The Bachelor Diaries - The Jason Edition - Episode 2

Okay, we're back. It's episode 2 which is where Jason really starts to get to understand how many bad decisions he made. Were there any girls that Jason really shouldn't have gotten rid of? Did he judge some of his 25 possible mates too quickly? Is someone watching Ty?

Who cares!? No time to dilly dally. Episode 2. Go. Now.

• The recap of the recap features Jason scrubbing down his biceps in the shower. Should I admit to not doing this? Is this an understood staple of shower hygiene? How dirty can one's biceps get that they need specific scrubbing time.
• Also, I think Ty just winked. Kid's got skills. Or a nervous tick. One or the other. Yeah yeah, I know. I've just been formally invited to 13 Beelzebub Place, Hellburg, Hell, 66666.
• I'll steal a bit from Adam Carolla when I ask about the vision board ... why do you have to cut the words out of magazines? If you write out the words in your own fancy font, is the board null and void? Is this some strange ploy for Oprah to sell more copies of her magazines?
• Apparently later ... brace yourselves, people. The claws are gonna come out. Say it ain't so, Harrison!
• Speaking of Harrison, the dude is rocking a blog that puts mine to shame. Seriously, you must read this.
• So after the ladies check out the house (and Nervous Texas tries out the bath tub with no water and full clothes), Chris asks "So what did you think of the house?" ... Ladies: "ye-wow-woo-gre-beau-awe-wee-oooo". "Is it gonna work out for ya?" ... "sur-ye-uh-defi-blur-you-dammit-big-time-jlar-yep." I'm pretty sure that's an exact quote.
• Step 1: hot dog topping test. Step 2: chicken fight in the pool. Step 3: marriage. Just try to deny that logic. It's like ready, set, go. Or uno, dos, tres. Or 29-year-old male, dating reality show, running diary blog.
• Ok, the default rose girl ... she needs to relax. You got your rose. The girls are threatened by you. Move on.
• Unnamed blonde girl quizzed Jason on the 3 branches of government? This is what constitutes stimulating conversation? Hey Jason, ready to get crazy? What's the capital of Vermont? No wait. Let's notch it up. A squared + B squared equals what? OMG, we are off the chain, right? This is B-A-N-A-N-A-S bananas! Quizzes!
• So you girls actually use the hold-the-article-of-clothing-up-against-your-body as an actual way to determine the level of flattery of said article of clothing? What can that possibly accomplish?
• I'll give it up for Robin Thicke's band. They are feeling it considering they're performing for a raging audience of ... two. People. Two people. Seriously, though, as an audience member what do I do when I represent half of the entire audience? Do I make eye contact with the band members? Do I not? Do I bob my head? Do I need to make sure I split time looking at each band member?
• I'll say again. Wow, Robin Thicke. You are perFORming for 2 people like no one ever has.
• Wait. Default pissed off rose girl is a LaCrosse Coach? Is there a profession that could tell someone less about what to expect from someone's personality? Perfume developer? Wig shop owner? Marine Biologist?
• So, when the Goodyear blimp appears on the Bachelor and becomes the most complicated and expensive magic 8-ball ever, who's paying who? Does Goodyear pay the Bachelor for the exposure? Or does ABC pay Goodyear to stoop to such a low? Or is this some sort of shot across the bow of the Firestone clan?
• Hey Jason, Seacrest is gonna be pissed when he sees you wearing his t-shirt/vest comboooooooooo. All 4 feet 8 inches of him is gonna go into a little miniature rage all over you. (Oh, c'mon, everbody's doing it. Try it. It's fun.)
• I'll say this for Nikki, the girl who is coming off an 11-year relationship and has only kissed that dude since she was 17 ... if she takes kissing as seriously as she says ... well, Jason takes kissing ... jokingly ... [cough]-he'skissingeveryone-[cough]-ahem!
• P.S. I just blew my own mind when I realized I'm the same age as Nikki. Is that how I'm supposed to act as a 29-year-old?
• Okay, the girl that chatted with Jason after the widower ... the girl who decided to go home to be with her family ... I've never seen that girl before. I'm serious. Who are you?

Woops, my DVR thought that the 8:30-9 block was "Samantha Who?" I'll have to finish this off when they post it online tomorrow. Until then ... kisses are serious business, people. I'm 29. I should know.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back. I believe I signed off just as the cat claws were being extended ...

• As far as drama goes, this was pretty weak. I did enjoy that what's-her-face declared that she wanted clarification because she "deserved it." Talk about stating the obvious, Megan. You're entitled. You're entitled to ... clarification. Don't you let anyone keep it from you, girl!
• Jason just used the word "alluded". I'm pretty confident in saying this is a Bachelor/Bachelorette first.
• Who was the one girl that actually responded to Harrison's "good evening"?
• Ugh! Megan gets a rose and sorta keeps up the tradition with "stop it right now". I really would have preferred "burn in hell, fatties!" Another week of her projecting general malaise at everyone. Great.
• I don't think the widower has moved her head yet -- oh wait, she got a rose and then showed us every tendon she has in her neck.
• In terms of presenting himself to America, Jason seems to be doing a good job of picking all the young cuties while peppering in some single moms and other good "stories". Right? While we're here, I think Ando makes a point that kissing 4 girls in one episode may be a record ... especially this early.
• Oh. The job quitter bites the dust. That's gotta sting. Hopefully unemployment covers the flight home. Try this on your next job interview: "I quite the Bachelor to come to this interview!"

Next week. Shocker! Default Rose is still pissed. At everyone. Great. Plus, what's that running down the beach? It's your kid, widower! Just the drama I'm looking for in an online dating reality show.

I miss Big Swayze and Hillary.

Prelude to a Marathon

Warning: this post is entirely self indulgent.  There's a 98% chance this will only be interesting to me.

So I have my 4th marathon coming up in a week - The Phoenix Rock 'n' Roll Marathon.  Most of last year's training was done in Peru.  This meant my lungs got a great work out, but the number of long distance runs I could do was lacking.

This year's training has been hampered by ... well, general laziness.  I haven't done one run prior to 9am in order to avoid the cold (i.e. no week day runs) and I've been working a lot (60-65 hour weeks) and I had a badly timed (as far as marathon training is concerned) trip to Aspen.

With all that said, I'm going to be extremely interested to see how things go next week.  For now, let's have a look at ...

Last year's "long" training run 2 weeks before the marathon:

This year's "long" training run 1 week before the marathon:

And a total comparison of the 3 months leading into the race:

I'll post again in a week-ish to compare the actual marathons.

The Bachelor Diaries - The Jason Edition - Season Premiere

So I didn't even think I was going to have time to do this thing. In fact, I thought I had missed the premiere because I hadn't set my DVR. But then it turns out my DVR loves me and had taped it. And then I started the thing while eating dinner. And I wasn't 15 seconds in before I was bitching about Newnan to my roommate Dave. I paused it, ate my dinner and here we are.

You know the drill. Snarky snarky here we go.

• "Are we Greek?" F Newnan. F that girl. "Are we Greek?" No, WE are not. You are, Pappas. P.S. did you hear that Jesse shredded his last gnar all over her face? Yeah, they broke up.
  
• While we're going down memory lane ... You're my boy, Jessie! Gnar! We miss you Big Swayze. So. So. Much. Okay, on with the Jason edition.
• Wow, dude is veiny. Gah.
• "Ty's not gonna be around for the whole thing, but he'll be here for the start. We'll probably send him home before I start sealing all kinds of deals. Chicks love veins."
• How many times in his life has Ty been called "buddy"? I put the over/under at 47 billion.
• Whoever had 2:48 in the pool for the first Harrison hyperbole, you win ... "the most romantic season ever."
• There is no way that any less than 100% of these girls worked out on the day of the first party.
• "I'm a tooth Nazi. Ha ha ha ha." Uh, yeah, okay. Glad one of us is laughing.
• Dominique. It was over before it started.
• Melissa (Cowboy cheerleader) ... uh, nice work, camera 2. Good gravy, don't make it obvious or anything.
• Yes! We have our first drop-dead-obvious nickname: Vision Board! BTW, did you hear that Oprah's fat again? OMG it's crazy times! Right!?!? She was fat once. And then skinny. And now fat again!
• "I handle bitches with a slap," says Naomi. Well, I mean, duh. As if anyone ever handled bitches via some other method.
• I'll give it to Jason for being original. He's somehow both nervous AND excited about the party. Is this guy dynamic or what?
• Yes, drink, ladies. Drink that sweet, sweet champagne. We'll all thank you kindly for it in a few hours.
• Carrie from Kansas is wearing pink eye shadow. There's just no getting around it.
• The salsa dance has me cringing like mad. It's too much. Too much, salsa girl.
• Stacia, the 24 year old mother of 2 from Utah ... no comment.
• Nikki from Chicago ... eyes up here, Jason! Up here!!!
  
• The cringing returns with golfing girl from Michigan. Thanks for that.
• So when a Brazilian girl laughs awkwardly after you tell her you know a little bit of Spanish, that's her way of being too embarrassed to tell you they speak Portuguese in Brazil.
• Wow, I really dislike Dominique. Her puff piece had the 100% opposite effect than I imagine the producers would have hoped.
• And the Tooth Nazi claims the cringe grand prize with the fake teeth. Great work.
• "The most shocking twist in Bachelor history" is apparently upcoming. Breathe it in, people.
• Great moments in local news: "A rocker is helping out a politician ... at 10." I'm not making this up, people! Who could possibly turn away from such a story?
• These ladies are serious. They just did a tequila shot with pops Jason.
• Fun fact, Jason has the same birthday as my boy, Lubs. Thanks for the knowledge, Tooth Nazi.
• Jason, if you and your veins ever want to do anything for me ... boot Dominique. Boot her now. How about the first impression booting? Can we install that as the new shocking twist?
• Anyone wondering how to immediately weird out a dude, here's your answer: "I actually resigned from my job to be here."
• Canada is actually making hot dogs? What is that all aboot? Ohhhhhhhhhhhh I kill me. Good times.
• I will say this with no sense of irony at all. Mustard is exactly the right choice. No one needs Canada to tell them that.
• See what Lauren the teacher did differently from Sharon the teacher? She did NOT quit her teaching job prior to coming on the show. She also wore a leopard print dress that is not exactly cut high. Ya know!? Jerry!!!??!?!?!
• "We got a box. It's a box, we got a box." How much would I have lost it if someone quoted Brad Pitt in Se7en when they presented the box? "What's in the f'ing box!?"
• I'll say it. I like nervous girl from Dallas.
• I'm pretty sure Natalie just asked if Melissa is ready to be a "mendor" to a child. When it comes to mendoring, I have to say I too am unsure if Melissa is qualified.
• "I mean he's 14 months so he's still learning," says Megan the mom. Uh, when exactly do you expect your child to stop learning?
• First impression rose? More like first im-breast-ion rose! Heyo!!!
• Let's give it up for Megan being the first person ever to say "you a-holes" while walking to receive a rose. I really hope this becomes a trend. You must utter a blanket insult to all the other ladies after Jason calls your name at the ceremony. "Erica." "Take that, you hookers!" "Will you accept this rose?" "Of course I will, Jason. Thank you."
• At least one more week of the Tooth Nazi. Get your cringes ready.
• Unemployed lands a rose? Chick is weird beard.
• Drunky who gets engaged and married and divorced on a whim, Dominique (booyah!), Vision Board, 24-year old mother of 2 from Utah and others get the boot.
• Whoever keeps saying "whore" but turning it into a 2-syllable word is my favorite. She's my favorite.
• Oh, Newnan. I look forward to building on our history of hate with your reprisal this season.
• Also, is Jason trying out for a soap opera with his crying on the balcony routine?
• Spoiler alert! The winner has a French manicure!

Pretty good times, y'all. I could have handled a girl pulling her version of the "coyotes" routine from last year, but at least we're rid of Newnan. Oh wait.

Biggest Movie Plot Holes, Volume 1

Okay so I like movies as much as the proverbial next guy.  In fact, unless I'm next to my roommate Dave or Harry Knowles and his crazy neck beard, it's likely that I like movies MORE than the next guy.  And because of that, I understand that they are movies.  They are fictional stories and the whole reason they're entertaining is BECAUSE they came from the imagination of some author or screen writer*.  If they were real, then they wouldn't be movies.  They would be our boring lives where we get up, eat, work, watch TV and sleep.  (Okay, so maybe that's MY boring life ... but anyway ...)  I get it.  It's not real.

With that said, I can't help but take issue with certain plot holes in movies.  Here's a couple.

The rules of Gremlins

In case you were born in the last 3 days, Gremlins is about an over zealous present-seeking father that goes into a shady-looking shop in "China Town" and pretty much steals a tiny creature from an old dude with a sweet beard.

Pops' loot from his theft is a creature (species: mogwai) that is eventually named "Gizmo" and he's the cutest thing alive.  But (shocker) we learn that it's not all fun and games with Gizmo.  Turns out you have to do more than walk Gizmo and let him out to pee before bed.  Here are the rules of owning a mogwai:

1. Avoid exposure to direct sun light.  Descendant of vampires maybe?  
2. Don't get him wet.  Interesting.  Sounds like this will be a little tricky.  Is he allowed to at least drink water?  What happens if some Jell-O accidentally drops on him?  Does that count as wet?
3. Don't feed him after midnight.  Here's where I take issue.

As I already mentioned, I understand that I'm objecting to a single innocent (and plot-driving) piece of admnistrivia within a movie about a previously undiscovered species that is a fluffy biped male (I think?) living teddy bear that was shop-lifted out of China Town ...

But still ... don't feed him after midnight?  Are we talking Eastern time?  Greenwich mean time?  What happens on daylight savings day?  We're supposed to understand that mogwais have some sort of complex internal biological clock that actually keeps track of time by the hour?  Let's say Gizmo scores some frequent flyer miles and you take a flight from NY to AZ and you land in Phoenix 1AM AZ-time.  Can I feed the guy (girl?) or no?

And moreover, it's ALWAYS after midnight if you think about it.  It's 7:38pm right now ... which is ... after midnight from last night.  When does the clock reset?  6AM?  8AM?  Maybe mogwais like to sleep in and breakfast isn't usually until after noon.  

All I'm saying is I like rules and try to follow them.  You give me a mogwai as a gift ... and this kid is going to starve to death.  

In the end, none of this matters because (spoiler alert) wouldn't you know it, all of the rules end up getting broken in the movie and dang if what follows isn't exciting.  But still ... no food after midnight?  Impossible rule to follow, I say.

Doctor Octopus' demonstration in Spider-Man 2

The super villain is Spider-Man 2 is a nuclear physicist who eventually goes bonkers and tries to kill Spiderman (er, uh, spoiler alert - sorry, forgot).  But before losing it, the movie reveals that "Doc Ock" is actually trying to use his knowledge for good.  He's trying to use nuclear fusion to come up with un-ending energy.  The key word there is nuclear.  He's trying to learn how to control nuclear-level reactions.

And how do you prove your worth to Os-Corp (the company that's funding your research)?  Well you put on a demonstration of course and invite all your colleagues and a bunch of media members.  So he puts on this demonstration where he reveals the following:

• He's developed 4 mechanical arms that are necessary to attain the nuclear reaction he's hoping to achieve.
• These arms are "impervious to heat and magnetism."  Uh, wow, that sounds pretty impressive and useful.  I chuck these things into the sun and ... it's all good?  Dang.  Wait, what?  There's more?
• The "smart arms" are attached to his body by something that appears to attach itself to each vertebrae in his spine.  You sure you're not a bio-chemist too, Doc?  Cuz that kind of interface doesn't sound easy to pull off.  Huh?  Still more?
• The arms are controlled by his brain through a "neural link".  "Nano wires" feed directly into his cerebellum.  And THIS still isn't what you want to demonstrate today?  You think maybe you could pass those plans to me then?  Cuz I pass right by the patent office on my way home.  Oh, still more to show off?  Sorry for interrupting.
• These arms will help him control a nuclear reaction inside an environment no human hand could survive in.  

Without taking a breath, Doc Ock just revealed arguably 4 scientific break throughs that would change the world as we know it.  Finally, one of the people observing this demo pipes up.  And what does this chick ask the doctor?  Well, let's list out all the questions she doesn't ask:

• With this amount of ridiculous mind-blowing technology, what the crap do you need funding from Os-Corp for?
  
• Seriously, you didn't even mention all the pins that stuck in your vertebrae.  What the hell, dude?
• It's IMPERVIOUS to heat?  You sure you know what that word means?
• So walk me through this.  You have the skill to create both a neural link and a material that's impervious to heat, but the only way you've figured out how to control a friggin' nuclear reaction is basically by MANUALLY taking control of 4 smart arms?  You have to drive this thing?
  
• Oh, and here's a related question.  How long did it take you to learn how to control 4 extra appendages?  Is there some sort of course at the annex that teaches you how to triple the amount of arms your brain can control?  And we're not talking about using them to make a sandwich or even build a car.  We're talking about controlling fusion!
• And finally, speaking of nuclear reactions, in the name of heat-impervious smart arms, why the hell are we about to try to set off a nuclear reaction in a flipping4th floor loft apartment in Man-flipping-hattan, New York?!  They didn't choose the location of Area 51 because of its natural beauty.  They picked it because they needed a place to.  Test.  Nuclear.  Reactions.

No no.  None of those.  What does she ask instead?  Something to the effect of ... "If those smart arms are so intelligent, what is to keep them from taking control of YOU?"  And THEN he points out the "inhibitor chip" that protects his "higher brain functions"!  I mean,  are screen writers taking crazy pills?!  She asks about the one plot element that will eventually be the key to Doc Ock turning evil?  It's the worst attempt at foreshadowing I've ever seen.  

Again, I know it's fake.  I know it's a movie about a guy that can stick to walls because he was bitten by a radioactive spider, but did they have to introduce the "inhibitor chip" via the most improbable question ever (given the circumstances) spoken by an extra that was probably off the set before lunch?  Not to mention that the inhibitor chip reveals that he has learned how to separate "higher" brain functions from "lower" brain functions and then translate which functions are which to some kind of computer AI!?  Was Ock going to skip over his 5th scientific revolution if she didn't ask?

What I'm trying to say here is ... know your audience, screen writers.  The people that are coming to see Spider Man 2 are not expecting to see something that resembles a documentary.  They're expecting to overpay for crappy popcorn and see some special effects.  You don't need to ground every plot point in reality.  And if you're going to try to do that, how about using some reality where all the demonstration observers freak out and run for their lives when they realize they're about to be blown to nuclear smithareens along with the rest of Manhattan?

P.S.  My favorite sci-fi movie is The Matrix: a movie based on the idea that we're all living in a big shared dream while our combined body heat is farmed to keep a civilization of robots alive.  Hypocrite?  Looks that way.

*Unless of course the movie is "based on true events," but I already ranted about that here.

Hey, Chatty Cathy

Hey, friend. That bench you're sitting on whilst having a fully involved cell phone conversation. Yeah, it's not actually a bench. It's a piece of exercise equipment. It's a piece of exercise equipment at a gym that is pretty fracking crowded and it's likely that I'm not the only other person that would like to use it at some point tonight. And moreover, it's not like there aren't multiple benches or even tables with chairs that aren't also pieces of exercise equipment scattered all over this place. And no, I'm not one of those annoying guys that will give you the stink-eye until you hurry up your work out and get off the machine. I'm reasonable. I'll go do another exercise and check back in 5. Oh, I forgot, you're totally thoughtless and you're still sitting on the crunch machine and talking on the flipping phone.

It's not the economy or America's place in foreign affairs that gets me worked up.  It's this kind of stuff.  To quote a Maitre D from a certain restaurant in Chicago ... "I weep for the future."

Is anybody listening to me?

You know who I'm a fan of? Clerks, attendants and the like who ask you questions and then immediately stop listening.

Here's a conversation I had at the Fry's pharmacy recently:

Clerk: "How may I help you?"
Me: "Hi. I'm here to pick up a prescription for Johnson. It's a canine prescription."
(She moves towards the shelves with all the prescriptions and starts to look around.)
Clerk: "What was the name?"
(Beat.)
Me: "Johnson."
(She rummages through the prescriptions. Eventually she grabs one and starts to look at it.)
Clerk: "Is it a canine prescription?"
(Double beat.)
Me: "Yyyyyep."

...

What do I do with that? She asked me 2 questions and 2 questions only. They weren't follow up questions or extra necessary filters to help her. She asked me for the only 2 pieces of information I had already supplied her! Johnson. Canine. Johnson? Canine? Johnson. Canine.

Maybe next time I should say "Hi. How bout you wander over to the prescriptions and guess randomly at my prescription. If you need clues, just ask and I'll answer."

Here's another example that happens probably 80% of the time I go to Chipotle.

Clerk: "What would you like?"
Me: "Chicken burrito with rice and black beans."
(She plops the tortilla in the little warmer do-hickey. Moments later she plops the tortilla back on the counter.)
Clerk: "Rice?"
Me: "Yes, please."
Clerk: "What kind of beans?"
Me: "Black, please."
Clerk: "What kind of meat?"
Me: "Chicken, please."

!!!

Once again. I've delivered the exact information the clerk clearly needs. I've been to Chipotle a couple times. I know what they're going to ask. It's not like I'm just firing off random burrito ingredients.

"Yeah, can I get medium salsa, black beans, guacamole, a burrito, cheese, a diet coke, chicken, rice, side order of chips and salsa ... oh and lettuce ... on the burrito that is."

I'm not a Navajo code talker here. I'm giving my order in the most logical way I know how. And still I'm forced to deliver all of it twice. I guess maybe I'm just asking for too much competence in the clerks of the world.

Wait. Let me rephrase.

Me: "Am I asking for too much here?"
Clerk: "You wanted too much?
(Beat.)
Me: "Yyyyyyep."

Kings of Leon at The Joint, Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas

So I attended the Kings of Leon show at The Joint at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas this last weekend. Before I get to the show I'd like to say I'm proud of myself for powering through one of the most obnoxious concert going couples that I've ever been exposed to. Some highlights:

• They had at least 10 rounds throughout the 3 sets of music that night. And no less than 3 drinks were immediately knocked onto the ground. Immediately. Not a drop imbibed. And one of the drinks spilled all over drunk mom's leather jacket.
• Drunk mom put on and took off her awesome leather jacket at least three times.
• I call her drunk mom because she mentioned that she was a 33 year old mom many times. One time, she slipped and said she was 35. And then collapsed into a pile of laughter on her companion, drunk dude.
• Drunk dude managed to both slow dance and dance in a hip hop fashion to many KoL songs including Milk and Revelry.
• Drunk dude recorded the first 30 odd seconds of most of the songs on his digital camera. Who the F re-watches 30 second clips of concerts? And that's not even considering how horrible the sound is on all videos recorded via digital camera.
• I hijacked at least 5 of their arm-outstretched self photos. My smiling mug is all over their KoL pics. They noticed one of them and then drunk mom could not stop laughing about it for at least 2 songs.
• I'm proud of my hijacking efforts, but I'll never out do the gentlemen in this photo. Flawless victory.
• Drunk mom and drunk dude eventually decide they're best friends with the couple to their left. Why? Because one of them is from Rancho Cucamonga, CA. They even take a foursome pic to commemorate the evening. Scratch that, it was actually a fivesome pic ifinyaknowwhatimean! [cough]hijacked again![cough]
  

I mention all this as a means of pointing out how awesome the show was. I had a great time and of course have been rolling KoL uninterrupted since.

The first opener was The Stills. They played for 30 minutes. They should have played at least one song from their old albums instead of non stop new biz. I look forward to checking out their new album. And I like their guy on keys who wears a fedora or a bowler hat without fail.

I had no idea who the next opener was until they began playing. The bass line of Inaction kicked in and I rejoiced. We Are Scientists played a good set of old and new stuff. I think it's fair to say their older stuff is stronger. The Great Escape FTW! Also their drummer did anything but mail it in. Guy was killing it, especially during the first album songs.

Next up ... Nacho! Nacho chants filled The Joint during the set break.

Then Kings of Leon trotted out to their Gregorian chant intro music. I'm pretty sure their set list was comprised of all the songs below ... listed in descending order of awesomeness.

• Sex on Fire - This song just does not quit and singing along was rampant on this one.
  
• Manhattan - Caleb said they played this because they were mourning OU's loss to Texas that day. This was a big turning point for me on this tune. Song went from good to great for me.
  
• Razz - I almost became the yessssss person on this song. I really never would have guessed Razz would make the set list.
• Milk - Big crowd pleaser which I was happy to see. And this might be the #1 song for the Kings in terms of being very good on the album, but being completely epic in person.
• My Party - It's tough to take your eyes off Caleb on this one. And the breakdown/come back still really get me.
  
• Cold Desert - Goose bumps for me on this one. Caleb really kills the verses.
  
• Four Kicks - Jared's opening bass line rules and I was dancing immediately.
• Slow Night, So Long - Last song of the encore, still a great send off. Once again Jared rules this song.
• Charmer - This song is a masterpiece if you ask me.
• Revelry - You know the faint "woo hoo hooooo" that Caleb does at the end of the first verse? He pulled back at that point and the crowd was right there to fill in.
  
• Use Somebody - The crowd sang the back up part on this song. Great times. And this was the final song of their encore. Don't forget my prediction about this tune.
• McFearless - Surprisingly not a huge crowd pleaser, but one of my super favs.
• Knocked Up - First song back from the encore. Lots of singing along.
• Taper Jean Girl
• On Call - Still a killer sing-along tune. And Caleb still motions "c'mon c'mon c'mon" with his hands during the break before the final chorus. Crowd responds as usual.
• The Bucket
• Closer
  
• Black Thumbnail - singing along on the first verse of this song is really fun
• Crawl - Show opener. Solid groove to this one.
• Fans - The acoustic guitar makes it's only appearance!
• Molly's Chambers - Still one of my least fav KoL tunes, but I ain't complaining.

Fantastic show for $35ish. I gotta get to seeing these guys more often than once a year.

Shout out to cousin Emily who took in all 3 bands for the first time. I'll be shipping her some CDs soon. And props for ordering a pitcher of margs and then letting me down pretty much the whole thing alone due to tequila that "tasted funny". And a shout out to the over-the-top Penn State fans that basically ate dinner with us at Pink Taco ... And then received the remainder of our pitcher when we jetted for the show.