Favorite Find of the Day

Driving home from Columbia today I listened to P!nk's new album. I'm a fan of her music because it's got attitude and she is always true to herself. I also love the fact that while she has a tough exterior, she also has a very soft side (that is so rarely seen)...this little gem is the last song on the album, and it is a beaut! There are some beautiful lines in this song...I hope you'll take a moment to listen to it online.

Glitter in the Air

Have you ever fed a lover with just your hands?
Close your eyes and trust it, just trust it
Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?
Have you ever looked fear in the face
And said I just don't care?

It's only half past the point of no return
The tip of the iceberg, the sun before the burn
The thunder before the lightning, the breath before the phrase
Have you ever felt this way?

Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone?
Your whole life waiting on the ring to prove you're not alone
Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?
Have you ever invited a stranger to come inside?

It's only half past the point of oblivion
The hourglass on the table, the walk before the run
The breath before the kiss and the fear before the flames
Have you ever felt this way?

La La La La La La La La

There you are, sitting in the garden
Clutching my coffee, calling me sugar
You called me sugar

Have you ever wished for an endless night?
Lassoed the moon and the stars and pulled that rope tight
Have you ever held your breath and asked yourself
Will it ever get better than tonight? Tonight

An iPod on Crack?

When people ask me what type of music I listen to, I honestly tell them I like just about everything. I pretty much love all genres of music...from old to new, from pop to rock, from lyrical to composed.

To illustrate, here is a two-hour block of what my iPod sounds like on shuffle:

Girls just want to have fun (Cyndi Lauper)
Vultures (John Mayer)
I can still make Cheyenne (George Strait)
The girl is mine (Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney duet)
LaCucaracha (Louie Armstrong)
Time to pretend (MGMT)
#41 (Dave Matthews)
Live to love another day (Keith Urban)
I believe (Blessid Union of Souls)
Everything will be alright (The Killers)
All we are (OneRepublic)
Argue (Matchbox Twenty)
So Long, Farewell (The Children...The Sound of Music soundtrack)
Thriller (Michael Jackson)
Snakes and ladders (Joss Stone)
Empty spaces (Fuel)
A little less sixteen candles, a little more "Touch Me" (Fall Out Boy...and I do have to say that I love their song titles!)
Words of love (Buddy Holly)
Superstar (Carpenters)
Lover lay down (Dave Matthews)
Not falling apart (Maroon 5)
Comfortable (John Mayer)
Peace in our time (Eddie Money)
By the way (Hinder)
Stitched up (Herbie Hancock)
Big girls don't cry (Four Seasons)
Save up all your tears (Cher)
Sunday best (Augustana)
Crying Time (Martina McBride...a tribute to old country artists)
Back in baby's arms (Patsy Cline)
It's only paper moon (Ella Fitzgerald)
Lady (Regina Spektor)

There you have it...

A lack of suitable lyrics or a lack of respect?

When Tom Petty began singing 'Free Fallin' during halftime of the Superbowl, I was reminded of a boy I went to school with who would daily sing the first verse of that song to me. How I dreaded going to my locker outside of Mr. Rohr's room, knowing that Jeff would be waiting to serenade me, and the remainder of the day would be spent at the butt of others' jokes for the 'crush' Jeff may have had on me.

This experience is not solely unique to me; I see the same thing happen in the hallways of the school I teach every single day. The difference is that, to me, Jeff sang 'she's a good girl, loves her mama', the boys now serenade the girls with lyrics like: "Hey, you're a crazy b****, but I love the way you f*** me!"

While I was, in many cases, "one of the guys" during my school years (and heard my fair share of vulgar remarks), I could never imagine one of the boys in my class, much less my school, ever saying something like this directly to me...even if it was all in fun.

It makes me wonder:

Were high school boys more respectful fifteen years ago, or was it apparent that I had
enough self-respect that I wouldn't have allowed them to speak to me in that manner?
Most importantly, I hope the second is true.

Maybe it boils down to the difference in music played then and now?
No. While music has changed, we all still make conscious decisions about what we say
and how we treat others.

What effect do these references have on high school girls now and then later in life?
Words have power, especially to vulnerable young girls who are already struggling with
who they are and where exactly they fit in this world.

Jeff may have embarrassed me a few times in the hallway at school, but never did I feel that he thought I was anything but, "a good girl who loves her mama."