My Life in a Mixtape

So, I got this idea from a blog I read every now (check it out here)and again and I decided I wanted to give it a shot. I mean, I listen to it all the time, and even when I am not ‘listening to it,’ I’ve got a song stuck in my head. So I sat down with my CD’s and iTunes and tried to work it out. When I started out working on this I thought it was going to be easy, but it wasn’t. I had a really hard time picking songs that have helped define my life or that helped define part of me. I have so many favorites, but this wasn’t supposed to be a list of favorites but my life in song. I narrowed it down to thirteen songs, but it could have been longer. Is this cheesey? Yes. A little bit. But it was fun and enlightening. You should try it...

All the song titles have a link so you can check out the song if you have never listened to it before or just want to hear it again!

Listen by Beyoncé Knowles
I have felt like this. Stifled and like no one is listening to what I have to say. Well, I ignored them…actually we don’t even talk anymore. Moved on. Moved on to Las Vegas to follow my dreams…which are almost realized by the way because I graduate in March!!

Photograph by Nickelback
I am the quintessential photo nerd. I take pictures of EVERYTHING. I do this walk down memory lane thing every now and again through them which can be both a good and/or bad thing. I am glad I have captured a lot of my memories this way.

Meant to Live by Switchfoot
This song makes me think of my college friends and all of the dreams we used to talk about. We had all the opportunities in the world in front of us and we all picked a path or two (some of which included but were not limited to green jello =]) and have had great success.

Better In Time by Leona Lewis
This song speaks to me about my relationships both present and past that were mostly happy but also sad. It is about lost love and moving on, but for me it fits into many facets of my various relationships. (If you don't understand check this out)

I Don’t Know You Anymore by Savage Garden
I went through a stage in my life (probably a recurring stage now that I come to think about it) where I had to do some soul searching to discover myself. Its not that I disappeared, but that I changed. I’m sure some of you can relate.

Boys of Summer by The Ataris
No, they didn’t originally write this song, their version is the one I think about. And when I think about it I think about high school—mostly the end of junior year, the following summer and senior year. It really has nothing to do with the lyrics at all, just high school. If you were there you might remember and understand.

Tiny Dancer by Elton John/Tim McGraw
I love to dance, always have and probably always will. When I was born I had major issues with my feet (I still do to be honest) and the doctors told my parents I would never be able to run or dance or even walk around like a “normal” kid. I guess for me this song is a reminder (aside from all the dancing medals and sports trophies at my house) that I proved them wrong. Elton John did a great job with this song, but I love Tim McGraw singing it better. But, here you have the best of both worlds. =]

Brave by Idina Menzel
This is the here and now. I have six months until I graduate and well, its scary. I have had, well still have, great friends and we have helped each other through a lot along the way. But we are going our separate ways now, it was the same in high school I guess. That next step in life is hard to take, but here goes. =]

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day
It is really hard to explain what this song means to me. I don’t really even know where to begin because there are so many experiences attached to this song. Lets just say that this song will always be on the playlist of my life.

Chances by Kirby Heyborne
Love this song. I think it is fabulous and it really capture how I feel about taking the opportunities that cross my path.

Stand by Rascal Flatts
I have felt down and out and defeated in the last week and I am not afraid to admit it. School is hard right now and I’m tired. The hardest part of it all is ahead of me and it is hard to get up some days knowing all of the things I still have to do—some of which are months in advance mind you—but it is overwhelming sometimes. Keeping my eye on the prize and the big picture helps, but sometimes it slips from view. I can totally relate to this song.

Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants
This, for me anyway, is the complete nonsensical happy song. Unless you know the stories they are talking about it makes next to no sense and even knowing the stories doesn’t help a whole lot. =] But it makes me smile and sing a-long. Why, other than making me happy, is it on my mix tape you ask? Because, it is me personified in song. I don’t always make sense, especially if you don’t know where I have been or any of the back stories, but its funny. Not knowing makes me that much more, well weird. This is me embracing my inner weirdness. =]

The Real Me by Jessie Clark Funk
I remember what I was doing when my dad gave me the first, nearly finished mix of this song. It was the only song on the link and the track wasn’t even finished yet. I was in Switzerland and we were having a lot of fun, but I was really out of my element and struggling with myself. At the time it was exactly what I needed to hear. It still fits my life perfectly and I listen to it all the time.