I started my second semester of grad school a few weeks ago. The experience, of entering another semester, enrolling in a graduate seminar and suddenly having 500 pages to read in five days, in addition to writing a short paper and a reading response (plus a full-time job), has left me in a cloud of ambivalence. I’ve been wondering if the sacrifices I’m making are worth it. I’ve been wondering about the real benefits of a Master’s degree. I’m only taking one class in order to preserve any sense of sanity. I drive two hours, once a week, to sit through two and a half hours of a discussion on Social Movements in Latin America. I spend a lot of time in the car. But I’m beginning to enjoy it.
So I thought I’d try something new and share some of my commute tunes. Perhaps someone will enjoy them. I’m not offering these for download, but you can hang out on the site and listen for awhile. If you’re in a reader, click out now to avoid a) enormous images of the album cover posted above each track and b) listening to the songs out of order.
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1. Old Nude – Out Hud
2. Beautiful Day – Mellowdrone
3. Three Seed – Silversun Pickups
4. BBTone – Pinback
5. What Else Is There? – Röyksopp
6. Graves and the Infinite Arm – Electric President
7. he lied about death – Stars
8. Cause = Time – Broken Social Scene
9. Stay Where You Are – Delays
10. All the Arms Around You – Halloween, Alaska
11. Dry and Dusty – Fever Ray
12. Meantime – The Futureheads
13. He War – Cat Power
14. Jóga – Björk
If you’re one of the artists and you’d prefer I not include your song, feel free to contact me at thealmostrightword(at)gmail(dot)com and I’ll remove it. This mix was inspired by Kyla Roma’s Even Cowgirls Get The Blues and Birdykins’ What To Play When It Ends; brought to you with the help of a Yahoo Media Player. The original cover image is Front Range commute.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh so lovely! I can’t wait to spruce up my commute. Immediately. I hope that school is going famously, I am infinitely jealous of your impending Master’s. congrats, lady
You can yell at me for saying this, but I wish you didn’t post this. No, not because I don’t know any of your music, ha. But because I’m considering grad school next fall for my masters and now I’m feeling frightened. =(
Yay for Halloween Alaska! Yet another great Minnesota band!
With almost year and a half to go in a three year program I hear ya. I did do two available classes this summer because I began in Mid Term. I wish in some ways I’d taken the summer off. My seminar is this fall as well, in Foreign Policy Formulation.
I commute 45 minutes, and work locally, so I definitely can appreciate the music. I will pop in and out to catch up on it over the next few days.
I just started my first semester of grad school and it has totally taken over my life. I’m living in the dorms again too so that’s a whole ‘nother adjustment that I’m slowly getting used to. I love the mix, thanks for posting it!
Beautiful! I hadn’t heard any of these songs before. I might actually have to download some of them, now!
I’m hoping to make the whole mix available for download this week. Stay tuned!!
Excellent music. I really like that photograph as well.
This is a kickass mix – I’ve seen most of those artists live so it totally brings me back and hits home.
Nico!!! I’m jealous! I’ve seen a few of them live, but not many. Glad you like it. I’m hoping to make it available for download soon. I’ll keep you posted.
I’m sorry– you’re taking classes TO preserve your sanity?
Did you mean “perverse” your sanity?
As someone with an M.Ed., I can honestly tell you that I should have just been a cop.
I’m taking one class to preserve my sanity—meaning that, if I were taking any more than one, I’d lose it!! ;)
wow. what an awesome & eclectic music collection!
i’m glad i stopped by your page.
=)