formality of this event. It says "black tie optional", but I heard the guys are wearing suits and tuxes. The only reason I can justify having to get nice shoes, dress, etc is b/c I have no nice clothes and will be interviewing for jobs come this fall.

 

[Souly]

Borrow something, perhaps?

 

[Liesje]

Borrow something, perhaps?

Yeah, I'm really hoping to. My housemate has black dresses and we're the same pant size and height, but I'm a little bigger than her so we'll see. I do need nice shoes though b/c I only own one pair of shoes and they're giving me a stress fracture (worn them for 4 years).

I was explaining the dinner to my friends and saying it's not fair b/c you KNOW Bono's not going to be wearing a suit, and if he is, his shirt will be open and untucked and he'll take off his tie!

Kind of ironic that I spent a month in Africa completely covered in dirt, sweat, the same peed-upon pants every single day, and then to go hear a speech about Africa we've got to dress to the nines.

I wish you guys could all come

 

[thankyou]

Kind of ironic that I spent a month in Africa completely covered in dirt, sweat, the same peed-upon pants every single day, and then to go hear a speech about Africa we've got to dress to the nines.

I wish you guys could all come

livluv, is there an earlier thread where you write about your trip to africa? I'd be interested in reading what took you there, what you did, etc...


And yeah... i wish i could come too. Look forward to reading about it later.

 

[U2Girl1978]

I'll answer - I'm a business communications/third world development student and I go to school IN Grand Rapids and I've lived IN Grand Rapids my entire life. I'm a U2 fan, I've lived in southeast GR for 21 years, and I'm an economics student. To me it only seems logical that I express a genuine interest in this event. Not only that but as a college senior getting a degree in a related field, we are always encouraged by the school to attend these types of events, regardless of who happens to be the keynote speaker. I have absolutely no interest in stalking for Bono outside his hotel, even though if he does stay over in the city I can guarantee where he'll be staying. So, number one, I don't have to pay for plane tickets, hotel rooms, or even gas to make this 'trip". I live about 7 minutes southeast of DeVos Place and will probably have to split a $5 parking charge for the DeVos ramp. Paying for plane tickets and a hotel room to see Bono speak? Never. The only time I've ever flown is to cross an ocean. Number two, I'm not paying for a membership to the club. Not to mention, academic memberships are not $175. Four years in a pretty small business program gives you the opportunity to make some great friends and connections with faculty that are obviously members of these types of clubs. Number three, there are several events that have been held here in GR at DeVos place and our convention center on-campus recently that HAVE been too expensive for me to attend. Luckily this is one event that is not. Having grown up in this area, knowing exactly which people will also be attending this event, it would be stupid of me NOT to go since regardless of Bono's attendance, it's a great business networking opportunity. I'm glad I've found a faculty member that I respect and trust to help me set this up.

Just a friendly answer

Honestly, you really shouldn't have to explain yourself. It's too bad people can't be happy for others.

Anyways, that is really awesome you are going! I'm sure it'll be great.

 

[Liesje]

livluv, is there an earlier thread where you write about your trip to africa? I'd be interested in reading what took you there, what you did, etc...

Hm, I can't remember a specific thread. I've posted bits and pieces of the experience where it has been relevant.

I'm actually working on a video of the trip right now. It's not a real video, but all of my pictures, set to African music. It's almost done, but I can't figure out how to put captions on the same frames as the images. I did make a new photo gallery online, but it's only my pictures (some of my classmates took really neat pictures that I've included in the video). I captioned these so it tells a bit about what we were doing:

http://www.dutchbingo.net/TanzaniaJanuary2005/index.html

This was the official course description:

http://www.calvin.edu/academic/off-campus/interim/interim_04/tanzania.htm

Are you a Christian? I only ask because recently I had to write a personal essay for a class and I wrote about an experience I had in Africa. You can read it if you want, but it sounds really stupid if you're not Christian.

As for what took me there...basically, after becomming a U2 fan, I was getting more and more interested in Africa and development issues, thanks to Bono. I saw him speak twice in the winter of 2002 (freshman year). At my school, the entire month of January is called Interim term and you are encouraged to take courses off-campus (like in Africa) or something on-campus that you're interested in, not part of your program. In January 2005, I took The Politics of AIDS in Africa. I also met someone whose aunt was a native Ugandan living in Uganda. We talked about using one of our Interim terms to do an independent study in Uganda. Spring of my sophomore year, the Tanzania opportunity came up and I knew I had to do it because it would be so much easier to do it through a pre-existing program than have to arrange all of my own travel to Uganda. The only issue was cost. I had to take out two additional student loans from private banks in order to fund the trip, so I'll be paying it off until I'm a senior citizen, but it was worth it! Before that trip, I'd never been out of the country (besides two gymnastics meets in Sarnia, Ontario). It was too perfect of an opportunity to pass up.

One of the reasons I really like my school is that even though it's small, you can go anywhere in the world either through an Interim term or a full semester term. Friends have gone to Ghana, Belize, Jamaica, Honduras, Tibet, South Africa, everywhere in Europe, Myanmar, China, Ecuador, etc.

 

[Miro]

I am so happy for you!

I, drowning in teenage idealism, have been writing a very nice letter to the Club asking if I, because of my interest in Bono and economics (in that order, of course) could come as a guest. Reading these tiny details about the formality and importance of this, I'm guessing that instead of seeing Bono in Grand Rapids that day, I'll be stuck in class in Warren.

Anywho, you get to see Bono in less than a month! You! Bono! Michigan! Who knew?

 

[Liesje]

I am so happy for you!

I, drowning in teenage idealism, have been writing a very nice letter to the Club asking if I, because of my interest in Bono and economics (in that order, of course) could come as a guest. Reading these tiny details about the formality and importance of this, I'm guessing that instead of seeing Bono in Grand Rapids that day, I'll be stuck in class in Warren.

Anywho, you get to see Bono in less than a month! You! Bono! Michigan! Who knew?

Did they respond? The lady who helped me was very nice about the whole thing. I didn't want to pester, b/c I'm sure they're getting hundreds of inquiries, but I asked about admittance and she was the one that suggested to me to simply find a friend who was a member. I probably would not have pursued it, since I didn't know anyone off-hand that was a member, if it wasn't for her politeness and persistence helping me. Luckily, while I was asking my business professors if they were members, one of them who is new to the area decided to become a member on his own (there's a luncheon with Dick DeVos on the 17th that he wanted in on) so he let me handle the Annual Dinner registration. The lady who answered my e-mail honestly was encouraging me to buy a membership myself! I had no interest in that since it would be a waste and I won't be living in MI much longer. If you REALLY want to go you can buy a membership, but that would be so expensive, a membership plus the dinner plus a nice suit...

I'm working on a way to digitally record Bono's speech and share it with you all.