Not that I am anticipating needing this list any time soon

The California Report did a piece a couple of weeks ago by a man who had picked songs to be played at his aunt's funeral and was considering what he would want played at his own. When they asked listeners to send in their own three picks for their funerals, I knew exactly which three:

• "Amazing Grace" as performed by Ani diFranco
  
• "Oh Had I a Golden Thread" as performed by Dar Williams
  
• "How Can I Keep From Singing" as performed by Eva Cassidy
  

A few weeks later, on Halloween, they aired some listeners' responses. I loved hearing some people's ideas, and even though I would stick with my three songs, it made me start to wonder what other ones I might add. Maybe "The 59th Street Bridge Song," just because it is one of my favorite songs? "American Tune" or "Born At The Right Time" (for pretty much the same reason...and maybe also because I just feel the need to throw in some Paul Simon)? Perhaps "36-24-36" should be included because, hey, that would be kind of funny. Would "Pack Up Your Sorrows" be appropriate? Or Eric Whitacre's choral arrangement of one of my favorite e.e. cummings poems.

I'm not sure why this topic is fun for me. Maybe it's simply that music is so important to me, and it's interesting to consider what songs I feel represent who I am, at this point in my life anyhow.

Anyone else want to volunteer their lists?

Boris

Sunday night, Brian and I happened to catch the second half of To The Best of Our Knowledge on KQED. The hour we listened to was a series of stories about where food comes from. They were all interesting, but the best by far was the first, the tale of a boar named Boris at a farm-based restaurant in New York. Boris was getting old and it was time for him to turn into food, but there were some problems that needed to be solved first. Brian and I were cracking up for pretty much the whole time. Definitely worth a listen.

Ah, the trials and tribulations of a white, upper-middle class liberal

On Tuesday I turned on KQED for All Things Considered, and after listening to the pledge drive spiel a couple of times, I went online and made my pledge. Then I kept listening to the program and kept having the news interrupted by the pledge drive spiel. When Brian came home, I complained, as I always do, that it doesn't seem fair that after I've handed over my credit card number I have to keep listening to them asking me for money. But you know what makes it worse? When they add cooler gifts further on in the pledge drive. Next time I am totally waiting to pledge until I hear them name off a gift that I want.