List # 7 - Mixtape of My Life (so far)

I'm turning 40 in nineteen days.  Yikes.  I'm having a lot of thoughts, a lot of emotions, and a lot nostalgia surrounding this birthday.  So, I've created a list...I'm calling it the "Mixtape of My Life".

I had to make some rules for myself in order to create such a list.  I used Billboard's Top 100 Singles for each year.  On Billboard's actual website, they call it the "Hot 100" (I think), and they only have about ten years listed.  According to other websites, they've been keeping such a list since the '50's, so I used other websites too (mostly, wikipedia...sad, I know).  I'm not quite sure how the "Top 100" or "Hot 100" was created throughout the years (I'm sure I could have done some more research to find out, but I didn't), but it seems to be the industry standard to look to Billboard's list for the popularity of music singles.  I haven't always been one who was a fan of only the "popular" stuff (such as the songs that are going to be on Billboard's Hot 100), so there's several artists/bands that are not respresented.  The "Mixtape" is definitely an imperfect reflection of "My Life".  Anyways........ Here's how I came up with the list..........

I looked at the "Top 100" list for each year of my life: 1973 to 2012 (obviously, 2013 year end charts aren't listed yet).  My initial rule was that I'd select TWO songs from EACH year, then add in 20 others from whatever years I wanted in order to create my own "Top 100" songs of my life.  That was my initial rule, but I changed it because there were actually a couple of years when music was crap, and I couldn't even choose two songs out of a hundred for this fun little experiment of mine (hello, 1997 & 1998).  Another rule I made for myself was no band/artist could have two songs in the same year.  Lastly, I told myself if the song is not in my current music library, or if I couldn't remember owning the song prior, then it didn't make the cut.  For each of these, I can remember the LP or 45 or cassette or CD or digital download (a select few weren't "mine", but my mom's, dad's, or brother's).

So...without further ado...here's the "Mixtape of My Life":  I make no apologies for some of my choices.  I realize music critics and fans alike might consider some of my selections as "crap" too.  So be it.  This is my list.  Yes, there's a lot of Bon Jovi and power ballads.  Again, this is my list.  Songs are listed by year, rank from Billboard's Top 100 for that year, song title, and artist.  Enjoy :)

1. 1973 - (4) - Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
2. 1973 - (17) - Drift Away - Dobie Gray
3. 1974 - (40) -  The Joker - Steve Miller Band
4. 1974 - (78) - Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me - Elton John
5. 1975 - (1) - Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain and Tenille
6. 1975 - (33) - Sister Golden Hair - America
7. 1976 - (18) - Bohemain Rhapsody - Queen
8. 1976 - (51) - Dream On - Aerosmith
9. 1977 - (68) - Cold As Ice - Foreigner
10. 1977 - (78) - Give a Little Bit - Supertramp
11. 1978 - (13) - You're the One That I Want - Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta
12. 1978 - (22) - Hot Child in the City - Nick Gilder
13. 1978 - (30) - Two Out of Three Ain't Bad - Meatloaf
14. 1979 - (67) - Renegade - Styx
15. 1979 - (74) - I Was Made For Lovin' You - KISS
16. 1979 - (95) - Dance the Night Away - Van Halen
17. 1980 - (4) - Rock With You - Michael Jackson
18. 1980 - (55) - All Out of Love - Air Supply
19. 1980 - (62) - I Can't Tell You Why - The Eagles
20. 1981 - (5) - Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
21. 1981 - (7) - Kiss On My List - Hall and Oates
22. 1981 - (10) - Keep On Lovin' You - REO Speedwagon
23. 1981 - (88) - Smoky Mountain Rain - Ronnie Milsap
24. 1982 - (22) - Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson
25. 1982 - (48) - Young Turks - Rod Stewart
26. 1982 - (73) - Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
27. 1982 - (90) - Hot in the City - Billy Idol
28. 1982 - (96) - Workin' for the Weekend - Loverboy
29. 1983 - (7) - Maneater - Hall and Oates
30. 1983 - (17) - Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran
31. 1983 - (81) - Faithfully - Journey
32. 1983 - (90) - Photograph - Def Leppard
33. 1984 - (1) - When Doves Cry - Prince
34. 1984 - (4) - Footloose - Kenny Loggins
35. 1984 - (57) - Love is a Battlefield - Pat Benetar
36. 1984 - (68) - Cum On Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot
37. 1984 - (99) - Rock Me Tonite - Billy Squier
38. 1985 - (1) - Careless Whisper - Wham
39. 1985 - (26) - Cool It Now - New Edition
40. 1985 - (44) - Never Surrender - Corey Hart
41. 1986 - (30) - You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi
42. 1986 - (62) - Your Love - The Outfield
43. 1987 - (7) - Here I Go Again - Whitesnake
44. 1987 - (10) - Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi
45. 1987 - (15) - With or Without You - U2
46. 1988 - (5) - Sweet Child of Mine - Guns N' Roses
47. 1988 - (11) - One More Try - George Michael
48. 1988 - (19) - Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard
49. 1988 - (21) - Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson
50. 1988 - (41) - Bad Medicine - Bon Jovi
51. 1988 - (95) - Never Tear Us Apart - INXS
52. 1989 - (3) - Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Poison
53. 1989 - (15) - Heaven - Warrant
54. 1989 - (68) - Lovesong - The Cure
55. 1989 - (86) - Paradise City - Guns N' Roses
56. 1990 - (55) - U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
57. 1990 - (67) - Love Song - Tesla
58. 1990 - (72) - I Remember You - Skid Row
59. 1990 - (91) - What It Takes - Aerosmith
60. 1990 - (96) - Without You - Motley Crue
61. 1991 - (78) - Something to Believe In - Poison
62. 1991 - (82) - Silent Lucidity - Queensryche
63. 1992 - (2) - Baby Got Back - Sir Mix A Lot
64. 1992 - (17) - November Rain - Guns N' Roses
65. 1993 - (50) - What's Up - 4 Non Blondes
66. 1993 - (60) - Cryin' - Aerosmith
67. 1994 - (91) - Always - Bon Jovi
68. 1995 - (5) - On Bended Knee - Boys to Men
69. 1995 - (70) - This Ain't a Love Song - Bon Jovi
70. 1996 - (29) - You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
71. 1996 - (41) - The World I Know - Collective Soul
72. 1996 - (56) - Wonderwall - Oasis
73. 1996 - (68) - Just A Girl - No Doubt
74. 1999 - (10) - Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
75. 1999 - (13) - Slide - Goo Goo Dolls
76. 2000 - (9) - Bent - Matchbox Twenty
77. 2001 - (9) - Again - Lenny Kravitz
78. 2001 - (100) - Hemorrhage (In My Hands) - Fuel
79. 2002 - (26) - Wasting My Time - Default
80. 2003 - (4) - Crazy in Love - Beyonce with Jay Z
81. 2003 - (28) - Lose Yourself - Eminem
82. 2004 - (8) - Hey Ya! - Outkast
83. 2004 - (19) - My Immortal - Evanescence
84. 2005 - (4) - Since You Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
85. 2005 - (16) - Mr. Brightside - The Killers
86. 2005 - (36) - Scars - Papa Roach
87. 2005 - (68) - Best of You - Foo Fighters
88. 2006 - (29) - Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
89. 2007 - (59) - Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
90. 2007 - (69) - Who Knew - P!nk
91. 2008 - (33) - Stop and Stare - OneRepublic
92. 2008 - (44) - Sorry - Buckcherry
93. 2009 - (26) - Second Chance - Shinedown
94. 2009 - (45) - So What - P!nk
95. 2010 - (45) - Whataya Want From Me - Adam Lambert
96. 2010 - (87) - Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
97. 2011 - (24) - Someone Like You - Adele
98. 2012 - (1) - Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye with Kimbra
99. 2012 - (15) - Wide Awake - Katy Perry
100. 2012 - (22) - Everybody Talks - Neon Trees

Book # 15

 

Book # 15 -  I put this book on my "to read" list because of a friend's recommendation (see her post about the book here; she's a much better writer than me, and her post is the reason I wanted to read the book).  I was thrilled when I found it here in Australia marked down from $29.99 to $2.  Yep, $2!  

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh surpassed my expectations.  I loved it.  I recommend it. 

Prior to reading it, I've had a connection with flower meanings.  I've been planning a tattoo for years depicting various flowers based on their meaning.  I haven't got that tattoo...yet... 

Books #11 #12 #13 #14

I've read some more books.  I forgot to post them.  Here they are............

Book # 11 - Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L.James - ridiculous nonsense.  I did not find myself caring at all what happened to these characters.  I had such a lack of interest, I stopped reading when I only had about 50 pages more.  I just couldn't commit myself or my time anymore to this book.  The only positive I have is this - apparently, it got a lot of people reading, and I support anything that gets people to pick up a book (or an ereader). 

Book # 12 - after the disappointment of the previous book, I decided to grab one from my "to read" pile that I was pretty sure what I was in store for.  At this point, John Grisham isn't offering anything innovative,  but his stories are still decent reads for me.  The Racketeer was just alright for me.  It was quick, easy, with a decent number of twists and turns. 

Book # 13 - Wow.  This book took me on an disturbing and emotional journey.  I'd read The Kite Runner, so I know what kind of storytelling Khaled Hosseini is capable of.  Each character in A Thousand Splendid Suns pulled at an emotion, mostly not-so-positive emotions such as sadness, loss, despair, and disgust.  But some characters have such dignity, courage, and small glimmers of hope.  For historical fiction fans or fans of strong female characters, this is a good one.

 

Book # 13 - This book has been in my "to read" pile for a while.  I knew I'd probably need to be emotionally ready to read it.  A good friend reminded me of it, so I thought I'd tackle it, since I made it through the emotional journey of the previous book.  I haven't seen the movie, and I'm interested.  The book is different.  The main character is different.  I like different sometimes, and this is one of those times.  My heart just aches for Oskar in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.  I've never experienced a loss like Oskar's, but I have experienced emotional and mental turmoil.  I could feel his turmoil.  I thought how the stories of Oskar, past and present, and his grandparents' stories, past and present intertwined was really, really compelling.  I can see how this book wouldn't be one that just any reader would enjoy, but I thought it was brilliant.