No matter if I go left or right

Boy, have I missed the blogging world.

For someone whose previous out-of-the-U.S. experience had consisted of a few weeks in Costa Rica and a few trips to Canada (which barely counts, not because Canada's the same as the U.S. but because when I can get to it in about an hour--quicker than I can get to most other states besides Michigan--it's not exactly far away), the past half a year or so has been pretty amazing: four and a half months living in Sweden (cough--did I not mention that properly here?) and then following that up with random traveling around Europe itself, with the most time being spent in Germany, Croatia, and Slovenia. The post-Sweden stuff has been kind of shockingly music purchase-light, but the approximately 50 million CDs I bought in Sweden makes up for it. Toss in a quick jaunt to Orlando afterwards (it's where my older brother lives), and, along with the fact that in Europe I often wasn't sure where I would be in a few days, you've got the best I can offer as an explanation for disappearing for so long.

Anyway, as I mentioned below, I'm totally and completely out of the music loop--I haven't been able to follow anything that's been going on for more than the past month. What's fantastic? What's happening? All I know is that I'm freaking out and shouting "Oh my gosh, I love this song!" and turning up the volume every time Chris Brown's "Forever" comes on the radio and "We're so going to see this movie" every time the preview for the movie version of Mamma Mia comes on, though to be fair that's half just to drive everyone who doesn't want to see it crazy by reminding them that they will get dragged along. The best I can offer up at the moment is a perpetual pop classic which has absolutely nothing to do with anything but I adore and am going to take an excuse to post anyway (album available for purchase here [physical] or here [digital]).

Most importantly, though, I've missed everyone. Really. More cheesy amazing pop coming your way soon.