For those who actually know me, you know I’m obsessed with four things:

1. The Minnesota Twins

2. The Backstreet Boys

3. Anything that’s pink or shiny

4. Michael Buble.

Today, I’m focusing on #4.

I stumbled upon my extensive Michael Buble collection tonight. I don’t know what it is about his voice, it’s so… um, what’s the word? Oh yes, PERFECT.

It’s like a blanket… soft, warm, silky and fuzzy. You just want to wrap yourself up in his music and burrow deeper into it. Or like warm chocolate cake, it’s so fresh, creamy and rich, you just want more. I don’t know what it is about his music, but it makes me so happy. No matter the song, my mind goes to late summer or early fall in St. Paul. The air is crisp and warm, there aren’t pesky bugs or anything to distract you. More specifically, it’s night on an outdoor patio, with a bonfire pit and glass of red wine.

Ahh, bliss.

I’ve seen Michael Buble in concert twice. The first time was in 2003 at the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis. He was a nobody then, but I had his CD and drove my friends crazy listening to it. There couldn’t have been more than 200 people at the show, my brother and I were definitely the youngest in the crowd. About half way through the show someone took a picture and the flash went off. Michael stopped the show and hopped off the stage to take a real picture with them. It was great. He shared stories, interacted with the audience and looked so happy on stage.

A year or two later I saw him at Orchestra Hall. It was a bigger show. He was a bigger name. He tried to interact with the audience, but it’s hard when you’re performing to a couple hundred people. The passion was still there though.

I still love his music as much as I ever have. It still sounds full and happy and classic. His tour is coming back through the Twin Cities this spring. He’ll be playing the Xcel Center to a couple thousand people. As much as I’d love to see his show, I don’t know if I’d enjoy it as much as I know I could. Not after the intimate experience I had a few years ago.

That’s the problem with good music. You find it and embrace it. Then it catches on and all of a sudden everyone loves it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to be among the first, to say you’ve been there the whole time, but you lose that special connection.

Luckily I can still enjoy his music without seeing his concert. Listening to his music tonight, I feel calm and happy. It’s like an instant happy spot you can take on the go.

And that’s exactly what I intend to do. Take my iPod and listen to his music this summer on a patio in St. Paul.