The last year may prove to be one of the most difficult years of my life, facing fears and truths I hadn’t dealt with previously. I live alone for the first time in my life. I am figuring out what I want from this world in a way I haven’t done before. There is a lot positive about this year, but change at this level makes things hard and sad and difficult.

This year’s song is Calexico‘s cover of “Alone Again Or.” The song is originally recorded in 1967 by the band Love. That is the version that woke me up out of a sleep one morning, and I couldn’t believe the lyrics. I listen to music for lyrics first, and these seemed to describe me and my world in so many ways. When I googled the song, I found lots of covers of it. The idea of Sarah Brightman singing it makes me shudder. But the Calexico version made me want to dance, and they are from Tuscon, and the rest of their music is great. So I had a new favorite song for 2008.

In general, my interest in music is revived, with the help of some friends. I am excited about last.fm, but the most recent and exciting discovery is this awesome Minnesota Public Radio station, called the Current. Totally totally totally amazing. I know this will make 2009′s pick way awesomer than 2002′s.