How I wish you could see the potential.

What to talk about first...Well, Wednesday was a cool day. After school I got to hang out with my good friend Hope for quite awhile. We went to Steak 'N Shake and were the only two people there for pretty much the whole time. Then we went to park and climbed trees and played on playgrounds and took pictures. It was swell. I got home and called another friend of mine, Mr. Tom O'Brien to see what he Kyle (woody wagon kid) were planning on doing, and Tom informed me that Kyle was coming to get him, and then they'd pick me up. My mom called shortly after and told me not to leave until she got home. She finally arrived and I found out why she'd made that curious demand. She'd stopped by the cingular store, and long story short, I am now in possession of my first cell phone.

We ended up going to Kyle's, where we played catch in the yard with his girlfrriend Tricia and her friend Amanda or Ashley or one of those other common girl names. I love having social things to do on weeknights. It makes the week seem exponentially easier and shorter. Basically, Wednesday was one of those days where it felt like the way the glorified version of the high school experience should feel. And I like it.

Friday and Saturday were all about the Agape Festival in Greenville, Illinois. I took the trip up with my friends Emily and Victoria's church. No really exceptional bands played Friday night. I watched a little bit of Children 18:3 and Dressed To Kill and caught full sets from Run Kid Run, Nevertheless, Hawk Nelson, and The David Crowder band. After DCB finished, April, Kelly, and Ryne arrived. After chatting for a bit, I found out they had decided to stay at a hotel as opposed to the original plan of camping, so we drove for 30 minutes until we found a room in Vandalia. The room only had one king size bed, but it did have a jacuzzi. After getting set up in our room (aka me throwing myself on the bed repeatedly), we made a trip across the parking lot to the 24 hour Wal-Mart for snacks and other various items. Ryne and I pretended to be spies in strange hats. And that was that. We went back to the hotel and stayed up for awhile, watching TV and playing some dirty sounding card game, called rat screw, or something like that. I'm bad at that game. We went to bed around 2:30.

The next morning we ate breakfast, I took a soak in the Jacuzzi, and we made our way back to the fairgrounds. We ran into Matt Langston from Eleventyseven upon arrival and chatted with him for a bit before heading over to the main stage for the last ten minutes of a set by my friends in the Silent Film. They're really nice guys and they have some of my photography on their myspace. Check them out. Next was a weird funk band called the Fundamental Elements. Then Pickneyville, Illinois band Dear Future played. I saw these dudes last year and really love them a lot. I'm pretty sure most of you guys would enjoy them. Give them a try at least. Their lead singer resembles Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. If that's not worth visiting their myspace, what is? Eleventyseven followed them and promptly got in trouble for making kids rush, and in turn, break the barricade. Ryne and Kelly were already staking out their spot for RK at this point, while April and I were off to the side of the stage. But around 2, I broke off from her and reunited with Victoria and Emily for another Illinois band, Forgetting Paris, who were playing on the second stage. They only played about 5 songs, but they were great as always.

By this point, it was around 2:30, and the next band I wanted to see wasn't playing till 5. So the girls and I killed time by just hanging out, talking, and playing frisbee in one of the church vans. I headed back over toward the main stage around 4:30 and ran into April and another die hard RK fan from New Mexico, Ann (I think). Jon Schneck saw us and came and talked for a few minutes and then House of Heroes started playing. They played some new stuff and some old stuff. Regardless, it was good. They're such a good band. Friends of RK too. John Reuben came on next and was really fun, much like last year. But this year, Thiessen came on stage to sing the end of "Nuisance" which made me smile a whole lot. The video will be on youtube soon enough. Everyone who played after were just stepping stones to Relient K. The Afters were decent and the only bright spot in Barlowgirl's set was their attractive drummer. This whole time I'd been making my way to the front, gradually angering young Christian girls. By the time RK came started their second song, I was front row.

Relient K is my favorite band. They always remind me why when I see them live. Last night was great. They played "Chap Stick, Chapped Lips, and Things Like Chemistry" for the first time in over a year of me seeing them. During Sadie Hawkins Dance, M@ pulled April on stage and saluted her for being his "biggest fan", a title which she cringed at, but still had a great time running around stage with the guys. I have pictures I'll send to April so you all can see them. We got to go backstage after and talked to everyone but Hoopes. I really feel like I'm getting to know them better. It was one of my favorite times talking to the guys, but I don't feel like talking about it all, and even if I did, you'd kind of have to be there anyways. I bid farewell to Ryne, Kelly, and April, and left around one. I got home at 2 and felt content.

Today's been brutal. Church was cool this morning. It was like Hispanic day or something, and there was a translator following around Pastor Rick. I was able to tune in a lot better, and I feel like I actually took something away from the service for the first time in awhile. The Tegan and Sara show was today. Now Thursday afternoon, my mom and I were over by Schnucks, where I usually by my show tickets. I asked if we could go ahead and get my ticket, because I wwas really worried about it selling out. My mom proceeded to tell me she hadn't decided if I could even go, so the answer was no. She apparently decided I could go today, and sure enough, the show had sold out. Swear. I knew I could probably still go down there and get in, maybe even for free, but it would just be a hassle. So I talked to my friend and we started sorting out transportation details. She said her mom wasn't home, but she'd call me when her mom did arrive, to let me know who was handling rides. Awhile later, I saw someone had posted 2 tickets for sale on Craig's list, so I called my friend to confirm she was going, since it had been a few hours and she still hadn't called me back. I called over and over and over again, but there was no response. I later found out she had fallen asleep. She slept for 3 and a half hours and by the time she woke up, the tickets were gone and there was no point in going down to the venue anymore. So right now, I'm having my own little pity party, listening to the new Death Cab, and wishing I was somewhere else. Namely, the Pageant, belting out the words to "The Con." On top of all that, I've had a bit of a cold this weekend and today, it's intensified a lot. Earlier, I was just sitting in a chair, sweating uncontrollably. I actually laid down awhile ago, and tried to sleep, but everyt time I started to drift off, I started to hear voices, just mocking me incessantly. I just feel really miserable. I'm starting to get to that place again where I just want to quit life for awhile and just sequester myself from everything. But who am I kidding. I'd miss people too much. Well. Some people. If you're one of those people or not doesn't matter. Regardless, thanks for taking the time to read this. Thanks for caring. Or at least pretending.

Christopher Michael Tucker.

Death Cab For Cutie- "I Will Possess Your Heart"
This video is gorgeous. Ben Gibbard is one of those guys who writes about my life better than I ever could. If the opening lines of this song don't get you, you might want to check for a pulse.