Taylor has a little speech before “All Too Well (Ten Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” where she talks about how she’s written about some of the most painful moments of her life and she wasn’t sure how she’d be able to sing them in front of a crowd like this—seventy thousand, no less! But the fans, the listeners, the readers, the swifties, transformed the song into something differently entirely as they listened to it, championed it, understood it, sang it back to her. Instead of ten minutes of pain, the song became ten minutes of beauty, of connection.

This grandma-granddaughter due made their own shirts to mimic the Eras Tour poster, featuring photos of the two of them.

I could dwell on all the ways my day in Nashville went wrong, from the three hours of sleep to getting stranded in Indiana (don’t ride Greyhound, like ever), but instead I want to dwell on, to remember those moments of connection. Every time I think: what if I didn’t go, I’d have saved so much money and gained so much sleep—then I remember Gillian and Meredith and the other people I talked to throughout the day. I don’t want to give those moments, those conversations, those connection, those memories up. So herein likes the exchange.

This gal is a teacher (she saw several of her students at the show). She began designing her jacket to feature her favorite songs, but as the project progressed, she decided to add more details and ended up added some sort of design (some where small) for **every single Taylor Swift song**. The dedication!!!

Giving up the past pain means also exchanging the connection and in this case, the cost isn’t worth it. So I sit in my Music City Thrift camo cargo pants (a huge thank you to the person at Crema that recommended it because it was AMAZING) and remind myself of the same thing Taylor reminds herself and reminds us every weekend: the story can be rewrtitten, the songs can be recorded, the memory can be something beautiful, if only you sing along.

This time around, it felt like I took less photos (I didn’t) because I had more conversations. I’m excited to share some of these stories with you. This is Eras Tour Nashville, night 1. The sections are organized, more or less, by eras, with the exception of the first two sections. <3

on a wednesday, I mean Friday, in cafe

Even before I actually officially began working, I met a few folks at coffee shops (because really all I ever do is thrift and drink coffee when I travel) and asked to take their photos.

this is what it feels like

I’ve been photographing Gracie for a few years and it made me so happy that she had fans who turned out to Eras Tour just for her!!!

and i’m wearing my heart on my sleeve

and that’s the way i loved you

if this was a movie

That skirt was handmade by the gal wearing it and there’s a layer for every era—I never would’ve thought to do something so creative!

This person told me they were hoping boygenius would appear during Phoebe’s set—and they were dressed up as the actual story of us. So if you need someone to manifest something, this is your person.

and you were tossing me your car keys…

Starbucks lovers

‘cause look at your face

Guys. This Twister outfit. Original, creative, water resistant. Literally mastermind-level of creativity.

You can’t forget the getaway car.

it’s a cruel summer with you

These gals had a whole table set up in the parking lot where they gave away free bracelets and also let swifties make their own—I am obsessed.

giving me your weekends

Read the mom’s shirt.

long story short, i survived

midnights become my afternoons

Her fella was there, too, but he wasn’t really dressed up, so he let her have he main character moment and I’m obsessed with that energy.

This couple was walking in front of me (that is candid!) and I scurried up to nervously ask them for a photo, but there was no need to be nervous because they were super nice and so eager to dress up and pose!

Joey was honestly one of the most high-energy fun swifties I’ve met! We made eye contact from across the merch area and he was ready for that photo!

And just like any great Taylor Swift song, the night ended with a bridge…

While I’d been hoping to visit Nashville for about 4 years, my recent trip was planned in only 2 weeks, and my plans shifted pretty dramatically less than 24 hours prior to departure.

When I’m traveling, I tend to chase newness and emotion and change and adventure and I’ll probably write more on that later, but all you need to know now is that I usually choose to drive. This trip was no exception, which I realized was risky in February. However, it was also cheaper, and when you choose to drive, you also choose to pull over for sunsets and antique stores in old gas stations and the world’s biggest paintings and eggs. The intersection of slowness and spontaneity changes me in a way that flying doesn’t quite reach.

But in a twist of fate, as plots tend to do, the day before I was to leave, a storm warning was released—with ice—directly along my route. I will drive through many less-than-ideal conditions (I’m Midwestern, after all), but icy roads tend to be where I draw the line. I don’t need to spend the night in an ditch somewhere in Missouri.

Originally, I was supposed to begin driving home on Friday evening to get a few hours under my belt and lessen the load of Saturday’s drive. But now that I was flying, I could leave on Saturday instead. However, I didn’t have a hotel for Friday night and most of the places that had bed-bug-free reviews were booked or expensive. And most of the good (read: clean and safe) and affordable Airbnb’s were booked.

So I was feeling at a loss for options. Maybe it was my destiny to stay at an overpriced Tennessee Holiday Inn or Best Western. At least it would have free breakfast.

Somehow in the midst of my desperate googling for options, I recalled Urban Cowboy B&B, which was far beyond my budget, but in their Instagram bio was a link to a different place: the Dive Motel. I clicked on it, curious, and was swept away by the bright colors and 70’s themes—and the disco balls in every room. It was definitely too cool to fit into my price range, right? WRONG. And Expedia had an even better deal.

So on Friday night, I found myself at the Dive Motel. Being that it was one day it snowed in Tennessee, it was too chilly to enjoy the pool, but the bar had tea, so I cozied up in a booth for a bit, drinking Earl Gray and reading. And, yes, my room had a disco ball and different music stations. And, yes, I definitely danced in my room. You don’t have to wait to have a date or have a reason or have a big budget to fully savor the world and step into new places. You don’t need a plan free of mess to have an adventure full of magic. You don’t need a reason to dance. You are here, the disco ball is on: for tonight, that’s enough.