I'm not always okay, but you make it good.

What is this notion of expressed affection being something that scares people away? Remind me why we're scared again?

And speaking of expressed affection, I'm declaring my love for this video:

Someday without trying you'll find something that's rare.

Oh my gosh. I can't even tell you how happy I've been. I'm going to go find a new notebook to squee in just to respect his privacy and all, but... yeah. I'm so happy. I was kind of scared I might die in a car crash on the way home for being so happy. Happy's the only word I've got right now.

Currently drinking: Orangina.

Maybe to balance out how manic I've been lately, I seem to be going through a pretty great soul music phase consisting primarily of a fixation with Brenda Holloway singing "Every Little Bit Hurts." But even that's kinda making way for putting "Supercrush" and "Puzzle Pieces" by Tiger Trap on repeat along with Michael Jackson's "PYT." It's called giddy, I think.

Also, weirdest thing ever, I kind of have an urge to visit LA. I thought for sure just rolling up and down to and from Bellingham would take care of the need to wander, but I start classes in a little more than a month and seem to have this restless legs thing going on. Yeesh.

Sonic Boom's last day in Fremont. Oh memories....

The luckiest.

Phillip Peterson and Eric Howk. Don't you ever let anyone tell you I don't love those guys with all my heart because holy cow, those guys are like my guardian angels (my incredibly talented, supergenius guardian angels). I have some rough mixes of things that are all sorts of incredible. You know why? Because my friends are amazing.

Also, I had a rad birthday. I hope you also had an excellent my birthday. Today is all about love, I hear. But I also decided that about yesterday.

And on a related-but-not-in-the-obvious-way note: I'm not scared, I'm excited. I'm not nervous, I'm excited. I'm excited!

Extra bonus: Dinosaur Jr. concert on On Demand! Most excellent!

Goodbye 20, forever 21.

What 20 was:
+ A ludicrous amount of traveling, mostly alone.
+ Adopting my beautiful little monster (Leo) from an overcrowded shelter!
+ Seeing Jarvis Cocker perform. You have to understand, I got into Pulp after they'd stopped doing anything. I never thought I'd get to see Jarvis Cocker live, but I was wrong!
+ Seeing Ted Leo + Rx three times, including the time I convinced a rather dim security guard I was allowed backstage just before the encore. Ted Leo shows are one of my favorite things in the whole entire world.
+ Discovering the power of changing my hair. It went reddish, then pink, then I had most of it cut off. The last part probably means the most to me even if it's the one people seem to like the least. I know it sounds cheesy, but for me, having all my hair cut off means dealing with what's there instead of what I've been hiding behind.
+ Leaving Los Angeles, moving back to the place that I built my silly ideals on in the first place.
+ Liking a nice boy for the first time.

What I want 21 to be:
+ Good times doing good things with good people.
+ More traveling, preferably not alone.
+ Being awesome.
+ Seeing Ted Leo some more.

...And I guess it'd be alright if it turns out that nice boy likes me back, too.

Happy my birthday!

Being a nurse doesn't stop you from playing music, it just means you get paid $40 an hour.

Practice with Chris at long last occurred! I've apparently written a Foo Fighters song. It's pretty much my favorite right now even though it may well be another one of those things where I make a song for someone and then that person gets all freaked out and heads for the hills. Not that it's a far trek out here. Well, plus that's actually never really happened. I just keep imagining it that way ever since the 7th grade when I pulled Byron Norris aside at the dance and told him I liked him and he said he liked Andrea and not me and I stood there in the really pretty skirt my mom made for me going, "oh, okay." Gaaaaahhhhh.

....Anyway.

The new plan for the band is to recruit pretty much all of Shook Ones. Watch out, dudes. I might have potato sacks and Chris might have access to sedatives.

...Kidding.

Not a single one of those guys would fit in a potato sack.

You are.

"Hey, Cristina, what are you doing?"
"Me? Oh, nothing, just watching my friends dressed like Chris Walla in a Zissou hat on MTV2."
The "You're watching Subterranean on MTV2" bar across Jackson's eyes was amazing.

1. Boys are confusing. Even the ones that everyone says are nice.
2. I am antsy to play shows.
3. I found footage of a Ted Leo sans Pharmacists show from 2003 and now dream of traveling back in time and playing shows with solo Ted Leo... and also totally weirding him out by singing along with his new (at the time) songs.
4. I've been craving a drive for a few nights now. I'm trying to save it for Shook Ones in PDX on the 15th. Any takers?
5. I'm once again declaring my birthday as the start of the new year.
6. My birthday week contains numerous potential good times. If you are one of those people that I like, I'd love if you were there for at least one of those good times.
7. I fixed my phone!