I like sports and I don't care who knows.

My sports life is a disaster. A complete disaster. Let me explain.

Last night, I went to the Reds vs. Mets game with Mr. Koenig, Kelly, and Drew. Don't get me wrong: It's always fun to spend the evening at Great American Ballpark. It does, however, make it a little tougher to enjoy when the good guys lose, 8-2. They lost again today, which means the Mets swept us. The hunt for a REDS October is getting more and more difficult by the day...

Now, football. The end of the NFL lockout has been accompanied with a frenzy of trades, free agency discussions, and, as usual, disappointment for Bengals' fans. First, QB Carson Palmer is giving me headaches, even after his retirement. Mike Brown insists on punishing him and refuses to trade him. So, instead of getting something beneficial (like some draft picks) out of our big flop of a quarterback, we get nothing. Nothing. His replacement? Former Raider QB Bruce Gradkowski. Although his record isn't very strong, he does have a good work ethic, knows Jay Gruden's offensive scheme, and will be a good role model for our new franchise QB Andy Dalton.

In other Bengals' news, fan favorite Chad Ochocinco was traded to the New England Patriots. I suppose I saw this coming in a way. Chad has always had a friendly relationship with Bill Belichick and has wanted to leave Cincinnati for quite a while. With TO, Carson, and Chad gone, the Bengals seem to be starting over offensively. Fine by me - I gave up on our old offense long ago. I can't wait to see AJ Green in action.

...and I've decided on my preseason Super Bowl picks. Last year, I correctly predicted the Super Bowl winner, so the pressure is on. NEW YORK JETS vs. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES. Eagles take it all.

JETS. Rex Ryan has the right attitude, his players want to play well for him. The potential backfield of Darrelle Revis and Nnamdi Asomugha is unstoppable. With an incredible O-line centered by Nick Mangold, all the pressure lies on Mark Sanchez. If he has a strong season, the Jets are going all the way.

Other AFC teams I like: New England Patriots - You cannot count out Tom Brady. Baltimore Ravens - They're mad about last year. Look out.

EAGLES. Andy Reid's west coast offense seemed to be getting a lot of things right last year. After the Kevin Kolb disaster, Mike Vick proved to the world that he's back in a huge way. DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Brent Celek round out a strong offense. Oh yeah - the already-impressive defense added Oregon grad Casey Matthews (Clay's brother).

Other NFC teams I like: Green Bay Packers - Super Bowl champs with an incredible amount of returning talent. Atlanta Falcons - They looked great last year and Matt Ryan is my dream QB for the Bengals.

I would love, love, LOVE the Bears to make a playoff run. Urlacher, although still tremendously talented, is getting up there in age. He deserves a Super Bowl ring before he retires. DO IT, LOVIE!

...and finally, swimming. I belong to the very small portion of the country who follow US swimming in non-Olympic years. I also have an embarrassing, stalker-like crush on Michael Phelps. Last year, I was shocked and disappointed with Michael's performance in the Pan-Pacs - he failed to qualify for one final and dropped out of another. Phenom Ryan Lochte was already establishing himself as the best male swimmer in the country. Phelps, who is always too hard on himself, admitted that he needed to work harder. So, this week's results at the Swimming World Championships aren't too surprising.

Again, Ryan Lochte walked away with a world record in the 200-meter IM, the first world record set since the banning of those crazy swimming, fish suits two years ago. For Americans, Lochte is perfect news - amazing, young talent, scary work ethic, California-surfer boy-like attitude, and absolutely GORGEOUS. For Phelps fans, Lochte is scary. He signals the end of the Michael Phelps era, which was coming to an end, anyway. Phelps announced years ago that 2012 would be his last Olympics, but the prospect of him not going out on top upsets me. He has a LOT of work ahead of him before London...or we will be seeing him, standing a bit lower than Lochte on the podium.

Americans also left Worlds with a bronze in the 4x100 relay, finishing behind Australia and France. Ugh. Keep an eye on Australia's 20-year-old James Magnussen. He is a serious force to be reckoned with. Other notables to learn before 2012? Nathan Adrian and Rebecca Soni.

So, until London 2012, you can find me in my room, making nightly sacrifices to my 'Phelps Phan' poster and suppressing my enormous crush on Lochte and his new haircut (sans locks). Tasty slice of future man meat. I'm so sorry, Michael.

Reminiscing.

Tonight, I spent some time reading my old blog. I do this every once in a while, in an attempt to remember how I used to feel and make myself laugh with how bad of a writer I used to be.

However, I came across something I wrote that still speaks to me. I wrote it in May of 2008, shortly after returning home from Miami for the summer. College was halfway over, but my summer in Lebanon had me reminiscing on high school and the relationships I had built there. I wrote:

I remember when we would stay up all night just because we could. We drove around, wasting time and gas, but it didn't matter. We were together. We spent countless hours laughing at each other, even though we weren't funny. We held onto each other because we knew it would never be the same again. We learned each other during late nights at Waffle House. We laid, together in silence, counting the stars and realizing how insignificant we were. We stood in the summer rain and felt alive. We held our breath and time stood still. We breathed in the autumn breeze and vowed never to forget. We explored each other, late at night with no one around, finding our bodies and finding ourselves. We cheered at the football games, putting more importance on the outcome of games than we should have. We made promises to stay in touch, tears streaming down our faces. We cried at how beautiful and how simple everything was. We were scared at how fast it was ending. We cursed all the time we had wasted. We felt ourselves become overwhelmed with how right it felt. We worried that we'd never find it again. These were our last days as children.

Even five years later, I remember exactly how I felt as a senior in high school. I felt comfortable, happy, in love. I never thought I'd meet another group of people who made me feel like myself. Yet, time marched on, as it always does. I was wrong - I met an amazing group of people in college, ones that I love deeply. Now, I find myself wondering how I was ever as close as I was to my high school friends. We've moved on, our lives carrying us in different directions. Even some of those I held the closest in high school have become strangers to me now - familiar faces with a different person behind them.

I used to fight so hard to preserve the relationships of my past. Only now do I see that the ones that truly mean something - the ones that last - aren't a fight at all. Those friendships pick up where they left off, even after years of silence. Those friendships can be rekindled at any given moment - without bitterness, without uncomfortable pauses. Those friendships are mutual, with both parties willing to put in the effort. They aren't forced, they aren't one-sided, and they aren't superficial.

So, five years later, I look back on high school with fondness. The people that came into my life were there for a reason - I learned from them, I found happiness with them, and I loved them. It's okay that we've distanced from each other. We've made room for other relationships and, if the friendship was real, we can always pick it up where it left off.

I wish I could have reassured the younger version of myself that it was okay to move on. I wish I could tell her not to fight it, not to hold on so dearly. I wish I could have shown her that those who mattered would always be there and that good things could be learned from those who didn't. I wish she had known to let go, to keep growing. I wish she hadn't convinced herself that the end of high school signaled the end of her happiness.

She was wrong. High school wasn't the end. It was the beginning.

Emotional Overload

So many bizarre things have happened in the last week. It has been emotional overload, so I'll simplify it for myself with little signs.

+ The family (plus Jenn and Josh) went to Charlottesville this weekend to see LP and go to the Wiz Khalifa concert at the Pavilion. At the last minute, LP was given 12 hours of leave to attend the concert and it was so wonderful to be with him.



+ The concert, for the most part, was awesome. Chevy Woods and Big Sean opened and Wiz put on a great show. Aside from the oppressive heat and the inebriated crowd, the show was entertaining. Wiz played most of my favorites from Rolling Papers - "Wake Up," "The Race," "No Sleep," "Fly Solo," "Roll Up," and "Black and Yellow."



- At the concert, Jenn broke her foot. Really. Broke it. So, after a quick talk with the medic, an excruciating walk from the Pavilion, and a lot of deliberation, we spent a couple hours in the emergency room. Now, she is hobbling around on crutches and stuck on the couch for a week, playing games like Fruit Ninja and Monsters vs. Pumpkins. I feel so horrible for her - she gets surgery on Wednesday. Please keep her in your thoughts for a quick recovery!

+/- LP found out that his permanent duty station is....CAMP PENDLETON! He leaves Fort Lee on Wednesday after his graduation. I'm thrilled for him because it was his #1 choice. It's also about an hour from Los Angeles and a little less than an hour from San Diego! Of course, I'm sad how far away he will be from us, but now, we have a perfect excuse for a family vacation to CALI BABY!

+ THE NFL LOCKOUT IS OVER! As you know, I was a little bummed about the lockout and the possibility of no NFL this season. That, coupled with the dismissal of Jim Tressel, had me in the fetal position, rocking back and forth. So, the news of the new CBA has sent me into an NFL frenzy. Let's be honest: The only person who should be locked out of an NFL locker room is me. I cannot wait for football season, even if that means endless tears over the Bengals.

Sorry for the absence lately...I'll be better. Promise.

Hello and Goodbye.

Sorry I've been MIA lately. I have no good excuse.

So, I made you a present. My middle E and D keys aren't working. Also, please disregard the haltiness - I taught myself this morning and I don't know how to edit videos.

So, this is my cover of Adele's "Someone Like You." No changes. One take. No shower. Tim Tebow shirt.



I'm about to leave for Charlottesville for the weekend. I'm seeing my brother and Wiz Khalifa on Saturday! Have a great weekend, everyone!

Man Meat Monday #24

During tonight's episode of True Blood, I realized something. Alcide Herveaux is hot. Really, really hot. Louisiana-in-July hot.

This week, the wonderful people at HBO told Alcide to undress slowly, taunting us with his chiseled body and V-shaped man lines, then challenge Eric to an epic ab contest. So, after a very cold shower, I bring you...

Joe Manganiello

Claim to Fame: Actor (True Blood, One Tree Hill)

Birthday: December 28, 1976

Here is the thing - I don't know much about Mr. Manganiello. Here's what I can find: He's from Pittsburgh (GO PENS!). He's 6'5". He plays Bon Temps's most attractive werewolf on True Blood. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon with a BFA in acting. He looks like this:


That is truly all you need to know.

Random Tidbit: He sings backup vocals on "Hospital" by The Used.

Only downfall?: He, too, is engaged to a model. Oh yeah - he's also a huge Steelers' fan. Deal-breaker.

Please, just ignore Anna Paquin.



So, readers: It's your turn. Would you let Alcide be your six pack leader?


...because after seeing this, I'm addicted to a whole different kind of V.

Top 5 Friday!

Confession: I love ice cream. Too much. In fact, I've even said that I could give up every food and drink, except for Dr. Pepper, bread, and ice cream.

So, in honor of National Ice Cream Day on Sunday (which I will definitely be celebrating - guilt-free), I've decided to list my...

Top 5 Favorite Ice Cream Flavors

1. Blue Ice Cream - I cannot even describe how delicious this is. I think it's supposed to be blueberry, but it doesn't really taste like it. They only sell it at King's Island and a local ice cream place called Whip-ty Do. So, if you're ever in town, I will take you there. You won't regret it.

2. Pumpkin - UDF sells delicious pumpkin ice cream. Unfortunately, it's seasonal. The first time I buy it in the fall is like Christmas morning.

3. Blue Moo Cookie Dough - Another UDF favorite.

4. Cookies and Cream - Delicious Oreo goodness.

5. Strawberry - Favorite refreshing stand-by.

Runners-up: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Mint Chocolate Chip, French Vanilla, Blue Bunny Red Velvet Cake, Graeter's Black Raspberry Chip

Leave your favorites in the comments or in your own blog!

For those in the Cincinnati area, hometown favorite Graeter's is selling single-scoop cones for $1.41 on Sunday! Enjoy!

The official end of my childhood.

I never thought today would come.

Unfortunately, I'm not referring to a Bengals' Superbowl victory. I am, in fact, referring to the midnight release of the final installment of the Harry Potter series.

How do I even begin to explain what Harry Potter has meant to me over the years? When I look back, I realize that the series has been an incredibly important part of my formative years. I've read all seven books (most multiple times) and seen all of the movies (most at midnight). I've made Harry-Potter-themed t-shirts with friends and brought wands to a movie. I've waited for hours at bookstores for the release of new books. I've stayed up all night long, unable to put the new books down and insistent on finishing them for fear of someone spoiling the ending. I've eaten Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, made fake pumpkin juice, and bought a Sirius Black t-shirt. I've tattooed fake lightning bolts on my forehead and attended local Harry Potter festivals. I've visited Platform 9 3/4 in London and fantasized about a trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.


The books have made me laugh. They've made me cry. They've made me angry, nervous, and excited. I've grown to love the characters. I realized long ago that I am Hermione Granger. I love Ron Weasley and his twin brothers. If I lived in the wizarding world, my celebrity athlete crush would definitely be Victor Krum. Oliver Wood is as passionate about playing his sport as I am about watching mine. I wanted to kill Dolores Umbridge and Bellatrix Lestrange. I made fun of Harry's emo stage (circa Order of the Phoenix), didn't like Cho Chang, and rooted not-so-secretly for Ginny. I always knew Snape was innocent, cried when Dumbledore died, sobbed when Dobby died, and I can't even talk about what's going to happen tonight. I watched Darren Criss's A Very Potter Musical and literally screamed when Ron and Hermione kissed. The books have taken me to incredible places that could never exist, but that I wished desperately did. The movies have done a wonderful job of doing the books justice and I feel like I've grown up alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. I've even developed crushes on some of the actors (HELLO Malfoy and Neville Longbottom).

However, when I look back, it's not the festivals, the movies, the food, the shirts, or even the books that make Harry Potter so special to me. It's the reliability of it all. Harry Potter has been one of the most constant things throughout my childhood. While everything was changing around me, I always had Harry Potter to rely on, as my fall-back, as a constant. No matter what happened, when everything in my life was changing, I always had Harry Potter. Through friends moving away, high school graduation, falling in and out of love, going to college, falling away from old friends and making new ones, Harry Potter has always been there.

Even though nothing in my life seemed certain, even though everything seemed to be changing, Harry Potter kept me company, provided me with comfort, and allowed me to have some stability in my life. I always had something to look forward to - a new book, a new movie - and something to discuss with both loved ones and strangers.

Tonight, however, is my last taste of something new. There will never be another book. There will never be another movie. This is officially the end of the most important series of my generation...and, in a way, it symbolizes the end of my childhood. I've graduated from college. I, too, have moved onto the next chapter of my life. It's time to create a new story - my own story.

Although it's tough to say goodbye, I know it's finally time. This chapter of my life may be over, but it certainly isn't the end. I have much, much more to write.

It's comforting to know that whenever I need some comfort, whenever I need to feel at home, I can always crack open Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and start the adventure all over again.

So, to JK Rowling, thank you so much for the story, thank you for the comfort, and thank you most of all for the memories. From one Muggle to another, I will never forget it.

Man Meat Wednesday?

While trying to think of a topic for tonight's entry, I realized something horrific: I haven't sliced up any man meat for two straight weeks. Unacceptable.

I know it's not Monday, but hopefully you'll forgive me.

I had full intentions of droning on and on about Dave Matthews this week. However, after our recent run-in, my imaginary relationship with G. Love has been rekindled.

To be clear, I have absolutely no expectations of anyone agreeing with me on this one. I will, however, do my best to portray him in the foxiest light possible. Maybe, just maybe, you'll agree?

G. Love

Claim to Fame: Blues/hip-hop Musician; frontman for G. Love & Special Sauce

Birthday: October 3, 1972

Let me explain. I love Elvis Presley - always have, always will. He was my first crush and will always be my #1. If you brought a young Elvis into the 21st century, infused him with a little more blues, and let him loose in the hip-hop-laden streets of Philadelphia, you would end up with G. Love.

G. Love, or Garrett Dutton, was born and raised in Philadelphia. At an early age, he learned to play blues music on guitar and harmonica. Years later, after moving to Boston, he met drummer Jeffrey Clemens and bassist Jim Prescott and formed G. Love & Special Sauce.

So, why exactly does G. Love have the power to reduce me to a puddle? It isn't really his looks (although he is 6'4"). It's something about his aura. Despite his Philly rap roots, he seems to exude Southern sexiness - a mixture of Louisiana bayou and Memphis blues. His voice, his harmonica, his foot stomping, his driving rhythmic acoustic guitar are the perfect combination for the blues. Complex, yet so simple, he finds a way to take you somewhere else, somewhere new. At times, his music is fun - simple, melodic songs like "Milk and Cereal" or "Booty Call." Other times, his music takes on a complex, passionate, improvisational blues feel that leaves you feeling dark, desperate, and dirty.

Yum.

Random Tidbit: His most recent CD, Fixin' to Die, is a solo collaboration with the Avett Brothers.

Only downfall?: I refuse to acknowledge that he is engaged to a model. Some girls have all the luck.

Although the sound quality isn't great, this video is exactly why I love him. Warning: G. Love isn't for everyone. He has a very unique sound, a hybrid artist - one that probably offends both blues and rap purists on a daily basis. Take a deep breath. Open your mind and lose yourself in the bluesy goodness. You won't regret it.



So, readers: It's your turn. Would you like a taste of G. Love's special sauce?

Ohhh...that one's pushing it.

DMB Caravan. I am dead.

This weekend, Jenn and I made our way to Chicago for the Dave Matthews Band Caravan.

If you don't know by now, I'm grossly obsessed with DMB. So, when they announced last year that they would not be doing a summer tour (for the first time since 1993), I was devastated. Then, one glorious day, they announced they would be doing four weekend-long music festivals, one of which was in Chicago. I didn't have to be convinced. I was going.

In an effort to avoid traffic and expensive hotels, we stayed in the Spring House Inn in Porter, Indiana. The place was quaint and had a pool, big rooms with a balcony, and breakfast every morning. Score. The drive was only 45 minutes to Lakeside (the concert venue) and parking was free.

Porter, Indiana is a cute town, home to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. We had lunch Friday at a Mexican restaurant called Santiago's and Saturday at a bar called Whistle Stop. The people were all very nice and, in case you're ever in Porter (HA!), Friday night karaoke is the place to be.

Lakeside was both awesome and awful. It used to be an old steel mill, but now it's just a huge empty space near Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, the terrain was horrible - tons of rocks, sharp mulch, endless dust, and painful sticks. I made the horrible decision of packing only Old Navy flip-flops and I paid the price. The walk from the car to the venue was easily 25 minutes and I left every night, limping and covered in mud and specks of blood.

The venue itself, however, was really cool. Three big stages, free water fill-up stations, food and beer vendors, merchandise tents, a log-rolling booth, a view of Lake Michigan, an off-roading Jeep course, tons of seagulls, and a giant multi-colored ferris wheel in the middle of it all. The weather was perfect all weekend - except for a little bit of rain on Sunday evening. It was a bit hot, but the breeze kept it nice for the most part.


Day 1. We went swimming for a bit, had lunch, and drove to Lakeside. We exchanged our tickets for 3-Day admission wristbands. I bought a DMB Caravan Nalgene bottle and Jenn bought sweet pink sunglasses. We listened to a bit of Amos Lee, including his big hit, "Sweet Pea." We walked around Lakeside, checking out the stages and vendors. We decided to be crazy and get as close as possible for Ray LaMontagne and DMB.

The crowd was insane. Tons of annoying frat-boy-types, wearing pastel-colored shorts and neon sunglasses at night, drinking way too much for the heat, and completely oblivious when they elbow you in the face. Plenty of annoying girls, who wear multi-colored headbands (in an attempt to appear hippie-ish at a musical festival), have the obnoxious Chicago accent, and wear barely-there jean shorts that look more like Huggies jean diapers. I saw hundreds of fans with Fire Dancer tattoos, willing to do anything to get close enough to scream endless song suggestions at Dave. Many others were there for the atmosphere, not the music. So, getting close to the stage wasn't an easy task.

We ended up around the 20th row (if there were rows at all). Ray came out with the Pariah Dogs and did an incredible, hour-long set. Ray sounded amazing, his pained, soulful voice grips me unlike any other I've ever heard. He weaved flawlessly between heart-wrenching folk ballads and upbeat, blues songs (complete with harmonica). I can't find his setlist, but I know it included:

Beg, Steal, or Borrow
Repo Man
For the Summer
Burn
Devil's in the Jukebox
Jolene
Trouble
Shelter
Henry Nearly Killed Me


Unfortunately, no one around us was feeling it at all. Everyone was waiting, rather impatiently, for DMB to come out. After Ray finished, we waited, rooted to our spot, fighting the crowd and listening to the distant sounds of OAR. When DMB finally took the stage, even more people tried to cram into the tiny cracks. I tried my hardest to ignore the battles being waged around me by angry fans, fighting for a closer spot. Some guy behind us passed out cold, then stood up and insisted he was fine, although he couldn't stand up straight and his eyes were seemingly inspecting the inside of his head.

Finally, DMB took the stage. They did not disappoint. With the exception of two tour bus run-ins, I have never been as close to Dave as I was on Friday night. I took a million pictures and screamed alongside the rest of the obsessive fans. I also noticed his wife and three kids, watching the show from backstage. About halfway through the set, we couldn't handle the crowds (and rude people) anymore, so we made our way to the back.


Here was DMB's setlist on Friday:

Squirm
Big Eyed Fish
Don’t Drink the Water
Pantala Naga Pampa
Rapunzel
Write A Song
You Might Die Trying
Out Of My Hands
Louisiana Bayou
Funny The Way It Is
Joy Ride
Corn Bread
What Would You Say
Dive In
You and Me
Good Times Bad Times (Led Zeppelin)
Tripping Billies
__________________

New Song
Stay Or Leave
Jimi Thing
Shake Me Like a Monkey
Stay (Wasting Time)

Day 2. After lunch, Jenn and I made our way to Lakeside for the most crowded day of the caravan. Ever since Farm Aid, I've wanted to see another Dave and Tim Reynolds acoustic set. My dream came true. Here was their setlist:

Save Me
Where are You Going?
So Damn Lucky
Oh
Eh Hee
Old Dirt Hill (Bring that Beat Back)
Tim Solo
Grace is Gone
Blue Water
Dancing Nancies

Amazing set. Dave and Tim are so perfect together. Dave also made comments like, "It's as hot as the dickens" and "I don't like wearing sunglasses because they leave lines on my face and make me look chubby and menacing." He also apologized for the rocks at Lakeside and said he felt like he was walking on the moon. Marry me.


Afterward, we stayed put to see another favorite of mine - G. Love & the Special Sauce. I saw G. Love in April of 2007 and I've been dying to see him again. In complete honesty, he is (and has been for quite awhile) one of my many celebrity crushes (Proof: Pretty blunt entry from my old blog). His music is a fun mix of blues and hip-hop, perfect for any summer outdoor concert. He also did a number of awesome covers. Here was his setlist:

Milk and Sugar
Fixin' to Die
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Paul Simon)
Sweet Sugar Momma
Hot Cookin'
Booty Call
Why Don't We Do it in the Road? (Beatles)
Back to Boston
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)
Cold Beverages
Just a Friend (Biz Markie)
Freestyle

We heard G. Love was doing a meet-and-greet after his set, so we made our way over to the merchandise tent. The line was surprisingly short, so I bought G. Love's new CD (which I didn't have yet) and got in line. Ben Folds was playing on a stage nearby, so we listened to his music ("Zak and Sara" and "Still Fighting It") while waiting.

After what seemed like forever, G. Love showed up. I instantly noticed two things: 1. He is still gorgeous. 2. He is tall, about 6'4" (my own personal KRYPTONITE). The caravan workers told us that time constraints prevented G. Love from posing for pictures. As the line got shorter, I started to get nervous. I checked my reflection in Jenn's sunglasses. I wondered what I should say. Some girl had him sign her stomach. I rolled my eyes. The couple in front of me asked me to take their picture with him. I did. Then, it was my turn.

He looked right at me, smiled a huge smile, and exclaimed, "HEY, SUGAR!"

I nearly passed out.

He reached out, put his arms around me, and gave me a huge hug - a really good, bear hug. Like a weirdo, I smelled him. He smelled good. Really, really good.

I died. Then, I mumbled something like, "Great show. I love you."

He posed for a picture (that Jenn took). Cute couple? I wish.


I handed him my CD, he asked me what my name was, and he signed, "To Brittany, (something completely illegible that might say G. Love)."

Then, like an even bigger weirdo, I told him, "I tweeted at you this morning."

Like the incredibly nice, amazing man he is, he responded, "Oh yeah? Then, I saw it." and smiled again.

Dead. I thanked him. Jenn had to scrape me off the ground.

Next, we headed over to the Lakeside stage to see Kid Cudi. The energy was incredible. People were dancing, singing along, and smoking all around us. It was infectious. Of all the artists I saw this weekend, Cudi was absolutely one of my favorites. His style of psychedelic stoner rap (shared by Wiz Khalifa) has quickly become one of my favorite genres of music. I can't find his setlist, but here is what I remember:

Soundtrack to My Life
Marijuana
A cappella mixtape raps
All of the Lights (Kanye West cover)
Cudi Zone (MY FAVORITE)
Memories
Day n Night
Pursuit of Happiness


After Cudi's set, we walked to the back of the Dave crowd for another incredible show. Midway through the set, Dave even acknowledged how awesome Cudi's performance was. Night #2 was definitely my favorite setlist.

#41
Seven
Burning Down The House (The Talking Heads)
Break Free
Why I Am
Proudest Monkey
Satellite
Black Jack
Crush
Granny
Lying In the Hands of God
Alligator Pie
Lie In Our Graves
Too Much
Crash Into Me
Grey Street
__________________

A Whiter Shade of Pale
Time Bomb
Two Step

Day 3. After breakfast, we checked out of our hotel. We had some time to kill, so we saw Horrible Bosses. It was one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time. Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis are a dream team. GO SEE IT. We bought some new flip-flops and ate lunch at BW3s.

When we arrived at Lakeside, I bought a DMB Caravan shirt and had a massive minor panic attack when I noticed my phone was missing. However, Jenn talked me down and we found a spot to enjoy David Gray and wait for DMB. Sidenote: My phone was in my car the whole time.

DMB's final set was filled with mostly old songs and a few covers:

One Sweet World
Bartender
Say Goodbye
Best of Whats Around
Captain
Shotgun
Warehouse
Spaceman
Seek Up
When The World Ends
Rhyme And Reason
Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith)
The Idea Of You
Buena (Morphine)
Gravedigger
Cant Stop
All Along The Watchtower

__________________

Some Devil
Sister
Ants Marching
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (Sly and the Family Stone)

With tears in my eyes and a farewell to Dave, we made our way back to the car for the 5-hour drive home.


So, 185 pictures, a hoarse voice, black lungs, a dirt-filled nose, two feet covered in scabs, a new pair of shoes, three tanks of gas, and tons of awesome memories later, here I am, counting down the days until Dave comes to Cincinnati next summer.

I'm so damn lucky to have amazing opportunities like these. Dave is right when he says, "Life is short, but sweet for certain."

Mine must be the sweetest of all.

Round 2.

Top 5 Funniest Stand-Up Comedians

1. Dave Chappelle - He has been my favorite since high school. I even saw him perform live. I miss his show and keep hoping he will make an epic return.

2. Ricky Gervais - Horribly offensive, yet amazingly hilarious. Also happens to be the creators of one of my favorite shows ever.

3. Daniel Tosh - I saw him in Cincinnati last year and he did not disappoint. Also has an amazing TV show and is a future slice of man meat.

4. Bill Maher- It doesn't hurt that our political views are the same. I've also seen him live and he's incredibly smart. New material all the time, so he never gets old.

5. Kevin Hart - His stand-up special in Cleveland absolutely kills me. Check it out.

I've decided that I will allow myself to list up to five runners-up every week, so my next five comedians are Norm MacDonald, Nick Swardson, Jon Stewart, Neal Brennan, and Chelsea Handler.

Fourth of July weekend!

LP had 96 hours of leave, so we spent our holiday weekend in Charlottesville with him.

Thursday. We did the drive to Charlottesville. Mom and I went grocery shopping while Dad picked LP up at Fort Lee. We spent most of the night, hanging out on the patio and catching up. We also walked the downtown mall and ended up at Miller's, my favorite bar in Charlottesville. Dave Matthews was a bartender at Miller's and wrote many DMB songs on the third floor. The music and bar food are excellent and we sat outside, listening to wonderful jazz improv from John D'earth for an hour.


Friday. We went car shopping with Jamie. We also stopped at Sam's and the Fashion Square Mall. Jamie and I took advantage of the sale at Bath & Body Works and I ended up with three new lotions - Sensual Amber, Twilight Woods, and Secret Wonderland. We made our way to the pavilion for Fridays after 5. I was pleasantly surprised by the band, Down 'til Now. They are a local classic and modern rock cover band, who did covers by Kings of Leon, Led Zeppelin, Elvis, and ZZ Top. My favorite, however, was the guitarist's awesome cover of Jimi Hendrix's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner."


After the concert, we had dinner at McGrady's Irish Pub before heading to UVA's McCormick Observatory. The observatory is open on Friday Nights and houses a huge, old telescope (the 2rd largest in the world at the time it was built in 1885). It was focused on Saturn, so we spent the rest of the night star and planet-gazing.

Saturday. We drove to Scottsville to tube down the James River. The 4-mile trip took 4 hours, but we stopped on an island for lunch. I absolutely love tubing. There is no better way to spend the afternoon.


The only downfall? I'm so pale that I might as well be clear. So, despite coating myself in 50 spf sunscreen, I got burned. Ouch. Eric Northman might as well change me. I'm essentially a vampire already.


Sunday. We tried to go peach-picking at Carter Mountain Orchard, but the peaches weren't ripe yet. In an attempt to thwart my crushing disappointment, my parents bought me some peach ice cream. It worked.


After delicious dinner at a Mexican restaurant, we played some games as a family. I know this sounds cheesy, but I can't even remember the last time we had as much fun together. LP wanted to bowl and, although my competitive nature usually keeps me from participating, I promised to play, too. Going into the 10th frame, Mom was beating me by quite a bit, but LP convinced me that I would bowl three strikes. Sure enough, I did. My first (and probably last) turkey!


I was in complete and utter shock. We all screamed like we had won the lottery. A complete stranger shook my hand. I walked away with the come-from-behind victory. I chirped my mom the whole way home, so she probably won't be bowling with me again any time soon.

Monday. We drove to Short Pump to walk around the mall before dropping LP off at Fort Lee. We saw the PX and sat with him for a bit. It's always hard to leave him, but we're getting a little better at it every time. Virginia was plagued with thunderstorms, so we watched fireworks displays on TV.

The weekend seemed to fly by. It was wonderful to spend time in Charlottesville, but it was even better to spend time with my whole family. I suppose it doesn't matter where you are, as long as you're all together.

Tomorrow, I'm leaving with Jenn for the DMB Caravan in Chicago. Expect a relevant Man Meat Monday. ;)