Shuttersmack

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SXSW!

Man, this week just keeps getting better, eh? So today, after SIX hours of sleep (which at the time felt luxurious and now feels like torture) I unpacked from the Middle Brother trip and re-packed for SXSW, then hopped in a cab and flew to Texas (yahoo!).During the day? I love it here. I want to move here and buy all the cowboy boots that my house will hold and get a cowboy hat and speak with a drawl and eat fantastic TexMex and listen to great music for the rest of my life. Then at night, as I try to wander back to my hotel, and I am bombarded with amazingly drunk and obnoxious kids, I realize that I'm ok not dealing with this *all* the time and Minneapolis is wonderful. But I do love me some Austin, TX (especially in the Spring).Anyway! So we flew into town, caught a ride to some delicious Tex Mex and then on the way back I spotted Maggie. I have followed Ms. Maggie's blog for about... six years? Wow, is that right? Anyway, the internet is weird. I follow a lot of bloggers that I have never met before that I think of as my friends. I know their style and their taste and their sense of humor and I check in with them a few times a week. And yet? We have never met or emailed and it's a little strange...So as I chased Maggie down and called out her name it seemed a *tad* weird. And then as we're talking (which she graciously stopped and did) I catch myself looking at her dress and wondering if that's the same one she packed when she went to Greece and OH MY GOD AM I A STALKER? I mean, it is just so strange to know all this stuff about someone that you are just meeting for real. Man, the Internet is a strange and wonderful place, right?But back to the lovely Maggie, she was sweet and kind and patient with her crazy (and let's be frank, a little tipsy) fan. And you know what else? She met up with me later at the Bat Bar and bought me a Shiner. So yeah, that was the Best Part of the Day.Oh wait. You probably want to hear about the music, eh? :)It was good. Not quite amazing or spectacular... but good. And the last band, Mr. Heavenly (pictured above), was the best by far. And yes that is Michael Cera in the photo. And yes, watching him on stage is just like watching George Michael or Pauly Bleeker play in a band. (My mother is now completely confused -- Mom, those are movie and tv characters. This guy is an actor, too.)But he was clearly not the most intriguing part of this band (in fact, he was the least -- but tell that to the throngs of women around me snapping cell pix). Anyway, I would go see these guys again -- no matter who plays bass for them.If you want more photos, check here. Also, I must note that the first band we saw tonight named Admiral Fallow was very, very good and I need to check them out again as well. And you should, too... especially if you dig Scottish accents (yes ladies, that means you).