Ten Things for Which I’m Thankful -- In Concern of John Rzeznik
10) Agreeing to be on the soundtrack for a rather meh film about my favorite Man-in-Tights. Had you not, I’d have had another year without your band's music in my life, and I might be writing this for Alexakis’ birthday instead.
9) Not being an asshole. Sure, we all have our moments, but in every interview, television or radio, at every awards show, and at all concerts, that I am aware of, you’re just a class-act (for the most part, some drunkenness, irreverence, and sardonic wit excluded), even when it’s obvious you’re under the weather or just plain tired. It’s always nice when someone you look up to is, well, genuinely nice.
8) Fulfilling one of my long term dreams of this combination: your band’s music + ice skating. Really, I was giddy for months from when I heard the news about Improv-Ice to when I saw it. And, yes, it was everything I hoped it would be.
7) Performing at the 2000 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. It gave me a slightly-more-mature reason to cling to my childhood a little bit longer: “But, the Dolls will be on it!”
6) Playing in Houston on three separate occasions in roughly one year’s time. In fact, that alone might be one of the irrational reasons as to why Gutterflower is one of my Top Three albums. Seriously, though, whenever I whine about not seeing y’all in Houston often enough, I take a breath, remember that year, and smile.
5) Always being there, or somewhere in some speaker, when I needed you. Because, yeah, I’ve needed you, and I’m always thankful you’re there.
4) Agreeing to do those songs for Treasure Planet. Sure, you probably did it with your nieces in mind, or you were happy with whatever Disney was offering, or you just liked how they were re-vamping Treasure Island. Whatever the reason, your music in that movie helped me to seal the door shut, somewhat, on my childhood. At the age of 15, it was the last animated movie (with the exception of Wall-E, which was just because everyone said we had to see it…) I saw with a group of friends at the cinema. Thanks for being a part of that.
3) Allowing that intro of that one song to exist. Really, if it didn’t I would have been too over-hyped and distracted by Extra Pale to calm down long enough to pay attention. Had I stayed in that over-excited state and just glossed over what song came after…God only knows. Well, I wouldn’t have a b(l)ack balloon, now would I?
2) Putting your arm around me and tugging me away from a major distraction so my second shot at it wouldn’t be quite a disaster. Really, the photo from the first time is gone, and all I’ve got is your name. Also, thank you for smiling, so it’d be “a good one.”
1) Putting your arm around me and tugging me away from security, so that I could stay in the picture. Oh, and for getting my goodle back after it was taken, after you had smiled and signed it. You made a wide-eyed, quiet girl in Texas feel like she was the most important little fan ever. Thank you for doing that and for effortlessly making all the other fans over the years feel that way, too.
Happy birthday, Mr. “Weznik”.(Oh, and thanks for not giving me a look when I called you that.)
