“Amusing” Chris Rice

First off, I suppose you're wondering how I determine which album to write over during this project. It truly is rather simple yet time consuming, which is why it took me so long to get it started. I suspect it might have been easier and more 'environmentally friendly' to merely press shuffle and see where it took me. However, I found a huge flaw in this method. I would constantly have to be pausing, reversing and forwarding to hold my place, and who's to know when my husband will want to commandeer my iPod because he has yet to transfer his favorites from my music? (I say this only with heart-felt affection; I take it as a compliment that he likes a lot of the music I have introduced to him.) Needless to say, this had to be remedied. And it was. I actually typed out all the albums/artists, printed them off, cut them into strips, folded them up and placed them all in an old gift bag. Granted, another way would have possibly been easier, but as I have neither Internet at home nor the patience to sit at the school and figure it out, this is the method that made the most sense.

In this fashion, I had my obliging husband draw the first selection, which brought forth the first review you have been—no doubt—anxiously waiting to see.

This journey begins with the more popular Chris Rice album, "Amusing." I say it's popular in the sense that, out of all of his albums, it's the only one that I recollect being played on both Christian and secular radio stations. And when I say play, I mean the one song that everyone knows from that album: "When Did You Fall (in Love)". It was for that very reason that I myself desired and obtained my own copy of the album. Over the years, I have found Chris Rice's music to be one of my favorites. I completely enjoy his kid-like lyricism whose wisdom transcends every age of life. That's just it—he knows how to have fun with music, yet in the middle of that whimsy, deep truths resonate. Pure lyric genius. That's all there is to it. This album is no different.

However, it has been quite some time since I have had any desire to listen to it. As time when on, the songs began to have bittersweet memories attached to them that were rather hard to audibly digest. It reminds me of a cold January afternoon on my driveway, comprehending another relationship gone south—quicker than I had expected it to at the time. It reminds me of a rainy day in July spent in a hospital room, only to find out that we had precious little time with Grandma Gray, a very spirited and strong woman that all of us loved and respected. It reminds me of nights spent alone in my car, driving home from work, wondering what I would do with my life. What follows are the emotions that are typically found in the middle of these sorts of memories—anger, regret, sadness, uncertainty, and loneliness. What do you do with that kind of emotional baggage? Even now, it's hard to let it go. More memories come. A silent yet tear-filled cafeteria meal flickers, along with the memory of how hard it was to eat during that time of emotional pain. Fights, things said, things unsaid…so much overwhelms.

Then, songs like "Sleepyhead Sun" with its bright yet quiet tone reminding me of the goodness of life, "The Final Move" heralding love conquers all when it really matters, and "Amusing" whispering of the ironic way life moves along make their way into the playlist mix. The storm quiets, and the sun warms. I find that a handsome and wonderful man of God is by my side, quietly enjoying a play-through of Fallout 3. The house is in disarray, but the guests that come from time to time pay no mind because of the friendly atmosphere found here. My family is well, though a little worse for wear, and thankful for each other more than ever before.

As the album finishes, these words filter from my iPod dock:

"At least for now, I'm smiling"…"You can't write such a comedy without some conspiracy"…"I find it all so amusing"…

Before I started this post, my husband asked me if I wanted to start out with such a weighty subject. "It'll make you emo," Preston pointed out. "And I don't want you to be emo." It's true that it was emo. But whether or not I wrote it now or later made no difference to emo-ness. "Besides," I reasoned with him, "I have you and a bunch of good other things that make it not-so-emo." And with that explanation, he smiled.

Life goes on. And I'm smiling. Now, to ponder what dinner for one will be tonight. Hopefully something decently yummy. I have yet to cook that split pea soup, but that's hardly appealing. Probably something to do with chicken. Anyways, I'm off. Till next time!