I have two particularly embarrassing addictions. The first is witchy chick-lit. The second, very bad but dance-able pop music. It's not that I have anything against others that love cheesy romantic literature and cruddy pop music, it's the shock that registers on people's faces when it's ME that is holding the latest Candace Havens novel and dancing around to Robyn's "You Can't Handle Me" as it blasts at high volume through the ear buds of my i-pod. I don't know.

I suppose there is a large contrast between The Indie Band Survival Guide or I Will Teach You To Be Rich, and The Demon King and I. However, both serve parallel purposes that might not seem immediately apparent. Of course I read business and money managing books because that is the main focus of my life right now. I want success. No, I want more then success, I want independence. I want it so bad that I stay up late reading about web 2.0 and social networking strategies. I want it so bad that I just sent an e-mail to a multi-millionaire reminding him of an appointment that we had agreed upon but had not gotten to make good on due to conflicting schedules. I want it so bad that despite the Scandinavian social anxiety and the fact that I live in the mecca of the socially inept, I GO OUT AND TALK TO PEOPLE IN AN EFFORT TO GET THEM TO GO TO MY SHOWS.

Similarly, I read my witchy romance novels because the women in them are almost always intelligent, successful, independent, and interesting and that inspires me to be all of the above. I point out the "witchy" part because this is certainly not true in much of the romantic genera. I don't read bodice ripper novels. About the last thing that appeals to me is some over muscled viking named Vlad sweeping me off my feet and taking me to his kingdom, no matter how well endowed. Actually particularly if he is well endowed. OUCH. Unless, of course, his kingdom is a music festival in Iceland where I will be paid very well and get to hang out with Bjork. Oops. Sorry, got distracted there.

Anyway, those particular stories are like fertilizer to my positive inner dialog. Offering a good blend between humor and don't take shit attitude, they offer a nice enough escape ( because thankfully they do not talk about 401ks and website optimization) while continuing to nurture that ever present urge to grab life by the sensitive bits and see what I can make of it.

I think the cruddy pop music has a similar effect. I have a mix in my i-tunes I have entitled pep talk, and it starts off with some Robyn, Britney Spears, I'm embarrassed to admit a bit of Pussycat Dolls... While I am not fond of these artists in particular( well, ok, I like Robyn but she also self released her last album on her own record label which means she is seriously bad ass) I do like the person that is projected in certain songs. For example: Womanizer. Don't particularly like Britney Spears. I don't think she deserves the media scrutiny she has gotten in the past (the tabloids do seem to love a fallen women, no?) I just don't think she is that talented. period. The only reason she sounds good at all is that she gets to work with some amazingly talented producers. The persona projected in Womanizer, however, is all about not getting pulled in by some masculine ruse. Thou shall not get victimized by the creepazoid no matter how pretty the face he wears. That, I can dig.

Do you have any slightly embarressing habits that contribute in mysterious or not so mysterious ways to your happiness? If you do, please do tell!