It was winter when we bought the tickets.

I was asleep when Beth knocked on the door and said something then relatively indiscernable. I heard "Boston" and "U2," so mumbled something that apparently sounded like some form of confirmation.

When I woke up and wandered out of my room, thinking that I'd dreamt it all, Beth informed me that we had U2 tickets. For December.

This was March.

Each month, I've checked in to make sure the tickets are still safe and accounted for. Admittedly, I've also checked to see how much they're going for on eBay, but that's just because it's fun to play around with the idea of paying a chunk of rent with a ticket.

For the record, they're going for a lot.

Nine months have gone by. The FleetCenter printed out on the tickets has been transformed into the single most annoying name possible for a Boston building - TD Banknorth GARDEN*. Children could have been conceived and born during this span. And now Sunday approaches with the promise of Bono, The Edge, Larry and Adam.

I've never seen U2 live, and it feels as if the band is one of those you need to see at least once in your lifetime. The number of memories that have been linked to the band's discography - from youth to teenagedom, college to this relative adulthood - is pretty shocking when I take a step back to think about it.

We joked and groaned when the tickets arrived in the blank white envelope.

"It'll be WINTER AGAIN when we actually use these! That feels so far away!"

And yet here it almost is.

*There was one Garden. They tore it down to build this new place. Ahem.