Melodic Memories...

Do you remember who the first person you ever slow danced with was? What song did you dance too? Do you recall where this took place and how you felt?

His name was Quincy Stott and he was one of my best friend when I lived in Wyoming. I was in the sixth grade and had promised to only dance fast dances if I went to the dance - because I wasn't fourteen yet and we weren't to attend dances till we were fourteen. Well, I was sneaky and shared in one slow dance with Quincy - just a friend, though two years before (fourth grade - I was in sixth during the dance) I had been "madly in love" with him. Haha...

We danced to Jewel's song, "Foolish Games" - just becoming big from being on a Motion Picture Soundtrack - and it took place in my middle school gymnasium in the middle of the afternoon... I felt awkward and a little stupid because I dragged him out to dance with me. I am a very "go-getter" girl and so if I wanted to do something the boy didn't have a whole lot of options... I promise, I am not that bad anymore. It's more-so a give and take world, now.

Oh, and I remember I wore overalls and I believe a striped shirt. The dance was a "sock hop" in the sense that we had to take our shoes off at the door as to not scratch the wooden floor. I was wearing two different colored socks - green and yellow. I use to do this on purpose to be "different," and thought I was till recently when some of the girls on the cheer squad I coach took their shoes off last week and said they do that same thing... Haha. Oh, to be in sixth grade again - wait. I'm good!

Memories are funny things. Why do we remember some events more vividly than others? Why do memories come back to us - and why do some come back multiple times, or at bizzare times, in our lives?

I think about that dance every time I hear that song - and sometimes at other points in my life. I hold no real connection to Quincy any longer. He just got married to a real cute girl he met up at BYU-Idaho and seems to be studying political science or something like unto it. We have talked a little on facebook, but yea... nothing - no real connection.

I think a lot of memories come through me through music - my main desire and passion. If I hear "Gel" by Metallica, I still think about roller skating in middle school - I would go every Friday and Saturday night and got to be really good on skates - not as much on blades, though I thought they were cooler. If I hear the song "This Will Be (Everlasting Love)" by Natalie Cole, I think about the movie While You Were Sleeping and watching over each holiday with my mom... and then how my mom ALWAYS falls asleep during the middle of the movie.

When I hear "Pachelbel's Cannon" I still think of Father of the Bride and weddings... I think of ceremonies of importance in my life then. When I hear John Mayer's "My Stupid Mouth," I remember my junior year of HS and my first choir concert with the Patriot Singers at Albemarle High - My friend, AnnTolley sang it (cool name, eh?). When I hear "Killing Me Softly" by the Fugees or "Best of Me" by Starting Line, I think about my friends Candice going crazy at EFY in our room singing on her hairbrush to the blasting songs! "Hero" by Mariah Carey reminds me of my dad and singing in the car with him - so does "Opposites Attract" by Paula Abdul.... Speaking of Paula, her song "Coldhearted" reminds me of cheer leading and wanting to be a cheerleader so badly when I was little for awhile because all my girl friends in Phillie did it. My friend Janelle made up a dance to it in her backyard and I rolled my shirt up to be a tummy shirt - haha!

Anything from West Side Story makes me remember knowing I wanted to do theater, singing, and dancing for the rest of my life in some entity. I saw this girl - Meg Nielsen - play Anita in West Side Story and wanted to be like her when I grew up so badly. Meg was six years older than me and I looked up to her SO much... When I hear "Superhuman" by Chris Brown I think of the East Coast, and "Dirty" by Christina Augularia is my recalling to freshman year. "One Love" by Bob Marley reminds me of the Bakersfield Boys - especially Dustin. "At the Beginning" reminds me of Wende Jenness - my seventh grade teacher who changed my life at age 13 and made me believe in myself... That I could write. That I could do anything I put my mind to.

"Breath of Heaven" by Amy Grant, brings me back to every Christmas - especially when I was little and fell asleep to that CD/song each night as Christmas drew closer. That whole Christmas CD is amazing - I listen every year and her version of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" draws forth the memories of Derek (my brother) and I dancing around and acting out the song in our tiny Phillie home, living room - trying to avoid taking a bath one night. Haha!!!

I love music and the memories that are created because of a tune of song. There is so much emotionally tied and charged by a song... I still have specific songs for individuals who have come through my life... "Lady in Red," "Home," "Right Kind of Wrong," "Bounce," "Georgia Rain," "Upside-Down (On the Ceiling)." and even "Foolish Games..."

Some songs make me wanna dance or sing along... and some songs make me desire certain things out of life. Certain songs make me want to "go for it," and push my music career. Other songs create a desire in me to work-out more, or improve myself... Songs instill emotions and desires in us that can be negative, but also SO positive.... Music - the most powerful entity on the planet. The greatest driving force - we are so created through music...

... or is it only me?

What songs bring back specific memories in your life? What songs bring a certain face to your mind? What songs create desire in you???

*muah*