On Musical Moments

Last night, I took a stack of papers home to read to incorporate into a briefing we've been working on for a while. I worked a little bit late on the same issue today, but not nearly as late and all I have to do tonight is study for a french quiz tomorrow, and hopefully put myself to bed nice and early so I am pumped for my weekly 6:30 am Wednesday spin class.

But back to last night.

Last night, I went home, changed out of my work clothes and spread out my work across my dining table. I turned on my computer and my iTunes onto shuffle.

One of the first tracks that played was a Liz Phair track that was only on my computer because a good friend lent me the CD in first year of undergrad. She and I must have hung out in my dorm room (she avoiding her slightly odd roommate, me avoiding calculus homework) for hours on end that year. Liz Phair was one of our favourites, as she sang songs of female power and independence. With a cup of tea next to me I felt like I could close my eyes and be there again.

I've written here before about the power of music.

While I am not an accomplished musician, I've lent my hand to it enough and been exposed to so many disparate styles (thanks Dad) that it does have a special place in my life. Many songs for me bring me back to incredible moments in my life. My old roommates and I have more songs than we can keep track of which were our anthems at various points (including ridiculous Bulgarian pop).

I've had songs that I truly thought represented relationships, which now bring a pang when I hear them.

But I also shrug and sing along, because I appreciate what that time was to me in my life.

My friend from first year is getting married. We aren't those people anymore. We've both shed a lot of tears since then, grown a lot. We still have a ways to go to be as cool as Liz Phair though.

Onto french homework - anyone got any good french music recommendations?