sunshine on a grey day

days like today when we are slow at work, and my boyfriend also has a slow day at work can be rough. with the economy the way it is, its easy to get down. while in rehab, i came up with my personal tool to deal with my depression and the lows of sobriety. i came up with what i called my happy songs. these are songs that i can't help but smiling and generally singing along with when i hear. back then, i made a cd(stone ages i know) with the three songs that filled this special place for me especially when i can't manage to get my hand on a slurpee. people have laughed at me when they see my cd titled happy songs, but it really works for me. my original happy songs were:

• tiny dancer by elton john
• sweet home alabama by lynard skynard
• patience by guns n roses

some odd choices to some but all of them have nothing but good memories for me. did i mention i am a bit (and by a bit i mean a lot) nostalgic? tiny dancer makes me think of the scene from almost famous where everyone on the bus is singing the song. let's just say some friends and i recreated this scene and ever since it has had and extra special place in my heart. can't even begin to think how many times a band played sweet home alabama, and everyone danced along. and patience, it makes me think of my friend's now defunct band reign playing this song sitting in the parking lot behind a bar back in the day.

in a pinch without the cd, i can usually count on classic 80s tunes like vacation by the go-gos or what i consider beach music like most anything by the beach boys, jimmy buffett, or kenny chesney or about anything by the monkees. tonight, i decided i needed to update my happy music. it really has helped me through some tough times, but i think i sometimes need more than just three songs. so, here are a few i am thinking of in making my playlist:

• rebel yell by billy idol
• don't worry be happy by bobby mcfarin(cheesy i know)
• you get what you give by the new radicals
• girls just want to have fun by cyndi lauper
• when the sun goes down by kenny chesney
• cheeseburger in paradise by jimmy buffett
• theme from the monkees
• banditos by the refreshments

now if only i had the gift of being able to mix songs perfectly to make a perfect mix tape/cd/playlist like my dear friend shell does. i am so sorry that mix cd she made for me in college died.