14 Love Songs

So, this is a little more mellow than most of my mix tapes, but I've been in a mellow mood. Still, love is something to celebrate...now I'm just going to celebrate it a little more softly than other years. It's a mix of new love, sustained love, pining love, and complicated love. Because if you've ever been in love, you know that all of those things exist...sometimes all at the same time.

1. Leather and Lace - Stevie Nicks & Don Henley
2. Rush - Ferras
3. Dance Me to the End of Love - The Civil Wars
4. The Chain - Ingrid Michaelson
5. First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
6. Fresh Feeling - Eels
7. I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
8. If You Let Me Be Your Anchor - Dawes
9. Lovers' Waltz - A.A. Bondy
10. How the Day Sounds - Greg Laswell
11. Willing - The BoDeans
12. The Man Who Can't Be Moved - The Script
13. I Will - Alison Krauss
14. Wonderwall - Ryan Adams

XOXO-
EBG

Carpe Diem

I'm going on a trip, and therefore, a new mix tape is needed. But this one had to be special. I'm going to a Writer's Conference in NYC, and while being surrounded by 1200 other young adult/children's book writers can be very exciting, it's also extremely intimidating. Are they friends or competition?

Fortunately, last year I made a new friend. So, this "Carpe Diem" playlist is for us. We've spent the past year getting ready for this weekend, and now it's time to go after our dreams. It's meant to calm the anxious nerves and invoke confidence. After all, there's no better time to start living life to the fullest than right now.

Carpe Diem - SCBWI Winter Conference 2011

1. Zoo Station - U2
2. It's My Life - Bon Jovi
3. Brave New Girl - Britney Spears
4. Good Days Bad Days - Kaiser Chiefs
5. How Bad Do You Want It - Tim McGraw
6. I Won't Back Down - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
7. Fingerprints - Katy Perry
8. Dream On - Aerosmith
9. I Can - Nas
10. Do Your Thing - 'N Sync
11. Drive - Incubus
12. One More Night In Brooklyn - Justin Townes Earle
13. Born For This - Paramore
14. Invincible - Muse
15. Chasing Pavements - Adele
16. When My Time Comes - Dawes
17. The Climb - Miley Cyrus
18. We Are the Champions - Queen
19. Defying Gravity - Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth
20. Don't Stop Believin' - Glee Cast

Go team!
XOXO-
EBG

2010 Music Review

It's taken me a little while to get into the swing of things...but I figure the first post of this year should be last year in review.

Every year I make my Music Review. Just to be perfectly clear, so everyone knows the rules, the following must apply:
1. Each song MUST have been released in 2010.
2. I MUST like each song.
3. The mix tape as a whole should be a balance between Top 40 Hits, Best Reviewed Albums (usually considered "indie" music), and the songs that stuck with me from the moment I heard them.

There were a few albums this year that I loved the entire album, and those I played with a number of songs that I liked best to see what fit the mix as a whole. Other songs I never even listened to the rest of the album because I really didn't care for it. I won't point out which is which, but I will say my favorite albums of the year:
1. The National - High Violet
2. Taylor Swift - Speak Now
3. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

So, here for your reading (and hopefully listening pleasure), Emily's 2010 Music Review:
*One last note, this mix tape is meant to be listened to as a whole. The songs and their order were picked specifically with care to be enjoyed in this manner.

1. Raise Your Glass - Pink
2. Ready To Start - Arcade Fire
3. Everlasting Light - The Black Keys
4. Are You Satisfied - Marina and the Diamonds
5. Forget You - Cee Lo Green
6. I Can Change - LCD Soundsystem
7. Haunted - Taylor Swift
8. As She's Walking Away - Zac Brown Band (ft. Alan Jackson)
9. Fire - Bruce Springsteen
10. Airplanes - B.O.B. (ft. Hayley Williams)
11. Ambling Alp - Yeasayer
12. Bushwick Blues - Delta Spirit
13. Sorrow - The National
14. Rill Rill - Sleigh Bells
15. The Cave - Mumford & Sons
16. Love the Way You Lie - Eminem (ft. Rihanna)
17. Change of Time - Josh Ritter
18. Everywhere I Go - Lissie
19. Dancing On My Own - Robyn
20. Dark Fantasy - Kanye West

And here's to 2011...and the first actual week of releases! I'm excited to dive in!

XOXO-
EBG

It's Potter Time!

In honor of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 opening night, I made a playlist. Please, don't be shocked. I toyed with a number of themes, made lists of different songs I'd like to include, and finally settled on the most obvious. Magic.

There were just some great songs that came to light when I put on my Sorting Headphones, and it felt appropriate. So, enjoy!

1. Do You Believe In Magic? - The Lovin' Spoonful
2. Magic - B.O.B. ft Rivers Cuomo
3. Everything's Magic - Angels & Airwaves
4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
5. Magic Marker - Monsters Of Folk
6. Magic - Bruce Springsteen
7. As If By Magic - La Roux
8. A Kind of Magic - Queen
9. The Magic Of a Kind Word - Belle & Sebastian
10. Magic Touch - Aerosmith
11. Magical Mistakes - Athlete
12. Magic Bus - The Who
13. Magic Trick - M. Ward
14. Magic Man - Heart
15. Magic - Ben Folds Five
16. Cool Magic - The Stve Miller Band
17. Magic In the Air - Badly Drawn Boy
18. Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf
19. Blue Magic - Jaz-Z
20. Magic - The Cars
21. Little Miss Magic - Jimmy Buffett

XO-
EBG

Songs that make me Sing, Dance, and simply Smile

I could also refer to them as "Strength Songs" because when I do feel the itch to sing, dance, laugh out loud and I let myself freely do these things, I feel stronger. One of my friends is going through a hard time right now, so I felt she needed a good Mix Tape. Nothing too heavy, nothing too difficult to listen to. And especially nothing that makes you think too hard. There's a time and purpose for those songs, put this playlist was just about letting go of tension and enjoying a good day.

1. Dog Days Are Over - Florence + the Machine (no eye rolling. it goes on every mix tape from here to eternity)
2. Fearless - Taylor Swift
3. Be OK - Ingrid Michaelson
4. I Love Rock & Roll - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
5. I Believe In a Thing Called Love - The Darkness
6. Let It Go - Mitchell Musso & Tiffany Thornton (yes, it's from a Disney Channel Movie)
7. You Can't Stop the Beat - Cast of Hairspray
8. Teenage Dream - Katy Perry
9. I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked - Ida Maria
10. Don't Stop Believin' - Glee Cast (it makes me happier than the Journey version)
11. The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
12. Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
13. Toxic - Britney Spears
14. It's Gonna Be Me - 'NSYNC
15. Love Today - Mika
16. Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi
17. Fall Into Love - Rabbit!
18. Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
19. I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
20. Defying Gravity - Idina Menzel & Kristen Chenowith

Remember: no judgments. These songs make ME happy. And hopefully my friend.

XO-
EBG

Songs for Ilir

I have a new friend...and new friend means new playlist. There's a lot of pressure when someone asks me for a mix tape, especially if it's the first time. For starters, I don't know him very well, so I only have a small glimpse into what music he likes. For instance I know he's going to Band of Horses this weekend so I know he likes that type of music, but it also means I don't need to put them on the tape. I know he enjoyed Florence at the VMA's, but I was enjoying her enough for the entire audience so it could have just rubbed off. And, 3. He was really impressed with B.O.B. at the House of Blues. Not very helpful.

So, my goal...a perfect mix of 1. Songs that are from my "Forever Favorites" list on iTunes, 2. New music that he probably hasn't heard that I've been listening to on repeat, and 3. Artists that have made a big splash in my musical world the past few years that I feel obligated to pass on.

Mix tapes are a rough business, but someone has to do them. I'll take this one for the team.

Songs for Ilir

1. The Night Starts Here - Stars
2. The Cave - Mumford and Sons
3. Runaway - The National
4. The Diamond Church Street Choir - The Gaslight Anthem
5. I Was Made For Sunny Days - The Weepies
6. Cannibal Resource - Dirty Projectors
7. The Crane Wife 3 - The Decemberists
8. Two - The Antlers
9. Drinking Again - Collin Herring
10. Don't Leave My Mind - Azure Ray
11. Old Before Your Time - Ray LaMontagne
12. I Feel Ya Strutter - Of Montreal
13. Daylight - Matt and Kim
14. Help I'm Alive - Metric
15. Heavy Cross - Gossip
16. Baby - Devendra Banhart
17. I And Love And You - The Avett Brothers
18. Almost Lover - A Fine Frenzy
19. Many Happy Regrets - Tim Locke

XO-
EBG

Sex Songs for Lisa

My first new mix tape of 29! This is very exciting!

Last night, I went to a friend's bachelorette part. And what's a party without a soundtrack? So, I compiled a list of sex songs I think she needed to have in her collection. I feel it's a good mixture between fun and dirty and sexy and sultry. All centered around one very obvious subject.

SEX SONGS FOR LISA:
1. Future Sex/Love Sounds - Justin Timberlake
2. Let's Talk About Sex - Salt-N-Pepa
3. Fantasy - Ludacris
4. Sex Karma - Of Montreal (featuring Solange Knowles)
5. Sex for Breakfast - Christina Aguilera
6. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
7. All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You - Heart
8. Like a Virgin - Madonna
9. I'll Make Love To You - Boyz II Men
10. I Want Your Sex, Pts 1 & 2 - George Michael
11. Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah) - Joan Jett
12. Closer - Nine Inch Nails
13. Glory Box - Portishead
14. Crash - Dave Matthews Band
15. Succexy - Metric
16. I Touch Myself - Divinyls
17. Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex - CSS

Enjoy!
XOXO-
EBG

The Sound of 28

Wow. Am I really turning 29 tomorrow? Most days I still feel 17, or maybe 19. Definitely out of high school, which is good since my 10 year reunion is now only a matter of weeks away. We’ll go with 19.

Now, as most people reading this know, a few years ago I started making a list before my birthday of the moments of that year (in correlation with the number of that year) that stood out to me the most. Moments that made me laugh, cry, feel grateful, or just feel alive. And this year, like the past 3, I did the same. 28 Moments of 28.

However, this year, I’m not going to publically post them. If 27 was a hard year, 28 was all about growing, and I had no idea growing pains could be so, well, painful. I just recently finished listening to Pride and Prejudice (books on tape…a new thing with me) and there’s a part where Charlotte is begging Elizabeth to come visit her. Even though Elizabeth really doesn’t want to go, since the two friends drifted apart so much over the prior year, she finally agrees thinking to herself that “it was for the sake of what had been, rather than what was." I feel like I understand that line more now than I ever could have reading it in high school, and I believe its meaning to be a hard truth to learn and to accept. I hurt some feelings last year of people that I love dearly because they weren’t included in the “Moments” in the way that best showed my feelings towards them. And as I was going over my list from this past year, I began to stress about making sure everyone was “included” appropriately. But this list didn’t start out that way, and, honestly, I’ve had a rough year with some of the people I care most about. That doesn’t change anything about the way that I feel about them, it just doesn’t fit well into a list of random “moments” for everyone to read.

But I do want to make known that this year has been absolutely incredible in so many ways: Elizabeth’s engagement, dress shopping and bachelorette weekend, the births of Gwynaeth and Kendall, Deb’s ordination and wedding. Being snowed in with my family at Christmas, taping my grandparents telling the story of how they met and became engaged. Skyping with old friends, while making new ones, all of who understand me, push me to be better and get me free wine on long airplane flights (Thank you, Billy!). Showing up on doorsteps while crying for no reason (and being handed a baby telling me that will make me feel better…which it did). Road trips, wine tasting trips, watching a man drunkenly fall over his handlebars in the sand on 4^th of July. Midnight screenings of cheesy vampire movies (that’s right, I went to more than one), and racing to the finish line of a new great book along with the rest of the under 18 world. Celebrating New Year’s Eve with two of my favorite people in the universe, and being surrounded by hundreds of fellow children’s book/young adult authors in NYC (while making one of the greatest friends I’ll ever know in the process). Even going back to work fulltime (with great co-workers!), moving (again), and forcing myself to get up at 5 AM so I can enjoy the beach before going into the office (yes, be shocked my alarm clock even has that time). I laughed a lot this year, I cried (less than last year), and I even started to sing again.

It sounds so cliché in a way, and yes, I am still completely tone deaf, but coming from someone who loves to sing (and dance around the room…or in parking lots) more than anything in the world, it came as strange to me that I didn’t realize I had even stopped. Then one day I was driving down the road and a familiar song came on, and it felt awkward to hum along to it. It struck me painfully that I couldn’t remember the last time I had sung along with the radio. Or to my ipod. Or in general. I had spent 27 and the first part of 28 so lost in thought that I think I even stopped hearing the music. I forced myself to start mumbling along, and then before I knew it, I was belting (Nin, I think you and Bridget were belting right along with me…See number 1 below). All at once I rediscovered a love of music, and writing, and great conversations. I started going on small adventures (mostly Suze, that’s thanks to you for forcing me into yoga, Pirate dinners, and most recently Yogurtland). I stopped watching so much TV and started reading (more than just teen books). That’s when I started getting up early because I realized my favorite time of day is sunrise when the city is first waking up, and I need that time to myself. As well as needing time with my friends and my family…and the need to listen and be heard. I remembered the things that make me Me, and slowly I began to embrace them again.

But most importantly, this year I stopped fighting against God. For so long I’ve struggled with the decision of trusting myself and what I think is best for me or allowing God to take full control of my life. I finally realized that I don’t know what I ultimately want. Where I want to go. Who I want to be. So I decided to give that task to him. But the thing with trusting God is, if you do it, you have to do it with everything. Love, life, work, happiness, health, friendships, and the unknown. That decision was put to the test last Wednesday when I spent four hours begging for the safety of three of my co-workers in Silver Spring, Maryland after a gunman walked into Discovery Headquarters waving a gun and yelling for people to stop moving. During that time of being glued to CNN and my email In Box, I had to come to peace with the fact that my co-workers might not walk out of there alive. Thank, God, they did, but things could have ended very differently, and was I prepared to still trust him despite of that? Was I prepared to walk through the lobby of my own building, knowing that my place of work was now under attack (even if 3000 miles away) and that I could be threatened here just as much as there…as well as any and everywhere in between. For the first time in my life, the answer was yes.

There’s a line in the Dawes’ song “When My Time Comes” that has been on repeat in my head for most of this past year: “If Heaven was all that was promised to me, why don’t I pray for death?” That line haunted me for so long because I didn’t have an answer. But this year, this horribly trying and brilliantly exciting year, I’ve rediscovered the meaning of “Living with Purpose.” Now, I would LOVE to be able to define that for you here and to tell you the answer I’ve found to the above question. In fact, I’d love to give you all the answers that the past 29 years of searching have finally led me to. But I’m not going to because, honestly, it’s not fair for you to get the easy way out. And it’s not life. And, most importantly, my answers are not yours.

The two biggest lessons I’ve learned this year: 1) What’s right for me is not what’s right for other people. And 2) People are not going to do what we want and expect out of them. We disappoint each other because we can’t read minds (except for Edward, but he’s kind of a wimp. And I guess Sookie, but I think she’s kind of a pushover, too). But the beauty of family and true friendship is that despite of all of this, despite our deepest faults that we try but fail to hide, we love each other anyway.

So, to my beautiful family and friends…I would love to list you all out alphabetically, but that would only mean I would definitely leave someone out, and that is obviously far from my intention. I know how fortunate I am in the simple fact that I can’t list you all by name or write out all of the moments I shared with you this year because I’m going to Disneyland tomorrow and I just don’t have enough time. BUT since we all know how much I love lists, I have compiled one especially for your reading pleasure.

Before I begin 29, I want to page homage to the songs that got me through 28. Judge however you like. God knows I've judged other people's playlists (*cough* Mick). But these are my songs. The songs I laughed to, cried to, danced around the room to and sang at the top of my lungs. These are the songs that sang me to sleep, were background to great conversations, and simply sat with me when I needed a friend. These were the songs that meant the most to me last year, and I am in their debt.

1. Dog Days Are Over - Florence and the Machine

2. When My Time Comes - Dawes

3. Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes

4. Change of Time - Josh Ritter

5. Two - The Antlers

6. Young Winds - Ryan Adams

7. Secret Meeting - The National

8. I Can Only Imagine - MercyMe

9. Counterpoint - Delphic

10. Come On Get Higher - Matt Nathanson

11. Rock Star - Miley Cyrus (You can judge this one all you want. I’m not ashamed it makes me happy.)

12. There Is So Much More - Brett Dennen

13. Falling From the Sun - The Album Leaf

14. Blue Skies - Noah and the Whale

15. Changes - Blind Melon

16. Skinny Love - Bon Iver

17. Prelude 12-21 - AFI

18. I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked - Ida Maria

19. Center of Attention - Jackson Waters

20. Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley

21. Bad Reputation - Joan Jett

22. Human - The Killers

23. Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

24. Eclipse (I'm Yours) - Metric

25. Time Is Running Out - Muse

26. Ambling Alp - Yeasayer

27. Somebody - Rob Thomas

28. Angels on the Moon - Thriving Ivory

And one to grow on...

29. Don't Stop Believin' - The Glee Cast Version

So, here's to another year. 365 days left in my 20's. I plan on holding onto them as tightly as possible, living them with everything I have, and a year from right now I plan on celebrating with my whole heart (and all of my friends) the next phase of life. Love to you all.

XOXO-

EBG