Being Disappointed Doesn’t Mean Being Angry

I’ve mentioned several times here that Duran Duran is my favorite band of all time. A couple of years ago, I saw them in concert for the first time ever. It was better than I could have imagined. My friend Amy and I had third-row seats on John Taylor’s side of the stage, the band was awesome, etc.

But it wasn’t enough. We wanted to go again! So when more concert dates were announced and one was within four hours’ driving distance, Amy and I decided to take a road trip. We got third-row seats again (!) on John Taylor’s side of the stage.

The concert was set for August 28 (the day after my birthday), and we got the tickets in April. So we four fun months to plan and anticipate our road trip.

Then … horrors! A few days before the concert, keyboardist Nick Rhodes got sick. First one concert was canceled, then another. At 10 p.m. on my birthday, I read the Facebook message saying that our concert was canceled. I was heartbroken. I cried. Dare I say it – I was disappointed. I posted as much on Facebook and Twitter, even using the word “disappointed … ”

… and was scolded by other fans! It wasn’t Nick’s fault, they said, and his health should come first. People had no right to say they were disappointed.

Well, duh. Of course the band’s health comes first. I wasn’t angry that the concerts were canceled. Obviously I wanted Nick to get better. But I was hideously disappointed that the concert was canceled. Not angry – just disappointed.

Anyone else find that – the idea that one can’t be disappointed without being angry – rather absurd?

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Catching Up On the Past 30 Years

Around the time I went to the Duran Duran concert back in October, I watched a few of their videos on YouTube. As anyone familiar with YouTube will know, whenever you watch a clip there is a list of related videos on the right side of the screen. And as anyone who has ever watched a video on YouTube will know, that can lead to a fun meandering through all sorts of fun clips.

Basically, I’ve been catching up on the past 30 years of Duran Duran interviews, features, and other videos. Back in the day (i.e. the 80s), you couldn’t just hop on the internet to find the latest interview with your favorite band. You just hoped you caught it when it was on TV. If you were lucky, you knew about it in advance and were able to watch it and maybe even videotape it for future viewing. But most of it, you just missed. If you were really lucky, you or a friend had the money to buy your favorite band’s concert tape, which you watched over and over until you literally wore it out.

I’ve watched their very first interview, done on the fly when an American film crew literally bumped into the band after an early photo shoot and figured they must be somebody. I’ve found other video clips from the concert I attended. I’ve come across an episode of a silly game show called Pop Quiz, pitting Duran Duran against rivals Spandau Ballet. A Japanese interview with John Taylor where he reluctantly samples Japanese food and explains why he declined the sake. Several multi-part documentaries from various times in their career (particularly good ones from 1984 and 1987).

Heh, just found a multi-part concert video from earlier this year. Must resist watching it tonight!

The moral of the story is … hop on over to YouTube and look up your favorite band or singer! What are you waiting for? (I’m looking at you, Gal – I bet you can find tons of new stuff from your Sir Paul there!)

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The Concert That Keeps On Giving

Another little teaser for you … I’m IN this picture of John Taylor! Imagine my surprise to see it posted on Duran Duran’s Facebook page today.

(Lower right corner, with my arms up and open.)

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Best. Night. Ever.

Will post more tomorrow, but perhaps this will hold you over until then:

The Duran Duran concert was totally worth the 27-year wait.

(I only wish I had known how camera/video friendly they are – I could have brought my good DSLR camera and gotten some really good pictures. Next time!)

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I Feel Like I’m 15

Why do I feel like I’m 15, you may ask?

Tomorrow night, I’m going to Windsor. For a concert.

A Duran Duran concert.

They’ve only been my favorite band since I was 14. (Which means, oh, say, 27 years.)

I’ve never seen them in concert before. Not exactly sure why – I guess by the time I was old enough and had the funds for concerts, they weren’t really touring. When they really started touring again as at least a foursome, I was a mom without lots of extra funds.

A few months ago, I decided that it was ridiculous that I’d never seen my all-time favorite band in concert, and vowed to go the next time then played in my area. Then – tragedy! Simon Le Bon lost his voice, and the entire European summer tour was canceled. Obviously I wasn’t planning to see them in Europe, but I was worried that they’d never be able to tour again. Imagine my delight when, on the way to a car seat check event in Detroit, I saw a billboard advertising a Duran Duran concert in Windsor.

As soon as I got home that day, I emailed a new friend (Allie’s favorite friend’s mom) who I know loves Duran Duran, asking if she’d like to go. She enthusiastically said yes, and here we are, all set for tomorrow’s concert.

Oh, and did I mention that we have THIRD-ROW seats?! Guess that’s what happens when you’re a grown-up and can spend a little more on a ticket. I think it will be worth the 27-year wait.

(For those who are Duran Duran fans, check out their new album, All You Need is Now. It’s available for download from Amazon for just $5. I like the album a lot – it’s very reminiscent of their early albums.)

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Don’t Vote

See this “Don’t Vote” video:

Then register to vote (find out how at http://maps.google.com/vote ), and pass this information along to your friends.
Fellow bloggers, will you help to get out the word?  Tag five of your friends and ask them to share this information about the “don’t vote” meme.

I’m tagging:
The Gal
Jen at The Road Less Traveled
Malcolm at Pop Culture Dish
BearTwinsMom
More Than an Electrician over at Naked On the Roof

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What’s Your Musical Guilty Pleasure?

Mine’s 80s music in general, Duran Duran in particular. (Love their most recent two albums, too, although I could give or take the ones from 1990 until recently.) They are a staple on my iPod, and it drives me crazy that I have several Duran Duran CDs that I can’t fine and thus don’t have on my iPod.

Oh, and I love the Monkees. Their music never really got the respect it deserved. Musical genius? No, probably not. Enjoyable, well-produced pop music? Most definitely!

What’s YOUR musical guilty pleasure?

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Moving Into the 21st Century

You might remember that I bought an iPod classic with some Christmas money last year. I love it, and have a ton of music on it (in my opinion, at least – more than 3,000 songs). Until now, though, I’ve only “ripped” CDs that I already owned, or that I purchased after I got the iPod. I wasn’t interested in downloading – I really like having the physical CDs, the liner notes (preferably with lyrics), etc.

But then Tim and the kids bought me an iTunes gift card for Mother’s Day. I spent a good portion of it tonight on three albums, and I can totally see how easy it would be to spend a LOT of money on iTunes! It’s so easy … just a few clicks and you have a new album. A few more clicks … another album. Etc.

What’s the latest thing that you’ve downloaded from iTunes? Your favorite thing that you’ve downloaded?

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American Idol 7: To Watch or Not to Watch?

Tim and I have been fairly faithful American Idol watchers since the start of season two. Lately, however, we have been watching very little TV (thanks to the writers strike) and frankly, I’m not sure I’m ready to commit to 4+ hours per week of this show, especially since I know that Jericho, Big Brother and Survivor (which I DO want to watch) both start next month, and that will be 5 hours of TV per week right there. I’ve been debating this mentally all day.

So after we got the kids tucked into bed (well, Big Brother was in bed reading), I figured we’d watch it. Then I remembered that our Fox station doesn’t come in very well. Tim went upstairs to tape it; we’d watch the first taped hour downstairs at 9 while taping the second hour, then watch the second taped hour at 10. We’ve done it this way before.

Then Tim brought the tape down at 9. When we tried to watch it, it was apparent that something had gone wrong with the recording – it was on the wrong channel, or hadn’t actually taped, or something.

And that was it. I decided that I’m not doing this again two or three times a week, especially trying to juggle it with Big Brother, which is on three times a week (and which I prefer).

So bye bye, American Idol! It’s been fun.

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Thursday Thirteen: What My Kids Got for Christmas

Well, Christmas has come and gone (though we’re still in a holiday mood here, and will be until after New Year’s!). The kids have been busy playing with all their presents. Some are great, some are not (say the parents!). No major duds, though, which may be a first!

1. A Nerf “Reactor” (i.e. gun) This is a fun toy but also quite obnoxious. It came with four or five balls, and I think we may be down to two, so I’m not too worried about it. However, if the other balls turn up, I suspect this may end up on top of the refrigerator quite often!

2. Fisher Price Little Mommy ballerina doll. Oh, how Little Sister loves her dollies!

3. Barbie doll. LS likes to carry this around, along with the doll’s hairbrush, saying “Barbie hair! Barbie hair!”

4. Sesame Street Old School, Volume 2, 1974-1979. I would much rather have had more of the 1969-1973 years, but this’ll do!

5. Spy gear. BB and his cousin spent the day “spying” on a girl cousin, and on the way home BB mentioned that he would like Santa to bring him some spy stuff. Santa was able to comply, even on such short notice! (And as a result, BB definitely still believes … wasn’t sure he’d make it through the season believing this year!)

5. Webkinz. LS is ambivalent about these still, but BB loves them. (Though somehow I always seem to be the one taking care of their online counterparts!) BB got a gorilla and LS got a black horse.

6. The Star Wars Pop-Up Book. BB has the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland books by the same company and has truly enjoyed them, so it was a no-brainer that Santa would bring him this.

7. Candy. Santa will be on strict orders to put MUCH less candy in the stockings next year! My children had chocolate smeared on their faces since Christmas morning, it seems.

8. Books! Lots and lots of books (well, maybe a dozen total), including part two of a Captain Underpants book. BB finished part one on Monday, and was extremely impressed that Santa brought part two the next day. (I think this also contributed to the whole “still believes” thing.) He actually went into his room to read this book before we finished opening presents!

9. Tights. LS loves to wear her tights, but she has outgrown most of the ones she has. Santa smartly brought her two new pairs.

10. MP3 player. I found this cute little “Sansa Shaker” MP3 player for $9.99 with free shipping, and couldn’t resist getting it for BB. (I had already been thinking about getting it before I saw it at that price.) We’re going to load it up with some songs tomorrow.

11. Movies. Transformers, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Shrek the Third, and Cinderella. We don’t buy a ton of DVDs, but BB is quite the repeat watcher, so if I know he’ll like something (or if he’s already seen it and liked it, like Transformers) I don’t mind getting it.

12. Toy pots and pans. We recently moved the toy kitchen from BB’s room, where it has always lived, to the dining room. LS plays with it multiple times a day now, and it seemed like she should have some realistic looking metal pots and pans.

13. Hooded sweatshirt. Which BB proclaimed “the dumbest gift ever!” But he was happy to wear it later in the day – he likes wearing hoodies and his others are really starting to get too small.

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