Music is great.

I've just had a total mental block!

I was going to write a blog about how music causes an emotive response to the listener, but then I though it all sounded a bit like the weirdsubconsciousthoughtofSal'sbrain and that sharing this info with you might scare you off.

Then I though Noooooooooooo My readers are RAD I mean #Rad so they will read this, relate to it, and comment on what they think about music and emotions.

So here goes - straight off the keyboard and onto the screen.

I pulled out of my mum's driveway this morning, and the song on the radio was Snow patrol's 'Chasing cars' The image that first jumped into my head was of new years day a few years ago (whatever year that song was HUGE) and the memory of driving home from the NYE party I'd just attended and that song was playing on the radio (at about 1am) and the smell, the ambient light, the darkness of the world at that moment when the song played in my car. That snapshot of time suddenly leached into my thoughts, and in that moment I realised just how powerful music is.

I hear certain classical music pieces and think of my brother's wedding, or of funerals I've attended, and how those moments in time, however fleeting, are now encapsulated within a particular song.

I played a song to my mum today in the car, and told her it was the song I wanted played at my funeral, should I die before her. She cried as she listened to the words, and I felt bad for making her cry, but she reassured me they were happy tears.

The song I played her was Train's When I look to the sky (I'll find the lyrics and copy and paste them at the end of this blog) This of course lead to the death discussion. (Nice as I take my mum to an appointment re her breast cancer!) and my mum expressed her wishes for what she wants re her funeral. I asked her if she wanted a particular song played. She said she'd have to think about it and get back to me. But she did stress she didn't want any 'church' like songs. No abide with me etc.

So as my mum contemplates the song she'd like played at her funeral, and I write down the name of the song and the artist of the track I'd played her today. It made me realise just how powerful music is. It is the one universal language we can all communicate with, which in itself makes it a very emotive tool.

So I ask you my faithful readers. What songs hold a 'special' thought or memory for you, and what do you want played as the 'last song ever' (i.e at your funeral)

That's all I've got.

I found the video clip of the song - so I've embedded it

Post # 23 MP3 players and Dodgy Pies

My day has been unproductive :( I spent the morning trying to sort out some stuff for my mum only to find out that her MP3 player is quite possibly the ONLY one on the planet not supported by a site that allows you to download relaxation audio books! After 2 hours of fucking about with this site, downloading various software etc. I turned to my trusty Itunes and burnt the file as an audio book onto CD - pulled those audio files back onto my computer before putting them onto her MP3 player. Moral of the story. Check the super super fine print to make sure that your brand of MP3 player is actually supported (By going to the manufactures site!) DO NOT rely on the supported MP3 players blurb the site who wants to take your money for an obscure fucking file!

After this onslaught against technology. I decided to have a pie for lunch - meat pie standard part of any meat eating Australian's diet :) It was nice too. Until it decided to turn my stomach and my insides inside-out about 3pm this afternoon. Then the pie was the devil and I won't be eating a meat pie for some time after this moving event! Forget those liver cleansing diets out there people. Get yourself a dodgy meat pie and sit back and allow it to work it's 'cleansing' goodness!!!

I have however managed to lay about most of the afternoon and read some of Mrs Dalloway. So I guess my day hasn't been a total waste. But I've got no real work done for school, and I just looked at my calendar and time is running out fast to get everything in on time.

Meh what can you do?!

That's all I've got.

Post # 13 - Design talent, crazy dreams & contacting old friends

I was going to mention this in yesterday's blog but when I went off on a tangent about graveyards and dead relatives. I decided to keep it until today's post. Basically this is a gratuitous plug for a young man with exceptional talent. His name is James McDonald and you can check out his unique ability to make stuff look amazing by clicking this link Flocky If you get some work done by him, tell him JustSal sent ya :)

Ok - blatant advertising for extremely talented young man out of the way...


I had this crazy dream last night that had my old music teacher in it. He and I became friends away from music (Private tuition music lessons nothing to do with high-scool) when he retired. Anyway we've kept in touch over the years sending occasional letters and a Christmas card to one another every year. However it's been at least 12 months since I've spoken to him on the phone. Anyway he was a reoccurring presence in my dream last night, nothing untoward just 'there'. So this morning I woke up and gave him a call. We chatted on the phone for about an hour catching up one various things, and we've agreed to get together at the end of May. Greg also encouraged me to get back into music, as I've not played any musical instruments in about five years and I'd really like to get back into playing piano. So when we catch up at the end of may / early June he's going to give me some lessons again for free :) well I'll make him a cup of tea and a cake for his efforts :P

Anyway - this leads me to the following. Have you got a friend you've not spoken to in a while? My challenge to you is to get in contact with them and incorporate how that contact went into a blog.

It's raining and cold here. However I've finally finished this Shakespeare essay :)

That's all I've got.