So...

I went to the Last Harvey Danger show ever. Actually, I went to the last three shows. I didn't think I cared that much, but then a radio station announced that the only show I didn't buy a ticket for had sold out. And that's how I went to three Harvey Danger shows in 24 hours. (Well, closer to 30, but you get it.)

I heard all the songs I wanted to hear, and I even got to request a song (along with tons of other people)--Oh You Pretty Things, originally by David Bowie.

They were all great shows, but I still can't believe I was in the right city at the right time for these shows. It usually doesn't work out that way. James broke up a few months before I'd gotten into them, and it wasn't like I'd go to Edinburgh for their last show.

I'm supremely happy right now. Just wanted to let everybody know.

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Hey look, I found myself a theme song.

Track 10. You can here it at ruembarrassed.com if you hurry.

Now I just need to learn to play the trumpet.

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Today was awesome!

List of awesome things that happened today, with links!

1. Some random stranger is going to send me an election day newspaper!
2. I made dinner without using a recipe! It was decent!
   
3. I saw John Hodgman!
4. I saw Jonathan Coulton!
5. I saw Sean Nelson!
6. I saw John Roderick!
7. My Obama shirt arrived! (Late, but I don't care!)

John Hodgman did a reading from his new book, More Information than You Require, but that's always more exciting because it includes Jonathan Coulton. Somehow this turned into a little skit that brought on a "replacement" singer, John Roderick (The Long Winters), and a "replacement" tweedy nerdy guy, Sean Nelson (Harvey Danger). It was like watching a cheesy high school skit, but with talented, clever people.

It was way awesome! There will be more photos elsewhere, but here's the one with Sean Nelson, because I love Harvey Danger and Sean Nelson is fantastic. I mean, look at that suit. It's teal a well-worn black suit (judging from other photos)!

John Roderick, Sean Nelson, and me!
(Yes, I am small, but they're seriously huge.)

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Wind from my sails.

I heard a lovely song one morning, and I felt all special because it felt like it was picked out just for me, and then I found it for myself and realized that it had been making the rounds on the music blogs. I'm not sure if I should feel cheapened by that or not.

I also still cannot do anything while I listen to music. I can't read, I can't write, I can't have a real conversation, and if I'm doing any of those things, then I'm probably really distracted by the music. I used to think that I could train myself to multitask with music, but it's been probably 10 years or so and I'm still tuning one or the other out.

I think I kind of miss being truly miserable, because that was the only time I really paid attention to music. I had to find meaning in everything; I had to assign order. I guess I still do that these days, but with less finesse.

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What I Learned Today

Oka Udon, an udon shop that we often go to, is closed on Tuesdays. We found this out after driving 15 minutes in the hills to get there. Boo. Apparently they're famous for their niku udon, and I'm inclined to agree.

Ministop strawberry parfaits are disgusting. Frozen strawberries. I knew better, I so knew better, but all the other teachers were getting parfaits. Well, two of four. Yep, that's right, on the way back to work after udon (at Kompira Udon, which is like Hanamaru in its restaurant chain blandness), we stopped at a combini for ice cream. Man, I'll miss this.

There's some song out there that goes, Wookie Wookie in the kitchen, Superboy is on a mission. I'm not kidding. It's very Aqua, but I can't seem to find out who it's really by. And even though I loathe it, it's catchy, and I want it.

There's another song that I heard on FM radio (radio! how retro!) today that I totally know, and it's called Only You. There are at least three songs out there with that title, but this one is a cappella. I was a bit shocked when I heard it on the radio, because I always thought it was some college group. It totally has that sound. Well, I got home and found it, and realized that it's a Yaz/Yazoo cover (depending if you're from the US or the UK). And then I got some Yazoo, and realized that I totally know a lot of these songs, but had no idea who the group was, what the titles were, or that the singer was a woman.

Why does Alison Moyet sound familiar to me? I'll never know. Great voice though.

But yeah. FM radio. Mostly English songs. And thanks to google, I've found it. Fantastic. The current program is called SCHOOL OF LOCK!!! Yeahyeah!

[edit: HOLY SHIT! I finally figured out why Alison Moyet is so familiar! I have an Alison Moyet song. What song? There Are Worse Things I Could Do. ::sigh:: I feel so much better now.]

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Let Me Whine.

I don't like the music on my computer, because it's all newish stuff I've downloaded in the past two years. Three Chicane albums? Bluegrass Green Day covers? What was I thinking? Oh bittorrent, you're such an irresistible siren.

To be fair, I have found some really great stuff, like a lovely cover of Prince's Kiss. Snagged it from some music blog, and although the description was witty and clever, all I can think of when I hear that song is a bunch of gyrating leather daddies, like our good friend Hard Gay. It's a fantastic song.

Also, it sometimes bothers me that I don't know all the words to the songs on my computer. At times, I find myself getting really bored listening to music I can't sing along to. My solution? Burn an mp3 CD and play it in my car (on my ghetto ghetto speakers) until I learn at least a few of them. Right now, unfortunately, I'm at that point where I spend more time scanning for the songs I like (muttering "Asshole music, asshole music...more asshole music..." as I search) rather than singing along. Meh. I wonder how much this will change once I get a damn iPod. I'll do it soon, I swear.

Oh yeah, and they caught the guy who killed that other guy. He's "crazy" and bought the murder weapon (a kitchen knife) at the 100yen store. Apparently it was random. Gee, now I can sleep easy again.

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