Message #10943

[faelaenx]

Sigh, i feel ya Drew. i am reeeeeally trying to convince myself to go. i've spent the last year paying down the debt i had accrued for the nearly 4 years previous to that. It feels like i haven't really done much of anything that i really enjoy for what seems like a long ass time. i've only taken 2 real vacations in the past 9 years. The one to California near the end of '08 to see an old friend was, in a word, awesome. i was even poised to move out there except that i got into a bit of trouble here in Michigan that set my plans askew. The second was to D.C. last October and that ended up being a major disappointment due to the people i chose to go with. So i'd love to be able to do this, especially since i haven't been to a concert, much less an industrial concert (i don't really live an industrial lifestyle) and even more much less a Festival!

My brother(roommate) and his wife(another roommate) are trying to pressure me into going to Rock on the Range with them on the very same weekend. About 40 radio-played alternative rock bands for 2 days at $130 US. The 4 hour drive to Columbus, OH is ideal. The main headliner is A Perfect Circle, which i would like to see since i am a huge Maynard fan, but TOOL they are not. After them there are about 6 out of the 40 that i might lay down some hard-earned cash to see. Might, at this point. Because, though i have eclectic taste in music, my first love is always electronic. The rest of them i might have heard on my local alternative radio station on my ride into work once or twice, but probably couldn't tell you who matches what song off the top of my head (does that mean i'm getting 'old'?).

My biggest hem-haw with Kinetik is, of course, the money. i have a week's vacation i have to use before June anyway, so that would be covered. A 10 hour drive to Montreal is really no issue to me as i have done such a similar drive too many times to count. It would probably cost me around $150 US in gas since i have an older Ford Escort. But therein lies the rub. It's really just a 'work' car and i don't know if i trust her for the drive since she never has before (at least not since the engine swap last year).

On the other hand the few flights i've looked into have AirCanada at the cheapest for around $300. Which is irritating since Detroit is a hub for Northwest/Delta and they are literally double that. My buddie's girlfriend works for Spirit but unfortunately they don't fly there =(

And if i were to go, i would have to go Diamond. Then there is lodging, which i would go for 'cheap-as-shit-possible' (and i'm afraid to even look that up yet). So that adds up to a pretty penny. i could almost certainly rearrange some payments on certain things to make it happen...but i argue with myself if i would regret it later. Or would the experience be well worth it? Or would it just end up being another memory? And what is the price of a memory? Is it worth paying down more debt sooner? And what matters that debt and my attempts to pour everything into it if i die tomorrow, yet don't live true to myself?

Anyway, if i were to approach it, say mathematically, as one versus the other (though i am really not that interested in going to RotR) that would be about 7 out of 40 bands from RotR that i would be willing to see for $130 US across 2 days(hotel costs) with driving split minimum 5 ways...Blah, blah..sustenance..blah, blah...drink..blah, blah...souvenirs(?)...blah, blah...comes to about $41 US per band for me personally (i had a formula =P  ) or right around $300 US

Kinetik would be minimum 18 out of 36 bands (at the most current posting i saw) for $310 US all five days; then with minimal room and board and airflight....blah, blah (my formula again), blah, blah...

Hmmmmm....Wow, that, i cannot do at this point. Hopefully they keep it going and i can maybe go some other year =D

In the meantime. no RotR either. the sooner this yoke is removed from my neck the better i suppose ;)