90's Rewind Part Three: Smashing Pumpkins

So, I am sitting in mon apartement with a nice glass of wine, peering anxiously at my popcorn-littered floor. See, I had my second annual Fireworks Party on Saturday and - judging from the mess - it, like the first one you may remember here, was a success. And like last time, I have waited a good few days to clean it. Meh. So I have a few bugs crawling around on my floor. If I keep the popcorn there long enough, they might eat it all up and I won't have to vacuum.



Party Time - J-School girls reunited (and it feels so good)


The Rockstar, Austen, Lauren and Work Dude


Fireworks over Vancouver


Nothing like Jaeger, straight out of the bottle


so much silliness (or booze?)


My scary-ass elevator ate Robyn!


No wonder she looks a bit traumatized here

**********

So anyway, what I was trying to say was that I am sitting here with a nice glass of cheap-ass wine, staring at my grubby floor AND listening to the new Smashing Pumpkins CD. Phew, took me a long time to get to that point, didn't it?

It's interesting though, how I've sorta come full circle after all these years. I know I was recently talking how I feel like I am back in the 90's...starting with all the Smashing Pumpkins playing on Sirius's 90's Alternative Channel (speaking of, they really should start paying me for freakin' plugging it all the time). Then I find myself getting tickets to the Pumpkins in September. And then my bf lends me the new Smashing Pumpkins CD and as I sit here and listen to it, I can't help but think how much it rocks (song 4 is especially good)...and how much it reminds me 1996. In a really good way.

Such as the last time I went to a Smashing Pumpkins concert....

The ticket above was my way into the Melancholy Tour. They were playing in Seattle, so my friend and I had convinced my mother to drive us all the way down there for the night just so my 14-year old ass could attend.

However, we were not just ordinary fans. We were nutjobs. We researched which hotel the Pumpkins liked to stay in. We were in full-on groupie mode.

So I begged my mom to let us stay at The Four Seasons. Best thing ever.

The minute we walked in the place, a tall bald man in black and a woman with black hair walked out. I wasn't really paying attention to them but when my mother (embarassingly) asked the doorman whether the band was staying here or not, he just pointed past us, at the goth-looking couple walking down the street and said, "That's Billy Corgan and Courtney Love right there."

Well, our jaws dropped and we raced up to our rooms, threw our stuff on the bed and demanded that we peruse the streets of downtown Seattle...you know, to pick up our tickets from the box office...not to...stalk...a certain someone.

My mother obliged (she knew what was good for her) and off we went.

We didn't see them.

But we did see that some crazy people had already started lining up for the concert. Even though it was 4 hours away. Well, not to be outdone (and not willing to have a crappy spot in the theatre) I suggested we do it too.

My mother wasn't having any of it. She thought it was silly to leave us alone on a cold, dreary downtown Seattle street. I thought she was silly for missing my point. That's how 14-year old logic works. Like clockwork.

So, about a block away from the theatre, I stop and decide to have an outright hissy fit.

I'm yelling and I'm pleading at my mom, shaking in my cargo pants and doc martins, while my friend is standing to the side and looking uncomfortable.

She's also hissing: "Shhhhh. Shut up. Shut up now. Shut up now. OMG, shut up!"

I ignore her and continue to spazz in public until she elbows me in the side just as two people walk past us.

A tall bald man and a woman with black hair.

I shut up in mid-sentence and turn to watch them go and GET THIS:

BILLY FREAKIN' CORGAN actually looks over his shoulder at me and LAUGHS.

He freakin' laughs at me. Laughs! At ME! Courtney Love looked fairly amused too (though it was hard to tell with her harsh black hair and her collagen snarl). But DAMN, if that's not something, I don't know what is.

I made a fool of myself in front of my beloved Billy Corgan. My purpose on this planet was complete.

Well that was enough to satisfy me, so we went back to the hotel (more like floated back to the hotel) and then got ready for the concert.

We got there a little early which was good and were happy to see how small the theatre was...it's capacity was only about 2000. If anyone has seen Pearl Jam's Evenflow (or at least I think it was Evenflow...maybe Alive) video where Vedder is hanging off of the balcony, that's the same Moore Theatre.

So even though it would mean standing for an hour, we toughed it out and stood right by the stage until they came on.

Best thing ever.

First of all, Courtney Love was up in the side balcony in a private box, which I thought was pretty cool. She didn't recognize me though. Damn.

Second of all, after all the pushing and shoving from the crowd, we actually ended up at the VERY front, with the railing pushing into our stomachs.

Third of all, they played for about 30 minutes IN THEIR PAJAMAS! Just sitting on stools and playing unplugged to the crowd. And they were honestly just feet away from me. It was.... scrumtrulescent.

After the amazing show (in which, btw, some idiot tried to reanact the Evenflow video and hung from the balcony and fell into the crowd. Corgan was not amused), we raced back to the hotel to see if we could catch the band coming back for the night. We parked ourselves in the lobby, settled in comfy chairs, and waited.

Eventually, Darcy came in. We got all squealy when we saw her and were about to approach her with our pen and paper for an autograph, but she left....and the concierge got suspiscious.

He asked what we were doing here and if we were here to bother the band. We feigned disinterest and convinced him that we were merely waiting for my mom to come out of the bar, which was just around the corner and which loud laughs were constantly coming out of.

After awhile of sitting there though, one of the laughs actually started to sound familiar. Being the big fans we are, we soon deduced that it was the honking laugh of the usually drunk drummer, Jimmy Chamberlain (we were also fans of the SP video Vieuphoria).

Excited at our new discovery, we sat around until we saw Jimmy stumble from around the corner and out of the bar. This was our chance!

We sprinted to the elevator and cut him off at the pass.

Jimmy seemed a bit surprised, but he was very nice and obliging. And drunk. And hiccupping. And didn't even mind when he missed his elevator.

So he signed it, asked if he could keep the pen, got in the next elevator and dissappeared.

Why did he take our pen?

Anyhoo, it didn't matter. We had his autograph, he had my pen and all was right with the world.

90's Rewind Part Two: Silverchair

Speaking of having herself thrown into the 90's Wayback Machine, guess who got herself dragged to a Silverchair concert on Saturday night?

That's right, ME.

That's right, SILVERCHAIR.

Yes. The band is still around. I know, I couldn't believe it either. In fact, when I heard that there was a Silverchair concert a few weeks back, I first said "Silverchair? Why do they sound familiar?" and then, "Ohhh, Silverchair. Didn't that guy have anorexia?" and finally, "Ha ha ha. Silverchair."

See, all my memories of Silverchair are from like 1997 or some stupid year, and revolve around a band formed of 3 shaggy-haired Australian teenagers who sang about "Tomorrow" and "you gonna wait fat boy."

So, when a month ago my boyfriend said he was suped duper excited about this Silverchair concert, I thought A) he was joking B) he was kidding or C) I had really HAD stumbled backwards into the 90's. In fact, I had just heard "Tomorrow" on my Sirius Radio's 90's alt channel (that's channel 24 for you Neily).

Turns out that after Silverchair disappeared from the radar, the lead singer Daniel Johns was diagnosed with anorexia, then became bed-ridden with crippling arthritis for a year, all while marrying the gorgeous Natalia Imbruglia and making FOUR more albums after Frogstomp.

All this time, Silverchair continued on with their bandy ways, making music and touring and all that, while North America had literally no idea... I mean, seriously (they have a new album coming out - does anyone on this continent know that? I doubt it).

Anyhoo, to make a long story short (too late), the Rockstar was super excited about seeing one of his favourite bands and wouldn't shut up about this concert for the longest time. Although he did shut up about it around me since every time he uttered the word "Silverchair," I would give him this really amused look (probably because I was starting to confuse Silverchair with "Hanson").

Saturday comes around at any rate and while shopping with a friend, I get a text from the boyf. Apparently he's come across an extra ticket to the sold out show and wants me to accompany him. He said he would pay and everything, he just really wanted me there with him, sharing in the magic that is Silverchair.

My first thought was, "Really? He actually wants me to go to the concert with him?" (I wasn't used to my company actually being requested) and my second was, "Ha ha ha ha. OK. Fat boy, wait till tomorroooooooow" (and then I started singing in my head).

So I agreed and it was the best choice ever.

Silverchair was fucking awesome. I only wish that I had listened to their CDS before the concert because then I would have enjoyed it even more so, but even though I didn't know a single song, I had an awesome time. They were freakin' brilliant live and Daniel Johns (though recovering from Laryngitis) blew us all away. I was also really stoned for the first time in years - which really added to the moment. As well as this joke below:



This video was taken from someone at the concert on Saturday. Daniel Johns is telling a pretty funny joke (funnier when you are high) -but don't ask about the turban. I have no idea why he has it on... indeed, my first thought when he came on stage was, "My God, they have all grown up...and become Indian."




This video is of the song Without You - yeah, I think the person was in the mosh pit (I was slightly to the right of the mosh pit).

So yeah. Awesome concert, even though it was one of those shows in which you wish you knew the words... or the tune...so you just kinda bob your head up and down and try to guess what words you can mime next (so you don't look like a non-fan idiot). And now I'm probably going to download the albums, listen to them, love them and then wish I had seen them live.... oh, wait.

PS on an ironic note, the band that opened for Silverchair was a crappy band that the Rockstar's band had lost to in a competition for a BIG record label last month. Yeah. That's right. Had they have won, they would have opened for freakin' Silverchair! Which would really mean something if the rest of the world knew the band was still alive and kicking... ah well, I guess I'm a believer now.

This week in....

Well folks, summer has officially shone its pretty little face on my fair city and we are not supposed to be getting any rain until August. At least, that's what someone told me and I've been telling everyone I know and I know it will probably rain tomorrow and I will have a bunch of angry Vancouverites after me, but...meh.

Anyhoo, it's been a busy week but a most excellent, dancing on the clouds-type of one. And a week of...firsts...as well.

1) Most importantly...I have SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED MY DEGREE! This is AMAZING news since I never, EVER thought I would get there. Honestly, I shouldn't have.

You will all remember that back in May, I completed my whole Early Modern European History course in 5 days and walked away with an A.

This time I feared I would not be so lucky. Case in point: I had three classes remaining. Three Fourth-year level literature classes: Brit, American and Canadian. Each class has required reading of about 6 books each class. I had a month to read ...6 x 3 books (thank GOD I didn't take a math class). And write about 4 X 3 essays on those books. And write 3 exams.

I did it. Except I was certain I failed the British Lit class. For one, there were three books I never read - one of the books, The French Leutenant's Woman, was the essay question on the exam. Three freakin' questions and they were ALL about that bloody book. So I made up some crap about WW2, the French and Adultery.

Turns out the book is set in the Victorian age and doesn't really involve any of the above. Whoops.

So then I figured, all right, I failed the exam BUT I can make it up if I tried really hard on the essay assigments (YES, I did it backwards, I wrote the exam first and then did the assignments...again, bad choice).

So I did my best, only I left it to the last minute so I ended up scratching together all three essays in one day, handing it in only minutes from the due date and not even proof-reading my work - another no-no, considering that my freakin keyboard's "A" key fell off so it feels like I am pinching someone's nipple everytime I use the "A." It makes for many missed letters and for me getting slightly turned on.

Anyhoo, I should also add that one of the assignments involved two mini esssays on TWO books I had NOT read either. Shite. So I bullshited. Thank YOU Sparknotes!

And then with my Canadian Lit course, I actually forgot to hand in one Assignment. Whoops again!

But God was smiling down on me once again (I have NO idea why this time) and I got my marks back. On the courses, I got two C+'s and one B. I successfully and foolishly completely my final courses.

Gee, they let anyone graduate from University these days!

2) My freedom - Though I miss him dearly, Josh has moved out. My place is too small for two and it is a testament to Josh's character that I never killed him. I couldn't have asked for a better roomate - that said, I am happy to be dancing in my underwear to Lily Allen and Faceless again and can play Massive Attack's Teardrop without him going "AGAIN?" I am happy to eat my wee frozen meals and not feel like I have to feed him too. I am happy to go to bed at 10 if I want to, to wake up early and go jogging. Happy to have naps after work and to CLEAN THE CRAP outta my apartment.

Luckily, Josh just lives ONE BLOCK away now so my withdrawal from having him around isn't that bad. Plus he got a job at Romano's Macaroni Grill, which I'm sure I'll go to every week so we can get a SWEET discount. That restaurant is SO good.

3) Jessica Simpson - and I are friends on Facebook. I tagged her in a photo with me, she then assumes she knows me and suddenly I am in her Top Friends with Nicole Richie and the Duffster. I know it's probably not her but - it just may be. Either way, I'm finding it fucking hilarious.

4) Bard on the Beach - I had never been to this before, but every summer in Vancouver, tents are set up across the water from my apartment and Shakepeare plays run. This year it was Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew, Julius Ceaser and Timon of Athens. Josh and I went to R&J and we were SOOOO impressed. Bloody brilliant, the actors were incredible and having the whole thing in the open air, with the REAL sunset setting behind Juliet's balcony and a REAL ocean breeze ruffling her hair. Plus it was slightly emo with Romeo and his boys in skinny black jeans and white shirts - and what CUTE boys they were. There was even partial nudity (Romeo's emo bum) which was totally worth admission alone.

(hey you can see my apartment in this photo!)


If you are in Vancouver, go see it!

5) Wedding fun - My childhood friend Amanda, got married the other day. We've known each other for twenty years so it was mucho exciting to be invited to her wedding. If you can believe it, this was the first wedding I had been to in 12 years.

Even more exciting is when I volunteered to do her makup and she said yes.

Excitement soon turned to nausea when someone pointed out that I, a non-makeup artist (who, yes, went to school for it...seven years ago!), was going to do her makeup. On the most.important.day.of.her.life.

So I kinda freaked. Especially since I was up until 5 AM the night before.

But anyhoo, I showed up at her house and did the best I could. I think it turned all right - I mean, she looked glowing and beautiful and that's what counts!



The ceremony was short and sweet, with her two little girls acting up and being generally adorable. I'll admit, I thought that perhaps I would get depressed because apparently non-married women do at weddings. But honestly, I was soooo happy for her that I was crying as she walked down the aisle. But so was everyone else, so that was OK. Sigh.

At one point, I showed a gorgeous picture of Amanda to her husband (see above) and said, "Look how beautiful she looks." He looked up at me and said whole heartedly, "I know. I am the luckiest man on Earth." How amazing that was to hear, considering that they already have been together for years, have two kids, have a house...that he still knows her worth.

Best part of the wedding? When the couple walked into reception to the tune of Darth Vader. It was fucken awesome...when I get married I'm gonna have the whole Star Wars theme. That, or Indian Jones and I'm gonna have the groom sweep down on a rope with a statue in his hand. How cool would that be???? Then a big boulder could roll down the hall...oh man.


Well, that's it for now...I will have to fill you in on my week of hell (of a few weeks back) later just because it involves me breaking into the CEO's house with a troupe of Portuguese housecleaners.

Still Single?

I was going to write a nice, long, funny post about my hell week of last - it wasn't truly hell but it was in a "ha ha I'm in Hell" funny kinda way.

Anyway, that will have to wait because I just arrived home from work, sweating from the bleeping sunshine that has FINALLY shone upon my rainy city, and came across this letter (see above) stuck under my door.

I thought perhaps I should address this...

NO. I am not still single.

If Facebook is any indicator, I am in a relationship as of Canada Day (July 1st).

I'm not going to go into too much detail because I don't think it's fair to the Rockstar - but I will say a few choice things to satisfy your appetite.

I met him a little more than a month ago, during that horrible night I had where I got really drunk and upset and cried all the way home after the bar. I was originally at the bar to see a friend of mine from highschool since it was her birthday and all and Facebook united us. This was my first time drinking since the horrible break-up, do keep in mind. Anyhoo, I had been on a few dates with that REALLY GOOD-LOOKING GUY whom had given me the creeps in an underlying way and as soon as he found out that I was drunk and out at a bar downtown, he decided to come down.

I wasn't too happy about this - yes, the attention from him was flattering but at this point my highschool friend had introduced me to her good friend, Rockstar. Now....I was drunk and he does look exactly like Ferris Bueller (at least, I think so) so even though I didn't know the guy at all, I got up and yelled, "Oh My GOD! It's Ferris Bueller!"

Apparently he gets that a lot and we joked a bit about me being in Newlyweds, yadda yadda. Anyway, there were lots of other guys around the bar that night too and I was having a good time, but for some reason I just started gravitating towards Rockstar. I had felt like I had known him all my life - even though a relationship at this point was the furthest thing in my mind. That came to be the truth later when REALLY GOOD-LOOKING GUY showed up and him and I went to another bar. In the midst of making out and being groped on the street (I was drunk) I suddenly realized how "un-safe" and vulnerable I was - physically and emotionally. That led to me running away from REALLY GOOD-LOOKING CREEPY GUY and all the way home.

On that weepy stumble, as you all know, I was this close to drunk dialing my Ex. I don't think I really missed him but he was familiar and comfortable and made me feel safe. Anyway, as you know, I didn't call him (THANK GOD). But a funny thing was, that right before I passed out, alone in my own bed, I thought about Rockstar. And how even though I didn't know him, that felt familiar, comfortable and safe too.

The next day - and the next week - that followed were the worst. I was at my lowest point and two of my friends abandoned me when I needed them most. I caved in and emailed the Ex. He was as supportive as he could be - but deep down I could tell that his whole "I'm always friends with my Exes" was a load of horseshit (don't worry, I don't think he reads my blog anymore). I could tell he was happy to be rid of me and once I accepted that, I finally began to move on.

Now my intention was not to move on (or *ahem* under) another man. I was quite content being single as I knew I would be. But the more I stayed in contact with Rockstar, the more I felt....something.

There were several reasons - of course - that kept me from persuing anything. Number one is that he is 16 months younger than me - but as I got to know him I could see what a mature, old soul he really is. Number two, he's in a band. I am soooo not a groupie - I dated guitarists all throughout high school and was not looking into that scene again. Number three, I didn't think we had anything in common - but it turns out we do, in fact, and what we don't is made up for by having this amazing chemistry. Number four, I had just gotten out of a serious (well, what I thought was serious, it obviously never was in hindsight) relationship. This was the big one. Was two months enough time? Was I truly over my Ex? Was I doing this for all the right reasons?

The answer was YES. To all of them.

So here I am. In a relationship with a guy who makes me laugh like no one else ever has. Who makes me feel GIDDY - in such a way that I don't think I have ever felt this way about anyone (of course, I am jinxing it now ;) Who actually WANTS to see me and drives 45 minutes just to and doesn't complain about it- how wonderful to feel wanted for a change. Who sends me texts throughout the day that makes me grin from ear-to-ear which causes my co-workers to wonder what's wrong with me. We even went to the same high school, his dad and my dad play golf together on a regular basis (and always have) and his best friend is the son of my mother's best friend. Weird, huh?

Anyway, I said this would be brief but I so just totally lied to you all. But you know what, I'm as happy as Paris Hilton right now and I'm just making up for lost time.

Oh...and there are a few more things (good things) that are going on but I'll have to do that later. This is too much for one day :)

BTW - I would totally upload my photos from my Canada Day weekend (and the boy) but I can't find them. Anyone else who is remotely interested, can mosey on down to my Facebook. I know there is a link to it somewhere....