M3 Rock Fest Single Day Tickets On Sale Friday

I'm surprised this hasn't happened yet - but M3 Rock Festival single day tickets will finally go on sale this Friday (via Ticketmaster). This is the 15th year of the festival (seems unreal) and it will take place May 4 and 5 at Merriweather Post Pavilion near Baltimore, Maryland. Bret Michaels and Queensryche will headline.

Comments

[Metalboy!]

You know you’re screwed when Michaels is the headliner!

Where the h*ll are all the bands?!

At least they got Pretty Boy Floyd!

[fletch]

I'm going to M3 again this year with my former foster son, whom my wife and I raised from about 10-18yo. When he first came to our home, he was on so much psychotropic medication that could choke a horse and he was in special education classes. By the time he matured out of the system, he was off his medication (with medical approval), attending many "regular" classes, attending Vo-tech and was participating in Varsity sports at his home school (not alternative school). The agency fought with me at every turn that we pushed for, as I was a foster parent and not a professional. Hey, I digress...but stay with me.

After leaving foster care, he returned to his home State and reconnected with his biological family. My wife and I also fostered two of his siblings full time and two of his other siblings on weekend respites in order to keep family continuity. Each sibling all returned to the familial home upon their transitions from care and they have all stayed in touch with us over the years. We live in Pennsylvania and they reside in Connecticut. Yet, two of the siblings have traveled down to visit (and stay with) us every so often, on different holidays.

This family is African-American, yet we raised them (musically) mostly on Van Halen, Poison, and Cinderella, To this day, my foster son wears t-shirts of those bands and he tells me that he often gets chided in his "black community" for "liking white boy music".

Back home in Connecticut, he started working various, menial jobs for little pay. I don't write this disparagingly. I was glad that he was working full time and being productive. After several jobs and several years of that type of work (mostly as a stock shelf employee), he started working in Warehouse work, where he was paid significantly more and had better benefits, but it was back-breaking work and he didn't feel appreciated.

His sisters work in the health care field and about 5 years ago, suggested to him that he should look into it. He took some training and became certified as a a home health care aid. He has provided care for many types of patients, either full time, part time or on an as needed (respite) basis. A couple of years ago, his agency assigned him to a man in a very upscale community. The man has a rare degenerative disease, is confined to a wheelchair and his hands and feet are almost paralyzed. However, his mental faculties and completely intact.

The gentleman needs assistance with all aspects of daily living skills, from feeding him, dressing him and bathing him. When he told me this, I joked, "What do you feed him? microwave hot dogs?" I made this 'joke" because he could barely make toast when he lived with me- not because we didn't want to teach him food preparation, but again...foster care "rules" against using appliances like stoves. When I was "caught" teaching him how to use our grill and flip burgers during a family picnic...good lord did I get chastised. Again, I digress. On purpose.

He laughed at my "hot dog joke" but explained that his patient's hobby (prior to becoming ill) was gourmet cooking and fancied himself an amateur Michelin chef. He wasn't going to eat microwave food. And, he had all of his recipes on index cards, categorized by cuisine- Italian, French, Seafood, etc... Daily, the man has Tom take out an index card and then provides detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to prepare a specific dish. Tom then explained to me how he has prepared Moroccan Swordfish, Veal Piccata, Roast Pork with chili Verde salsa, etc... I was beaming inside.

In addition, this gentleman's next-door neighbors are a retired couple with two dogs. He often takes the dogs for walks, is hired by them to do lawn maintenance or small household repairs and when they go on vacation (often for 2 weeks abroad), they give him a house key to dog sit for them.

He makes much more money than he ever did in the Warehouse jobs, he has several weeks off and great benefits. Plus, since he lives with his patient, he has little to no living expenses as the patient pays the mortgage, utilities, food, etc... He even pays for Tom's gas when he is taken to doctor appointments or other places for him. When he takes time off, a substitute caretaker comes to them home a for a couple of days prior and Tom trains the substitute on the daily routine(s).

In my line of work, I don't often see success stories, but when I do, it warms my heart to the core. I don't know if my former foster son reads this blog (or even knows about it) as I've never told him, but in case he does, I just want to say that Cathy and me are so very proud of you and all that you have accomplished.

My former foster son is a ROCKSTAR! And, I'm looking forward to attending M3 festival with him again. See you in May.