Tickets

Nothing else in the world matters when trying to snag tickets for a show guaranteed to sell out in minutes. It’s you against the other diehard fans, scalpers, and bots. Your arsenal includes your credit card information and the refresh page. If you’re lucky, you’ll walk away from the computer, flooded with relief after Live Nation congratulates you for not only securing pit tickets at your favorite band’s hometown show but also for forking out more cash than expected on their service fees. At least you didn’t have to settle for even more expensive tickets from StubHub.

I almost don’t remember how this experience feels. It’s been over a year since I purchased a concert ticket. But I’ve had enough escapades to the bathroom in high school and college, where I could fumble through my smartphone’s web app free from judgment, to recall a morsel of those jitters.

This week I received an email announcing my eligibility for the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. MyChart asked me first for my preferred location and then time slot.

Initially, I picked an appointment for the very next afternoon. I was only one click away.

Alas, I waited too long and was instead presented with an “oops” because that time slot was no longer available at my desired location. Clearly everyone else using the portal was just as eager if not anxious as me to schedule an appointment. Soon enough a frenzy overwhelmed me, in which I repeatedly refreshed the “reschedule” button in order and hoped for the best. New times did show with each click, until I finally settled on a day and time.

I don’t know if I should laugh or cry at how scheduling a vaccination became my new high.

I’ll be vaccinated tomorrow. I hope my next booking is for a concert.