Teenage Dream

Teenage Dream by Katy Perry
Album: Teenage Dream

"You make me feel...like I'm living a teenage dream."

That's pretty much what today was for me. The VMA'S! The Video FREAKIN' Music Awards! (That's right, I screamed it.)

Now, going to the VMA's has been a dream of mine ever since I was 17 years old and saw the below performance on 9-9-99. If you were a teenager then, you remember this performance.



But now, as an adult (and since NSYNC is no longer together and Britney's performing has seen better days), this is was my favorite performance of the night:


Florence and the Machine - Dog Days Are Over VMA

That's right, Dog Days again. I told you it could be my song of the day all year if I'd let it. Truth be told, the whole night was wonderful. And even though I don't really listen to many of the artists that won the awards, I saw some incredible performances tonight on a BEAUTIFUL stage. My wonderful friend Kristen, that got me the ticket, also had a credential for those of us that went to pass around and go to the main floor (we were first row balcony) if we wanted to. But this was one of those nights you want to share with someone else. And I really couldn't see that well from the floor. Since I later found out much of the show was filmed from above the stage, I realize that it really was the perfect view.

And, as previously mentioned, the best moment of the night: I had never seen Florence perform before, and on one side of me was a girl who knew the song (though she didn't realize it until Florence began) and on the other a guy who had never heard of her before. But by the end, we are all singing and dancing and laughing. It was a beautiful moment that will get me through the next year (or at least until I see her in November). How can someone not dance to this song? And on top of seeing my favorite artist of 28, I made two new friends tonight. I danced until I had to switch to my Kristen's flats (that did not match my dress). I drank champagne (hello, open bar). And I sang and danced and laughed...all of my favorite things combined into one great night of moments.



A funny thought hit me when I got home at 3 AM (I'm posting this at 11:59 so it falls on the right day), I realized that my teenage dream is not the same as it was 11 years ago. Then, my dream included being on the red (or white) carpet on Mr. Timberlake's arm, maybe even a celebrity myself, part of the "in" crowd with cameras and diamonds and a sleek but expensive dress that everyone wished they had picked first (If you're a girl, you had this dream at one point or another...it's kinda like the "perfect wedding" dream, but I don't really have those). But tonight, I had no desire to mix and mingle with celebrities. Yeah, they're fun to see, but I had this great night with genuinely great people. And even though I did have my fair share of celeb run-ins (Hello, Jared Leto being everywhere I turned around), that's all they are...run-ins. Maybe, that's the good and bad about living in LA. You get to see celebrities all the time, but pretty soon they just become people.

I will say this, though, some of these "just people" can put on one hell of a performance!

Sweet teenage dreams!
XOXO
-EBG