What do you listen to?

My great friend Bill Denham is successful and passionate about everything he does. Fatherhood, sales, politics, bbq - all get his undivided passion. He finds himself doing a bit of coaching to those who perhaps don't share his equal passions - and I hear him say to people, when they are down, what are you reading?

For voracious readers, that's a great question. For those who don't or don't like to read, it could sound like an unintentional turn-off. But if you know Bill, you'd know that he listens to what he reads - audio books, for free, every day. Some listen to talk radio, music and to audio books.

Things are out of sync. Mornings are a rough start. Days crawl.

What do you read? What do you listen to? What are you putting in front of your eyes and to your ears?

Is it uplifting?

I read a ton, maybe even a book a week or so. I read books like I eat Grandma Sharp's rhubarb pie and chocolate donuts. I listen to talk radio, most particularly and almost exclusively Dennis Prager and Hugh Hewitt. I listen to those people because they are uplifting to me, fair in their delivery and as Dennis says, "[prefer] clarity over agreement." I listen, learn and grow. Sometimes I listen to the quiet solitude - for ideas, impressions and actions to take.

I also listen to specific songs. I've burned CD's (true enough I do not own an iPod) and put the songs in specific order according to the message and meaning that I personally derive from their melodies, the person who wrote and/or performs the songs or a memory I have attached to that song.

Here is a list of songs that I recommend;

Nessun Dorma - Luciano Pavorotti sings a version with the Vienna Choir that is earth moving. Look up the story of the song. It was recently made famous Paul Potts, the unsuspecting winner of the Britain's Got Talent contest - also a story worth knowing.

Dream Big - Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband. Enough said.

New Sensation - INXS with the late Michael Hutchins at lead. The song is upbeat. But the memory of my younger brother James dancing to that song at his first concert with me makes it one of my all time favorites.

Dream - Notice a theme here? Cranberries performed this song at Cricket Pavillion in 1994. What's so special other than the meaning? The 10 year old girl with Spina Biffida from Scotland who took the stage and sang this song as a part of her Make a Wish participation right before life-threatening surgery. She owned us, all 22,000 of us, for 4 minutes.

Come come Ye Saints - An LDS Hymn performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I am LDS, and graduated from BYU and during the worst, coldest, hungriest of my BYU daze, that tune would peal across the campus courtesy of the Bell Tower. You won't find anything like it anywhere.

3 is The Magic Number - My generation knows this song from Schoolhouse Rock, but my version comes from De La Soul. They mix Johnny Cash and Curtis Blow in this little diddy. Brings a smile to my face and puts me into a break dancing mode every time.

Perfect Situation - Weezer, one of the all time best live bands I have seen. Jason had this as his ringer, never got tired of hearing his phone ring. The title and the words lie in conflict, but I end up wanting for things to work out so bad for this guy, looking for the...perfect situation. I for one listen and know that it does work out - even for guys like me. Love you Jamie.

Cool Like That - Digable Planets put the most poetic lines to jazz/hip-hop fusion in a laid back, beverage sipping, chess playing, wanna be intellectual environment. Who can resist the line "We be to rap what key be to lock."?

Song #2 - Blur. Turn it up. Ride, play, scream, pedal, swing with everything you have ever or will ever have.

There's tons more. 552 to be exact. In my house and at work, we love good music and I am always looking for more. One and one rule only - it has to uplift my soul and take me to good times and better places.

I would love to hear your favorites.

Life is Brilliant!

-Jarret

PS - Hat tip to Abby and Debi for their inspiration.