It must be something about this time of year. Spring training, the regular-season-ending Carolina-Dook game. It makes me think about that first year in Houston, the one I thought would never be equaled. 2001. (I was right, although I suppose I would extend it from a year out to about 18 months before it started to go wrong.) That brings us back (always) to WM. He used to say that the best year of my life was the worst year of his. Not because of me. Or maybe it was because of me. Anyway.
Sometime around 2003, when things had changed entirely, I made a mix CD. I used to do this when I was depressed, make cheesy mix CDs. I probably still would, if only I had the time to be depressed properly. I had a dream about WM the other night so I pulled out the CD and listened to it on my way to work this morning. It literally made my heart ache. Well, maybe not literally. It was probably psychosomatic. But there was an ache in the vicinity of my heart.
Track List
1. Born to Fly (Sara Evans)
February 2001 -- I walked onto the field at Enron Field and it was like all was right with the world. And that just reminded me that the Ruggles Cafe had the best tomato basil soup.
2. That's as Close as I'll Get to Loving You (Aaron Tippin)
April 2001 -- I think this one is self-explanatory. It's what I thought at the time. And, ultimately, it's not far off.
3. I'm a Survivor (Reba McEntire)
May 2001 -- WM thought his wife looked like Reba.
4. One More Day (Diamond Rio)
July/August 2001 -- singing in the intern cube at work
5. Angry All the Time (Tim McGraw & Faith Hill)
This one, hmm. It's possibly the greatest song of all time. I should probably have put "The Cowboy in Me" here because that's the one that was playing in the car that night at Kay's before we went to Timberwolf, but "Angry All the Time" is just so ... right.
6. I Wanna Talk About Me (Toby Keith)
Dec 2001/Jan 2002 -- Timberwolf.
7. How You Remind Me (Nickelback)
8. I Don't Want You to Go (Carolyn Dawn Johnson)
The futon.
9. Maybe it was Memphis (Pam Tillis)
"Maybe it was you, maybe it was me, but it sure felt right." And this one gets a special bonus for me eventually moving to Memphis, etc.
10. My Sacrifice (Creed)
Actually that happened later. HAHA. I crack myself up. Decisions were made.
11. Wasting My Time (Default)
A WM favorite during this time period. In retrospect I appreciate it for the line: "when did our light turn from green to red."
12. Superman (Five for Fighting)
13. I'm Movin' On (Rascal Flatts)
Jan 2002 -- That's what he said.
14. Wherever You Will Go (The Calling)
15. Meet in the Middle (Diamond Rio)
Serendipitous. Is that a word?
16. Not a Day Goes By (Lonestar)
June 2002 -- This one came on the radio in the driveway in Pearland (...before), and I so fervently wished it had been "I'm Movin' On" instead because WM turned it up and sang along.
17. When You Lie Next to Me (Kellie Coffey)
June 2002 -- Another self-explanatory one.
18. It Matters to Me (Faith Hill)
19. The Good Stuff (Kenny Chesney)
20. The One (Gary Allan)
So, um .... yeah.
