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Friday, July 28, 2006

The Nephew

I have been looking at this picture several times a day all week and I can't get enough of it. This is Luke. He's 6 months old and lives in Virginia . . . and alas, I have not been able to meet him yet. However, this picture has tugged on my heart strings hard enough that I finally decided to just cough up the money and book a flight. I'll be heading out for a weekend in September. Who could resist those eyes!

Friday, July 21, 2006

20 Tracks

I saw this on a random blog and I thought it looked fun . . .

1. A track from your early childhood
I’ll build you a Rainbow, written by R. Scott Strong
This is one of my earliest “favorite” songs. I haven’t listened to it in years though. It was on an LDS “gates of zion” tape. It always made me cry . . .

2. A track that you associate with your first love
I will follow him, Little Peggy March
My first true love moved away after kindergarten . . . and I remember singing this song and thinking of him.

3. A track that reminds you of a holiday trip
California Dreamin’, The Mamas and the Papas
When I was 14 my family took a trip to California over Labor Day weekend. While we were getting ready to go the weather was strange . . . all dark and dreary . . . and then this song came on the radio. It was a cool moment.

4. A track that you like but wouldn’t want to be associated with in public
Toxic, Britney Spears
I LOVE this song . . . but, well . . . I guess my shame is self explanatory

5. A track that accompanied you when you were lovesick
Chestnut Hill, Denison Witmer
During my last crush, I fell in love with this song. It makes me happy.

6. A track that you have probably listened to most often
Hide and Seek, Imogen Heap
“most often” is misleading . . . as I have only listened to this track over the past year, but it is the one that I’ve listened to more than anything else in my library. Two other songs that I have listened to countless times in my music listening career are Baker, Baker by Tori Amos and Raining in Baltimore by The Counting Crows.

7. A track that is your favourite instrumental
Claire de Lune, Debussy
I LOVE love love love love this song.

8. A track that represents one of your favourite bands
Hummer, The Smashing Pumpkins
This track reflects everything that I love about the Pumpkins. Everything from the huge guitars to the dreamy conclusion. It is the highlight of Siamese Dream for me.

9. A track which represents yourself best
Hmmmmm. This one is difficult. How about . . .
Immature, Bjork
Haha
Actually, I think this one fits an important part of my personality perfectly. A life lesson that I’m constantly trying to learn and teach to others lies within its lyrics.
“How could I be so immature to think he could replace the missing elements in me? How extremely lazy of me”

10. A track that reminds you of a special occasion
Well, it’s not necessarily a “track” but Families Can Be Together Forever will always remind me of my Grandpa Cox’s funeral. The flood gates opened that day.

11. A track that you can relax to
Unravel, Bjork
Listen to it with headphones on and you’ll know exactly what I mean. When I listen to this track I feel like I’m spiraling into calm.

12. A track that stands for a really good time in your life
July, The Innocence Mission
The summer of Geo was definitely a really good time in my life.

13. A track that is currently your favourite
Atlantic, Keane
I can’t stop listening to Under the Iron Sea. It’s a great album.

14. A track that you’d dedicate to your best friend
Don’t have a best friend, but I would dedicate Pale September by Fiona Apple to Micah. He’s the closest thing to a best friend I’ve ever had . . . and let’s face it, we’re going to be friends for the rest of forever.

15. A track that you think nobody but you likes
Flicks, Frou Frou
I’m sure there are other people out there that like this track, but does anybody love it as much as I do? I doubt it. It was meant for my ears.

16. A track that you like especially for its lyrics
Gravity, John Mayer Trio
Beautiful, beautiful lyrics. Very inspirational to me.
All is Full of Love by Bjork is also a lyrical treasure for me.

17. A track that you like that’s neither English nor German
Svefn-G-Englar, Sigur Ros

18. A track that lets you release tension best
Mayonaise, Smashing Pumpkins
I like to get in my car and just scream vent this one out. “I just want to be me!”

19. A track that you want to be played on your funeral
Berceuse Op. 57, Chopin

20. A track that you’d nominate for the “best of all times” category
So, basically, a song that I would nominate as the best song ever? Sheesh. That’s like trying to throw each stage of a 10 course meal into a blender and make it taste good. How about the Happy Birthday song? We’ve been singing it all these years and we’re still not tired of it. I think that that could constitute as the “best of all times” song. It makes us happy and . . . yeah.

Post Script : I've decided to add Independence Day by Elliott Smith to number 20. It is one song that I will never tire of and that I have put on many mix cd's. I consider it to be one of his best songs because it showed the bright side of his personality that we never got to see much of. It's easy to write a sad song . . . writing an optimistic song is a whole different ball game, especially when you're suffering from depression of any sort. Kudos to Elliott for this one.