GirlTalkin' and Dubsteppin'

I used to be nearly morally opposed to club music.  In college, I tried my best to avoid dance-y clubs full of drunken students grinding on each other.  But, I'VE LEARNED to LOVE party music.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.  What a bunch of hippies! <3

This past 4th of July weekend, my favorite Pat Schacherer took me to 80/35 Music Festival.  Some of my favorite bands of the day were Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and The Generationals.

This was only zoomed in LITTLE!

 The big headliner was Girl Talk.  SO FUN.  SOOOO FUN.  We started off pretty far back in the crowd because PAT made us late.  I had tons of fun just diving through the crowd every time a little path would open up.  Pat followed me as I wove through the drunken, dancing mob to get us closer and closer to the action.  By the end we were close enough for me to get some pretty sweet pics.  I could only afford the time to look through a few so far.... There are many.

Confetti!

Hot Sun + Girl Talk + Dubstep = Happy + Exhausted

AFTER the Girl Talk show, we stuck around for the DJ at one of the free stages.  My neck was sore for two days after the hour long Dubstep show.  I had no idea I was so in to dubstep.  This may start a new phase of my life if I can find someone to take me to some shows...... Just sayin.

Pat-a-tat slurpin' down some Fresh Squeezed Lemonade at 80/35.

The rest of the weekend was filled with more shenanigans and many scabble games.  I spent more money than I make in a week and more than half of my monthly allowance after rent.  Having fun isn't always great for my wallet.  I understand why I have to live like this, but as a young 20-something, I want to be able to blow my money on bar tabs and dinners out.  On ice creams and coffees and slices of pie.  I want to buy cute new clothes and homemade crafts at the farmer's market.  I did do a bit of this, but I'm having a bit of buyer's remorse for the extra lattes.  However, I'm not sorry for the $40 for the festival or the equal number of dollars spent bar hopping in downtown Des Moines.  I followed the advice of the VISTA trainers in Los Angeles this past April: Pay for experiences, not things.  Even those lattes were part of the experience.

But now it is back to my real life.  Back to analyzing data for the Macon County Juvenile Justice Council.  Back to reading books with 12-year-olds and teaching the girls how to crochet rugs.  Back to being poor and riding my bike to work to save 70 cents on parking and the more on gas.  Back to sleeping in my twin bed with my only my kitty to talk to me.  Back to Decatur for some more "Only in Decatur" moments.