Wednesday, March 17, 2004

American Idol is suddenly a snapshot of my life.

It was the weirdest thing, watching it last night. I haven't really been following it, but last night they did these little video's on the lives of each contestant. I was watching it only because there was nothing on right before Top Model, one of my favorites (aren't you glad April left?).

Anyway, one of the contestants was from Oakland, CA, where I lived right before I moved to North Carolina. I got a little nostalgic when I saw her walking with her family around Lake Merritt, a lovely city lake where I used to go for walks sometimes with friends.

But then they showed another contestant who is from Bakersfield, CA, the town where I (mostly) grew up. This was weird and nostalgic. I have not heard more than two or three references to my "hometown" since I ran away from there at fifteen. It is a pretty depressed little city (reminds me a lot of my current home of Rocky Mount), with lots of people but not a lot of anything else. Her video package showed scenes of places I haven't seen in over ten years. Very strange.

So I guess I have been wrangled into watching the show. At least until the Bakersfield girl goes away. I even voted for her by phone-- you have to support a fellow escapee from a gross town. She can also sing! ¶ 5:55 AM