A soundtrack for your life.

It's been awhile since my last post. Yes, I apologize, 3 months is too long. However, tonight, is the second appearance by Harriet the Spy.

I'm simply sharing one of my (many) quirks with you. Thanks to my tax refund check, I treated myself to a new Ipod and put my old nano to rest. I now have the luxery of having a musical device that not only fits all of my eclectic collection of music but also has a battery lifespan longer than a half hour! This new device has once again, made my morning commute a little more than bearable.

Which brings me to my point. I discovered that the music I listen to definitely dictates the mood that I'll be in. There are times when I'm laying my head against the metro window with a wistful look in my eye or when I'm simply grinning like a fool. Chances are--the music in my head may have something to do with the heart that I wear so obviously on my sleave.

Have you ever put a soundtrack to your life? Have you ever thought about what songs would be playing at some pivotal point in your life? Or what songs would be playing throughout the humdrum every-day non-stop rhythm that we call our jobs (for example, Everybody's Working for the Weekend comes to mind)?

Or, here's another one of my favorite games to play. Have you ever placed yourself in music videos? Yes, I'm that lame. I'll be the first to admit. I've pictured myself as Carrie Underwood beating the heck out of a guy's car--definitely a power-girl move--an expression of anger and emotion that I could only dream of showing (mostly to fellow colleagues who have assumed the role as my smarter and wiser older brothers--none of which, they actually are!).

So, I'm going to share with you some of my exquisite taste in music and what emotions they may bring out in me or that I can relate to from the music video. Enjoy--and I encourage you to think about the soundtrack that would play to your life while giving you a little insight to mine.

I Don't Feel Like Dancin' by Scissor Sisters-- despite the title--this is one of those feel-so-good-I-want-to-dance-the-whole-walk-to-work songs. This song has put me in such a good mood that I've caught people giving me a "WTF is she so happy about at this early in the morning look!" on the metro while on my way to work. And it's that look that makes me grin even bigger!

If You Leave-- Nada Surf did an excellent cover to this song that really makes you feel the pain of saying good-bye to someone close. This is an empathy song for me. For those of you who ever watched the OC (the first season--the only good season)--there was an episode where Seth had to say good-bye to one of his very good friends. This song played in the background--and I defeinitely felt Seth's pain. And I found this song to embody all the emotions that I experienced when saying good-bye to some of my dearest friends when I graduated college.

Summer Nights--Greese Soundtrack, Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta--who hasn't sung along with this classic and envisioned themself as either Sandy or Danny? Really. 'Nough said.

Feel good summer classic.

Sweet Child of Mine--Guns and Roses. If you've played this song on Guitar Hero--everytime you hear this song YOU are now and ever will be the one playing the awesome lead melody to this rock classic.

Any song of Jack Johnson's-- summer time. beer. BBQ. poolside. good ole' r&r.

Anything by Snow Patrol-- Any female Grey's Anatomy fan has become Meredith Grey upon hearing Snow Partol's artwork.

In the Mood, Sing Sing, etc--Big Band Swing-- this easily brings me back to my freshmen and sophomore years in college jazz band when we played these dance classics of the 40's.

Island in the Sun--Weezer. Tubing down a river in the summer.

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs--Fall Out Boy. Air guitar favorite of mine. Yeah, that makes for some awkward metro moments... be careful with this one in public!

Aha's Take On Me is another empathy one. If you've seen the music video, you know what I'm talking about. The part where the lead singer is trying to get out of the drawing he managed to jump into and back into the same universe as his love is heart-wrenching! You definitely need to have seen this video to know what in the world I'm talking about!

any song of Journey's--fun times at a bar with your favorite friends. Don't stop believin'!

Evil Ways--Santana. Yes. I am a band geek. I was in marching band all throughout junior high and high school. This song will always be dear to me. I was the only junior high student to play in our high school band and this was one of the first songs I ever played and one that I attribute to developing the skill needed to play the sax.

Crazy Game of Poker--OAR. Believe it or not, this song was a favorite of mine long before I ever met Harold and his fellow OAR lovers. To me, in my life's soundtrack, this song was playing during one of the few times my brother and I hung out. We were driving to my grandparents' for a family wedding and my brother played this song and sung along this song--letting down his guard and letting me see a sillier side of him that I had never seen before. It was times like this that make me very excited to hang out with him this upcoming May.

Under Pressure--Queen and David Bowie. I don't know why, but I always just feel very cool and very chill whenever I hear this song. Usually a slight head bob acompanies.

Aerosmith's Dream On--I envision myself winning a gold medal every time I hear this song. Thank you Miracle.

Any country song-- simply reminds me of the true hick that I am.

Alternative/Emo music--high school emo phase. Doesn't everyone go through one of these?

Wide Open Spaces--Dixie Chics. This song will always remind me of how short and precious life is. This song was played at the funeral of one of my high school classmate's sisters who committed suicide when she was only in 5th grade, 10 years ago this year. I still remember everything about that day and I still pray for her.

Man! I Feel Like a Woman--Shania Twain. One of my favorite primping songs. Need I say more?

Flower by Moby and 8 Mile by Eminem--these songs make me feel gangsta! Word.

Fall into Me--Emerson Drive. Anything by this group puts a smile on my face. I saw them in high school and bumped into the lead singer Brad Mates in the hallway after they had opened for Trick Pony. I wouldn't mind marrying him one day. Someday. sigh....

Kiss the Girl--Little Mermaid Soundtrack. No explanation needed.

Anything by Kenny Chesney. He was the first country concert I went to.

Johnny Cash's music. Simply bad-ass.

Don't Matter--Akon. Caye Caulker, Belize, senior year spring break 2007. Best time ever.

Sugar High--Coyote Shivers, Empire Records. Yeah, I've envisioned myself as Rene' Zellwegger singing on a rooftop. You haven't?

You've Lost the Lovin' Feelin'--The Righteous Brothers. What girl doesn't want to be seranaded to with this song by a bunch of guys? Really.

Everything else by OAR--carrides with Harold, Raggedy Ann, Superfudge, and Ramona

Brad Paisley's Online-- band geek--while this does not, I repeat--DOES NOT--represent me. I love the marching band references to this song. I can always be caught laughing to this song because we all know someone who this song can refer to!

Home--both Daughtry's and Michael Buble's versons can make me so homesick. If I were in this video, it would have me running off the plane only to see beautiful fields of corn in my beloved Iowa.

Same Mistake--James Blunt. I really can't explain what this song makes me feel, but it does make me FEEL.

Does that make sense?

Rockin' the Suburbs'--Ben Folds. I know. I can hear you saying "Really? Really?" But yes. This is my FAVORITE angry, Harriet's pissed off song. When I'm that angry--this is the best way to drop an F bomp. At least do it to music.

Ok. If you stuck around and read all of this, major props to you. I mean, wow. I owe the lot of you an apology. This was supposed to be a taste into the insight of my musical life, if you will. I got carried away(obviously, another quirk of mine. Diarrea of the mouth--in this case, keys). Anywho. I hope you enjoyed reading at least some of this post and can appreciate my favorite songs (althought this is a very limited selection, there is more) and maybe--if you know me somewhat, or even well, you can see the connections and understand how or why I relate to them. Maybe some even make sense or explain some of my personality. Maybe. That's a big maybe. Anywho. Until next time, Buona Note.