Concert Goings: Cage the Elephant (5/25/11)

Oh. My. God.

10 years. 10 long years since the last time I’d seen them play live, summer after high school and in an instant it was the same. That struck me halfway through the set that it was the same, me dancing singing knowing every word just like I had in the java house. Didn't matter if they weren't the same band anymore as they were in high school. In a way they were.

From the beginning though:

Got there right on time, ran into friends who were going to see Manchester Orchestra who promptly started calling me a groupie. That was a little insulting as it's not the case. When I say I know these guys, I know these guys. I went to high school with three of them. Our friends weren’t going in right away because they had no interest in seeing Oh Brother and really neither did I so I waited with them. From where we were sitting I could see the tour buses where they were parked and then hey that's Daniel Tichenor (bassist). I didn’t go say hi because really I don’t know Tich. A minute later out comes Jared and I jumped up to go over.

Jared looked at me for a moment like he was remembering, then he was at the barricade giving me huge hugs. “Are you here for the show?” I flashed my tickets and said of course (nope just I hang out in parking lots for kicks). Showed him that I was wearing our senior year t-shirt (I thought it was fitting for the night) and he laughed then asked if I’d be at the reunion, but said he wasn’t sure he’d be there. I told him about the website and he laughed, asked if it was on facebook, but I explained that it was for tumblr. He seemed impressed and told me they were going on first tonight and that he had to go get ready. He did say he was happy I was there though which was sweet.

I went back to where my friends were who broke into calling me groupie again and then a bit later out comes Matt and Brad who seemed to be talking to important people at the barricade but I went back over and loitered until they spotted me. Matt just looked thrilled while Brad looked surprised. Hugs from both boys, full of love and more. Matt loved the shirt, tossed me a high five and told me to meet him there later.

Eventually we went in and I was soo thrilled I was practically bouncing. As soon as the music started I was jumping up and down. They played almost everything. I think almost the entire new album, plus In One Ear (much screaming), Back Against the Wall, Lotus, Ain't No Rest for the Wicked. They re-vamped No Rest for the Wicked and it was awesome. Perfect for a live crowd.





For me there was lots of jumping, dancing and screaming. Matt dove into the crowd the second song, again a little later during Tiny Robots, and I think he did the entire second verse while in the crowd. They got up him up in the air standing for the end which was great.





So awesome to see so many people singing along, to see them cheering and jumping up and down. So awesome.

I wish i could say more about Manchester Orchestra, but I don’t really know their stuff. They put on good enough of a show that I was jumping up and down at the end and dancing because their music is that good. It was neat to see them in their hometown too. I really like the song Simple Math.

Afterward I made champ stick around with me, waiting with the other fan girls for Matt to come out. It took a while, but eventually he did, and he talked to most people before getting to me. I bounced and he grinned and we hugged huge and he was just thrilled. Others kept coming up in between and I let him go because they were real fans and I’m just..a friend fan. We did another video for the website and I had him sign one of our tickets to give away.

I told him they played all my favorites and I got a ‘yeah’ and a high five and then he needed to go back to family and friends who were waiting, which was completely fine. I told him I felt bad because I’ve never actually met Lincoln or Daniel and he said ‘soon enough’ with a grin. He reached out and pulled me into another long hug, really long, whispering about how much he appreciated me being there always, all the support and love. That I had no idea how much it meant. I told him always, always always.

As he walked away he called out "high school poetry club! I haven’t forgotten that’s how we met."

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Chatting with Bryan

Early Morning Blues had an impromptu-ish acoustic show at Diesel in Boston. Needless to say I couldn't be there. Not with Cage the Elephant on Wednesday night and work on Friday. Random Thursday trips need at least a week of planning.

V, Rana and Colleen (V and Rana I met at EMB's show back in February, and Colleen is an online BLG fan buddy) were going which meant I had front row twitter/text updates. V kept me updated and even called me during "Never Leave" so I could hear it (died a little).

She texted me that if things went well after she'd have Bryan call. Right, well that'd be awesome, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Just tell him hi for me, tell him I'll see him in June and sure if he wants to talk to me then yeah, but why would he?

About an hour after being called to hear the song, the phone rings with V's name on it.

k: hey what’s up

Bry: hey Katy

k: oh! hey Bry

Bry: oh! you recognized my voice!

That's how it started. With him being surprised that I recognized his voice and him calling me by name. (He has a great speaking voice as well as singing voice. It's a shame he's not the chatty one in BLG). Really I've listened to the EMB EP about 50+ times. I think I was going to recognize it.

He said the show went well for a first acoustic show and said it’s okay that I wasn’t there, it happens. Which was sweet because it's not like I'm living down the street. We gushed about me being there in June. He asked if I was bringing Josh again. He hesitated on the relation ("your brother?") but remembered that I had brought him with me the first time. I thought that was just...really awesome.

My friends and I had talked a little about what he remembers, because he tweeted some girl who was asking if she should drive from Jersey in June to the show in Boston and told her that 'someone was coming from GA'. We (Rana and I) were surprised that he remembered, but he did and now...well he obviously remembers more than we thought. He remembers me not just some person.

He said he really appreciates me coming all that way to see him, that it means a lot. I babbled about it being worth it because they were cool and great and something else that was probably lame.

“You’ve got a lot of friends talking about you here. You’re really missed tonight.”

That made blurt that I felt special and I got a 'good' type assent in response. I had to wonder if he meant himself too, but that's pushing into fan girl territory that I don't need to be in right now. We talked about how it was just three weeks until the show, not long at all.

“I’ll see you soon.” See you soon too Bry.

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Concert Goings: The Maine (5/20/11)

It's the spring of concerts. I've managed to get myself line up for three good ones this spring/early summer. Hopefully I can add to it as the year goes (there's two later on in the year that I want to see.)

First up was The Maine with Augustana and Austin Gibbs.

Everyone knows Augustana for their song "Boston" and I saw them live forever ago with The Goo Goo Dolls and they were really good. The Maine has fast become one of my new obsessions so I figured, yes, good deal to see both.

Beat Champ there, got there later than I planned, but I always forget that the Masquerade lists what time the doors open on their website, not what time the show starts. Which meant I was just sort of chilling in the sun surrounded by 17 year olds all slutted up (really what is the POINT of a mini skirt and flouncy top at a concert?). That's not fair on the ages, they varied from 14 to 18, but they were all done up cute, with cute hair and outfits. For a show we were about to be pressed together at the Masquerade at. I was in black skinny jeans and a tank top against the heat. Best spot in line I’ve ever had at the Masque though, actually at the front of the building not halfway around the corner.

Out comes John and Kennedy (lead singer and guitarist) and the girls in line were like huh then AHHHHH. I saw some big girl crying and shaking and I thought “whoa…chillax.” I wandered towards them with the Dad in line ahead of me holding my spot, thought about saying hi and then wound up just going back to my spot in line. Called V (my concert buddy from the RI Early Morning Blues show) to talk to her. It was a good way to kill time PLUS it was someone to gush with since I was in line alone. From a distance there was a Pat (drummer) and Garrett (bass/favorite) sighting, but they were headed inside the venue.

Just as they were letting us in Pat comes by with his flip cam and totally got me on video going “wha?”. He has a tendency to record everything. I found myself in the video when it was posted later.

Got in, got a decent spot. When Champ got there he went for water and to get my shirt and bracelet but they were sold out of the shirt in a size I could fit into and then we got separated because he’s not the type to push people out of the way. I stayed surrounded by children which made me feel old and creepy but I ignored it.

First band, Hugo, was good good. I didn’t know their music but they had fun.

Austin Gibbs was awesome and totally threw down. His bassist is way cute and it was just a fun set even though I don’t know the music. Definitely looking into getting the album soon.

Augustana was great as well, though I gotta say…they could have played more old songs. I really like the new stuff, but it blends together and I don’t know it that well so I got lost in it. And they played Boston second. SECOND. Not next to last or something, which was a let down. Halfway through their set the kids got bored and when he played a slow soft one with just the acoustic guitar you could a) hear kids talking (how rude right?) and b) hear the metal band a floor or two lower. (downfall of the Masquerade. I know. Doesn't make me love it any less).

When the Maine came on the place turned into an uproar and it was ridiculous. I was in prime position for Garrett watching (because he is my favorite... and has the most energy) minus the girl in her Dirty Work tour t-shirt who kept standing in my way and shoving her big camera in front of mine (and not seeming friendly about it at all).



John was...interesting, but he did keep his shirt on the entire time. And his shirt didn’t deep V to his sternum. He actually looked rather handsome. Pretty sure he said he was high which whatever, that’s his right and he didn’t mess up his music so carry on. I’ve read that the lot of them were drunk, but they seemed fine. Music only got messed up during one song, but I think part of that was Garrett’s bass getting jacked then the crowd singing something wrong. Eventually they were back on par again.



Garrett has awesome stage energy. He bounced around the whole time, rocking out super hard. There were random moments when he’d just streak across my vision, running from one end to the other. He’s so fun to watch that I wound up watching him the whole time.





They seemed to really enjoy themselves, talking about the end of the world, how it was going to be the last show ever because the world was supposed to end the next day. Garrett teased Pat about actually being worried and Pat got all upset and embarrassed. Garrett randomly started screaming at one point b/c John tried to get the crowd screaming and he wound up leaving the whole room just looking at him. I was laughing hysterically. He also had an impressive bit of using the mic stand as a bar on his bass frets which sounded wicked if you know what to listen for rather than get caught up in him dragging the mic stand around.







Overall, really fun. Love the way the floor pitches you up off the ground in the Masque, love the energy of the small venue. Good set, good sound, lot of fun.

After we loitered trying to figure where they’d come out at. Wound up going downstairs outside after spotting Pat and Kennedy. Got Pat to sign my CD insert and got a hug when I asked for it ‘Oh of course!’ He was really super sweet.

Got Kennedy to sign my insert b/c after watching him watch the entire Austin Gibbs set from the wings and seeing his little smirk I decided he’s moved up to #3 spot in my faves.

Went upstairs again in search of Garrett, but found John whom...wasn’t worth the fan girls. Went back down again and there was Garrett!

Got up to talk to him, didn’t even have to wait long. He seemed exhausted to be honest, just worn out, forcing a smile here and there for photos and trying to be nice and friendly when he wanted a nap. He signed my insert and gladly took the photo smirking in it and everything.



Once that was done he stepped to the new girl, signing her poster, but I had my silly band that I wanted to give him so in a brief moment between girls I was like “Garrett, here” and held it out towards his hand and he was like “oh!” and let me put it on. Then he looked up and was like “For me? Wow thanks.” I nodded and smiled and squeezed his arm once more as I left, telling him he did great. That got a real smile and he said thanks, glad I enjoyed it.

All in all? great night. tons of fun, sweet guys.

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#22 Wrestlemania

As always, I feel like I should start at the beginning here.

I'm only kind of a wrestling fan. Champ was when he was a kid and his best friend Chris was as well. Then they got older, Champ got out of it, and Chris just kept watching, scripted or not. The same way someone watches Days of Our Lives, is how Chris watches wrestling.

When I was still working shifts, Champ started watching so he could talk to Chris about it when I wasn't around. And then he was going to watch pay per views with his friend. After a while it started coming on when I was around, mostly just in between other shows. Now it's DVR'd and we fast forward through the boring parts. I like the drama and costumes and Chris and Champ like to talk about it. It's like Grey's Anatomy for me only with less whining.

When it was announced that Wrestlemania was coming to Atlanta, it was just sort of assumed the three of us would go. Chris has it on his bucket list and who better to go with than his three two friends who did actually follow along wit the storyline. So, because I'm awesome, I found out about the pre-sale party in the park and we went there to score tickets. Because Champ is awesome he scored even better tickets through work so we wound up sitting even closer than expected.



The kids in front of us wound up making the whole thing worthwhile. They cheered for all the "good" guys while we cheered for the "bad" (much to their shock). It was quite fantastic as a whole really.







All in all a great time. So there you go, crossing off #22.

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Mom is just awesome

My mom cracks me up.

I was on facebook, posting about going home for Easter, trying to find out who's around, what's going on and if there was anything I could be doing that wasn't spending the entire weekend at my mom's house. I don't have a ton of friends back home, so there's no raging social life when I get there, but I do have a few friends, and there's always some concert (given that Cage the Elephant came out of my town, there's always that next big thing waiting) to go to. I also asked about tattoos because my lil brother mentioned ideas for his first ink, and I want to be there when he does it.

Mom saw the post of course, and babbled on about random things about home. Another friend posted about getting ink together and a third mentioned that my friend Dustin (who did my first tattoo) might be in town doing ink again. I might have freaked out.

My mom sees this and responds back with "I know his mom, I'll ask her"

Got an email this morning from mom, forwarded from Jenny, Dustin's mom. Mom had emailed her to ask if Dustin was home 'doing tats' and that I wanted to know. Jenny came back to say no, he's starting a shop in St. Louis, but he does come home occasionally. She'll get me his number so I can call.

Seriously how adorable is that? My mom hates my tattoos, yet here she is trying to help me find my friend.

(I wish someone had been there to witness the conversation from when I told her how I knew Dustin. Eyes bugging out and everything.)

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#16

#16 on my 27 before 18 List was "make someone something special."

I've been working on this one for a while, trying to come up with something, until I realized that I'd done that. The panels I made for my best friends for Christmas totally fit that bill so I've crossed it off. Still working on a few other items, but consider it done.

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Early Morning Blues

Sometimes even the most sane of us do some crazy things.

I've been going through this quarter-life crisis of sorts (about five years late or so), realizing that I did so little crazy things when I was younger. So little. Part of it was fear, part of it was just not knowing, but a lot of it was me just not doing it. So here I am, at 27, finally starting to do things.

I assumed when I added 'see a concert in another city' to my 27 Things Before 28 list, I'd be flying to DC to see Boys Like Girls with Eye. Turns out that they are still working on that new album and thus, no concert tour yet. Or at least no where that isn't Brazil. (Seriously would be tempted if I knew anything about Brazil).

But all was not lost. My favorite member of BLG, Bryan Donahue, has spent his time off from touring working on a few songs of his own and eventually recorded and released them off under a solo gig/band thing, Early Morning Blues. So while he was mucking around it he managed to get his little band a show, in Rhode Island, just outside of Providence (think, near Brown University). I got excited about a month in advanced and looked at my work calendar. No traveling. A quick check of google maps said it was an hour and a half from where lil brother is living in Connecticut.

Josh (lil brother) was not as on board and plead that he might have to work, etc etc. About a week before the show he realized, nope, no work. Which meant he had Tuesday night off. In a moment of eagerness, I bought us tickets, offered to help pay for gas and demanded he pick me up so we could go see Bryan play.

Super excited, I tweeted off a message to Bryan and shockingly enough he retweeted my tweet and hit me back with a response (freaked out in the airport a little folks)



Cut to the concert. Fly up to CT, spend the day with brother, drive to the concert which is a little hole in the wall. As soon as we walk in, there's Bryan, chatting on his cell phone, looking adorable and real. A little while later the drummer shows up, hugs his best friend and then Josh and I realize that there are very few non-friends and family at the show. When Bryan is at his merch table, talking to an older woman (old enough to be say... a mom) I swallow my pride and wander over, looking at stuff.

The conversation goes like this:

Mom (turns out to be Bryan's mom): You should get something from this side of the table *points at Bryan's merch*
Me: Well I was planning on it. I came all the way from Georgia to see him so yeah.
Bryan: *looks up* You came from GA?
Me: Yup
Bryan: Oh hi! I'm Bryan *shakes my hand*
Me: I'm Katy
Mom: You came all the way from Georgia to see him play? That's great. He's excellent isn't he?
Me: yes, yes he is

Seriously. I thought this was the end of the night. But no it gets better.









Bryan's set was amazing. The whole lot of them were great. And he was great. Even with just four songs (yes I traveled that far for FOUR songs), he was awesome.

After I wander towards the merch table again where two other fan girls (and mom) are chatting him up. Josh is adamant that I'm "more important" because I came farther and when there's a chance to chat with the fan girls (Bry's run off) they ask me if I'm from Mass/RI and when I say no the next question is "Are you from GA?" So apparently I'm psuedo fan famous.

I chatted with them for a while, had someone else introduce me as the girl from GA and Bryan grinning about it again. Still, no real face time with him, but it's okay, I'm having fun. Josh meanwhile is chatting up the guitarist, Danny, over at the bar. Danny's stoked about being complimented and when Josh explains that he's there with his sister who came from GA, Danny freaks.

The story goes that the EMB guys (or at least Danny and Bryan) were together when Bryan got my tweet and it went very much like "holy shit some chic is coming from GA to see me play" and then there were high fives.

Danny came over to us later after Josh came back and Josh was like this is her! My sister and Danny practically tackled me with hugs and love and adoration. "You coming means so much to us."

By this time it's getting late, still no real face time with Bryan but he's outside grabbing a cigarette and the other fan girls are very much like "tell him goodbye." So I stopped told him I had to head out and he reaches for me immediately, giving me a big hug. "So glad you came, it means so much to me." I got him to sign his Venture Guitars flyer and got a picture with him as well.


(look at him grinning!)

After we wound up chatting in a group that was mostly me and him chatting with people listening in. I got to meet his brother who was just stoked that I came that far (and I figure out was the guy staring at me half the night. Awkward). Best of all Bryan says "You're a story I'm going to tell for the rest of my life. I do my first solo gig and a girl comes all the way from GA to see me play." He hinted on a tour with EMB, hopefully coming through GA. I promised to be there with everyone I knew if he came (still waiting).


So scratch off #9 "Go see a concert in another city" Done and done.

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Music on Repeat

I've had my new ipod stuck in my ears since the day I managed to get music on it. I used the old one quite a bit but there's something bulky about it that kept me from using it all the time like I use the new gold nano. When I have to walk the 900 steps from my car to my office? I shoot through three songs or so. When I'm sitting at my desk, fighting off another afternoon slump, I've got the volume cranked up to keep me awake and functioning.

Even more so now that I've started traveling for work all the time. I've got the thing shoved in my ears through the airport (step, step, step) on the bus to the car and then back again. Not to mention the battery life and play times I crank out while on the flight.

Funny thing? It took me weeks to actually put music on the sucker. Months even. Of course, that's not all my fault. There was the computer fiasco and the fact that none of my music was on a computer, but it was all on the old and dying old Ipod. At first all I got on the sucker was 141 songs, which included the Boys Like Girls Love Drunk album, some random Glee tracks (I don't even like that show) and the Cranberries album. Like the Cranberries album with "Zombie" on it. Yes. That one.

Now I've got it fully loaded with all my favorites, but I keep skipping back to the same tracks and I sort of love what it's been saying of me lately to be repeating this music over and over again.

Boys Like Girls - yes the Love Drunk album, but I've got the old stuff on there too. I realize that I'm obsessing about these boys, but their talent continues to blow me away.

I read all this talk about Taylor Swift and just how damn talented she is, which is all fine and dandy if you like you're music all breathy and sounding the same over and over again. Everyone talks about how she writes her music and she's only 19 or so. Everyone (ok maybe just him) talks about Justin Bieber doing the same thing, but I'm of the belief that he just sort of tosses some words out there and Usher makes it work.

I give you "Thunder" by Boys Like Girls. Martin claims in their DVD that this is the first song the band put together as a band. He says he wrote the song at 18, and it came together once Paul joined the band (which was about a year later). You can tell he wrote it without a lead guitarist to work with because it is very heavy on his acoustic. Compare that to "Love Story" which was Taylor's later work and tell me what's better. That's right. He still plays this song at shows, mostly just him and a guitar until the end and it's epic. Talk about a song straight from the heart.

Martin also swears he's been writing music since he was a kid, like seven. He's always been writing his own songs. We're not giving him huge props though are we? We just sort of expect it.

"Go" has given me ideas for new tattoos, including having "believe your body can mend" on my arm in some way (though in script up my side is tempting as well). It just screams to the part of me that's been through so much with my own skin. If you watch the end of the video I linked he explains the song, how it came from losing a friend, about getting out of something that's holding you back. He's gone through a lot himself, drugs, hurting himself and he's made it through and wants others to as well.

Of course, the rest of their catalog is fantastic. Everything is worth listening too, especially the tracks that make you want to get up and dance.

The Summer Set - I can't remember how I found out about these guys but I blame one of my internet friends because I feel like that's where it might have come from. Either way, I'm sort of in love with their catchy tunes. I forced them on a friend, Dave, and though I could almost feel him rolling his eyes through AIM (he's been doing that to me for 9+ years so at this point I'm used to it), he did admit that he found himself tapping his feet with it.

It's a bit angst-ridden, just like BLG, but at the same time it's peppy and fun to dance to in your cube while you're losing your mind in the afternoon doldrum.

My current favorite is Sing it Out, which sadly I couldn't even tell you what it's about but I know I love the way it sounds. "Count it out on the kick drum 3, 4,"

Something Corporate - I know they've essentially disbanded, but I'v never really stopped listening to them. I go in waves sometimes, focusing only the music done by the group or I'll be exclusively listening to Andrew McMahon's side project Jack's Mannequin, but I'm always going back to the sound of his voice.

I got to see them in concert a few months back and was just floored. They call themselves "piano rock" and really, that's what they are. The focal instrument was a piano. And when Andrew wasn't banging on it he was climbing on it. It's the kind of music that gives you chills and fills you up until you might burst.

"She Paints Me Blue" is must. Andrew wrote it while sitting in a parking lot in Atlanta, and the sky opened up. It really did start raining on him.

Check it out and let me know what you think, I'd love to know.

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A fresh start

New Year's turned out to be the best yet. Champ and I wound up at a makeshift party with our best couple friends (Dave & Jacki and Dan & Gina). We watched the newest Family Guy Star Wars installment, yelled at the television because none of us like Ke$ha and rung in the new year with champagne and Rock Band 3. Of course Dan and Gina hadn't downloaded anything by Boys Like Girls so I opted not to sing (and am now curious if I can get that for Guitar Hero...).

I've taken on a new challenge for the new year, in addition to the rest of my lists. I've joined up Ali Edwards' online One Little Word course. The plan is to spend the year with monthly prompts, exploring how one word can incorporate itself into your life.

Of course, this means I had to pick a word which gave me a bit of headache for a while. I love words. That's a whole portion of the memoir I'm working on (words and tattoos), but for the life of me I was stuck.

Little did I know, I was stuck for all the wrong reasons. I'm still working on my canvas panel which of course I'd already picked a word for, but that word didn't even enter my mind until I walked into my creative space and saw the plain green panel sitting there. Go. (you idiot)

So GO it is for the year.

GO out there and do something.
GO and take that risk.
GO on (and on and on).
GO forth.

Of course inspiration also comes from this song, which is amazing. (I have no way to check and see if this version is any good, but it's acoustic and I feel like it might be amazing)



Martin, the singer, has been quoted in saying this about it:

"If you’re stuck, get out. Go do it. I’ve been stuck sometimes, and the best feeling in the entire universe is saying 'I’m going to have the confidence to go do this, I’m gonna have the confidence to take the chance.'"

and this (pull out your tissues)

"I’ve had probably 20-25 people off this record come up and say that I’ve saved their or their friends’ lives from writing the song 'Go' off this current record. It’s about really digging yourself out of depression, moving on and finding a way."

It's perfect. I love it. And the word for the new year. Look back for updates

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Ringing in 2011

I am not a fan of New Year's. I never really have been. I can think of maybe three parties I've been to in the past 27 years (that weren't parents' friends parties where I was a kid at an adult party), and only 1/3 was actually a lot of fun and even then it wasn't that much fun. When I was working shifts, this was the holiday I volunteered to work because it was better than sitting at home renting sappy girly movies.

Still it's coming, no matter how hard I'm trying to fight it and 2011 is bringing me quite a bit with it. There's the rest of the 27 before 28 list to finish (I don't have updates yet, but I did get a sewing machine for Christmas from Champ so there's step one towards finishing #7), there's concerts that I want to see, at least two weddings so far to attend, family to see, friends to visit, and so much more. There's a load of work that will have me jetting around like I'm some sort of important person.

I think I'm afraid of the new year.

The thoughts of resolutions come to mind and I shake my head, not interested. I've got the 27 before 28 list, which is plenty to work with for the moment. I still have that life list to finish putting together as well. Isn't that enough than to buy into the idea that I'm going to start something fresh in the new year? I have a hard enough time getting motivated to clean my desk off.

image source

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