When I teach class I constantly say "Oh! This is one of my most favorite songs of all time!" So constantly that everyone in my class started making fun of me saying that every song was my favorite of all time. So I decided to make a list. But then I got really nervous because I feel a person's favorite music says a lot about them. And all of my music is tied to some special memory or person or feeling it's kind of scary to write about. They say that scent is the sense most attached to memory, but I think words are more so for me. I can remember the songs playing and conversations had years ago and I'll always attach songs to the people and memories I most love.  I took the history of rock and pop and I've always felt I have a wide range of music love, but I'm kind of surprised at my top songs and how varied they are.

1. Beast of Burden by the Rolling Stones--I can't even explain this one. I just love it. I have no idea why it is my favorite song. It just makes me calm and happy.

2. How to Be Dead by Snow Patrol--I can tell you why this one. Snow Patrol is one of the greatest bands of all time. Of. All. Time. My top 10 would probably have 3 Snow Patrol songs but I'm limiting it to my favorite. I've seen them play twice and I would pay any amount of money to see them again. The second time I saw them, they didn't even play this song, my favorite, but I still just melted. Their songs are ones you feel throughout your whole body and soul. You can relate to all of it. If you only listen to one song when you are down, though, it should be "This Isn't Everything You Are" by Snow Patrol. No joke. Please, please if you take nothing else from this list, listen to this song. Also I'm in love with Gary Lightbody--want to know why T. Swift's Red album did so well--Gary Lightbody's lyrical magic. In "It's Beginning to Get to Me" Gary sings "You are the only thing that makes sense/Just ignore all this present tense." How is there anything more true that lines like that? If I could only listen to one band for the rest of my life, it would be Snow Patrol.

3. Crash into Me by Dave Matthews Band--Oh, Dave. Oh, Dave. I'm also in love with Dave. But I think he's doing a lot of drugs. He's probably, in my opinion, the greatest writer of songs-that-make-me-swoon of all time (this song, "So Damn Lucky" "You and Me", "Up and Away," "Satellite," "Dreamgirl") but I'd imagine he's a terrible partner. I could also probably have 3 Dave Matthews songs in a top 10 list.

4. Yellow by Coldplay--You know a good song when it hits you right in the heart. This song starts out so sweet, mellow and perfect and then makes you want to beat your hands to the rhythm on your steering wheel. And who doesn't want the stars to shine for them?

5. Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down--This song pumps me up like nothing else.

6. Come Together by The Beatles--"One thing I can tell you is you got to be free" Duh. I love The Beatles. I don't know how you couldn't. One of my best memories of high school will always be swinging late at night at my grade school (I lived across the street) with my great friend Davina and singing Beatles songs. We also sang duets to the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. I could probably have a top 10 list of musical songs. And a top 10 list of duets.

7. Iris by The GooGoo Dolls--VH1 used to have a top video countdown on at 11am during summer vacation. I assume it was on during the week in the school year as well, however, I was obviously in school at that time. One summer they had the regular top 20 countdown and then they had the top 20 videos from movie soundtracks. This song and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" which you'll see farther down the list, were on it and I could not get enough of this song. It was the same songs every single day all summer long because there must not have been that many great movie songs, but this song just gives me goosebumps. I got to see the GooGoo Dolls live this summer for my birthday. I cried.

8. Push by Matchbox 20--I love this song. I don't even like Matchbox 20. I saw them in concert (Alanis Morissette opened for them she was worth every penny. That chick rocks.) and it was only to see this one song. Which, of course, was the encore song.

9. Any Man of Mine by Shania Twain--Ok my guilty pleasure=Shania Twain or as my family calls her, Twana Shane. I love her. It's on my bucket list to sing Shania karaoke. I can't sing but I will know all the words and I will sing my lungs out. My very first cassette tape was Shania Twain and my neighbor friends and I would dance and sing and put on shows in my basement to her. She probably helped teach me how to be a woman. My family hates country and I got so much crap for loving Twana, but damn, that girl has it.

10. Building a Mystery by Sarah McLachlan--This song is similar to me to "Yellow."It just starts and she eases you into it and it's a little weird--vampires, voodoo dolls--but then you're like, OK, yeah, I dig it, we're building a mystery. And it's creepy ghosts, night, dark side, "woke up screaming aloud". But it builds and you want to sing it loud and it gets you going. And it's just perfect. Because we all have our ghosts. But we all want mystery. And we're all f-ed up, but isn't it perfect to be in someone's arms?

11. Drops of Jupiter by Train--I love Train. This song makes me think of summers with my aunts and cousins. My cousin Sydney and bff Codie saw Train two summers ago and it was perfect. Someone got engaged, they had a wedding on stage, and we saw shooting stars. I love Train. They have so much variety. And who wouldn't want someone to write a song about them like this? It's about exploring and finding yourself and having the confidence to go and do that and in this song, the girl he is singing about is lucky enough to have someone who loves her enough to let her go and loves her when she comes back. I wanted to add "The Way" by Fastball to this list because it also really makes me think of my family (I feel like maybe my aunt Patty had both of these jams on a cd or something). I was fairly certain one morning my cousins and I would wake up and find nothing but empty wine bottles because "They drank up the wine/and they started talking...they left before the sun came up that day...Their children woke up/and they couldn't find them..." I'm still not sure that might not happen.

12. The Feel Good Drag by Anberlin--Another good pump up song. It makes me want to let go. Happy or sad just let it all go.

13.Some Might Say by Oasis--Oasis is another band that I feel can do no wrong. I like this song because it's silly and it makes me feel good. I would also like to add "Live Forever," "Slide Away," "Stand by Me,"Magic Pie," "She's Electric," "Cast No Shadow," and, of course "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova"

14. Secret Smile by Semisonic--If you're noticing a trend of late 90's, early 00's love songs, you are correct. Because I want someone to have a secret smile that they use only for me. Or someone to notice that I have a secret smile only for them. I also really heart Semisonic--"DND," "FNT" (10 Things I Hate About You!!!! Love love love!!), "Never You Mind," "Singing in my Sleep"

15. Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson--My earliest memories are singing and dancing with my mom. I loved Michael's song "Will You Be There" that was on Free Willy. I used to rewind and rewind the end of the movie and my mom and I would dance all around the living room. This was also a time when there were rumors starting to surface about Michael Jackson and I remember being kind of embarrassed for loving him and his music. I was five. I didn't understand what was being said about Michael, but I could not deny what his song meant to me and how it made me need to dance. And my mom just spun me and spun me around probably a billion times. Anyway I know this has nothing to do with Smooth Criminal--but Smooth Criminal is my favorite Michael song. "Man in the Mirror" is one of the greatest songs ever. As is "Black or White" and "Dirty Diana" and all Michael. My mom's first concert was the Jackson Five. I can't even imagine. My cousin Philip does a mean "ABC." I have the best family. And I have great memories driving home to the lake with Jenny G and Nate Dawg to Michael's greatest hits.

16. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen--My mom and I can't road trip without this song. We also have to head bang even if we are on the highway, in traffic, in public, any and all of it. I also might head bang to it when I play it in class. Just saying. I think I posted a video many months ago of a Canadian man who got arrested for public intoxication and he sang this entire song in the back of a cop car. That would be me.

17. Your Song by Elton John--If Elton weren't 40 years older than me and gay, he and I would be in love. I mean, this is MY song! My mom and Codie and his mom and I saw Elton a few years ago. We paid over 100 bucks to sit in the nose bleeds but it was epic. Elton played for 3 hours straight. It was just amazing. There's something really, really special about seeing someone play songs that you've grown up with and know every word to every song.

18. Do You Remember by Jack Johnson--I want someone to lock their bike to mine. And someone to love me for over 10 years and feel like love is locked in time.

19. Of Angels and Angles by The Decembrists--This song just touches my heart. It's so short and seems so simple but it hits me right where it matters. Aren't those the best things in life--the sweet and simple but oh-so beautiful?

20. Danny's Song by Loggins and Messina--I don't know how to put into words my love of this song. The whole tape--yes, tape--that this song is on is everything to me. "House on Pooh Corner," "Your Mama Don't Dance," "Thinking of You"--if "House on Pooh Corner" pops up on my iPod and I haven't talked to my mom for a couple of days, I'll cry. In a good way. My mom would play this album while we got dinner ready together. This song, I think, is my earliest memory. This and Raffi haha.

21. Say My Name by Destiny's Child--Does this one even need an explanation? I think not. This is my friend Jenny's and my go-to Jukebox song. Aways. I used to dream of being in Destiny's Child. It was all I wanted. That and a horse.

22. No Scubs by TLC--Because we all need to be reminded how a woman should be treated. I also think this one needs no explanation and I have no shame. When I made this list I thought, what are the songs that make me happiest? Oh, yes, TLC all day.

23. Sooner or Later by Breaking Benjamin--This song gets me pumped up. I love it. However, my first real concert was supposed to be Breaking Benjamin, well, for me it was Breaking Benjamin, who I love, love, love, but they were opening for Nickelback who I do not love, love, love or even like (note only one like). But I was going with my high school boyfriend and our friends and we were traveling from Norfolk to Omaha so we had to go shopping since we were going to be in "the city". So weeee, we went shopping. Then we were late to the concert. So late we missed all of Breaking Benjamin, the band I bought the tickets to see, but their last song. This was their last song. So it was epic. I love this song.

24. Better Man by Pearl Jam--Pearl Jam is glorious. And this song is the definition of a solid few years of my life. But it's a beautiful song.

25. You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette--As mentioned above, Alanis freaking rocks my socks. She's so great. This song makes a girl feel so damn good. Singing it loud and not caring about anything is the only way to experience it.

26. Into the Ocean by Blue October--I like some Blue October songs. But this one really makes me happy. I like to to workout, I like it when I'm sad, I like it when I'm happy. It's just a perfect all mood song. And sometimes you do need to jump off the bow just to prove that you know how.

27. Something I Need by OneRepublic--This is a really new song compared to all the rest of these. However, I do think I love it and need it in my life. I feel I might be changed by it like the rest of these have changed me. I described it to a friend as a lyrical dream of word perfection. The concept is spot on. The rhythm of the words is perfect. As a writer this song makes my heart race with love, envy, and happiness all at the same time. And that last line. God. The last line. My soul. My heart. My everything.

28. Middle Finger by Cobra Starship with Mac Miller--Another guilty pleasure. I have no idea who this guy is or where this song came from. I just love it.

29. The Good Left Undone by Rise Against--This song is my song for so many people that I love and that love me back. "All because of you/I believe in angels/Not the kind with wings/No, not the kind with halos/The kind that bring you home/When home becomes a strange place/I'll follow your voice/All you have to do is shout out." I love Rise Against. So very much.

30. American Pie by Don McLean--My dad and I used to jam to this song. It seems like every time we were in the car together it was on the radio. We listened to a lot of oldies, my dad and me. I loved the soundtrack to the movie Good Morning Vietnam. I'd actually really like to buy that album.

31. All These Things That I've Done by The Killers--"I've got soul but I'm not a soldier." This song is epic. Listen to it and tell me you don't feel like tackling a monstrous hill while your running or cycling.

32. Poker Face by Lady GaGa--who doesn't love this song. Boys, girls, young, old, it just makes you want to move.

33. Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog by Creedence Clearwater--Another song my parents introduced me to that will always stick with me. I've known all the words to this song for as long as I can remember but I don't think I actually got what the song was about until downloaded it to my iPod in high school. There is so much good music my parents had me listening too! I can't even get over it. Oh, it all makes my heart sing.

34. When the Stars Go Blue by Ryan Adams--My cousin Liza and her husband Chad got married almost 10 years ago now and this song they gave us all a CD of their favorite songs to listen to while they cooked together at night. I think that's really cool. This song was on that CD and I thank Liza and Chad very much for giving me this gift of music.

I know this is a weird numbered and just plain oddly collected list. But this is me. Happy listening.

Things I've wondered lately:

1. Why don't Snuggies (yes, I have a Snuggie) have pockets? And why don't they have zippers so I can walk around and not have it falling off me? Or did I just get a bad Snuggie?
2. Why is the Women's restroom always the farthest away. Men are like camels. They never have to pee.
3. Why do people say "you can't have your cake and eat it too"? What is the point of having cake and not eating it? I mean, if it's not buttercream frosting, I understand not eating it, but if it is, why wouldn't you eat the cake!?
4. And the ever important, what is the meaning of life?