Possible Unpopular Opinion: I Love Miley Cyrus.

It's strange, you guys. I don't know her. She is a celebrity, a notion about which I have talked about before. Save Dolly Parton, I can't really say that I follow many.

I mean, come ON, how can you not love her?? I know: IF YOU HAVE NO SOUL.

But Miley? I just love her. Sure, she's almost ten years younger than me, but hell, I couldn't care less. I have her music on my iPod. I plan on going to any concert of hers whenever she comes to Nashville. I follow her on Twitter, and nearly every story that comes out on her - good or bad - I read it and just say, "Oh, Miley, you will be awesome one day."

Do I think she'll last in the public eye? Probably not. I mean, her movies essentially suck (I have a soft spot for "The Last Song," though, and yeah, I'm probably going to see "So Undercover") and she's not really a groundbreaking artist or entertainer, despite her tween fans' assertions. But I think that, once she hits her mid-twenties, she'll turn into this incredibly awesome person. Maybe she'll graduate into better pop music and start reading good scripts, I don't know. I hope so.

I mean, I even like this video for "Can't Be Tamed." Even the ridiculous, over-the-topness of the whole thing. I mean, seriously? "Aevis Cyrus??" Seriously?? Sigh.

The girl is just trying SO. HARD. to break free from Hannah Montana, and I can't really blame her. 

I think the crux of all of this is that I see a lot of myself in her. We're both Sagittariuses, both raised in a similar culture in Nashville, etc etc etc. Mind you, my father was not Billy Ray Cyrus, so our paths diverge at that point, but I can't help but think that my coming-of-age drama would have been quite similar if I grew up under the scrutiny of Hollywood. Which ... ew. I have enough body image issues on my own that I don't need paparazzi selling pictures of me in my swimsuit to all the tabloids. 

She, for the most part, has taken it in stride. She is who she is, even if she's just starting to explore all aspects of herself. I remember that phase. It had its ups and downs, but ultimately, it's what made me who I am now, right? 

So keep up with your bad self, Miley. You can crash at my place anytime.