I've been a Guster fan since hearing "Fa Fa" on 89X while driving home from SofTech in 1999. I had just driven underneath Mound on M-59 when it came on, and the fact that I remember that should tell you something about how much I truly love these guys.

I've now been to two Guster concerts in a week — one Nov. 4 in Greenville, IN at DePauw University, and one Nov. 7 at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor. Both experiences were courtesy of the most amazing woman I know: cmr. It was her birthday gift to me, and one I didn't fully appreciate until the drive home from Ann Arbor. It was then I realized I will probably never be so in awe of a band musically as I am with Guster.

I am finally almost over my pneumonia, and cmr's suggestion to stand outside and wait for Guster to come out after the Ann Arbor show seemed like a completely idiotic thing to do at the time. Thankfully I agreed at some point, because I got to shake the hands of each of the members — Joe, Brian, Ryan, and then the other pneumonic Adam. The Gusters signed her ticket, and I of course stood around like a complete idiot while she did all the talking, making me look like the poor guy that was dragged along to some stupid concert his girlfriend wanted to see. Ah well, now I've got some killer questions ready for next time.

Guster, cmr: thank you for a birthday gift I'll never forget.