Kinda like catching up with an old friend.

So I left my CD's at my parent's house in Denver when I moved to NZ. I was worried about travelling with them for fear I might lose them.

Little did I know that my CD wallet, complete with my extensive collection of Tori Amos B-sides, would go walkabouts. My dad and I have torn up the whole house looking for it. We have theories as to their fate, but no concrete evidence. And alas, no sign of my beloved CD's. I know, stuff is just stuff, but seriously...music is my blood. Especially my Tori.

You can imagine my ecstatic delight upon opening the box from my parents for my birthday and finding "A Piano: The Tori Amos Collection." A collection containing, amongst other wonderful things, an entire 22 song disc with most of all her B-sides. As I write this, I'm listening to songs I haven't heard for years and thought I would only hear through the memories they instilled in my head. It is indeed like catching up with an old friend, reminiscing about what stage in my life I was in when I first absorbed each song (because I don't listen, I commit to memory). And to make it even sweeter, there are some new songs I've never heard before.

In a way, the other gift from my parents (in particular, my mom) is like a collection of old and new friends as well. She made me a huge binder full of all her recipes that she knows I love, as well as a few new creations she's made since I've been away.

Give my my iPod and let me loose in the kitchen!

(PS Chris, if you actually read this...I can't wait to read the book! It just doesn't quite fit in with my theme...although I guess a book can be a new friend...)