Music and Memories!

 I grew up in Anderson, South Carolina. When I was 5 (I think), my family moved from our first house, “The Dunn Rd House” to “The Middle House” and then to “The Carlisle Place House.” There, I got this wonderful gift of a cardboard guitar. I played with this little guitar for. ever. Like I played this thing constantly and I am completely sure only a 6 year old could not be tired of the one minute of song that it played. That wonderful song was Two Princes by The Spin Doctors.

I have one very vague memory of playing the little cardboard guitar in our mudroom that had this very strange white piece of furniture (I just found out it’s called a hoosier cabinet) and our green couch. It was a great day.

The next song that I have a number of memories with is One More Light by Linkin Park. My dad and I used to listen to Linkin Park all of the time, and this song especially has a place in my heart. One memory I have with this song is the finale of A Million Little Things. My parents had watched the whole show and I was watching the last couple episodes with them. The end of the show is so sad, and then One More Light plays with a tribute to victims of suicide, and we all cried for a very healthy amount of time. Oh, it was so sad. Another time, I was walking around my house (The Stinkbug Reno, a good bit later in life) listening to music, and the song came on, and that was the first time I cried to a song! It is such a sad song, but it is so very good.

The last song is one that I hear and just want to get stuff done. It would play while cleaning the kitchen, or working in the garage with my dad. It is such a good song and I have so many memories with it, it is hard to keep track of them all. One memory that is particularly special is my whole family gathered around the dining room table (in the Stinkbug Reno), working late into the night on a puzzle. My dad and I will both hyper focus on the puzzle while singing to early 2000s/late 90s rock, while my mom and brother will pop in to work for 30 minutes every now and then. Drops of Jupiter (Tell me) by Train is always one of those songs. It is so nostalgic and makes me want to complete a puzzle or paint drywall or clean dishes every time I hear it.