A Battle of One, A Battle of Billions

An open letter to 30 Seconds to Mars,

On March 14, 2010, a friend and I received the horrible news that someone we had recently met, a soldier in the Canadian Army, had been killed in combat in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The feeling was so horrible--a numbness in my brain, an absolute ache in my chest.
Solace found its way to me in your music. I had been listening to "This Is War" since the release, and this horrible reality suddenly made your music all the more personal to me. Karma threw me another curve ball when I won tickets to your show the next night at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
And so, that next night, my friend and I found ourselves in the second-to-last row at the Greek, checking out Shiny Toy Guns, sipping on some beers. Karma was not finished though! A staff member from the Greek (and if I ever see this man again, I will shower him with thanks anew) came and offered us pit passes. The rest became concert history...I've been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to check out many live shows. Without a doubt, you guys have raised the bar to a seemingly untouchable level!
I found myself five feet away from the stage and sensory overload took over! Seeing the show, hearing the music, feeling the pulse of the crowd...It was the most unforgettable experience ever! Any song I hear now from the show swells my heart and takes me back--every time! And there's more. Though I've been a fan of your music for a while, perhaps this experience solidified my connection to your art, your music, and made me want to do so much more! I'm a little new to the game, but I 'm an extremely proud member of the Echelon now!
I was mistaken to think your music was your greatest gift! Don't misunderstand, it has been my healer--challenging me to overcome the pain of death, the struggle with my father's cancer, the eight years of writer's block (as hopefully evidenced here). But your band has given me an even greater gift--the family, the cult, the Echelon! I laugh more, I think greater, I do more good in my life because of this beautiful reality, this glorious cult!
Before I end this letter, you should also know that your art and talent has given me one more extraordinary benefit. Having always had a passion for the environment, I studied marine biology and have spent almost six years at a local aquarium in Los Angeles, teaching people about marine life and how their actions shape the survival of this earth. I've watched the "A Beautiful Lie" video many times over the years and my opportunity to share it with others has finally arrived. I've been given the chance to develop curriculum on climate change and ocean acidification to middle and high school students. And it all begins with your video! I may have many facts to share, but I could never express myself as beautifully and as creatively as your video allows. So, thank you for offering a medium that will enable me to connect students with the immediacy, the danger of climate change, and the joy in the ability to do something about it. I suppose an additional shout out to Bartholemew Cubbins and Angakok Panipaq for all their hard work and exemplary vision!
And so, as I conclude this letter to 30 Seconds to Mars the unit, and to its individual members, I wish to express my endless gratitude. Your music makes Los Angeles traffic bearable, it focuses me in my education; your craft contributes greatly to my mission to empower others to take a stand in saving this planet; and it has given me the gift of a creative, strong-willed, unstoppable tour de force that is the Echelon!

With all the gratitude in my heart and soul,
Melanie Ani Vartabedian
(@mermaidmelo)

YES THIS IS A CULT.

My name is Rebecca and I am 15 years old. I am from the middle of England. I am a very new member of the Echelon family. I first discovered this AMAZING band we call 30 Seconds To Mars at the end of 2009. I was watching the Scuzz music channel and Kings And Queens came on. I loved what I was hearing and seeing. Kings And Queens was my new favourite song, and I listened to it non-stop. Then I HAD to listen to more of their music. I got all 3 of their albums and learnt every lyric as I listen to them so often. All of the lyrics actually have meaning, unlike most artists out there. They mean the world to me, and really put me in a great mood. When school's depressing me, I'll turn to my 30STM CD's. Jared, Shannon, and Tomo are 3 GENIUS, AMAZING, TALENTED, BEAUTIFUL men who I love so much words can't describe. I love Jared Leto so much it hurts. And is there anything he CAN'T do? He writes songs, he sings, he plays guitar, he acts (he's an AMAZING actor. I've seen 4 of his films so far; Alexander, Panic Room, Urban Legend, and Mr Nobody. Wow. :P), he directs, and he has breath-taking looks, with beautiful hypnotic blue eyes and a cute button nose. :) I love Jared's individuality, and his pomegranate mohawk is amazing. ;D And before I knew it, I was an Echelon. :D

30 Seconds To Mars give me the feeling that I actually belong somewhere and have a purpose in life. Before I came across them, I got depressed and thought "What is the point? Why am I even here??" But Mars taught me that you should follow your dreams and always fight for what you believe in no matter what. I realised I can get through this, it's not that hard. They help me, and give me the courage to do so. Jared's lyrics to Alibi "I fell apart but got back up again" showed me that you will fall and have problems in your life, but you've always got to have the strength to get back up again and do what's got to be done. Jared's lyrics speak to me. 30STM have been through so much to get to where they are today, and they got there by not giving up. I've always been the quiet one who is has serious confidence issues and has trouble believing in myself, but I know I've got to believe in myself, just as they did. You won't get anywhere if you don't believe in yourself, no matter how hard it is.

It was my 15th birthday on the 10th February, and it honestly was my best birthday ever. I was lucky enough to go and see 30 Seconds To Mars live for the first time ever on the 19th at Nottingham Trent FM Arena. I bought my This Is War t-shirt from the official merchandise stand and wore it with pride. I wasn't standing unfortunately, but I was in the tiered seating. We waited ages for them to come on, but it was so worth the wait! The atmosphere was absolutely amazing, and I really felt like I belonged there, amongst the Echelon. I've never made so much noise in my entire life, and honestly don't know how I still had my voice when I woke up the following morning. That was the best night of my life, and 30STM are amazing live! They certainly know a thing or two about showmanship! They don't just stand there singing like most artists do; they put so much effort and hard work into their shows. Mars return to the UK in December, and I plan on seeing them again! I'm struggling for money at the moment, but I WILL get there one way or another! And I'll hopefully be standing (on the front row preferably! ;)) and I'll have a good view of them!!

I know none of the Echelon personally, but I have many Echelon friends online. Thank god for the internet, right? I wouldn't have met any of the amazing people I've become friends with. And they're not just my friends, their my family. All of you. I love you all. If it weren't for Mars we wouldn't have this amazing family and group of people. I wish we had our own Echelon Country. That'd be awesome. I live in a town where their are no Echelon. I am living in the wrong place altogether. I feel like I don't belong here at all. They all think I'm a freak, but I don't care. I'm proud to be an Echelon and forever will be. And like I said, thank god I can escape to the internet.

I try to be the best Echelon I can possibly be. I do as much as I can to promote them; I wear my t-shirt everywhere with pride (people will be thinking I haven't got anything else to wear! lol), I tell my friends of new Mars releases, I even introduced my email friend from Sweden to them. And I will continue to do this.

I recently watched 30STM's most recent music video for Closer To The Edge. Wow, what a song, and what a video. For starters, the song is genius, legendary, and in my opinion one of the best on This Is War (although I love every track). I've been listening to it alot lately, and I can't stop watching the music video. Wow. It made me emotional. I cried. It took my breath away. Simply amazing.

Music is my escape. Especially Mars. I was born to be an Echelon. I just wish I'd discovered them sooner. But at least I have now. :) They have brightened my life, made it feel worth living. My biggest dream is to meet the Mars men and tell them how much their songs mean to me, and how much I love and care for them. I want to thank them for everything. I really do appreciate them, just as much as I appreciate my second family.

Thank you so much to every single Echelon out there.
YES THIS IS A CULT. ECHELON TILL I DIE. PROVEHITO IN ALTUM.

I found tomorrow in today

I can’t think of when I discovered 30 Seconds To Mars. If I really try and remember, it actually feels as though they’ve been a constant in my life since my first minutes of coherence. Those three faces have become so familiar to me, I feel I’ve seen them on the street hundreds of times.

The self-titled album became for me an escape. Songs like ‘Capricorn’ and ‘Edge of the Earth’ helped me retreat into myself and discover whole new sides of my personality that I never knew existed. When EOTE launches into “Stand out, on the edge, of the earth”, I can feel my skin prickling as I delve into my deeper states of consciousness. ‘The Mission’ courses through my veins, as if I were in some strange army situation, defending my spirit against countless enemies.

“Yeah I’ve been to Jupiter, and I’ve fallen through the air. I used to live out on the moon, but now I’m back here down on Earth. Why are you here? Are you listening? Can you here what, I am saying?” These lyrics were such a huge deal to me when I first heard them. As I listened, I was reading over the CD booklet, and I spied the mission set for us - “Find the Argus Apocraphex” - and I truly believe I found my answer in that instant. I’m still ‘searching’ now, but every day I feel that step closer to fully discovering myself.

Having been a Buddhist for over 8 years now has really, weirdly, taught me more about the music than anything else. So much ties in, makes perfect sense, and I feel a deeper connection with the lyrics through my faith.

The second album, ‘A Beautiful Lie’, signalled the dwindling in my faith. Despite some amazingly profound tracks hidden away on the CD, such as ‘From Yesterday’ (still one of my favourite music videos by far), ‘Battle of One’ and ‘Was It a Dream?’, this marked their ‘sell-out’ for me. ‘The Kill’ upset me, made me angry, and ‘A Beautiful Lie’, whilst being an unbelievable song, melted into one horrible mess with ‘The Fantasy’, also grossly overplayed. I tried hard to keep my love alive, and my faith in the band - ‘Attack’ was a great song and video, and I really loved the first three aforementioned tracks to death. Especially with ‘The Kill’, I saw people all around me trying to claim "rights" to the band, but they didn’t even know what ‘Echelon’ meant. All those awards and accolades fell on my deaf ears, and I almost lost conviction altogether.

However, I stuck with them. They were, are, have always been, my favourite band, and I couldn’t just leave them by the wayside because of one (in my opinion) poor album. I listened to other stuff, tried out new genres, and slowly forgot the pain the second album had brought. After a while, I went back to it; I fell in love. I rediscovered that tingle on my skin, that kick in my stomach, that feeling that makes us Echelon. It’s safe to say I never looked back.

Their third and current album has “reinstalled” in me that sense of belonging. I really feel a part of the Echelon when I listen to it. Songs like ‘Kings and Queens’ fill me with jubilance, and ‘This is War’ makes me want to scream to the world about Mars. I feel that personally for me, "the war" so often referenced to is against their second album, and what they became in that era. They didn't seem like themselves to me, and this album seems like their 'f*** you', to all that 'emo hype' and stereotyping. I can't get enough of it. This album makes me feel so alive within myself.

My feelings are still arising with regards to the third album, and it’s currently in my car being played every time I drive. I feel, as I go through songs one to twelve, as though I’m on a journey - like if I lay down on my bed, with headphones in, and listened intently all the way through the album, that I’d feel awakened and refreshed afterwards, with new insight into a new me.

There’ve been tough times where the music has helped me, but I wouldn’t say there were too many - mainly because since I discovered Mars, my life has changed - they have forced me to rediscover, (r)evolve, alter my (misguided) perceptions and seek the true ‘me’. I won’t ever say something as naïve as ‘this band changed my life’, because it was more indirect than that - their lyrics spoke to me in a way that helped me realise, opened my eyes to things I’d never seen.

As you can see, it’s hard for me to tell my Mars story in a short form. I’m sorry this gone on so long; this wasn’t what I was planning on!

In as little as I can: 30 Seconds To Mars have managed to re-define me as a person, to help me ‘launch forth’ into the depths of my human awareness and realise what goes on around, and within, me. Without them, and their music, a lot of things may have overcome me, and I might not be the person I am today. All I have to say is one great big thank you. To the band. To the music. To the lyrics. TO THE ECHELON.

THE FIGHT IS DONE, THE WAR IS WON. YOU GUYS ARE MY FAMILY, AND I THINK OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WITH LOVE AND RESPECT.

Writing this has been amazing. I hope you can get a sense of what I was trying to convey - my life, my learning, my experiences, me. I LOVE YOU.

@emibd
₪ ø lll ·o.

In defense of our dreams

I actually don't know where to start, so I will start anywhere in the hope it will make sense in the end. English is not my mother tongue so please be lenient with me :-)

My entire childhood and youth were affected by parental drug and alcohol abuse, physical and mental cruelty, sadness and loss. I lost my parents at a very young age and remained alone with a mass of responsibilities, and a broken personality.

The years after I lived under a glass-cover. I was like unconscious, just tried to function. I was not able to feel anything - no happyness, no anger, no sorrow. I only pretended to have feelings. During this time I did not even recognize it.

And then these three guys entered my life and changed everything... I have been listening to 30 Seconds to Mars for years, but it was only one of the bands I liked and had no special meaning to me. Today I think that I was not ready to understand the message earlier. Then I was at a concert and my whole world turned upside down. Suddenly I started to understand and every song became a perfect meaning for me and my personal situation.

The weeks after I listened to every song again and again and again and the messages became clearer and clearer. I suddenly realized that I was wasting my life by trying to fulfill other peoples expectations in me. I never thought about what I wanted from life. I made decisions for other people not for myself. And I haven't even realized it for years.

The songs of 30 Seconds to Mars allow and encourage me to be the person I really am. They tell me that it's right and good to struggle with my inner demons every day. I now have the feeling that I became a stronger and more valuable person by all the pain I went through. I am different and it's nothing false in being different. It's better to be authentic than adapted 'cause this is who I really am.

I want to thank Jared, Shannon and Tomo, for being the f.cking most brilliant artists in the world. Their music touches me in a way I never expected. These three men changed everything and I did'nt even ask them to do so. I can't say that my existence has become easier through their apperance. I have to struggle even harder, but I do struggle instead of watching my own life passing by. Their music hurts...it hurts in my bruised soul every day. It hurts so much ,that there are often tears running down my face while listening, but it makes me think and forces me to go on. It is my inspiration to get my ass up and at least try to become a kind of happy.

I will be thankful until the end of my days, because these guys definitely saved me. At the moment I'm not sure what to do with my recovered life, but the lyrics will show me in a while, I guess...

One more important thing I want to thank Jared, Shannon and Tomo for are the Echelon. When I first heard of them I found it kind of strange. But then I entered the world of Twitter and within two or three days I understood. I was searching for current information about 30 Seconds to Mars and found... amazing friends, a big family.

While everyone in my so called "real life" finds my addiction to 30STM and my changing personality weird, the Echelon understand and support me. Some of them are also fighting against tortures and harms of life (as well as I read here) and made similar experiences with the music of Mars. I found my personal soulmate amongst the Echelon, my sister, my counterpart. (You know that you are meant sis, my refletion :-) ) I am so thankful to be a part of this big crazy crowd. 30 Seconds to Mars have opened a new world to me - the Echelon make this world alive.

Thank you dear brothers and sisters for understanding, for supporting, thank you for simply existing. I won't miss any day I spent time chattering, laughing or even crying with you!!! Some time ago I wouldn't have believed that I'd ever share my personal story, my most intimate secrets with anybody. 30 Seconds to Mars and the Echelon made me a person that releases these thaughts in the internet. I am so proud of this person I developed with your help. Thank you!!!

I will do my best to defend my dreams in every single day of my life. Some days may be harder than others, but I'm alive again and I promise to live!!!

All my love - up to the stars and back down to earth. Prohevito in altum!!
Aoide

I will live my life

Just wanted to share a few words on how 30 Seconds to Mars have impacted my world and me as a person.

I remember when I first got introduced to 30 Seconds to Mars' music. I was studying my Psychology degree at university in 2007 when my twin sister came to me and said "30 Seconds to Mars are playing Hammersmith Apollo next year, we have to get tickets!" I knew who 30STM were because my sister was a huge fan but I hadn't really heard any of their music. I remember the first 2 songs I heard by them were "A Modern Myth" and "The Story" and that was it, I was instantly hooked. We booked tickets for Feb of 2008 in London and I got to experience them live which was incredible! The way Jared engages with the audience is like nothing I've seen before, most artists would fear actually getting up close and personal with their audience, but the way Jared plunges in to the crowd, it's clear he revels in it and I love him for that.

After that performance, Jared came outside and chatted to us for a while and again that's something you rarely see so he was earning mega brownie points in my books! I will always remember someone saying to me that it was cool that he stayed and chatted however don't expect it to last too long, because as they get more successful they won't care as much about the people at the shows. That person was VERY wrong. I recently went to see the guys again at Wembley, they delivered a mind-blowing performance and it is an experience in which I will carry with me forever. Again, after the show my sister and I hung around and again Jared came out and had a chat with a few of us. From that moment onwards, I knew my dedication to the band would be just as strong as what they show to us and my loyalty was unwavering.

My life at the moment is slightly monotonous as I am working hard to save up money to continue my studies at university in order to get to where I want to be in life. Some days it's hard to wake up and feel inspired or motivated because every day is such a routine. But when I listen to 30 Seconds to Mars, I can hear the passion and conviction in Jared's voice and it makes me think they have had to work so hard to be as successful as they are. If you want to get anywhere in life, you have to put in the work. The music of 30STM is so inspiring, I listen to "This is War" in its entirety everyday for motivation. "Closer to the Edge" particularly resonates with me as I find this a hugely powerful song. From this song, I take away the message that you should do whatever it takes in order to live your life and to feel purpose behind your actions. When I hear the words, I know that every day I'm getting closer to my goals which will ultimately lead me to where I want to be in life, and it's through 30STM' music that I realise this.

I now have all 3 albums from 30STM and their music is something I will always cherish and I look forward to expanding upon it!

The dedication and passion that Jared, Shannon and Tomo commit to their shows and to their interaction with audiences (whether it be an arena full of people or a group of 20 outside) is something that most artists can only dream of achieving. 30 Seconds to Mars delivers above and beyond all expectations and it is the reason that the Echelon family continues to grow. It is the reason why I am proud to say that 30 Seconds to Mars has had a profound effect on me as a person and the way I look at life. I can merely say thank you for that but those words can only describe a fraction of what's in my heart.

Laura De Rosa, UK
(@LauraDeRosa)

They MADE my life

I don’t know how to start this. But maybe I should tell you my story to start with?

Most of this can I not remember because is such a long time ago, so I have got it told by my family.

My story begins back in the Christmas 2001 when I was 7 years old. My uncle, who lived in USA at that moment, gave me a demo cd from a band called 30 seconds to mars. It was a cd he have got from he’s friend who knew the drummer in the band – Shannon. I fell admittedly in love with the music. I have been told that I only could fell a sleep when I was listening to the cd.
Short time after Christmas my grandfather died. I had a really good relationship with him. I was so sad that I was close to get a depression. But I was lucky and I am still sure that the cd I had got is the reason till that I not got that depression. 8 month after Christmas I, and the rest of the world, so lucky that 30 seconds to mars’s album came out. After some years became I more and more an Echelon and I have now been it in 5 years I think.
After being a fan in 9 years the day of my life came. It was March 9th 2010, the day Shannon turned 40 yeas old, in Copenhagen, Denmark. I still have the feeling that it didn’t happen! Aging were I closer than never to get a depression and stress because the concert was over and I had so much going on in my life. But because of the amazing Echelon came I through that and I am now happier than ever!

I don’t want to say that 30 seconds to mars changed my life, because they MADE my life. I can’t remember how my life was before I heard 30 seconds to mars the first time. Mostly because I was so young but also because they have made such a big influence on whom I am to day. They are the reason to all the amazing friends I have made because of the Echelon. They are properly the reason till that I not am a girl in trouble and with a depression to day.
They are my life!
And I am not afraid to say that they HAVE made the life I am living.
Jared is the reason till I am an actor now. When I have been close to quit I have been seeing a movie with him and I got my passion back of acting.
30 seconds to mars is the main reason to I am playing music today. When I sow how amazing Tomo and Jared are on a guitar I wanted to bee just half as good as them and I am close to be that to day.
Then are you properly thinking “what have Shannon done to you”, he gave me the desire of want to photographer more and more.
I own the guys my life. Because they gave me my life.
I can’t thank 30 seconds to mars enough for being the band they are!
I love them so much and they will always be a part of my life.
I can feel my life when I hear their music, it’s the soundtrack till my life and who I am. 30 seconds to mars is who I am, always have been and always will bee.
Thank you 30 seconds to mars and the Echelon for doing all this to me.

I love you more than words can describe!

Marie, Denmark
@mariebulken

This is the Story of my Life....

Ok, maybe this isn't the story of my life...that would take too much space and time. You see, I've been around almost double the life span of most Echelon, sometimes more. I'm old enough to be Jared and Shannon's slightly older sister. But we're going to skip ahead several years to the first moment I heard Attack on the radio.

It was early summer, 2005. I was fresh out of the hospital, after having a pacemaker/defibrillator "installed"...no, I'm really not that old, yes it was early, I was only in my 30's. The previous year my doctors had found that I had a condition that was most likely caused by a virus that made my heart beat strangely...out of rhythm, and my left ventricle didn't pump by itself. Anyway, I was pretty weary from surgery, and all the new medications I was on when I heard Attack for the first time. I loved it instantly. I went to look online to see who the band was, because the radio hadn't said anything about the song.

I remember sitting at my step son's computer, looking at a picture of 30 Seconds to Mars....and having the distinct feeling that I knew one of the band members. I even said out loud, "Hey, I know that guy!", and my step son replied, "Uh huh, sure you do." and walked away. I then started digging for names of the band members online, and realized where I knew that Jared guy from...My So Called Life. I LOVED that show! I even have that book they put out after the show was over! I was amazed...of course I hadn't seen him in anything in over 10 years...or so I thought. A quick look at IMDB told me that I'd seen plenty of Jared, I just hadn't recognized him.

A little more information online, and I found out that I couldn't buy the cd that had Attack on it, as A Beautiful Lie wasn't out yet. It was a long wait (it seemed like) until the release date when I ran out and bought it. I carefully unwrapped it and kept the great wrap that had the rose on it. I listened to that cd until I thought my family was going to kick me out of my own home. I also bought the self titled cd, but I couldn't even locate it in town, I had to order it online.

Somewhere the next year, 30 Seconds to Mars was on tour and coming to a standing room only smaller venue here in town. I was still pretty sick. I called the venue to see if there was anywhere to sit, and they could only accommodate me if I were in a wheel chair, which I wasn't. It broke my heart to not go see them live. I vowed then that one day I would get to see them live.

I spent a few years with some pretty serious health problems. There are so many parts of my life that were touched because of 30 Seconds to Mars, and Jared's other work as well. I started reading Hubert Selby, Jr because of Requiem for a Dream. Last year I became vegetarian. Last year I had three surgeries, and one of the things that helped pull me through was knowing that soon there would be a new cd, and a new tour...and I was determined I would see them this time!

There wasn't a summit near where I live, but I watched online and wondered what the guys were going to do with everything that was being sent to them. I couldn't believe it the first time I heard Kings and Queens. I was listening online to the premier on KROQ. I felt so happy and so proud ... proud of the guys, proud of the fans, and so proud to be a fan. I remember downloading the cd in December, and crying several times. Between Alibi, and 100 Suns...especially the "beating of our hearts" line, and even lines like "One day it'll all just end", it seemed like my "birthday buddy" as I've been calling Jared for a while now, as we share the not so stupendous December 26th birthday, was writing pieces of my soul for lyrics.

I watched tons of youtube footage of the tour that was happening in Europe. The day the tour dates for America were announced, I called my friend who lives in Arizona. I've known her since I was 11! I was scheduled to go stay with her for 10 days, and the tour was starting in that part of the country while I was there! She said, "They sing that Face is a Map of the World song, right?" (This was actually better than I had hoped for, most of her iPod is 80's haha) I told her we could go to Tuscon, and there was also a Mesa show at that time that was later rescheduled to Phoenix later in May. I also told her the tour was kicking off in Las Vegas, and it was at that moment I knew how much she loved me...she told me to get tickets, she was taking us to VEGAS! There's something about someone who's known you 30something years. They REALLY know you.

I had been kicking around the idea of a tattoo since the end of 2009. Before I went on vacation, I got cherry blossoms on my left lower arm to signify how life is short and beautiful, and only lasts a moment, and underneath I had Beautiful Lie in Kanji, because that album, and that song, kept me going through so much.

The Vegas show was great, so great that when I got home from vacation, I bought tickets to go to Orlando to see them at the House of Blues. This year I have taken three people who were not familiar with 30 Seconds to Mars to concerts, and they have left there blown away, and die hard fans. I met the guys before the show in Orlando, and they are awesome. I took my booklet from my A Beautiful Lie cd with me to get them to sign it.

A few years ago I was so ill, and not able to do half the things I've done this year. Day after tomorrow, I go in the hospital for another surgery...a big one this time. Part of the reason I lived it up so much in April was because I knew this day was coming. But it's ok, Jared, Tomo, and Shannon will be in the hospital with me, on my iPod shuffle, that is only loaded with 30 Seconds to Mars. Their music calms me when nothing else can. The rhythms, the lyrics, everything feels like home.

Thank you, 30 Seconds to Mars...you've helped me in ways that I only touched on the surface here. You are part of my soul, part of my life. And thank you SO MUCH for making This is War so much about the fans. Though my heart beats mechanically, it beats stronger because of you. (and a special thanks to Jared...you inspire me to be a better Capricorn.)

"I believe in nothing, but the beating of our hearts." ~Jared Leto

Me too, birthday buddy, me too.