I LOVE ME A GOOD . . .

... meme. They abound. I don't even remember where I got this one, so apologies if you are my "unconscious" source. (Oh yeah, Kaavya Viswanathan, I just gave you a shout-out.)

The iPod Meme: Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question.

How does the world see you?
"Seconds" (U2: War)

[This is so ironic, given the conversation a friend and I were having today about the dream my mother had while she was pregnant with me. We were talking about why it is so important to me to amass knowledge, to be intelligent, to be viewed and perceived as intelligent, and to be able to present myself intelligently in all the situations in which I might find myself. And basically, the conclusion I came to is that I am always struggling to be something other than second-place, and the conclusion my friend came to is that I'm number one in many people's books, and so should be number one in my own. Easier said than done.]

Will I have a happy life?
"Jesus, Lover of My Soul" (Stuart Townsend: Worship Together)

[This is all I aspire to, really. "Happy" is nonsensical to me. Satisfied in and by Christ seems ideal ...]

What do my friends really think of me?
"Uptight" (Stevie Wonder: The Good-Feeling Music of the Big Chill Generation)

[Alright, alright! I know, already!]

What do people secretly think of me?
"The Answer" (Shane & Shane: Upstairs)

[I am gratified that this song came up. I love this song. I want to learn how to play it on the guitar -- a very near-impossibility. It would be bizarre if I was the answer to anything, but hopefully, by the way I live my life, and by virtue of Who I love and by Whom I am loved, I can lead people to The Answer.]

How can I be happy?
"Very Slowly" (Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring)

[Sigh, I'm trying to be patient. But I'm not entirely UNhappy, you know.]

Will I ever have children?
"Let My Love Open the Door" (Pete Townshend: Grosse Pointe Blank)

["Open the door?" That just sounds like I'm going to end up giving birth to a baseball team. But where there is true love, you will never find me complaining.]

What is some good advice for me?
"Rock 'n Roll is Here to Stay" (Sha-Na-Na: Grease Soundtrack)

[Hmmm. I know this already, and I love it. Also timely, given that I was just having a discussion with a friend yesterday about good ol' rock 'n roll, and how much we love it when it's done well.]

How will I be remembered?
"Romance" (R.E.M.: Eponymous)

[Hee-hee. Good.]

What is my signature dancing song?
"Queen of Clubs" (K.C. & the Sunshine Band: 25th Anniversary Collection)

[Is this because I've been back into the rave and trance music lately?]

What do I think my current theme song is?
"Praise Awaits You" (Matt Redman: Facedown)

[Doesn't it just ... I feel, sometimes, that I struggle to praise God throughout the day, every day. Some days are easier than others. But as a friend and I were just talking about today: God is everywhere, in all things, at all times, and with always the greatest love. Praise does await Him, and bad on me to delay giving it.]

What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
"Don't Like Goodbyes" (Frank Sinatra: The Capitol Years)

[No kidding. Everyone's leaving. Okay, not everyone but it sure does feel like it, and so far, there are no guarantees that anyone is coming back. WAH.]

What song will play at my funeral?
"I Am A Rock" (Simon & Garfunkel: Greatest Hits)

[What a morbid question ... but I confess I like the answer. I would have preferred something a bit more upbeat and raucous, perhaps even of a sort to cause jubilant dancing and laughter. But really, it would satisfy my soul to know that I've been a rock to even just one person in my lifetime.]

What is my day going to be like?
"I've Got You Under My Skin" (Frank Sinatra: The Capitol Years)

[Ain't that the truth, but in a really, really excellent way. I couldn't have asked for a better day, a better week, for so many and so few reasons. My only wish: that I had some magical machine on which I could press the repeat button over and over again, as many times as I like.]