Fire Music

Play lists. You folks with IPods probably got about a million playlists, one to suit every mood and celebrate every happening. I don't own an IPod since I am not really an appreciator of music. I am the girl who shouts, "Oh! I like this song" when she stumbles upon a recognizable tune while setting the stereo to scan.

About once a year, I put together a compilation of tunes that speak to me. I've done Halloween themed CD's for our Halloween Hooplas of yesteryear. The last couple of years, I've done music compilations that serve as creative stimulus packages for myself and hopefully for my friends I share them with.

This year, I discovered Pandora, an online music streaming site. You pick a seed song, and it plays music based on that and later your preferences. Being the pitiful excuse for a fan that I am, I all of sudden started discovering who performs all these songs that I have always liked. Thus, the genesis of this year's compilation. They are all a re-discovering of music I've always liked but didn't know anything about it.

As a fun aside, I decided to hand-doodle all the CD labels. It is a relatively short creative project which I can do while the kids are eating lunch or pretending to nap.

Here's a list of what is on this year's CD. Watch out! It's feisty music! I find I split my creative time between listening to musical angst and classic country. This year's hits are all grit and grime.

• Bring Me to Life / Evanescence
• Harder to Breathe / Maroon 5
• It's Been Awhile / Staind
• Hanging by a Moment / Lifehouse
• Unwell / Matchbox Twenty
• You Know My Name / Chris Cornell
• Right Here / Staind
• Heavy / Collective Soul
• Cumbersome / Seven Mary Three
• How You Remind Me / Nickelback
• Push / Matchbox Twenty
• When I'm Gone / 3 Doors Down
• Extreme Ways / Moby
• Inside Out / Eve 6
• Wonderwall / Oasis
• Save Tonight / Eagle-Eye Cherry