Wow.  First blog post of February 2013.  I really thought, after such an active January, that I’d maintain some consistency, but I’ve really had some off weeks.  I can’t really explain the differences, but from one week to the next, I can go from hyper-productive mode to super-zoned-out mode, and it affects everything from my blog to my obligations around the house to getting my lists of actual work knocked out from day to day.  I’ve been trying to catalog the differences (did I skip that early cup of black tea?) so I can pinpoint what truly drives me, but it’s still up in the air for now.

Either way, a couple of amazing things happened four days after my last blog update.  Many of you may know that my two favorite bands are fun. and the hiatus-taking Fall Out Boy.  On the morning of Monday, February 4th, 2013, Fall Out Boy announced that they were back together, had a full album ready, released the first single, opened preorders (including vinyl!) and launched a tour.  I picked up tickets for the Columbus, Ohio show and my buddy Stan picked up an extra ticket for the St. Paul, MN show, meaning that I’ll make sure I’m out there during that week.  I preordered the record, too, of course.  By the way… the tour?  Completely sold out.

But it wasn’t just FOB… fun. also announced their tour the same day!  They were a bit more tricky.  Their Cleveland, Ohio show had a ticket presale while I was in a meeting in Minneapolis and I missed the opportunity for good seats, so I waited until the regular on-sale and was shocked when, right at the on-sale moment, no seats were left except for bleachers at the back of the Jacobs Pavilion.  I’m not one to buy from scalpers, and upon reviewing the main ticket reseller prices for this show, I was growing a bit disappointed until something popped up:  Two seats in Section 1, Row C for $209, all fees included.  I snatched them up.

I was a bit concerned about the seats, since Section One extends off to stage right, and the far seats in that section can be at a tough angle.  I finally received the seat numbers late Saturday night and found that they were the third and fourth seats from the stageside aisle!  This are excellent seats, and much rejoicing was had… too bad I have to wait until July for that show!

I think what’s really, truly exciting about this is that, in the past ten years, I’ve been to just a couple of shows* (FOB in 2008, Hey Monday in 2009) and I feared that I’d never get to see either of them again with the hiatus and with Cassadee Pope trading pop punk for her pop-crossover reality show thing.  I don’t really get a chance to go to a lot of shows through a combination of overpriced tickets, dead band members (no, really) and just general poor timing.  This spring and summer are a huge exception and it’s all very unexpected.  I can’t think of another band I’d even care to see this year after these opportunities.

(*note: This does not include the couple of shows to which I accompanied Kristin during the same span.  Tailgating a country concert was a blast, but it’s not something I’d do on my own.)

Anyway, in the present, it has been an exceptional three day weekend so far.  I kicked it off with a radio show Friday night, ended up partying a little with Kristin and family/friends, and slept in a bit on Saturday.  We have had two movie nights… Pitch Perfect on Saturday and Brave last night.  Yesterday, we went to the Cleveland Museum of Art for a few hours (not nearly enough time, by the way) and then went to a restaurant called Trattoria in Little Italy which, I won’t lie, I didn’t even know existed in Cleveland.  Despite parking hell, the food was phenomenal, and we’re both looking forward to our leftovers today.  Best gnocchi I’ve had… breaded eggplant was a great surprise as well.  Highly recommended.

I think Kristin’s favorite part was sleeping in.  She had a four day weekend, being off Friday, and she’s still in bed.  I don’t know how she does it, but I’m kind of jealous.

I’m not sure what today will bring yet, but I foresee leftovers for lunch, cleanup and grocery shopping tonight, perhaps a homemade dinner of some kind… but between those things, I need to come up with an idea for one more thing, because she has really delivered on all the great ideas this weekend.  I’m not really great at this stuff until the weather’s warm, because my go-to plans are all outdoors.  (Note to Hallmark:  Move Valentine’s Day to late spring!)

Speaking of the outdoors, I think I was spoiled by the exceptionally mild Minneapolis winter last year, and this snowcover and this cold weather is killing me.  I am getting a bit of cabin fever but I have zero tolerance for numb body parts in the cold, windy elements.  Kristin said to me yesterday, braving the cold on the walk to the museum, “Remind me why we live here again.”  My answer?  “…”

I’m not the kind of guy to wish for immense wealth for obvious reasons, but I really wouldn’t  mind having shelter in a warmer climate so we could get out of here for a while.  It amuses me that the folks at corporate live in Minneapolis but have cabins in… north Minneapolis.  Guys, you’re doing it wrong.  If you’re going to have a cottage and you live in one of the most frigid regions in the country, go warmer.  Then again, their cabins are probably the size of my actual house, so maybe they know something I don’t.

I’m not very raging today, so I can’t predict when there will be a political update.  I think I’m just basking in the glow of a great weekend with the girlfriend and avoiding the news.  Maybe I’ll get grumpy tomorrow and give my thoughts on the whole Dorner thing, even if it’s a little late.  Time for some of that black tea!