There is nothing like a really good tag.

How lovely.

These two lovely ladies have tagged me! I thought that maybe being tagged meant I had to run up to the nearest person and slap them on the shoulder before running away as fast as my little scabby knees could carry me while they then look around for the next person to tag while everyone else runs away screaming with snot runnng down their faces, until someone blows a whistle and we all have to go inside and learn our times tables until home time.
But apparently it is something much more sophisticated than that and it means I have to talk about myself even more. And you ALL know how much I HATE doing that (read: I am a narcissistic bitch).

So.. I think the deal is that I answer the following questions then pass on the questions to someone else in the wonderful blogging parallel universe we have created, who then passes them on again and we end up with a wonderful chain of friends-who-could-be-really-ugly-but-we'll-never-know-because-we'll-never-meet.

Right then. Here I go with the questions.

1) Total volume of music files on my computer.
I have just ordered a NEW I-mac with lots of exciting software and Midi things and a microphone and fancy machinery-finery. I am going to use it to write music on. It isn't here yet and so I have NO music yet. I steal other people's because I am a stealing thieflet and have low morals.

2) The last CD I bought was:
Hmm (ruminations and chin-stroking)... Maybe Keane? Yes I think it was. But I was given two jazz CDs, one from a friend who went to New York and the other from my parents who went to New Orleans, so they're my newest.

3) Song playing right now:
Not sure what's it's called because I'm semi-listening to the radio, but it sounds quite melancholy and angsty. Could be any number of things.

4) Five songs I listen to a lot and that mean a lot to me:

1) Summertime (the jazz standard) . I know, I know, it's a cliché. But I love Love LOVE singing this song. I must've sung this a million squillion times in my life, and you can do it straight, swung, ballad-y, latin-y.. anyhow, anywhere, anytime. Just the way I like it (sorry, couldn't help that one).

2) My Funny Valentine (also jazz standard). Beautiful song. There isn't a specific time, place or person that I associate with this one. I just know I'm happy when I sing it.

3) Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley. Such a haunting song - it makes me cry. It also shuts me up which is a very useful thing to know how to do.

4) America - Simon and Garfunkel. When I was travelling round South-East Asia and Australia with my BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD (real name Jenny), there was a time for ages when we had no access to music. I mean, we heard music in various forms of course. But there was no way for us to choose what music we listened to, we just had to deal with whatever anyone else wanted. At one point we had a long conversation about our favourite songs, and we both loved this song very very much. Sometimes when we were in strange places and on our own, we would sit and sing America very quietly to ourselves/each other and it would, quite simply, make us feel happy.
We got to Brisbane, where I got a job working in a bar, and so I had a dorm with some people who had been living there for a while so they had acquired a stereo. Jenny and I went to the nearest music shop and bought a copy of a Simon and Garfunkel album with America on it. When everyone had gone out, we sat on my bed and leant out of the window, and put the CD on the stereo. We put it straight onto America. Then we listened to the song over and over, and for some reason both of us were crying. Now, when I listen to that song it reminds me of Jenny, of travelling, of feeling a long way from home but that being alright because you have someone next to you that you will always love, and who makes you feel like you could do anything.

5) Well.. not sure. There are a few contenders. Layla by Eric Clapton. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack. Anything and everything recorded by Aretha or Ella. Ditto Queen. I can't choose. Don't make me!

6) Which people am I going to pass this baton on to?
Bug because she's cool and I think it's cool that this goes from the US, to the UK to Australia!
Monkey Typist because she's a fellow Londoner..

Oh can I just pass it to everyone? In the world? Isn't that one of the joys of the Internet? To invade everyone's privacy and have to power to bombard anyone and everyone with interesting information (read: useless crap)?

Thank you, Career Woman and Housewife for tagging me, it is lovely that you want to know what I think, I feel honoured and special. Not, like special-school special, just special.

As I said, how lovely.