Killer

I'm not going to use this platform to complain about my day. That would be too easy. I'll just say that it has left me drained, exhausted, a little frustrated and wanting to go to bed at 9:30. In other news, January is almost over. There is a teeeny tiny little light at the end of the bitter cold winter tunnel. I know it's not going to be 50 degrees again anytime soon, but I feel like the very worst might be over.

In case you haven't noticed, I've stopped posting pretty snow pictures. I knew I would become disillusioned by it eventually, and so I am. Now I'm ready to start taking colorful Spring pictures, full of flowers and pastels. Bring it on! Here are a few of my favorites from a time when the city was not a frozen tundra:

(*Sigh* proof that it won't be like this forever!)

I cooked over the weekend. I made a tomato and lentil soup, pancakes and eggs (breakfast in bed for Jon), and the oddest, flattest cookies ever (they resembled the pancakes more than they resembled cookies). I didn't take pictures of them because it was embarrassing. They were tasty, though.

So let's get down to it. Last Tuesday Jon and I went to see The Killers and M83 at UIC Pavilion. I've never been to the venue before and despite the negative things I've read about the sound quality, I thought it was a pretty decent setting for this particular show.

But let me start at the beginning! As we got there and attempted to find the right gate to enter, I saw a number of signs telling me that no cameras whatsoever were allowed inside. This panicked me slightly, because I can turn into a nervous hot mess at the drop of a hat. Luckily, they weren't all that thorough with the searching of my bag (perhaps because I stubbed my toe pretty damn hard on the guardrail right in front of the security lady and she seemed to feel bad for me) and I didn't get any crap about the camera.

We had General Admission tickets, which means this: 1) You have to get there early if you hope to get anywhere near the front 2) You have to be prepared to stand your ground when latecomers with hands full of beer cups try to stand right in front of you 3) You absolutely can't pee, so you best be ready to hold it 4) You have nowhere to put your coat and purse, so you either freeze your butt off on the way there or you deal with the extra bulk for the duration of the concert.

We got our spot, not too far from the stage. I made a deal with Jon that he would be the photographer for the evening and I would hold both of our coats and my purse. In hindsight, do I kind of regret making that deal? A little. For roughly 4.5 hours, I was on my feet with two huge winter coats tied around my waist, surrounded by big dudes with big flailing arms and their drunken, bouncy girlfriends. I'm mildly claustrophobic as is, and this just made me even more crazy than I already am. It was hard to move around, and I felt like I was in a sauna from the chest down. Other than that, the show was great! ;)

It really was an awesome concert, though, despite coat drama and general discomfort. I feel like they gave a lot, and the crowd (at least where I was) gave it right back. I was amazed at how much the band, especially Brandon, sounded exactly like they do on their records. I know some people find this to be a negative and feel as if there is no variety, no surprise, and no point in spending the money when they could just throw on a CD. I, on the other hand, feel like it's more a testament to their talent to be able to recreate such a full, clear, energetic sound. I don't know about you, but I want to be able to sing along. I don't want 15 minute jam sessions (I'm talking to you, Peter Frampton...) if I'm on my feet and packed in like a sardine. I read reviews of the show from a few people saying that they were boring. All I can assume is that those people were seated the whole time and were surrounded by a bunch of dullards. I felt such a great energy coming from the stage. The lights were spectacular, the stage decorations were campy and cool, and Brandon was running around like a wild man. He wouldn't stand still. He was the bus from Speed.

Speaking of Mr. Flowers...his feathery-shouldered jacket was a train wreck, but his hair was impeccable. He is also much thinner than I thought. Not that I ever thought he was heavy, but he is a twig. That is all.

(Ugly jacket for your viewing pleasure)

They played a great set. No one can ever tell me that The Killers don't have some kick-ass tunes in their repertoire. They finished about 10:30 and we were home at a respectable hour. What more could you ask for on a week night? The rest of Jon's pictures (the ones that aren't already posted above) are up on Flickr. They are stunning. Check them out. I sacrificed my dignity and comfort so he could have his arms free to take them, after all. ;)

At one point--I can't remember if it was before or after the gig--Jon turned to me and said, "I think I might be over the General Admission thing." I was grateful when he said it, because it's been something I've been feeling for the past five years, but am too stubborn to admit. I may, in fact, just be getting too old. Will this prevent me from buying GA tickets in the future? Probably not. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one feeling it, though.

So tomorrow, we are going to see Spamalot. He is really excited about it. I know it will be a good time and I'll probably rave about it when it's done, but as of right now it's just a thing to do. Honestly, I don't know anything about it except that Clay Aiken was in it...I think...on Broadway, maybe? Anyway, it's at this gorgeous old theatre down the street from us, so it's convenient and all. I can even go home from work, eat and change before heading out.

It's been a while since I've posted, so I feel like I have more to say. I want to talk about Inauguration Day and how I felt choked up, how proud I am every time I see President Obama (the President that I voted for! My President, for once!) on TV, but that will all have to wait.

The moment may have passed to truly write about it with any raw emotion anyway. What more can I say? This picture says it all, in my opinion:

(More great pics HERE)

One last thing before I completely sign off. The boyfriend and I have been talking about moving. Not any time soon, mind you. Our lease is up in June and I can't imagine we'll want to move to a brand new city without jobs, cars, or stability in the shite economy of 2009. It's more like daydreaming of one day maybe moving somewhere else. I think we both want a big(ish) city with a better-than-decent music scene. He requires warm weather, because apparently he does not enjoy the below zero temps and highs of <20>

First, we have Austin. Jon enjoys the idea of Austin more than I do. I don't hate the idea, though. I choose San Francisco. I know it's expensive, but these are just thoughts, and those are free. I have also been thinking lately about Portland. I don't know a lot about Portland, and I think it may be too cold for his tastes, but it seems like a place I might find interesting (at least for a bit), and maybe I could entice him with a bacon and maple Voodoo Doughnut. So that's it. Short list, eh? Like I said, no plans--just curiosity. Could you see me living in any of these strange, new environments? Do you have another city I should be daydreaming about?

Ok, back to my real life, where I will watch A Double Shot At Love (I think it's the Finale!) and attempt to go to bed a little earlier than usual.