Curvy Jones on: Music and Boys-2 Great Tastes That Go Together

Anyone who’s known me for longer than five minutes will tell you that I’m a big fan of two bands: Bon Jovi and Dave Matthews Band. I’ve been a fan of Bon Jovi since I was about……God, I don’t know, TWELVE?!? New Jersey and Slippery When Wet were the anthem of my Jr High and High School years. Just the beginning strains of ‘Never Say Goodbye’ is enough to make me GO BUY a Bic Lighter so I could flip my bic and sway and sing/cry along. Gah. I love them! And Bon Jovi has just gotten so much better with age, evolving and changing with the times. LOVE their new rocky, gravelly, southern sound…grrrooowwwllll…. NUM.

DMB, on the other hand, was an acquired taste. I didn’t like them, at first. At all. Too mellow, too sleepy, I can’t understand a word that one cute guy up front says, he mumbles too much and that guy is playing an electric fiddle. COME ON. So they were a big fat NO, until I got a job working with a guy that… now when I say LOVES, that’s probably a major understatement… but he LOVES DMB. Owns everything they’ve ever thought of recording, goes to every show he can attend, and has for years. A real true-blue honest to goodness fan. One year, our company sent him, me, and one other guy (one of his besties, coincidentally) to a conference in Orlando. MOST fun I’ve ever had at a work conference. The days sucked, cause it’s just traveling from one booth to another, looking at boring things I have no intention of buying or even research when I get back to the office, but the nights? Awesome.

It was in Orlando in the spring, so it was warm. They rented a convertible and since I don’t drink much, I was nominated the Designated Driver. No big, I got to drive a convertible around Orlando and sit with these guys who put the FUN in funny. I was told I am the funnest non-drinker ever. At some point over the weekend, I was inducted into the DMB fandom. Love those guys.

‘kay, but I kind of… one of them in particular, we will call Biff. I used to like Biff. A lot. There were a lot of things keeping me from really saying/doing anything about it. I didn’t really need to… once, I admitted it to my supervisor and she said ‘no shit, Curvy.’ So. And, pretty importantly, he did not feel the same. He also lived across the state. And I’ve never really been very good at dating so I admit to not even really trying. I was sure I would get shot down and it’s my personal goal in life to never hear the words ‘I like you as a friend‘ ever again. Those words will send me into a blind rage.

So, we stayed friends. Good friends. I don’t know if this is sad or not, but he probably has treated me the best anyone ever has, friends or not. He always seemed pretty protective of me (he didn’t like people to pick on me) and was always encouraging even if I made a mistake that he had to spend time correcting. He was genuinely happy when I was promoted and always seems really happy to see me when I come through. [Sidebar: You know what's sad? This guy has NO romantic feeling for me whatsoever and yet I get so much better treatment from him than any man that has ever claimed to be interested in being my man. I find that weird. Why would I date and have a guy let a door close in my face and argue with me about who's paying, when I can just keep my platonic male friends and get treated like a lady? Something is WRONG with some members of the male gender out there. I digress. End Sidebar] So, if that’s what being friends is about, then friends I can handle.

I left that company (and the state) in 2003. We still keep in touch and whenever I travel up that way, I have to see him. Don’t tell my friends in Seattle but I really look forward to seeing him the most. I think they suspect this, though, so I’m not in huge trouble. Maybe. Anyway. I was up there last year to visit the folks and as usual I swung through Seattle. I was SO excited to see him. He took me to dinner and we talked and laughed and had a really nice time. I like him lots, as my friend. He’s wicked smart and super funny and I’m proud of where he’s taken himself in life.

Anyway, Biff tells me that since I’ve been up that way a few times, it’s his turn to make a trip. This makes me happy, because Atlanta is entirely easier to get around in than Seattle, and because he’s never come down to see me. He said to pick a music festival — because ATL is just FULL of those… wtf– and he’d come down for a few days and let me play tour guide. I would DIE if he came down here! Now, just telling myself (mostly) that Biff is a tad bit of a flake. Well, to be more clear and precise, Biff can be a HUGE flake when it’s something he doesn’t want to do. If he had to come here for work, he’d extend a trip a few days. Spend money to come here? On purpose? And not have part of it expensed? Does not fall into a Biff-approved plan.

So, I’m about to email him that DMB is coming to town next July (bringing my intro and the real reason for this post full circle) and see if he’ll come down. Nevermind that Dave is also doing his usual show at the Gorge and Biff will probably go to that. Also nevermind that I’m NEVER able to get tickets to DMB, because they sell out in 12.2 seconds. Don’t bother being realistic. I want to keep an open mind that Biff actually MEANS that he’ll come down here. Even if we don’t go to the show, we could hang out and stuff. Explore Atlanta. All that good stuff.

Am I counting on him coming down here in July? Don’t be silly. Do I need an excuse to email him? You betcha! : )

I’ll keep ya posted,

Curvy Jones

BTW, Bon Jovi will be here in April. I know that. But a) April is too soon and b) he doesn’t LOVE Bon Jovi.

UPDATE: He answered. Said July would be a stretch but he’d keep it in mind. I emailed back, said I didn’t fully expect it but I needed an excuse to email. I may be too honest for my own good, lol! I’m happy w/ my response though.

Curvy Jones is a northerner playing a southerner who is living, working, playing in metro Atlanta.

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Tags:  2010 · boys · Fangirl · music