breathe in for luck

Also known as: “The time I snuck my camera into a concert by hiding it in my bra.”

I went to the Dashboard Confessional concert last night with Scrumptious Cupcakes and Somebody. We were the oldest people there, except for that one set of grandparents that were inexplicably rocking out to the opening band. But, as Dashboard is one of my favorite bands, it was a great experience. Some interesting happenings:

1. Cameras weren’t allowed in the venue but we didn’t want to walk all the way back to the car to return ours, so we had to find a way to get it in without getting caught. Because the security guards were doing pat-downs of everyone entering we couldn’t hide the camera in our pockets. Our ingenious idea? My bra. I knew this cleavage would come in handy one day.

2. Chris Carrabba came out alone, with his guitar, before the opening band, to play a few solo songs and “thank us for showing up early.” The young whipper-snappers in the front mosh pit actually started chanting for the opening band, Brand New, while Chris was playing. I was floored and disgusted with them.

3. The band Brand New (a.k.a. Grand Poo) wasn’t anything we wanted to hear. We actually, because we are 84 years old, left the arena and found a semi-quiet stairwell to hide in so our eardrums weren’t blasted out. Coincidentally, 84 is also the apparent age of their skinny-jeans wearing guitar player.

It was a great night. Loved the band. Loved the stage set-up. And it doesn’t hurt that Dashboard has some of the greatest song lyrics. For your reading pleasure, here is a sampling.

“Well as for now I'm gonna hear the saddest songs, and sit alone and wonder how you're making out. But as for me, I wish that I was anywhere with anyone, making out.”

“Oh, how we've shouted, how we've screamed, take notice, take interest, take me with you.”

“I am fairly agile. I can bend and not break. Or I can break and take it with a smile.”

“Just bend the pieces ‘till they fit, like they were made for it, but, they weren’t meant for this. No, they weren’t meant for this.”

“And I said ‘I've gotta be honest, I've been waiting for you all my life.’"

“I'll be true, I'll be useful...I'll be cavalier...I'll be yours my dear. And I'll belong to you.”

“My hopes are so high, that your kiss might kill me. So won't you kill me, so I die happy.”

“Please send me anything but signals that are mixed.”

“On the way home, this car hears my confessions. I think tonight I'll take the long way.”

“Your smile is the most genuine thing that I’ve ever seen. I was so lost but now I believe.”

“You’re chasin’ the ghost of a good thing.”

“I need a sure thing and you are a mystery to me.”

“And I am flawed, but I am cleaning up so well.”

“My heart is sturdy but it needs you.”

“She made you better than you'd been before.”

“I have reason to believe that I have victories to taste.”

“Some things tie your life together, slender threads and things to treasure. Days like that should last and last and last.”

“Don't wait to lay your armor down.”

“You are the best one of the best ones.”

“She just might get you lost, and she just might leave you torn, but she just might save your soul if she gets you any closer.”

“Hands down this is the best day I can ever remember.”

edible bubbles

I added a new treat to my already long list of "yummy, yummy, yummies." While in Chinatown, Melissa suggested a drink that she had tried and loved when she was in Taiwan. Somebody had tried it and didn't like it, but all it took for me to want to try it were the words mango and tapioca. Hello. I never met a tapioca I didn't like.

This one was new and different, both in good ways. The drink, much like a fruit smoothie, was thick fresh mango, and I seriously wished it lasted all day. The tapioca balls were a slightly different story.

At first I loved chewing them, but about halfway through my drink I was tired of them getting in the way of me having more mango, and I started spitting them out. Except when we were on the subway, because, hey, I don't spit on the subway.

scenic route 1a

We LOVED being in Boston. We also loved the day we took a drive up the coast of Maine. The states are so much smaller out east! We went from Boston, through a small piece of New Hampshire, and up the Maine coast in just over an hour. It was our own personal fall foliage tour, and it was so worth it. We planned the day to have no plan. The only rule was, "if you see something that you want to see or do or eat, we all stop." Good rule, huh? The first coastal town on this route is York, and as we were winding through the town we couldn't help but notice that something out of the ordinary was going on. It turned out to be the annual Harvest Festival. We parked the car and took a trolley to the festival where we browsed craft stands and carnival food. Is there anything better than carnival food? Candied applies, fried bread, fudge, kettle corn, corn bread, cookies, more apple crisp than anyone could eat. Just passing the town of York.We actually drove by this street, then slammed on the breaks and turned around to drive down this little country road.
Cape Neddick "Nubble" Lighthouse in York, Maine. An interesting note: We have no idea how the lighthouse keeper gets onto that little island. There was no obvious route, and no land path.
Do you see those lawn chairs up on that hill? The ones that are situated so that you could, if you lived in the accompanying mansion, sit in your yard and read and book and watch/listen to/feel the ocean breeze. Just a little slice of heaven.
More fall colors.
Me with the special Somebody.

lobster mania

somebody

Exhibit #1: I recently had an appointment with my R.S. pres, and because S**** and I had been out shopping he just drove straight to her house and waited in the car while I had my appointment. As I was leaving her house I was saying good-bye to the entire presidency who were sitting in her entry room. They invited me to stay longer and visit but I told them that I couldn't because S**** was waiting in the car. One of them responded with, “And just who is this special somebody in the car? Is it your husband.” Me: “Um, yes.” At first I was confused because I had actually said his name so OF COURSE he was the one in the car. Then I realized that she thought I had said that SOMEBODY was waiting in the car.

Exhibit #2: Somebody and I spend time with my cousin Becca and her husband Paul. One evening when Becca and I were going to a church meeting, Somebody and Paul decided to go up to Cabela’s to pass the time. Becca was telling her mother-in-law about the plans and said, “Paul and S**** are going to Cabela’s.” Her mother-in-law’s response: “Well, when you know who Paul is going with, let me know.”

Huh. So, apparently S****'s name sounds like Somebody. I kind of like referring to him in that vague way now. Especially because it reminds me of the old church dance classic by Depeche Mode.

I want somebody to share
Share the rest of my life
Share my innermost thoughts
Know my intimate details
Someone who'll stand by my side
And give me support
And in return
She'll get my support
She will listen to me
When I want to speak
About the world we live in
And life in general
Though my views may be wrong
They may even be perverted
She will hear me out
And won't easily be converted
To my way of thinking
In fact she'll often disagree
But at the end of it all
She will understand me

I want somebody who cares
For me passionately
With every thought and with every breath
Someone who'll help me see things
In a different light
All the things I detest
I will almost like
I don't want to be tied
To anyone's strings
I'm carefully trying to steer clear
Of those things
But when I'm asleep
I want somebody
Who will put their arms around me
And kiss me tenderly
Though things like this
Make me sick
In a case like this
I'll get away with it

a friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature

Coming out of my college years, I have said hello and good-bye to dozens of friends who come and go as they get married, get jobs, or get a life and move away. Some leave and become “Christmas Card Friends: I want to know what is going on with you and keep up with your life, but once a year is pretty much good enough.” Some leave and become vague memories. But some, the select few, leave and life is never the same without them because so much of me was tied up in us, and when they leave I have to rediscover who me is again. Luckily some of those good friends live close enough that I still get to see them occasionally.

I met such a friend for breakfast this morning. An entire summer of my life is filled entirely with memories of her, and without our shared memories I would lose an entire year of me. For me it will always be the summer of text messages, GP, being distracted at check-ins, theater nights, red robin, game nights, the basketball game, counselors, banquets, and the swinger. And reconnecting with this friend was like going home, in the nostalgic way you can always return to a place that means comfort and laughter and family.

“I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun.” Charles R. Swindoll

star tip 18

These are the cakes I decorated for the combined Kolby and Jasmyn birthday party, which is this afternoon.

The fish is for Kolby and the butterfly for Jasmyn. After the Worst-Cake-Decorating-Experience-Ever of the last birthday party, I was extra careful in my frosting choices and am confident that this trip won't end in tears.












Decorating these cakes was the first time that I tried out using my left hand to pipe stars. Usually my left hand just sits around wearing a gorgeous ring. He doesn't get involved in tedious things like writing, cutting, waving, teeth brushing, etc. But yesterday when my right hand had cramped into a twisted mess, it was time for the ol' left hand to put in his time. And he did a mighty fine job, I think. Somebody also wanted to try his hand at decorating, so the fish cake became a testing ground for both of us.

random things that are totally cool

My good friend Scrumptious Cupcakes has a great website where she finds everything on the internet that is cool, beautiful, creative, yummy, or otherwise appealing. You should check it out.

http://sarahchampion.typepad.com/clippings/