The first time I saw him in concert was on 18 MAY 2006. It rocked my world. I had been to other shows before this one, of different bands and genres of course, but there is something about Jason Mraz that gets me like no other. His voice is so pure, his passion is so evident, and everything about everything he does is P-E-R-F-E-C-T. Or as close to it as you can get. At this show, he sang some of my most favorite songs... and when he finished his set off with a kickass encore of Song For A Friend, I was a very happy camper. That song is amazzzing.

Jason Mraz's Set List
The Boy is Gone
Childlike Wildlife 
Clockwatching
Did You Get My Message?
You and I Both
Bella Luna
Please Don’t Tell Her
Unfold (with Gypsy MC)
Better
Life is Wonderful
I’m Yours
Loving Cup
The Remedy <-- he sang the second verse in French :)
SPEECH! <-- most inspirational thing I've ever heard in my life!
Geek in the Pink
Song for a Friend

The second time I saw his show was on 24 MAY 2008. Yes, he went 2 years without coming to town, but it was definitely worth the wait. He sang my most favorite song [On Love, In Sadness] as well as a lot of the songs off his new record We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. I can't find the set list at the moment, but he had a nice long set that was f!@#ing amazing. It was so cool to see him again. At the end of the night I was so happy I could have died in peace.

The third time I was graced by his tremendous presence was yesterday! I was fortunate enough to attend the Gratitude Cafe Tour 2009 at the Freedom Hill Amphitheatre in Michigan. And it was the best show ever. I went with my sisters Anna and Jill, Anna's friend Emily, my BFF Grace, and [last but certainly not least] my best friend Logan... I could not have found a better group to go with. AND since we bought our pit tickets via super-presale, we got some line jump passes that got us in early... WE WERE FRONT ROW CENTER - RIGHT AGAINST THE BARRIER!! :) it was the most prime location for this concert experience.

First up was a guy named K'NAAN. He. Was. Awesome. What a way to start the show!! He has some of the coolest rhymes, some awesome beats, and as far Somalian-Canadian-Rapper-Musicians go, he is my absolute favorite. I strongly recommend checking out his music because it is extremely unique and lots of fun to experience. PLUS! the words he sings are full of meaning and history... they're not shit lyrics like some rappers are spitting out these days... they're real and tell his story.

Second was G. Love and his Special Sauce. It was a pretty rad set. When G. Love was sitting down and playing his acoustic guitar in the beginning, I felt like the band was detached from the crowd. But once he stood up and started jamming, everyone joined in the fun! The music was entertaining, and... MAN! CAN THAT GUY PLAY THE HARMONICA!! He was very talented and cool to watch.

All the while, Bushwalla was kindly hosting the show. He introduced K'NAAN with a lot of energy. Then played Ghetto Blaster before introducing G. Love. Finally he stripped down into a yellow jumpsuit with shinyyy green undies and hula hooped for the crowd as he introduced Mr. A-Z. That's when the party really started...

Jason Mraz is the epitome of a good show. He entertains the entire crowd and gives so much to each song... what more could a fan ask for? I'll tell you: as a fan, I cannot ask for anything more. I had such a great time watching the show. You have no idea how much I loved it!! So I'll try to explain with a few short stories.

I sang along to every word of every Jason Mraz song. And when I say "every" I mean it... the girls to my left only knew the words to I'm Yours and would stare at me every now and again in awe... I imagine they were thinking "wow. she's so cool. I wish I knew all these words." But they were probably just thinking "she's a crazy bitch. stop her. PLEASE." 

I ended up on the mega-screen in the back of the stage for a little bit. You see, there were camera-men video taping the entire show for the kiddies who couldn't see the stage as well as us up front... live footage, along with pre-created videos and images, showed up on the giant back-screen. There were a few occassions when the camera-dude would just stop right in front of me and video tape every second of my rocking out to whichever tune was being sung... you could say that I was "into the show." Haha, but I was so enthralled throughout the show that I hardly noticed when I was being video taped... I was so entranced by Jason Mraz and his bongo-ist Toca Rivera. I'd just notice every now and then when the camera was all up in my face. WOOHOO!

and omaigosh... as he sang A Beautiful Mess, I soaked up every word like a super-nerd seeing Star Wars for the first time. That song describes who I am. Out of every song I have ever heard in my entire life, that is the one I relate to word after word, note after note, time after time. I live it. I love it. I am thrilled to have seen it performed twice in my life because it means the world to me. As far as I'm concerned, that song is me. I would quote a few of the lines here, but I would just end up quoting the whole song... it really is THAT good.

So to watch my favorite musician right behind the barricade, front row and center, and to share every song with some of the people who mean the most to me... well... it just made the night that much better. I had a blast, to infinity and beyond.

Jason Mraz's Set List
Fun Fun Fun (cover)
The Remedy
Clockwatching
Make It Mine 
Love For A Child 
All My Love (written with the "Waylors"... not entirely sure what it was)
Live High
Coyotes
Curbside Prophet (with Gypsy MC)
Dynamo of Volition
A Beautiful Mess
I'm Yours / Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright (cover) 

ENCORE
Carry On 
Lucky
You And I Both
Butterfly 

Yesterday was the one day of summer I consider a "tradition." It's one of the coolest experiences for any fan of music. I've gone to the past few Warped Tours and it only took one for me to get completely hooked! An entire day of music performed by some of my favorite bands, some bands I've seen or always wanted to see, and some bands I've never heard of. What more could a fan ask for? So here is an overview of the funtasterrifically awesome day I was able to enjoy...

Scary Kids Scaring Kids
Snake Devil
The Deep End
Faces
I watched this whole set and it was the best start to a Warped Tour I can ever remember. SKSK really know how to rock out and I loved every second of their show. It was off the hook! As with some other sets, I was not able to write down the whole set list since I was more focused on jammin with everyone else in the crowd and saving myself from mosh pits.

Valencia
Better Be Prepared
Safe To Say
Holiday
The Closest I Am To Living Life On The Edge
Where Did You Go
The Space Between
I only saw the last song of this set since they were on at the same time as SKSK, but I got the set list from my older sister Anna who watched the whole thing :)

Big D And The Kids Table
I have no set list for this band because I don't really know any of their songs. BUT I still enjoyed their show. There is just something about Ska bands that is so much fun... probably the full band and the fans that dance their pants off :D

I took a little time here to walk the booths and check out the stands. I also met up with Olivia (http://elevenpasteleven.buzznet.com/) during this time too! She was so nice and it was so cool to meet another buzzy in person!!

Bayside
Carry On
The Walking Wounded
Duality
The Ghost of Saint Valentine
Blame It On Bad Luck
Devotion and Desire 
I didn't get the whole set list for this show because I was jamming along so hard I forgot to write it down... those are just the songs I can remember them playing. I have been a long-time listener of Bayside, but never had the chance to see them in concert. Let me tell you, it was worth the wait. THEY WERE AWESOME! And D&D is my favorite song, so the fact that they played it rocked my socks.

Innerpartysystem
No set list for this band either because I had never heard of them before. They had a really great sound and I loved their set, tho! So I will for sure check them out more sometime.

Less Than Jake
Ska! WOOHOO! This set was really entertaining and the guys in the band are very funny. They kept me extremely amused as I watched. Plus, there was a boxing ring located near the stage that was really interesting, too.

Breathe Carolina
These guys are funnn to watch. Kyle and David just rock out on stage and even though heavy screamo isn't my favvvorite genre ever, I still enjoyed what they brought to the table. Also, I met Kyle later in the day and he is seriously one of the nicest band guys I have ever met in my life! He was such a great dude and it was so cool to chat with him. 

The Maine
Everything I Ask For
I Must Be Dreaming
Pour Some Sugar On Me (Def Leppard cover)
The Way We Talk
Into Your Arms
We All Roll Along
Girls Do What They Want
WOW! These guys had a huggge crowd and a lot of crowd surfers. And boy did they deserve it all. They rocked hard and sounded really good. Plus, they had a very smart set and everyone was singing along at one point or another. Very cool.

Westbound Train
I watched them as I waited for TFT and thought they were alright. 

There for Tomorrow
No More Room To Breathe
A Little Faster
Stories
The Remedy
Backbone
Pages
Unfortunately, I only got to watch the first song of this set because I had to go meet up with Vinny Vegas to go backstage for All Time Low's set. BUT I was able to meet the band earlier in the day and see one of my favorite songs of theirs, SO it wasn't too bad not being able to watch their entire set. I really love TFT... they rock out hard for a quartet.

All Time Low 
Weightless
Jasey Rae
Poppin Champagne
Lost In Stereo
Six Feet Under The Stars
Break Your Little Heart
Coffee Shop Soundtrack
Damned If I Do Ya
Dear Maria Count Me In
OMAIGAWD! OMAIGAWD! OMAIGAWD! I got to go backstage for All Time Low's set. It was a dream come true. I mean, to see their show from right behind the drumset and be able to look out at the crowd as they jammed?! It was almost too much to handle! IT WAS SOSOSO COOL! Haha, and you know how whenever you look up at people standing backstage and they're just standing there looking disinterested and bored? Well you can rest assured that I was not standing still at any point in time. I was rocking as hard as the most enthusiastic fan you've ever seen! My friends and sisters who were in the crowd all commented about how I was the only one moving. Excellente. Anywho, I had an awesome time and got some great photos and a cool video (links below :). It's one of those things that I am extremely thankful for and will never forget about for as long as I live *crosses fingers*.

Chiodos
These Michigan natives were awesome. 'nuff said.

P.O.S.
I can't even remember watching them, but I wrote it down, so it totally happened.

Never Shout Never
Since I just saw him a couple weeks ago, I didn't really "watch" his show. I just listened to him as I waited for FTSK to start at the stage next door (I wanted to be front row for them :). But what I heard was pretty rad and very similar to what I heard before. I managed to get a few shots of him before going up front for FTSK. He looked adorable.

Forever the Sickest Kids
My Worst Nightmare
Hey Brittany
*new song* She Likes
Believe Me, I'm Lying
She's A Lady
Whoa Oh!
These six guys always put on a great show. I am SO happy that I was up front for this band because they were on FIRE! It was definitely one of the best sets of the day. There was such a great energy and they chose really great songs to perform. The new song gets me uber stoked for their upcoming record, too. It was slammin. 

3oh!3
As I held up the 3oh!3 hand sign during Don't Trust Me, I knew it was a great way to end the day. I love the Vans Warped Tour.

For my pictures, copy paste the following links into your browser...
Warped Tour 2009: http://katiejrod-warpedtour2009.buzznet.com/user/photos/
All Time Low Backstage: http://katiejrod-alltimelowbackstage.buzznet.com/user/photos/

For my video of "Lost In Stereo" by All Time Low recorded backstage...
buzznet: http://katiejrod.buzznet.com/user/video/4217131/lost-stereo-all-time-low/
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3I7QAtbvoA

Today [24 JULY] is my older sister's birthday. And what better way to start it off than by seeing a midnight showing of a brand new movie?! Tonight's options were somewhat limited, though: G-Unit (I might wait for the DVD), Orphan (I don't do scary movies unless I am constipated), and The Ugly Truth (we chose this one). I'm not going to lie, I wasn't overly excited for the movie. I mean, after last week's kickass Harry Potter midnight showing, how could this one even compare?

Well, whatever preconceived notions I had about the movie are now smashed into a million pieces. I loved The Ugly Truth. I gobbled it up. Soaked in the story. Became one with the characters and their emotiones. I L-O-V-E-that-spells-LOVED IT! Omaigosh. Although my older sister was pretty amped to see it, I must say that I laughed louder and smiled larger than anyone there. 

According to the Internet Movie Database (a.k.a. imdb.com), The Ugly Truth is about Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl). [She] is a romantically challenged morning show producer whose search for Mr. Perfect has left her hopelessly single. She's in for a rude awakening when her bosses team her with Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), a hardcore TV personality who promises to spill the ugly truth on what makes men and women tick. And then some. 

I just, really enjoyed it. Very funny, charming, clever, and D.) all the above. Plus, I was able to relate to both sides of the story! I have been Abby: the girl who is constantly on the lookout for Mr. Right. But I've also been Mike: thinking there's more to life than just love, but then I start falling for the one person it seems things will never work out with. I don't want to give away the whole movie (although you might be able to guess how it ends), but sometimes a situation like this will start me thinking...

I am a serial crusher, as I may or may not have mentioned before in a previous post somewhere. More than half of the guys I meet I'll day-dream about and think of how we'll fall in love and live happily ever after. [for the record] I don't think it's creepy. That's just how my brain functions in the absence of a more serious relationship. Trust me when I say that it is a very entertaining way of passing the time until some strong man comes to whisk me off my own two feet.

And seeing this movie and being the romantic that I am just makes me realize:
I want a love that keeps me guessing.
I want a love that's so hard, it's easy.
I want a love that makes me learn how to play the guitar so all of my new songs aren't a capella ;)
I want a love that people will make movies about.
I want a love that doesn't fit any stereotypes or preconceived ideas.
I want a love that cannot be contained.
I want a love that will fill my heart because goodness knows there's room for more. 

And you know what?! I'm going to find it. But I do hope that I don't find it again and again and again. I don't want to fall in love, then fall in love again and again, each time with a new fella as though I tripped down some very poorly constructed stairs where you just seem to keep on falling. Like in so many movies and books, I would love to find that love you never saw coming. And because it's such an amazing surprise, it lasts forever because that sensation is instilled in both hearts.

Sigh. Anywho, if you've already seen Harry Potter twice and can't decide between seeing The Hangover a fifth time or The Proposal a first time, pick The Ugly Truth. (Well, if you're 18 or older since it's rated R.) It'll make you laugh and your heart just might swell a few size's like the Grinch's. 

:D

• Walked up and down Michigan Avenue for some wonderful window shopping.
• Stared at the Bean for 30 minutes... who knew a gigantic mirror-y bean could be SO amusing?
• Ate my way through the Taste of Chicago.
• MET TARA ASHLEE AND PANSY! It was so fun.
• Walked up, down, and all around Navy Pier.
• Watched the spectacular fireworks display on the edge of Chicago.
• Visited one of my Dad's old best friends. (as an aside, he owns a pretty neato company: http://www.wrapz.biz/)
• Went to the aquarium, the Field Museum (where I saw and touched the only Pirate treasure ever discovered!!), and the Museum of Science and Industry (where I saw the Harry Potter Exhibit!! zomg. aWesoMe :D)
• Enjoyed the company of my three best friends (aka sisters) and mommy 

Well, that's about as quickly recappish as I can get it. Feel free to look through my pictures and ask what's going on if they're not very well captioned! Here are my favorites:

MONDAY

On Monday I drove 3.5 hours (208 miles, to be precise) to visit that guy. Logan. He's one of my best friends. I've tried to pinpoint why/how we became such good friends, but I am at a complete loss. He's just one of those people you find and are thankful for. Anywho, we went to the beach (I made PB&J sandwiches and packed some snacks for a picnic because I'm awesome like that) and I kept calling Lake Michigan the ocean. I also got to meet some of Logan's neato friends, Brett and Chelsea, and had some fun with them as well. We walked along a pier, went putt-putt golfing (I got a hole-in-one, which I can safely count as a miracle), and then rocked out in the back yard with two kickass acoustic guitars and four stellar voice boxes. All in all, the day gets a high five for being supacool.

TUESDAY

During the day on Tuesday, we went to this place called "the beach." You see, where I live, we don't really have beaches. So the fact that there were so many beaches along the other side of the state fascinated me. I just sat in the sand and played for a few hours. Then we went back to the house, got changed, and went to see a fanfreakingtastic concert and a kickin' movie.

So first, the concert (whose main pictures can be seen in the album on my page). 

It.
was.
awesome.
And I'm not even exaggerating a little. I know that I use the phrase "awesome" like it's going out of style, but that's because there are so many funtasticular things in my life that can really only be described by the word to describe SOMEthing AWE-inspiring. And trust me, I was in awe. First, we experienced THE READY SET. I will go on the record and say that Jordan Witzigreuter is tremendous. He put on such a good show! And the whole crowd was involved! I mean, even the lumpiest dudes in the venue couldn't help but jump around when Joe-dannn played his set. It was so good. And then Christofer Drew and his band for Never Shout Never came onto the stage and entertained the masses. Now this dude is eccentric and very different from the usual band-dudes I see on stage, but that just made his set that much more unique! I loved when he stopped mid-chorus, grabbed a water, took a drink and said, "Water tastes good in my mouth." Then he threw the water in the crowd and picked up right where he left off. HA! What a ham. He's one cool dude. Yada yada yada. Then. The moment I'd been waiting for. The sixth time I'd get to see Boys Like Girls!!1! And they started off with LOVE DRUNK! AH! It was awesome. Their whole set was awesome. Five Minutes to Midnight. On Top of the World. UP AGAINST THE WALL! Eep! That one is by far my favorite song live. The lights, the sounds, the inescapable, overwhelming feeling of omaigawd-my-fav-band-still-rocks!! Sigh. It was such a great show. More than worth the wait. 

Aaaand Boys Like Girls announced their fall tour with Cobra Starship, The Maine, and A Rocket To The Moon. AWESOME!

Lalala. After the show, I quickly got to meet Jordan of The Ready Set. Haha, but I stupidly took a "picture" of me with him while my camera was still in video mode. OH WELL! Next we high-tailed it over to the theatre where we waited to watch HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. Damn. I soaked in every bit of that movie.

WEDNESDAY

Oh hey, somewhere in there it became tomorrow... which was actually a few days ago... anywho, on Wednesday I watched the new HP6. I thought it was pretty rad. Verrry different from the books, but still good. And after the movie, we went back to the house and hung around for a little bit. I finally ate dinner, too. Actually, I think I just swallowed my sandwich whole because I was so hungry I didn't even need to taste the food. It just needed to get in my belly.

Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. OH! Finally time to wake up... I have come to find that I prefer being awake and daydreaming that asleep and for-realsie dreaming... much more fun for me. Now, where was I? Oh yes! I woke up and showered because I was filthy. And I just hung out with Logan a little more until I left to come home. On the drive back, all I listened to were the 3 songs on The Ready Set's EP. If you don't own it, GO BUY IT! Because it's awesome. Trust me.

Let's see... I got home around 6:30 pm, where I was greeted by the two doggies in my house. Goodness gracious, tho... I can't even remember what I did the rest of that day. So, moving on to...

THURSDAY/FRIDAY/SATURDAY

Hmmm. What did I do yesterday? I know that I went grocery shopping at some point in time. And I may or may not have listened to "Stays Four The Same" by The Ready Set 100 times.

Then today... Friday?... nope, we are now into Saturday, so.... yesterday, Friday, I for sure did nothing. It is 1:07 am on Saturday and I am still in the pajamas I went to sleep in on Thursday. Once I turned on my laptop Friday morning, it was hello buzznet/facebook/email, goodbye society. I'm sure you all know how that goes.

FUTURE

As of right now, Logan, Brett, and Chelsea are coming to stay at my house at the end of July for the Warped Tour. It's going to be off the f!@#ing chain. But before they get here, I really want to start playing my guitar. My fantabulous twin sister Jill bought it for me for Christmas a couple years back and I have always wanted to do more with it. So that's going to be what I do during the day over the next 12 days. I figure if I practice enough, I'm bound to be able to learn something. So wish me luck!

That's all for nao! Okaebai.

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1. Spongebob Squarepants (Nickelodeon)
For those of you who have never met Spongebob Squarepants, he is a simple sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea... next door to his best friend Patrick Star and his “best friend” Squidward Tentacles. Mr. Squarepants works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, which is owned and operated by money-hungry restaurateur Eugene Krabs. In his free time, Spongebob enjoys jellyfishing and practicing his karate moves with squirrel-friend Sandy Cheeks. These characters, along with the other sea critters of Bikini Bottom (the town where they live), manage to have enough entertaining adventures in one episode to always keep me coming back for more!

--> This is one of my favorite shows of all time. I have the first four seasons on DVD that I haul around with me wherever I end up living (i.e. dorm versus home). I absofruitly LOVE Spongebob Squarepants. That’s really all there is to it. It makes me smile and LOL-out-loud and that’s why it’s my favorite.

2. Psych (USA Network)
Sean has a well-trained eye for detail, but has managed to play it off as psychic abilities in order to turn a profit from his talent. Along with his best friend Gus, Sean opened up a small psychic office called PSYCH to offer his “abilities” to the public at large. In addition to various civilians, the pair has managed to hoodwink the San Diego Police Department, where they frequently assist with cases ranging from theft to murrrder... always, of course, with a high level of comedy and amusement.

--> Oh boi, this show is high-lay-ree-us. It is SO funny and very creative. Every episode has me howling and I highly recommend renting the DVDs from Blockbuster if you’ve never seen Psych. Sean and Gus are a great team and the officers at the SDPD just add to the hilarity.

3. How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
Five friends, Ted, Robin, Marshall, Lily, and Barney live in New York City. Ted is an architect. Robin is a news reporter. Marshall is a lawyer. Lily is a preschool teacher (as an aside, Marshall and Lily are married). Aaaand Barney (played by Neil Patrick Harris! HUZZAH!) is the biggest player in the whole city. In each episode, the audience follows this quintet as Ted tells his kids how he met their mother by means of 30-minute flash backs.

--> No matter what’s going on in the episode, I can count on sitting in front of the television every Monday night laughing obnoxiously at their wit and humor. Between the ridiculous marital issues of Lily and Marshall, the secret past of teen-pop sensation Robin Sparkles, and the endless attempts Ted makes to find a wife, I am always glued to the tube. But however funny those four are, Barney Stinson makes this show. He is the funniest character and best bro ever... he even has a book entitled “The Bro Code”, which I have read a dozen times.

4. Phineas and Ferb (Disney Channel)
Brothers Phineas and Ferb find ways to make the most of their summer vacation because “the annual problem of our generation is finding a good way to spend it,” as the theme-song sings. As they come up with crazy activities to do each day, their older sister Candace tries to bust ‘em and get them in trouble with their mom. Meanwhile, lazy-ass platypus Perry turns out to be a super-cool-super-secret animal agent trying to thwart the evil attempts of Dr. Doofenshmirtz. WOOHOO!

--> Buzznet recently interviewed the creators of this show, Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, http://www.buzznet.com/musicnews/creators-phineas-ferb-answer-questions-j4302161/, and I am so happy that I was able to be a part of it! This is my favorite show on the Disney Channel nowadays; it’s just my cup of tea... an equal blend of haha’s, teehee’s, and a dash of snorting (not crack-cocaine... I actually snort when I laugh).

5. 24 (FOX)
Jack Bauer.

--> Enough said.

6. The Office (NBC)
Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, Inc. has many branches across the Midwest. One branch in Scranton, Pennsylvania is where the show is set; viewers follow the goings-on of the office and its warehouse in a documentary-esque fashion. Captain Awkward and head-honcho of the office, Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell), is ridiculous. Jim and Pam are the perfect couple. The Angela-Dwight-Andy love triangle is so strange, but each individual is even more strange…ly funny! And employees Kevin (fat and simple-minded), Phyllis (motherly and married to Bob Vance... of Vance Refrigeration), Ryan (a.k.a. EGO), Oscar (gay), Toby (outcast), Creed (not entirely there), Stanley (doesn’t take anyone’s shit), Kelly (typical cheerleader-type girl), and Meredith (alcoholic) complete the cast.

--> I have never worked in an office-like setting, but my Mom says that this show hits the nail on the head. And I believe her. Some episodes are hard to watch because the awkward moments are torturous. Other episodes are so funny I have to watch them three or four times in order to catch all the best lines. If you have only seen one episode and wrote this show off as a FAIL, I urge you to watch more because you just might grow to love it.

7. The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Two nerds, Leonard and Sheldon, live in an apartment across the hall from total-babe-struggling-actress Penny. Nerd-friends Rajeesh, who can’t talk to girls unless intoxicated, and Howard, who most fails when he tries to get girls, frequently hang out with Leonard and Sheldon. The quartet REALLY makes the nerdy-audience laugh-out-f!@#ing-loud with their sometimes intelligent, sometimes idiotic remarks.

--> One episode in particular made me cry from laughing so hard. Penny and Sheldon were going to exchange presents for the holidays. Sheldon wanted to be sure to give Penny a gift of equal value, so he bought a variety of gift baskets that he would be able to choose from once he received his gift. Penny got Sheldon a napkin used and signed by Leonard Nimoy (original Spock of Star Trek) and Sheldon just didn’t know what to do. I LAUGHED SOSOSO HARD! Watch this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlhHTdDqoBc. SO FUNNY!

8. The Amazing Race (CBS)
Teams of two set off for a scavenger hunt around the world! They partake in various challenges throughout the race and whichever team checks into the pit-stop last during each leg of the race is sent home. Whoever makes it to the final pit-stop first wins one millllllllion dollars.

--> There are three reasons why I love this show so much. (1) Phil Keoghan. He is the host of the show, has a tremendous New Zealand accent, and is just so cool I can hardly stand it. (2) The Roaming Gnome. Travelocity is one of the sponsors of this show and damn do I love that roaming gnome. My sister actually has a roaming gnome statue that she bought off the Travelocity website. (3) Out of all the reality shows ever made, I would want to go on this one the most. Talk about a great experience!

9. Entourage (HBO)
Vinny Chase and his Entourage make movies, party hard, and have lots of sex.

--> Don’t watch this show with your younger siblings. It is not appropriate. But that shouldn’t stop you (if you’re over the age of 18?) from watching it! It’s produced by and based on actor Mark Wahlberg, who is the shizzzzz, if you didn’t know. My older sister has all the DVDs made thus far and we are all eagerly awaiting the start of the next season on 12 JULY 2009 in my house. It’s a good HBO show.

10. Hannah Montana (Disney Channel)
The Disney Channel is all about celebrities being normal people just like you and me. And they really bring that message home with teen-pop-sensation Hannah Montana. By day she goes by Miley Stewart, who is “just your ordinary girl,” but at night she is on stage singing as Hannah Montana and living the “best of both worlds.”

--> http://buzzvideoblognet.buzznet.com/user/video/4154251/hate-love-love-hate-hannah/?p=1 ......... Need I say more?

-------------------

And since I couldn’t really decide which of his shows I like best, I would also like to point out how much I love Gordon Ramsay’s cooking shows. Hell’s Kitchen (FOX) and Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares (BBC) are awesome cooking shows. Let’s face it: Gordon Ramsay is the Jack Bauer of culinary television.

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If you’ve got a television at your house that’s collecting dust, I recommend watching any of the above-listed shows. I love a good show every now and again and can always count on them to provide. Yaya teeveeee :D

I looked up All Time Low first since they’d be on the Warped Tour and I would be able to see them twice, too! So I hit up their PureVolume site and took a listen to some of the available songs; namely Coffee Shop Soundtrack (which was also a FREE download), Jasey Rae, Break Out! Break Out!, and The Girl’s A Straight-Up Hustler.

Ladies and gentlemen, the music that greeted my ears can only be described by one word: LOVE.

Omaigoshhh. I fell head over heels at the first words out of the singer’s mouth. “Should I write myself out of the history books? And mark a place in time for every chance you took?” It was as though my earbuds were a slot machine and I just hit the jackpot. Sweet, sweet victory. I downloaded Coffee Shop Soundtrack and put it on every playlist and mix-CD I made over the next -->>long-span-of-time-here<<--. That was until I express-delivered Put Up Or Shut Up to my home as fast as mail-manly possible. I could not get enough! I made the All Time Low Fans Group sometime in the midst of my obsession and tried to find as many ATLovers as I could. Who else had been keeping this stellar quartet a secret?!

Alex Gaskarth – Vocals
Jack Barakat – Guitar
Zack Merrick – Bass
Rian Dawson – Drums

aWesoMe... names that I couldn’t forget even if I were concussed by a gorilla and got a terrible case of amnesia. They are engraved in my mind, not only for the talents they have shared with me, but also from the number of times I have tagged them in my pictures or videos here on Buzznet, the number of times I’ve had them sign my now-priceless CD-cases and posters, and, of course, from the number of times I’ve screamed “I LOVE YOU JACK!” at the top of my lungs at a concert like the little fangirl I am.

Oh All Time Low, I am such a fan. But notice that I am not an “original fan” like so many people claim to be. (I’m also not a stalker because I believe in loving the music rather than wanting to marry those who create it.) I didn’t hear The Three Things To Remember When Dealing In The End or The Party Scene until after I had memorized Put Up Or Shut Up and was eagerly awaiting the arrival of So Wrong, It’s Right. I did not see All Time Low in concert before Warped Tour ’07 nor am I their number one friend on Buzznet because I was the first to add them. Fortunately for me what matters is how I love All Time Low and not how long I’ve loved them.

Two years, though, is still a pretty good span of time for listening to this band, considering that is about one-tenth of my existence here on Eee-arth. For those of you who are wondering or who have ever asked, received an answer, and then forgotten, I have seen All Time Low on 5 or 6 different occasions during this wonderful time period... always on their amusingly (or absurdly or ridiculously... you can really pick any adjective) titled tours, such as The Man Whores and Open Sores Tour, The Shortest Tour EVER, The Compromising of Integrity, Morality, and Principles in Exchange For Money Tour, and the like. I have a nice little file on my computer entitled “With The Band” where I have my picture taken with each member on 2 or 3 occasions! I just haven’t uploaded those to Buzznet because I am selfish and keep those gems to myself.

Sigh. It’s a good life. One where I am comforted and kept awake by their up-beat, pop-punk, rock-and-roll music that isn’t overplayed eeeven when the iTunes play count far exceeds Z, where Z=5!*3*ln(7). And right now I am sitting here (yes, here) on my family room sofa soaking in the new tunes... don't worry, I am only streaming the record (Nothing Personal) one time around because I honestly cannot tame my curiosity. I AM UBER EXCITED!

So to you, my friends on Buzznet.com, I must admit that I have been anticipating this album like no other... getting more anxious with each passing day... and now that it is FiNaLlY HERE... I must profess myself one extremely satisfied fan.

There is no denying that it is a new sound for All Time Low. They are maturing as musicians, and with several different producers on this new album it’s hard to keep things the same as they “used” to be. There will always be people who mention that they wish Nothing Personal sounded more like Put Up Or Shut Up and that they love the original The Party Scene record the best of all (and will constantly badger the band for an original copy of the latter CD, when the members don’t even have any for themselves [or so I’ve heard]). But all of this wishing for a different sound and hoping for them to “go back to their roots” isn’t going to create a new record. So why not enjoy the one they’re putting out now?!

Nothing Personal is a solid album. The worry I had built up inside my mind about not-enjoying-their-new-record was put at ease after just one listen to the album on MTV’s The Leak. Weightless. Break Your Little Heart. Damned. Lost In Stereo. Stella (listen to this one with headphones; there are really neat effects between the ears). Sick Little Games. Hello, Brooklyn. Walls. Too Much. Keep The Change, You Filthy Animal. A Party Song. Therapy. HUZZAH!! A full twelve-song album made by All Time Low for All Time Low fans. The same four musicians we have grown so fond of worked their badonkadonks off to get to where they are today and have certainly delivered an album to be proud of with Nothing Personal. It’s a great CD. That’s all there is to it.

Come 07 JULY 2009, I’ll be more than ready to own each and every song. At midnight-oh-one I’ll be staring at my computer just WAITING for iTunes to start downloading Nothing Personal, which I preordered for the B-Side and remix (in addition to the preorders I have coming in the mail from SmartPunk, Glamour Kills, and The Hustler Club for a special edition Jac Vanek bracelet, t-shirt, and autographed copy, respectively).

I. am. psyched. Bring on the tunes.

*I am sorry to say that I have yet to really get into Valencia. I know the words to “Away We Go” and the first minute of “The Space Between”. I was a tad side-tracked. Ooops.

2. Whenever someone picks up a spherical piece of fruit, it is immediately thrown into the air, either from one hand to the other or in an up-down fashion. This is to prove hand-eye coordination to all of the people watching, where the audience size is usually upwards of zero.

3. People who are fascinated by how much water I drink in one day usually say “Oh that’s so good for you! I should start drinking more water like you.” They never do. People just like to talk because they are disconcerted by silence.

4. I have bought birthday gifts for my friends over the past few years... yet the friendship never seems to be going well when my birthday rolls around and I don’t receive anything in return. Ever. WTF? I blame part of my poorness on having to buy my own birthday presents. And no, I do not feel needy and greedy because I want to be showered with love on my birthday in the form of new material possessions. Every now and then I like a new t-shirt or an iTunes gift card or something made by my little sister. So sue me.

5. Students are more likely to fall asleep in class if the teacher is monotonous. It’s not always because they didn’t get a lot of sleep or have a hard time focusing. I develop my attention level based on (1) my interest in the class, (2) the teacher’s energy and frequency by which the tone of their voice changes, and (3) who I sit next to. And since first is the worst, second is the best, and third is the one with the hairy chest (*takes breath*) I have to (1) try to only pick interesting classes, (2) find the greatest teachers, and (3) sit next to dudes in order to do well in school.

6. Everyone keeps secrets. I don’t think there is a way to have someone who knows everything I’m thinking unless we share a brain... and that would just be weird.

7. If you tell someone their fly is down (i.e. the zipper on their pants is not zipped fully) they think you were staring at their crotch.

8. Air conditioning is the only way I stay alive during the summer.

9. The Friday Night Boys have a great EP, a stellar first record, and so much potential. I had been listening to their stuff for a little while before the concert, but ever since I saw them live I AM OBSESSED! iLike “Suicide Sunday”, “Stuttering”, “Permanent Heartbreak”, and “That’s What She Said” the most. And if I had to pick a ballad, I would choose “Can’t Take That Away”. zomg. It’s a fiery infatuation all around.

10. 95% of the male population will crumple up their paper and shoot (not throw or toss) it into the waste paper bin. 99% of those men will call “Kobe” in honor of the American basketball player Kobe Bryant, and the other 1% of men who call “Bobby” in honor of the American quidditch chaser Robert Green.

11. Most of the people I drive behind start breaking before they turn on their blinker to signal that they are turning and not just mentally deficient. One day I’ll end up giving one of those people a love-tap just because it frustrates the hell out of me.

12. Not enough people watch and appreciate Spongebob Squarepants.

13. I don’t have ADHD (I think). I have PROCRASTINATED (for those of you on the unawares, that stands for Probably Ruining Only Chance Remaining At Success, Thumbing Incessantly, Never Amounting To Enything Disorder... I am co-founder of the movement trying to legalize it as a real disease... we’ll be approved sometime after medical marijuana).

*13 is said to be an unlucky number. That just makes it my favorite.

Oh oh oh, I almost forgot... I also got some video of 6 Months by Hey Monday, Run Don't Walk by Hey Monday, and My Beautiful Rescue by This Providence. Be sure to checkkk those out in my video gallery :D

So let's take a trip down memory lane and I'll show you the depths of my affection. It was spring of 2006... April the second, to be exact. I went to see a Motion City Soundtrack concert with The Matches, The Format, and Men Women and Children. It was a phenomenal show. And the first rock show I attended without my parents; it was just me, my twin sister Jill, and my older sister Anna. I was 16 (and a half!) years old. I will always remember 02 APRIL 2006 because it was the beginning of my concert obsession.

• waiting in line outside the venue for doors to open
• visiting the merch tables with tip jars saying that a unicorn will die if you don't tip
• squeezing in between complete strangers to get as close to the stage as possible
• holding up the camera and praying to get a good shot
• hanging out with the bands during set changes and after the show
• looking around and seeing everyone rockkk along to every song

I just love concerts. I love to live in the music as it is played before me. Nothing can replace concerts for me.

And so after that show we found a few others to see, but could hardly wait for Motion City Soundtrack or The Format to come back to town. We checked their web pages for any news of upcoming tours or concerts that we'd be able to go and see them at. And then a tour was announced... Tournado on 18 DECEMBER 2006. Lineup? Motion City Soundtrack (YES!). The Format (YES!). The All-American Rejects (WOOHOO!). and Boys Like Girls (who?). Our curiousity was sparked. We looked 'em up and liked the songs they had released so far... and a new album was coming out soon!! How exciting.

So we waited for 22 AUGUST 2006 to come around (3 days before my birthday :). Eventually it did, and we bought it, aaand I listened to that record a trillion times. I could not get enough of it. The Great Escape. Five Minutes to Midnight. Hero/Heroine. On Top of the World. Thunder. Me, You and My Medication. Up Against the Wall. Dance Hall Drug. Learning to Fall. Heels Over Head. Broken Man. Holiday. Songs that I know better than the United States Constitution. 

And so the day of the concert came. And I was one of maybe 10 people in the crowd who had heard of Boys Like Girls, but I sang along to their songs as loud as at least 5 people. I was floored. Their show was awesome. It made me appreciate them even more (bands should be evaluated on not only their studio abilities, but also their live performances... Boys Like Girls passed both with flying colors). Over the next year I saw them in concert:

1. 11 MARCH 2007 with Cartel and Cobra Starship
2. 12 MAY 2007 with Hellogoodbye and The Rocket Summer
3. 27 JULY 2007 on the Warped Tour
4. 09 NOVEMBER 2007 with All Time Low, The Audition, and Valencia

And then my streak ended when they decided to tour with Avril Lavigne.

My love for Boys Like Girls has never faltered. I am a loyal fan through and through. And if truth be told, they are the reason I joined Buzznet.com in the first place... I wanted to enter a contest... I got second place. WOOHOO! I also won an autographed drum-head through one of the Warped Tour contests. Needless to say, I am really happy with how the contests went and how my time on Buzznet has been spent.

So anyway, let's fast forward to today. I wake up and hop onto my computer and low-and-behold... THERE'S A NEW BOYS LIKE GIRLS SONG!! Love Drunk. I flipped not one, not two, not three, not any shits because I don't even know what that means. I screamed, turned the song on, and listened to it a dozen times before realizing I could buy it and turn it on single repeat, rather than replaying it on their myspace page. I have since listened to it at least 50 times (SINGLE REPEEEAT!) and keep finding myself hopping out of my chair to dance along. It's such a great song. Good beat. Entertaining lyrics with a supadupastella melody. And there's a swear word... Martin says "bullshit". Yes.

I have been anticipating a new album for years, and now that one is just around the corner, I hardly know what to do with myself!! I am so excited I don't even know how to contain my energy!!1! So I expel it through dance!! and sing along, of course ;) I highly recommend checking out their new single Love Drunk. I loveLoVeLOVE it! You might not like it, but you'll enjoy the thoughts of me dancing around my family room in my jammies when the chorus kicks in.

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