When I was 15, I was sent to spend the summer with my cousin in Oregon.  I had only been back one other time since we moved to the south when I was 7.  That summer changed my life in so many ways.  What does it have to do with my vinyl collection?  I'll tell you...

Sunny Day Real Estate had only put out their first album.  Jimmy Eat World had put out a debut as well.  Grunge had been turned in to "Alternative" much to the dismay of fans of the Seattle music scene and it's branches...

I went downtown with my cousin and her boyfriend to practice my new found interest in photography.  (I was shooting on my first 35mm camera, an upgrade from my pocket 110...!)  As we were walking around, some guy on a skateboard came up and asked, "Are you guys from around here?"  I said no while my cousin said yes.  He went on to explain there was a house show at the address on the flyer he handed me.

Now, house shows were the *new* old thing at the time for me.  Emo bands that loved to play couldn't get shows in bars or clubs, so they played in people's basements instead.  My cousin was not interested, but I loved music - live music especially - so much that I went without her.

It was a cooky little house in the very outskirts of downtown.  There was a record player in the hallway playing an LP, I think it was The Cure.  I knew I was in the right place, and at the right time in my life.  There was no drinking or drugs.  Just cigarettes and music.  I hung out a bit, people watching mostly (something I was quite good at, at the time.) 

The main band playing was christie front drive.  They were amazing.  I think I remember mineral being there as well (can't be sure).  Emo at the roots of it folks, if you didn't know.

I bought a record from cfd and got a free t-shirt.  (Life path: t-shirt had a screen print on the back of a rocket ship and the words "Portland punky rock it".  On the front was a beaver with a Canadian flag.  my future husband's family is Canadian, if that means anything at all).

My musical taste only got more interesting after that...