My High Fidelity

If you haven't seen John Cusack in the movie 'High Fidelity,' then this might
not make much sense, but here goes anyway...

My 5 Most Memorable Break-Ups consist of:  

1.  Brenda.  It was memorable just because the final time we
actually broke up it was just the two of us holding on to each other before we
finally knew we had to let go.  We did and now 12 years later we've run
into each other again.  And it's really strange. 2. Mel.  Aw
man.  Mel lives in Washington state and really helped me become more
Anti-American  We'd known each other through my sister for a few years and
hooked up just after I graduated from high school.  I told her what I was
going to be taking in my first semester at college and she said that would be
too hard after high school which led to a big discussion about the differences
in the quality of education in the U.S. compared to Canada and after that she
didn't want anything more to do with me.  I heard she'd married twice since
then and is working at a Fredrick's of Hollywood somewhere.  3.
Christine.  I went out with Christine for a few months after Brenda &
I'd broken up the second time.  She'd... grabbed my attention one night in
a parking lot by putting my hand on her breast to show me how "cold"
it was outside...  She had a amazing eyes, but there never really was much
between us.  4. Nicole.  Nicole was my very first girlfriend
and I moved away. She wrote me a letter about a week later and said we were
done.  Never saw her again, but never really felt too bad about it.  I
am, however, very curious to see if she made anything of herself.  Most of
my friends from that time of my life have just disappeared off the face of the
Earth.  5. Robyn.  Robyn & I started dating after Brenda
& I were finally, finally done.  She was my best friend's sister and he
claims the best day in his life was the day we broke up.  We went out for
about 2 years and I was going to say I was only unfaithful one stupid night when
circumstances arose.  Not true, though.  I was actually seeing Robyn
when I met my wife.  In fact, my wife helped pick out a ring for
Robyn.  I still have the ring and I'll give it to my daughter when she
starts high school.  I just got tired of Robyn and I think she got tired of
me.  If not, I sabotaged the relationship enough by the end that she was
sick of me.  My boss was in shock when I walked back into work and shrugged
off breaking up with a girl I'd been with for as long as he'd known me.  It
was the start of my new life.

My 5 Favorite Books would include 'Winter King' by Bernard Cornwell, 'The
Skystone' by Jack Whyte, 'Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers' by Grant Naylor,
'Canterbury Tales' by Chaucer, and 'Picture of Dorian Gray' by Oscar
Wilde.  4 of these books have a common theme - immortality, in one form or
another.

My 5 Favorite American Films.  Man, this one's tough.  'Usual
Suspects' was one movie I'd rented and didn't get to watch it during my
rental period.  I got just past the "New York's Finest Taxi
Service" scene and had to take it back.  I agonized for a week before
I was able to rent it again.  'Braveheart' was
just a cool movie in nearly every sense.  Although the history major in me
cringes at some of the inaccuracies in the dates and events. 'Men
With Brooms' has constantly stuck in my head since I first saw it. The
return of the heroes --to play a curling game in their hometown.  Sweet and
ironic.  'Legends of the Fall' has always choked
me up.  I haven't watched it in a week.  'Always'
is probably my favorite Steven Spielberg movie, despite him being my all-time
favorite director/producer.  there's just something about a guy learning to
let go of his past that strikes a chord with me.  Again and again and
again.

The 5 worst things that I've done to my partner even if --especially if-- my
partner doesn't know about them. 

"She's right, of course. I am a fucking
asshole. I did and said those things. But before you judge, although you've
probably already done so, go off for a minute and write down the top five worst
things that you have done to your partner, even if -- especially if -- your
partner doesn't know about them. Don't dress things up or try to explain them.
Just write them down in the plainest language possible... Pencils down. Okay, so
who's the asshole now?"

1 - I once used her credit card to buy her something
expensive.  2 - Her Christmas gift one year consisted of a stack of books I
wanted to read.  3 - When she first asked me to come to church with her I
nearly broke up with her just so I wouldn't have to go. 4 - I didn't invite her
to come to a party with me because I didn't want her to ruin my fun.  5 -
When she was pregnant with our second child, I nearly had an affair.  I'm
the asshole now....

My top 5 angry songs about women have to include "Like A
Friend" by Pulp:

"You are that last drink I never should have drunk You
are the body hidden in the trunk You are the habit I can't seem to kick You are
my secrets on the front page every week. You are the car I never should have
bought You are the train I never should have caught You are the cut that makes
me hide my face You are the party that makes me feel my age."

"Don't Come Around Here No More" by Tom Petty and the
Heartbreakers is definitely on there as is "Bright Lights" by Matchbox
20.  "Song for the Dumped" by Ben Folds Five definitely
works.  Finally, gotta have "Laura" by Billy Joel:

"Here I am feeling like a fucking fool Do I react the way
exactly She intends me to?" Classic.

My Top 5 songs about death have "People Get Ready" but no one
does it better than Bob Dylan.  Gotta have Dylan sing about death... Peter
Gabriel sings "When You're Falling" which I think makes some reference
to death. "November Rain" by Guns and Roses, but that may be skewed by
the music video.  I honestly can't think of another one --except the
classic stand-by: "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan, of course. 
Then again, there's always William Shatner's version of the song....

The 5 records/albums I'd have with me on a desert island.  Sgt
Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles becuase it's the best album the
Beatles did while they were still a band.  Let It Be came really late and
they'd drifted already. Us by Peter Gabriel. It's probably his best album ever.
Pink Floyd's The Wall is a definite.  Even my mother liked that album and
Comfortably Numb killed speakers in my car once. (I learned my lesson though).
My fourth album would be nvisible Touch by Genesis.  It was one of the
Ultimate 80s albums, as was my fifth pick: Seven and the Ragged Tiger by Duran
Duran.  New Moon on Monday is a song that gets stuck in my head on cold
nights in a lonely parking lot.

This was fun.  Now I gotta go watch the movie again!!