Day 14 - St. Louis!

Has it really been two weeks already? Even though we were working and on our feet for the majority of thirteen hours every day, it feels like the past fourteen days have all run in to each other. It really is hard for me to believe that we won’t get to meet anyone else on the road, but as I said, all good things must come to an end, and this is where we’ll leave you.

 

St. Louis had a late start for set up because everyone had a ten hour drive the night before. The That’s Not Cool zone was set up right near the Main Stage and across from the skate ramp, which made for a perfect day. I haven’t had a chance to really write about the bands on the tour, but this year there is a combination of old-school punk and ska bands and newer, younger pop-punk and electronica bands. It’s an interesting mix, and it’s been enjoyable getting to watch the whole mash-up while working every day. We’ve seen some band members, including Bucky from Down With Webster and Nat from 3OH!3, sporting everyone’s favorite yellow t-shirt around the shows, which is awesome. It’s great to have their support.

 

Since today was our last day, Carly, Melvin and I were feeling extra generous when we gave out t-shirts. We weren’t allowed to hand out stickers yet again, so we felt we had to make up for it in some way. I hope all of you who got one appreciate them as much as it seemed you would when we gave them to you!

 

A girl named Erika came by the tent today to let me know how That’s Not Cool had helped her recently. She saw the Walkie Stalkie commercial that’s now airing on tv, and came to the conclusion that what it depicts is exactly what her now-ex-boyfriend was doing to her. She checked out thatsnotcool.com after she saw it and told me it helped her break off her relationship with the guy. This is yet another story that makes oh so proud of what That’s Not Cool is all about. So, thank you for sharing it with me, Erika, and if any of you other readers are feeling uncomfortable with how a boyfriend or girlfriend is treating you (IknowIsaythisalotandit’sgettingrepetitive,but I’mserious!!) go to That's Not Cool.

 

Before I sign out for the last time, I want to say hi to Kayla and Lauren who I met and gave t-shirts to today. I hope you guys had fun, and your photo is below! Tomorrow I’m heading home to New Jersey, most likely missing all that is Warped Tour, including the heat, wind, dust and rain. Thank you to all of you who have followed us on Twitter. We’ve already gotten 85 followers in less than two weeks, which is rad. It’s truly been a blast traveling around and meeting everyone. Your stories have been priceless and I really appreciate all of you who have stopped by the That’s Not Cool digital space, even if it was only for a little while. Check back to this blog for a possible video update later on. Until them, go to That's Not Cool and post your input in the forums.

 

Adios amigos!

XO Morgan


(download)

Day 13 - Minneapolis!

Oooh, Minneapolis. Today was yet another beautiful day with only a short period of rain toward the end of it. I’m pretty sure there have only been two days out of the 13 we’ve been on the road for that it hasn’t rained at least a little bit. No big deal, though; none of us are made of sugar. It’s kind of weird how much I’ve written about the weather in this blog, but since we’re outside all day, every day, it sets a major vibe for how I navigate my days.

This morning got me a little bit upset because it was our second to last day of the tour. It feels strange having to leave all my friends, old and new, after only two weeks. All good things must come to an end, though, and I’m more than proud of what the That’s Not Cool team has accomplished so far on the tour.

As I assured you in my blog from yesterday, I definitely made comments about Bobby’s World all day today. The accents around here are killer! They say New Jersey accents are funny, but I definitely think Midwesterners take the cake in that department. I seriously love it!

I want to now (finally) thank everyone who we’ve met over the past two weeks for not giving us any grief for what we try to help prevent and promote. There are so many nonprofit organizations and causes that constantly have naysayers telling them that what they’re doing is dumb or unnecessary. I can honestly say that I haven’t gotten any of that on this tour, which is very uplifting and exciting for us. So seriously, this is one big umbrella THANK YOU.

Tomorrow will be our final day of tour in St. Louis, Missouri. Every time I think of it, I still can’t believe our time together has already come and (almost) gone. I hope it turns out to be our best day yet, so all of you kids in STL, make sure you come by and hang out with us, and remember to visit http://www.thatsnotcool.com.

XO Morgan

 

(download)

Day 12 - Chicago!

 

Today was the winner for the best weather we have had so far on Warped Tour for the sole fact that none of us sweat one drop throughout the whole day. It may have been a little cold, but it was a nice change of pace from the heat we’ve had on the earlier dates.

As a very fond user of Twitter, I got very excited when we got so many replies from the fans at the show today. They were all pretty clever so it was fun to read them all. Thank you again to all the new followers. If you haven’t checked it out, go to http://www.twitter.com/TNCTweets and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

I think the Midwest has captured my heart in a way I never expected. Everyone here has been so friendly and excited to meet us and I’m still so thankful for that. While I was unsure of how the kids who came to our tent would react to the games we play, it seems like everyone has enjoyed them. Nude-E-Calls remains a favorite for me, but I’ve gotten better at playing Text Invaders. The high score still belongs to Melvin, though, and only a few people have caught up to his score since we’ve been on the road. Maybe the conqueror will come through tomorrow.

We met one awesome kid today who came by the tent a few times. He’s from Texas, but since he goes to Chicago with his family every year, he came to the show today, too. He assured me today was better than the Texas date he went to, and that playing Text Invaders at our tent was one of his highlights. I’m not sure if that was just flattery, but I appreciated it regardless.

Tomorrow will be in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Every time I think of that place, I think of the accent, and then think of the old cartoon Bobby’s World. So, if I make any references to that to anyone who comes to the tent tomorrow, I apologize in advance. ;)

Stoked to see you all there, and remember if you need help with drawing your digital line, go to That’sNotCool.com.

XO Morgan

Day 11 - Detroit!

Why hello there, Michigan. I must say, after today, this city remains one of my favorites. The show was at Comerica Park, where the Detroit Tigers play. There wasn't a cloud in the sky this morning and it was breezy all day long.  The wonderful people at Starbucks were here to give everyone on the tour as much free iced coffee as we wanted, which made the standard setup routine a little more enjoyable. I also (finally) got medicine last night so I think my sickness is on its last leg.

When volunteers for other sponsors came in the venue this morning, I met one of the nicest people ever. Her name is Casey and she automatically offered to cut my That's Not Cool t-shirt in to a halter top. So sweet! Carly ended up wearing it, but thanks again, Casey! I also got to talk to one of our Twitter followers, Chris, who has been following the tour. He's posted some photos of himself wearing his yellow That's Not Cool shirt on TwitPic, which we love. So thanks go out to you as well, Chris. 

Surprisingly, we had a lot of parents come to the Digital Space today asking what we're about. Sometimes its hard to explain the types of situations That's Not Cool is dealing with to older generations, as these problems never even existed for them. There are times when they just don't want to believe things like pressuring for nude photos even occur, or at least not with their kids. However, as I wrote yesterday, now is a time when you're digital life IS your real life and these things really do happen to kids every day. If you're a parent and you want to fully grasp the program, or if you're a kid who wants to explain your problem to your parents (in a slightly humorous way), please go to That's Not Cool. We're here for you and want to help more than anything.

Tonight is the 4th Annual Mustacho Basho for the Warped Tour. Everyone who goes to the party is required to have a mustache, be it real or fake. I think I will be in attendance, even if its only for a little while.

It's hard to believe our run on this tour is already coming down to 3 more days, but I'm enjoying it while I can.
Tomorrow is our Chicago show, which is one of the biggest ones of the whole tour. It should be a good time and hopefully the rain will hold off again. Keep your fingers crossed, Chi town. We will see you soon!

XO Morgan


(download)

Day 10 - Milwaukee!

After a rocky night on the road we woke up in Wisconsin
 this morning. It looked gloomy outside, much like the past few days we've had. This venue is right near Lake Michigan and is one of the coolest amphitheaters I've ever been to thanks to that. Right now I'm writing from a dressing room literally right behind the stage. Whoever's playing on the Smart Punk stage right now is rattling the walls.

The gloomy day turned out to be beautiful and there were so many kids in our tent from the time doors opened until we broke down. I didn't get any cheese brought to me but we still gave so many shirts away that we had to control ourselves by the end of the day. At that point, only those who were actually begging for them got them. 

Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to give out stickers yet again. But, I did get to talk to a lot of kids today since I felt better than I have recently. While they loved our t-shirts, it seems like a lot of the Milwaukee kids didn't really understand the reason for That's Not Cool's existence until we fully explained ourselves. In one sentence I want to give you all the defining point of the organization: your digital life is not separate from, but an extension of, your real life. Even though what you do online and via text messaging isn't physically tangible, you are still in control of it. What you do with technology is a reflection of you and may pop up in your real life at any point in the future. We're here to both make you guys aware of that and help you navigate your way through it in order to get the best outcome. Go to That's Not Cool if you'd like to know even more. 

Tomorrow we will be in Detroit Rock City!! I don't know why I love saying that, but I always do when I think of the D. I also don't know what it is about the Midwest but I love being here. So, thank you for yet another fun Warped day, Milwaukee. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and I hope Detroit is ready for us.

XO Morgan


(download)

Day 9 - Cincinnati, OH

Waking up to the rain in Cincinnati this morning did not seem promising for us, but as usual, we made the best with what he had. We set up in the rain and were pleasantly greeted with happily rained-on fans. When we see how happy and excited you guys are in whatever harsh weather we find ourselves in (ridiculous heat, downpours, etc.), it keeps us going.

 

Today I talked to a lot of kids about boyfriends or girlfriends logging in to their significant others’ Myspace or Facebook pages and changing things unnecessarily. I don’t want to sound like I think any gender does this more than the other, but I would like to point out that pretty much every time I mentioned it to a boy, he said it had happened to him. When things like that are done to you, it’s so annoying and obviously… that’s not cool. If you have an issue with it, That's Not Cool is your spot to get more information on what you can do to help yourself.

 

It’s so crazy how far so many kids traveled to get to this show today. Since we don’t hit any cities very close to here, tons of people traveled up from Kentucky and other parts of Ohio. Everyone was so nice and friendly; I think this was the most pleasant crowd we’ve interacted with so far. So thank you, Cincinnati! I also want to say hi to my new friend Nick. He's such a great kid and it was fabulous meeting him.

 

Next up, we’ll be hitting Milwaukee. I loved that venue last year, so hopefully it won’t rain on us and we’ll have an awesome Wisconsin day. Maybe someone will even bring us cheese?! (Hint, hint!!)

 

XO Morgan


(download)

Day 8 - Atlanta, GA

Day 8 – Atlanta, GA

 

Today was quite an adventure. Above all, I want to personally apologize for not being on my A-game today. I got sick yesterday and it continued throughout today. Regardless, all of us on the That’s Not Cool team had a fun day back on the tour.

 

Atlanta was definitely HOTlanta today. To me, it felt like the hottest day of the tour for us thus far, but all the fans were out in full force anyway. Our day started off with a girl doing the Truffle Shuffle (a reference to the movie “The Goonies” for those of you who don’t know) for us at our Digital Space booth. Then the day ended with a girl doing a standing backflip in front of big crowd around our tent. Needless to say, both of them were automatic t-shirt winners. If any of you feel like making us laugh or impressing us with your dance skills, I can almost guarantee a gift from the That’s Not Cool team.

 

Carly took over my usual post at Nude-E-Calls today because I was feeling so under the weather. Meanwhile, I was in command over at the Text Invaders game for a good portion of the day. Since we were so close to the Main Stage, Melvin was on and off of the microphone, relative to when bands were and weren’t playing. I think we’ve all settled in to a good routine of what we do throughout the day.

 

Tonight we’re leaving the South and heading back north to Cincinnati, Ohio. We won’t be able to give away stickers because of regulations at the venue, but be sure to swing by and grab a t-shirt if you’re going to the show. I look forward (as usual) to meeting everyone, so I will see you there!

 

And remember, if someone is violating your online privacy, That's Not Cool.

 

XO Morgan

 

Day 6 - St. Petersburg

 

One week down and only one more to go! I can’t believe the That’s Not Cool team has already finished half of our 2 week stint on the Vans Warped Tour! Today we have a day off in Macon, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta. The last day of our six day run landed us in St. Petersburg, Florida. I haven’t mentioned this before, but I was on the Vans Warped Tour last year too. The St. Pete venue was one of my favorites, and it definitely didn’t disappoint this year.

 

It was held in a park by the beach which gave us all a nice view and a little bit of a breeze. Although there was rain taunting us during our morning set up, the majority of the day was exactly what it was supposed to be: hot! This date was my favorite one of the tour thus far.

 

Soon after doors opened at 11 AM, two girls came by the booth to say hi and to show me they were following @TNCTweets on Twitter from their cell phones. Nicolette and Daniella (I’m pretty sure that’s how your names are spelled), thank you so much! You guys were so sweet and hopefully you had a great time yesterday. Everyone else coming to the future shows: don’t forget to follow us and let us know about it when you see us!

 

The official Warped Tour Pit Reporter, Tiffany, wrote a little piece about That’s Not Cool on her blog post from the Orlando tour date. If you go check it out on http://www.warpedtour.com, you’ll also be able to watch one of her video blogs which features Sean and I at our Digital Space booth.

 

Anyway, back to St. Petersburg – it was great to meet everyone who came over to play games and talk with us. I fell even more in love with playing Nude-E-Calls, and I don’t think I’m alone in that sentiment; people were lined up to play all afternoon. Thank you for that, guys! If you have any suggestions or questions for us, leave a comment on our Facebook or MySpace pages or, better yet, come see us if we haven’t gotten to your city yet.

 

We also got to meet one of our youngest supporters yesterday! His name is Michael and he absolutely LOVED playing Text Invaders. So much fun.

 

I think now I’ll spend the rest of my day off by celebrating my birthday (I’m 22 years old today) and relaxing. I’m so excited to meet everyone at the Atlanta date tomorrow! I know it’ll be a blast. Every opportunity I’ve gotten to help all of you learn how to draw your digital line so far has been awesome.

 

Here’s to another wonderful week on the road. We’re coming for you, Midwest!

 

Xo Morgan

 

(download)

Day 5 - West Palm Beach!


In prepping for this summer's tour, the whole time I thought we would be in Miami for today's date. But I woke up in West Palm Beach and loved it all the same. We had all of our games up and running today and I found out how much I really love playing Nude-E-Calls with the people who come to the tent. Some of the stuff these kids came up with had me cracking up. Loved it!
Another ridiculous thunderstorm came through today. It was like what happened in Boston but for only a small part of the day. Regardless, it was a scary situation for a bit.

On a more serious note, in the beginning of the day a girl came to the tent with a big smile on her face. She told Melvin that she had visited our website and it helped her get out of a controlling relationship. This was just another example of why I'm proud to be working with That's Not Cool. If you find yourself in a similar situation to that girl, please don't be afraid to speak up for yourself and go to our website if you need help.

Right now I'm writing this blog outside, waiting in line to get a shower. The glamorous tour life, my friends: this is it. We'll be in St. Petersburg, FL tomorrow, which I am especially excited for because my good friend Jessica is coming to the show! Then when the clock strikes twelve, I'll be another year older. Yay!

Until my next update, check out these pictures of all my new florida friends and scope http://www.thatsnotcool.com if you feel any kind of pressure in a relationship that makes you feel uncomfortable.
Xo Morgan

 

(download)