2011: A Year of Facebook Status Updates

Last year, I decided to review my year by scrolling through the year of Facebook status updates...and it was so incredibly fun (at least for me), I've decided to post them again this year. So, here you go, enjoy, my friends...

January 2011


"No, really, Michelle, I want to marry a vineyard."

"Every time I drink, I become more philosophical. I become Yoda." -Michelle Mansour

"Uh oh. I have a crush on Jesus."

"...is en route to the pansy dance party with Erin, Ashley, Michelle, and Arthur. Wooly! Wooly!"

February 2011


"...is wearing invisible devil horns right now. Yeah, you heard me."

"From family dinner: "If I posted a song that said, "I hate you, (name of guilty party)", non-gendered pronoun would think...I think I'll do some reading...I think I'll go to a (unnamed activity)...I think I'll take a nap...I wonder how (name of innocent party) is...maybe I'll read again." Of course, this was all enhanced by the theatrical enactment of quote (with sound effects) by impartial observer."

"...is watching Bieber do anything for the first time."

"Carly Rush: "I feel really, really, really awkward right now." Katherine: "Yes, Carly, the smooth jazz is making me feel weird too."

"I don't eat meat, but I would rub bacon fat on my neck in a second if I thought...(yep, City House).

"Yep. Shut it down."

"To Ashley in conversation: "Oh my, my ears are so red right now. I think they are turning into horns."

March 2011


"...is driving my truck home for the last time...sniff, sniff."

""When things get murky, you tend to flee..." Yes. It is true. I'm a lover, not a fighter."

"Tequila makes you smart." -Ashley. "Yes, see, tequila does make smart." -Michelle"

"Not like you didn't know already, but I have the best Nashville family ever."

"The Ace of Base was excellent skating rink music." -Brad

"Mike, Conor, Nate, Andy, and Time: Hide the baguettes and tequila, I'm on my way."

"...will never forget C-note's new dance move: The Juggler. Such a fantastic night."

"This is time-release Tanya." -Mi madre

"...is letting out a rebel yell."

"...is stuck between time zones and waves and wires...missing you already and tipsy in the airport."

"No, actually, its the Medalla in every picture that I find cute..." -Ashley (and maybe Katerina)

"Art and I are outside. If Shawn can come get us, that's cool."

"Waiter (now dubbed Giovanni): "Have you had heart?" Katherine: "No. In fact, I haven't."

"I just wanna bite on that arm like a corn on the cob."

"I find this particular line in my Spanish homework curious: I began to dance on the table."

"And...cue the clown music."

"Would rather be 1750 miles from here...on a beach with good friends."

"Us single ladies have to figure out how to light our own pilot lights." -Ashley, during the house walk thru

April 2011


"Bus quote of the day: "You dumb ignorant."

"I mean, who doesn't want someone to sprinkle a little mozzarella on them?"

"Weird...There is a red potato in my purse."

"And just like that...my truck is gone."

"Barry. Roger. Merlin. Jody. Wilfred. Egbert."

"...got shit on. Literally. By a bird."

"Opening line from student paper: "Men have penises, women have vaginas."

"...just ate a little bit of pork. First in five years."

"...is princess of the prairies...or something like that."

" "Here's to the biters!" -Ashley

"Relationships. That shit is hard." -Eric aka Mr. Autowash. It is true I live in the best neighborhood in Nashville. Noe only do complete strangers stop by to provide you with supplies to make you feel better, but they provide you with words of wisdom."

"You just need to turn the beautiful butterfly back into a drunk incompetent caterpillar."

"After licking clean Arnold's corn mustache, he says, "I know some Sting when I hear it."

"Pass the tea. Shut it down. Go fish. Take your pick. Annnnnddddd, scene. (Well, that was quick...)

May 2011


"Me, Ashley, Heidi Klum, and Seal, You know, a normal Friday after riding the bus."

"...is covered in not only my own sweat, but the seat of all the Archers fans."

"...is selling a life path I didn't take on eBay."

"If you are looking for trouble, just look right in my face."

"...just walked in the door from Memphis...and now in an hour, onwards to City House to meet an old Charlotte friend. I wonder if I should wear my TCB button?"

"In need of a Stop n' Stab margarita."

"Dance Party for one, outside of Augusta to Otis Redding's Shake."

June 2011


"I'm living all over you. Yep. You heard me. Reverse it."

"'Don't expect anything from me, unless I'm doing it.""

"Midnight swimming."

"...feels like jello. Jello del pollo."

""That's gonna open a whole bag of worms..."- Jennie Ann"

"...is a catfish."

"In town for merely 5.5 hours and I have a bad feeling that I accidentally stepped in it."

"I'm sort of love with my life lately, if you can't tell. The days pile up and I feel more and more fortunate to be surrounded by all these lovely people. Yep, I mean you. All. Of. You."

"Just passed a boat named, "Disorder-lee Conduct." Obviously, I have a new life goal  now."

"Mildred just narrowed her eyes at me, after noticing I was doing searches for 'preserving watermelon skin.'"

"I'm missing that dancing lil' biscuit right about now."

"Que lio, que lio, que lio. You have no idea."

""Oh my gawd, I just touched boobs..."- Art in reference to my basil perfuming

"Uh oh, here comes the murkiness...And I only know one way to deal with that. Run. Like. Hell."

"Having to explain this to my professors: Entrenchment."

"I don't know about his chow chow, but his gnocchi kicks your ass."

"My new name dubbed by Jeremy is: Messica."

"I wasn't ready for all this nature..."

"Mom: "So, what annoys you the most about him?" Me: (Silence). Mom: "Oh hell, that was too long of a pause."

"And then Carly said, "Don't worry, we can get him a unicorn mask..." No, that's not about you."

"Thanks to Art and Jeremy for a lovely evening out discussing...well all sorts of things. But in particular, thanks to Jeremy for giving me one of the most lovely and thoughtful and powerful gifts I've received in so so long. You both sure are some lovely parachutes."

"And it just stops as quick as it started."

"...will only be a classic fool for six more days...in case you were wondering..."

"Sometimes I move in reverse"

"Will be Buck Owens come with a bartender on the side?"

"Headphones."

July 2011


"On my new phone, I have the sound of incoming text messages as: "Suspense."  That sounds about right. Now, if could find a way to set the sound of outgoing text messages to "Shady."

"Best quote from last night: "I think somebody bit me."

"Literally has BBQ sauce under each fingernail."

"Like Art says, "Now, we are REALLY having fun."

"I wanna blow some shit up..." -Art

"It's a cornbread crumbles sort of situation...and it breaks my heart."

"Family dinner was excellent and hilarious. Favorite quote: "I wish I had 3 eyes so I could wear this mask.""

"This is harder than I thought."

""I'm pretty sure he has everything big..." best quote of the night."

"And if they let us share a room at rehab, we'd never get "better""

"Jorell just used the word 'ain't'...and then it got real, real awkward."

"Trust me, I'd turntable you, anytime, anywhere."

"Ashley: "I think we should move to Spain too..." Katherine: "And fall in love with everyone we meet.""

August 2011


"This is way too early to be navigating the streets, but worth it."

"Katherine to Ashley: "Well, I think you should treat yourself to a little promiscuity."

"It's all Jawbreaker."

"Bless Magaly for making brunch."

"It is clear. I'm in the wrong place."

"I'm taking a page from Michelle's book. Delete. Block. That gal is inspiring, I tell ya."

"I almost forgot the best quote of the night by Michelle: "Katherine wants to run the bases!""

"What if I just covered myself in basil?"

"The gloves are coming off. Place your bet."

September 2011


"Sometimes, just sometimes, I like to make bad decisions."

"Me: "Maybe its the way he smells?" Mom: "Does he smell like pork?""

"Infect me with your cream sauce." -Art's interpretation of Katy Perry

"Me (to Ashley): "You know what, I think I figured it out. He doesn't smell like pork, he smells like alcohol. Well that'd explain it."

"I don't want anything with a bone in it." -Me at Tayst

"I make the down and dirty cobbler." -Michelle at Tayst

"...is a classic fool, because I still believe. The vinyl tells me otherwise...and I should listen."

"All my fancy strikers are jerks." -Ashley

"I'm just waiting on the step, that's it. For now."

"I want to live inside this mofongo. Seriously."

"Quite mysteriously, I have a craving for Greek chocolates now...and all that implies."

"Michelle (about champagne): "It's like a hug."

"So.....Fall, we meet again."

"I'm still waiting for grand gestures, for some reason."

"Apparently, expectations are overrated."

October 2011


"Me to Carly: "He was as big as a lumberjack, wore only flannel, and smelled like a homeless man....(sigh). He was perfect.""

"Me to Michelle: "If any man could destroy me, it'd be him. Which is obviously why I like him.""

"Well, he is awfully cute. Compact. I could put him in my purse."

"Absinthe wisdom: Instead of rose petals, I'll leave tiny little pencils all over the bed. Que romantico."

"Days gettin' longer, nights gettin' colder."

November 2011


"Ecstatically happy today. Bring it, world."

December 2011


"I'm going to start drinking beer. It is on my to-do list." -Andrea

"And that's a reminder...."

"Weird. I just remembered that last night I had a dream (yes, in those 4 hours) about being on a MTA bus that repeatedly kept crashing. I'm pretty sure this is a metaphor for my experiences in dating."

"K: "They were all repeat offenders." J: "Hot." K: "No (censored)." J: "Oh, I thought you meant prison dudes."

"Where does he put the apostrophe?" -Carly"

"From now on, I shall be known as Shaky Swizzles Everhart."

"And then we started remembering our social security numbers....Wow. This party is really off the hook."

"Quote of the night: "I'd rather him bite me, than be nice to me."...holiday celebrating with the girls at City House"

"Because we might need one more quote to add to the year-end FB status blog post...Carly: "No more 3-for-1's this time." Oh how, I love late night phone conversations with Carly. Such a gem and incredibly insightful."

"And then Michelle and I did the Maniac flashdance in the living room."

"Quote of the year: "It's broken and beautiful, just like us." -Art in reference to a Christmas tree ornament

"Did I just get re-engaged? This has been one of those days..."

"And then I put my heart on my sleeve....before I boarded the plane."

"I quote my mother: "Heeeeeyyyyyyy." This was the most hilarious night ever I swear. I haven't had this much fun in a long, long time. I love my mama."

"Lesson learned: Your mama will steal your property when you are in the kitchen making a drink."

"It must be an Everhart thing. I have no self control." -Crystal

"It seems like most mornings these days, I wake up tangled up in a set of headphones. Its akin to Dylan's Tangled Up in Blue."

"A sociologist and economist got drunk in an airport bar."

"He's not sexual sorbet. He's sexual bacon. It seems like a really good idea, but then your heart hurts afterwards." -Andrea

"Let the Nashville malaise begin...."

Cheers Facebook Folks! And enjoy!

2011: A Year of Everything in Disguise

2011. Wow. You really did a number on me. Last night, I spent several hours trying to find a way to summarize the year as a whole, but the more and more I tried to write this blog, I was confounded by the year's lack of coherence, but well, what do I expect, there are a whole mess of days, weeks, and months in there. So, here you go....here are some of the things I remember the most about 2011...


1. All the time I spent with Ashley and Michelle this past year, whether sitting on the front stoop or sitting around my dining room table laughing/crying/drinking/talking, our champagne and absinthe nights at City House and Germantown Cafe, sitting outside on the Mexican beach contemplating on the deal breaker names of our unnamed crushes, night markets, discussions of basil, rosemary, arms like corn on the cob, mozzarella, and pork, becoming known as the headband girls, developing new words (Wooly!), and yes, even stealing red potatoes and attempted pigs.

2. My trip to Memphis with Ashley...and less of a highlight, but something that really impacted the year, having to bid adieu to Ashley as she began a new adventure in Cardiff.

3. The many new friends that I've welcomed into my life this year...particularly, Cassandra, Andrea, and Sam, but also all the wonderful folks I've met while sitting out on my front stoop-- like Red/Mr. Autowash.

4. Getting to spend time with the lovely Carly over our late night phone conversations, our visit to the Top Chef event (particularly eating pork for the first time in several years), successful and attempted Miraculous Miercoles, and our productive trips to Center Hill Lake (even when the hot tub was only lukewarm and it felt more like we were taking a bath together).

5.  Saying goodbye to my truck and learning public transportation.

6. Many, many great shows...such as Bright Eyes (with Mom and Kyle), Bright Eyes (with Art and Amada), Archers of Loaf (with Sammy), Wilco (with Erin B.), Flaming Lips (with Ashley), Justin Townes Earle and Jason Isbell (with Michelle), Justin Townes Earle (with mom and Brad), Gillian Welch, Aretha Franklin, and Elvis Costello.

7. My days and nights with Art and Jeremy...building funeral pyres, receiving the best flower bouquets ever, grilling out, drinking Stop n' Stab margaritas, twerking, family dinners, Halloween, the 4th of July, dancing to Mumford and Sons, and even crying to Bright Eyes.

8. The wedding celebration of my best friend Jennie Ann and Derek...every single moment of it, particularly our lovely Edisto evenings and our dinner at Husk.

9. My road trip with a watermelon named Mildred, while visiting great friends at every moment and seeing some of the greatest baseball games of my life.

10. A strange, but life changing, Memorial Day that led to an orange soda, that crazy month of June, headphones, cornbread, and cinderella. It still amazes me that even after six months, the headphones still get to me every single time.

11. A wonderful 4th of July celebration, before my departure to Puerto Rico, that started with a cook-out at Art and Jeremy's and ended with a late night fireworks display in front of my apartment.

12. All those beautiful, beautiful days with Michelle at the ballpark (with the ballplayers), but also our fantastic trip to Atlanta to finally see those Braves fellas.

13. Learning how to twerk at the Labor Day cook-out with some of my favorite people in this world.

14. My spring break and summer in Puerto Rico and sharing it with all those lovely folks that make life worth living....those lovely afternoon conversations with Magaly, "fighting" with Jorell, evenings of turntabling with Egie, late evenings spent in Rio Piedras listening to soul music accompanied by a long early morning walk home, brunches with the family and those crazy 3-eyed masks, and all the marvelous people that have helped me build my career.

15. Planning my first trip to Europe to visit Ashley and present my research in Spain.

16. All those long distance calls, texts, and chats with Amada.

17. The Occupy movement and getting to participate in protest in my own hometown.

18. My trip to NYC to visit with some old friends (Anton, Carlos, Noelia, and Sam) and to present my research for the first time in front of the smartest and coolest activists/colleagues I know.

19. Jawbreaker, Ezra Furman, Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams, and Jaymay.

20. Holiday karaoke with my mom and incredibly competitive monopoly games with my family.

21. Nightswimming and dancing biscuits.

22. Bonfires, lots and lots of bonfires.

23. Fran's Eastside.

24. And because I should highlight my academic accomplishments, I passed my two special area exams, put together a dissertation committee, presented my research at a couple of conferences, got accepted to an international conference, submitted a couple of manuscripts for publication, and have maintained my passion for my research. Though, this year also meant saying goodbye to several incredible mentors as they moved away for other pursuits.

Outside of these highlights, as I'm sure there were many, many more. It was a year of expectations. It was a year of entrenchment. It was a year of bending, instead of breaking. It was a year of being a classic fool at times. It was a year of bad decisions. It was a year that reminded me that sometimes, just sometimes, it is okay to open ourselves up to the possibility, even if it means that in the end we find ourselves broken. Because when that happens, we often realize we have some of the best friends in the world who are standing there beside you to help pick you back up.  But more than anything, I've realized this year just how important it is for me to sometimes, just sometimes, relinquish control and let things happen.

Cheers to another year! Abrazos and besitos, mis panas!

Audífonos: 10th Annual Holiday Mix

Here it goes. I present you with....Audífonos, the 10th annual holiday mix for 2011. To celebrate a decade of holiday mixes, I plan to write another blog that revisits some of the older mixes, but for now, I hope you'll enjoy this one. As I've listened to it countless times in the last few weeks, it feels fragmented, disjointed, and confusing...but I suppose that speaks volumes about my past year. Below, I've written some about each song with some lyrics from the songs. And much further below that, you'll find the link to download the mix. You can download it as one large .zip file if you like or you can download it song at a time. I've also included a file with the track listing and of the photo for this year.

You might ask why I chose to name it Audífonos? It's because I hope, you'll download the mix, saddle up with a beverage of your choosing, put those headphones on, turn up the music, and take a little journey through my past year.

1. Temptation- New Order
Given the typical broodiness of my holiday mixes, I decided to start this one off with a little number to get you dancing. It will always remind me of dancing in Cafe 103 in Puerto Rico with some of the greatest friends I could ever ask for.

"Up, down, turn around 
Please don't let me hit the ground 
Tonight I think I'll walk alone 
I'll find my soul as I go home"


2. Gimmeakiss- The Avett Brothers
Yes, folks, we are still dancing.

"So gimme a chance, gimme a dance, gimme your hands
Give me just a little bit of your sweet romance
Just give me your hands
I know what they say about me
Hell, I started most of them rumors myself, you see
So give 'em to me"

3. Hits Me Like a Rock- CSS
I can't remember now how I first heard about CSS, but I do know they have been my soundtrack for walking to the bus stop countless times. I know what you are thinking...another dance song? Another song about love? It's been one hell of a year and I'm determined to end this one on a positive note. So, just put on your dancing shoes and enjoy.

"We don't care for what's wrong and what's not
I like to be with you and all of you of what's real
But then you say we always lose our edge
But baby, baby, is that too bad?
You know I like you a lot but
It still hits me like a rock"

4. Teenage Kicks- The Undertones
I've always loved this song as covered by Nouvelle Vague, but then found this version earlier this year...and I adore it.

"I'm gonna call her on the telephone
Have her over 'cause I'm all alone
I need excitement, oh I need it bad
And she's the best, I've ever had"

5. Little Bit- Lykke Li
I fell in love with Lykke Li last year, but I fell in love with this song over the summer while I was on my three week road-trip. I've had countless starts and stops over the course of the year in terms of dating and relationships. Somehow this song seemed to perfectly encapsulate that feeling of when you first meet someone, find them occupying your head at all times, but also the trepidation that comes with admitting your feelings. It's that lovely moment before, well, it generally all comes crashing down. Yeah, don't worry, the broody songs are coming soon.

"Hands down, I'm too proud for love
But with eyes shut, it's you I'm thinking of
But how we move from A to B?
It can't be up to me, 'cause you don't know
Eye to eye, thigh to thigh, I let go"


6. Jes Excellent- Best Friends Forever
I was introduced to Best Friends Forever from my dear family/roommates in Puerto Rico, Magaly and Jorell. I'll always remember this song playing one morning this past summer when I awoke to discover Magaly and Jorell making a lovely Sunday brunch. Yep, this one is about all those starts and stops...and tons of lingering crushes.

"But it's too late now, to ask you if you want to go out
Because you probably have a girlfriend, all the guys I like have girlfriends
And besides we are too different, or that is what I have decided
But I wish that we had made out
So, that my feelings had been somewhat requited,
But hold on, I'm here for three months,
Maybe we could hang out once,
Maybe we could hang out all time,
I'm here for three months and I'm open to romance"


7. Long Walk to Never- Jaymay
I only recently discovered Jaymay. A number of her songs are featured in the movie HappyThankYouMorePlease, which if you haven't seen, please put it on your list. I'm pretty sure I've listened to almost nothing but Jaymay for the last two months. (Thank goodness for Spotify). I hope you'll fall in love with her too. Not to mention, how could I not love a song that mentions the Caribbean, Brooklyn, and London. But perhaps more than that, this one goes out to those fickle and shy boys that have traveled through my life this past year.

"You say you want me, but you never came to get me,
You never got me, and I hope you don't haunt me,
These dreams ever again"

8. Honey Won't You Let Me In- The Tallest Man on Earth
Who doesn't love The Tallest Man on Earth? How can you not love the way he says 'tambourine'? Just a beautiful song, as we transition in the mix.

"As I knock your door from inside once more
How I wish a soothin' breeze would let me in
Shake my tambourine at your glowing dreams
So, honey won't you let me in"

9. Midnight Blues- The Detroit Cobras
I remember an old friend introducing me to The Detroit Cobras years and years ago, but for some reason, it didn't really stick. During the summer in Puerto Rico, a group of us-- Magaly, Jorell, and Egie-- took a road trip to Aguadilla for a punk show. On the way, Magaly played The Detroit Cobras. In revisiting the work of The Detroit Cobras, I came across this song. And then, I heard these lyrics...and well, they were perfect.

"I just can't help but feel a little bit shamed
Every time I hear you calling my name
I'm blaming you for all the bad things I've done
Still I will admit that every once in a while, it was fun"

10. Slippin' and Slidin'- Justin Townes Earle
If you don't know how I plan to make Justin Townes Earle my first husband, then we obviously are not very close friends or even, distant Facebook friends. Yes, I said first husband, although I'm getting a late start, I fully intend to marry several times. Several.  But back to JTE. I suggest you go now and download everything he has put out, then I suggest you stalk his webpage for his tour dates and then buy yourself a ticket to a show. I suppose if I was going to make a mix with only one song, it would be this one. Yes, this is my number one song of the year. But why? Gosh, for several reasons that I won't go into right  now, but let's just say this, in several arenas in my life, this song resonates. Plus, the video for this song is stellar in my opinion. You can watch it here. And if you want to watch a hilarious bit of JTE, check it here. Yes, I'm in love.

"Darling I just need a little company
Ain't seen the sunrise since I don't know when
Days getting longer, nights getting cold
Slippin' and slidin', feelin' low"

11. You Can Tell Me All Night Long- Bill Fox
I don't really know much about Bill Fox. Jennie Ann and Derek introduced me to his music a few years ago. It just feels good, though, we've now officially made it to the broody section of the mix. Welcome. Take off those dancing shoes, pour yourself a drink, and let the entrenchment wash over you. Plus he says 'thrice' in it and I love any song with the word 'thrice' in it.

"The day will disappear, but I will still be here
And you can tell me all night long...
Thought I knew just what to do
Guess I'm just not that smart
Because I've told you twice before
You are bound to break my heart"

12. Never Gonna Make It Right- Korean Is Asian
Oh, Korean Is Asian, how I love thee. I first heard Korean Is Asian during my first week in Nashville, thanks to my good friend, Sammy. From the first note, I was hooked. Sadly, I didn't have any of their music until this past year, when they finally released an album that I could download. I also had the pleasure of getting to meet these wonderful folks at the end of last year, when they were kind enough to help out my friend Carlos with a music project he works on called Musica Realenga, based out of Puerto Rico. That wonderful October day, I got to help document their performance of two songs. You can read about the day and watch the two videos here. They are so very lovely. And perfect for those of you that are brokenhearted. Cheers.

"But you don't love me
We're never gonna make it right
But you give it all you have
We're never gonna make it right
But you give all you can
We're never gonna make it right...
Let it all go"

13. For Today- Jessica Lea Mayfield
My first husband, Justin Townes Earle, is the one to introduce me to Jessica Lea Mayfield. Okay, okay, sort of. Well, he had posted something on his Twitter account about this artist, so I took his advice and checked it out. She is quite wonderful and I hope to get the chance in the near future to see her perform live. Here we are at the bottom of the broody barrel. Welcome.

"I was walking with your left-hand in my back pocket
And I stared at the sky while you kidded me
And you were running away, away from everything
And I stayed behind so you'd miss me
And all these words would sound so sweet
I could care less about you, care less about you
And I love the sound of you walking away
And I can see cleared and I'm getting closer
To finding out just who I am without you in the way
So hold me,
but only, 
for today"

14. Doomed Love Affair- Ezra Furman and the Harpoons
Another test of whether we are friends...you should know just how much I adore Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, yes every single one of them. But more specifically, the album-- Mysterious Power-- they released this summer, blew my mind. This song, Doomed Love Affair, was actually released during the fall. The album will always be those warm days of June and July, while this song is about the moments I started to pick up the pieces from the summer, as it perfectly captures how it feels after all the dust has settled, but things still haven't quite ended.

"Fluorescent shopping malls at night
And I miss your 3am phone calls
Since you've left, I left broken glass on the floor
And I've cut myself
And the blood just knows how to get through the veins to the heart
And so it goes
It all seem preordained from the start
Love disappears in the wind like smoke
My room is a mess and the mirror broke
I shouldn't have dragged you into this doomed love affair"


15. Ever Fallen In Love?- Buzzcocks
Well, if you've had a doomed love affair, you've probably also fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with, right? In lieu of lyrics, just listen.

16. Baby Please- Kyle Forester
I came across Kyle Forester while watching the film, Breaking Upwards, which also is one to add to your list. I simply love the desperation in his voice....and who doesn't love a song where the artist stops and simply talks?

"Baby baby baby you rock my world..."

17. Where I Found You- Future Islands
I'll be honest, I don't really know anything about the Future Islands. I've actually only recently discovered this song and felt enamored with the music and the lyrics. So, in the timeline of the mix, we've had the doomed love affair, then we realized we shouldn't have fallen in love with the person, then we proceeded to beg...then this song is the memory. Damn those memories.

"I remember your smile
The smell of your skin
The way that you walked and laughed...
Look back
Hold on to the last
Don't let today push out the past"

18. Heart Skipped a Beat- The xx
Again, I'll admit, I don't really know anything about The xx. I've enjoyed several of their songs, but haven't really invested much in discovering more. This is my attempt at bringing the mix slightly back up before I sign off.


"No need to come to me
When I can make it all the way to you
You made it clear
You weren't near
Near enough for me
Heart skipped a beat
And when I caught it
You were out of reach"


19. Wagon Wheel- Old Crow Medicine Show

Given my desire to think about memories and music, this song is filled with memories. When I hear it, I think of the first time my dear friend Art played it for me on our trip to Louisville to see the Bright Eyes boys. I also think of my road trip this past summer, where I drove through the places in the song. In particular, it reminds me of when I drove straight down the coast to see a handsome fella. I also think of the Labor Day cook-out from this past year, when everyone learned about twerking and I regretted opening back up a past situation. I think of the places in North Carolina I haven't been in years. I think of the conversation I had with Art and Jeremy about reclaiming the South. I think about the night I met three people at the Wilco show and ended up at Tootsies dancing to this song with them late in the evening. It's the South.

"I made it down the coast in seventeen hours
Pickin' me a bouquet of dogwood flowers
And I'm a hopin' for Raleigh
I can see my baby tonight"

20. Tragic Music- A Radio With Guts
I have Egie to thank for introducing me to A Radio With Guts over this summer via our many, many nights together on turntable.com. If I'm correct, I learned of this band because they do a fantastic cover of Jawbreaker's Kiss the Bottle, which we-- me, Egie, and Jorell-- listened to countless times this past summer. And like any good broody music junkie, this song rocks it.

"Beat.
Beat Heart
Beat Heart Sweet
Beat Heart Sweet Stereo
I'm going to fall apart
Beat
Beat Heart
Beat Heart Sweet
Beat Heart Sweet Stereo
I'm going to break your heart"

21. One May Die So Lonely- Jaymay
Yes, one more Jaymay song for you. Yes, I told you, I've been pretty obsessed.

"Remind me again, just what you were saying 
When you walked in the room and the music was playing
When I was lost too, but in my own thoughts
And I could not find you
Tell me your story, I'm listening this time
I can get us some glasses and a bottle of wine...
Your lost and let's face it, I think we both lost it a little bit..
And this song ends here, because you are really really weird
And we haven't said a word in over a year
It just gives me hope, like music is a rope to hold you right here..."


So, there you have it. The 2011 holiday mix. I hope you enjoy it. Here is the link where you can download it below.

The Mediafire link and you can also stream it on Spotify, as I've published it on my account.