Maine voted to strike down gay marriage last night with 53% voting Yes on Question 1, which is depressing. The rights of the minority should never be decided by a majority vote.

My favorite response on this:

So, what’s going on? America has become its own worst enemy! Our Founding Fathers had ideas about freedom of speech and religion. The idea, as rocky as it was in a far more segregated society than we have now, was to protect people from inequity and oppression. Citizens would be free and equal, secure in their independent and ineffable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Now those very freedoms created to protect the little people have been co-opted by the Wrong People With Power and that theft has turned America into a refuge and breeding ground for extremist religious socially conservative twatwaffles.

For a system built on ideals, I think we can say that the system is corrupt? Of course our lives here are far better than life in most countries on this planet. But we seem to be the only ones confused about the “character” of the place we call home. Denial much?

- Riese/aka Marie Lyn Bernard


On a somewhat unrelated topic--somewhat un-related meaning, though Kelly Clarkson's not gay, the sound of her name alone is enough to make any self-respecting gay start dancing; unless you're one of my friends.

Meaning, when I wanted to see the KC and was still living in St. Louis, I was shocked that no one wanted to go with me (then again, her STL show fell on Halloween night). So of course, when I moved to Kearney, and was without the gays, but surrounded by a bunch of young mainstream straight girls I thought, "Second chance! Someone here will go with me!"

Wrong, again. Apparently I'd forgotten that the mainstream straight girl thing to do in Nebraska is fangirl out over Husker games, not pop singers. So my friends already had tickets to other events. Leaving me on my own, which was not gonna stop me from going to the show, mind you.

So, Thursday night I headed out on the drive to Lincoln. I've been to concerts by myself before, and some of them have been my favorite experiences. One of the bonuses of flying solo is actually getting to be present for the show, and get into the performance sans distractions of friends, and in the past I've actually met some cool people that I chatted with sitting around me.

Little did I know that night was gonna be the most fun I've ever had with a bunch of strangers. I told Kristina beforehand that aside from my expected norm of sitting alone, but enjoying the show, things could go two additional ways seeing as this was a Kelly Clarkson concert:
1) I would find some gays (where else in Nebraska than at a KC show, I mean, right?) and a dance party in the aisles would commence
2) I would be seated near some dad who brought his teenage daughter and all their friends to the show for her birthday. Which came with the risk of me punching a tween in their neck.

Anyways, I got to the show and as I suspected I saw both groups dotted throughout the crowd waiting to get in. There were a few gay/lez couples here and there, and a few groups of women with their token gay male friend breaking into choruses of 'Since U Been Gone' as they waited. And then there was group #2, standing right behind me.

Sidenote:

Seriously, this woman is 27 years old. I really wish they would stop marketing her to the tween audience. Don't Miley and Taylor Swift have that covered already? All the tweens that fell in love with Kelly during Idol are all in college now. Stop attracting new ones!!

Moving on. While the birthday girl behind me was whining about how stupid her dad was for not getting her VIP tickets to the backstage pre-show concert, or a Meet-n-Greet, a few other people started asking what the difference in the classes of tickets were. Another girl who was there alone started to explain as much as she'd understood, and we found out we were both in the same section. Then they opened the doors and we parted with a "have fun!" only to end up seated right next to each other, haha.

Well, Tasha was in the 2nd row, and I was in 3rd row, the seat directly behind her. Introductions were made, including to two other new pals sitting to my left, Kayla and her friend Andy. Andy I and I bonded instantly somehow getting into a discussion about Celine Dion--which he also couldn't believe none of my friends would go to with me, claiming either I was lying or my friends aren't "real homosexuals" (like Sarah Plain's "real americans"?).

Not long after a cute male couple joined us. They were adorable and had each brought a bouquet of roses for Kelly. Unfortunately, as we found out not long after, they were also already a bit tipsy when they arrived, because after another round of drinks during the opening act they were spilling their drinks all over the women in front of them.

Also during the opening act, I invited a dude to my right who looked like he was along to come sit next to us (to be closer to center stage) since there were a few empty seats between us that no one had yet filled.

Soon enough we were all chatting, swapping facebook info, making signs from the backs of our posters, and planning how we could get the cute little girl in front of us on stage, hahaha. Unfortunately as soon as the lights went down, everyone charged to the front of the stage, including us, so we were no longer near the girl during the actual show. But our crew managed to get the 2 Kelly virgins of the bunch right up against the barricade, front and center, so they had an awesome view for their first KC show. Very cool. These people were awesome.

I'm aware that pop may not be the most cerebral genre, but it sure can improve a long car ride, instantly pack a dance floor, or form fast friends out of a bunch of crazies who just wanted to jump around and have a good time.

Speaking of the jumping...throughout the whole show everyone was crammed up at the front and bouncing around and off eachother, but it wasn't until 'Since U Been Gone' came on that things actually felt like a mosh pit. This is the song where it got really insane. People were SMASHED up against eachother, yet all still trying to move, and though I could feel one guy behind me pressed against my back, I didn't consider that he was probably holding his head right above mine. Unfortunately he soon found out what a terrible idea that was…I mean, when Kelly tells me to do something, for example "Jump!", I do it. Thus resulting in my skull crashing into his chin. I felt so terrible, knowing how bad my head hurt, thinking getting hit under the chin that hard is probably worse. After checking and making sure there was no blood, or biting of the tongue etc. we both returned to our jumping. Which slowed a great deal as I started feeling like I was gonna pass out. For reals.

One of the unfortunate consequences of letting the newbies Trevor and Kayla in front of us was that Andy (who had been to 4 other KC shows) and I were both standing on the inclined portion of the floor that led up to the flat part the barricade was actually seated on. Therefore, causing our knees to feel like jello after an hour of standing and jumping on said incline. It was hilarious to watch us trying to walk to the parking lot after the show.

Parting was such sweet sorrow, but we all had eachothers contact info, and promised to swap photos/videos online. I myself sat in the parking lot for a good half hour post-show, merely because I still felt woozy from my near-concussion. Or maybe I actually had one. It's definitely something that would happen to me. Especially somewhere as ridiculous as a Kelly Clarkson concert.

When I no longer felt like I'd get pulled over for drunk driving, I headed to the nearest convenient store and picked up a couple tall red bulls to ensure I was awake and alert for the drive home. Which was successful. However, after getting home at 2:30 am, I was unable to fall asleep until about 6:30am (thanks, red bull!) and had to get up 2 hours later for work.

Regardless, I had a blast, and much more fun than I'd expected. Probably my favorite KC show to date (which after counting, I think was my 7th, lol).

media:

Cover of "Lies" by the Black Keys (whose album 'Attack and Release' is amazing.)


DJ Ricky Rick playin a little during the encore, into the White Stripes cover. I really like this arrangement, with the horns and spooky background vocals.












Einar, the bass player is hilarious. So is his face in this photo.




Leif almost killed me with his solo during their bluesy take on Patsy Cline's "Walkin After Midnight".

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