The album had been out for almost a year. I walked over to Tower Records on my 18th birthday and bought the record with my birthday money. When I listened to it, I realized that everything I had felt for all of high school was on this album. Happy, sad, angry, hopeful, despairing, romantic. Anxiety over my friend’s suicidal depression (she’s still alive). Anxiety over my parents’ impeding divorce (they’re still together). My own fears about what to do with my life. It was all in the album, and I didn’t feel as alone anymore. I still don’t b/c of MCIS