Tag Archives: Jane Pauley

WEEK 01 – 27 JUNE TO 3 JULY 2014

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These are the songs I picked on my first week, between 27 June and 3 July 2014.

01 FRIDAY 27 JUNE 2014

The Spirit of Adventure – Craig Copeland

I was introduced to this song when I saw the movie “Up” in 2009, and I instantly liked it. Actually, the entire soundtrack of this movie is a masterpiece. Effortless, yet multi-layered, this Academy Award-winning score by Michael Giacchino no doubt will be regarded in the future as one of the greatest scores of this early century.

When I chose this song, I hadn’t created any of the playlists yet. I picked it that day at the gym after I read the “Packing for a Long Trip” chapter on Jane Pauley’s book. I decided to include it perhaps with the idea of what the year ahead had in store for me or how special I would make the next 12 months. There may not be any big adventures, but no doubt that the catchy and inviting syncopation of the melody made me believe at that moment of a great year full of possibilities.

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LET’S START PACKING ON 6 JANUARY 2015

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HOW TO PACK 365 SONGS IN A SUITCASE

On 27 June 2015 I’ll be turning 50, so, I’m making a list of songs to bring with me into the future. These are songs that I have collected in my first 50 years of life, songs that in the future will make me feel alive, and give me a purpose to still dream and let my imagination fly.

LET’S START PACKING ON 6 JANUARY 2015

27 June 2014 was the first day of the last year in my forties. It is not as if it worries me to get old, but turning 50 is a milestone nonetheless. So, a few months ago, in preparation for my fiftieth year on earth, I started to take care of certain things, such as having a physical, organising my finances, etc. Things I did not want to deal with or worry around my 50th.

However, I was in search of something unique to do before I turn 50, something it could keep me occupied for a year, a build-up to my birthday.

Right around the time I turned 49 I was reading a book by Jane Pauley called Your Life Calling: Reimagining the Rest of Your Life. On chapter eleven, Packing for a Long Trip, Jane Pauley talks about the things that figuratively we want to pack and bring with us into the future. Things that will help us shape our future. The things that will make us look forward to being 70, 80 or even 90. Jane Pauley quotes columnist Cary Tennis from Salon.com, who, among many things, talks about having in your suitcase a song that gives you goosebumps.

I happened to read that chapter while on an elliptical machine at the gym, on the morning of my 49th birthday and thought it would be a cool little project. I was going to collect my favourite songs and make the ultimate playlist for the future.

I took the over 7500 songs in my iTunes library and organized them alphabetically by album into four playlists. The plan was to listen to the playlists during the day. Then, every night I would choose the song that for whatever reason touched me the most during the day. If there were other songs I liked, I would put them on a new playlist to be revisited after listening to the original playlists.

Now, after six months of collecting songs and writing about them, I’ve decided to share the list.

By 26 June 2015, on the eve of my 50th birthday I will have finished packing 365 songs in a suitcase that I will bring with me into the future.