Leave Your Mark

I don’t even know if I can begin to recap how rad today was. There are too many stories to choose from, so instead I will give you a buffet of today’s highlights.

First off, Warped Tour founder (a.k.a legend) Kevin Lineman stopped to pose for the Polaroid PoGo printer. I gracefully fumbled over my words as I couldn’t believe I was face to face with someone I thought only existed in magazines and behind the closed doors of his tour bus.

The Slip ‘N Slide was the hot spot of the day (as Tinley park had invited the sun as a VIP guest) so we decided to check it out with the printer. Prints were stuck to foreheads and guitar picks were taken for a ride on the wet, larger-than-life toy. They weren’t the only ones having fun. I walked past a group of kids sitting on the steps in the ampitheatre who resembled the cast from “The Breakfast Club”. I tend to say what I’m thinking the majority of the time, so I walked over and asked if they had ever heard of the Breakfast Club. They all nodded in unison, all the while not cracking a smile. I continued on by taking their picture and demonstrating the printer. By the end of the demo, they were all grinning from ear to ear.

As I’ve mentioned before, our time at Warped Tour has given way to new names for me and Mike. Instead of Megan and Mike, we are “Hey Polaroid!” That’s cool. I was contemplating a name change anyway. So, while walking back to the tent, a guy from the non-profit vendor tent, “To Write Love on Her Arms” called out my “name” and requested his photo-op. He wanted not one, two, three, but FOUR prints. One for his wallet, one for his dashboard, one for his wall, and one for his skateboard. I think it is safe to say he digs Polaroid’s latest invention.

I have not had a “speedo” sighting since Texas but did come close today with boys in short shorts. I didn’t ask. But I did take a picture. Mike and I had a lot of fun tonight looking over all the photos from the day. From boys in short shorts, to body tracings, to wild costumes (like banana peels, GENIUS!), the Warped Tour provides plenty of opportunities for self expression. And what better way to catch it than with a mobile printer?

Everyone continues to be curious about the product and driving a car that has pictures of the printer on it, leaves plenty of room for explanation. In fact, tonight on our way back to Minneapolis, Mike and I stopped at our 300^th Subway for dinner. I was in the car waiting for Mike when an elderly gentleman knocked on my window and near gave me a panic attack. Thankfully, I remembered the whole breathing thing. He asked what a mobile printer was. I gave him a demonstration on my cell phone and he gave me a look that said, “This is a lot of information to absorb in 5 minutes and are you going to eat your salad because I’m hungry.” No seriously. He said he was impressed with Polaroid. So am I.

I now understand why everyone who visits New York leaves with an “I love New York” shirt. The place is magical. The food is out of this world, and the over stimulation of all your senses is fun! I coerced Mike into driving us into the city (no small feat considering the traffic boasted about in movies). We met up with my brother Peter and his girlfriend Leslie, who sank right into the role of the “Team Polaroid PoGo” tour guides. They took us to a wonderful restaurant for brunch where they served popovers the size of your head. I don’t know about Mike, but I was just relieved not to be eating Subway or McDonalds. Then we all piled into the Polaroid PoGo vehicle for a driving tour of the major sights to behold in NYC, Time Square, Union Square, Ground Zero, and all the districts in between. Mike found a music store and picked up some Matisyahu for the road and conveniently located right next store was Whole Foods: my version of heaven.

We had the opportunity to show people the Polaroid PoGo printer in NYC. When leaving our hotel in the morning, the front desk associate asked about the car we were driving which opened the door for discussion. I gave her a demonstration and she confessed to owning about four old Polaroid cameras. She was so impressed with the ZINK technology, she said she might just have to go out and purchase one. Peter and Leslie loved that it printed pictures from the cell phone and we got a couple of pictures printed out for them to keep. We also ran into some of their friends later in the day who were big Polaroid fans.

We are looking forward to bringing the printer into Boston and having another run of the Warped Tour on Wednesday.