It was a beautiful day!

So one of my life long goals was achieved last month while I was on vacation.

I saw U2 live in concert. It finally happened. And it was amazing. Except for the douchy audience, it was perfect.

I've been a U2 fan since I was in the womb. They are my sister's favorite band, and since she is ten years older than I am, and thus was my second mother, we listened to a lot of U2 when I was a kid. I mean, Achtung Baby was like the only music I heard in 1990. Now, we have tried to see them many times in the past, popmart tour, elevation, zooropa...somehow U2 have always alluded us. We've have never been in town when they came to our town. But not this year.

I scheduled a vacation in October with the intent to see U2 and Muse together. I love Muse. I mean, I really love Muse, so I wanted to see them as the opener and not the Black Eyed Peas or Snow Patrol. I bought my ticket for $87.50, plane ticket for $99 each way to Dallas, and spent $70 on a rental car. My sister unfortunately could not join me because she's got like kids and work or something, so I went by myself and am not ashamed of that. We'll see them together in the future.

I got to Dallas and the rental car assigned to me was a 2010 Silver Mustang. I know right? High stylin'. I really felt like a Texan. I went to the Galleria to shop, and it is basically a mirror image of the STL Galleria. I needed to kill time before the concert though, and there's nothing like a little high end shopping to do that. The concert was in Arlington at the New Dallas Cowboys stadium and let me tell you, the thing is a monstrosity. I mean, it's just behemoth. I'm glad I sprung for more expensive tix because I heard people up in the nosebleeds couldn't hear very well. Which, if I'm going to see U2, I better fucking hear them.

The stage was this Octopus alien like structure that apparently costs like $5 million to assemble and disassemble. Definitely more than the GNP of most small countries, but hell it's Bono, so who cares. There was huge screens and the stage was set up in 360 with little bridges out into the general admission sections and I was definitely jealous of those peeps.


Muse opened and were just great. They are known for their stage show with lighting and video media on the big screen and it was visually stunning. They played Starlight, Time is Running Out and Undisclosed Desires, which are my favorites, so I was happy. Matt Bellamy has the raddest sparkly red guitar...I love. And I love him, he looks like a skinnier Christian Bale. I'm totally hoping I can see them when they tour here next year. Undisclosed desires is one of my favorite songs of the past year, I've listened the shit out of it from their album, The Resistance.

The house lights finally went down and David Bowie's Space Oddity played...my fav DB song. The gods, I mean the band took the stage and I died. I love Bono so much, I mean, he's like my idol. On my admission essay for Northwestern, I named him as the person I'd like to have as my celebrity parent. True story. I know he's preachy, and seems sort of self-righteous, but he's freaking Bono. I mean, I've seen Sting in concert and was in awe, but seeing Bono was like nothing I've ever experienced. I kind of felt like my heart was full...which is the lamest thing I've ever said.

That said, I'm a little disappointed that they did not play Pride which is my fav song. Bono's voice also isn't what it used to be, so he changed the melodies of songs to suit his presbylaryngis. He still sounded good. The Edge is just the coolest...I mean, he's like that creepy silent guy who lingers in the back, but you know he has so many cool stories and secrets. The Edge makes U2, U2. Adam was flashy as per usual, and Larry just sat back there playing the drums still looking pretty young. Visually the stage was amazing, the sound was good where I was sitting. The lights and the screen backgrounds were beautiful, and Bono and co were all over the stage.

Of course there was the requisite moment where Bono talked about the prisoner of war in Burma. And Desmond Tutu did the introduction to their encore, so that's just a reminder of how far above being rock stars they are. I mean, Desmond Tutu. Seriously. Plus, when my sister saw them a few weeks later in Vegas, Bill Clinton was in the audience. They play to world leaders. This is the reality of being in U2. And I will never have anything like that.

They sounded especially amazing on Sunday, Bloody Sunday; One, With or Without you, Mysterious Ways, I still haven't found what I'm looking for...which all coincidentally are my favorite songs. Probably my favorite was City of Blinding Light, which unfortunately no one in my section of the audience knew. I felt like I was in that episode of Entourage where Bono sings to Johnny Drama on his birthday. Especially at the "Oh You Look So Beautiful Tonight!" part. Love that song.

The worst part of the show was the audience. There was a pair of couples in my row who got up no less than 16 times during U2's set. I'm not exaggerating, I counted. Because I was pissed. I had to get up every fucking time to let them through. Sit the fuck down, you're at a concert. I know you don't care about U2, but I DO and I PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO SEE THEM, ASSHOLES. And one of the guys kicked my poster when he was walking out which really pissed me off, and I stared him down until his friend said sorry. Don't fuck with me. I drive a mustang when I'm in Texas.

I sat next to a man and his daughter. He let her skip school to drive down from North Texas to see this show. What a fucking cool dad, BTW. I think he was kind of hitting on me at one point (don't worry, he's divorced), but it was awkward. First of all, the girl and a whole bunch of other people were like "This is the song from Twilight!" when Supermassive Black Hole was played, which embarrassed me to no end. I mean, fuck, I love Twilight more than anyone, but I also am a fan of Muse's music and they are better than that. Then the girl asked to see my poster, which had U2 on it. She was like, "That one is Bono, and that one is the Edge, who are these two?"

I died.

I seriously was like, OMFG your dad let you skip school to see U2 and you don't know who Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. is? My heart imploded. Yeah, I'm a music snob.

Anyway, here was the U2 setlist. I hope I get to see them again real soon because it's not just a concert with U2, it's a life changing event. No lie. I LOVE YOU BONO.

Breathe
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For...
Stuck in a Moment...
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
Until the End of the World
Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Light
Vertigo
I'll go Crazy if I don't go Crazy tonight
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On

One
Amazing Grace
Where the Streets Have No Name

Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

I am human and I need to be loved just like everybody else does

I recently went through a difficult breakup, and as a widely known music fanatic, I made a playlist to help me deal with the fact that my ex-boyfriend is a real douchebag. And he really is, and I'm really better off without him. And no, I'm not just saying that to make myself feel better. He really treated me like shit at the end, and as a strong, independent, confident woman, I will not stand for that. I'm much better than his shit, which is so Busch league. Trust me, no one is telling me that I'm going to regret losing him. It was a good relationship, but it's over and I'm moving forth. Good riddance and on with the playlist. It's a little hodge-podge, but aren't all of my mixes like that?

There are several stages of a breakup that are represented in this mix.

1. Questioning, i.e. Why?
2. Bargaining, i.e. Please don't leave me (this is hopefully the shortest stage).
3. Anger, i.e. Fuck you, you worthless piece of shit, you're going to regret this.
4. Regret, i.e. looking back at the relationship, good and bad.
5. Acceptance and moving forth, i.e. Fuck you, I can and will do so much better.

There are more stages, but that would take me all day to explain.

One--U2
What Have I Don't to Deserve This?--Pet Shop Boys feat. Dusty Springfield
Slow Life--Grizzly Bear (saddest song ever!)
No Air--Jordin Sparks feat Chris Brown
Linger--the Cranberries
The Heart of the Matter--Don Henley
If You Leave--OMD (or Nada Surf)
End of the Road--Boyz II Men (probably the most appropriate song on this list)
Hold Me Now--Thompson Twins
High & Dry--Radiohead
Wicked Game--Chris Isaac
Anything--Dramarama
Keep Me Hanging On--Kym Wilde (or the original by the Supremes)
Hot N Cold--Katy Perry
Enjoy the Silence--Depeche Mode
How Soon is Now--The Smiths
The Engine Driver--The Decemberists
Apologize--One Republic (it is too late, it's too late)
Human--Human League
Throwing it All Away--Genesis
Don't Speak--No Doubt (quite possibly the best breakup song ever)
Title & Registration--Death Cab for Cutie
Pictures of You--The Cure
Everlong (acoustic)--Foo Fighters
She's Gone--Hall & Oates
Can't Stand Losing You--Police
It Must Have Been Love--Roxette
Breakdown--Mariah Carey feat Bone Thugz N Harmony
White Flag--Dido
Everyday I Love You Less and Less--Kaiser Chiefs
Don't Look Back in Anger--Oasis
Go Your Own Way--Fleetwood Mac
Love Hurts--Incubus
Walk On--U2

And of course, the anthem of breaking up...I Will Survive--Gloria Gaynor

God, I have the best music taste ever.