A Winterlude

My pretty awesome friend Sam Erler just recently started his own 30-day blogging "challenge," involving a different (...pretty undeniably egoistic) topic each day to get him writing more often. I have been inspired to do the same, to keep writing even when there isn't really anything noteworthy going on in my life. Including today, I have 29 days until I leave for Cameroon which is (almost) enough time to complete this list.

Just for the record: I feel a little ridiculous writing about some of these things, but this is my blog, and I have decided that I can write blatantly about me and no one else if I want to! (Hmmph!)

So, here it is. Depending on whether or not I actually blog every day (and because I'm one day short of 30 before Africa), a few of them might be lumped together...

Day 01 — Your favorite song.
Day 02 — Your favorite movie.
Day 03 — Your favorite television program.
Day 04 — Your favorite book.
Day 05 — Your favorite quote.
Day 06 — Your favorite music video.
Day 07 — A photo that makes you happy.
Day 08 — Describe the style you had 10 years ago.
Day 09 — A photo you took.
Day 10 — Talk about a regret you have.
Day 11 — Share a story from your childhood.
Day 12 — Explain how you got one of your scars.
Day 13 — How do you think others view you?
Day 14 — Talk about the cuteness of your pets.
Day 15 — A poem you wrote.
Day 16 — A song that makes you cry (or nearly).
Day 17 — An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.) that is your favorite.
Day 18 — Tell us about your best friend.
Day 19 — A talent of yours.
Day 20 — A hobby of yours.
Day 21 — A recipe.
Day 22 — Your deepest fear.
Day 23 — 10 things you want to do before you die.
Day 24 — Reveal your most guilty pleasure.
Day 25 — If you have tattoos, show them. If not, talk about the tattoos you want or why you don’t think they are right for you.
Day 26 — Talk about the last “random act of kindness” you encountered.
Day 27 — The last thing that made you cry.
Day 28 — Say something to your 15 year old self.
Day 29 — Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days.
Day 30 — Share what you have learned, if anything, about yourself in the last 30 days.

Here it goes....

Day 01 - your favorite song

The song Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen (I listen to the Rufus Wainwright cover) is timeless and beautifully poignant. I think it's the only song that has maintained its place in my "favorites" playlist since I started making playlists. Something about the piano part on its own is therapeutic, and I imagine the repeated "hallelujah, hallelujah..." in the chorus as a kind of catharsis for whoever is singing the verses.

I've been "trained" as a solo singer to convey the meaning of songs when the audience can't necessarily understand the words. As a member of a choir, I draw emotions from the chords, not the lyrics, when I don't understand the language (I know, a true confession...sometimes we don't take the time to figure out what that Latin stuff means). Similarly, I honestly can't quite grasp all of the meaning behind the lyrics of Hallelujah, and it's still my favorite song. I'm okay with not understanding, too. It is so pleasant to listen to because of the lovely piano melody, the dynamic contrast...and because I feel the passion of Rufus Wainwright regardless of whether or not I really get it. It evokes a lot of different emotions in me depending on when and where I'm hearing it--sometimes it's a song that I listen to and feel satisfied and maybe even hopeful, and other times I just use it to be sad.

I'm a really huge fan of...audio emotion.