January 8, 2013
I’m awake thinking about what I can do for bassist Phoenix’s birthday. I think how last year around the time of his birthday he tweeted “Happy Birthday” to several fans but then over the course of months he might have realized that he no longer wanted to be asked this. This would just take up too much time and he even tweeted the calculation of how long it would take to wish all of his followers a happy birthday (ahhh love the random tweets of course!) His followers still ask this of him and I’m not sure how he feels about it. He actually just tweeted again about birthday tweets(people still don’t understand his humor but I think he’s still being asked for HB tweets). I wanted to come up with something fun to celebrate his birthday. I decided that I would reach out to fans and have them send Hallmark style birthday cards to me & that I would take handle it in a care package that would be mailed in time to where it needed to go. Birthday Cards? Who still sends those? EXACTLY. This is the very reason that I was happy I came up with something instead of just spam city via twitter on his birthday. I was afraid that after last year that he might avoid twitter altogether. One month until his birthday, I hope I can pull it off. I was also attending their only North American show in Las Vegas February 16, 2013. I had intentions of bringing any cards to a meet and greet (if I had won the chance) that didn’t make it to me by the deadline to mail out.

I posted a photo on instagram giving the details about my project which was also posted on twitter to my followers there. I also posted on LPU about it as well as on my personal FB to all my fellow friends that were Linkin Park fans.

In just a few short days, I already had people contacting me on how to sign up & where to send the cards. I received multiple e-mails, FB messages, tweets etc. from people all around the world asking how they could participate. I got praise and great comments from people who supported the project. I remember a LP-TV episode where Dave actually says “Bass Players need love too.” I was ecstatic to find many people who would be participating.

I slowly started to receive cards that included international postage and postal markings that I have never seen. After just one week, I was already getting excited for the outcome. Over the next short weeks, I received about 30 cards when I realized that some people in certain areas of the world had slow postal service, were not able to mail a card out because of certain reasons, etc. So because of this, with only about a week left for my deadline, I decided to open up the project to include graphics from people that weren’t able to send in a card. Around this same time, I had gotten in contact with Adam Ruehmer head of LP Underground who I had planned to mail the package in its completion. At this time, he had told me that the band no longer received fan mail at any address. Upset about this news, I did not let it get the best of me because I received advice from friends & even touring staff to bring the cards to the las Vegas show in two weeks. LPU M&G Emails wouldn’t be sent out until a few days before the show so I started to get nervous.

February 4, 2013
Club Tattoo in the miracle mile shops at Planet Hollywood (Where their show was that evening) announced a public meet and greet and a HUGE exhale of relief left my body as I knew I had this as a backup plan had I not won a m&g through LPU. I could not celebrate any success just yet because they were only distributing a certain number of wristbands for the signing. I also knew that since my original idea of a care package wouldn’t make it to Phoenix in time, I had to come up with a fun way for him to receive these “Birthday Greetings” somehow so I decided to make a video after all compiled of all the submissions I had received.

February 6, 2013
I started to compile the physical cards I had received (about 50) & e-mailed graphics (about another 50) and edited addresses to include people’s twitter handles to protect their privacy and for obvious reasons. I spent a couple of hours adding things, editing info, etc. I was pleased in the music choices and the overall outcome of the video. Sometimes it isn’t until the end of a project do your brightest ideas come out. I was happy to include some uniqe stamps from the cards in the intro before the Beatles start to sing “You say it’s your birthday.” I ended the second half of the video using the song “A Little Help From My Friends” because without them I would not have been able to make this project a reality.

February 8, 2013 -DAVE’S BIRTHDAY- YouTube Video Posted Online
I was absolutely amazed with all the notifications that I received via twitter in support of my project for Dave. I felt so special to have been the one to organize something for Dave & I am excited to do this again in the future. Here are all the messages I received the day of his birthday. I was in tears after the first few… I am still in tears that my friends & people who I have not met supported me. Just re-reading these tweets brings me to tears.

“@phoenixlp Wishing you a #HappyBassDayPhoenix! Hope you enjoy our cards in @irenekrygowski’s birthday project for you, see ya in Vegas!” -@nlopezdearenosa

“Awwwwwwww LP fans from all over the world are freaking awesome. If I were Phoenix, I would cry. #HappyBassDayPhoenix” -@Palin_Papercut

“ha I just saw my letter in that video :DDD @irenekrygowski awesome video btw” -@blackout_LP

“Enjoy your day @phoenixlp Also, hope you like @irenekrygowski video she put together w/ the help of the fans. 🙂 #HappyBassdayPhoenix m/” -@livingthing90

“The birthday video for Phoenix is awesome. If I were him, I’d cry. It proves LP fans are without a doubt the best fans. #HappyBassdayPhoenix” -@underdogJess_LP

“@irenekrygowski *hugs* thanks for your great work! #HappyBassdayPhoenix” -@LPFan1989

“@irenekrygowski great video!!!!! You’re the best!!! xoxo N.” -@Totem_Zla13

“@irenekrygowski Girl that video is fantastic! Great job!!! (also might be sneaking my letter to you in Vegas… lol)” -@numbrocker02

“#HappyBassdayPhoenix everyone check out this amazing video by @irenekrygowski in honor of our fave bassist @phoenixlp! http://bit.ly/W2kBl0” -@Linkin_Theorist

“@irenekrygowski You are amazing. Dave should be really grateful having you among his fans! 🙂 cc: @phoenixlp” -@Linkin_Theorist

“#happybassdayphoenix @phoenixlp ill just leave this right here for you. check it it! http://po.st/Xitdyh happy bassday phoenix!” -@AbioticSoul

“@irenekrygowski Great job, Irene! #HappyBassdayPhoenix” -@a_macalik

“@irenekrygowski 🙂 im surprised on how many cards you got from different countries! Im sure he’ll love it! GREAT JOB! #HappybassdayPhoenix” -@Zerstoren_LP

“gosh!!! there’re lots of LOVE for Phoenix……this video proves that!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YdbO-rKGzaY … #HappyBassDayPhoenix” -@ratchadaphon

“@irenekrygowski your video! Asdfhjkl <3 #HappyBassDayPhoenix"
"@irenekrygowski You're welcome! Thank you for doing it, you awesome person you. 🙂 #yayirene" -@EscapedLullaby

"@irenekrygowski Awww hehe! 🙂 Btw, I saw the video! Great work :D" -@evooba

"Happy Birthday genious! @phoenixlp I hope you like @irenekrygowski birthday project! She rocks!!!! #HappyBassDayPhoenix" "@irenekrygowski Phoenix birthday project… I'm speechless, u rock girl! I hope you get the M&G:)" -@tbay_beach

"@phoenixlp Happy Birthday Phoenix 2013!: http://youtu.be/YdbO-rKGzaY @youtube #HappyBassDayPhoenix !and Big Thanks for @irenekrygowski ❤❤❤" -@hysterics30_LP

"@irenekrygowski Your video rocks! ;D" -@M_LPlover

"Wow this is amazing @irenekrygowski !!! #PhoenixBdayProjecthttp://lpfancorner.com/2013/02/08/happy-birthday-phoenix-farrell/ …" -@Krwlng90

"@irenekrygowski wow thank you very much for the video and for the project, I'm so happy to have seen my name in the card and video, thanks!!" "@irenekrygowski thanks I'm in tears right now because I'm so happy for be part of it" -@lpsakurita

"@irenekrygowski – The video was awesome! Can't wait for him to see it! Thanks for letting us be a part of your project! ❤" -@gianelajimenez

"@irenekrygowski wow! Turned out great!!!! :D" -@lpfmfan

"Check out @irenekrygowski's video she made for @phoenixlp's birthday! http://youtu.be/YdbO-rKGzaY #PhoenixBdayProject #HappyBassDayPhoenix" -@mikeshinodaclan

"#HappyBassDayPhoenix http://lpunderground.com/users/catiamarques/blogs/5208511 … This one is for you too, @irenekrygowski. Thank you so much for everything! <3" -@yomarques

"@irenekrygowski well done Irene! Great work :D" -@alexandra_GkLP

“@irenekrygowski Just watched the video for the 2nd time, it’s amazing! Hope you’ll get to see the little message I tweeted to you :)” -@yomarquesLP

“@irenekrygowski Great job on the video! :)” -@heyimMonse

“If missed, @irenekrygowski created this great video for @phoenixlp: Happy Birthday Phoenix Farrell http://wp.me/p2yigW-rv” -@lpfancorner

“Did you see the #PhoenixBdayProject video yet? http://youtu.be/YdbO-rKGzaYv #HappyBassDayPhoenix Happy birthday @phoenixlp” -@tensh_iie

“@irenekrygowski It came out great! I love how you put twitter names where our street addresses are, too.” -@astrocyn

“@mikeshinoda We were creative with the hashtag this year. Well, actually @irenekrygowski was -> #HappyBassdayPhoenix” -@lpfancorner

“@irenekrygowski aka irene_k first #lpu fan to friend me…did an amazing job uniting fans for the cause of celebrating #HappyBassDayPhoenix” -@Stage_Rad

“@irenekrygowski the video is great btw! 🙂 Phoenix has great fans too!!! Of coarse he deserves them! See ya in Vegas! #HappyBassDayPhoenix” _@Stage_Rad

“@irenekrygowski awwww don’t cry irene!!! Thanks for the video!! You did an awesome work!! Glad to help you :)” -@mely_lp

“@irenekrygowski the video is awsome!!! thanks for the oportunity of being part of it 🙂 Great work!!!” -@nessa_C23

“@irenekrygowski cc @phoenixlp I saw your birthday video only today. It has become very good. A nice mix of everything. Good job!” -@shoegaze4u

“But you know what in really glad for? That video that @irenekrygowski did for us. :’) the best idea she has ever done in her life.” “Like seriously. Who would ever do that? That was an amazing job.” “And I’m so glad to be part of it. :D” -@Electric_Alane

PROJECT IS NOT COMPLETE
Has Dave seen it yet? He hasn’t tweeted his followers that he’s seen any birthday tweets… maybe it’s what I feared… he was possibly avoiding the spam on his special day. I know he’s enjoying his day with his family and that he would hopefully have seen the video. One week until the anxiety of being able to physically hand him the cards in Las Vegas had been weighing my mind all week long. Dave ended up tweeting two days later, “thanks for all the birthday greetings.” There was a chance he might have seen the video but a chance that he didn’t. I was so excited but still nervous because I didn’t know if I would get a meet and greet through the fanclub or by getting a club tatoo wristband.

February 14, 2013
LPU M&G Emails have been sent out & so I know I had to be in the wristband line bright and early the morning of the show.

February 16, 2013 – Day of Las Vegas Show/Club Tattoo Meet and Greet. Cards packaged with my signature PURPLE ribbon. Being 50th in line, I got my wristband at noon after waiting in line since 7am. I WAS SO EXCITED. THE DAY WAS MINE! (Writing this blog I realized how I forgot to burn a DVD of the project for him *facepalm*)

Waiting inside to film our entrance, LP videographer/photographer Mark Fiore filmed us coming inside to meet the band. So many thoughts entered my mind as I was holding my poster for the new style of the standing meet and greet while also clutching onto the 50+ cards held tightly only by a purple ribbon. It is a very amazing feeling to be face to face with the band members. I don’t wanna go into too much detail about the meet and greet except for the part of finally being able to personally hand my Phoenix Birthday Project in person. Dave walked up to me as I said “Hey Phoenix!” and he said “IREEEEENNNEEE!” in the cutest way possible. I had met him twice before and he always sees me in front stage left but was shocked when he actually knew me by name.

Here is the transcript of our conversation:

Me: Happy Birthday (hands him my submission from the birthday project video)

Dave: thank you! (Looks at all the pics on the cover of the card & opens card…)

Me: That’s my favorite picture of you that I ever took!

Dave: ah yes! From acoustic Christmas.

Me: Did you watch the birthday video?

Dave: No not yet because the link didn’t work

Me: what? Oh ok! I’ll tweet you the link again. (I bend down to get the cards from my bag & hands it over)

Dave: (look of shock) What’s all this?

Me: It’s all the birthday cards from your video! Lots of fans participated & sent me cards for you! (at this moment, Chester with a huge grin walks over to see what I give Dave)

Dave: I didn’t even know about the video until today actually.

Me: Well definitely look for my tweet & you’ll enjoy all the greetings!

Dave: I’m sure. You coming to the show tonight?

Me: of course! Will you sign right here by your feet (Pointing to poster)… oh Chester messed up & signed where you’re supposed to sign!

Dave: (laughing) you brought your big purple marker! that’s ok! I’ll sign by his feet then.

Me: thanks Phoenix. Have a good show!

Photo by Miracle Mile

PROJECT IS A SUCCESS!!!
I tweet to my followers that Phoenix has his all his cards & that he just found out about the project. It was the best feeling to hand my cards to him personally. If I didn’t get a M&G or if Club Tattoo hadn’t had their public signing, I actually had plans to hand it to him on stage from the barrier at the end when they say thanks & goodbye. “Things happen for a reason” is a motto I follow & I am thankful that things happened the way it did. The pure satisfaction of giving him the cards in person & him knowing I had organized it on his behalf felt so good. I still can’t believe I forgot to burn a DVD for him! The friends I made, the friends who supported me, touring staff that advised me to bring the cards to Las Vegas… THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. Dave, it was a pleasure & I hope that you get to read through the cards sometime soon. The fans had a lot of fun drawing & editing graphics as well as choosing cards for you. I am in tears over the success of this project. Thank you for being such a bad ass bass player & giving me the inspiration to do this for you. See you on the next tour!

-always, IRENE

P.S.- I was able to keep some momentos from this project and thanks to those who took pictures for me. =)

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