Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

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The Soundtrack of My Life

The complete, authentic, randomly selected songs Itunes believes describe my life's movie.

Opening credits:
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day-- MoTab

Waking up:
Through the Mirror – Disneyland’s Toontown Theme song

First day at school:
Sugar Blue – Jeff Finlin

First Love:
Idiot Boyfriend – Jimmy Fallon

Breaking up:
If This is It—Huey Lewis and The News

Happiness:
Me and My Gang – Rascal Flatts

Life's okay:
In the Garage -- Weezer

Mental breakdown:
Weather Channel – Sheryl Crow

Driving:
SexyBack – Justin Timberlake

Flashback:
I Miss You -- Incubus

Getting back together:
Bubble Toes – Jack Johnson

Wedding:
Nothing – Scott Fisher

Birth of a child:
Picture – Sheryl Crow

Final battle:
SOS -- Rihanna

Death scene:
It’s Only Love – Sheryl Crow

Funeral song:
Perfect Timing – Orba Squara

End credits:
Georgia on My Mind – Ray Charles

The skinny, blonde guy in the middle is my dad. Every year at Christmas time Dad would play Tchaikovsky with the orchestra while ballerinas danced on the stage above. We would hear a horn solo and turn to my mom-- "is that dad??" And it usually was.
He is a musician. In the same way someone is a doctor or a painter. It's almost like there is an extra entity that lives inside of them that makes them who they are. I can't imagine him without it.

When we were little he would turn on the radio to the classical station and quiz us on composers. "Who does this sound like?"
He always guessed last because it would have been a dead giveaway. I can't remember him ever being wrong.

During the years he was playing in the symphony it was not uncommon to fall asleep to the faint sounds of the French Horn coming from the garage. The "practice room," as it was. Now if I hear music that contains a French Horn part, I can always pick it out. It's become a familiar voice in my brain. That particular instrument is directly connected to my dad. I'm sure it will always be that way. When I'm 90 years old and decide to turn on a little Holst's "Venus, the Bringer of Peace," I'll still think of him.

Today is his birthday, and I was thinking. Of all the things my dad has given me, the exposure to and the love of music is one that I will always be especially grateful for.

Happy Halloween!

Every Halloween my sisters and I would do the trick or treating thing in our homemade costumes (can't even count how many times Laura went as a ghost. And when I say ghost I mean a little girl wearing jeans and a t shirt with a white sheet draped over her), but we ALWAYS made sure we were home for the Disney "Halloween Treat" special. These dancing skeletons were my favorite.
I have asked many people over the years if they watched this as a kid, and they have all said no. Which is a shame, so I am posting it, so that no one reading my blog will be deprived the experience. All two of you.

It's Shanktacular

Last weekend McKay and I were in Blockbuster, where we frequently find ourselves (ps. I fully endorse the online Blockbuster program, in which you get to trade one of your mail-in movies for an in-store movie). It was my pick. I decided to give the 1st season of Prison Break, Disc 1 a shot. Occasionally I will flip through the four channels that are picked up on our high tech set of rabbit ears and whenever Prison Break has been on I've always thought--how long can you possibly drag out an escape?? How entertaining can this possibly be?? Let me tell you.

I am decidedly hooked. To the point that I dragged my poor husband out at 11:30pm on a Thursday night to get the last three discs. I can't explain it, really. The acting is mediocre, the situations are ridiculously impossible and prison life is definitely, DEFINITELY glamorized. And yet. I love it.

Last weekend I was working and asked my co-worker if she ever watched it. Immediately two random customers peeked their heads around the corner to discuss. "Prison Break, you say?? I love that show!" I am not alone.

I realize that it is not for everyone. My co-worker informed me that she worked with a lot of kids in juvenile detention centers and found it offensive the way the media glorifies prison life. Ahem. Awkward.

Did I mention that the lead guy has eyes that match his prison blues exactly? It's pretty amazing, actually.