On-the-Go Playlist

There are almost 3,000 songs in my iTunes library. As you can imagine, I have several playlists to prevent myself from scrolling though to the song I may be seeking at anytime. Shape Up has artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Jennifer Lopez and Kanye West's Work Out Plan. Riverside has Roger Troutman, Old Ice Cube from my freshman year in college and PHS 1987 reflects my New Wave/Ska moment. NiteNite is full of Love songs, Grown Up is that mellowed out Neo-Soulish R&B thing and PraiseNWorship is self explanatory. Each of my playlists is like a special child to me. I don't love one more than the other, but I put my whole heart into the song selections. When a song pops from the catalogue in my head, I put it in my blackberry or my iTunes library and categorize it.

Last week I had an interesting encounter driving through the Allegheny Mountains in a thunderstorm. My co-pilot/travel companion and I took turns creating the an on-the-go playlist for the iPod. We were looking for songs that sent a message to one another about how we were feeling. He would pick a sappy sentimental song, I'd choose funny and witty songs "Don't Wait For Me." by Morris Day and the Time. He'd play "Ordinary People" by John Legend and I'd pick "A Real Mother" by Johnny Guitar Watson. The game got good to us and we made it to our destination all smiles, oblivious to the 18 wheelers, rain, fog, thunder and lightening.

The music game is one of my favorites and music is often a conversation starter at a party. My favorite question to a room full of people is if you only had 5 albums you could have for the rest of your life (greatest hits and compilations excluded) what would they be? How does your dream playlist look? Is it long? Is it sappy? Is it upbeat? Most importantly, will it keep you company on those rainy nights, that long run or the toughest level on the elliptical machine at the gym because the journey of life goes a lot smoother with a good travel companion and music is mine.