Abigail M. Schilling

Several weeks back I took Heather to Amanda's office because she had not yet seen the scene of all things bearings and couplings. While we achieved all these things (and more! there was a cutaway of a gear shaft), my favorite moment was when we overheard Amanda and her co-worker Phil discussing some new album they have acquired.

When Heather and I got to the car I shared with her how pleased I was with Phil's presence in Amanda's in life--he understood her music. Amanda is, objectively, a music snob. She knows every band ever and prides herself on knowing bands before they're big and not listening to them after they are. She judges me constantly for my listening habits--Ashlee Simpson, Britney, Chamillionaire. We talk about other things.

"I love that Amanda has Phil to talk about Wolf Blitzer's latest album," I told Heather.

She looked at me, indignant.

"Wolf Eyes."

Apparently Wolf Blitzer is from Desert Storm, Wolf Eyes is a noise band from Ann Arbor. How was I supposed to know? I just remember Blitz being on the Desert Storm trading cards in Garden State. ("Two or three." "DOLLARS?")

Fast forward to three weeks ago. Tim was taking us out to dinner for my birthday and he offers some sweet new tunes that I've probably never heard. Always one to try new things (except for fish and things involving heights) I said, "sure, surprise me."

He explained that this was a new band, Wolf Mother.

I got all excited and turned around to Heather (who had to ride in the back since it wasn't her birthday), "Like Amanda and Phil were talking about!"

She laughed at me, since she's a pretend music snob and said, "um, Abs, that was Wolf Eyes."

"Oh." I sat quietly waiting for something more to stir around in my head (it's a long wait, but worth it, so stay with me). "Then this must be who Dooce was writing about!"

"Huh?"

"Yeah, remember, she talked about a Wolf band, it must have been Wolf Mother. And how she listens to music now and she was playing it on repeat. Remember?"

"Uh no."

We proceeded to enjoy dinner and never mention my music disabilities again. When I returned home that even, though, on my birthday, I did some research.

And found this post. I emailed Heather to inform her that, in fact, there were THREE Wolf bands. Dooce had mentioned Wolf Parade, you know, from Canada.

I changed Heather's life because she had apparently been looking for that post for a long while (for another reference, not the Wolf one, we have the same mind) and because she hadn't heard the Parade and now loves them.

Now, I don't know if they're big not or yet, so forgive me if they are, but Heather recently included "I'll Believe in Anything" on a mix CD (she is a Mix-Master) and I love Wolf Parade.

We've both been very brave
Walk around with both legs
Fight the scary day
We both pull the tricks out of our sleeves