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I have a love/hate relationship with profiles. I thoroughly enjoy reading other people’s profiles, I really, really do. There are moments of recognition (oh, I love R.E.M. too!), moments of surprise (he loved Gigli? Really?), and enlightening moments (who is this singer/songwriter my friend adores) that leave me open to exploring unfamiliar works… or perhaps re-evaluating friendships.

But the naming and listing of my favorite music, books, road signs, whatever seems to rather consistently leave me feeling… well, frustrated. No matter how thoughtful I am in coming up with a list, a few days later I remember someone or something I left off, which calls into question – what constitutes a favorite? If a favorite today can be forgotten tomorrow, is it really a favorite? There are a lot of artists and works of art that I regard as influences, but are they favorites? How does one go about editing a favorites list and feel satisfied?

In the two weeks since I first tackled my blog profile I’ve thought, how did I forget…

…my dog, Cleo?
…Shawshank Redemption?
…Jeff Buckley?
…Charlie Parker?
…Dido?
…Thoroughly Modern Millie?
…Monty Python & the Holy Grail?
…Halloween?
…Student Bodies?
…Shakira?
…Dixie Chicks?
…Louis Armstrong?
…Mamas & the Papas?
…Etta James?
…Leonard Cohen?

There may be others still that I’m forgetting now. If I remember ‘em after I post this then I resolve to curse myself for two seconds and move on.

But before I post… I thought I would look to my ipod for some answers. After all, it keeps track of how often I listen to what so shouldn’t it inform me of something? Instead I found a big ol’ heap of surprise. I mean, I don’t even know who Whitney Duncan is, other than a free itunes download. Never would I have come up with this list as my top 25, most frequently listened to tunes. Really. I had no idea…

The Last Thing On Your Mind – LightsThe Middle – Jimmy Eat WorldWhen I Said I Would – Whitney DuncanAll The Small Things – blink-182Can’t Smile Without You – Barry Manilow4 Minutes – Madonna featuring Justin TimberlakeAnyone Else But You – Michael Cera & Ellen PageEveryone’s A Little Bit Racist – cast of Avenue QI Can Do Better – Avril LavigneHooked On A Feeling – Blue SuedeYeah! – Usher featureing Lil’ Jon & LudacrisNightswimming – R.E.M.Let’s Stay Together – Al GreenLa Vie En Rose – Edith PiafRunaway – Avril LavigneThe Best Damn Thing – Avril LavigneEverybody Knows – Dixie ChicksPoprocks & Coke – Green DayEmbraceable You – Jane MonheitFalling Slowly – Glen Hansard & Marketa IrgloraGive A Little Bit – SupertrampI Had A Dream – ABBAOffer – Alanis MorissetteSame Mistake – James BluntCalabria 2007 – Enur featuring Natasja