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i'm andy plank. i'm 21 years old and i'm from eau claire, wisconsin. this is dangling rope marina. i spent this summer working and living on the marina. it was amazing, the best summer i've ever had. i'm really excited to be back again though, to see everyone and start playing music back here again.bands i've been in - me, solo - songs i do in my bedroom. meridene - indie/alt.country band i play banjo and sing in. in reverence - hardcore band that i sang for.if there is any one thing about me, i'd say that it's music. since early high school i've cared more about music than most other things. i remember how excited i was when my new braid 7inch came in the mail from ebay, or when i found bands like against me just by chance, or when a friend gave me a mixed tape of old modest mouse songs and we drove 2 hours out of our way to go to her house just so we could listen to it on the car ride. those kinds of things just felt different to me than anything else ever did. it was way before liking a band was the cool thing to do, and way before anyone was opinionated about other people's taste in music, because noone had really figured themselves out yet. all i knew was that these bands and this music could make me feel different, and that was all that i cared about. and that's where i'm still at today. i've been through a million phases musically, and ran through all kinds of fashions, and i would never once take any of them back, because i've experienced so much through them that i can't even imagine myself without them. i still spend hours at a time listening to albums and reading along to lyrics, or searching for b-sides and bootlegged shows to favorite bands. the albums and songs that sufjan stevens puts together, from his absolutely beautiful honesty to his use of the perfect instruments at the perfect time can make me feel anything at any time that i need it. the range of sounds that jeff tweedy has made in wilco, uncle tupelo and his solo project have kept me so fascinated as i've found more and more that adds on to what i believe makes him an amazing artist. singers like devendra banhart, colin meloy of the decemberists and tarkio, sam beam of iron and wine, james mercer of the shins and flake music, josh ritter, ben gibbard of death cab, the great lake swimmer's tony dekker, and so, so, so many more are making what i honestly believe are some of the beautiful things that i can experience in my life. that is no exaggeration on any part. i suppose that there are a few more important things about me. i'm a vegetarian. i made that choice a long time ago, based on reverence of animals, and not at all a dietary decision. this is something that i am keeping with me all of my life. i believe very, very much in truth and honesty, and compassion for my friends. the things that come from friendship can be totally amazing, and i think these things, truth and honesty, keep friendships real. the saddest thing for me is to watch a friend become less a part of my life, because i think that your friends are a major part of what makes you the person that you are, for better or for worse. because of this, i think that i choose my friends very carefully, but i love them with everything i can offer. i suppose that there is a lot more about me, but if you're still reading and interested in more, maybe you should send me a message.