A Few of my Favourite Things - Music Edition

There's more to any cancer patient than a disease. So, in an effort to share a bit of what makes me me, here's the first in a series of A Few of My Favourite Things, starting with music.

Music has always been a huge part of my life. It's motivation, an escape, comfort, fun, jarring, emotional and just plain fun. My tastes range from punk to Acadian folk music, from Nana Mouskouri to Hüsker Dü, from Hank Snow to Joy Division. My musical tastes really expanded when I started listening to CKDU, the Dalhousie University radio station. I even had my own show there for a while. Here are some favourites in case you're interested in checking some of this stuff out. It's well worth it, if I do say so myself.

• Wire's Pink Flag album. It's perfect - edgy, melodious, full of fast, short tunes. Their song Strange was covered by R.E.M., and when you listen to the lyrics it fits that myeloma feeling pretty well.
• Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quittes Pas". A brilliant song about pleading for the love of another. One of the most powerful songs and videos I have ever heard or seen.
• Just about anything by Radiohead. Their music is exquisitely layered with different instruments, moods and melodies. A band you can love and respect, especially for dissing Hannah Montana. Sorry, Miley... There, There.
• Johnny Cash's At Folsom Prison album. I've always wished I'd seen him in concert, but I did see him in a shopping mall walking around with a rather hyper June Carter. They were alone, just enjoying each other and free from crowds of fans. Another favourite would be his cover of Nine Inch Nail's Hurt. Brilliant video.
• Nick Drake battled several demons and depression while creating some very beautiful and influential music. Such as Pink Moon. He died way too young, as did Tim Buckley and his son, Jeff Buckley.
• Plus a ton of other bands, such as The Police, R.E.M., The Guess Who, Leonard Cohen, Kate Bush, XTC, Minutemen, Joy Division and more.

I also play some acoustic guitar, but I'm an amateur in the true sense of the word. I play for the love of playing, despite very mediocre skills. I've always wished I could play the guitar, or even the ukulele effortlessly. Like the following gentleman. Enjoy.