Insert Catchy Title Here - Hello??? *echo*

Wow, I haven't blogged in over 3 years I think?

Ok, that's not entirely true as I've had a private weight loss journal blog that I have kept for over a year, but let's be honest, it's really not the same thing. Maybe someday I will decide to share that.

I've decided to resurrect my blog.

Not sure if anyone is still out there, but I don't mind writing to the void.

So last 3 years in a nutshell....got married, life went on, problems, happiness, life went on, problems, happiness...yah yah...you get the point. Now separated from my husband since 8/5/14.

I have been a whirlwind of emotions the past couple of months to say the least. If there is an emotion to be felt, I have felt it. If not a million times over.

One thing that I always gravitate to when I am going through any sort of struggle in my life is music. It's always been my crutch and my go-to for all of life's problems.
I would consider myself an avid lover of music - of many different kinds of music and even a lot of obscure music. I would never consider myself a mainstream music listener. When things are going well in my life, I still love music and I still listen to things I enjoy. But when something has gone array in my life, it just goes deeper. I'm not sure I can put that into words, but hopefully some of you understand what I'm getting at when I say this.

I dig back into my cd collection (yes, I said cd collection) and pull out my go-to's. And I obsess on them. Some are the ones that got me through the last struggle and some are ones that got me through another tough time in my life previously.

One of these bands for me is REM. They played a HUGE role in my adolesence and shaping my music tastes. I have been listening to Automatic For The People and Out Of Time on repeat for the past 15 or so days. Did I just admit that? I mean, it's not EVERYTHING I have listened to, but I am obsessing over these albums.

I recently found out that someone that I knew a long time ago passed away a couple of years ago in a very tragic way. It got me to thinking about all of the music he turned me on to and that shaped my world at that time. These 2 albums were included in that list. You know the saying about people coming into your life for a reason and for a season - can't remember exactly how it goes...well sometimes those people that may not have been the BEST people in your life at the time leave you with something that you in-turn cherish later on in life. And for the music that he turned me onto that shaped who I am today, I truly thank him.

And I kid you not, as I type this "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight" is playing on the radio station I listen to - 91.7 KXT (if you don't believe me, check the playlist-http://kxt.org/playlists/ 9/24 @ 1:40pm) I guess someone knew I was thinking of them and decided to throw me a sign ;)

Anyhoo, I don't consider myself as having a very good memory, but there are things and times in my life that really stand out. One of those was seeing REM at ACL fest many years ago. It was right after Johnny Cash had died and they played "Don't Go Back To Rockville" in his honor. That night they also played "Nightswimming" and "Find A River" - 2 of my all time favorite songs....not just by the band, but favorite songs in general. I remember the joy I felt at that show - it was so moving and just felt...magical.

So here I am, today, in the now. With REM and sweet memories.

REM - "Half A World Away"