The Future Needs a Big Kiss

7/25/2011
My shoes are still wet.

Is it possible to feel every emotion in the space of 4 hours?

Once when I was in high school a friend who was VERY into music and had thought about this question often, asked, "Michele, what would your dream concert be?  What band would you want to see and who would you want to open for them?"  "Hmm."  I paused (I had not thought about this question often).  "Maybe... Joy Division and U2" I answered.  "Oh, that would be a good one.  Joy Division's lead singer is dead though so that's not ever going to happen." was his answer.  Well, Saturday was as close as I will ever get- Interpol and U2.  Yay!  For those not familiar with Interpol, they sound very much like Joy Division.  Not only was it two very awesome bands... it rained!  I got to sing and dance and yell and scream and stomp my feet and jump and clap my hands in the air in the pouring rain.  Dripping down my face, dripping down my hair, dripping over my shoes.  It rained so hard I felt like I was swimming some times and drinking mouthfuls of water.  It was amazing!  It was one of those moments when it feels SO GOOD TO BE ALIVE.  What was yesterday (two days ago if you want to be technical) was a forgotten "dream" realized and before that a hope for a future day that seemed impossible.  A big kiss for my future (now my past) being awesome and now I feel "Ready for what's next" and my "future needs a big kiss" because I bet it is just going to keep getting better.
:-)
Here's some photos from my phone.  I wish I had taken my new camera because we were actually closer than it looks on my phone camera and there were a few nice shots I would have liked to have gotten- only I think it would have been too wet for my camera anyway (no umbrellas allowed).

Interpol Minneapolis/St. Paul  7/23/2011

U2 Minneapolis/St. Paul 7/23/2011

Here's a playlist for those curious:

1. Even Better Than The Real Thing
2. The Fly
3. Mysterious Ways / Rain (snippet)
4. Until The End Of The World / Anthem (snippet)
5. I Will Follow
6. Get On Your Boots
7. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
8. Stand By Me
9. Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
10. Beautiful Day / Space Oddity (snippet)
11. Can't Stand The Rain (snippet) / Elevation
12. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
13. Miss Sarajevo
14. Zooropa
15. City Of Blinding Lights / Singing In The Rain (snippet)
16. Vertigo
17. Miss You (snippet) / I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight / Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head (snippet) / Discothèque (snippet) / Life During Wartime (snippet) / Psycho Killer (snippet)
18. Please (snippet) / Sunday Bloody Sunday
19. Scarlet
20. Walk On
    
    encore(s):
21. One / Purple Rain (snippet)
22. Hallelujah (snippet) / Purple Rain (snippet) / Where The Streets Have No Name / Singing In The Rain (snippet)
23. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
24. With Or Without You
25. Moment of Surrender / Singing In The Rain (snippet)

I was on the inside when they pulled the four walls down I was looking through the window I was lost I am found

Also on Friday we stopped by Wild Rumpus Bookstore in Minneapolis.  It's in kind of a historic, artsy part of town.  My friend who came with us has wanted to go there for a long time (since our oldests were little) and we finally made it.  There were chickens in the store that didn't mind too much being picked up, cats to pet, a chinchilla to look at, books to peruse, and a spooky section of books in a small haunted shack.  I wandered away and then noticed everyone was gone, almost everyone in our group was waiting outside for me. My friend was also still inside delighting in small details. 
Afterward Brian and the boys went camping and Ana and I watched a few "girly" shows- Downton Abbey (the last episode of the first season), Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure, and A Room With A View (1980's).    Downton Abbey I learned about from a blog I admire, Sharpay's wardrobe is admired by my daughter, and A Room With A View I learned about from a friend I dearly admire.  She lent me the book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.  We had just moved here after living in Europe for a three year stint so Italy was fresh on my mind.  Thank you Netflix and friends for an evening of "admiration-inspiration".

chickens were free to roam

and cats in baskets sun bathing in the window

We're free to fly the crimson sky

Friday we visited Historic Fort Snelling.  It was another hot day so this time I learned things about the temperature.  The costumed staff says they get used to wearing the costumes in the heat and don't feel any different than if they were wearing shorts and a t-shirt.  The rooms stay fairly cool even with a fire going to cook because they are stone on the outside insulated with rocks and gravel and then another layer of stone inside, and were designed to allow breezes and cross winds in with open windows.  In the winter the fire would keep part of the house warm, but farther away from the fire was cold and they had to sleep two to a bunk to stay warm.  The mattresses are stuffed with hay.  It's not very comfy.  Especially when it's humid.  I also learned how they did laundry and played a few games.  We learned how to march like soldiers too.  We learned a lot of things.  I also learned that the drum and fife player were in battle because they played different tunes depending on the instructions from the captain or leader because the drum and fife could be heard amongst the gun shots and shouting couldn't.  I always wondered why they brought along a drummer.  Smells:  musty in the round tower, dusty hot humid air outside, gunpowder, fire in a fireplace.  Felt: the hot sun and sweat and occasionally a nice breeze.  Heard: a number of gun shots and a cannon.

learning to march like a soldier

school

laundry duty

playing games

caught stealing the silver

You're honey child to a swarm of bees

Brian had a few days (but couldn't take the whole week) off so we played tourist in our own "neighborhood". We took a trip to the Minnesota Arboretum on Thursday.  It was hot and humid, but not as bad as the last few days.  Major occurrence was William got stung by a bee.  Third time in his 7 years of living.  They just seem to fly up and sting him for no good reason.  Some thing I learned is the little tiny green plants growing on top of ponds that look like slime keep the mosquitoes from breeding there as much and keep the pond clean.  Something I smelled, roses and evergreens.  Something I felt- the wind on my bare bottom when I sat at on the "fancy" composting toilets they have there to be "green".  After whisper mentioning it all boys suddenly needed to use the restroom.  And for the sense of sight here's some pictures of the gardens: