Top 10 Soundtracks of my (Post-secondary) Youth

Here it is, installment two of the Top 10 Soundtracks of My life. My previous post covered albums that accompanied my childhood and teen years. Today’s post is all about the post-secondary years. Besides endless studying and drama, there was also a ton of music to try and keep me sane. Here are my Top 10 (with honourable mentions, because who can limit themselves to 10 favourites?? Not  me).

As mentioned, since it was impossible for me to pick only 10 from a LIFETIME of music-loving, I’ve divided them into different life phases, and limited them to ones I’ve listened to obsessively throughout the years.  The categories are….

Sounds of Childhood
The College Life and… 
My So-called Adulthood!

Today’s post is about….

the sounds of college life… 

1. Bjork, Album: Post, 1995
2. Sarah McLachlan, Album: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, 1993
3. Romeo & Juliet, Movie Soundtrack, various artists: 1996
4. Set It Off, Movie Soundtrack, various artists: 1996
5. Garbage, Album: Garbage, 1995
6. Madonna, Album: Ray of Light, 1998
7. Sarah McLachlan, Album: Remixed, 2001
8. Enigma, The Screen Behind the Mirror, Album: 2000
9. Brokedown Palace Movie Soundtrack, various artists: 1999
10. Garbage, Album: Garbage 2.0, 1998

Honourable mentions:

• Toni Braxton, Album: Secrets, 1996
• Romeo & Juliet, Movie Score, Nellee Hooper, Craig Armstrong, Marius de Vries, 1996
• Sarah McLachlan, Album: Surfacing, 1997
• Brigid Boden, Album: Brigid Boden, 1997

What are some of your most memorable life soundtracks?

Top 10 Soundtracks of a Childhood

I don’t usually like those “copy & paste” posts that go viral on Facebook, but there was one recently that I enjoyed. It asks you to list the top 10 (lol) favourite albums of your life, over 10 posts.

Since it was impossible for me to pick only 10, I’ve divided them into different life phases, and limited them to ones I’ve listened to obsessively throughout the years. Ladies and Gentlemen, the categories for nominations are…….:

Sounds of Childhood
The College Life and… 
My So-called Adulthood!

Today’s post is….

The sounds of childhood… 

Michael Jackson, Thriller

 

 

1. Michael Jackson, Album: Thriller, 1982
2. Lionel Richie, Album: Can’t Slow Down, 1983
3. Whitney Houston, Album: Whitney, 1987
4. Paula Abdul, Album: Forever Your Girl, 1988

…and teen years

Sun Jammin’

1. Sun Jammin’, various artists, 1991
2. Beauty & The Beast, Movie Soundtrack, 1991
3. Soup Dragons, Album: Love God, 1990
4. Much Dance Mix ’92, various artists, 1992
5. 

   TLC

   TLC, Album: CrazySexyCool, 1994

6. Eric Clapton, Album: Unplugged, 1992
7. Stone Temple Pilots, Album: Core, 1992
8. 

   Blind Melon

   Blind Melon, Album: Blind Melon, 1993

9. Radiohead, Album: Pablo Honey, 1993
10. Dangerous Minds, Movie Soundtrack, various artists: 1995

 

 

Numerous Honourable Mentions:

• Deep Forest, Album: Deep Forest, 1992
• Greg Joy, Album: Celtic Secrets, 1993
• Sophie B. Hawkins, Album: Tongues & Tails, 1992
• Ugly Kid Joe, Album: America’s Least Wanted, 1992

Songs from Mary Poppins

• Metallica, Album: Ride the Lightning, 1984
• Metallica, Album: Metallica, 1991
• Led Zeppelin, Album: Led Zeppelin, 1969
• Mary Poppins, Movie Soundtrack, 1964

 

 

 

 

 

Yup. From TLC to Radiohead, and Metallica to Mary Poppins, music has been my constant companion.

What are some of your most memorable life soundtracks?

 

“Hello, Little One” – from Last Leaf Falls

I think I’m finally getting closer to finishing this work-in-progress!

Surrender to Spring

Still applies…ugh.

sharonholly

The guards at the crossroads are standing strong.Those valiant soldiers of Winter will not rescind their power, will not give up their hold over this land.

Spring awaits patiently for her turn to reign, if only for a short while. She knows that Time will not fail her.

As certain as the Sun must rise, Death must release its grip and allow for Life. For the magic of growth.

We’ve been sleeping for what seems like an eternity, but now it’s time to wake up, to rub the sleep from our eyes and throw off the covers.

There is so much to see.

Do you hear that WINTER? It’s over. You’re done. You do this to us every year. You lull us into thinking that you’ve surrendered. That SPRING can finally come back to us. And then right when we’re least expecting it-BAM-you…

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Mistake

In response to The Daily Prompt: “Mistake” 

 

Reaching for Light

“Write a post in response to today’s one-word prompt”: REACH

I’m once again using the one-word prompt to share a scene from my work-in-progress, Last Leaf Falls. Let me tell you…you don’t realize how often a word is used until you do a word search. I found out that I (0ver)-used the word “reach” 43 times in this draft! Me thinks a “search and destroy” is in order!

Note: Certain names have been changed to protect the identity of the fictional.

 

A familiar, pleasant haze washed over Ava as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Lucian cradled her head in his hands, preventing her from dropping back to the warm, soft pillow.

“Ava?” Did he sound nervous? The idea of Lucian with sweaty palms and butterflies made her laugh. He gripped her shoulders, pulling her up to a seated position. “Ava? Are you still with me?” So funny. “Are you still with me?” Why does he keep saying that? She smiled dreamily.

Ava was standing by the window now, being held up by Lucian. But how did she get across the room? His hands were on her face, and Lucian stared into Ava’s eyes like he was trying to see something inside. 

“Ava, I have something very important to ask you. Do you want to know what it is?”

“It’s like spaghetti.” Ava laughed. Lucian frowned at her and she suddenly felt sad. “But the sun can’t reach you,” she said, touching his face, “I’m in the way….”

Lucian grabbed her wrists. “Ava, what are you talking about?”

Ava leaned in to whisper, her dry lips brushing up against his ear. “My shadow,” she said. A strange look crossed his face, forcing some distant thought to try and fight its way to the surface.

Ava started to tremble.

Find my other posts on Last Leaf Falls here, here, here and here.

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Related post by lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown, To Reach for is Not To Reach

My Spirit Animal is Cool

The Power to See in the Dark

I may have declared Abed as my “spirit animal” on more than one occasion.

 

Abed, my Spirit Animal

 

And while that may still hold true, I found this nifty quiz to tell me what my actual Spirit Animal is–“actual“ if you believe in both spirit animals and internet quizzes, which, of course, I do. (Except for that one quiz where I found out I’m actually Cordelia on Buffy the Vampire Slayer….).

According to Spirit Animals and Animal Totems, my animal is the owl: “The owl spirit animal is emblematic of a deep connection with wisdom and intuitive knowledge. When the spirit of the animal guides you, you can see the true reality and see beyond illusion and deceit.”

Owls are cool. Cool cool cool.

What’s your spirit animal?

 

Related Post: Animal Spirit Guides and Their Attributes by Witches of the Craft

 

 

 

 

This is my Fight scene ♫ ♫

“Write a post in response to today’s one-word prompt”: FIGHT

I don’t always make good use of all the daily prompts available out there on the interwebs. But I came across this one and thought I’d use it to share a scene from my work-in-progress, Last Leaf Falls.

Note: Certain names have been changed to protect the identity of the fictional.

I forced my hands to unclench and tried to relax. “We suspected right. He is behind Dylan’s little coming-of-age ritual.”

Sophie zeroed in on me like a missile. “He forced it?”

“No. He said Dylan had a choice. That he chose power over being pathetic or something.” I left out the whole “he did it for me” part. I leaned back in my chair, balancing on the back legs. “I followed him and we ended up at the cemetery. I tried for more info, but he wasn’t playing fair.”

“So there was a fight?”

“No. He cheated at Gin Rummy and then we sat down for tea.”

“So yes then.”

“There may have been a bit of a brouhaha, if you will.”

Sophie sighed. “Malaya, be serious.”

“Oh seriously. We had a little scuffle. A kerfuffle. A tussle-”

“Mm, yes, funny girl. Were you hurt?”

 “Only my feelings.” I pictured Emyr’s bloody face. “Seriously Sophie, it was no big deal.”

 “You say he went to the old cemetery? What did he do there?”

I let my chair legs drop back to the floor. “Nothing.”

Find my other posts on Last Leaf Falls here, here and here.

Visit me on Facebook and Twitter!

Growing Readers from the Roots

Reading Roots 

– A Barefoot Business by Sharon

As a literacy advocate I was interested in the company Barefoot Books, (an indie children’s book publisher that started in the UK). The more I read about it, the more excited I got, and recently, I became an “Independent Barefoot Books Ambassador”!

What does that mean? It means I get to sell awesome kids’ books with beautiful illustrations, story & music CDs, puzzles, puppets and other educational toys, all geared to help parents & educators “grow readers from the roots”!

How can I buy books?

1. Browse my online catalogue here.  
2. Contact me to place an order:
   1. Write me on Facebook using Facebook chat or by writing on my wall:
   2. Email me at ReadingRoots-Barefoot@outlook.com

How can I get free stuff?

1. Contact me for information on hosting a Barefoot event. Events include:
   1. Themed parties
   2. Children’s literacy workshops
   3. Fundraisers for your favourite charity

From time to time, I will post information about some of my favourite books and events that come up. So far, my favourite book (that arrived in my starter kit) is “I Took the Moon for a Walk”, by Carolyn Curtis and Alison Jay. The illustrations are vibrant, and the language is very lyrical and rhythmic.

“We tiptoed through grass where the night crawlers creep,
When the rust-bellied robins have all gone to sleep,
And the moon called the dew so the grass seemed to weep,
When I took the Moon for a walk.”

Do you have a favourite picture book to share?

 

For the Love of Soundtracks

“And when he shall die, take him, and cut him out in little stars, and he shall make the face of heaven so fine, that all the world will fall in love with night, and pay no worship to the garish sun.”

 

Discovering Music Through Movies

I always get a kick out of certain YouTube comments that appear on uploaded songs that others discovered via a movie or a video game or even a commercial. They’re always so self-righteous, like there’s something inherently wrong with how others discovered a love for certain music.

Music can be discovered in countless ways, whether it’s streaming from online radio, listening to conventional radio, or hearing it on a commercial and falling instantly in love. That said, sometimes I wonder if massive accessibility of music somehow cheapens the experience of discovering something new. Gone are the days when we had to sit by the radio with our beloved blank tape, waiting for the right moment to hit record and capture a song that has captured us.

Still, music is meant to be heard. It doesn’t matter how you came across it. One of my favourite ways to discover new music has always been movie soundtracks. There’s something about having a collection of songs all connected by the thread of a story arc that make it special.

This is one of many movie soundtracks I’ve obsessed over. It’s from Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. This is one of my all-time favourite movies and the soundtrack was a staple of my life for a good three years, at least!

Have a listen 🙂

What about you? Do you have a movie or TV soundtrack that you’ve listened to obsessively?