The Soundtrack of Our Lives

When I read yesterday that entertainment diva Jennifer Lopez broke down in tears during a recent performance that included reenactments of her love life, I could relate.

I consider myself musically oriented. I learned to play piano when I was 6. (I’ll have to pick it up again.) I love almost all kinds of music except most country and rap. I have 649 songs on my iPod Touch so far, spanning the 1960s to Coldplay’s “Fix You.”

Most important, songs play a major part of my life. I can tell you what song was playing during a certain event.

For example, I danced my first slow dance at a chaperoned high school party to “As” by Stevie Wonder. To the strains of Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman,” I studied mass communications at UC Davis while working as a reporter for the campus radio station. While waiting in line to get my bachelor’s degree, some of my fellow graduates sang Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” Swing Out Sister’s “Breakout” came out when I was enrolled in a journalism boot camp that launched my 12-year career. On a road trip to Monterey, I blasted Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For?”

Not all the memories were pleasant. In the mid-1970s, I had junior high school classmates sing that awful “Brother Louie” by Stories. I was once dumped while Gloria Estefan’s “Don’t Wanna Lose You” played in the background.

But all those songs are as much a part of me as the books I’ve read, the places I’ve traveled, and the experiences I’ve had. To some people, they’re just songs. To me, they’re the soundtrack of my life.

However, I don’t have a theme song, yet. My brother H2 the Lionhearted has one – “You’re Still a Young Man” by Tower of Power. (Don’t ask why.) I wouldn’t be surprised if it were played at his funeral.

Maybe I should adopt Natalie Bedingfield’s “Unwritten.” After all, I’m a writer. And much of my life has yet to be written.

Which songs are on your life soundtrack?

Writing Diva

My big birthday wish

At 11:41 a.m. 49 years ago, I emerged into the world from Mom's womb. I was probably screaming, "Put me back! I was happy in there! Put me back!"

With the way things are in the United States, I'm thinking the same thing. Too bad Mom has moved on to bigger and better things.

I have a list of things I want for my birthday, which I'll have to get at a later date: a "Scrabble" game, an iPod, a new pair of cross-training athletic shoes, and my carpet shampooed.

But what I want most for this birthday is going to have to come from a whole bunch of people -- voters, actually. I want Sen. Barack Obama elected President of the United States.

Yes, it's a tall order. I never said it was easy. I realize I'm asking for a lot. But I want to see history made before I follow Mom into the Great Beyond.

I want to put the brakes on another eight years of failed policies under Shrub (The late Molly Ivins' nickname for President George W. Bush. Ivins also was a Virgo, bless her heart!) I don't want another (at least) four years of W2 with Sen. John "Prickly" McCain as President and that Stepford Wife Sarah Palin as Vice President. I want my colleague who's been deployed to Iraq to come home instead of being "stop-lossed."

I want someone who's ready to work on programs that will help repair this faltering economy, which former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has called a once in a 50- or 100-year event when interviewed on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopolous."

I want issues and policies to triumph over negativity and innuendo in this Presidential election campaign. I want bipartisanship instead of bickering across the aisle. I want this nation to get its act together and go beyond race and ideology and choose the person best suited to lead this country through the tough times everyone is going through. For me, that person is Barack Obama.

All right, I've said my piece. I'm willing to work to get what I really want. Anything else would be icing on the cake.

Writing Diva