My Night With Rooney…There Are No Words

Okay, maybe there are some words, but it is still hard to put my bliss-filled thoughts into coherent phrases.

Yesterday was completely awesome for several reasons:

*I got off work at 2:30

*I got to hang out with fellow NerdGirl Amber

*We ate at Quizno’s which is my fave sandwich place

*I got to hear a great concert

*I also got a hug from Robert Schwartzman

Ahhhh, bliss.

That last one filled me with enough happiness to last the rest of the year.  Actually, I got a high five, he put his arm around me to take a picture, AND he hugged me.  And the whole time I resisted the urge to stroke his hair or smell his neck.

So, the concert itself was pretty cool.  I was not a real big fan of the two opening bands because the first one’s songs were waaaaaay too long and the second band was just okay.  Then Rooney came on.  Wow.  Talk about a difference.

Let me just say that I have been listening to Rooney’s music for a long time now, and I love most of their songs, but to me they have always been Michael Moscovitz’s band.  After seeing them in concert, I now know they are so much more than that.  Robert mentioned that they had been touring for 8 years, and you can totally tell.  They all work so well together and are just AMAZING to watch live.  If you ever get a chance to see them in concert, you MUST do it.

Rooney rocking out

I was worried they would sing all stuff from their new album, which I haven’t had much chance to listen to yet, but they sang tons of songs from their first CD!!!!!  I was super psyched that they sang my favorite song, “If It Were Up To Me.”  I am pretty sure I started screaming like a crazy person when they started to play it.

This was our view the whole time

So anyway, the concert was marvelous (minus the scary crazed-fan gentlemen who pushed their way to the front and kept trying to molest Robert……don’t even ask), but the best part happened after.  Amber, her friend Chelsea and I all waited around and I bought a t-shirt.  Then they came out to sign stuff and we got to talk to them!!!!!!  The whole band signed my shirt (not the one I bought, the one I was wearing) and Robert signed Amber’s Michael Moscovitz Appreciation Society button.  We talked to him for a little bit about how the band was staying in Des Moines for 2 days.  I believe I said something about how they should go to the zoo or Adventureland.  Yes, I am a complete dork, but it doesn’t matter because he gave me a hug before we left!!!!!!!!

Amber and Robert having a moment over her button

Oh, and another great part of the evening was that I got to meet Amber’s baby Lester.  What a cutie pie!!!  Let’s just say that my cats were perplexed when I came home smelling like dog.

So, the concert was great and I am literally holding myself back from skipping work on Monday and going to see them again in Des Moines.  Who’s up for it??

Jen

P.S.  To see all the pics from the concert, including a very hilarious one of Robert signing the back of my shirt, go to my Flickr page.

Who Is The Most Romantic??

I had to post about this because it is so closely related to my “Fictional Characters” series.  I really want to live in England because not only is it totally awesome, but they do fun things like take polls of the most romantic characters in literature!  Do we do fun stuff like that here and I just miss it?

So here are the results of the poll:

1. Edward Rochester of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre
2. Richard Sharpe of Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series.
3. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
4. Heathcliff of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights
5. Rhett Butler of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind
6. Mark Darcy, of Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’ Diary
7. Captain Corelli of Louis de Berniere’s Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
8. Henry DeTamble of Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife
9. Gabriel Oak of Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd
10. Rupert Campbell Black of Jilly Cooper’s The Rutshire Chronicle

Now as you know, I am a HUGE fan of Mr. Rochester………..but I am not sure if he could be described as “romantic.”  I found this poll on Entertainment Weekly, and I totally agree with Tina that there were times when Mr. Rochester was not all that nice to Jane and definitely not romantic.  I still adore him, but I don’t think he would be my #1 choice for this poll.

Mark Darcy

I think it is funny that Mr. Darcy is on here twice.  I would argue that Mr. Darcy of Bridget Jones fame is very romantic, and Fitzwilliam does do some pretty wonderful stuff for Elizabeth and her family, but is it romantic???  Also, I thought The Time Traveler’s Wife was an awful bore, so I would definitely strike him from the list.  And wasn’t that Sharpe guy a total womanizer???  I’ve only seen one of the movies, but that was the impression that I got.  And embarrassingly enough, I haven’t read any of the other books.  *hanging my head in shame*

Fitzwilliam Darcy

Here are some of the things I would add to the list.  I am not sure if my choices would be considered coming from “literature” but, well, tough.

I would put both Boris and Michael from The Princess Diaries series on the list.  I would also put Boris ABOVE Michael on the list.  WHAT?  I know that is a pretty blasphemous statement, but if you really think about it, Boris is kind of the ultimate romantic guy, which is why he ended up with the ultimate romance-seeking gal, Tina.  And he plays the violin, which, in my opinion, is the most romantic thing ever.  But don’t worry, I still love Michael the best.

Michael, Just Cuz I Can

I would also grudgingly put Mr. Edward Cullen on the list.  As emotionally manipulative and scarily possessive as he is, you gotta admit that he is a pretty romantic type of guy.  And, I have no doubt that if the poll was done in America he would come in first (at least with the 10-35 crowd, cuz that’s who seems to be reading it at the library).

I would also have to include Zach from Impossible by Nancy Werlin.  I adored this book and Zach really stuck with me.  He was a great romantic guy-next-door-friend-of-the-family character.  If only people like that actually did live next door the world would be a much better place.

Strangely enough, I would also put The Count of Monte Cristo on this list.  He is not really a romantic guy per se, but the whole time I was reading the book his character just had this mysterious confident aura that I find very, very sexy.  Wait, is sexy the same as romantic?  Did I just totally contradict what I wrote earlier??  Oh well, I don’t care, The Count of Monte Cristo has a romantic feel to me so I say it would make the list.

I almost forgot to add Peeta!!!!  Peeta from The Hunger Games is soooooooo romantic!  He manages to say and do the most romantic things in the most terrible of situations.  Can you imagine how sweet he would be if you were able to live a normal life with him???

So, what do you think?  Can you believe that Rochester beat out both Darcys??  This poll did give me some nice titles to add to my to be read list.

Jen

P.S.  In the EW post, she mentions that one of her co-workers suggested Logan from the Baby-Sitters Club.  Heehee!  But didn’t he actually join the club, which is a pretty romantic thing for a high school boy to do.

I Have Officially Crossed Over…

I am very much looking forward to the breakfast next month when all of us get to meet Meg Cabot and squeal about how great she is.  My original plan was to be the voice of reason helping to control Amber, Lindsay, Jill, and Steph and not allow them to put themselves in a position where they might get arrested.  Well, I think that someone else (Abby, are you up for it?) is going to have to take that job, because I am going to be pushing everyone else out of the way trying to get her attention first.

I had read three Meg Cabot books in my life prior to starting the Princess Diaries series.  I loved All-American Girl and Ready or Not, so I was excited to meet her.  But I knew that I should probably try to make my way through her most famous series of books before getting spoiled on what happens while everyone is freaking out during the breakfast.  I thought I would read the first couple and see how they were and then I would decide if I should read them all………

Well………

I started reading the first one last Thursday.  I proceeded to read through the end of the fourth one by Sunday.  Tuesday I read the fifth book…….and then I finished off the rest of the series in the last 48 hours……..I am still glowing with happiness after finishing the last book.  I want to dance around outside in the snow, except it is late and dark and I live in a scary neighborhood.

I really loved these books.  Granted, Mia could be whiny and totally clueless, but looking at how she dealt with some of her situations, I have behaved very similarly so I can totally relate (although sadly, I was still whiny and immature and acting like Mia well into my 20s, which is just depressing).  The books were really hilarious and I loved how so many things kept popping up in book after book.  Here are some of my thoughts on my reading experiences in the last eleven days:

Favorite Book:  Obviously Forever Princess, no competition.  It was hilariously wonderful and totally wrapped up the series brilliantly.  I almost pulled a Lindsay and jumped up and down for the last 100 pages, but I am kind of lazy, so I settled for letting out intermitant shrieks of “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPP” every now and again.  I don’t think my upstairs neighbors liked it, but I have to listen to their stupid dog all the time so I don’t care.  Plus it includes possibly the best line from any book ever: “Lana says J.P. makes Matt Damon from the Bourne movies look like Oliver from Hannah Montana.”

Second Favorite Book:  Princess in Love was when I really fell in love with the books.  I liked the first and the second one, but the end of the third one made me all giddy and happy the way only Twilight and Harry Potter can do.  That’s when I knew I was hooked and had to make it to the end so I could feel the unabashed happiness that Jill, Amber, and Lindsay had talked about.

Least Favorite Book:  I would have to say Princess Mia was my least favorite book.  It was sad that Michael wasn’t in it at all hardly, Lilly was so mean and Mia was so depressed.  It was like New Moon but without the distraction of Jacob (because I totally knew *Spoiler Alert* that there was something fishy about J.P. from the beginning).

Favorite Character:  Duh, Michael…..obviously.  At first I liked the Michael from the movie better, because when I started the first book I was like, what??  who is this guy who walks around with his shirt off all the time, that’s not Michael???  But then there was the moment (and I can’t remember exactly when it was) but I think it had something to do with Josh Richtor when Michael and Lars exchanged a significant look or something and I was totally won over by book Michael.  He was all protective about Mia’s feelings (but not in a creepy Edward Cullen way).

So anyway, it is getting kind of late and I should probably go to bed so I can get up early and see who wins the Printz, Caldecott, Newbery, etc. like the good librarian that I am.  Or maybe instead of going to bed, I can search eBay to see if anyone is selling the complete Princess Diaries Collection…..hmmmm….. must go check.

Jen

P.S.  Lindsay, I know I said I would call you when I finished the last book, but it is really late and you probably have to work tomorrow, but I will call you soon.

Rooney might have made eye contact with me…

Don’t you just love it when all your favorites things turn out to be connected to your other favorite things?! It always makes me feel like I am doing something right with my life–like I am on the trail to the bestest most favoritest thing ever.

Last weekend was Iowa’s Homecoming (and I hear that I am lucky to be such a nerd and to have chosen to do homework over watching the game. Cmon Hawkeyes! make Nate Kaeding proud!) and to celebrate there is always a concert after the parade—this year was Rooney!!!!! (and Chuck Berry, also very cool) AHHHH, MICHAEL MOSCOVITZ IN IOWA CITY!!!! I saw the Princess Diaries movie before reading any of the books, so Robert Schwartzman will always be Michael to me. Whether he likes it or not. sly smile.

anyway, so I got out of work and walked downtown to wait for my friends before watching the parade. Wait, what do I hear?? is that a heavenly angel doing a soundcheck? NO IT WAS MICHAEL MOSCOVITZ! (omigosh I hope Robert doesn’t google himself and read this…) The stage for the Homecoming show is just out in front of the Old Capitol Building, so the Rooney boys were essentially just doing their preshow stuff outside–meaning that I could literally just walk right up to the stage and watch. Don’t worry, I tried to look cool. I leaned against a rock and took out a newspaper while slightly shaking my head along to the music. OMG! there were literally only like five other people there watching with me–so chances are good that maybe the guys in the band made eye contact with me??!! I was trying really hard to have a quirky-Midwestern-girl-I-am-enjoying-your-music-very-much-but-I-am-not-throwing-myself-at-you smile, which is really hard to do. Especially when you are panicked that you are giving a I-may-look-23-but-if-I-come-face-to-face-with-you-i’m-going-to-scream-and-steal-some-of-your-hair-for-a-scrapbook smile. here is a representation of the situation:

A re-creation of me trying to act cool while standing front-row while Rooney soundchecks.

except imagine my hair shorter, and Robert looking less like Michael Moscovitz.

oh, and just to make a connection between Rooney and another teen-girl book sensation. Their video for “Are You Afraid of Me” is all about vampires. Yes.

oh and this is one of the songs they played while I was watching soundcheck and my eyes glazed over. Totally reminds me of Phantom Planet’s “Hey Now Girl”–as in I love it.

amberj.