Up Cork!

Aye, Internet, I’ve missed ye. We are back from our 2 week holiday to Ireland and Scotland, and what can I say? Western Ireland is some of the most beautiful country I’ve ever seen. What with the Cliffs, Dun Angeus, rock walls, sheep everywhere, ancient ruins, green green valleys, miles of fuschia hedges, cute towns like Bantry and Dingle, one car sized streets for two way traffic, passion for amateur sports like hurling and gaelic football, delicious soups everywhere, pints o’Guinness, the Sky Road up from lovely Clifden, the Kylemore Abbey, Hore Abbey and the secret Abbey in Cong (directions to Cong? One, two hill) and being able to see and do it all with my family was really a great experience. We didn’t get to see much of Scotland, but the few days in Edinburgh were great. What a cool city! Tim and I are ready to move. Some pictures are up already thanks to Tim who worked hard on them yesterday.

Everywhere we had access to either BBC or Euro version CNN, so we were able to see all the devastation wrough by Katrina. Both the storm and the following relief effort are so horrible and overwhelming. Most places we went Irish people asked us where we were from and if it was close to the gulf states. I read on CNN today that Bush said that the recovery efforts will be as successful as the initial relief efforts. Wow, I hope not. My thoughts are with the victims.

After I posted the last time about music and reminders, I got an email from Amy who mentioned that she associates two TAPES (they were tapes then!) with me from my visit to New Jersey in junior high. I can’t believe I forgot to list them! Birdhouse in Your Soul by the wonderful They Might Be Giants was one of the theme songs of that trip. Though actually whenever I hear the song, I picture her younger brother, Aaron dancing around their kitchen. And the entire TAPE of Erasure’s Wild…we must have listened to that 50,000 times on the trip, including all the car rides (to PA, NYC and to the Jersey Coast) over and over and over. She also mentioned that Too Much Joy reminds her of me. Cereal Killers is still one of my favorite CDs, and it isn’t just becuase I have the guitar player’s bracelet.

It all Started with Fernando

Yesterday I was signing up library patrons for internet use, a man walked up to the desk to sign up as Fernando, and suddenly in my head its all…
There was something in the air that night
the stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me for liberty, Fernando.

Suddenly I am reminded not just of a kick ass ABBA song, but of Cyn. It is funny how much songs can invoke an event, a time in your life, or a person. I mean I love music as much as the next person, but am not really musical. Everyone who has to ride in the car with me knows I can’t sing. But the memories triggered by certain songs are stronger than almost anything.

I can’t listen to almost anything off Check Your Head without suddenly being transported back to highschool and driving everywhere with Gina. I mean come on…So Watch’cha Want? Totally Gina. Red Red Wine will always remind me of being in Larissa’s house, specifically upstairs, possibly getting ready for a night at Rock Island or Paris on the Platte or even more possibly, both.

While I associate many songs and musical moments with Suzy (including but not limited to listening to the cliche college cd…Legend…while on the roof of Briscoe), none more so than her singing Me and Bobby McGee in the dorms. Lovefool by The Cardigans, popularized by Lurman’s Romeo and Juliet? Total dance party in Abby’s room. Possibly also drinking Natural Light. Possibly also in the middle of the day. Abby and I also used to blast (and drive Suzy crazy with) Just a Girl…I can still hear how it starts in my head (take this pink ribbon off my eyes) even tough I haven’t heard it in forever. Cynthia will forever be connected with Fernando (which I’m sure she is soooo proud), but also 311. We listened to All Mixed Up (…all mixed up you don’t know what to do…next thing you turn around and find the person is you…) for about 3 months straight getting ready to hit the bars every evening.

Some songs remind me of several times, Vacation by the Go-Go’s reminds me of driving to New Orleans with Suzy, but also of playing pool with Ashley. Total Eclipse of the Heart (turnaround, every now and then I get a
little bit lonely and you’re never coming around, turnaround)reminds me of Ashley, and the summer-after-my-senior-year Monday night’s all night happy hour at Kilroy’s with Cyn, Stacy, Rachel, and maybe Andres. While Regina also knows of my love for Bonnie Tyler, her song for me is the totally rockin’ Afternoon Delight (…my motto’s always been when its right, its right…). She even called me once after the song was sung on the Simpson’s (by Carl and Lenny in a tent when they were camping) because she was so reminded of me. But I also recently learned that Marcus can sing a pretty good Afternoon Delight, especially in his Ron Burgendy voice.

I can’t hear Pachelbel’s Canon in D without thinking of my mom, and any Cure song ever makes me stop, smile and think of Tim. I am sure that there are many others, and sometimes I hear bits of a song and a name, a face or a place is suddenly so real.

I might have to do a follow up to this if I think of some more. Email me if you have any songs that remind you of me.