I'm sincerely disappointed by my lack of blogable experiences as of late. Apparently I either need to get out more or the entire city of Akron has officially become the “Dullest Place In The World”... which is sad, because we were going so strong to be in the running for either “Ugliest Place In The World” or “Highest Concentration Of Certified Cat Ladies Per Capita”... Ahh well, there's always next year.
My life lately consists of either working or taking children to doctor's appointments. It's kind of exhausting, to say the least. The only thing that's good about this particular situation is the inordinate amount of time I spend in the car. Not only do I actually enjoy driving but it gives me plenty of music time. My poor little 2nd generation iPod nano is so worn the ink has disappeared off the little touch wheel. It's all beat up and really is past the point where it should have retired. But it travels with me everywhere and keeps me sane, so I keep it.
I may have, at one point or another, mentioned my unhealthy obsession with all things music. I've written about it many times- but never in a format cohesive enough to put out publicly. (Yes, this is actually the cleaned up version of my rambling thoughts- they spill out much more disjointed than this) I'm going to attempt now to make something of those pieces of thoughts. It's gonna be a bumpy ride and I wish you the best of luck on this journey into my mind.
1993. This is the year I was introduced to Tori Amos' “Little Earthquakes” album. I was a goner after that, devouring all music. I have music on at all times. As I write this, it's Blue October's “Foiled” album. I've restrained myself so far, but one thing you'll learn about me is that I tend to have few original thoughts- I think in lyrics. It's annoying to those around me who don't share my obsession- to you, I apologize. I'm one of those people who has a song for everything. It's not even intentional, it just happens. It's like my brain was removed to make room for a giant iPod. The only reason I have a blackberry is for the Pandora app- like I said, it's kind of an illness.
My middle child, the one who is determined to kill me with her love of all things glittery (and crop tops... she's my ultimate payback for my teenage years and she's only 7!) is even named after Tori Amos. Like I said, I first heard Tori in 1993, I was 12 and my mom's then-boyfriend-now-ex-husband-who-lives-with-her (love ya mom!) brought over “Little Earthquakes” for her to hear. If I'm not mistaken, it was on cassette because we didn't have a CD player yet then. I was in love. Plain and simple, in love.
In 1995 I had a really bad experience. One of those things that forever changes you. Teenagers in general are pretty bat-shit crazy and this threatened to push me over the edge. I was in therapy, but bahh... therapy only works if you want to be less-crazy. I embrace my crazy, I revel in it. Anyway, back to Tori... Few people have the ability to effectively sum up raw emotion, but Tori did it with “Me and a Gun.” At this point, I had a CD player and this was one of my first purchases- and I wore that poor disc OUT! In fact, one of my all time favorite lines is from “Tear in my hand”... “I can't believe you're leaving 'cuz me and Charles Manson like the same ice cream” Seriously, who writes like that? It's funny, beautiful and insane all at the same time- BRILLIANT!
I know I can't be the only person with this type of mangled thought process. Lonnie thinks in terms of film, so I feel a little better in knowing that at least he kind of gets me. I don't know that I've met too many people who also have a never ending jukebox in their heads- but if you're one of them- I insist that it's time we stand up and be heard! Maybe if all of you start walking through Target singing to yourselves, people will stop looking at me like I'm crazy. Children will stop pointing as their mothers hurry them away “Now Billy, don't look at the crazy lady- it's not nice. And she might be dangerous.”
So back to my music for all situations. Let me throw some examples out there and you can judge for yourself if I'm your average run-of-the-mill music lover or if I'm truly a hopeless train wreck who should be locked in a padded room.
We went to Virginia Beach when I was 15 and I listened to Fiona Apple's “Tidal” CD the entire time. So now every time I hear “The Child Is Gone”, it takes me back to being a carefree teenager on the beach.
My entire senior year of high school was spent driving around with my friend Tiffany avoiding actually being at school. Hey, we were in Telecommunications so as long as you had a video camera with you, nobody asked any questions ;) We listened to every Ozzy song ever written that year, about 1000 times each. So (for many reasons...) “Sweet Leaf” will always make me think of 1998/99.
When Lonnie and I met, he introduced me to a fabulous artist, Heather Nova. I'd never heard her before, and now her music is entirely wrapped up in my mind with all of those fabulous feelings of being 18, in love and invincible. I don't think there is another singer out there that can instantly make me feel deliriously happy like Heather can.
… and now I'm going to clumsily end this post with no real sense of closure. Kind of ran out of writing steam, as I have a small wiggly baby climbing me and her sister is throwing a MASSIVE tantrum in a weak attempt to avoid cleaning her room... Wish me luck, I already think this is going to be a long weekend....
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