One Week, Three Concerts

This past week was a busy (but FUN) week! I went to not one, not two, but THREE concerts! All were very different, both in genre and overall atmosphere. It was kind of fun 'expanding my musical diversity' around town.

Monday night was an unexpected suggestion from Eric... Britney Spears! Yep... you read that right... "It's Britney, Bitch!" It was within walking distance from our house and even if you're not a Britney fan, you have to admit she's reaching that notorious status where you if you have a chance, you have to see her live. We also took advantage of a Groupon where they were half off, so that made it pretty appealing to (Gotta love Groupon!). Were were definitely out of the main demographic of the audience - young girls in their 20's - but it was still an amazing show! It's more of a theatrical production than it is a concert between the set and costume changes. I highly recommend seeing her show if you do have an opportunity - Britney definitely knows how to entertain!

Tuesday night... a very different genre... LMFAO! It was supposed to be Ke$ha with LMFAO opening for her, but she bailed on us to rehears for the MTV VMA's or something like that... but LMFAO was quick to say they'd still play, a smaller venue was lined up, and tickets were sold! Unfortunately, Indy does not have an appreciation for this type of music (Electro-Pop, I've seen... basically, club music). It was a small venue to begin with, and it was maybe a quarter full. But again, it was a kick-ass show! They know how to play the crowd and have a good time. Eric and I had no idea what to expect with this one and were ready to head out after we heard the songs we wanted to hear, but we ended up sticking around for the entire thing since it was so entertaining. Loved it!

I had a break Wednesday night, but Thursday was the annual Jimmy Buffett outing with Wendy! As always, this started a little earlier in the afternoon with us getting into the parking lot as early as we can manage. We had more people this year, which always makes it more fun.We had an overload of jello shots (that we somehow managed to be out of at the end of the night) and the margaritas were flowing, of course. The concert was the usual fun sing-alongs by a mostly drunken crowd, but the fun is always in the friends you're there with. So, needless to say, it was a good time had by all in our little group.

After the week of concerts I was beat. Still am. Now I just need to recover before the next big thing!

Therapeutic Writing

As I was growing up and as I set off to college, I used to write/journal a lot. It was my way of letting off steam or just getting something off my chest. I'd write about everything... friends, family, worries, defeats, achievements, happy times, and sad times. No one else ever saw it but me, yet it always made me feel better. And I'd even go back and read it sometime later and realize it was something very petty that was getting to me when I'd vent in my journal. But I even continued to do it for awhile after college as I settled into a life on my own. It was therapeutic for me.

Then two things happened. The first was technology. Exactly what you're reading now... the good ol' Weblog (aka 'blog'). The second was someone finding a random journal entry I had scribbled out about him after an argument (this was way before Eric, if anyone thought otherwise). He got pretty upset and didn't quite understand my venting technique, and it only made it worse when he found out I had done that in the past to get things off my chest. It was my way of getting over things without getting confrontational.

Between these two things, the journalling stopped, and the blogging began. Blogging turned out to be a great way to keep in touch, indirectly, with all of my family that is nowhere near me. They at least could keep up with my life and know I was still alive if we didn't have a chance to talk for awhile. So the blogging started focusing more on my life and what I was up to rather than what you often find in journals - feelings, thoughts about certain subjects that may controversial, etc. It's usually more upbeat stuff, and when I do vent, it takes on a more humorous outlook. It doesn't give me that release I think I need.

Now I'm thinking I may need to start journalling again. There's just so much inside of me that I really don't want to blog about in public, yet, it really needs to get out of my head somehow or, quite frankly, I'm going to be venting, emotional, very non-PC bomb that goes off at the worst possible moment. Not a good thing.

I've just developed (over a long period of time) a bad habit of holding everything in... I started doing that after I had a few overly dramatic temper flare-ups that just didn't do me any good. I took the whole 'bite your toungue' to heart and learned to pick and choose my arguments, which isn't bad... but then it can be if you choose no arguments, especially if it means not standing up for yourself or loved ones. I'd like to think if it was critical, I could and would argue with the best of them... but without my regular 'therapy sessions' to keep things under control in my head, it'd probably come out all irrational. It also gives off a perception that I don't care about certain things, or I'm blowing something off, which is most certainly not true. In fact, the less I have to say about a subject or the quieter I am, that probably means I care more than I'd like to admit... and I'm in the process of bottling it up.

So yeah... maybe it's time to go buy another journal and start letting it all out. If nothing else, I need to make sure this happy front everyone sees on me really isn't just a front... I've always been a happy person, so I'm sure it is real. But it scares me to think that something could just click in my mind and change that, even just for a moment.

Go, Cubs, Go!

Finally! I made it to a Cubs game this year... shoot... I finally made it to Chicago this year!! It's been too long!

Eric and I headed out on Saturday morning and shot up I-65 to Chicago with plenty of time to spare - it was a late afternoon game, for once. So we were actually able to check into our hotel and get some lunch before heading to Wrigley. It was kind of nice to not be rushed - so often I feel like I'm running late to a game! Plus, as an added bonus, we were actually able to ride the Red Line up to Wrigley - a tradition I had not yet done! I've always drove all the way up to the field and parked somewhere on Clark (which was never a problem). So that was kind of fun to do, too!

The game was against the Cardinals, so of course it was a big deal and we wanted the Cubs to win. We always do! Of course, we were just hoping there wasn't a delay since it had been raining since we hit downtown Chicago. But we got there, and the storm was completely past Wrigleyville and the sun was shining... and making things very hot, actually! Even though it was only around 70 degrees at the start time, it felt WAY warmer in the bleachers! But we sucked it up and some clouds did eventually come through and cool things off. For a bit. And then they disappeared again. So we stuck it out through the 7th - there wasn't much action going on and we saw what little there was for the game, it turned out - Cubs won, 3-0!

After the game, we went back to the hotel to freshen up, and then walked Michigan Avenue for a bit before heading to dinner. We tried to make both our lunch and dinner options a bit from the norm and tried out two places Eric knew about from South FL - Mercadito's for lunch, and Sushi Samba for dinner, which I had actually been to in South Beach before. Both were excellent!

We didn't stay long this morning and got on the road early enough that we were actually to good ol' Fair Oaks Farm before noon for lunch. But it was a nice little getaway... just what I needed.

Football Season is Here!

Some of us thought it would never come, but it's finally here... Football Season!

Granted, College Football was going to be here no matter what. But it was kind of a big deal for Indy since they are were supposed to host the SuperBowl this year. You could hear a huge, collective sigh of relief over the City when the strike finally ended. And it is nice to know that we will have some football in this town.

Tonight was the pre-season home opener for the Colts. In typical form, you never expect much from a pre-season game. And we didn't get much. Very few starters played and they, of course, lost. My Jags beat the Falcons, though, so that made me happy... even if it was just pre-season. I'm really hoping for a good season for the Jags this year... Del Rio's last shot!

So here we go... football season is on! I know I, for one, couldn't be happier!

Indiana State Fair

I like going to the State Fair. It's not something I had (or at least knew about) growing up. I'm sure FL has one, but it's not like it is in farm country... which is HUGE. I like going for the reasons most people like to go... the food and the people watching. It's always a good place to find some fun photos, too.

This year was different, though. With the tragedy that happened last weekend, it was a very somber atmosphere. People were there, eating and riding rides... but honestly, it didn't look like anyone was having a really good time. It was almost like they came to pay tribute, and nothing more.

It was kind of hard to not remember what just happened there a few days ago. Not only is the stage still collapsed in the middle of the infield, but there's a memorial outside of the grandstands with five American flags and a lot of flowers left by fairgoers. You can't help but stop and think... and remember.

I hope the State Fair can resume it's fun atmosphere next year. I fully anticipate there will be some sort of tribute next year at the beginning of the fair, maybe even a permanent memorial for those who lost their lives. One thing's for sure... not one will ever take a day at the fair for granted after this year.

White Pants

I envy those who can wear white without hesitation. Me? I'm worried I'll destroy anything white with stains of some sort. I'm not a messy person... I don't drop food on my lap, or dribble down my shirt. I typically stay away from mud puddles or other 'dirty' things. But I figure as soon as I wear white, all of the above will find me.

I finally broke down and bought some white pants. I had no special event in mind, nor did I have any idea when I'd wear them. I just figured I should have white pants - everyone else wears them as a regular part of their wardrobe during the summer. It's expected, right? But when would I wear them??

Well, I finally braved up and wore them out tonight. I had drinks and dinner with some friends tonight - plenty of opportunity to get something on white pants. But I didn't! And I was very excited! They stayed stain free - which gives me a warm fuzzy feeling about wearing white again. Maybe I will get my money's worth from these white pants.

Good thing I bought them on sale! LOL

Perspective

Ever notice how you can sometimes things your life is just a crazy, turned upside-down, mess, and then something happens. Something major that does not affect you directly, but it really makes you think and realize, "Hmmm... things aren't so bad for me - it could be a lot worse."

Yeah... happens a lot, it seems... something always puts my life's 'problems' back into perspective. Not a bad thing to get a reality check every so often - we all need it.

Lately, though, I feel like I'm getting more reality checks then usual. Near the end of July, there was an article in my old hometown newspaper, The Florida Today, about a family that had a serious accident while vacationing in GA... lost one of their children, left another a paraplegic. What amazed me more than anything about this story was the outpouring of support that came through social networks, especially Facebook. They still have a network keeping people updated on Facebook.

Then there was what happened yesterday... locally. What is being tagged as 'The Tragedy at the State Fair' by news networks... I'm sure most of you have heard about it, as it's gone international. The tragedy being the toppling of the stage into the crowd during a concert intermission, killing 5 people (so far) and injuring at least 40 more. Sugarland was to take the stage shortly, but they had not yet, and a storm quickly approached, with strong wind gusts preceding it. It happened just after an announcement about an impending evacuation if the storm got bad.

It's obviously still under investigation - they just started that today. There's a very vivid video out there on YouTube if you haven't seen it. Probably more than that one by now, too. And if you do any search, you'll find a ton of articles. Our local newspaper, The Indy Star, is keeping us pretty well informed, though.

So why does it take such drama for us to put our own lives into perspective? Or is that just me?? I had enough drama in my life last year that I'd think I wouldn't need something like this to remind me my life is pretty good. But yet, here I am, getting all philosophical about life once again. But you know what? I don't mind being reminded.

Political Joke

So politics are big in the news right now - the big debate? Is raising the debt ceiling good or bad?? Depends on who you ask. And if you're in Washington, DC, it depends on your party affiliation. Time for my two cents.

Politics have become a joke. We should be absolutely ashamed that our government looks the way it does right now. It's no longer a democracy... it's become a finger pointing, he said - she said, those guys have cooties, playground game. Most of the politicians in DC can't even tell you what their constituents really want or feel... only what their party 'leaders' tell them what to think. It's ridiculous. So much to the point I'm getting disgusted about the idea of voting for any of these clowns anymore. The problem is, only more clowns seem to run against them.

This takes me back to a blog I posted long ago... get rid of party affiliation, and lets have a real democracy, where our politicians really are there for the people! There's actually a political ad on TV here for a gubernatorial candidate that I love... because no where in the ad does it tell you he's associated with any party. It's just what he's about, what he wants to do, and it's paid for through his own political fundraising, not by the democratic or republican committee. Where the money came from I don't know - it could be dirty, for all I know. But it sure is nice to hear what the candidate has to say in a positive format and not a smear campaign about not just another politician, but another part, as a whole.

It's just sad. In a time where are politicians should be coming together even more since we're in a recession, they're fighting more, like children over the last popsicle... and then blaming each other for the broken lamp. All it does is divide the nation more. Next thing you know, we'll be like all those countries we 'helped' that are now or were in civil war amongst each other. Didn't we do that already??