a little known fact.

since i already lost all musical credibility with my collin raye admission, i shamelessly admit to my friends that i am a die hard... DIE HARD... dashboard confessional fan. not an emo fan, not a screamo fan... just a dashboard confessional fan.

jen, can we still be friends? you listen to hillary weeks, so....

it aaaaallll goes back to 2001. sweet family memory #1. a roadtrip to las vegas with my mom and little brothers... humoring the little boys {they were just 14 and 16 at the time} while they explore their taste in music. we heard the same cd over and over and over again until finally, stuck in traffic on the strip, my mom admitted that "for you to notice" was her favorite song.

sweet family memory #2. day trip to irvine with the little brothers and a stupid boy named ricky hartpence to watch dashboard open for weezer at the irvine amphitheater. huge concert. one of the funnest days ever.

sweet family memory #3. september 2003. the little bros drive to rexburg to visit their only sister... with the added bonus of a dashboard confessional concert in salt lake city on their way home. with lara by my side, we caravaned to slc... the two cars conversing along the highway via walkie talkies {pre universal cell phone days}.

this was my first exposure to GA "seats" at a show and stupid mosh pits during the lame opening bands {vendetta red, mxpx}. this is the time i grabbed the first 14 year old boy who threw his sweaty body against mine by his shirt and said, "if you touch me one more time, i might start to cry, so stay away from me, and tell all your friends to stay away from me, too." he had my back the WHOLE NIGHT THROUGH.

sweet college memory #4. helping josh plan the engagement of a lifetime {to robin, of course} at the roller rink. they "snowballed" to their favorite dashboard song.

sweet college memory #5. video taping lara dance her heart out to the "new" hands down song on the "a mark. a mission. a brand. a scar." album the day we parted ways for summer break. in true lara style, i remember what she was wearing... a pink favorite tee from gap and jeans.

sweet post college memory #6. dash came to salt lake city for, like, the 48561357th time... he says the girls are pretty here... performed at in the venue. i had a spare ticket... so i invited my client and friend - ryan - to join me and my friends. mr. i'm-really-impressive-when-i'm-drunk decides to pick a fight with us because we won't give up our prime seats to two stranger girls. words were exchanged, gestures were made with fingers, trash was talked... and i learned that ryan required a p.r. agent in both his professional AND personal life.

listen. i like this guy. he's smirky, he's got sleeve tattoos, i liked him before radio stations and movie soundtracks liked him, and back when it was okay to look like uncle jesse... he reminded me of uncle jesse.

so, yeah, give me this one indulgence. besides...

hands down this is the best day i can ever remember. always remember the sound of the stereo. the dim of the soft lights. the scent of your hair, that you twirled in your fingers. and the time on the clock, when we realized it's so late, and this walk that we share together. the streets were wet, and the gate was locked, so i jumped it, and let you in. and you stood at the door, with your hands on my waist. and you kissed me like you meant it. and i knew...that you meant it.