"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."

Over the past several months I've seen this video twice...once on Good Morning America and then again on Oprah. Randy Pausch is an extraordinary individual who is facing an inevitable and ordinary challenge that all of us will one day have to face. The only difference between Randy and so many of us is the way in which he's choosing to accept his fate and how he's sharing the lessons he's learned throughout his life with the rest of us in such a candid way. Randy is a Professor of Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction and Design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and was asked to deliver a lecture for their "Journeys" series in September of last year. The series asks top academics to share their reflections on the actions, decisions, challenges and joys that make up a journey through this lifetime and then speak to that in a hypothetical "final talk" to the students. In Randy's case however, his speech wasn't based on hypothetical circumstances because in August of last year the 47 year old married father of three was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.

When something continually pops up in my life I'm left to wonder what lesson I'm supposed to learn from it and in this case I think it's pretty clear. But when I was sent this again today I also thought that perhaps I'm meant to share it with others as well so that's what I'm choosing to do. If you've seen it already, it won't hurt you to watch it again and if you've never seen it, please take a few moments out of your day and listen to what Randy Pausch has to say. Over the past few months I've been completely captivated by Randy and so I try to keep up with his progress and in doing so I've found his website that will give you lots of information on his story and the page he updates regularly that focuses more on with his personal journey through this terminal illness with musings on his children, family, friends and activities that he's involved in currently. He's quite a remarkable man, Randy Pausch and I hope you'll take the time to watch him give his last lecture titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" and perhaps even enjoy his lecture on Time Management that I REALLY love a lot as well or any of the other lectures he's given that are available here. If you want a transcript of the lecture, you can find a link here.

Hyperion has made Randy's lecture into a book...it's available for purchase here. Get a copy for everyone on your Christmas list. They'll love it. And while I'm sharing about Randy, I'll share some tunes as well:

I'm a big Beatles fan so here are two from them:

The Beatles - "In My Life"

The Beatles - "A Day in the Life"

Some oldies but goodies that I came across today while quickly browsing for songs for this post:

Dire Straits - "Walk of Life"

Joe Walsh - "Life's Been Good"

Ty Herndon - "Living in a Moment" (Whatever happened to that guy?!)

And thanks to my friend Jonell I just love IZ.

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - "N Dis Life"

"D-I-V-O-R-C-E"

This news story made me sad, sad, sad today. I love feisty, spunky, punky Pink and her love affair with Carey Hart has always been interesting to me for some reason. I love that they’re both eccentric, driven individuals and I love that she proposed to him and now I hate to hear that they’re parting ways. Good love gone wrong always makes my heart hurt. Maybe love will prevail and they’ll get back together but only time will tell.

Who knew?!?!

Some appropriately titled songs to mark the occasion:

Pink – “Who Knew”

Tammy Wynette – “D-I-V-O-R-C-E”

Gwen Stefani – “Breaking Up”

The Wreckers – “Leave the Pieces”

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – “If You Leave”

Allison Moorer – “Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell Cover)”

Sugar Ray – “When It’s Over”

Outkast – “Hollywood Divorce”

Chicago – “If You Leave Me Now”

Loverboy – “When It’s Over”

Nina Simone – “Love Me Or Leave Me”

10cc – “I’m Not In Love”

Earth Wind & Fire – “After the Love Is Gone”

Led Zeppelin – “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”

Candie Payne – “I Wish I Could Have Loved You More”

Roy Orbison – “Breaking Up Is Breaking My Heart”

Green Day – “Good Riddance”

Sara Bareilles – “Love On the Rocks”

Regina Spektor – “Ode To Divorce”

Tom Waits – “Better Off Without A Wife”

Ryan Montbleau – “Love & Love Lost”

Songbirds of 2007

I’m still getting emails about my end of year lists and while I had them all finished obviously, if you’re a reader here then you understand why there’s been such a delay. But, I suppose I might as well finish them all up even if it is already February. I'll continue with them as I have time and so, on to the next group.

Not since the 90’s explosion of empowered Lilith Fair type female singer songwriters have I been so encouraged by women in music. Here are tracks from seventeen songbirds that made ’07 memorable for me…


Kate Nash - "Merry Happy"

Missy Higgins - "Where I Stood"

Meiko - “Reasons To Love You”

Simone White – “Sweetest Love Song”

Rosie Thomas - "These Friends of Mine"

Kim Richey – “Absence of Your Company”

Sara Bareilles - "Love Song"

Anais Mitchell - "Your Fonder Heart"

Candie Payne - "A Different You"

St. Vincent – “Marry Me”

New Buffalo – “Emotional Champ”

Alicia Keys - "No One"

Brandi Carlile - “The Story”

Norah Jones – “Rosie’s Lullaby”

Jose Vanders – “A Little Love Song”

Eleni Mandell – “Miss Me”

Róisín Murphy - Movie Star

"You wonder if this heart of mine will lose its desire for you..."

I'm not big on the whole Valentine's Day lovefest that so many people enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I'm big on LOVE it's just that whether I'm coupled or single, the holiday itself always seems a bit too cliched to tell you the truth. It just makes no sense to me. Why spend just one day a year doing what we should all be doing for one another the other 364? Oh well, it is what it is I suppose...another commercial exploitation of our affection. I was greeted this week by a disc in my mailbox from my sweetie who is somewhat far away and the first track was "Never My Love" by The Association. Even after repeatedly declining his marriage proposals over the years, he's convinced that I'll eventually be worn down and that The Assocation will play us into our future. Pffftt. And even as I roll my eyes at the thought now, this morning when he called and played it over the phone for me on my Valentine's Day drive for just a minute I thought maybe he could be right after all.

But those are thoughts I'll keep tucked away for another day.

Last year, I made an enormous post that spanned music for both sides of the V-D coin...the lovers and the loners. I also posted up my thoughts about the holiday from the previous year which got a big email response for some reason. But this year, I'll just say that if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with. Love them much and love them often. And you can enjoy a smattering of some of my favorite love songs while you're doing just that...

Happy V-D!!!

Belle & Sebastian - "If You Find Yourself Caught In Love"

Ben Folds - "The Luckiest"

Ben Harper - "Not Fire, Not Ice"

Ben Taylor - "How Can I Tell You"

Bread - "Everything I Own"

Brian McKnight - "I Belong To You"

Bruce Springsteen - "If I Should Fall Behind"

David Gray - "Be Mine"

David Ryan Harris - "Pretty Girl"

Don McLean - "And I Love You So"

Jack Johnson - "Better Together"

James Taylor - "Something in the Way She Moves"

Joe Purdy - "Mary May & Bobby"

Lauryn Hill - "Nothing Even Matters"

Mirah - "Words Cannot Describe"

Norah Jones - "The Nearness of You"

Otis Redding - "These Arms of Mine"

P.M. Dawn - "I'd Die Without You"

Ray LaMontagne - "Forever My Friend"

Rosie Thomas - "Since You've Been Around"

Sam Cooke - "Cupid"

Teddy Thompson - "Love Her For That"

Teitur - "One & Only"

The Association - "Never My Love"

The Beach Boys - "God Only Knows"

The Cribs - "Things You Should Be Knowing"

The Microphones - "I Felt Your Shape"

The Smiths - "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"

The Velvet Underground - "I'll Be Your Mirror"

The Wannadies - "You & Me Song"


And a little update with one to grow on from reader Dan who sent me a lovely email about John Denver's "For You"...

Most love songs fit in one of two categories; either the "I want you" song, or the "I want you back". This is one just says "I love you". So much in so many ways. Don't dismiss this song because the performer is John Denver, thinking that it may be too sappy or silly.

Just listen to this once, straight through. Any single line contains a wonderful idea about what love is. Whether simple and sublime like "Just to sit by your window" or achingly lovely as in "Just to long for your kisses". The sentiments are never trite, never cliché.

The music itself is pretty, and his voice conveys the power of the feelings that he has. Especially when he hits that note around 2:39. Almost every time I hear it, it induces tears. Or goose-bumps. Or both – a combination I call goose-tears. Very rare. And sometimes dangerous.

This is a song that says to me, that this is how you should feel when you are in love and if you don't feel it, then you should work for it, strive for it, search for it.

Thanks for listening. Happy VD! That's Valentine's Day, not "venereal disease". Remember when they called it that? Now its STD. Boy, did this discussion take a wrong turn.

Dan

So for you, Dan and for all the other sappy lovers out there today...a tune from Mr. Denver (who I do love thanks to my mother by the way) that is indeed gorgeous and beautiful and touching just like you said it was. Thanks so much for sharing!!

John Denver - "For You"

"Take your face out of your hands and clear your eyes..."

It's no secret I'm an Obama fan...I've posted about him before and there are more than a few links on this blog to his site as well as other Democratic organizations. My political affiliation has never been in question and I'm proud to be a red state Democrat. I'm especially proud to be a Democrat in 2008 when we have been afforded an embarrassment of riches in the form of some amazing candidates. We have the opportunity to make history this year and this generation can finally be the one that breaks down the barriers that keep us from moving forward. Barack is charismatic, warm, strong, confident, brilliant and pure of heart. He has a plan for our future and the determination to see it through and I'm excited about that. And it's that excitement that got me up this Super Tuesday morning despite not feeling 100% thanks to the nasty bug going around the office.

And you know who else was excited at my house? My eight year old daughter. Since she was born in 2000, I've taken my little mini-me to vote because I really want her to be engaged in the political process and I hope that she grows to have a respect for the right that the women who came before her fought desperately to earn...the right to stand and be counted and to have her voice heard. Each time we've voted together she's gotten her own little sticker and has felt that she was a part of it all and this year was no different...it's always pretty big fun for her to go vote with me but what was different this morning was the intensity of her excitement and just how stoked SHE was to get up extra early and head out on a rainy morning...she was beyond giddy and it showed. And then a funny thing happened and I say funny thing as in "ha-ha" funny because it really was.

As we arrived at our polling place a young Republican held the door open for us as we hustled to get out of the rain and when he said "Good Morning", my eight year old looked up at him and boldly announced "We're here to change the world and vote for Barack Obama." Of course this got a laugh from both of us because who would have expected that from such a young child and of course it led to a bit of friendly banter as we waited in line with him stating that her comment just might have been enough to sell him on Obama after all and ended with me patting him on the shoulder assuring him that there was plenty of time to switch teams before November. But after all was said and done and she was dropped off at school and I was driving to work it hit me and I realized for the first time beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm doing my job as a parent to raise her up in the way that she should go. She was so sure and confident in her statement to this stranger that I was finally convinced I may not be screwing her up so bad after all.

And because I love my daughter so much and because I want nothing but the very best for her future, I cast my vote this morning for the man I think is most capable of leading the country in the way that it should go. I am hopeful that this is a great day in America and that Barack Obama will come away victorious in this primary but if not, I'm still optimistic that good things are on the way because thanks to him I cast off my cynicism when I cast that vote. If you're in a voting state today, get your butt out to the polls and if you're not yet a registered voter, register today for the November election. It's important that we all get involved and regardless of who you vote for...it's not just your right and your privilege...it's your duty as a citizen of what is still the greatest nation in the world.

And since this is a music blog, here are some appropriate tunes...

Eric Clapton - "Change the World"

Extra Golden - "Obama"

India.Arie - "There's Hope"

Joy Division - "Candidate"

Kidz In The Hall - "Work to Do (Obama 08)"

Sam Cooke - "A Change Is Gonna Come"

Will.I.Am - "Yes We Can"

"You got no fear of the underdog that's why you will not survive!"

In what was probably the greatest Super Bowl game I've ever seen, underdog Eli Manning and his New York Giants defeated the lossless playboy Tom Brady and his New England Patriots last night in a stunning nail biting finish in the 4th quarter. I was the only one rooting for NY in a house full of people convinced that the Patriots would again reign supreme so I completely had the feeling of being outnumbered but Eli proved once and for all that nice guys don't always finish last.

I wasn't all that impressed with the commercials this year, sadly and as much as I LOVE Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers I thought the halftime show was also lacking that little extra something spectacular that seems to always make the show so great but the game itself and the athleticism and endurance of the players on both teams more than made up for any slight disappointment there might have been in the spectacle of it all.

Congratulations Giants fans everywhere!!!! Some appropriate songs to celebrate with today...



Spoon - "The Underdog"

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "Runnin' Down A Dream"

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "Even the Losers"

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "I Won't Back Down"