What's In a Name?

Picture on the left (years ago). Tom (on the right) in Little Italy Friday night with a friend.

I already have a son, a cousin, an uncle, and a very good friend named Tom in my life. Was there room for one more? Oh yeah. Remember this Tom? Click on the link if you don't. I met Tom last year on my way home. I had the aisle seat (have to have the aisle seat). He had the window seat. There were three seats across on each side of the plane. Wouldn't you know - the guy in the middle has long legs, is inebriated, and wants to switch seats with me. Hmmm...I'm not just a little claustrophobic and that's how sitting in the middle feels to me. I look over at Tom (whom I don't know yet) and he's reading the sports section of one of those NY papers! I've just started reading Zack Hample's new book "Watching Baseball Smarter" and it doesn't take more than a millisecond to know I'm moving over. I'm stressed out that Zack says "In order to consider yourself a baseball fan, you must have an opinion on the designated hitter; you either love that it creates more offense by replacing weak-hitting pitchers with full-time sluggers or you hate that it eliminates the late-inning strategy of dealing with those pitchers." I'm stressed out because I love baseball but maybe I'm not a baseball fan because I don't have an opinion? So I ask my new seat mate what he thinks. You know, the ice breaker! I feel terrible that I don't remember what he said but somehow we seque into music! Before this flight was over, I had his email address and he was going to send me cd's that he made.

Ok, a mini solicited bio: I'll give you this first and if you need more let me know. This is a general list of what I like and have; 750 cd's, 7200 songs on my iPod.

Next: Born, raised and still residing on Long Island. My dad passed away when I was seven, but I still remember the day he brought that piano home for my mom. I was six and can remember just staring and watching her play. Couldn't read music, but sing a few bars and the song would be figured out in no time.

My parents listened to Sinatra, Dino and Jimmy Roselli among many others. Or as Billy Crystal would say in Analyze This, "I like all the Italian singers." I actually am going to see Tony Bennett for the first time in a few weeks. To me, that's almost like seeing The Beatles.

My brother was/is so big into The Beatles that I don't think I knew any other music existed until I was about 15. I started hanging out with a few guys (who are still my best friends) and I heard Aerosmith, CSN&Y, Marshall Tucker, Pink Floyd, Yes and thought, "Wow! Some pretty cool stuff!"

It's always cool to discover a new band or song. Many times I feel like the songs find me instead of me finding them, if that makes any sense. So many things come and go throughout our lifetime: family, friends, jobs, relationships. But music has been and always will be something that can never be removed. It'll always be in my heart.

Ok, now for some of his faves:

1) Best I Ever Had-Vertical Horizon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmZdpkh14_Q

2) Don't Wait Too Long-Madeleine Peyroux http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgvguMwkqtk
3) The Day Brings-Brad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEvdqE2WQGo
4) One Flight Down-Norah Jones http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2_emXJosrI
5) Hard Time-Ron Sexsmith http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peVIjSjQbPc
6) Say What You Want-Rosie Thomas
7) Strange Condition-Pete Yorn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htMkQnhYZTQ
8) I Won't Blame You-Pilot Speed9 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQpK7ynBBRk

9)Life is a Losing Game - Amy Winehouse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XxXVOiaRKk

10)Your Love is Forever - George Harrison http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV63-9Y8dT4

11) Always on Your Side - Sheryl Crow/Sting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FAD3GmlB1c can't believe I forgot about this one.......love the end when he hugs her and kisses her forehead ...and then I comment how incredible it is that he picks up on this and he adds: Yeah, that ending just kinda gets me........Like in the Wizard of Oz, towards the end when Dorothy is saying goodbye to everyone and she says to the Scarecrow, "I think I'm gonna miss you most of all." WOW

12) If I Only Had the Words (To Tell You) - Billy Joel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW0ATkPZWCM

From an email when Tom sent me Number 5: Hey Lin......a song that recently found me..........soooo cool. Did he just call me Lin? I love it...

Hey, if you can find a guy who sends you music because either he loves it himself, he knows you will love it, or it makes him think of you, you've got it made. Now all I need is a guy who will read to me! Happy Hunting, girls...

P.S. If you like Pete Yorn's "Strange Condition," I think you will love "Just Another Girl." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY0mC8GkFx0