My Life

To copy a great friend and present to you my life in 10 songs, here is the soundtrack of my life.


1. Man on the Moon by REM


This song has one distinct memory in my head that brings me great joy every time I hear it. There was a day that I was spending with my late father in his boat on the lake. The day was bright and sunny, with a cool breeze. We just strolled around the lake listening to the Best of REM albums. It was a great day and a great memory.


2. Somewhwer Only We Know by Keane


This song helped me get through my summer in Northern Ireland away from Lindsay. Not once did we get to talk on the phone and only a few times we were able to talk on chat. We did get to email back and forth about once a week, but we usually gave each other a place in which we could go to (in our minds) to be with each other when we missed each other. This was a great way for me to enjoy her as I missed her. This song makes me think of those times.


3. The News by Jack Johnson


When I think of things that are wrong with this planet, this song comes to mind. "Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die, atleast they could be decent enough to put just a tear in their eye." People, in general, are selfish beings who care about things that most closely affect themselves and their immediate surroundings. This is why I want to go somewhere in the world that is neglected by most and has people who are in need.


4. No Such Thing by John Mayer


This song introduced me to one of my great musical loves. John was my first real concert in Noblesville, IN, where I saw him perform live with the likes of Counting Crows and David Ryan Harris, who I also both enjoy. But John's lyrics have a special place in my heart and this was the first song I fell in love with. It's probably not even my favorites of his, but it is a fun upbeat song that brings me great joy when listening to it.


5. Beautiful Day by U2


This song is simply amazing. It was also a song that was very present for me during my time in Northern Ireland. It reminds me of the beauty that I found there through God's spectacular creations. I specifically remember one day when I spent most of the day lounging in parks on a unusually sunny and warm day in Dublin. It is strange, because Ireland is not typically warm and sunny, but for much of the summer I spent there it was exactly that. And this song signifies how I feel about my experience there.


6. Youth of the Nation by P.O.D.


In a time when I was becoming more and more independent from my parents, this song became prevalent in my life. I was making big decisions in my life, I was learning about God, and I was moving forward on my path of life. The summer that I really started listening to this song, I had made the decision to dedicate my life to full time ministry, most likely (at the time) in mission work. This is something that I am continuing to pursue to this day. I also remember one camping trip, where myself, and three buddies from church went camping for about 3 days by ourselves. It was an extremely great trip and somewhat of a liberating experience. I remember listening to this song in my dad's truck as I had my CD player hooked up to his cassette player deck for much of that trip.


7. Greed, Hate, Envy by Nelly


Now this song isn't particularly good, especially in regards to the Parental Control Advisory. The song is obscene and in your face, but that is what I like about it. That's also why I listened to it so often on Basketball bus rides or in the locker room. It got me pumped up and put me in an angry mood, which I thought was where I needed to be when I was getting ready to battle on the court. It was especially played over and over again when we lost. I would listen to the same song the whole ride home on the bus. I am not one who enjoys losing at all, and I am generally steaming when it happens. This song brings back a lot of great memories of high school basketball.


8. Just the Two of Us by Will Smith


In a time of great change and great significance in my life, I listened to this song often. This CD came out when I was about 13, which is when I stopped visiting my dad and was adopted. The songs real meaning has to do with a father always being there with his son. I immediately latched on to this song because of that meaning and the things that I had gone through with my own father.


9. Hey Ya by Outkast


Freshman year of college could be summarized by this song for me. It was an incredible year in which I have made some life long connectiongs and friendships. I had a great time in my new experiences that year and I will never forget them.



10. I'll Be Missing You by Puff Daddy & the Family


This meaningful song originally by Sting, and redone by Puff Daddy for the loss of his close friend Notorious BIG introduced me to rap. Maybe not introduced me, but atleast pulled me into liking it, which was a good decision. I originally loved listening to Puff Daddy and Mase for that matter, until Puff Daddy went to P Diddy or Diddy or whatever he is going by these days. Those original songs that brought me to enjoy rap and especially this song is the reason it makes my list.