I need a title

If you watch the special features on the DVD for Almost Famous, writer/director/man holding a boombox in the rain Cameron Crowe mentions that each month during his days as a Rolling Stone writer he would make a mixed tape of the music he was listening to. He said that the tapes are as good as a diary—even now, decades later, the music can return him to the thoughts and events associated with the music.

I know what Crowe means. Whenever I hear that cover of “The Art of Dying,” I remember the blunt heat of Italy and the hours spent on riding on TrenItalia. “My Sweet Lord” brings me back to my hip replacement surgery. I realize that those are both George Harrison songs, but my musical library is not limited to the Beatles and their post-Fab careers. Hearing “The Reason” or “Palo Alto” reminds me of my favorite quarter of college—spring quarter of freshman year—with all of the dizzying possibilities and charged air.

Where the Crowe leads, I will follow, so in November I decided to make my own mixed CDs—the more advanced media a sign of the times. At least I can’t accidentally rip the film out of the CDs, though I suppose I could always scratch them if a particular month rubs me the wrong way.

The CDs I've made so far—

November 2006:
1. Theme from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Travis – Good Feeling
3. Travis – Writing to Reach You
4. Death Cab for Cutie - Tiny Vessels
5. Doves – There Goes the Fear
6. Postal Service – Be Still My Heart
7. Beck - Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime
8. The Beatles – Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
9. Radiohead – Wolf at the Door
10. Muse – Butterflies and Hurricanes (Paco Version – shut up, Jack and Steven)

December 2006:
1. Rudy Soundtrack – Tryouts
2. Travis – U16 Girls
3. The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever (from “Love”)
4. The Killers – Mr. Brightside
5. Travis – All I Want to Do is Rock
6. The Beatles – Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (again from “Love”)
7. The National – The Geese of Beverly Road
8. The Beatles – While My Guitar Gently Weeps (can you tell that I really enjoyed “Love”?)
9. Blink 182 – What’s My Age Again
10. The Beatles – Hey Jude (no surprise, it’s from “Love”—that bass solo is awesome)

Anyone else ever thought of doing this?