So Far, So Splendid....

Having spent the best part of a week moving furniture from one end of the country to the other and packing up the contents of our creative and imaginative lives, Warlock and I have finally moved in to the new house.

In true Music lover style, the CD's are already arranged A-Z and the stereo has pride of place. Our sitting room is looking mighty fine if I do say so myself. Anyone walking in to discover 'who would live in a house like this?' would have no trouble identifying two music fanatics! As well as the CD collection and stereo, we have enough Music inspired Art work to open a gallery and charge people to look around.

So imagine my horror when I returned last night to find that someone had tampered with some of my CD's, Bob Dylan had become mixed up with Beth Rowley! How had this happened.

The cricket lads were round and previously, they have thought I'm a pretty laid back kind of girl. The Jekyll and Hyde moment was about to convince them otherwise...

"Who has been messing with my CD's?" I announced in a voice that Daddy Bear could only have dreamt of.

Three guilty faces looked back at me, three slightly worse for wear men were reduced to little boy status, three grown men were united in pointing the finger of guilt at the member of the party who had already left! We'll be having words next time he pops round.....

Sensing the level of stress, my lovely other half quickly handed me a glass of red and the evening was saved from utter ruin - but only just!!!

Desert Island Discs, Books and Shoes

There are three things guaranteed to part me from my money quicker than a new tax initiative from the government: music, books and shoes!

Let's deal with the shoes first. I love them! At the last count, I had 100 pairs in different styles, colours, heights of heel etc. If that wasn't bad enough, they are all stored in special see through boxes on their own little shelves in colour groups. Yeah, I take sad to a whole new level. Why are women so obsessed with shoes? That's a discussion that could have a whole week of blogs devoted to it but in essence, shoes fit you no matter how many chocolate bars you consume. You may be having a 'fat' day, but those gorgeous 5 inch heels are still going to fit like a glove. And that is essentially, why so many women love them.

However, if I was stranded on a desert island and only allowed two luxuries the books and CD's would win! So let's move onto them...

Books are an integral part of my day and life. Currently, I have three books in various stages of being read. When I go out anywhere, there is always a good book and my writing journal tucked inside my bag. Many long and tedious hours in airports, ferry terminals and waiting rooms have been spent with a book. In fact I become so absorbed that I have to be careful not to miss my flight, boat or appointment.

I have a storage system for them too - they are grouped by genre, author and if possible in height order. I'm seriously wondering if I have a touch of OCD! There are books I read only once and then car boot, there are books I read a couple of times before exchanging with like minded friends and there are books that I will re-read and re-read until they need replacing.

The Twilight Saga falls firmly in the last category. If someone had told me two years ago that I would be enthralled by a tale of teenage romance involving Vampires and Werewolves I would have laughed - loudly and with scorn! Oh how the mighty fall. If for some bizarre reason, you have missed out on the world of Forks I urge you to delve in. They are written beautifully and are the most sensual and emotive books I've ever read. Stephanie Meyer has created a world we all want to live in and one that is described so well, that when you put the book down and return to this world, it seems somehow wrong. So that's my choice of books for the Desert Island sorted. If only I could arrange to be marooned on Ilse Esme my life would be complete!

And so to the music. I've written about music on numerous occasions on here so there's no need to tell you how important it is to me. My CD collection, you know, the one that is ordered alphabetically, grows on a weekly basis. Just yesterday found me in Quicksilver Music in Southport adding to the collection. Quicksilver Music is a little gem. It is a tiny shop around the back of the market that many people probably don't know is there. But let me urge you to seek it out. The man who owns it knows his stuff! He is devoted to finding great music and bringing it to the masses (well the discerning few who know where to find him). For a mere £14 I came away with David Bowie's Space Oddity (an album I have been meaning to acquire for so long it's embarrassing), Feist's The Reminder and Gomez's Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline.

Gomez are home grown talent. They went to the same Sixth Form College as me. I have been into their music from the beginning and have seen them live on several occasions. And yet it has taken me until yesterday to notice that one of the singers/guitarists Ben Ottewelle reminds me of John Martyn (vocally rather than lyrically). And that's the beauty of music, you discover something new every day!

As for my choice of Disc for Ilse Esme. That's a tough call, but if I'm allowed two and because I'm writing I say I am, it would have to be Air by Moon Safari and The White Album by the Beatles. I think!

So if you find a message in a bottle asking for help just send me some more books and another couple of CD's and I'll be good to go for another few months! And while you're at it, if there's space, some flip flops would be much appreciated too....

Seriously, what is the point?

The 'Secret Track' at the end of a CD is a mystery to me. I don't see the point. I don't understand why so many artists felt the need to include them. Like most fads it seems to have died a death and that can only be a good thing in my book.

I have to be honest here, I don't think I've ever truly listened to a 'Secret Track' and maybe I've missed out on some real gems. But then again, if a song or piece of music is worthy enough to be on an album, let it be on the album, along with all the other tracks deemed good enough. Don't hide it away at the end following a 10 minute silence. A ten minute silence without music is just not going to happen in my world. There are far too many great songs to fill the gap!

After a mere minutes silence I presume my CD changer has failed to do its job and change the CD anyway. If this means I've missed some truly great musical moments then I await enlightenment. Please feel free....

Am I the only music nut who feels this way or am I in a solitary club of 'Secret Track' Haters? Answers in the comment box please!