Brown Paper Packages Tied Up with Strings

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