I really dig your music, man

First, I'll get a shameful admission out of the way. Yep, I used to make mix-tapes. You know, the kinds that you'd give to friends full of meaningful songs? As I've noted many times, I'm lucky to have time to take a shower now, but I'll bet if I had time I'd still be at it, cruising iTunes for the perfect song for any given occasion.

My husband took the kids to the library this afternoon. I've got a pot of lentil soup on the stove; cauliflower roasting; breakfasts for the week tee'd up; green beans braising; a chicken roasting; and rice for lunches and fried rice this week done. While I've been here in the house alone I've been listening to my mix from my very last month of residency. It's very amusing to visit with mind of then-Iced and now-Iced. Listen along with me, a husband, two kids, two houses, three jobs, and various and sundry other things later:

Learn to Fly, Foo Fighters
Then: Ready for my last big learning experience! My first practice. Ready to tackle the challenge of the business of medicine.
Now: Jesus. How could I POSSIBLY have thought I was on the last leg of a journey?

Tubthumping, Chumbawamba
Then: Okay, Grant Medical Center ED. I'm done with you! You've knocked me down one last time, but I got up, and now I'm leaving.
Now: Come on! Will the pummeling ever stop? Parenting is terrifying. Will Medicare reimbursements ever not suck?

I'm a Bitch, Meredith Brooks
Then: I am indeed a bitch.
Now: I am an older bitchier bitch. And a mother.

You gotta be, Des'ree
Then: Oh, how bad, bold, wiser, hard, tough, stronger I am.
Now: Right. Add clueless to that list. Still, a chick's gotta bring game. My daughter and I have secret handshake: "stronger, tougher, smarter, faster."

Souljacker, Eels.
Then: Ode to my peeps in the Emergency Room and the Butt Hutt.
Now: I miss you and your stinky diabetic feet, chancres, and alcoholic encephalopathy.

Country Grammar, Nelly
Then: I am so bad. I trained at a Knife and Gun club. I still can't dance, though.
Now: I am so tired. And I still can't dance.

Genius of Love, Tom Tom Club
Then: I have a piece of paper saying, "MD", therefore I am smart and uniquely qualified to appreciate brainy, cerebral music
Now: Tired. Tired. Tired.

She Bangs, Ricky Martin
Then: An ode to my dear old friend, Dr. Lizardo, a dancin' fool without whom I would not have survived residency. Also an ode to the many prostitutes whose babies I delivered. They did indeed "bang".
Now: Who has time for sex?

Mr. E's Beautiful Blues, Eels
Then: Thank God! The sun came up. Call will end.
Now: Goddamn right, it's a beautiful day: I'm still alive. Wonder if today will be the day that all changes?

We Can Work It Out, Beatles
Then: Try to see it my way, patient, because I'm right, and I'll expend any amount of energy convincing you 'cause life is very short
Now: I'm often right, but not always, and I'll try to work it out with you patient, but I'll go broke if I spend more than 30 seconds doing it.

Last Stop, This Town, the Eels
Then: This video is hilarious and I am going to watch it over and over because I have all the time in the world.
Now: This song is still on my playlist, only I listen to it running, chasing away middle age.

I Want It That Way, Backstreet Boys (link is to those hilarious Chinese boys)
Then: Sigh. I'm in love with Monsieur.
Now: Sigh. Monsieur is buried on the couch under Little Latte and Mini Macchiato reading books. He and I are lucky bastards.

I'll Fly Away, Alison Kraus & Gillian Welch
Then: End of this Chapter, exciting beginning of another.
Now: How many chapters are left? Should I read ahead?