there are very few feelings........... part 1

That are better than the following:

1. When the lights go down at a concert right before the band goes on stage. This ALWAYS gives me chills and I can never contain myself. Lots of  tiny jumping (basically bouncing my knees) and clapping. It's kind of an unreal experience. People you are continuously listening to and that have changed your life are suddenly just right in front of you. They are real people. Everyone takes something different from a live show, and I feel lucky that I feel more during (and after) a live show than just the sound of the concert.

2. Getting your regrowth filled in. I'm naturally dirty blonde and since I get my hair dyed with the lightest blonde, my natural blonde looks very dark in contrast. So, the second my hair starts growing, it looks like I have a huge black part and it makes me cringe. I love watching my hair lady put on the blonde color over the regrowth and coming out with all blonde hair again. Ahhhh.

3. Remembering you have leftover food from take-out the night before when you are driving home and you are freaking starving and sad because you think you have nothing to eat. Self explanatory.

4. When a 12-pack of Mountain Dew is only $4 at Target.

5. Checking your bank account and there is more money in there than you were anticipating. So let's celebrate by spending it! Jk.

i used to sleep without a single stir.

We went to the Brand New concert on Friday.
As expected, we surely were not disappointed.

They played every song I was hoping they would.
They opened with Millstone, one of my favesies.

Right before Brand New took the stage Telepreformance came on the stage with arm fulls of t-shirts and said, "who wants a brand new t-shirt??" and I didn't know if they meant brand new as in brand new or brand new as in Brand New the band. What a conundrum!

I'm always amused at all the variety of people a concert/band attracts.
I saw hipsters, goths, people in sweats, preps, sluts, old people, couples who embrace each other the whole time, etc.

The hippies were right. Music really does bring everyone together.

I sadly don't have a decent picture of Brand New on stage since we weren't that close to the stage.
Because the only worse than not having a picture of the band is having a really low quality picture of the band where it can easily be mistaken for Christmas tree (or something twinkley) from far away.

what to do!!!

I'm not exactly sure... but I could possibly be the most indecisive person ever.

(laugh if you get what I just did)

But really. I am the most indecisive person and it sucks. I read somewhere once that the youngest child has a tendency to be indecisive when they are adults because their siblings boss them around their whole youth that they aren't used to choosing anything for themselves. And since I'm the youngest, I'm pretty sure that is true.

Right now, I'm trying to decide if I want to get straight across bangs again.

I really want them and think they are more fitting for my face shape... but I keep thinking of how when I grew them out last time it took SEVEN MONTHS to barely get them to tuck behind my ear. And how bad bangs suck when the wind is blowing. And how bad bangs suck when you are sweaty.Actually... everything kind of sucks when you are sweaty.


BLAH.

I hope I can come to a conclusion soon. Because I really want to change my hair soon. But for now, I have some Pizzarolls waiting for me in the microwave. WWEEEEEE.

Oh and can we talk about how I have FREE tickets to see Brand New this Friday? Looks like my life will officially be complete this Friday.

photo by: me

i'm 23 and this the coolest thing that has happened to me probably.

I just want to let it be known...

That this morning when I checked my Instacrack (Instagram, but it's addicting like crack)...

It said I had a request from someone who wished to follow me.

Will you please guess who it was?

.......

REEL BIG FISH.

The official account for Reel Big Fish.

Reel Big Fish is now following me on the Instagrams.

Oh, and Reel Big Fish just happens to me on my top 10 favorite bands. If you don't know them, Youtube them. (Where Have You Been?, She Has a Girlfriend Now, Beer, Trendy, Sell Out, Your Guts)

At first, I was like... hmm, well maybe they just are freakin' awesome and just follow all their fans back. But nope. I checked and they are only following 60-ish people. They are still awesome though.

I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing that this is easily the coolest thing that has happened to me... besides that one time I got a personal shoutout on the Elvis radio station on SIRIUS Radio.

I saw Reel Big Fish in concert just this summer and they are great live. Here is photo evidence:

photo by: me

 

saturday.

Sleeping in.

Running errands.

Sprague Library.

Work. (kind of)

Red Robin for lunch.

Driving around listening to Reel Big Fish.

Watch some Youtube Videos.

Nap.

Stand in line for Reel Big Fish concert.

Reel Big Fish concert.

Dees.

F'Real milkshake.

have your tickets ready.

I was at The Venue tonight waiting in line to see... drdrdrdrddrdrdr (that's my drumroll noise, okay?)

The Arctic Monkeys!

You are going to have to believe me and take my word for it because I didn't have my camera with my to provide you with photo evidence.

I find that I go through 3 different stages when I am at a concert.

The first stage. I am excited, thrilled. I arrive early to get a good spot and a kickin' view of the stage. I am sending texts to my friends bragging that I am about to go see *insert concert here* I am thinking to myself all the songs I hope they play. I am observing the stage thinking to myself how cool it is that so many bands have played on that stage. Having buyers remorse over spending what I did on the band tshirt.

The second stage. I am annoyed of standing and waiting. I am wondering what on Earth could possibly take a band so long to come out on stage. Bored of watching the stage crew testing the equipment. My impatient self is wondering if I could sell the tickets outside the door because I would rather sell them instead of waiting one minute longer. I am also annoyed that the only water in the joint is 3 bucks. Being hydrated at concerts is expensive.

The third stage. The band finally arrives on stage. I am happy and jumping and screaming and singing and swaying. Look around wondering why no one else is swaying yet. I go back to bragging via text and via Facebook. I stare at the band in amazement that the band that live in my iPod is right there in front of me. I am happy I didn't sell my tickets. 

You know it's a great concert when  your ears are still ringing 3 hours later. 

Hi Arcitc Monkeys in a boat! Thanks for concerting tonight in Salt Lake. I like you.

Oh and today is the first day of June. Let the birthday countdowns begin! 24 days left of being 21. 

when i get excited.

I get excited easily. In fact, I couldn't be any more literal when I say, "I get excited easy." So you know I am being 100% honest and 100% literal when I say, "I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE UPCOMING CONCERTS!!!!"

A lot of (sometimes dangerous) things tend to happen when I get excited. The most commons things are a surprised face accompanied with loud noises mixed with partial sentences that usually call for a translator... and sometimes things get thrown. I decided to show my excitement for these concerts in list form. You can find me at these following concerts happy but complaining that the sweaty round guy next to me is standing too close and that my feet hurt from standing so long:

+Arctic Monkeys
+Cake

+Death Cab for Cutie
+Noah & The Whale
+Moody Blues
+Bright Eyes
+Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zeros

It seemed like there were a lot more when I was creating that list in my mind. There is a high chance I am forgetting a few.

'Tis a great Summer for concert going.

the day of the perfect storm.

Today I was annoyed. Annoyed that everything I find enormously annoying happened all on the same day. That day was today. It was the perfect storm.

Annoyed that I was having a bad hair day. 

Annoyed that the wind was blowing in my face and making my bad hair day to a hideous-i-can't-beleive-i'm-showing-my-face-in-public-bad hair day.

Annoyed that every song I find oh-so-agonizing to listen to, came on the radio in a row.

Annoyed that my cell phone, my iPod AND my digital camera batteries all died.

Annoyed that U2 is playing a concert just a few wee blocks from my apartment. My apartment was hot so I opened the window and now I can hear the U2 concert.

Pros: I'm no longer hot.

Cons: I can now hear U2 even louder.

Annoyed that there was a miscommunication.

However....

I'm not annoyed that there is a new Tosh.0 on tonight.

I'm not annoyed that the person I hand made a birthday card for called me to tell me he LOVED it and thought it was hilarious. Just my intentions. Happy face.

I'm not annoyed that my FREE phone car charger came in the mail today.

I'm not annoyed that I got to take pictures of the pretty little orange poppy flowers in the back ally. 

And lastly, I'm not annoyed that I'm no longer at work. 

so talk to your doctor..............

I did some pumpkin smashing tonight. Translation: I went to the Smashing Pumpkins concert. I am a coward when it comes to standing for long amounts of time. So, to avoid this, I spotted a tall cage in the corner, wiggled through the bars (as non-seductively as possible, didn't want people to think two shows were going on at once) and found my nest for the next two and half hours. I was able to sit and lounge as I please with a supreme view of the stage. I could still see all the lights reflect off of Billy Corgan's bald head.

By the time the show was over, our stomachs were growling some fierce. I think some may have heard mine growl over the music. We went over to Dee's for a hearty plate of cheese fries and I felt as if I walked into a commercial. The booth next to us, there were three 20-something year old girls sharing a pile of ice cream, whip cream and chocolate. Then I heard one of them say,

"Talk to your doctor, I did, now I'm on *this birth control* the side effects can be serious."

"I'm so sick of the hassle of having to take the pill everyday" 

"With this BC, you don't have to, trust me! *giggles*  you will love it, it's goes well with your lifestyle. So, talk to your doctor"

"I know where I'm going on Monday."

This was followed by girly laughter and talk of how naughty they are for eating that pile of ice-cream... very much like "uh-huh sister! We've all had those days! Been there done that. You go girl."
Then I searched the restaurant for the camera crew. It HAD to be a commercial!! I was living inside a commercial. I never found the cameras, but I'm still not convinced.

lies i never told at all.

What did you do tonight? What did I do? I had a date with Zooey Deschanel. Sort of. She & Him was playing in Salt Lake tonight. I would be lying on so many levels if I told you that I didn't jump up and down while clapping when I actually saw Zooey Deschanel, ZOOEY DESCHANEL on stage.

I was hassled with the responsibility of not littering my empty water bottle (your welcome planet Earth). I got awfully bored holding it, acting like it was a bat, tossing and catching it, etc. So I invented something. The next time you are burdened with a water bottle, try this:

TIP: it only works if your shirt is stretchy and sort of spandexy. Spandexy? I just made that up.

so clear but so unheard.

You know how you can tell you are about to have a beastly, harrowing day? When you wake up feeling like while I you were sleeping someone beat you with a pillowcase full of doorknobs. That was me this morning. Feeling the way I did, the last thing that came to my mind was, 'Hey! I want to go to a loud, hot, sweaty, place tonight that will be crowded and blasting live music!' Little did I know, I would be a person at that loud, hot, sweaty, crowded place. My phone buzzed about half way through my stagnant day at work. It was Steve. Steve telling me he got us tickets... to Silversun Pickups with Against Me! !!! (Henry Clay People as the opener). 

We got there, waited in line for about twenty minutes, did some people watching, guessed some people's names, I spun a wheel and won a prize, we EVEN saw a Janis Joplin look-a-like. I'm still convinced it was her. (yes, I know she is dead). IT WAS HER!!

Lights dim. Chattering stops. Lights flash on. The Henry Clay People are there on stage. This was the first time we seen or even heard these guys. We give them a 7 out of 10.

Out of all three bands, Against Me! easily wins my vote in the best performance. I had the most fun during their set, they had an awesome set list, and they were entertaining to watch. Weird though, I've never been a huge fan of them.

My ears are still ringing. My heels are still numb. I'm still uber sore. And I couldn't be more content. 

you'll tell me what you saw and i'll tell you what you missed

Salt Lake does this thing called the Twilight Concert Series. No, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Twilight Saga. What it is: they have awesome bands come to town and play a concert for.... free. FREE.

Tonight was Modest Mouse. I have so much love for Modest Mouse, I can't even explain my reason why. Gates opened at 5, we got in at 5:30 and we saw Modest Mouse around 9 (they had an opener). It was everything you would expect for it being a free concert. Sweaty people. The wind blowing B.O. in your face. Drunk People. Smokers. People running into you. I even shoved a girl for a VERY reasonable purpose. I honestly thought I was going to fight. Haha..

Doesn't he look comfy? I mean, we all get a little tired waiting for the band to come out.

My favorite song of Modest Mouse (one of the thousands, do they even have a thousand? hmm. i dunno) is Ocean Breathes Salty:

Your body may be gone, I'm gonna carry you in.
In my head, in my heart, in my soul.
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both live again.
Well I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Don't think so.

Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. You get away from me.
Collected my belongings and I left the jail.
Well thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell.
I had to think awhile. I had to think awhile.

The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul.
And maybe we'll get lucky and we'll both grow old.
Well I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I hope so.

Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. (You get away from me) You get away from me.
Collected my belongings and I left the jail.
Well thanks for the time, I needed to think a spell.
I had to think awhile. (I had to think awhile) I had to think awhile.

Well that is that and this is this.
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed,
when the ocean met the sky. (You missed, you missed)
You missed when time and life shook hands and said goodbye. (You missed)
When the earth folded in on itself. (You missed)
And said "Good luck, for your sake I hope heaven and hell (You missed, you missed)
are really there, but I wouldn't hold my breath." (You missed, you missed)
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death? (You missed, you missed)
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death?

The ocean breathes salty, won't you carry it in?
In your head, in your mouth, in your soul.
The more we move ahead the more we're stuck in rewind.
Well I don't mind. I don't mind. How the hell could I mind?

Well that is that and this is this.
You tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get.
You get away from me. (You get away from me) You get away from me.

Well that is that and this is this.
Will you tell me what you saw and I'll tell you what you missed,
when the ocean met the sky. (You missed, you missed)
You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste the afterlife?

Thank You and hello to my newest followers. I hope you enjoy your stay here. 

now his hat is on backwards, he can show you his tattoos.

CAKE came to town last night.

I wish I would could put into words how unhappy I was when I saw that no cameras were allowed. It's alright though. The incredible show made up for it. Only a couple tickets shy from a sold out show, people sat on blankets and grass on the side hill of Library Square for an hour waiting for CAKE. Do you know what this meant? We had an entire hour of people watching. ONE HOUR. Let me tell you, CAKE definitely has a unique variety of fans. Me and Steve also played the name game, where you guess what people's names are.

They opened with Comfort Eagle, came back out for an encore and gave us Rock & Roll Lifestyle, Never There, and Stickshifts & Safety Belts. I was one happy girl when I heard Comfort Eagle, that happens to be one of my favorites. They even gave us a fifteen minute bathroom/go get more treats break. I like them even more.

Back to the people watching: Being a concert and all, they had a lot of speakers, electronics, cords, wires, etc. Right by our seats there was a mess of cords streaming through the grass. The hour before the concert, fans kept getting snagged and losing their balance but it never actually took somebody down. Until one man. One unfortunate man. He was about 300+ pounds walking with two beers. We will call him Larry. Larry with the two beers was so distracted by all the happenings on the hill at Library Square he couldn't pay attention to the cords laid out on the grass in front of him.

Snag.

Trip.

Beers flying in the air.

Larry face down in the grass.

The people watching stopped there, CAKE came on right after Larry and the cord dispute. The crowd cheered, sang along, clapped, ooo'd, awe'd, and one lucky fan was given an apple tree.

music this summer in salt lake.

Salt Lake hit the jackpot this summer for concerts. Each week I get the newspaper, City Weekly and I was browsing through the Live From Salt Lake section and wow.

 We are going to have a busy summer with all of our concert attending. Here is a few of the many in the line up:

Friday June 18 - Josh Ritter
Saturday June 19 - Cake
Wednesday June 23 - BACKSTREET BOYS!!
Thursday July 8 - Modest Mouse
Sunday July 11 - Brandi Carlile
Tuesday July 13 - Paul McCartney
Saturday July 17 - Ben Folds
Monday July 19 - Kings of Leon
Wednesday July 21 - 311
Sunday August 15 - The Swell Season
Friday August 20 - Norah Jones
Thursday August 26 - She & Him
Monday September 6 - KC & The Sunshine Band

That is a pretty incredible list. We hope we get to cross off all of those on our list. As sad as we are to admit, we have missed the boat to Paul McCartney. Aside from being sold out, the cheapest tickets we found were about 80  bucks.

ps. Don't act like you're not jealous about the  Backstreet Boys.