Love on the rocks... ain't no big surprise.

Every once in awhile you experience a moment that makes you say "Awwwww yeeeahhhh." I had one of those today.

I was working away, listening to the radio... and then what song do I hear? This one:

YEAH!!!

It made me so happy. Because damnit, I LOVE ME SOME NEIL DIAMOND! He is truly one of America's greatest treasures. Everyone thinks so. Even the Gap thinks so. See?

I love it. So hard. I have so many memories that are all tied up in Neil Diamond songs.

Like how every time I have ever driven across the border since I was about 13 I break out into a spirited version of "America". I'm talking LOUD SINGING here, kids. As soon as I can see the border crossing... "ON THE BOATS AND IN THE PLANES... THEY'RE COMING TO AMERICA!" And of course, I ad-lib. "IN THE GIANT MINI-VAN... WE'RE GOING TO AMERICA!" It totally annoys my mother. And I totally love it.

But I have a more meaningful connection to the music of Neil Diamond. I used to work at a casino. I hated my job more than I hate the smell of boiled hot dogs. And I really fucking HATE the smell of boiled hot dogs. It makes me want to vomit. ANYWAYS, the point is that my job sucked ass and every time I went there (which was EVERY GODDAMN DAY) I felt like a complete failure as a human being. But on occasion a certain musical act would play in the lounge. That act was Nearly Neal and the Solitary Band. Every night that they played it made me happy to be there. I would get so excited and for a few hours I would stop feeling like I was rotting away in a prison and instead would think that my job was pretty okay.

So thank you, Neil Diamond. Thank you for being so seriously fucking awesome.