not sure why I felt compelled to tell you all this, but here it is

The summer between my 8th and 9th grades of high school, my family took a trip to Europe. And it was amazing - seriously one of the best vacations and most amazing experiences of my life. We went to London (England), Dublin (Ireland), Paris (France), and Edinbourgh (Scotland) among other little towns and spots along the way. We took planes, trains, automobiles and boats. We stayed in big hotels, little hotels and a bed-in-breakfast that was family owned and operated. We ate amazing food in every city, including *the* best meal of my life in a little cafe down from our hotel in Paris.

Right before we left for this amazing vacation Mom bought me my very first MP3 player; back when they first became popular. I felt like a million bucks. I imagined myself impressing all the European boys with my sleek little MP3 player and fancy glitter eyeshadow. Oh, how embarassing it was to be a teenaged girl!

So I tried to put all the music I had (illegally) downloaded from Ares onto my shiny new magical music box, but alas it is not in my nature to read instruction manuals, and I never quite figured it out. I trekked all over Europe with three wonderful songs on my MP3 player.

Kelly Osbourne - Papa Don't Preach
Incubus - I Miss You
12 Stones - Broken

I always look back on these songs and laugh. And smile. And feel a little like my younger self. It just goes to show how varied and crazy and different my tastes were...and still are. I still like all three of those songs. Every now and then I drag out my old Kelly Osbourne CD and crank it up. I lie awake in my bed sometimes in the dark when I'm home alone and sing Incubus in my head. I watch the video for 12 Stones a lot these days.

And really, I have no idea why I decided to tell you all about this. Other than the fact it's been on my mind, and before it leaves my mind again I wanted to get it all out there. That way ten years from now when I've forgotten my past and teenaged music preferences I can look back and remember what I liked.

And cringe a little at the thought of glitter eyeshadow.