is it just me?

Have you noticed that music is a powerful mood enhancer? I can listen to music and get pumped up and happy over it - or I can listen to music and it will bring me down into the pits. I think it does depend somewhat on the mood to begin with. If the mood is upbeat and cheerful, cheerful and upbeat music only enhances that feeling. If you're already crabby, irritated and annoyed, depressing music can really push you deeper.

That being said, I can be in a foul mood, and if I listen to upbeat music, my mood can be transformed. Somehow (thankfully) it doesn't seem to work in reverse.

Just looking over my iTunes, let's take a look at what I have, and I'll tell you what era from my life it reminds me of (taking into account that most of the music in my iTunes is recent, because all my Cd's were stolen so I am rebuilding)

Simon & Garfunkel They can bring me back to Junior High, further too but most specifically 8th grade. I am a Rock reminds me of listening to the song over and over again, using the lyrics to build myself up a protective wall.

I am a rock,
I am an island.
Ive built walls,
A fortress deep and mighty,
That none may penetrate.
I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.
Its laughter and its loving I disdain.
I am a rock,
I am an island.

In 8th grade, we had moved from Laramie to Portland OR, where I had no friends and needed the strength of believing I didn't need friends. HA foolish girl.

From Tenth grade but we lived in Laramie. Pink Floyd The Wall. I listened to this with head phones on. Pretty much the whole album, nothing to quote, except that I was breaking through the wall.

Bryan Adams Cuts Like a Knife - He came along at a turning point in my life, just about the time that I was breaking up with Mark and moving out on my own.

Dire Straits Brothers in Arms - This album was new out when Chuck and I were packing up to move on to Graduate school ... the song Why Worry was what Chuck kept telling me

I'll chase away those restless fears
That turn your blue skies into grey
Why worry, there should be laughter after the pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now

I could continue this, and maybe I will, because music moves me. Always has. I have music from every era in my life. At one time I had a "favorite places" saved as "My life Sound Track." ... should go dig that up, I know I have it on a DVD backup somewhere.