Soundtrack of My Life, Since 2003

Maybe it’s not a coincidence that this album was released in 2003, the year my first-born arrived into the world. I listened to it on repeat during the few moments to myself that I had. I’ve got to breathe I can’t keep going under.

Motherhood shocked my world, my life, my identity.

I had been teaching at the university for about 5 years when I saw one of my undergrads with a Twilight novel on her desk. After class, we started chatting, and I asked her what the book was about. She said it was really good and I should read it. When the first movie came out, I watched it and was immediately drawn into Bella’s world. I was older than the target demographic, but it still hooked me. I voraciously read all four books and listened to the soundtrack on repeat. Is there a more fun dance song than Supermassive Black Hole?

Almost every U2 album defines a particular time in my life, but this one has a special place in my heart. It's underrated but transcendent. Songs like Magnificent, Moment of Surrender, Fez-Being Born, Stand up Comedy, and more, but especially Breathe:

Walk out, into the sunburst street Sing your heart out, sing my heart out I've found grace inside a sound I found grace, it's all that I found And I can breathe Breathe now

I listened to this album as much I could, in between kids' songs and chores and work. It lifted me up, an album of modern-day psalms, my heart stretched open in love and wonder.

I was listening to some streaming station back around 2013 when I first heard Flugufrelsarinn played by the Kronos Quartet. That sound was so beautiful and aching that I stopped everything I was doing to find out who created it. Which led me to the exquisite Sigur Ros. Kveikur came out right about this time, and I immediately got a copy and began listening to it on repeat. Their music is so captivating to me that I can’t do anything while listening to it because I get transfixed by its beauty. I love so many of their songs. Glosoli, Yfirboro, and Flugufrelsarinn are particular favorites.

They have become one of my fave bands of all time. Seeing them live performing Kveikur was like a religious experience. My heart soared, my mind transcended all thought and was just filled with wordless beauty.

Don’t make me read your mind You should know me better than that.

As soon as I heard the first song, I Should Live in Salt, I was hooked. Self-deprecating lyrics, self-recrimination, and a hypnotic slow rhythm. I never get tired of listening to this album. I graded papers to it, Marie Kondo-d my house to it, and worked on torturous manuscripts while listening to this album on repeat. Still do.

We were fortunate enough to be able to see Hamilton performed at the Dr. Phillips Center in downtown Orlando when the touring production rolled into town. The kids were young, but they were captivated by this passionate play about our country's history. We listened to the soundtrack over and over and still return to it from time to time.