Hello folks!  I originally wrote this nearly 4 years ago, back in April of 2017!    I believe Lorna and I (and many others) had just returned from their “last” US concert for their Notte Magica tour in Atlanta.  It was recently brought to my attention again and I reread it, personally amazed that I even wrote something this amazing!  Haha!  Hope you enjoy it again, or for some, for the first time!  🙂  With everything going on, I felt we all needed an extra innoculation to help with the current vaccine going around!

This post got a lot of nice comments the first time around – grazie mille!  🙂

(just a “word or two” of warning – this is quite long…. 🙂 )

___________________________________________________________________________

Definition of IVD: noun

1. State of being sad when Il Volo leaves your country

Symptoms:

1. Feeling of hopelessness of not knowing when they will return
2. Excessive sleeping, hoping you will dream about them one more time
3. Condition of feeling lost without their touch, hugs, or smiles
4. Loneliness one is left with after seeing them too many times in a matter of a few months
5. The desire to follow them to their next concert no matter where it is
6. Your “no-limit” credit card is suddenly your best friend and you try to figure out how many mileage points you need for a free, or at least discounted trip to Italy – even if they won’t be there!
7. Avoiding social media and looking at their pictures, or even listening to their music, because it just hurts too much (this is a very severe symptom, that must be dealt with ASAP!)
8. If given the Rorschach test, no matter what blob you see, you say either Piero, Gianluca, Ignazio, or all three!
9. There are likely more symptoms than those indicated above, however those stated are ones observed most often in recent concert-goers during the first leg of their Notte Magica tour in the United States.

Causes:

1. Buying tickets with meet/greets for as many concerts you can afford
2. Seeing them three or more times in a matter of a few weeks
3. Tracking them down at their hotel, and hoping to catch a glimpse of them on the street
4. Having awesome meet/greets, making you want to go back and have another and another!
5. Knowing they have a new album coming out and just sitting there, frozen, until you hear their new music
6. Some causes are unknown…as they may be personal to each individual, and have not yet been documented.

Cures:

There are no known cures for this, which is similar to Ilvoloitis. IVD is often a side-effect of Ilvoloitis, happening most often during their world tours. Ilvoloitis and IVD are especially dangerous for newbie Ilvolovers. Although Ilvoloitis and IVD are extremely contagious, no one really seems to want a real cure, however, there is the desire to learn to cope with the somewhat serious side-effects and symptoms of this condition.

There are many, many, websites out there on how to deal with depression. Two that I found are: http://www.wikihow.com/Overcome-Depression and https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/dealing-with-depression.htm

Let’s see if we can adapt some of their suggestions to IVD.

The helpguide.org had 6 tips for overcoming depression:

Tip #1 – Reach out and stay connected

As the old AT&T catchphrase goes – “reach out, reach out and touch someone….reach out and just say ciao!” Ok, we can’t reach out and touch the guys at this time, but we can reach out and touch, and call, other local Ivolovers. Who doesn’t want to hear from a fellow fan and talk into the wee hours of the morning, all about their concerts, meet/greets, and fantasies of meeting them again on the street, or at their hotel? With recent technology, you could start a group text (however, I caution you with this one, be careful that those in your group will not be upset, or need to get up in the morning!)

This is also a good time to find more Ivolovers in your area. Plan a party with your current group. Get together to celebrate their birthdays – Piero’s is next on June 24. Check out the various FaceBook pages – there may be some fellow fans lurking closer than you think!

If you can’t get together personally, plan a Skype party. I think you can have up to 24 or so people on one site. Find someone that has a big screen TV and hook up!

Tip #2 – Do things that make you feel good

One thing they suggest is volunteering. Why not do something in the “name of Il Volo?” Donate to your favorite charity. Spend time at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, animal shelter, or spend time with those with special needs. All the while, you can share your love of the guys by sharing their music and introducing new fans. Remember, not all things contagious are bad?

This is also a good time to get in touch with your local PBS station and start volunteering. You may get the inside news on the next time they are coming back to town!

They also suggest getting in touch with your creative side… now is the time to sit down and write some prose – that meaningful poem you’ve been waiting to write, or now is the time for that fan fiction short story you always wanted to write. How about a little drawing or painting? Remember, we are not all DaVinci’s, but no one can duplicate what you are feeling in your heart. It will come through on the blank canvas or piece of paper. The hardest part is that first stroke or word…

If you haven’t already, clear a space in your house – a bookshelf area is a great place and fill it with all things Il Volo. We know everyone has saved every ticket, meet/greet lanyard, CDs, DVDs, VIP gifts, pictures, etc. that we don’t know what to do with. This is your opportunity to put it on display for everyone to see. I plan to do this, but just haven’t gotten the chance yet. You could even make a few shadow boxes with little Il Volo souvenirs and memorabilia. Get to the craft store and use your coupons!

You could also get together with some of your friends and share some pictures and make a scrapbook of all of your adventures and concerts together!

Also, getting some exercise or listening to music – or doing both at the same time!! How often do we see Piero or Ignazio walking away on the tread mill with their ear buds in? Go outside and get some good ol’ “O Sole Mio!” See, just seeing the sunshine will remind you of the guys and their first signature song.

Tip #3 – Move vigorously

Ok, that may seem too difficult, but there’s nothing wrong with looking at a few “nice” pictures to at least get our hearts racing? If not our feet! However, as above, a little walk in the sunshine is wonderful. Maybe put on one of their peppier tunes and walk to the beat of the music. I bet you won’t even realize how fast you are walking. Volare is a great one to walk to!

Tip #4 – Eat a healthy, mood-boosting diet!

Of course, eating healthier will make you feel better. Most Italian food is healthy for you if you limit your cheese and alcohol and eat pasta in properly portioned amounts. Unless you are Piero and can walk 10 miles on the treadmill, I don’t think I’d recommend a plate of pasta every day. But mix that pasta with extra virgin olive oil and garlic and that’s a great treat for your heart and maybe a little red wine on the side. Can’t forget a little gelato for dessert. Some gelato actually has less calories than ice cream.

It’s also a great time to go on that diet and lose those 10 pounds we all want to lose – who knows, maybe it will turn into more. Every time we reach for that cookie, we can think – “what would Piero do?”

Tip #5 – Get more sunlight (we went over this one already….)

Tip #6 – Challenge negative thinking

You are thinking – “I will never see them again!” Do not think that, you WILL see them again, we just don’t know when. Until we see them again, refer to tips one through five! Or, you may think… I just can’t afford it! But this is the best time ever because they might not be back for over a year – we have time to save up for it now! Even if you can afford only ten or twenty dollars a week, or less, it adds up pretty quickly – at least enough for a ticket, and maybe even a meet/greet. (sure hope they don’t raise those prices anymore – or I may not be able to afford it either!)

Here are some personal tips from me!

1. This may be difficult, but think back to when you first discovered them. How did you feel? The smile that slowly, or quickly grew on your face. The feeling that you just had to tell everyone you knew about the greatest discovery you ever found on PBS. How many people did you call?
2. The time you saw them and decided you just HAD to see them in concert, no matter what, where, or when? For me, it was when I saw them for the 2^nd time on PBS, about late August in 2013, during their We Are Love tour. I specifically knew the time because their next show was at the Fox on Sept 5 and it was my mom’s birthday. But it was during their rendition of Beautiful Day and Ignazio’s solo part that just took me in and I was an immediate goner and luckily, I was able to see them the following June in 2014.
3. When did you become an official Ilvololver? Meaning, you suddenly could just not get enough of them? For me, it was after seeing them at Freedom Hill that late spring of 2014. When I got home, I feverishly combed the Internet each evening, soaking up every song, every interview and every video I could find of them for the remainder of the summer. Grabbing at each and every tidbit of info I could find, until I finally stumbled upon the Flight Crew site! I knew I had found my solace here, when I started reading all of the stories and comments from the readers. I was no longer alone in my quest, but felt at home.
4. Do you remember that feeling you got when you found out you were going to meet them for the first time? I remember the giddiness of a schoolgirl, when us Detroit gals were putting 2 + 2 together and coming up with 4, figuring out they were coming to PBS to promote their Pompeii album. After I found out I was also volunteering that same night, I just could not sit still. I remember walking around the block and literally skipping along thinking, “I’m going to meet them, I’m going to meet them! OMG, what am I going to say, wear, etc.?” I knew others had met them before, but like many things, the first time is always the most special.
5. Do you remember the first time you had front row seats? I felt guilty, but I turned in my PBS tickets for the last two front row seats at the Fox. I got front row, I got front row, I screamed to myself. It was at the end of the day at work and I could not sit still – good thing it was almost time to go home. I could not wait to tell someone who cared and my dear friend Ginny who was the lucky recipient of the other ticket!
6. Do you remember that often dazed feeling you got after meeting them at a meet/greet after a concert? You are barely coherent and hardly remember anything because you are still in a hypnotic state after hearing their incredible voices.
7. And last, but not least, the feeling you had and will never forget, of seeing them perform not, once, but twice in their homeland of Italy. Under the beautiful evening air, the feeling was magical both times.
8. Think of all of the new friends you have made in the last several years – all over the world. Think of all of the new places you have seen and never would have seen, had it not been for Il Volo. Think of some of your talents that may have been hidden, that have blossomed forth all because of them. Think of all of the new techie things you have learned on the computer and your phone.
9. Think of all things Italian you now care about, if you didn’t already.
10. Think of all the love, joy, and passion you have given and received – all in the name of Il Volo. When we think of that, how could we possibly be depressed? How many of us have healed ourselves through their music and bonding with each other over this love of these 3 men? They have touched our lives in ways we never thought possible, nor existed. They have touched our lives in ways they will never know, no matter how much we tell them. Men and women; young and old, from all over the world.

Even though there is no known cure, I hope that coming to the “Flight Crew – Share the Love” site each and every morning fills at least a small part of this void in your life. Just reading the comments everyone makes, even while I’m at work, will put a smile on my face. Our fearless Editor-in-Chief, Marie, along with Kelly, Leelee, Mary, Jane, Daniela, Dani, and all of the other contributors from around the globe take time out of their busy days to keep us all informed the best they can of where the guys are. I think we need a new category – “where in the world are the guys now?”  I know I feel better now, having written this. Just remembering all of those things, makes you happy. Although they are as fleeting as a beautiful sunrise or sunset, the memory of them remains in your heart and soul, just as their voices lift us to incredible highs, so we can deal with some of the worst lows. It is such a joy and honor to know all of you! I feel truly blessed to have you and Il Volo in my life!

In the words of Charlie Chaplin… “Smile….! Life is still worthwhile, if you just smile… (and think of Il Volo!)”

So, we want to hear from you!  What tips do you have to get you through the day without the guys?  For those new to this site, tell us your story!  Do you have a favorite CD or concert you watch?  If you like sushi, does it remind you of the guys when you eat it?

All photo credits to Judy Thurman from the last concert in Atlanta. Edits are mine.  🙂

and to Marie, for the inspiration to write this – I texted her complaining of IVD and she said the more you see them, the worse it becomes…

Ciao – Jana

p.s.  this is my new Il Volo shrine!!   Be sure to click on it to see the larger view!  🙂