The idea behind a CD-Swap is that one distant person from across the internet sends you a CD full of their musical goodness in exchange for your own magically compiled list of audio heaven.

The trick is, trying to cut your 4,000hour+ playlist into something closer to 74 minutes. On my first shortlist I went through the list constantly thinking "Oh! I've just got to send that one!", "And that one!" or "Just -got- to put that on it, too!". The result being that over 80% of my playlist made the first cut.

So. I think I need a bit of help.

Do I create a CD full of my standard well-worn background-noise music? Or, would it be better to try and compile a list of music that I think somebody else would appreciate? The hardest part about trying to anticipate somebody else's choice of music comes down to my own lack of taste.

I cant define what type of music I like. Of late, my tastes have gone just a bit spazzy. My recently aquired music list include songs from bands and people such as: Janis Joplin alive, acoustic and drunk-sounding, The Chipmunks sing christmas carols, Patrick Swazy (yes! He sings!), The Prodigy and acoustic versions of Puddle of Mudd.

To put it quite simply, there's no rhyme or reason to my musical whims, just a strange little impulse that causes me to crave the strangest sounds at the weirdest possible moment.

So, what am I going to do about this CD?
I have absolutly no idea.

I think I'm just going to take the first 20 songs from my list, bung them into the burner and hope for the best.

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

I am feeling the lyrics of this song. The past few days have been perfect summer weather. Along with that weather has been the perfect summer heat.

It got to 31 degrees here, today. It was 31 yesterday, too. The day before, 30.

The concrete slabs that this city is built on are heating up. Everything is slowly becoming dustier, hotter and more uncomfortable. There doesn't seem to be any release to the heat. Night time brings only a small drop in the temperature, as buildings have been pre-baked throughout the day.

What I wouldn't give for a typcial Queensland storm just to go on through and break the pressure!

Forcast for tomorrow's weather for downtown London:

Music is very powerful. It regularly blows my little mind. Just hearing a snippit of song can get it stuck in my head for days. I can remember the lyrics to "The Gambler" even when I'm drunk. Hearing a familiar chorus can reduce me to tears.

The first time I noticed the effects it had on me was when I was in High School.

I was having a really rough week. Mum was in hospital. Coach had bitten off my head for my faulty technique. Dad had given me a guilt trips over god knows what. I was living by myself for the first time in my life. On top of all of that, I had assignments and exams to contend with. For an unbalanced teenager, that can be a lot to cope with. I wasn't coping as well as I could have.

Thursday, 3rd period. Chemistry.

Hides and I were passing notes that were long enough to classify as essays. At that point in time, I didn't want to be me. Hides kept listening, I kept pouring my heart out into the secret notes, passed along the back row.

Then Heidi passed me another note:
It was the lyrics to "I'll be there for you" by the Rembrants. ie: Theme song to Friends.

So no one told you life was gonna be this way.
Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A.
It's like you're always stuck in second gear.
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year. But,
I'll be there for you
(When the rain starts to pour).
I'll be there for you
(Like I've been there before).
I'll be there for you
'Cause you're there for me too.

Nobody else understood why I started hugging Heidi in the middle of class...

To this day, I cant listen to that song without thinking of Hides and getting a strange lump in my throat. I doubt she remembers it. I dont really care.

That memory was proudly brought to you by my mid afternoon coffee break, Virgin Radio London, and "The Rembrants".

New Category: Musical Things!! Yay!!

Seeing as I'm having trouble finding Blog inspiration tonight, I figured I'd just let my mind wander and see what it came up with. As it happened, I was listening to all of my really ancient MP3's dwelling in the associated memories that are attached to each one.

It's strange how a song can bring back so many memories...

Click to Download: "I Make Hamburgers - The Whitlams" (link valid until 31/05/03)

Today's offering is a flashback to Schoolies Week, '97. For the unaware, Schoolies Week is the week where all High School students go a little bit (or a lot) crazy, celebrating the end of their education. At least until Uni starts, anyway. It's virtually one party that lasts for 7 days. In my case, it lasted for 14.

My schoolies week(!) was held on the Sunshine Coast, along with all of my school mates. We were under-age and drunk but always well behaved! (Hi mum!...) It's a little hard to believe that its over 5 years ago, as it's all still so vivid in my memory...

Just one minor flashback that this song triggers:

*cue memory-flashback sound effect*

My sunburnt shoulders rested against a cotton sheet, roughly thrown over the sofa. Stereo twanged this song, while ceramic balls clicked and rebounded on the felt pool table. Dan and Hardy, beating Harper and Nixie at sinking them all.

"I make Hamburgers...I get all the girls..."
I was mildly surprised Nixie hasn't cracked his cue yet. Even more surprised Harper was still standing.

Hides, sprawled next to me, passed me a cold beer. My nose had disappeared and my head was feeling pretty empty, but I was smiling anyway. One of my typical "drunk" grins, where it feels like I'm going to smile my face off. I couldn't be any happier. The cold beer felt really good next to my sunburnt skin, too.

Kelly (Miss America!) was somewhere, drunk as usual, probably talking Sommer's ear off. It's was dark outside, but it was still stinking hot. Somebody's laughing and splashing in the pool. I'd be in there later on, splashing and laughing. I'd hug everybody in the place at least twice. My smile would be permanently attached and I thought the night would never end.

In some way, it hasn't ended.
My memories are only a click away.