First, some gratitude for my readers. Thanks one and all for your kind comments yesterday. I kept peeking in at work and they really made me feel better. I’m well-rested this morning and looking forward to today and the weekend. It looks like May Day is going to be mostly canceled due to rain so I won’t really be missing much there. And I think we have a movie night planned with the girls going to one movie and the boys going to see The Da Vinci Code (which I have no desire to see–didn’t really like the book). So, things are better. And now, here’s the random ten with comments about gratitude after each song (I have no idea how this will work out; maybe it’ll be a meme.)

1. “Everybody Hurts” R.E.M. : Okay maybe not the best song to start with, but certainly true. Everyone goes through hard times and it’s by leaning on each other that we get through them.
2. “Yeat’s Grave” The Cranberries : Actually, I really like this song and it always reminds me of a few things. It reminds me of my time as a poet, both in undergrad and grad school. I remember reading Yeats all the time. As a junior in college, I went to Oxford and took a poetry and drama course where we read a lot of Yeats, Eliot, Pound, and Shaw, and it was loads of fun.
3. “How You’ve Grown” 10,000 Maniacs : This song kind of makes me cry (but in a good way). It’s about children who grow up. I used this song in my first homemade digital movie. It’s the background to the kids looking for easter eggs. They are 3 and 6. Geeky Girl pauses and says, “It’s so beautiful out here.” I’ve always love that because it was a gray and overcast day, but she can always see the bright side of things. And that’s what I think about when I hear this song.
4. “Party Train” Love Tractor : Any song by Love Tractor makes me think of her. We ended up going to rival colleges and she gave me a mix tape one summer when we were home of the music she was listening to at her school. I liked it so much, I went out and bought the CDs of all the bands on it.
5. “Basin Street Blues” Jack Teagarden and His Sextett : This song is on a Dixieland Jazz album I bought back in college. I love Dixieland Jazz. I used to blare this music throughout the apartment. I’m sure my neighbors hated me.
6. “The Blues are Brewin” Billie Holiday : This isn’t one of my favorite Billie Holiday songs, but it’s still good. Her music is good to listen to when you’re feeling down. Not that it will lift you up, but you feel like she’s commiserating with you.
7. “Don’t Ask Me Why” Billy Joel : Don’t ask me why I own this. It’s actually Mr. Geeky’s. He’s a big fan. Actually, I was too for quite a while. I remember in junior high, I was at the beach with my friend Beth and “You May be Right” came on. We loved that song. And I did get 3rd row seats at a Billy Joel concert once and that was fun. So, his music, though I no longer like it that much reminds me of earlier days.
8. “Old Brown Shoe” The Beatles : I still like The Beatles. They are timeless in many way. This is a fun song and not one that most people choose to listen to. My favorite line is “Baaaby I’m in love with you.” I like thinking of someone as an old brown shoe.
9. “Tell Me A Story” Nedelle : This is a song from SXSW 2005. I have it in my favorites list. I like the lullabye-like melody and the way it recalls the time when we were kids and our parents read to us or told us stories and we fell asleep all nice and warm.
10. “I Don’t Know What It Is” Rufus Wainwright : What Geeky Mom random 10 would be complete without Rufus. This is one of my favorites. I love the line “I don’t know what it is, but you gotta do it.” It’s a really motivating song.

Okay, your turn. Have a good weekend everyone!