This is my recap I posted on myspace of my birthday experience with Elliott Yamin back on the day his CD dropped - 3.20.07, which happened to be my 40th birthday! Can you believe it!!

Here it goes, hope you all enjoy!
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Today was such a fitting day for a 40th birthday celebration! First I had the promise of Elliott's CD dropping ON my b'day - then I find out that he's also going to be in NY!! He was scheduled for Regis & Kel, TRL, and then I found out he was doing a signing at Virgin Records in Times Square. Of course that was now going to be the highlight of my birthday!

Dare I dream that I would get another chance to meet Elliott? ON my birthday, no less? And the main thing I wanted was for Elliott to sing 'Happy Birthday' to me - that would just curl my toes! And you all know I'm a very determined girl...

I wanted my birthday song sung to me and dagnabbit, I was gonna GET IT!

So I get to Virgin around 3:30pm (he was scheduled to be there @ 4pm) and wait in a line. I was hoping, praying that there would be alot of people out there to meet him, nothing's more embarrassing for a new artist than to have a meet n' greet and NO ONE SHOW UP!

There were SO many people there - the line wrapped around the BLOCK!! Everyone on the line was so diverse: SO MANY MALE FANS, females (of course), teens, youngsters, all races creeds and colors...it was a beautiful sight!

I finally get in after standing in the cold for about 1/2 hour, the line is pretty long but moving at an okay rate. I had so many things for him to see/sign I didn't know how to hold it all. I'm now in front of ELliott and I pull out two pictures (of me holding the T-shirt I gave him back at Bridgeport) and I asked, 'Do you remember this T-shirt?'

He looked like he was trying REALLY hard to remember, and he may have a little, but once I said 'Bridgeport, CT' he seemed to remember (either that or he was humoring me - lol) and then I held up my banner.

*This is how much free time I had at work: I made a quickie banner which read:

Elliott...would you please sing 'Happy Birthday' for me?
♥ (pretty please? With sugar on top?)♥

He read it and started laughing, then asked 'Is it really your birthday?' I told him I'd show him my drivers license if I had to. Then this moron Virgin Record store security person said, 'He can't sing.' trying to be all intimidating.

This dude doesn't know me very well, does he?

I understood Elliott had a slight cold so I wasn't going to push the issue. But then, after he signed my CD and handed it back to me, Elliott TOOK MY HAND, leaned over the table and looked me straight in the eyes and started singing...'Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday...'

He paused, waiting for me to say my name. I was so busy being spellbound by those blue eyes (he was staring STRAIGHT in my face, like inches from me!) I almost, LITERALLY, forgot my name! Then I finally said 'Chelena' and he continued...'Dear Chelena, happy birthday to you!'

I was done.

He was about to slide my pictures (of me holding his shirt) back to me and he seemed like he was trying to keep one of them, so I asked if he wanted them and he said 'I would love to have them' - so I gave them to him! (i had another copy/set) He was so appreciative.

I thanked him, told him something like 'congratulations' or something, I don't know, I was in a cloud/fog/trance, and then I left - but not before snapping the perfect pic for this REALLY cute guy standing in line behind me who desperately wanted a pic with El.

Then we all come up the escalators and mill around a minute or two and then...lo and behold, BUCKY COVINGTON is standing in the middle of Virgin Records - what the heck? Bucky was the ONLY one I missed during my AI travels last summer and now I had my chance to meet him. So I go up to him to get a pic and I stop in my tracks when I walk up to him.

First of all, this dude is about 6'3" - and He. Is. Gorgeous! He had his hair nice and Jessica Simpson-lookin', He was dressed very nicely and I got right up to him and when he looked at me (with those blinding blue eyes) I said, 'You are so gorgeous!' He grinned and said 'thank you very much!'

So then I find this VIP pass and decide to go downstairs and get on line AGAIN for Elliott. The first time around I was so hell-bent on getting my birthday song he only signed my CD. So I wanted my birthday banner AND the posters they were giving out signed, so I got online again and when I got up to El he looked at me like, 'didn't you already...?' So this time I tossed my banner up on the table and told him I wanted him to sign it. I spelled out my name and then he said, 'Watch this...' and he signed:

To Chelena: Happy Birthday, Sweetie! - Elliott Yamin

Well here it is now, I took a pic of it:



upclose on the signature:




I thanked him a thousand times over and told him that his CD was ridiculous! It's bananas - it's sic! He laughed and said 'No come on, tell me how you really feel!'

Then I shook his hand, looked him in the eye and said 'I am so proud of you, so SO proud of you!'

He was so gracious, cordial and sweet. On my way up the escalators I turned back to see this young teenaged girl running her hand over his hair (guess she wanted to feel it so he let her - I saw you at the concert, if you're on here! You were right in front with your sis and mom...you're SO pretty!). He was laughing and joking with her, and it was so sweet.

NO ONE walked away disappointed today from meeting a cold, unfeeling, diva - everyone walked away even MORE in love with Elliott Yamin.

Nuchik!!!! Loved your whole recap, but this part had me crying with laughter:
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Elliott...would you please sing 'Happy Birthday' for me?
♥ (pretty please? With sugar on top?)♥

He read it and started laughing, then asked 'Is it really your birthday?' I told him I'd show him my drivers license if I had to. Then this moron Virgin Record store security person said, 'He can't sing.' trying to be all intimidating.

This dude doesn't know me very well, does he?
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You did it!! Happy Belated Birthday!

Sk8888

I'm happy for you. :) Glad that you had the most wonderful birthday ever. Belated happy birthday!

That would have taken the sting out of turning 40 for me!!

Great recap and Happy Belated Birthday!