As Foo Fighters is to Panama Red, Dashboard Confessional is to Dr. Feel Good

How often do I make illegal drug references? Well, now that I think about it, quite often.

I remember like it was yesteryear.

When I was in 8th grade I had a friend that was an admitted pot smoker. I still liked him as a person. He was a great guy. I wish I had stayed in contact with him. I changed schools and he got a job at Guitar Center. In fact, I had a lot of friends that were into recreational drug use. Hum...which brings me to the thought in my wandering text: Why didn't I ever try it? I was offered. Why not? Thanks Word of Wisdom. If you think you might need a brush up, click here.

Now back to 8th grade. It was the penultimate day of school. During the week prior our history teacher said that we needed to participate in a kick ball game. Bracken, Zach and I asked if we could sit around and listen to music that day. She said that would be fine. We found that if we asked then the worst one could say was no. Neither Bracken nor Zach wanted to play and I wanted to hang out with them. Since backpacks weren't allowed to come to school during the last few days we asked if we could keep our portable CD players in her desk until the kick ball game and pick them up after school. She said that would be okay.

I brought my slim collection of CDs but I mostly listened to theirs. I listened to Sound Garden and Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Garbage. It was a good day of music. Then I listened to Foo Fighters...my marijauna. I was an addict. I couldn't get enough of the loud B side. I couldn't get enough of Dave passionately screaming February Stars and the bouncy Miss You. I knew music was going to become a part of my life.

I experimented with my music taste in the years to come.

My Sophomore year I was big into 107.5 The End and Star 102.7. On a whim one summer Saturday, my sister and I went to a Star remote to get a sticker placed on the rear glass of my Sunbird. When we got there they plowed into the back seat of my car and washed the spot where they were going to apply the sticker. The DJ asked, "What's your first preset?" I pressed it. Through my speakers came the music of X96 (my presets were and still are in numerical order). Since then, I've been a loyal fan. My music taste changed from the bouncy pop of Star to the hard guitar riffs of X96 and 105.7 The Blaze (think 1999). There was still no turning back.

During the divorcement of my parents I escaped into music. Stay Together for the Kids by Blink 182.

Driving home from work one day I heard the most passionate song. I was on I-80 taking the Foothill Drive exit. The song was Screaming Infidelities by Dashboard Confessional. Chris Carrabba was in town and was at Airwaves doing an acoustic set. I heard the people singing along and knew I must be a part of it. I immediately saved my pennies and purchased the album The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most. I recognized it as a break-up album. Up until the summer of 2006 I never experienced a break-up. But when I did I brushed the dust off said album and listened to it endlessly.

I again saved my pennies for Dashboard's new album Dusk and Summer. The week it dropped I was at GrayWhale. I got home that afternoon almost breaking the plastic case getting it open. I looked over the album cover art and opened the booklet. I followed along with the words listing to Chris as if he were singing to me. I listened to the album three times that afternoon. I needed Dashboard in my veins. Dashboard Confessional became my heroin.

"I know what I want for my birthday. Dashboard tickets," I told my mother. She, like Michelle, was there every step of the way with my horrible summer boyfriend. She knew I was about to road trip to Vegas with or without someone in the passenger seat to see them.

In anticipation I awaited the 23rd of October. Dashboard Confessional was in town. The music filled our ears. The Dashboard sing-along was beautiful. My summer was finally complete in late October.

The next day, I woke up singing So Long So Long.

"I'm not looking to date anybody."

That sucked.

He was such a goof.

That's why he was awesome.

Too bad he decided to tell me that after we kissed.

A good kisser can change lots of things.

Yep.

That's it.