365: Red; February 14, Being a groupie for once

Four years ago, I cancelled my cable. Partly because it was expensive and partly because I can't countenance paying to have advertising pushed at me, but mostly because I cannot tolerate the idea that any of my dollars go to towards properties like the exploitive Toddlers and Tiaras (which springs from the southern US bible belt and is based on the very, very early sexualisation of little girls) and Honey Boo Boo (also from the southern US and capitalises on that vast swath of uneducated, also-bible-belters).

But I really like good music. My spouse still has cable in the studio so he can watch real-time sports and the news. My one guilty pleasure where it comes to reality TV is the Voice (NBC), which is called a "blind" audition show. It's only blind at the very last stage - the televised portion; the competitors go though lots of auditions before they get to the program, but still. (If you want to have a listen, just click)

This gal, Cassadee Pope was a competitor a couple seasons ago. It was clear from the get-go she was a contender. She was in my city this week, on a tour for which she is opening for another musician. She's really good. I have never gone to a mall to see a musician before. It was worth it. If the second-runner-up, Terry McDermott, ever comes to town, I'll be going to wherever he is too.