my blog...MINE!

Is this my blog site or is it not? Cam never posts here, nor would he ever. Yet I've titled it --camcamandfam--

Does this restrict my content? Can I only post cute pics of my kids and explain their daily antics or am I allowed to occasionally write about myself and my own interests? Or do I need *gasp* have a second blog? Oh please please no...

Well,

I love Cathy Z's blog. And I'm taking a page out of her book today. So there.

I am

listening to:

A 'mellow' play list of a mix that I made for cousin Chantel which includes:

Another song for a blue guitar-Red House Painters /A Sigh- The Golden Palominos/ Case of You-Tori Amos/ Day is Done-Nick Drake/ Jealousy-Pet Shop Boys/ Love Me Tender-Elvis/ Night + Day-U2 /Under the Milky Way-The Church /Of a Broken Heart-Zwan /Five-String Serenade-Mazzy Star /Plainsong-The Cure/ River Man-Nick Drake /Texarkana-REM /Help Me Lift You Up-MacBeth /Easy to Love-Ella Fitzgerald /Wildfire-Fuel /I Must Have Been Blind-This Mortal Coil /Good-bye-The Sundays

A brilliantly executed soundtrack to mellowness, if I do say so myself. Even cooler, this includes some of my very favorite songs, one of which is extremely rare. So much so that i feel blessed to have it. Silly to feel that way about a song, eh?

A few things more regarding the songs on this play list...

When I was a missionary, my mom sent a tape of everyone talking to me and my daddy got on there and sang "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" by Elvis for me. (How sweet and tender is that!) "Love Me Tender" conjures up those feelings as well. Let's hear it for Elvis! More than just the perceived mere caricature of himself (great phrase, Summer, thanks!)

Cameron is a huge REM fan, so I have the advantage of having nearly every CD they produced at my fingertips. Texarkana is my favorite REM song. Cameron finds this completely ironic (or moronic?) as it's nearly the only song Michael Stipe doesn't sing.

Let's talk about Nick Drake. He is amazing. Many Years ago, my friend Ben (the source of all my best musical tastes) put his song River Man on a mix tape and I have loved it ever since. Fast forward to 2005 around Christmas time. I remembered Mr. Drake and googled him.

• 
  
  
  Nick Drake's untimely death in 1974 not only cut a life tragically short, but also a musical career. Nick released just 3 albums, with a 4th released after his death containing unreleased material, demos and the 4 songs that were to be on his 4th album. Though during his life his music went relatively unnoticed, over the years his popularity and influence has continued to grow. (a blip from nickdrake.com)

Yeah, dead. I could hardly believe it! My first impression was how fresh and new his stuff was (but I was in high school when I first heard him). His album Five Leaves Left is beautifully haunting, with acoustic guitar and soft string orchestration in the background. I can't think of a 'new' album I would recommend more.