Still behind on updates and random thoughts on birthdays...

Me, Kevin and Carlos
Originally uploaded by Brande Jackson.

Much more to come, including the sizable backlog of photos and updates that will post soon, but high speed internet and free time have been quite scarce as of late. Tour is going remarkably well, seems we are exceeding our goals each and every night, and it's incredible to be at 'ground zero' of a campaign that is growing and spreading in the fashion that this one is. I can't explain why I can put in a 17 hour day and still leave the arena each night full of energy and excitement, other than to chalk it up to the fact that it really feels like we are making a huge impact and really inspiring people in the work that we are doing every night. (And I'm also not eating much, so it could also be a form of delirium. . .) This type of outreach is all or nothing - you can't fake it, you have to be behind it 125%, and you know when it matters and when you are connecting - the response to the work we are doing on this tour has been phenomenal, it almost can't compare to other outreach I have done in the past.

Tomorrow (or is already today?) is my birthday - birthday's spent away from home and on the road are always interesting to say the least, mostly because you generally don't know what day of the month it is at any given time and can easily not realize you are officially one year older - but there is really nowhere else I would rather be right now. Though I started Lokahi several years ago and I've been doing outreach of this nature - and working on tours - for awhile now, a year ago today if you told me I would turn 26 on the road with U2, with my organization (www.lokahioutreach.org) partnering on a campaign like the ONE Campaign I would have never believed it. It's funny how fast and easily your life gets totally rearranged and shot down different paths. Anyway, enough of my 'deep thoughts' - there was initial talk amongst my staff and a friend of mine flying out to help with the last seven shows to spend my big day in Atlantic City on the lookout for big hair and lots of Bon Jovi, but luckily we decided that was far too much effort and are opting for a day spent in Manhattan. Much of which I'll probably spend working - preparing for future shows on this tour, working on ideas for other tours, putting in time on other Lokahi campaigns being run back home in LA, checking in our after school program - but I'm sure we'll get in some much needed time publicly embarrassing me in as well...

More show photos and updates to come soon!