Strange
Day

So yeah… I rambled on for a while there, about the Visqueen show, didn’t I? I really wanted to get something down that night, when it was all still fresh. But looking back… yeah.. just crap.
The show really was amazing though. I’ve never seen a better live rock band. They’re channeling the spirit of Chrissie Hynde, (who isn’t dead yet.. but you know… still…). The band takes off like a rocket with the start of each song. The music they play is so irresistible that you can’t help but rock and bounce to it. And between songs, Rachel cracks jokes and pulls stunts like your 8 year old cousin, only without the lisp. (Waiting to start one song, she started playing bongos on Ben’s snare drum. Ben was the only one not smiling.)
It was all over way too soon. Maybe too soon for Rachel too, since she was still wired when she sold me a copy of their new album. She’s kinda cute, like a Snickers bar is kinda sweet.
I’ve listened to the new album 10 or 12 times now. It’s one of those that you find something new, and it gets better with each listen. There’s a little more variety in this album, presumably showing off a bit of Rachel’s range, (as Kim has nothing to prove, and drummers seldom get the spotlight). Nearly every song in there has a great hook. There’s so many potential radio smash hits. The only thing that mystifies me about the album, besides the disappointing cover art, is the arrangement of the songs. The first song is good, but probably the least memorable of the bunch. Not something I would lead off with. And while I really like the last song, it’s really as close to a downer as you can get with pop music. Do you really wanna finish off on such a depressing note?
Then again, it’s not like I won’t spend most of my time listening to this set on random on my iPod.
No sophomore jinx here.
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So I was listening to music at random last weekend. Belly’s Feed the Tree came on. For the first time, I realized Tonya Donnally was singing about dying. And tonight I realized just how weirdironicfunny that is. I went to a Belly concert back in the mid-nineties, with Anita. That song always stands out when I hear it, because that concert was when i realized Anita and I were drifting apart for good. Probably the last chance I had to really spent time with her.
And then she died in the plane crash.
And for years, unbeknownst to me, I am reminded of her by a song about death.
—
And speaking of morbid, I briefly talked with Jill the other night, for the first time in probably a year. I still get that oh-so-pleasent feeling of the ex who would rather cut your various organs out with a rusty spoon but have decided that they will behave like an adult. It’s really kind of sad. Well… scary, and then sad. Given time, I can accept that the “dating” thing wasn’t gonna work out for X reasons. But we started ‘dating’, or whatever you’d call it, because our talks nearly every night were so amazing. I’ve unfortunately proven that I can go without sex like a camel can go without water. But to lose someone I can really talk with… that breaks my heart.
I managed to stay good friends with Sara afterwards. And even Kelly and I seem to hold no hard feelings anymore. (Granted… they both lasted considerably longer). But if I ever felt like someone was giving me the evil eye over the ‘Net, it would be Jill.
—
In the range more of coming back to life…
I got an email last night from Erin. Erin, from college, who I haven’t seen nor heard from in over 7 years. Erin who now seems to be very successful and very attractive. Not necessarily in that order. (Don’t look at me like that… I haven’t really talked to her in seven years; so I won’t vouch for her personality).
God bless Google. Every time I look up someone from my past, they inevitably have irretrievably disappeared. Even Allison, who is supposedly working just a few blocks from me, at the FBI headquarters. But I found an online sighting dated February of this year. A little more searching got me and email… and *bang*.
Now about these other women…

• Allison Miller — last rumored to be working for the FBI in the Washington DC area
• Janie Hyler — Last known to be in California with her dad, or Amsterdam with her mom
• Anna Koblinski — no clue as to her whereabouts
• Michelle Rink — now married with a new last name, living somewhere in the south after leaving the military. Had a letter from her once, but I lost it

Anyone have any clues? I really have so many people in my past that I lost touch with that it’s insane.