Audio Journal

I am a weird person. I don’t know if I’ve made that clear enough in my previous posts, so let me reiterate this fact. I am freaking weird. I am probably the oddest person you’ve ever met. The thing that allows me to fit into society is that I look pretty normal. No one really has any clue about the strangeness lurking beneath the surface. For instance:

I won't eat microwave popcorn right out of the bag....it has to be dumped in a bowl. I think its something about my hand getting rubbed in the butter stuff on the sides of the bag.

It absolutely drives me crazy when I see a car with its gas tank lid open. No explanation there, it just bugs.

I have an unexplainable fondness for giant sized kites, pickles, and Soft soap (shea butter).

But truly, the thing that I find most curious about me is my taste in music. I don’t follow one specific genre. I like whatever sounds good to me and elicits certain emotions from me. Some songs make me want to shaka the money maka. Others make me so happy I want to give someone a big FREAKIN HUG!! Other songs remind me of my family and friends. It's sort of interesting how my iTunes has become somewhat of an audio journal of my life… people and places and events that combine to make me who I am today. Just to show you, here are the next 10 songs that will come up in the shuffle in my iTunes (I swear on all things holy!):

1. The Man in Me - Bob Dylan: From his 1970's album, New Morning. I was in Knoxville TN., sitting in the living room of Irene Dalpiaz when I first heard this song. It was just playing in the other room, but it somehow captured my attention. Bob Dylan just rocks!!

2. Raindrops - Regina Spektor: As far as I know, this was an unreleased Demo. Regina has a sound that is undeniably hers. This song reminds me of Troy, one of my best friends growing up. He always did things a little bit different and always excelled at everything he did, and he made it look easy. Troy was anything but stereotypical.

3. What Was I Thinkin' - This was the debut single for Dierks Bentley: I'm immediately taken back to long summer days with my sisters. I'm not sure what the connection is there, perhaps it was because we were always doing something stupid. Maybe its just the country flavor that reminds me of home.

4. Burn - 3 Days Grace. This was from their self titled album in 2003. Nothing like a little 3DG to release the teenage angst inside of me. I was just finishing up my degree when this song came out. It's ironic how graduation can give you such a sense of accomplishment, but at the same time make you think..."what the hell do I do now?"

5. When the Stars Go Blue - Tim McGraw, From Tim McGraw Reflected: Greatest Hits Vol. 2. This song has always had sort of a hollow, haunted, vacant sound to me. August 8, 2006, we went into the hospital, expecting and hopeful, we left empty. I do remember sitting in the chair off by the window, and having this song play in the background as we waited for the inevitable.

6. Minor Thing - Red Hot Chili Peppers: From the By The Way album. I have always loved RHCP. I remember the first time (of many) that I skipped one of my art history classes and went and played 9 holes before I had to go to work. The Chili Peppers have always represented to me the ideology that you only live once, enjoy it.

7. Undeniable - Mat Kearny: From Nothing Left to Lose. After a battle of wills, the kids were finally in bed. Cheryl and I were watching Greys Anatomy and Mat Kearny had a song at the end. Not only did I like the song, but even now, when I hear him, it takes me to the quiet times I have with Cheryl. They are few in numbers but priceless none the less.

8. One Road for Freedom - Ben Harper Fight For Your Mind: Slow and easy seems to be the mantra for Ben Harper. One of my favorite pass times is fishing, and probably for the same reason....slow and easy. Ben is MY modern day Jimmy Buffett.

9. Helena - My Chemical Romance: From Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge. The job I have now is my first real "desk job". Shortly after I had started, I was sitting at my desk with headphones in. I can only assume that people thought that because I was pretty conservative in my looks, my musical taste would follow. I'm not saying these guys are super hard core, but they certainly veered away from what many thought that I would listen too. When I finally let some of the others hear what I was listening too through my computers speakers, they listened in horror for about......that long. With sneared faces and wrinkled noses, they told me to put my headphones back on.

10. Bluesy One - Kalia: From Six Strings And The Rainy Day Man. A co-worker introduced me to Kalia about 2 years ago, and I've been listening ever since. I like his sound alot. I dont know all the musical terms..obviously, but alot of his stuff seems minimal and, for the most part, untouched as far as the production side goes. In alot of ways, his sound reminds me of my kids. They don't have alot of baggage....yet. They just do what they do cause thats what they do. Simple and easy.....and thats why I love em!

So there ya have it. I told you I was weird. In my defense, I'm not the one driving around town with my gas tank lid open!! (hehe...made ya look)