how did i end up here?

I haven't posted in a while, and since apparently I have at least one anonymous fan requesting a new blog, I thought I'd put some words down and see if anyone was moved by them. Several months ago my cousin who knows all things web-based, turned me onto a sight called Muxtape.com. Muxtape was the most amazing thing I'd seen on the web in a while. It was this new venue to upload your very own mix tape. Now I don't know about you, but when I made mix tapes for my friends or my boyfriends back in the day, they took time and energy and were always well thought out. It's not like now where you can just make a CD by clicking and dragging. Recording your songs, then pausing it for exactly 3 seconds of silence in between the songs, picking out the exact order of the songs, making sure you didn't run out of tape before the song ended...the whole thing was a well-crafted art. And when you recieved a mix tape from a friend it really meant something...it meant this person took serious time to put together these songs just for you. Anyhow, Muxtape was the new millenium's version...that is until the music industry shut it down, but that's a different blog. I posted my very own muxtape, but the site was taken down before I was really happy with the final product.

So today I've decided to post my version of a grown up mix tape, my B.O.A.T. list...my Best Of All Time list of songs. The top 12 songs that almost never get passed through on my ipod, the songs that stop me in my tracks, the songs that transport me in time and remind me of places I've been or people I've met along the way. These songs are not the most poetic songs ever written, or the world's version of the best songs...these are my favorites. A few months ago I put the challenge to my brothers and sister to make their own B.O.A.T lists, and it was really interesting to see their B.O.A.T.s...even though I probably could have guessed what would be on their lists even before I read them. I encourage you to do the same thing, it's a pretty cool exercise. I hope I turn you on to at least one new song you'll love.

1. Ordinary - The Alternate Routes
This is just one of those songs that I can't get enough of. It's one of the newest ones on the list, but it has definitely secured it's place as being one of my favorite songs of all time. I've seen these guys play live several times now, and when they play this song, I get tears in my eyes. The lyrics always get me..."Would you love, could you love to be ordinary, I know it's hard, but I can't see you tryin." To me that just says, no matter how hard you try, you'll never be ordinary and that's why I love you so much.

2. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - John Mayer
This song makes it on almost all playlists I make. The guitar in it just goes straight to my soul and I can't get enough of it. This whole album really (Continuum) is pretty freaking amazing.

3. Must Be Doin Something Right - Billy Currington
This song is just one of those, gosh-it-feels-so-good-to-be-in-love songs. It's got a great melody and I just love the thought of some guy working hard to get my affection...and his work paid off in spades.

4. 20,000 Hearts - Eddie From Ohio
Eddie From Ohio is one of the coolest bands ever. One song will be just the most absurd thing you've ever heard...and their next song is so moving that you are completely caught off guard by your tears. The guitar in this song is so gentle and easy that it makes you want to put it on repeat...and the harmony is amazing too.

5. Shelter - Ray LaMontagne
There was a time in my life where this album was the only thing that could console me. His voice can calm me and at the same time provoke a side of me very few have seen. This album is very "time stamped" for me. The feelings at the time were so intense, it's sometimes hard for me to listen to him now because they rush back just as if they had never left.

6. Belief - Gavin DeGraw
Just a great song with a guy singing his heart out while playing the piano. This is an excellent song to sing as loud as you can in your car.

7. Why Can't You Love Me - Wade Bowen
This is the perfect break up song. Period. This guy's voice is so amazing...he could sing me the Federal Register. HA!

8. Anything But Mine - Kenny Chesney
I love this song because it reminds me of summer love...of having a fling with someone and wanting nothing more than what you have at exactly that moment...ever.

9. Come Pick Me Up - Ryan Adams
Ok, the first thing that comes to mind when I hear this song is Dollywood, and the trip Sarah and I took last summer. But even had we not gone on that trip, I think this song would still wind up on my BOAT. The harmonica is so good...and the lyrics are so wrong. I just love it.

10. Just Another - Pete Yorn
Just a great song, from a great time in my life.

11. Almost Honest - Josh Kelley
I'm not sure how I found this song. I think it might have been a free download on iTunes...but however I found it, I'm sure glad I did. It's a beautiful song that makes me stop in my tracks every time I hear it.

12. Yellow Leadbetter - Pearl Jam
My very first mp3 player only had one list it could play...there was no shuffle button. This was the first song on the playlist. I remember walking out of my apartment in the wee hours of the morning to go run and this song would get me started. I wish I was as motivated to run now as I was back then.

Feel free to post your own list. I'd be interested in seeing the top 12 songs that are your Best Of All Time.

I know some of you are very anxious for a new post. I'm sure you're all waiting on the edge of your seat for a few pearls of wisdom or words from DC. Well, this isn't that post. Those are way too hard to write...and way too boring for you to read anyway. One of my friends posted her list of 100 things...and I thought that sounded like fun. So here goes, to follow up my 7 random things (what a petty number...I can do better than that) :

1. I hate being late and I hate it when other people are late. Your time is not more important than mine.

2. I am a homebody. An extreme homebody. It usually takes a lot of pep talks to get me out of my house.

3. I love shoes. Nothing is better than someone saying, "Cute shoes!"

4. I hate talking in the bathroom. I didn't come in here to make friends. (although, ironically enough, I did meet one of my very good friends in the bathroom...met her for the first time actually in the bathroom.)

5. I don't like my food to touch. Ergo, the KFC chicken bowls are my worst nightmare.

6. I go through phases with my food. I'll eat the same thing everyday for 6 months...then I never want to see it or think of it again. Ever.

7. I eat in cycles...meaning, I'll eat all of my mashed potatoes first, then physically turn my plate and eat my corn and so on and so forth.

8. I will eat my favorite thing last.

9. I hate pretty much all seafood. Hey, I'm from the Southwest...we don't have good seafood down there.

10. I hate mayonnaise and onions and ketchup and mustard. I eat my hamburgers, sandwiches, and hot dogs plain and dry.

11. Don't try and feed me food...you think it's romantic, but it just triggers my gag reflex.

12. I want to live in NYC at least once even if it's only for a very short time...because if you can make it there, then you can make it anywhere.

13. I really enjoy making lists. Nothing's better than crossing something off your list.

14. I also really enjoy throwing things away...it's very cathartic for me.

15. I haven't lived for longer than two years at the same address since I left home the day I turned 18.

16. I miss NM more than I ever thought possible. Even if my family wasn't still there...I'd miss it.

17. Being an auntie is the best thing that's ever happened to me.

18. I've been doing a lot of baking lately...and I sort of LOVE IT!!

19. I am not above bribing or baking my way into people's hearts.

20. Raspberries are my favorite fruit.

21. Reba McEntire will always have a special place in my heart.

23. I believe that God helps those who help themselves.

24. I love the smell of boys cologne. So much so that when I am perusing a magazine and it has a cologne ad I really like, I'll rub it all over my nose so I will be able to smell it for the next hour.

25. I love to proofread. When someone at work gives me a document to proof, it's the highlight of my day.

26. All the furniture in my house is basically crap...but my wardrobe is rockin!

27. When it comes to clothes, for me it's definitely quantity over quality.

28. I love Christmas...and I start celebrating early...like, September early.

29. The fall (obviously) is my favorite season.

30. Buying jeans and swimsuits are the worst form of torture.

31. I'd be lost without my ipod and cell phone, and now Blackberry.

32. Smells can take me back in time quicker than almost anything. I have very sensitive olfactories. And it seems like everyday when I ride the metro, I am consistently stuck sitting next to the smelliest person in DC.

33. I can't ride a bike.

34. My undisputed favorite movie of all time is When Harry Met Sally.

35. I'm pretty open to music, but someone has to show it to me. I am not good at wading through most of the crap out there.

36. Listening to Rod Stewart makes me feel dirty...like I physically need to take a shower after hearing his voice.

37. I want to run a marathon someday.

38. Jello grosses me out. It's not a liquid...it's not a solid, Pick a side!

39. I have a tendency to be overly pessimistic and think the worst.

40. I love to read! Just embrace the nerdiness.

41. I don't like getting my hands dirty.

42. I just don't think marriage is in the cards for me...and I'm ok with that. All I want is a life long partner who can be my permanent date to company Christmas parties and national holidays.

43. I cherish my space and I love to be alone.

44. Don't condescend me.

45. I hate plants.

46. I very easily can become content...and not always for the right thing.

47. I hate the dentist...I would be perfectly happy if they just pulled all my teeth now and gave me a nice set of dentures.

48. I've always had tons of acquaintances, but very few true blue friends...and that's ok with me.

49. I don't believe in coincidences.

50. I love lip gloss! I have piles and piles of pretty colors and flavors, but the only thing I ever wind up wearing is menthol flavored carmex. Because if it aint tinglin it aint workin.

51. I hate having dry hands and dry lips. That is just unacceptable.

52. I hate wind. (#s 51 & 52 might be reason enough not to move back to NM)

53. Warm lettuce grosses me out! Bleck!

54. I have been told before that I'm a "walking paradox" and I don't entirely disagree.

55. I hate sending cards. If you get a card from me...you are something special.

56. My latest and greatest thing is to not have my shoes match my outfits. I enjoy the crazy looks I get from friends and strangers alike.

57. I miss Capitol Hill more and more everyday.

58. However, I tend to remember things much better than they actually were. A sort of the grass WAS always greener syndrome.

59. I care way too much about what other people think of me.

79. I have terrible eye-hand coordination. This makes me really bad at most sports...and video games.

80. I was Miss Personality three years in a row in high school. This is one of my favorite accolades of all time.

81. I thrive on routine.

82. Every Saturday morning I sleep in, clean my apartment, and try out my new recipe for the week. At least that's how it's been Saturday since I moved to Maryland.

83. I have a pretty sweet cat.

84. I drool when I sleep. I actually sleep with a designated drool pillow.

85. I'm am usually very good at expressing myself via electronic medium, but am painfully ill equipped to verbally hold a conversation with the opposite sex.

86. I blush very easily.

87. I'm not overly clean...but I like my things where I like them. Everything has a place.

88. At any given time I have at least three boxes of cereal on hand. My mom always said that cereal was for old people, so we never had it growing up. I have definitely made up for lost time and lost Captain Crunch.

89. I enjoy dark, dry humor. And sometimes people don't know how to take my humor. Not everyone can relate.

90. The Office is the best show on television. It's equally appalling and addictive.

91. I read my hometown newspaper online everyday. (along with about 10 other blogs)

92. When I'm sick, I don't want anyone but my mom.

93. I believe that food is as much a drug as anything out there.

94. My biggest regret in life is not going off to college.

95. I don't like to take pain medication unless I absolutely have to.

96. I'm pretty moody.

98. I hate talking on the phone when other people are around. Even if the conversation is fairly uneventful, it's still hard for me to do.

100. I've never really learned how to properly take a compliment. I usually use humor to deflect the attention away from me.