How the time flies

Does anyone else feel like August lasted one week instead of four?  For me it just flew by and September is off to a similarly speedy start!

Thanks for your kind words on my August Break Travel Series.  Just as I decided to participate in the break this year I decided I needed a gallery wall in my house and thought a wall full of some of my favorite travel photos would be fun.  So I decided to combine the two into one project.  The project is going well, I have all the photos printed and framed, now I just need to get them hung.

My original August Break plan was to use the extra time to finish up a few projects at home and to spend more time with family and friends.  Thanks to a huge couple of work projects, things didn't go quite as planned (when do they ever), but it was still a relaxing way to blog for a month.  I, however, have really missed regular blogging and can't wait to jump back in.

A couple of weeks ago I got to see Adele in concert.  She was amazing, she moved me to tears a couple of times.  Let's kick off September in style:

Adele - Rolling in the Deep



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Best of 2010 - Adele to Band of Horses

I sat down last week with my iTunes account to put together my Best of 2010 list.  I kept it simple.  Anything added in 2010, regardless of when it was actually released, was eligible.  If the song moved me, made me want to dance or was just something I kept going back to it made the list.  I've already promised to give a copy of the list away to anyone who emails me with their Guerilla Holiday acts, but I'm also going to share it here over the next couple of weeks (yes, there are THAT many songs.)  Some are radio hits you'll recognize, some a random cuts that will never in a million years be released as singles.

Picking favorites of favorites seems impossible, so I'm just going to alphabetize by artist, no counting down here.  Rather than embed the videos, I'm just going to give you links, to keep the post size down.  I'm also planning to post an entire YouTube playlist on the last day.  Please tell me what you think about my choices - and share the songs I may have missed.

Adele - Rolling in the Deep
"Don't underestimate the things I will do"

This is a brand new song from Adele.  I've been waiting for new music from her for what seems like forever.  She's got an incredible voice and the driving beat on this one makes me want to stand up and dance around the room.  I've never had a breakup that made me wish this passionately for my ex to learn a lesson, but if I ever do, this will be on heavy rotation.  For now, I'll just play it when I'm working on building a little attitude.

Arcade Fire - Ready to Start
"I would rather be wrong
Than stand in the shadow of your song
My mind is wide open
Now I'm ready to start."

Another song with a great, driving beat.  This one makes me want to push forward, to keep reach for those goals.  Arcade Fire is hit or miss with me, but this is one of those time when the song was exactly right - lyrics, melody and beat, it's the full package.

Atherton - Sing You a Song
"If I could be the light
The shines on the house tonight"

This album was recorded in 2008 just down the road from me in Provo, UT.  I discovered it digging through the music collection at the Public Library - what a GREAT find.  Gorgeous music, reminds me of Ryan Adams and Wilco.  This is the kind of album I like to listen to at the end of a long day when I just want to kick back and breathe in life.

The Avett Brothers - Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise
"Decide what to be and go be it."

I could (and have) gone on for days about my love of The Avett Brothers, their songs are raw, powerful and insightful.  If I can't convince you to give them a listen, try reading this article and see if you aren't converted.  Their songs make up my walking music, I know that at least one song will click with something in my mind and will turn my walk into both physical and mental exercise.  This song rocked my world from the second I heard it.

Band of Annuals - Thought I'd Have Learned
"And if I wake tomorrow, honey, well, I'll be surprised."

Fair warning, this one is dark and moody, but I'm of the opinion that we all need some moody music in our collection, if for no other reason that to take us back to those days as teenagers as we laid in a dark room and listened to dark music thinking we'd never survive high school.    Depressing or not, the haunting melodies pull me right in and make me ever so glad I'm no longer that teenager.

Band of Horses - Laredo
"Oh, I'm at a cross roads with myself"

I love the entire Infinite Arms album, so picking a favorite was very, very difficult, I ended up choosing the first song I heard off the album, Laredo.  At first listen I thought it was a song about travel, which I loved.  Only through repeat listens did I really understand the song.  And I LOVE songs that get deeper and richer with multiple listens.

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November Cheap Music

I'm unplugging next week and spending the holiday week with my family.  But thanks to Amazon and their gigantic sale of album's $5 (or less) I'm leaving you with a long list of musical options.

First up - album's I've picked up this month from the sale:
   














Albums I already own and can vouch for:
     




























Albums still on my wish list:

   



























Lotta great music at amazing prices right now!  And don't forget to give your library a try - I've found some great stuff there lately.  Best thing I heard this week?  The new Adele "Rolling in the Deep" it feels like I've been waiting for years to hear something new from her.

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