No matter what music we go on to love as adults, it's the songs we hear in our youth that leave their magic with us forever. Even the albums we hated as a teen can leave a powerfully permanent mark.

Take No Jacket Required, for instance. When I was going to high school in the mid 80s I hated this album..."One More Night" to be specific. Its sad, mopey sounds for years reminded me of this horrible unrequited crush I had on someone with whom I'd had less of a chance than I would have had with a movie star.

It wasn't until I started making new memories that I realized you can break the bonds bad memories make so clearly with certain music.

...just finished watching last night's "Grey's Anatomy" (entitled, appropriately enough, "Superfreak")...actually one of the better episodes in recent memory. I can't believe that a major network television show (usually known for its steamy storylines) actually tackled the subject of virginity with a reasonable amount of respect (and even better, didn't make the girl out to be someone with sexual hang-ups)...yay!!:)  here's a link to some interesting insights on the episode:

link


the best "Meredith voiceover" in quite some time:

Nobody chooses to be a freak. Most people don't realize they're a freak until it's way to late to change it. No matter how much of a freak you end up being, chances are there's still someone out there for you. Unless of course, they've already moved on. Because when it comes to love, even freaks can't wait forever.


another nice thing about last night's GA was the use of a Cary Brothers song called "Belong":

What a beautiful breeze this is...it's been a long time since I've seen an album cover capture the spirit of what's inside!:) Sure, The Boy Least Likely To is aptly named...there are some sad sounds here and one wonderfully crazy song about a machine that does so much it almost cures loneliness ("The Boy Least Likely To Is A Machine"), but the overall zen-ness of it all makes for some incredibly relaxing time on the couch.

"She reminded him of a celebrated actress in Paris who was the ideal of tortuous thinness."


"...there was no place like Boston for taking up with such seriousness a second-rate spinster from Brooklyn."

--from the short story "A New England Winter"

After a tough battle with sleep last night I finally fell lightly around four a.m. and I proceeded to dream about finding, buying and even selling rare Henry James books out of the trunk of my car...vivid colors and covers...highlight of the night:)

I don't particularly care for today. I like yesterday or the way I envision yesterday...the past minus sexism, racism and homophobia. A world with lovely sentences and surprisingly sharp insights into the human psyche...written in the manner of a brilliant drawing room comedy.

Whenever I dream about 19th century literature (and life) I have these amazing feelings...like I'd love the emotional restraint and intellectual parts of it...I could so do without technology and would relish the witty dialogue and delicious subtext that probably doesn't exist outside of the novel:)

James, in particular, seemed to have had a feel for emotions and social observations that were ahead of their time...even the meanness buried (and not so buried) within his witty observations has an almost 21st century chic to it...especially in his shorter sentences that don't go round and round the barn with what he really wants to say...

There are three albums from the 80s which forever changed how I felt about music: China Crisis' Flaunt the Imperfection,  Danny Wilson's Meet Danny Wilson and George Michael's Faith. All of them had this sound that touched me on different emotional levels, China Crisis and Danny Wilson being the most beautiful and somehow noble and George Michael the most base and yet still somehow beautiful. Listening to those three cds in recent weeks I find I still love them as much as ever...not for any memories they evoke (please! I'm trying to forget those!:) ) but for how fresh they remain....

Of the three, though, it was Flaunt the Imperfection that got me through so many hard times in high school and still remains a great source of  peace during stressful times. It's a soft and beautiful and very different from almost everything else done during the 80s:)