American Idol Concert review

For all of you who asked how it was, I'm posting it here.

Awesome! I had the worst seats ever - so high that I had vertigo - but a clear view of the stage. Fat Guy (I always forget his name, but he's #10) and Megan were AWFUL. (She was so awful that I think she bailed on the finale, as she was oddly missing.) Lil was good, but as usual didn't "own" any of her songs. Anup was good and brought the card with his original audition number! Very cute. Blind Guy was solid. Matt was fantastic. Why wasn't he like this on the show? I think he's finally tapping into his star power. The Goke was reliably good, but man is he boring. The girls sitting around me apparently thought differently, screaming " I LOVE YOU!" at the top of their lungs every 15 seconds. Truly troubling.

Allison was KICK. ASS. She sang Pink's "Rock Star" song (is that what it's really called?) and while she did a much better job solo than the group sang it on the finale, she should probably learn how to sing and play the guitar at the same time. She rocked "Cry Baby" and "Baracuda" (waaaay bad ass) and had her star power on full display.

Adam was disappointing. He was upstaged by his lights and his moves sort of suck. I think that was easy to miss on TV , but he really doesn't dance well. He sort of bounces. He dueted with Allison on "Slow Ride" and that was fun. Although they look so uncomfortable. Is it just me?

Kris was great. It sort of pains me to say that. He can play the guitar and piano and sing at the same time! His voice was good, his moves are limited but sexy, and I was impressed overall. I finally understood why he won.

Wood Factor (1-5): 4

The Jogger

This guy is just unbelievable. I know I should probably just get over it, but this hugging of the inside of the track combined with eye rolling at ME is just unforgivable. Look buddy, when I'm edged on the grass at the center of the track, you know you have a problem.

Yesterday he bodychecked me. Well, almost. I was running clockwise on the inside of the track, and he comes up behind me and wooshes by with barely an inch between us. I swear I heard the "woosh." Today he was running counter-clock, hugging the inside; I was going clock, hugging the inside like a clockwise runner should do, and it's like we're playing a game of chicken. I know he saw me coming today. I know he chose to not move. So I chose the same. And I jog and jog and I'm wondering if he's going to inch to the right, like he should. But he doesn't. So I don't. And we come right up to each other and he looks at me, rolls his eyes, and says "oh my god."

Yeah that's right. Talk to your god buddy, because we're not finished. I refuse to got shoved aside when I have the right to hug the inside of the track and you don't. Bring it on.

Maybe it's unemployment getting to me, but this guy makes me feel so incredibly unworthy, like I don't belong on this track at 8 o'clock in the morning. He's like a punishment for my not waking up at 6am and running with the 6:30am people. (Those would be the kind, thoughtful, "I have to get to work early because I actually work" people.) Every time I see him I feel this burst of anger and resentment. It's like he represents everything that's wrong in this world.

And he probably does. At least in my world. Keep jogging buddy, because I'm not backing off.

Wood Factor (1-5): 1

The 8 o'clock People

One of the weirdest things about my new-found freelance life is the schedule. I'm used to going to bed at 11pm, waking up at 6am, and going running around 6:30am. Now I go to bed whenever, wake up at 7:30am, and go running at 8. I miss my old 6:30 runners. Who are these 8 o'clock people?

The 6:30 people were the office people with schedules like mine, or old people who got up at sunrise. The blonde girl whose body I coveted, the Iranian women who walked together, the old African-American guy in his sailor hat who always said hi. These were my peeps. I miss them. The 8'oclock people are the unemployed or the bosses who don't go to work until 10 am. I guess. Actually, it's tough to tell who they are. There's the handsome 40ish couple who run together; they look like they could/should be employed. Why are they running so late? And the Korean guys playing badminton - what's their story?

There is this one guy I just loathe. He jogs with his shirt off, and he hugs the inside of the track, going counter-clockwise. Hello? You don't hug the inside of the track when you're going counter-clockwise. That is not proper etiquette. So here I am, running clockwise on the track (4 laps counter, 4 laps clock) and I see this a-hole heading towards me, so I sort of drift to the side. Not too much, because I don't want to get in the way of a mom with her stroller. And this guy doesn't bother looking up or making any plans to pay attention. (No headphone-wearing excuse either.) So I'm doing the drifting dance, and he's plowing ahead. I had to stop to avoid running into him and the mom. I was irked.

The next day, there he is again. Plowing ahead running counter-clockwise, hugging the inside. FAIL. Again, I had to stop so I could get out of his way. But this time the guy has the nerve to bark out, "Holy fuck, I'm just trying to run here."

Excuse me? You're just trying to run, guy? Well guess what? We follow the proper track etiquette here, turd. No hugging the inside. You've got to pay attention. You don't own the track. We're all on it and you have to make room. And for the love of god, don't yell at me in the morning. I'm just trying to work my stress out, stay in shape, and enjoy my funemployment. I certainly don't need you with that pathetic little crumb trapper on your chin cursing at me about trying to run. I'm trying to run too. I'm trying to run and trying to prove that I belong on this planet despite not having an office to go to. So stop mother fucking hugging the inside of the goddamn track.

I hate the 8 o'clock people.

Wood Factor (1 - 5): 1