Music

I love music. I listen to it at work (thanks Pandora) I listen to it at home (CDs mostly) I listen to it in the car (thanks to the radio, CDs and XM radio) and I listen to it on the go (thanks Ipod nano.) It keeps me company, it inspires me, it entertains me and I helps me relax. So often it makes me feel good and have good thoughts. It often takes me back to a certain time and place. Music moves me, it soothes me and it often gets me going when I need to accomplish something. I love most kinds of music. I guess I have fairly eclectic taste in music because I like a big variety of music. I like religious music for some settings, loud pounding music for others settings and nice background music for other times. I love rock and roll - always have, always will. We have a ton of music from the 70s and 80s and we love to listen to some good Boston, Styx, Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Journey and Boz Skaggs, just to name a few. As a college students I went to at least a dozen rock concerts at the old Salt Palace. The environment wasn't the best, but the music was generally superb. We still own our original vinyl LPs and we listen to them on occasion on our little record player, scratches and all. Love me some Doors, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young & Earth, Wind and Fire, Marvin Gay and Diana Ross with some Karen Carpenter for starters.
I've been listening to some good groups on Pandora and have been introduced to some other groups that I've come to appreciate. I really like Chris Daughtry and Creed and from their music I've really come to enjoy Nickelback, Lifehouse, the Fray, Incubus, Matchbox Twenty, Coldplay, Vertical Horizon and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
I love Broadway music. I know a ton of it. I could probably win a "name that tune" with songs played from Broadway musicals. I adore too many to even name here.
I enjoy some country music. I haven't been a big fan over the years, but I do have an appreciation for some of the cross over stuff. I hate the sound of the steel guitar and the old country sound. Hate it. It reminds me of the time when it was the only music found on Rupert Idaho radio stations. I do enjoy some Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood & Colbie Cailat for example (realizing that some country purists wouldn't even consider their music true country.)
I know more Rap and Hip Hop music that I care to admit. I even like some of it thanks to Andy.
I really enjoy new age music ~ David Lanz, Jim Brickman, Enya, Jon Schmidt, and some Yanni.
I really appreciate female artists like Linda Eder, Alicia Keyes, Nora Jones and of course Celine.
I'm a big fan of male artists like Josh Groban (of course), Andrea Bocelli and our native Utahan David Archuleta. I like me some Jack Johnson too.
I love classical music. I've gained a new appreciation for it and often listen to it at work. I'm getting better at identifying the pieces and the composers. We bought an impressive collection of CDs recently of about 40 different composers and the best of the best symphonies. This is an area that I want to strengthen and continue to learn more about.

I'm impressed with little Jonathan directing Beethoven's 5th symphony with his little baton. He must have listened to this symphony many, many times to know how to direct it (itchy nose and all!) I can see his brain cells growing right before our eyes!