Monthly Archives: April 2009

takin’ it to the streets

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(or: How I Got to See the Doobie Brothers in Concert for Free)

I had a pretty good day yesterday. I bought an adorable $50 dress for just $20, and I got a new 500GB external hard drive (I don’t know which purchase I’m more excited about). In the evening I went out with Dad on the motorcyle for dinner at Panera Bread, then we scooted over to downtown Portsmouth for coffee at Breaking New Grounds.

While still sipping our coffees, we strolled through Portsmouth, heading over to the Music Hall to pre-purchase tickets for the Saturday showing of Gomorrah. While we were standing outside the theater, and I was talking on the phone with Mom, this guy walks up and asks us if we want to see the show. We figured he was just hustling us, but he insisted and told us to come right in. He was holding the tickets for a couple friends and didn’t want to wait for them any longer.

I wouldn’t have considered myself a big fan of the Doobie Brothers; I knew who they were, though I couldn’t have named any of their songs. But the concert was absolutely AMAZING. The band was incredibly tight, and I was surprised that I already knew and loved most of their stuff. And yes, I sang along and clapped my hands. I didn’t dance, though – I left that to the two 70 year old women in front of me.

So there I was, in boots and a leather jacket, dreadlocks pulled back with a flower in my hair, rocking out to the Doobie Brothers. The crowd was so energetic and the band was so much fun. If you had told me this is where I’d be at 24 years old, I would never have believed you. I almost can’t believe it now.

art and life

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On Tuesday, Dad, Stephen and I went to the Music Hall to see The Class. It’s based on the real experience of a high school teacher in Paris, but the setting could really be anywhere. The teens look, act and sound just like teenagers in America or England or almost anywhere else. They’re trying to find their identities while constantly feeling the pressure of their peers and parents. They want to assert themselves as fully grown people in a system that seems geared toward making them feel subordinate. They still need emotional support and affirmation, even as they shy away from the attention. The teacher plays himself in the film and the teens all give very natural performances. There’s not really any ‘plot’ to speak of, though things do happen. The entire film takes place inside the school. It almost feels like a documentary. And the ending will just about break your heart. A very, very excellent film.

Then on Wednesday, we went to the beach…