Yesterday was supposed to be my only filler post but I can't not share this song. I know that you will love this song. You may get mushy and gooey about this song. Oh god, I just can't stop listening to it. I started making everyone a mix because of it. (Don't get your hopes up, I'm just sharing it here instead.)

Thank you, Diablo Cody, my hero, for making this song happen.

Michael Cera & Ellen Page - Anyone Else But You (Moldy Peaches cover)

PS: Glen and I are seeing Juno next week. I've been waiting for two years for this, Cody, and I can't wait much longer.

Part One
I think Sting is a musical genius. That being said, evidently I hate all of his music. I got my hands on Mercury Falling and ended up deleting all but two songs from my hard drive. Similar events happened with ...Nothing Like The Sun, The Soul Cages, and The Dream of the Blue Turtles. Waste, waste, waste of time.

I guess my best experience was with ...Nothing Like The Sun because I ended up keeping the most songs (four). This is confusing because there is a recurring pan flute throughout the whole album and it is horrible. There is also the Kenny G-style alto/tenor saxophone, which gives me the willies... and yet, I was shocked out of my boredom-induced zoning during the killer guitar solo during "Little Wing" (a Hendrix cover??) which may or may not be thanks to Clapton... and, of course, transitioned back into the fucking saxophone. YOUR MUSIC CONFUSES ME, STING.

I own Ten Summoner's Tales because it's a classic, and I think that's the only reason I have it. I don't like "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You." I hate "Love Is Stronger Than Justice." I don't even like "Fields of Gold," which is musical blasphemy, I know, but I think it's a boring song. Sorry. I make myself listen to the album every now and again. "Maybe I've evolved musically since last time and I can like this now," I think, but it never ends up happening. I also own Brand New Day, and I actually like it, but I can't decide if it's because I like it or because I have memories tied to it. I know I definitely enjoy two songs on there for what they are, but the rest, I am unsure on.

This is really confusing. Maybe I don't like Sting. Maybe I think he should scrap the solo stuff and just stick with the Police, because I like every single Police song that I've ever heard. Maybe, if he is going to be a solo artist, he should just cover songs that are already awesome and be a guest vocalist on other people's music. Maybe I don't think he's a musical genius.

And maybe it's the Hansel syndrome. "Sting. Sting would be another person who's a hero. The music he's created over the years, I don't really listen to it, but the fact that he's making it, I respect that."


Part Two
There's a singer/songwriter out there named Charlotte Martin. I first discovered her music when I came across "Your Armor," a beautiful song that's not really in my style of music (of which it's becoming harder and harder to define). It eventually grew on me and I can't stop listening to it. It's gorgeous. So what do I do? I do what anyone would do, and go on a Charlotte Martin Music Finding Rampage.

And you know what I found out? I hate Charlotte Martin. How sad is that?? I hate everything else she's done. I've listened to most of her albums and really don't like her music at all. I have not listened to the album that "Your Armor" comes from (because I can't find it ANYWHERE), so I still hold out hope for another gem, but I'm doubting it.


Part Three
Is anyone else enjoying the youtube fight that Samantha Scott and Tony Jacobson are having on facebook about who almost burned down the house on Saturday?

Best Friend of the year award goes to... the ones who have stood by me.

Funniest Friend of the year award goes to... 63hz. And Matz is pretty damn funny.

Most Loyal Friend of the year award goes to: Samantha. Ghey. Carissa. Clay. Koegel. Those crazy fuckers who made the trip down to Onalaska. That is fucking loyalty. And, as always, my brother stands tall.

Best Memory of year award goes to: Road trips with my brother. Octoberfest. The snow weekend is a good one.

Newest friend of the year award goes to: Alex, Pat, and Damon. Jackie and Tim.

1. Overall, have you had a good year? Yes. It's been ridiculously hard on many counts, but I've gotten some really good things out of it.

2. What has been your biggest achievement? Moving to Minneapolis.

3. Did you take any exams? Yep. Not a lot.

4. Have you had your birthday yet? Yep.

5. Have you been on vacation? Not this year.

6. Which was your favorite vacation? Well, the closest thing to a vacation I got was when I was in Duluth for Koegel's farewell... when we played Koob in the park all day long. Sigh.

7. Have you bought anything expensive? Rent. Tuition. That damn art kit.

8. Have you had a job? SCI.

9. Made any big decisions? Moving. School.

10. Lost a friend or loved one? My beautiful amazing Grandma died back in January.

11. Met anyone amazing? Absolutely. I'd be lost without Alex and Jackie this year.

12. Made new friends? Yes. I think we covered this.

13. Moved? Well Street to Humboldt Ave.

14. Had something surprising happen? I was surprised when Stoney Creek turned out to be the best decision I ever made.

15. Tried something new? Pretty much on a daily basis.

16. Been more happy or sad? It depends. I was very sad in Onalaska until I realized what mattered. I was very happy once I came to Minneapolis but am still grieving over what's happening in Onalaska.

17. Made any enemies? My nemesis stays the same.

18. What music will you remember from this year? Satellite Party. Loudon. Icky Thump. HANSON. Anything from Guitar Hero II. Winehouse. Springsteen.

19. What movies have you seen at the cinema this year? Not many. I saw "Spiderman 3" (worst movie of the year), "The Simpsons Movie," and "Across the Universe." That's it. Glen and I are seeing "Juno" next week, though, so add that to the list, and I've seen four movies in the theater this year. Who am I?

20. What was your best night out? Saturday night of Octoberfest. Hanson.

21. What was your worst night out? Friday night of Octoberfest.

22. Best Day? I had a lot of random good days in Onalaska with my mom. The official work outing to the baseball game was a great day.

23. Worst day? 9:35 in the morning on January 9th.

24. Best month? September. Half Onalaksa fun, half Minneapolis fun.

25. Worst month? January. Dark and troublesome times.

26. Was summer a good one? Yes.

27. Have you made better friends with anyone? Pat and I have been friends for a few years but we're definitely better friends now. People I see on a regular basis now.

28. Lost any friends? Lost the ones that don't matter. Found the ones that do.

29. How many people have you kissed in the year of 2007? Not enough.

32. Made any plans for next year? Just keep swimming.

33. How many hair colors have you had? A few.

34. Got pierced? God, no.

35. Got inked? Me + needles = not happening.

36. Changed your image? My image is me. I don't know.

37. Missed anyone? I missed so many people this year.

39. Know what you want in the future? Vaguely.

40. Regret anything? Nope. It all happens for a reason.

Paul Hewson and Dave Evans talk shit a lot. Fuck, they're known for talking shit. Thinly veiled metaphors about politics, suicide, guardian angels, daddy issues, AIDS, joy, sorrow, hangovers, sex, drugs, everything you can think of, it's all powerful shit. (Well, okay, 90% of it is powerful shit. What the fuck is "Babyface?") But, as most artists do, the thing that they talk about the most is love.


They do a piece called "Love is Blindness." This is one of the most powerful things they've ever done. It's the hard side of love. The secrets, the darkness, the numbness. I know that the piece is most likely about the IRA bombings of Northern Ireland, but the beauty of their art is the vague nature of the majority of their work. Interpret it as to how it relates to you. Love. Silence. Art. Grief. Light. Blindness. Ambition. Sacrifice.


How far are you going to go before you lose your way back home? You've been trying to throw your arms around the world.

Alex and I maneuvered through the snow down 7th Street in the frigid air, our adrenaline keeping us warm. We saw the line around the corner when we got off the bus on Hennepin. Hundreds and hundreds of girls were lined up, huddling in their skanky clothes. (It was clear that none of them knew that First Ave has a coat check. Best kept secret.) After running into a girl I went to middle school with, we walked through the hoards of girls to the other side of the building, where the will-call line wasn't as long, but still longer than we would have liked.


We ended up standing right by the tour bus and began buzzing with excitement and disbelief. A rush of the reality of the situation hit me. We were about to see HANSON. The thirteen year old girl in me was weak in the knees. These were the three coolest guys in the entire world to me for like three years. I knew every word to every song on Middle of Nowhere. I could barely contain myself.


We made small talk about the cold because we were too excited to say anything about the show. Once inside, we found a place off to the right side of the stage and waited. The lights went down and a local band called The Abdomen played. It's got to be a rough gig opening for a band like Hanson, because everyone there just kind of stood politely through their set. We all just wanted Hanson. The Abdomen handled it well.

After waiting for forty minutes after The Abdomen had finished, I was starting to get tired. I'd been standing out in the cold for a long time, and now I had been standing in this packed place for two hours listening to a band that I didn't particularly enjoy. The amount of excitement I'd been feeling had all built up to now, but had been dwindling into annoyance with the amount of time I had been waiting. To make matters worse, the bitch next to me was drunk as fuck and dancing like a mental patient, attacking me left and right. Thinking about that made me angry, and I glared at her stupid back.

As I was glaring at her, I noticed a door just next to the stage open. A boy about my age with his hair pulled into a perfectly tousled ponytail walked in with his head down and headed for the green room. A taller man with a buzzed head followed him quickly. I grabbed Alex's arm and frantically pointed. Her mouth fell open. A few stage hands followed them into the green room.

And then there he was. It was unmistakably him. I'd know him anywhere. I was looking, with my own two eyes, at Taylor Hanson. Alex and I looked at each other and screamed like the thirteen year olds we were. "OH MY GOD I CANNOT BELIEVE I JUST SAW HIM!" Alex screeched. My knees buckled and I covered my face. The craziest part was that NOBODY ELSE IN THE FUCKING VENUE EVEN SAW IT. It was one of those blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments that happened in slow motion because I was looking at Taylor fucking Hanson. The excitement of that moment carried us for another fifteen minutes.

The lights went down. An overture blared through the speakers. The screen went up. And FUCKING HANSON walked out of the green room and on to the stage.

The roar was deafening. I have never heard anything like it before. Well, you can imagine, being in First Avenue with nine million other girls my own age and younger and FUCKING HANSON taking the stage. We screamed and screamed and clapped and jumped up and down and hugged each other. It was Beatlemania. It was ridiculous.

Zac looks exactly the same as I thought he would, with his rosy cheeks and mischievous grin. Isaac is unbelievably attractive, which seems odd because he was always the weird looking kid. Sarah Fuller, those braces are off, and he's all man, baby. Buzzed hair, ripped arms... sigh. I never thought I'd say it, but I'm in love with Isaac Hanson. And then Taylor... well, goddamn it, it's Taylor Hanson! Perfect hair, skinny jeans, white-and-black checkerboard shoes, and a scarf. The most beautiful human being I've ever seen in real life. My stomach flip-flopped every time I looked at him. The boy who adorned my walls as a girl was standing straight in front of me at a grand piano, looking better than I've ever seen him. I don't know how I got through it.




They played "Where's The Love" and the place went wild. They played a few more songs from their newer albums and set up an acoustic set. Isaac said that it was the ten year anniversary of the day that Middle of Nowhere was released, and they'd re-recorded a few of the old songs. And then they played "Mmmbop," acoustic. Have you ever heard "Mmmbop" live? Have you ever sung "Mmmbop" WITH HANSON? I have. I have, bitches. You think you can imagine it, but you don't know. You say you can but you don't knooowwwwww-oh-oh, you say you can but you don't know... you don't know-oh, you don't know-ohhh-oooo-ohhhhh.


They played a few more that I didn't know, and then they played YEARBOOK, which transitioned back into a normal set. Stage hands in elf costumes swiped Zac's bongos and switched out Isaac's guitar, and all of a sudden they rocked the fuck out. WHERE DID HE GO -- I WANNA KNOW -- TELL ME WHERE DID JOHNNY GO?? Fuck. Awesome.


Sometimes with concerts that I love and mean something to me (Low, for example), I get through about five songs and then it needs to be over because I just can't take it. I can't wait to tell people about it, I can't wait to re-live it, and for whatever reason, I need it to end. This was not the case with Hanson. I wanted them to play for eight more hours. I could have stood there and listened to them for days, weeks, months.


The thing that really struck me was how good they are. I mean, Taylor is the man on the keyboard. Isaac had some killer solos. Zac's drums were perfect. The songwriting was solid. Their harmonies were tight. They did some a capella songs and they were really great, kind of gospel-y. I like that the draw is to see the Boys-into-Men "Mmmbop" Spectacular, but then you leave and you're impressed with their musical prowess. These dudes are good.

The show was over far too soon. We bundled up and headed outside towards the bus stop, even though it wasn't due for another twenty minutes. We passed a group of girls huddled around the side door across from the tour bus. Alex and I looked at each other and stopped. Neither of us would suggest what we both were thinking, so we just stood there.

And then there they were, walking out as nonchalantly as they walked in. They walked around the stunned and silent crowd. The door of the bus opened, and right before they stepped on to the bus, someone broke the silence and screamed "I LOVE YOU!"

That someone was me.

I ducked behind the building, surprised as anyone else that it had happened. That thirteen-year-old girl had broken free once again and fucking yelled at Hanson that she loved them in the middle of this silent moment. Alex started laughing. "We need to go now," I said, covering my face.

We huddled silently in the bus station, exhausted, drained, and still in shock. Every now we'd catch the other's eye and share an incredulous grin. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

And if they come through Minneapolis again, I'm definitely going again, and you should too, judgers... although, unless you have had a severe passion for the boys at one point or another in your life, I wouldn't suggest accompanying me. Alex and I will be thirteen years old once again.

Here are a few of my favorites.
(#3 is NSFW)















There are a ton more on youtube. All hilarious.

That's all.

I believe that it's 1998 all over again, and let me tell you why.

Britney Spears had the number one album in the country about a month ago and is still queen of the tabloids.
The Spice Girls are playing to sold-out arenas.
Justin Timberlake is on top of the world.
Apparently the Backstreet Boys just came out with a new album.


And I'm going to see Hanson tomorrow night.
I'm so serious.

Let's talk about what I want for Christmas.

I want a new laptop. This gateway was a piece of shit from the get-go, but now it's making some intensely disconcerting sounds. I either want the HP Pavilion HDX or a MacBook Pro. I'm willing to make the jump to Mac -- I'm very pro-Mac. However, to be honest, really, really honest, I like Windows. I like XP. I like right-clicking. I'm so familiar and comfortable with Windows that a complete change like that would send me reeling. Maybe I need to push myself, however. Maybe it's time. I can't decide. The thing is that all of my hardware and software are Windows compatible, and I'm not sure if it's compatible with Macs. Hm.

I want a new camera. I love my Minolta, don't get me wrong, and I'm going to use it until it's no longer functional, but I need a digital camera. If I had my way, I'd get two digital cameras. Firstly, I'd get the Nikon D40X for the digital SLR I've always wanted (unless Fat Tony has a better suggestion, that is). It's compact, it's got a super fast continuous shooting mode, and large range of shutter speeds. Secondly, I need a digital camera that I can use out and about... one I can throw in my purse and not worry about, something I can take around with me. I had a Sony Cybershot once upon a time and really enjoyed it, so I think I'd stick with that for now.

What else? Oh yeah. A horrendous orange and neon green shirt that says "WHAM BAM THANK YOU STAM" from House of Holland. I want it like nobody's business. I've been trying to find that shit for nearly two years. Sigh.

Boots. I want boots. These, despite the fact that I swore to Pelowski that I would never like slouch boots (I kind of do now... wtf?). And I LOVE boots with faux-fur trim, like these, if they weren't wedges.


In truth, all I want for Christmas is the job that I interviewed for yesterday, a sweet schedule for next semester, a hair cut and color, and for all of my friends to remain safe, healthy, and awesome. AWWWWWW.

me: email me your family address so i don't have to write it down.
Clay: copy paste it, you lazy fuck.
me: why don't you copy and paste my ass.
Clay: Why don't you I drag and dropkick your face?
me: that was a good one.
Clay: Or reformat your fucking neck!
Or Defrag your...your...SHUT UP!
me: i will ctrl+alt+del your ass.
Clay: BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH MOTHERFUCKER!
I will open up your config.dll file, and paste the lyrics of every Shanana Song ever written in it's place.
me: i will... cut you.
Clay: Shit, a knife? No one said anything about a knife!
No fair.
I will take an electromagnet to your hard drive.
I will pour boiling oil into your keyboard.
me: i will throw your motherboard out the window.
Clay: I will simply pull... the motherfucking... plug.
Game, set, match.
me: i will force you to play outside.
Clay: NOOOOOOOO!
Natural light! My old nemesis!
me: that's right.
Clay: I will delete your character in world of warcraft.
what now?
You've got nothing left to live for.
me: i will flood your webspace with lolcats.
Clay: PORN
GIGABYTES OF PORN
In your inbox
in your documents folder
on your Ipod
All of it
I will delete it, and you will be shit out of luck
oooh, curve ball
And I will steal your Manga and anime.
me: my avatar will kill your avatar.
Clay: Fucking hax
me: clay. we need to stop this.
Clay: no no, there's so much more.
this is classic.
save this somehow
but... but how?
Oh wait, FUCKING COPY PASTE!
Full circle!
me: you are lolling.
Clay: This was simply a means of getting you to copy paste.
me: fix your facebook
Clay: Fix your face, book!



I don't think anyone but Clay read this whole thing. And if you did, you're as geeky as we are.
...Join us...