Who wouldn't want moore?

Great songs are timeless- as are exclusive clubs of the nautical nature. I attended the Vancouver Rowing Club a few weeks ago for a wedding. And despite the fact that my navy blue dress pants were two sizes too small it turned out to be a pretty fun evening. We mingled in the trophy room for a good solid hour and discussed the merits of being a member of a good old fashioned rowing club. Besides the exclusivity of such a club- it's the cups and saucers that do it for me. Small and perfect. And a navy blue stripe evenly spaced between two anchors. Coffee never tasted so good.

I have always enjoyed a good cup of coffee. And by this I mean an actual cup. There really is nothing like sipping a hot cup of coffee from a perfect cup. And nothing goes better with a perfect cup than a perfect song from none other than Mandy Moore.

Whatever happened to Mandy? This is the age old question isn't it? It suprises me how much we still talk about her. The reality is there really hasn't been much released by this gem in years. So let's take a minute and step back. Who is Mandy? And why do I want to see Moore of her?

It was 1999 and the millienium was just around the corner. I received a phone call from a good friend inviting me to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. This is where it all began. One evening before "hitting up the clubs" we were watching satellite television and I noticed this sixteen year old blonde girl driving a lime green Volkswagon Beetle singing the chorus missing you like candy. I became curios, was she going to be the next Christina? What about Britney? Would she be so lucky?

As I watched I made a decision to keep close tabs on pop music's latest sensation. I felt a connection with this one. I enjoyed her song "candy." It was routine and simple. It was predictable and did the job. I followed Mandy throughout the next few years only to discover a string of lousy hits and annoying choruses. I shrugged this off only hoping she would give me something I could use. Something I could write home about. Hell, something I could write her about.

It would be three years later when she finally delivered her masterpiece. 2002 was a great year for me too. Sit me down and ask me sometime (I will need two cups of coffee- mind the cup- and an hour of your time). The movie "A Walk to Remember" was released this year starring none other than Miss Mandy Moore herself. This movie blew me away. At the age of 22, I had fallen for Jane. She did it for me (except for the whole dying thing). The most memorable scene from this blockbuster is when she performs a play and sings the infamous "Only Hope."

This song will make you feel alive. Everything about this song does it for me. It always will. Take the time. Make some dinner and turn this shit up. You will not be disappointed. I was so impressed with Mandy's peformance I had to say something. It would be a crime not to let her know how I felt.

With the help of my colleages at work, I drafted a letter to Mandy. I kept the content simple and to the point. I acknowledged her performance of being "better than expected" and even asked if she wanted to have a chai latte sometime. With excitement running through my veins I quickly grabbed her address from the internet and went about my life.

A few weeks later I returned from a trip from Vancouver. As I entered the kitchen I couldn't help but notice all five of my roommates staring at me and not really saying anything. What was all the fuss about? I looked down at the collection of mail and there it was. On the top of the pile: "Mandy Moore Fanmail Return to Sender." It was slightly embarrassing and went downstairs to file it under "undeliverables." Despite the lack of communication with the star herself, I still managed to follow her career in both movies and in television.

From what I've heard she is a great performer. She has also revamped
her old songs and jazzed them up. My only hope is that you take a minute out of your day and listen to this latest version of candy. She's got great banter with the audience and sounds sweet too.

So where does that leave me? I never did get that chai latte with Mandy. And in a way, I'm O.K. with that. I can proudly say that I am impressed with her over the last ten years. It's true that great songs really are timeless. It's no coincidence that we are still talking about her today. If I had the balls I would draft a new letter today and let her know that we haven't forgotten about her. But maybe I'll leave that for another day...