27 Albums That Shaped the First 27 Years of my Life, #27: Avalon - In a Different Light

As I quickly approach my 27th birthday (an age, coincidentally, that many musicians met their own mortality), I have been thinking about the role that music has played in my life. I have not played an instrument for nearly sixteen years and have never been in a band, but I would still consider myself an audiophile. The 26000 songs on my hard drive would agree with me as well.

Because of all those things, I thought it would be as good a time as any to compile my list of the 27 albums that most shaped these first 27 years of my life. Starting Friday January 31, I will be posting one album from the list every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until we reach #1 just before my birthday.

Let me make one thing abundantly clear: I am not saying that these are the 27 greatest albums of all time. I am not so arrogant to believe that my personal opinion is the definitive voice on music. I like what I like. Hopefully you will be able to unearth some gems from my list. If not, that is alright. These songs and albums are important to me regardless of anyone’s opinions of them.

#27: Avalon – In a Different Light
Release Date: March 23, 1999
When I first heard the album: Summer 1999

Why I loved it then: Let’s be honest. You probably didn’t expect a late-1990s Contemporary Christian release to be the first album on this list. But growing up, this is the type of music we listened to in my house. The radio was always set to the Christian station, and it was the only genre I listened to until high school. While admittedly there was a lot of goofy and cheesy music on that station, there were some gems. I loved Avalon as a kid because I thought their vocals always meshed seamlessly. I owned the audio cassette of this album, and I listened to it almost every morning of seventh grade.

Why I still love it now: Nostalgia, mostly. This is far from the type of music that generally permeates my speakers. I wouldn’t even go so far as to say that I still “love” the album. But if I need to listen to something that is unapologetically positive, I could do much worse than this. It still brings me back to junior high, my first season of playing

Lingering Lyric: “You saved me once/ I know you’ll save me still”
Top Tracks: Take You at Your Word, Always Have, Always Will, Let Your Love

27 Albums That Shaped the First 27 Years of My Life: Introduction and Honorable Mentions

As I quickly approach my 27th birthday (an age, coincidentally, that many musicians met their own mortality), I have been thinking about the role that music has played in my life. I have not played an instrument for nearly sixteen years and have never been in a band, but I would still consider myself an audiophile. The 26000 songs on my hard drive would agree with me as well.

In life, whether we are going through good times or a particularly rough patch, it is extremely comforting to know that someone else out there gets it. Music has the ability to convey that message. Some of my favorite albums are the ones that I heard during a rough patch in my life. In many ways, music helped me through those hard times. (You’ll definitely see that when I get to #1 on my list.)

Music is special to me because it is so closely tied to my memories. I can hear the opening to Relient K’s “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been”, and I am instantly swept away to my bedroom on Christmas 2004 when I heard the song for the first time. When I hear Boys Like Girls’ “On Top of the World”, I think of Dan and I in our rental car in Florida, driving with the windows down and truly feeling alive. I can still feel the same pain when I hear Bright Eyes’ “Landlocked Blues” that I felt in summer 2010 when the song represented my “Summer of Sorrow”. It is so nice to have that channel to my past so that only a few notes can instantly transport me to another time and place.

Because of all those things, I thought it would be as good a time as any to compile my list of the 27 albums that most shaped these first 27 years of my life. Starting Friday January 31, I will be posting one album from the list every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until we reach #1 just before my birthday.

Let me make one thing abundantly clear: I am not saying that these are the 27 greatest albums of all time. I am not so arrogant to believe that my personal opinion is the definitive voice on music. I like what I like. Hopefully you will be able to unearth some gems from my list. If not, that is alright. These songs and albums are important to me regardless of anyone’s opinions of them.

As you will eventually see, each post will follow the same format. You will see the album title, the release date, and the general time period during which I heard the album for the first time. I’ll explain why I loved it then and why it still matters to me now. I’ll give you some lyrics that have stayed with me, and I’ll tell you my personal favorite tracks on the album. I am very excited to share this particular passion with everyone.

There are so many albums that I absolutely love (or loved at a particular point in my life), but for the purposes of this list I stopped at 27 albums. Here are a few albums that just missed the cut. Check in Friday for #27!

27 Albums That Have Shaped the First 27 Years of My Life: Honorable Mentions
Go: Audio – Made Up Stories
Mayday Parade – Anywhere But Here
Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory
Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
Boys Like Girls – Boys Like Girls

2014: I've Got This

I know, it’s a bit late for my first post of 2014, but work and school have taken precedence. I also wanted to have clarity of mind before I posted anything.

It’s pretty well known by this point that 2013 was a particularly challenging year for me. I would go so far as to say that it has been the worst year of my life to date. That said, this is a new year, and with a new year comes new opportunities and new challenges. Though last year was difficult, I am pleased with the progress I made as a person. There’s a lot that I want to accomplish in 2014. I thought I would share some of these (in no particular order of importance).

Finish grad school with a grade point average of at least 3.8
My goal during as an undergraduate was to graduate summa cum laude. To do so at Olivet Nazarene University, one must complete their studies with a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 or better. I finished with a grade point average of 3.792. That ate at me for quite some time. I want to do better in my graduate program. Through a third of the program, I have a 4.0 grade point average. I know what it is going to take to meet or exceed my goal, and I will do everything in my power to make it happen.

Obtain employment in a public non-alternative school district
I have been blessed to have a job. It is not easy out there for teachers. However, my current place of employment is not one built for someone at my stage of life and teaching. It is geared more towards someone who has already retired from a public job. I want to eventually get married and have a family, and I would love to do everything I can to support them. A job in a public school district will put me closer to that goal, and as much as I have enjoyed my students the last two years, I know that teaching at an alternative school will quickly burn me out. It’s time to take the next step.

Take a trip to Pittsburgh
No, I did not recently forsake my Seahawks fandom and convert to Steeler Nation. That won’t be happening now or ever. However, I have met someone pretty awesome, and I am looking forward to spending time with that person. I am a firm believer in leaving no stone unturned, and that path appears to be taking me to western Pennsylvania.

Show more appreciation to those who have positively impacted my life
I have a lot of good memories. My students could tell you that I am armed with myriad stories of great times and greater people. However, I am not always the best at letting others know I am thinking of them or appreciate the contributions they have made toward me becoming the man that I am today. It is my intention to be more thoughtful and to let others know how much I appreciate all that they have done.

Write with more frequency
Writing has always been a great release for me, so it makes sense that I should do it more often. However, much of the material I write is fairly heavy, so it can be difficult to have a lot to write about in a short amount of time. I am planning on adding shorter, more light-hearted posts to my catalog. I have a 27 part series that I will be starting later this week that I am extremely excited about. I will still be doing all the posts that you’ve come to know and love (like? tolerate?), but I will be adding some variety to my posts.

Make a list of fun things I want to do this year, and then do them
Life can be challenging. If not handled appropriately, these challenges can become overwhelming. I have learned that it is extremely important to balance life with enjoyable experiences. They make the less enjoyable experiences seem worthwhile because they are building to something greater. This year I am going to write down a number of enjoyable things that could be potential highlights of 2014. Then I am going to go out and do the ones that are doable from a practical and monetary standpoint.

Take the time to remember at least one good thing that has happened in my life on each day of the year
I am blessed (and sometimes cursed) with a fantastic memory. My mind is programmed to remember dates extremely well. I believe that it is important to remember what has gotten me to where I am and use those lessons and experiences to get me to where I want to be. Over the course of this year, I want to create an “On This Day…” calendar to document the good memories that I have experienced for each day of the year. On days that are lacking memories, I will do what I can to make lasting memories either this year or in the future.

Ride it out
One of the most valuable lessons that I have learned in the past year or so is that every action does NOT require my equal and opposite reaction. For much of my life, I have tried to start from scratch at the very first sign of trouble. I have reinvented myself more times than I care to count. Any time that any of my relationships or romantic pursuits seemed to not go well, I would immediately try to react and right the ship. Unfortunately, this usually led to overcompensating and making things worse. I have finally realized that not everything in life is going to be perfect, and not every problem demands that I fix it. Sometimes it pays to ride it out. I believe that if I am consistent in my attitudes and behaviors that I can brave the storms and emerge better for them. This year I am going to put that thinking to the test.

2013 may have left me weary, but it also left me battle-tested. I know what it takes to withstand the trials of life, and more than any other point in my life, I am prepared to succeed do not intend to let anything stand in my way. I am excited for what is to come. It’s 2014. I’ve got this.