Nostalgic Tunes

The last couple of days, I've been listening to some of my old school favorites. You know those old CDs you practically wore out, the ones that somehow missed the migration into digital media? It's been almost surreal listening to the likes of Matchbox 20 and Third Eye Blind on an iPod while maneuvering through Barcelona. This setting—this life—is a harsh contrast to the one I lead when these tracks last graced my ears. I love being able to appreciate them in a whole new way.

A long time ago—i.e. over a decade ago—I joined Columbia House. This was in that particular phase of life when it becomes very important to establish a personal taste in music. I guess the "personal" part was a little unclear for us preteens, as we crowded the malls with a pocket-full of allowance to pick up whatever titles we could recognize from the local top 40 station. This lead to a pretty awkward selection when I chose which 12 CDs the company would send me just for joining the club. I spent a good twenty minutes this morning trying to recreate the list, and somehow I actually managed. So here they are!

1. Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
2. Vertical Horizon - Everything You Want
3. TLC - FanMail
4. Cherry Poppin' Daddies - Zoot Suit Riot
5. Barenaked Ladies - Stunt
6. Incubus - Make Yourself
7. Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time
8. Third Eye Blind - Self-titled
9. Will Smith - Big Willie Style
10. Matchbox 20 - Yourself or Someone Like You
11. Eagle Eye Cherry - Desireless
12. Savage Garden - Self-titled

Some of these albums I only listened to for a little while before tucking them away, never to be played again. Others, though, would go on to define me a little bit. The albums by Matchbox 20, Savage Garden, Incubus, Vertical Horizon, are some of the most influential and nostalgic soundtracks of my life! I vividly remember listening to these songs in my room, back when listening to music was an activity by its own right—not just an afterthought. I remember soaking in the melodies and the lyrics and feeling like certain songs were written just for me. I don't get that feeling very often anymore. Isn't that sad? But occasionally I do, sometimes with newly discovered music, but more frequently with these cherished relics of my past.

I chose these CDs at random. They were completely influenced by whatever music I was hearing on the radio and/or my friends were listening to at the time. But when I listen to some of these albums today, they feel like a part of me that's engraved way down deep. Do you have any music like this? If so, how did you discover it? And do you still listen to this day?

Happy Anniversary(/ies)

I'm finding it hard to blog lately. My mind is consumed by the waiting game. 10 days ago, I had my third interview (and presented my second project) with the company for which David now works. I received positive feedback and was told they would be in touch within 10 days. Well, today is Sunday, so hopefully this week will bring news whether it be good or bad!

The problem is—well, I shouldn't say "problem"—the thing is that this isn't just a job, but thee job. The company is practically the anti-Abercrombie. The position I would have would be 100 times more creative than my previous one and infinitely more important (as the design team in this company is small and tight, as opposed to my last job in which hundreds of designers touched the product only to have it mutilated later by the merchants and/or directors). Anyway, I know I have to stay positive and not place all my eggs in one basket and all of that other stuff that I try to live by—but when you want something as bad as I want this, it becomes nearly impossible to uphold these virtues.

Really, though, I'm not here to write about my nerves. Two days ago marked my year anniversary of living here in Spain. In addition, it marked the first time David and I have been together for a year. There have been so many ups and downs between this:

June 17, 2010

Suite in Casanova Hotel

and this:

June 17, 2011

Picnic in Trinitat Vella Park

I decided to celebrate the occasion by surprising David after work with a picnic in a local park. It was so nice to lay on the grass and look up at the sky while reminiscing over the trials and triumphs over the past 12 months.

I feel like it'd be highly appropriate to do a really thorough recap post, much like I did for my 3 month anniversary, but I just don't have the mindset for it. Way back, when David was still with me in Columbus, we made a plan. That plan included being apart for a long time (which ended up being nine months in total), working hard, saving money, and eventually my moving to Spain. But the plan didn't end there. The final part of the plan concluded with both of us finding decent, permanent jobs and making enough money to support ourselves (with perhaps a little extra to go towards semi-frequent trips back to America!). David has upheld his end of the deal! He just got hired by a new company, with a permanent contract and better pay! Now it's my turn! I never thought a year would go by without my finding work, but here I am, and now that I'm so close, it's increasingly difficult to concentrate on all of life's other blessings!

Regardless of whether or not I get this job, something will come along soon, because, well, it just has to. When it does, despite having less time, I know I'll have more drive to write. I'll be able to focus on the numerous other post ideas I have brewing. Not to mention I'll feel like a valuable human being again. I'll have a real life which might even provide new stories to share! (If I blogged my day to day right now, the redundancy of posts like: "looked for jobs today—nothing promising—got really nervous—then became lazy—then got guilty about being lazy and started cleaning" would probably drive away more readers than I have to begin with).

Well, I'll wrap this baby up before I get too carried away. I can't even conclude properly, that's how frazzled this situation has me! If you made it this far, please wish me luck this week! And I promise as soon as I know something, I'll write and share!