A few ramblings before bedtime

So Weezer this past weekend was AMAZING. Seriously. I wish I could rewind my life, go back, and do it again and again. They played for HOURS it seemed. Everyone sang, or played something different, at some point, so I think it was a case of nobody getting tired too soon. At the end of the show, they brought out about 35 local folks with instruments ranging from guitars and drum sets to flutes and cellos, and even some guy with a didgeridoo (awesome!), and they played a few songs with the band. I would have been a nervous wreck up there with an entire coliseum full of screaming fans in front of me, but everyone did a phenomenal job :) The show openers were Tokyo Police Club (not to be confused with Tokio Hotel, who were also in town on Saturday), a band from Toronto - very cool, I recommend them, and Angels and Airwaves. A&A had a pretty large crowd themselves, and they performed fine, but I just can't get into them, and was almost bummed that they were on the schedule. The only great part, as far as I'm concerned, was when Tom, the lead singer (formerly of Blink 182) came out to sing "Undone (The Sweater Song)" with Weezer. That was fun.

The show ended around 10pm, so we had our obligatory deep fried something (polish sausage) at the State Fair, washed it down with a beer, and went home. A good night, but like I said, I'd love to go back and do it again. I miss going to a great concert every other weekend. Back in Michigan, from about 97-99, I went to a LOT of shows. I was the Youth Editor at a local Catholic newspaper, and - well OK, I probably abused my title a bit - because I discovered how easy it was to get Press Passes to just about any show I wanted. Free tickets, CDs, press booklets. I went to probably 6-10 shows during the 6 months or so that I worked there. It was a lot of fun.

During that time, my brothers' band (Freed/The Bowery Kings/The Leeds) and all of their friend's bands (Solid Frog, I Hate Mars, All Hail Me being the three I saw most) were attempting to take Detroit by storm, so I was at THEIR shows every other weekend as well. Add to that my lucky streak with 105.1 The EDGE and 89X, and I was winning tickets left and right. Over the course of about 2 years, I saw Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls, Ani DiFranco, Cake, Reel Big Fish (at least 3x), Fastball, Collective Soul, Ziggy Marley, Shawn Mullins, The Bloodhound Gang, Live, Bush, Everclear, Duran Duran, Elvis Costello, and a BUNCH more (yes, there's more!). The marketing manager at The EDGE asked me to pass out fliers at the Goo Goo Dolls show, thinking I was one of her employees. When I corrected her, she said "but I see you at everything we're at! Why don't you work for me?! Here's my card, maybe we can work something out!" (we didn't, much to my dismay, I was busy working 40hrs a week piercing ears at Claire's) So going to a great rock show makes me a bit nostalgic for 10 years ago, when I could stay up for days, sustained only by a steady stream of Doritos, Dew and ridiculous conversation (and fit into some amazing, sexy but NOT skanky, outfits)

Fast forward to 2002. I'm living in TX with M and working at Linens N Things as a cashier. If you haven't heard by now, Linens N Things has just announced that they're going out of business. Though I no longer work there, this makes me really sad, because it was a job I loved, and even though I quit in 2005, a part of me still feels attached to it. I spent a LOT of time (and a lot of money. . .) there, and I forged some amazing friendships. Few of them stuck in the long term, but they're always in my heart. It feels a bit like the slamming shut of a chapter in my life, you know? I shouldn't get into conversations this random at 1am. I don't know where they go :)

And on a "since nobody asked MY opinion" note, I think a lot of LNT's undoing was partnering with too many "celebrities". It started with Emeril. Then Nate Berkus (who? Exactly. I think he was one of Oprah's designers). Then Rachael Ray (man am I ever glad I'd already quit when THAT came into the picture), followed by Paula Deen, and a gaggle of other "famous" chefs and designers and people nobody'd ever heard of or cared about. Prices went up with the attached names, and the next thing you know, they're kaput.

Anyway, I'm going to bed. I have a busy day of being UnSingle ahead of me tomorrow (it is, after all, a Tuesday.)