An Evening of Awesome

Looking For Alaska was the first book that I read. I mean really read. Everything before that had just been stories and strings of words, but Looking For Alaska was truly deserving of the word beautiful. Since I first read that book, John Green has become something of a hero to me. During the summer of 2011, I discovered nerdfighteria and the phrase that has been a constant refrain of mine,"Don't Forget To Be Awesome". On the surface, this was just a weird online community that wrote songs about homo-erotic watercolors of Sherlock Holmes and had a name suggesting that it was a street gang, but it's become so much more than that to me. 

I guess I can't accurately express my feelings about John and Hank Green and the community they've created without sounding ridiculously sappy, which is why I've avoided writing anything about the Evening of Awesome. John and Hank created an expansive community for people to be unabashedly enthusiastic about the things they love. Through endeavors like the Project For Awesome, they've helped decrease world-suck and encouraged people to spread positivity. But the thing I love most about nerdfighteria isn't the shared love for Doctor Who or John's books, not the nerdiness or even the inside jokes shared with thousands. No, the thing I love best about nerdfighteria is that it's a community based on an idea, not characteristics. I know so many people who don't watch Sherlock or make references to Star Trek or even play ukuleles, and they're still nerdfighters. There are no "requirements", no liking or disliking things on principle-only the need to spread a little awesome. 

The Evening of Awesome was incredible, needless to say. I was literally twenty feet away from John and Hank. The Mountain Goats performed and scenes from The Fault In Our Stars were performed, the wonderful Kimya Dawson sang and NEIL GAIMAN WAS THERE. I was twenty feet away from Neil Gaiman, guys. And it's hard to think of anything more precious than hearing Neil Gaiman say "I would literally suck donkey balls." John talked about whether the meaning of life is something constructed or inherent, something I've talked a lot about, and Hank performed his endearingly quirky songs. 

The best was the end, though. The Mountain Goats came out and performed "This Year", a song that I've been listening to on repeat since, and everyone backstage came out. I don't know why, but seeing John and Hank with their friends and family, singing along and dancing made me smile uncontrollably. There was a warmness and enthusiasm in Carnegie Hall that night that I won't forget.