Days 26-28: Nearing the end

While I was certain that this year would be my year to beat Scott in our Oscar battle, I lost by one. Scott assures me that to come that close after all of his years of Oscar watching is a success, much like it's "an honor just to be nominated." I should've stuck with Randy Newman. I mean, the man has made two appearances in my 30 song challenge, yet I went against him.

Anyway, let's move along to the weekend's songs, shall we?

#26: A song you can play on an instrument

Back in the day, I played flute in middle school and junior high band. I was so small when I began that I had to have a special kind of flute for my little arms. It looked like this.

Anyway, it's been a long time since I picked up the ol' flute (mainly because mom sold it because it'd been a long time since I'd picked up the ol' flute), but in my prime I could play many a pep band favorite and a few movie scores — not to mention my scales and arpeggios. This was my favorite though. 

Theme from "Jurassic Park"

(Not to brag, but I can also play "Hot Cross Buns" on the recorder. So there's that, too.)

#27: A song that you wish you could play

This is difficult because I often find myself extremely envious of the musical skills of others. Not in a covetous, "I'll cut you" sort of way, just a "Can I get a sprinkling of that?" sort of thing. I blame Mumford & Sons for my recent desire to play the banjo and Ben Folds for my longing to play the piano half as well as he.

"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons

"Still Fighting It" by Ben Folds

#28: A song that makes you feel guilty

For this song, maybe "guilty" is the wrong word, but Dave Matthews Band's "Funny the Way It Is" definitely makes me feel more aware. I know I have a blessed life — an easy life by most accounts — and it's easy to lose perspective on how difficult others may have it and what we take for granted. I look in a well-stocked refrigerator and gripe that there's nothing to eat. I complain about getting up early and driving a few minutes to work when others get up much earlier to travel much farther to do much more demanding work than I do.