Notes on a (short and random) theme

[olde_fashioned]

(In rereading this entry before posting, I realize it's a bit disjointed and hops all over the place...I apologize for that, but it's the way my brain seems to be functioning these days!)

A quick wrap-up of the past few weeks and days (I think I'm addicted to bullets):

• First off, I'd like to thank princessjune and winterlillies for making me smile with their adorable LJ gifts! Thank you, ladies! ♥

• Despite the bit of "negativism" that occurred a few weeks back that bade me request your prayers (and it is still on-going), things have been pretty good. I'm trying to trust that the prayers of our friends are working, and that things will right themselves (i.e., not worry/stress out).

• It's saddening to see how slow LJ has become in recent months (years?). I miss all the activity and icons! :(

• For whatever reason, I've been on a Emma kick. I'm not exactly sure what made me start fiddling with the screencaps again, but a month or so ago I started making a batch of icons, which put me in the mood to rewatch the Kate Beckinsale adaptation, which in turn led to a (yet another) reread of the book. I'd forgotten how peaceful and reassuring the world JA created there can be, and it's the perfect summer read; replete with strawberries.

• Speaking of perfect for summer, I've joined the ranks as a convert and fan of She & Him. (This one I can blame on sakka!) ;D Their two albums will be joining the ranks of my "summer playlists" beside Leigh Nash, who was my summer soundtrack for last year.

• Slow as always to the music front I may be, but does anyone else enjoy Colbie Caillat? I only discovered her because they play her a lot on the radio at work, and I found myself enjoying several of her songs. THIS song in particular is glued to the insides of my cranium. Tell me others have been beguiled by her embodiment of summer; soothing voice, romantic themes, and softly country-esque melodies?

So with summer in mind I have a couple questions for my friends and readers:

• What books represent summer to you? It could be a book you read one summer and look back fondly on the experience, or a book that summarily describes what summer means to you.

• What music embodies summer to you? Are there certain songs/albums/artists that make you feel "summer-y"?

Comments

[nathan cunningham (from livejournal.com)]

Good questions! I can never hope to adequately answer them; perhaps a separate blog post is in order, but that can only go halfway at most!

As far as books are concerned, there is a book of American tall tales I used to read during the summer when I was in elementary school. Homer's "Odyssey" was my assigned summer reading for a sophomore English class, so that story has been summer-y for me ever since then; and the various installments of the Harry Potter series were always released in the middle of the summer, so I read them then, too. "Harry Potter" is perhaps my fondest summer reading memory, because they were big books and I had a lot of time in the summer, so I would spend all day and sometimes all night reading them so I could be finished before school started (not to mention the fact that I just enjoyed them so much, haha!). The last four books were each released around my birthday, so they were always given to me as presents, and I would stay up very late after first opening them, then excitedly join in my friends' conversations on what was going on in the story. Good times. ^_^

Then there's music. Don't get me started on music, because I really will stay up all night. But I do feel good about claiming the following as part of my summer list:

"Hey There Delilah" -- Plain White T's
http://youtu.be/EbJtYqBYCV8

"Beethoven's Last Night" album -- Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Sample: http://youtu.be/ismZ3ewcOZY

"The Celts" album -- Enya
Sample: http://youtu.be/RJ5nEI4QMOU

"Like Humans Do" -- David Byrne
http://youtu.be/GuY4FR-bmGY

"A Day Without Rain" album -- Enya
Sample: http://youtu.be/Cutj_htp5h0

"Nearer, My God, to Thee" -- Kyle Henderson arrangement
http://youtu.be/i7Cdmm3g7_k

"Dream Big" -- Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band
http://youtu.be/q8okOgw-jn4

A few selections from the "Evita" soundtrack:
http://youtu.be/4Spy3Nd2D6w
http://youtu.be/fiyULjFOHdI
http://youtu.be/XZ47jpn8YW4
http://youtu.be/XecUhpuq48k
http://youtu.be/DinSTR26a34

This song:
http://youtu.be/fVsAXrWUAPg

"Furr" -- Blitzen Trapper
http://youtu.be/_DJt4Zz0TT4

"Game" album -- Piano Squall
Sample: http://youtu.be/vuoCODvtC7s

"May May and Bobby" -- Joe Purdy
http://youtu.be/nFu-R-KQ3PA

"Mushaboom" -- Feist
http://youtu.be/fr7zVwX4fsU

Anything by the Wicked Tinkers
Sample: http://youtu.be/dnsPpFJeUzQ

"Paint the Sky With Stars" album -- Enya
Especially "Orinoco Flow" and "Caribbean Blue"
http://youtu.be/JaHpHcCwMcc
http://youtu.be/Y1L8uRApYeQ

"Final Fantasy VII Piano Collections" album -- Nobuo Uematsu
Sample: http://youtu.be/Rbidvci8Rqo

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" album -- Hans Zimmer
Sample: http://youtu.be/w2nMwMOUIos

"Princess Mononoke" album -- Joe Hisaishi
Sample: http://youtu.be/zdctS6E97hA

"Skyline Firedance" album -- David Lanz
Sample: http://youtu.be/1QnkP9GItX0

"The Sweet Escape" -- Gwen Stefani
http://youtu.be/psrjbmOv4RA

"Push On" -- Surreal and the Sound Providers
http://youtu.be/BbAky724bU8

"Unearthed" album -- E.S. Posthumus
Sample: http://youtu.be/PTy81zxGuxQ

"Doomsday Clock" -- Smashing Pumpkins
http://youtu.be/ri7M8dJYlk8

Anything by the Beatles
Sample: http://youtu.be/nkhTA6MQ3BQ

"Theme of Love" -- Nobuo Uematsu
http://youtu.be/CIPRUqFIn7A

"Final Fantasy I-III Medley" -- Nobuo Uematsu
http://youtu.be/RM0gbA9N_5o


Some of those may be quite odd, but each song is tied to a summer memory and is thus on the list. You did ask. ^_^