When Joka Doesn't Sleep

JAMES MERCER

OH MY GOD

I AM DYING

I JUST MET JAMES FREAKING MERCER.

YOU PROBABLY HAVE NO IDEA WHO THAT IS BUT HE'S LEAD SINGER OF THE SHINS AND BROKEN BELLS AND I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AND OH MY GOD.

FIRST I WAS IN THE SAME ROOM.

FOURTY FEET AWAY.

TWENTY.

HEADING TO THE DRESSING ROOM.

SHAKING HIS HAND.

HOLDING AN INTELLIGENT CONVERSATION WITH HIM.

THEN HE HUGGED ME.

TWICE.

AND HE SIGNED MY POSTER.

i also met brian burton aka Danger Mouse but not really

BUT I MEAN JAMES.

He said, the reason he loved and hated writing music was that he was really bad at communication, and felt like this was the only way he could communicate with people, because, "At that dinner party, I'm not going to be communicating, I'm going to be sitting there, being awkward. Again."

That's basically how I was at the dance.

And I'm proud of myself because I was actually speaking and holding a conversation with him, instead of freezing up like I usually would. And he didn't treat me like a kid, he talked to me on the same level as he did my father and step mom.

And he signed my poster and then was trying to give us his sharpie, forgetting it was his.

And at one point in the concert he was talking to the audience, and Brian and the other guys start playing the song, and James is like, "No, wait! Can't you see I'm trying to have a conversation here!" And then, "Of course I'm the one behind. Okay. I can do it this time."

And he's really funny and modest and I was wearing my Beatles shirt and he asked my if I liked the Rolling Stones and OH MY GOD IT WAS JAMES MERCER.

AND HE TOOK A PICTURE WITH ME AND HUGGED ME AND

HDHEBEYXWRHBATKHXEGBVD D EM D S.S S.F T ICE SH AM SNCSHKDW EB F W AHHHHHHHHH

"The reason I try so hard is I feel like it's the only route through which I can exist. And I don't really know what that means, but... You get it, right? You're a writer." ~James Mercer