A bunch of us kids were hanging out one day, with the radio on. One of the boys was flirting with a girl named Caroline, and just as he sat down next to her, Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond came on.

My son was born. I held him in my arms for the first time. As that happened, outside the window a massive fireworks display kicked off, along a nearby city river. It was that kind of moment. My boy in my arms. Fireworks, silent, but massive and beautiful, just for me. For us.

At a buddy’s wedding. Said buddy had endured college years in my car with my one mix CD, which included the classic “Call On Me” that he’d heard so many times it had become a running joke - and which one night when he was out switching his laundry, he heard in the distance at surreal volume and realized that there was an apartment close to us that was blasting it, just as I happened to be walking from that direction (and jamming to it).

Well, of course, it started blasting at his wedding twelve years later, and we went mad - I gave him props, and he said he didn’t ask for it, the DJ just picked the right jam. Was a great moment.

Twice now when I’ve driven into Baltimore Hells Bells by ACDC started playing

Some years ago I’ve been to a blink182 open air concert with a girl I liked. And just when the chorus of the song „always“ started, warm Summer rain began to fall. It was amazing!

If you keep Pantera’s Walk on shuffle you’ll occasionally get the exceptional experience of it coming on as the light changes.

FIDLAR keeps describing aspects of my life as it’s happening. These four were actual needle drop moments as something big was happening in my real life.

2012 - Wake, Bake, Skate

Minus the skating, this is pretty much what my life was in 2012. My Nexus 4 had mysteriously stopped working as a cell phone (everything else worked fine, but the IMEI was all zeroes), Google was unwilling to RMA it because I didn’t have a spare $300 in my bank account and no credit card, so I was using Skype on it as a primary “phone.” “No Waves” and “5 to 9” also described this time as well.

And I’m so fuckin’ cheap
And I’m so fuckin’ broke
And I don’t have a job
And I don’t have a phone
Don’t have a life
And I’m always stoned

2015 - Leave Me Alone

Felt this one a lot in 2015. “Stupid Decisions” and “Bad Habits” from the same album also hit hard that year.

I guess I’m damaged
But I’ll manage
In my room, all by myself
Be dramatic

Too late to die young, and too young to burn out
(I’m so burnt out)
Or I can fade away, I just say that I’m happy
Now leave me alone
Leave me alone

I’m stupid
So stupid
And nothing in the world’s gonna change my mind
So you can suck it

2019 - Called You Twice

As my long term relationship started to really fall apart.

I never meant to call you
But then I went and called you twice
I never meant to know you
But now I know the things you like and don’t like
And baby, when I saw you
I saw that we would crash and burn
I went to every school but
I never really learned

2024 - Orange County

I’m not from Orange County nor do I drink, but this easily described the aftermath of the end of the relationship and neither of us being able to move on easily. “Sad Kids,” “Making Shit Up,” “Dog House,” and “I Don’t Want To Do This” from the same album also described this year as well.

Can’t eat, can’t sleep
Can’t think, can’t blink
I got a job working holidays
Moved back to Orange County
I’m running outta ways to say
I’m sorry that you feel this way
But if you wanna get back together

I think, I drink
I drink, I sink
Don’t wanna talk about my issues
Fuck you, I miss you
And now I’m running outta things to say
And all I wanna do is run away
But if you wanna get back together

I think I don’t wanna do this anymore
I think I don’t wanna live like this anymore
And I don’t think I’m suicidal, no I just wanna die
I don’t think I’m suicidal, no I just wanna die

Anyway, here I am, surviving the American dream.