We don't admit it but we've never seen eye to eye

This sums up my recent 11 day trip to my hometown. My niece got married and I helped with the coordination during the wedding and details leading up to it. I had a blast hanging out with my sister and getting to really know my niece, her new husband and nephew as adults. Lots of champagne, super fun.

Less fun was 11 days at my mom's house. My mom is a wonderful woman and we have nothing in common (except that we realized that pretzels make both of us queasy). After a few days, it starts to really get me down/make me insane. I pride myself on being strong and independent, savvy and smart, while my mom is very reserved, completely milquetoast, and prefers to fade into the background. She's very set in her ways, very skittish, very insecure (yet somehow she managed to be the first in her family to go to college, get a professional career and move overseas for several years. Alone.) But now she won't drive across town or decide where to get lunch for fear of offending someone, being wrong or causing a fuss. It makes me sad. I think she does it at great personal expense but she won't talk about it.

Which explains why I sometimes over-assert myself, defiantly stand up for myself, and like to know what's where/what's new/where to go, and why I studied conflict resolution. I can only change myself, and that's okay.

My hometown bonus: seeing old friends and getting to play Barbies with the coolest six year old around. That and getting to dance to "You're the one that I want" with my sister.

The Wombats are proving to be a fantastic summer soundtrack, can't wait to see them next month at Red Rocks! We're liking "Our Perfect Disease" a lot. Everything's better with a soundtrack.

"We are listening and we're not blind"

One of the highlights of Birthday Continuum (really, there was no low point, besides fatigue) was seeing Snow Patrol in Denver. I've seen them a few times before but A hadn't, and she loves them. Mostly, she loves Gary Lightbody. At the show, I was equally concerned for his safety and that she might pass out. Whenever we've talked about the new album, or any songs, we've always said that there are dances. And 'Called Out in the Dark' has always had a dance - you may be sitting, but there's a thing with the arms that gets bigger and ends up over the head. We know it's a bad day when 'Called Out in the Dark' can't make it better (for me, it's a really bad day when all my other songs tagged here can't help. See also: Matt Nathanson, Rhett Miller, Scars on 45).  Gary Lightbody's voice is like a warm bath, everything else melts away.

"I only miss you when I'm with you"

Here's something new from Rhett Miller, Out of Love. He's awesome. So good live and as nice as he is pretty (okay, maybe he's a touch prettier.  He's very pretty).  Definitely worth seeing him and the Old 97's, I see them every chance I get, it's very cool that they're revisiting Too Far to Care, it's a great album and will make for a fun tour. Get his new album. Or one of the earlier onesh. All of them.

"I'm a non-believer but I believe in these dirty little wicked games"

Continuing on with the music.  None of us can relate to this song in any way.  Nope, not at all.  Stop looking at me like that, it wasn't me.

"What I wear like church clothes, you wear just like jewelry."

Let's take a musical tour through the inside of my head, shall we?  Part 1: Matt Nathanson.  Wish I'd been at that show last year.