Mixing It Up

So yeah this post is Way over due.

Three weeks ago my friend at work made me a Mix CD. This was only after we stumbled across a book at the store called Cassette From My Ex, and fell in love with the tracklists accompanied by stories. I admitted to her as we were flipping through the pages that I never received a Mixtape and within seconds she decided she would make one for me and that I could make one for her.

A date was set, and a week later I got my very first mixcd. I was without my laptop then, damn

battery dying, so I had to listen to her cd on my DVD player. As soon as the first song started I understood the magic of Mixtapes (or Cd's). She had created something personal and reflective through music and since then I am trying to make up for lost time.

I am a deeply private person. I am secretive and elusive and for the past 4 years (can you believe it) I have tried to keep my online journal and personal life two completely different things. It's not to say that who I am on this blog isn't how I am in the "real world". In the "real world" I am nerdy, shy, silly, serious, stable and a million and one different other things. People (my family, my small group of friends) depend on me in a way to be these things. They don't know about my anxiety or bouts of the big D. I don't talk about those type of things with them.

In this journal I am allowed to express myself in a way I don't regulary get to in the "real world". I am allowed to not be those things listed above. I get to write what I feel without hearing the sound advice of my family and friends trying to put it in perspective. Here, I have control over my thoughts and feelings. Writing has always been an escape for me, this journal is an escape and in order to maintain it as my hidden place I admit to being a tad bit distant about letting those of you who read this thing into the "real world" Beckett.

So after getting my first Mix CD, I thought 'hey, what a way to connect to people I have known for the last couple of years". Hence Mix CD Extravaganza 2009! Oh yeah.

The rules are simple:

1. Depending on who wants to participate I will compose a mix cd for you, with about 12-15 songs of my choosing. The songs will be based on who you are and what I know of you. Each tracklist will different (so the songs I send to person A may not be the same as the songs I send to person B). The tracklist will be compose of songs I think a) you will like or b) that I like SOOOO much I hope they give you a better sense of who I am.

2. In order for this to be an exchange those participating have to make a mixtape for me. It would work in the same way. Put songs on there that mean something to you or that you think would mean something to me. I listen to (almost) everything but I'm really just interested in what you choose.

3. The mixtape has to have title (apparently it's that law) accompanied by the tracklist. I think the naming process has something to do with rule (or rather suggestion ) number 5. I am horrible with giving things titles and if you are like me this naming thing will seem....stupid. But Jon suggested pulling three random words (or phrases)from the songs on your tracklist giving it a unique title. It's brillant, I'd do that if I were you.

4. What I believe to be the most important part: LISTEN to the mixcd before viewing the tracklist. I think this is important because we all have biases. I mean if I were to see a Jonas Brothers song on the tracklist you could be damn well I would scuff and skip that song and in the process potentially miss out on a song that has meaning to you or that might not suck as bad as I thought it would. Like, I am not a huge fan of RPatz but he has a pretty voice. I would not have none this had my friend not put his song on my mix cd.

So listen to the CD first and then after the last song has played go and check out the playlist. You may be surprised

5. Theme it up! Well if you want. Mixtapes usually have some sort of theme to them. A mix for rainy days, snowy days, calm afternoons, Party in the USA days, I like you but I don't know how to tell you, I dislike you but I don't know how to tell you. My friend at work believes the THEME is the most important part. I don't really do well with themes (plus my theme is technically the person I am making the mix for). I will let you decide if you want to make a themed mix cd or not. No pressure here.

6. Cd's should be sent out the week of Christmas (which I believe is the 21st) at least. Shit that's two weeks ago. Okay because I was late in posting this, if you can't send them out before Christmas, at least before 2009 is up. So we have at least 2 weeks to complete and send these lovelies out.

7. The tricky part. If you want to participate (and I know who you are) send me your email address. I tried to set up a gmail account via Blogger but that didn't work. So for those who don't have my aol address I set up another a gmail account. It's everythingwas301@gmail.com.

It's important that those of you participating are people I am familar with (mainly those of you have commented more than once and whose comments weren't: You sure are pretty. Yes Audrey Tautou is!). I am providing a PO Box and all, and it would be easier making a mix CD for someone who has been reading this journal for a while. I want the mixes to be personal and plus I am wary of stalkers. So yeah, I don't mean for this to be exclusive but we are dealing with addresses here.

I have thought about creating a playlist just for the blog so that no one feels outside of the MIXTAPE EXTRAVAGANZA. But I would have to figure out how I would create a post for that.

8. This should be fun! I set out to do this because I have been documenting my everyday experiences for a while. Because of the nature of my 'blog' i have strayed away from making all aspects of my life available here. And in all honesty I probably never will. I have lost some friends (readers) because of this, and I have in the past felt guilty for not extending the 'real world' Beckett to those who have access to Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts. And even though this is the realest form you will ever get of me, I thought this MIX CD EXTRAVAGANZA could be a way for me to say "hey I do exist out there somewhere, wanna hear some cool sounds to remind you of that". It's me extending my blog hand and inviting you into life outside of this blog for a moment or at least 59.4 minutes according to someone's playlist.

If you want to join let me know. I would kind of have to have a complete list of people I need to make a MixCD for by....Monday. I get overwhelmed easily, some mixes will be easier to compose than others.

So Happy Mixing. I can't wait to hear what you have in store for me.