Dear Taylor Swift,

I have a bone to pick with you.

I am a longtime fan who was excited to finally buy tickets for your upcoming reputation. tour. But the hoops that I (and all your fans) are jumping through to get on the waiting list are kind of ridic.

First, I know a lot of artists these days are using Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program to ensure that ticket scalpers don’t scam actual interested parties in getting tickets. That’s understandable. That’s perfectly fine. But never have I had to purchase merchandise, stream videos 10 times a day, and spam my social media accounts with promo to prove myself as a fan.

I’m in my first “legit” big girl job. I can’t be buying multiple copies of your new album (which I haven’t even heard in its entirety yet…) or buying overpriced and *cough* ugly snake-shaped rings to get boosts. And even if I COULD, I shouldn’t have to give you more money, on top of the $150 I’m expecting to pay for even the crappiest seats at the stadium.

Ok and sure, there are options without spending money aka streaming the videos and posting on social media. I’m not going to spam all my Facebook friends, Twitter followers, etc. with Taylor Swift promo. I’m not going to change my photo to your truly unflattering album cover. That means that I’m left to streaming your videos every day to get my points. And let’s not pretend all these video view records you’re shattering are organic. It’s because all your fans are streaming them repeatedly to get the chance to go to your concert.

I broke the 1,050 boost mark this week and JUST moved into the Priority section and even then I’m not guaranteed to get tickets. And we all have to do this until November 28? I’m already tired, but I’m already too far in and I have a roommate relying on me for tickets.

To be fair, your marketing team is A+. This is a brilliant way to get albums sold before it’s even released and break Vevo records all while claiming to be “for the fans.” But let’s not kid ourselves. Lastly, I obviously don’t know you personally, so I’m not going to make assumptions about your character, but this false advertising as a fan service? Well, “I don’t like your little games.”

I used to be embarrassed to say that I like TSwizz. But 1989-era Taylor has completely changed my views on her. I freely admit that I bought into the press’ presentation of her as some sort of needy, lovesick and relaysh-obsessed girl and I always felt like I had to justify buying her music. No more. Girl knows how to make an album. Red is still my favorite as a whole, but 1989 is quickly climbing the ranks. I’d totally invest in concert tix if I had the money.

I’m glad Taylor’s representation in the media is evolving and she’s gaining new fans. I’m glad she’s being seen as a positive role model and a face for feminism. I’m glad she found friends and has surrounded herself with support. I’m glad she feels comfortable enough now to go public with her new boyfriend and the whole “Ooh, watch out, Calvin, she’ll be writing a song about you” thing hasn’t been happening. But most of all, I’m glad that Taylor has found a confidence in herself that isn’t tied to a guy. I think that’s something we should all aspire to.

5 SONGS + BONUS LYRICS

1. I’d Lie: “He stands there, then walks away. My God, if I could only say, “I’m holding every breath for you.”
2. Enchanted: “Please don’t be in love with someone else. Please don’t have somebody waiting on you”
3. Back to December: “I’d go back in time and change it, but I can’t. So if the chain is on your door, I understand. But this is me swallowing my pride.”
4. Mean: “All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic and alone in life, and mean.”
5. Out of the Woods: “Remember when we couldn’t take the heat? I walked out, said, ‘I’m setting you free.’ But the monsters turned out to be just trees.”

5 OUTFITS

While I’m not a huge fan of Taylor’s current obsession with two-pieces, I’m generally lusting over her outfits. I’d be more than glad to take a shopping trip through her closet. I’m a sucker for flowy sundresses and overalls (grade-school, holla!) These aren’t my top five, but just five that I’m loving at the moment.

5 QUOTES

1. “Hang on. It gets easier, and then it gets ok, and then it feels like freedom.”
2. “You are not damaged goods just because you made a few mistakes.”
3. “When I tell people how happy I am to be alone and to be living my life on my own terms and to be free and independent and empowered, the first thing they say to me is, ‘Oh, don’t worry. You’ll find someone.’ And that is so not the point. What if your life complete itself?“
4. “Self doubt can be like falling down a rabbit hole and it’s hard to tell whether it will end in some new epiphany or in feeling lost and defeated. You have to be the judge of when to just take it easy on yourself. Taking things one step at a time is an exhausting process for impatient people like you and me, but I think one day you’ll look up and look around and see that finding yourself wasn’t as terrifying as you thought it would be.“
5. “People can say whatever they want about us at any time and we cannot control that. The only thing we can control is our reaction to it. You can either let it get to you, change you, make you bitter, descend into insanity—or just shake it off.”

5 ALBUMS

Since she has five albums, I’m cheating aka they all make the list.

1. Red
2. 1989
3. Speak Now
4. Taylor Swift
5. Fearless