Let there be tunes.

There's nothing like escaping your normal life to make you think about what you really want. And the best escapes have a solid soundtrack. So, a couple of days before I set out for Foggy London Town, I'm posting a Britishy playlist, to which I shall be bopping. I'll probably play it before I land at Heathrow, and maybe on some of my wanderings. Here it is:

Waterloo Sunset, by The Kinks

Downtown, by Petula Clark

Born to Be a Dancer, by The Kaiser Chiefs

Do the Strand, by Roxy Music

The Rose of England, by Nick Lowe

English Music, by Destroyer

All the Right Reasons, by The Jayhawks

Streets of London, by Ralph McTell

Mayfair, by Nick Drake

Darlin' Wait for Me, by Richard Hawley

Half a Person, by The Smiths

Saturday Gigs, by Mott the Hoople

Mornington Crescent, by Belle & Sebastian

The Village Green Preservation Society, by The Kinks

A Foggy Day, by Frank Sinatra

A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, by Tony Bennett

Postcard from London, by Ray Davies

London Calling, by The Clash

Some of these only say variations on the word "England" or the name London, or names of towns. Some are simply by British folk, and just feel like they've got that spirit about them. It's a little Kinks/Ray Davies heavy. But these songs work for my purposes. While in London, walking around the streets, I reckon I'll be listening to a lot of Petula Clark, and when I want some thinking time, I'll probably just return to my usual fare.

I'm calling this blog The 20 Tram because that was always where I got my best ideas in Prague. Or not even best ideas, really. I just had a lot of thinking time on public transportation there. I had an iPod before I went, but it really got a mad workout in Prague. I would walk out of the apartment, and settle the earbuds in my ears on my way down the steps. I would usually walk out into the early morning darkness, because my days started so damn early there. People would be scurrying to trams, buses or the Metro, and I would join them, with whatever playlist of songs I was into at that particular point in time. The best thoughts always came on the 20 tram. It wound from my neighborhood to the neighborhood where my school was located, and rattled past the castle and so many different bustling squares. All the while, those little white earbuds were pumping out music, and thus, the music became autobiography. I like how that happens.

I'm off to visit Annie and Chris in London. They're living there for the year, or have been living there for the year, while Annie's doing her second year of law school. I don't know how I came to know so many lawyers. I met a lot of Californians in Prague. The majority of these Californians were interested in the law as a career. One was interested in pushing the limits of the law. I loved them all. And now I have lots of people to help me beat the rap if I ever get busted for a crime.

I'm going back to Europe again after, let's see, about two years. That's how long it's been since I left Prague. I thought about going to visit Praha while I'm in London. I can't sort of can't stand being so close and not popping over. But on the other hand, I don't know if I can stand setting foot on Czech soil and knowing that I have no apartment there. No life or roots, and that I won't be able to keep it for more than a couple of days. Maybe it's best to go back when I have a better reason and set of circumstances for going back.

In the time since I left Prague, I got a Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS!) from Dominican University. I'm in youth services. It's been a busy two years. Time is so funny. There are days when I'd tell you, "Oh, I got back from Prague a year ago." And then there are days I might say, "Oh, it's been what, three or four years?" I always feel like whatever point in time I find myself at, I've got this very strong spotlight on me that projects about four years back, and four years forward. And any memory or future hope that the light happens to hit is what's strongest to me, but also the most nebulous. Things aren't always a straight line, these memories and these future hopes. Sometimes they feel closer or farther than they actually are.

Anyway. My present to myself for finishing that program is to go see Annie and Chris. And wander around London for a little while. I like what traveling gives you. I like how it strips away everything but what is true about yourself. Or, it should, anyway. I like the new eyes it gives you. And if you're lucky, those eyes still work when you get back home.