Something is happening really amazing...

Saturday, March 7, 2015

"But... you want to go."


That was my partner J's response to my answer for why I was skipping an upcoming concert --  "Nobody wants to go."

Normally J and I would go together, but the timing doesn't work out this year.

Anyway, the concert. I'm a big fan of Amanda Palmer, a fairly polarizing singer. "Hard to casually enjoy or dislike," says one critic, and I'm in the not-at-all-casual enjoyment camp. I think she rocks, and I connect to her audacity, defensiveness, and tendency to fuck up in public. (I am aware of the criticism regarding her entitlement, and I think it's fair, but I appreciate her public vulnerability and, at the end of the day, I just really like her music.) I've been to all of her local shows since The Dresden Dolls and loved each one, though the most recent one was slightly diminished by the friend who invited herself along and then proceeded to post openly derisive commentary to social media throughout the show. (That was at the height of the not-paying-musicians-even-though-she-made-a-million-dollars mess. Again, not excusing AP...)

I did not ask that friend if she'd go with me to this show, but I did ask a few others. ONE casual acquaintance said he'd like to go but didn't have the money. Everyone else had issues with her personally and wouldn't consider it. It's fair; she's that kind of public figure.

But anyway, I put this concert out of my mind because it didn't look like I'd find company.

"So you'd rather not go to the show than go alone?" Asked J, and ... damn. I hadn't considered it that way.

I am great alone diner and alone movie goer, but I've never been to a show by myself. There are other factors to consider - it is on the expensive side, AND it's in a work week, AND it's in a work week when there's another work night event that I want to go to where I might possibly have company. BUT, do I want to miss one of my favorite singers? Not really.

This blog is going to be (I hope) about happiness and reconnecting to it. The title and other quotes come from a student's "analysis" of Cinderella. (English is her second language, hence the irregular syntax, which I thought made the sentiments sound even more beautiful.)  Of course, I don't believe in anything as simplistic as "Because she behaved and wasn't rude, something happened really amazing to Cinderella." but I do think we have more of a hand in our happiness than I've been acting like I do lately. And even though it's dorky (and not very Amanda Palmer-y, actually) I totally believe that it is better to be kind and cheerful than otherwise.

I haven't decided whether to buy one single ticket to this show or not. But I'm excited by the possibility, and I want to do more things that make me feel excited.

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