Reminds me of my mom. It was her favorite song, and she sang it daily while she was working and mothering and living life.

I am pretty sure I listened to this song a minimum of 35 times the morning I defended my dissertation, as I drove from San Angelo to Abilene.

Several years ago, I had a brush with breast cancer. During our summer session, I had a lumpectomy on June 10, followed by radiation treatments. One of my students during that summer session knew I loved music and sent this song to me. First of all, because she took the time to send me this song - that was such a profound act of kindness and caring, connecting humanity.  It indelibly touched my soul.  Second, the lyrics were really quite applicable and relevant.  I will forever love this song.

This song was played at house parties growing up, whether birthday parties, holiday parties at my parent's house or when we went to their friend's houses. There is no meaning behind it, they are literally singing about a beeper, but it is so upbeat and fast paced, it was always a song we danced to. You can't help but be in a cheerful mood after listening to it. I play this song at least once a week still. It sets the mood/tone for me before a workout, or helps me re-energize when I feel like giving up. When I have a lot on my plate to do, focusing and getting the energy to start is all it takes sometimes and music like this helps give me that push.

However it does make me think back to reflect on those friendships and relationships that we have as children through adulthood and the impacts those relationships have on us and who we are today as individuals.

Rocky is a story about grit, fighting and getting back up to do it again and this song is a reminder of that life story!

I always explain my undergrad days in terms of "the first time," and the "second time." Not sure why, but it makes sense to me!

And then there’s the line, “Would my seventeen-year-old self be proud of me?”—a question I return to constantly. Even as I finish milestones earlier than most and move forward in my career, I sometimes feel the ache of being ahead while feeling behind in other ways. This song lets me sit with that sadness, with the isolation, with the sacrifices, and still recognize my growth. So it is not a song about victory, but really a song about being human, reflection, and being able to quietly learn to appreciate our paths, even if they don't look like anyone else's.

Also, Tragos Amargos reminds me of how much I used to sing along to it and pretend to play the accordion when I was younger. I would tell my tio that he needs to get me an air accordion t-shirt from the flea market. Sadly, to this day, he has not gotten me one. No worries, I still play my air accordion when I hear this song!

I was a Disney kid, in a Disney family, growing up. I watched all the full-length animated films, the live-action films, the cartoons, and was blessed to go to Disneyland several times since I was from Las Vegas. Weekends were often a family trip to the local Blockbuster to rent the latest Disney flick or pick up a oldie but goodie.

When I was in my tween years, my family took a vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida for the first time. I fell in love with two attractions: 1. The American Experience at Epcot and 2. The Hall of Presidents at Magic Kingdom. I nerded out on the patriotism and history in both. These attractions are still my favorites...along with the Haunted Mansion. I can sing this song from memory, just like I can recite the entirety of the Haunted Mansion sequence, including an ear peircing scream, as you head down in the stretching room to the "Doom Buggies"...but I digress. "Golden Dream" brings up special memories from the innocence of being a wide-eyed, optimistic kid. As an adult, I tear up a bit now when I hear this song because of all the promise it describes for our country and its people.

This song portrays a same-sex couple that is cast away and frowned upon by society. However, they choose the love they share together above the need to please others around them. I live my life and have made many decisions in my life in the same way. I respect others who make decisions according to their own preferences and desires. I also value people who speak, sing, look, and act different than I do, such as t.A.T.u. Their music brings many of us all together.

When I was young, my family went to church, but often in fits and starts. Certainly, we were the stereotypical "C & E" Catholics. My parents, however, ensured my brother, sister, and I attended every year of Catechism. In the end, though, I was the only one of the three of us that followed through with Confirmation as a sophomore in high school. When I was a senior in high school, my best friend Wendy and her family allowed me to attend church regualrly with them and I became a regular for Saturday mass.

Fast forward to my freshman year in college, I continued my regular church attendance. I didn't have Wendy around to invite me along; I made my own deliberate decision to make nurturing my faith a priority for my life. I went so far as to work for the Newman House, Catholic Center, on campus - I did the financials and built the bulletin every week. I am blessed to have my faith and God's love - He has been with me through all the good and bad...without my faith in God, I'm not sure I'd be where I am today. This song remains my favorite song to sing at mass...and I found it as I deliberately decided for myself to grow in my faith.

This was an end of high school, angsty song that I played on repeat and on blast as I drove around Vegas. The lyrics are perfect for a kid who is still trying to figure out who and what they are going to be...and believing they are invincible and can live forever.

As I reflect on the lyrics of this song that I return to often, I can still feel some of the uncertainty of the future from those high school years. I also realize that uncertainty still exists each and everyday no matter how much we think we control in this life. It's ultimately in God's hands.

I also think this song resonnated with me because my biggest fear in life is insignificance...I still want to "live forever."

This song has also taken the world over. I have seen this song be performed at a college sports game by the school's band. The amount of commitment to successfully execute that by their band shows the pull the song and show has on so many people.

"A republic, if you can keep it." - Benjamin Franklin

I believe so fully in the ideals of our nation and the tenets of the Constitution. If I couldn't find this song anymore, then that might mean we couldn't fulfill Benjamin Franklin's warning that democratic republics require not only the consent of the people, but also are dependent on the active and informed involvment of the people.

Back to my patriotism, as I have gotten older, I tear up most times when I hear "The Star Spangled Banner." Probably because I'm old, maybe because I know the price paid to maintain our freedoms, and likely because I know I will leave the military at some point in the nearer future.

I chose this version because I think Whitney Houston sang it the best...

I could have picked any number of Taylor Swift songs..."The Man," Look what you made me do," "Karma," "Anti-Hero," "Who's afraid of little old me?," "The New Romantics..." TSwift seems to release songs at exactly the time I need them.

Over the last year, I went through some thorny issues. I was angry. I was scared. I was frustrated. I was sad. I wasn't sure if I'd keep my job from day to day. This song, while a typical TSwift break-up / unrequited love number. However, I envisioned the song was describing my situation (which had nothing to do with relationship issues). It descibed being at the top of my game on the outside while I am quietly and personally battling the demons no one can see. Everyone sees the professional, the highly competent leader while I am just trying to get through the next meeting and back to my office to break down.

Sounds super dramatic and it felt that way sometimes. In the end though, my Taylor playlist was my outlet for my adulting angst and probably kept me sane.

I’m reluctantly posting the video here because Tony stole my other cherished undergrad song (LOL). Anytime I hear a song from this mix, I smile because it truly shaped my college experience. For a while, I couldn’t wear red on campus because people would recognize me as “the split girl.” Watching the video now makes me smile, thinking about the late-night rehearsals and the nerves leading up to the event.

When I was younger, I used to think, “I can’t wait to find someone so I always have someone to dance to this song with, just like my parents.” Fast forward quite a few years, and now I always stop whatever I’m doing to head to the dance floor with this song and my forever partner. I think I’d be devastated if I couldn’t do that again because there’s truly no other song like it.

There weren’t many smiles or celebrations in my childhood. We lived in poverty, which pushed me to start working at the age of eight, running errands for neighbors and local stores in Mexico. I had to grow up quickly, and I learned the weight of sadness far too soon. Still, what’s most striking is that, despite all of it, I would give anything to hear her sing this song just one more time.

One of my biggest regrets is missing their Dallas concert in 2003. I had already bought the ticket, but a family emergency kept me from going. I still think about that moment, wishing I had been there.