Song Title: Collide Artist Howie Day Play Count: 32

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVPdH72lWB8&feature=related

So for the past month I have had Manchester Orchestra’s Like A Virgin Losing A Child CD on repeat in my car. No shit, one full month. Now, I like to play a fun game called “okay when I switch to a new station this next song will represent so and so”. It’s a magnificent little game, many versions exist: if I make this shot so and so will happen. If the red sox come back and win, I will go talk to the girl that I keep making really awkward/across the room eye contact with. Whatever floats your boat. If you respect the game you will be amazed at the unquestionable precision attributable to sheer chance.

Collide by Howie Day has been the last song playing directly before three painstakingly awful happenings of my life. Envision: the next song will represent my performance on the baseball field today. Shuffle ipod, Howie Day, broken ankle. Less than a year later, this song will represent the rest of the day: howie day, basketball practice, broken ankle. Senior year, a nervous quarterback putting complete faith in his eerily accurate pastime of letting the next song predict the future lays the State Championship on the line: Howie Day, are you fucking kidding me? I played decent and didn’t break my ankle but it was the most crushing defeat of my life. I spent 2 years busting my ass to win this game and thanks to a few crushed adderalls on the bus ride down by a couple of important position players we came up snort…short.

Anyways, I hop in my car yesterday after an intense dodgeball matchup in which we lost our perfect season. This is my first year in said semi-competitive dodge ball league in fine city of Manchester, New Hampshire (sarcasm). The opponents on this particular evening have dominated the league five years running and to put it simply are arrogant pricks. You better believe I took this game personally. So help me god I will win this game single handedly if I have to. We lost. Obviously frustrated I cuss myself out for having the same CD on repeat in my car for a month (right, that’s why we lost) and hit the eject button…..fuck you howie day. It’s been like what, 8 years since this song came out? I nearly shit myself.

Repeat Offender: fuck Howie Day

*BRYtunes Genius Recommendation: Irresistible- Jessica Simpson, Play Count 22

*This shit goes both ways. Irresistible represented the Junior League state championship game in which I threw a complete game shut out in extra innings to clinch a trip to regionals. You better believe that song will be full blast in about 3 weeks when dodgeball playoffs come around…”even the best fall down sometime” you bigheaded douches. Slide piece to the dome coming your way.

Song Title: Somewhere I Belong Artist: Linkin Park Play Count: 88

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcs5PRxEXq4

First and foremost Linkin Park is one of the best bands of all time, fact. Great songs, great albums, great lyrics, period. Lets play a game...

In our previous episodes, what i've done is question life, death, physics, oprah winfrey, and indulged my deepest insights on religion with discernible cynicism. Now that we have got some of the more high voltage topics out of the way, we can take one step closer in developing our new cyber relationship (exciting). In the end, my goal is not to brainwash anyone reading my entries but rather encourage a more sophisticated approach to analyzing life's great mysteries. It is my goal to share points of authority that provoke contemplation of instinct. A breaking the habit, shall we say, of believing everything that we are told. If reading this last paragraph makes your brain numb and want to faint, don't stay...runaway. If you'd like, step up to my challenge. Bleed it out, and hopefully by valentine's day next year we'll have shared a life altering adventure and with no more sorrow we can stand with hands held high. Nobody's listening...

You thought I'd forgotten the task at hand. Somewhere I Belong. An awesome song that poses a great question. You have to answer this question for yourself. But while you're here, let me share where I belong with you.

Jocks- I have played sports my whole life. Athletes are some of the most ignorant, crude, dumb people I have ever met. They share a false sense of entitlement that makes them truly believe they are better than everyone else. If you don't believe me, ask tiger woods. Not all jocks are like this, but most are. Despite this, some of the most down to earth and complex individuals I have befriended have been athletes. Overall, however, I don't belong in the "jock" category.

Nerds- I am a lifelong student. I receive good grades. I study a lot. But I am definitely don't belong in the "nerd" category. People studying biochemistry are some of the most oblivious, misguided and awkward pansies in the world.

I guess part of me belongs somewhere in between both of these categories. But I've come to realize it doesn't matter what category you think I belong. You can call me whatever you want, i've given up trying to belong. Every individual is whatever they want to be. People share restricted versions of themselves with a limited number of people anyways and they leave out all the rest.

BRYtunes Genius Recommendation: What It's Like - Everlast Play Count: 78

Repeat Offender: see what i did there

Song Title: Someday We'll Know Artist: Mandy Moore Feat. Jonathan Foreman Play Count: 11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cafbb7Q04g

So this is a stretch. Mandy Moore is cute as a button. This dude sounds like a loser. Various artists have done this song, I like this version enough to listen to, but I would like to formally disagree with the message being sent.

The song has such an eternally optimistic ring to it that it makes me want to throw up. Lets get something straight, we will never know. We will never know anything, period. Deal with it. It really irks me that everyone feels like there has to be an answer for everything. This is why I struggle infinitely with the concept of religion in general. Let me say this, if there is a God he is unlimitedly cruel. If you are a close minded prick and are going to hate me forever for expressing my "atheist" opinions I would stop reading now....

Ok, got rid of those poor bastards. A well respected and lifelong friend of mine urges "if for no other reason, believe in God just in case." Not happening, sir. I will not fall prey to social constructs fabricated to coerce the masses into obeying the human creator of any such religion. Are not all religions created on Earth? Would an all knowing God really descend as far as to require men to worship him/her? Make sacrifice? Pay homage? I'm not buying it. Wouldn't an almighty Superior just make every person realize that he is king and no other religions would even exist? Wouldn't he communicate with all? I say yes. I say man created religion as propaganda to intimidate the weak. To make profit, to justify wars, and to just plain get their way.

I'm not ignorant to others beliefs. You don't have to agree with me. But whatever your faith I'm pretty sure tolerance of those that disagree is a blessing, so at least honestly contemplate these questions of genuine concern. And for Christ sake, don't be so sensitive toward debate. Your feeble justifications and brash denial wreak of insecurity. You may be right. You may be wrong. Maybe someday we'll know...(that came full circle now didn't it)

Repeat Offender: I Wanna Be With You

BRYtunes Genius Recommendation: You're A God- Vertical Horizon (great song) Play Count: 72

More questions without answers: did we ever really land on the moon? who actually had the time/knowledge to create the method of residuals? why did britney spears shave her head? how does criss angel do that? how did O.J. get off? how do they accurately place mile markers on the highway? who first decided to milk cows? how many home runs would barry bonds actually have hit? why is the word abbreviation 12 letters long? how was tommy pickles so cool? why can't i dance well? why would god take an amazing 21 year old young woman to bacterial meningitis and leave this selfish asshole alive? r.i.p danielle marie thompson