Yesterday, I had a very bad day. No, nothing went notably wrong. It was just one of those days that I felt sad, sick, overwhelmed, unproductive, you get the idea. Hubby came home and all I wanted to do was curl up in bed and go to sleep at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. I didn’t though.
Instead, we got started on some projects around the house. He started painting the kitchen while I got working on the stuff around the house that I should’ve done all day but didn’t because I was too busy moping. Too bad moping isn’t as productive as mopping or my floors would’ve been really shiny yesterday.
To kickstart our evening of productivity, I put some music on. Tom Petty came up first on the random playlist from iTunes and I turned the volume way up and started to bop along while tidying up rooms and folding laundry. My bad mood was immediately lifted and I was back to feeling energized and grateful for my life.
Tom Petty’s music seems to do this to me. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a bit of a fanatic, seen him a few times in concert, know most of his songs by heart, and really only like the bad acting in She’s The One because he does the soundtrack for it.
I decided after having his music completely transform my day yesterday that I would put together some of his brilliance about life that adds a dose of reality, perspective and appreciation for what I’ve got.
- ” I got someone who loves me tonight. I got over a thousand dollars in the bank and I’m all right. Look deep in the eyes of love, Look deep in the eyes of love and find out what you were looking for.”
- “Well I know what’s right. I got just one life in a world that keeps on pushing me around. But I stand my ground, and I won’t back down.”
- And here – When Money Wasn’t King
Video embedded above that you’ll have to click over if you’re using a reader if you want to watch – TP actually talks over the good lines I wanted to highlight although not really the point of the song:
- “Well I ain’t sure how it happened and I don’t know exactly when, but everything got bigger and the rules began to bend and the tv taught the people how to get their hair to shine and how sweet life can be if you keep a tight behind.”
Okay, there are a million great songs by this guy, I could blurt out quote after quote all morning but I won’t.
Instead, I ask you…does music inspire you? What do you listen to? And most importantly, do you like Tom Petty? 
Can’t say I’m a huge Tom Petty fan but I will say that music does inspire me. I forget about that too. I’ll pop a random song on and if it’s the right one I’ll be charged (I’ve had the new Metallica and Muse’s Black Holes and Revelations going in my ipod the last week)! In fact I’m going to turn on some sounds right now!
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I am not a huge Tom Petty fan per se, but I do love that song Free Falling! And, music really inspires me. In fact, yesterday I was trying to get myself under control and had the great idea of listening to my ipod while I worked. Went to get it and it was dead. Went to find the cord to hook it up the computer, lost. So frustrating. Music, when I can hear it, really speaks to me!
Good lessons here today. Hope this day is better, though.
melissa @ the inspired rooms last blog post..Don’t Shout Seashells By the Seashore
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Yes, yes, YES music inspires me in a huge way! There’s nothing like turning up the volume on your favorite songs to help change your attitude and get you motivated! He’s not my fave — that belongs to Wilco right now — but I like Tom Petty a lot (saw him at Bonnaroo, and also saw him when he toured with Bob Dylan back in the ’80s!).
denises last blog post..Rainy Day = Time for the Garage
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@Melissa, how frustrating! we listen to iTunes right from the computer and I can crank up the volume and be productive.
@Denise – what a cool concert that must’ve been with Bob and Tom (like they’re my two best buds LOL).
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I’ve had a week like that so I totally sympathise. Tonight when Lily’s gone to bed I’m going to work on my online store. So I’m going to put on some Sarah McLachlan or Coldplay and then hit the wonderful new ‘Genius’ button on iTunes and see what else iTunes comes up with for me, I suspect there might be some Tom Petty in there too.
Liz@VioletPosys last blog post..One of those weeks
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yes, I like Tom and yes – music is totally inspiring. I love being alone in my car and turning up the volume and rocking out as much as possible.
Denises last blog post..question # 2
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I totally love music and so do my kids. It is the best thing for long road trips (or any time in the car really!) both my kids calm down almost immediately if I put on some good music. iTunes is probably the best and worst invention for me…good because I can sit on there forever and find all sorts of music that I just love and bad because I could really blow some money on there!
And I do like Tom Petty
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Emily! I LOOOOVE Tom Petty! I’ve seen him in concert 3 times.
) I WAS born and raised in FL and no self-respecting FL girl doesn’t love him. lol How fun Tom got you out of the funk yesterday. I do the same thing…I do housework with my ipod all the time. By the time I listened (and sang a the top of my lungs to) an entire cd, I’ve cleaned the entire downstairs. This may be scary… lol…but I have been known to put an entire playlist in order of the song set of a concert. Like say… Tim McGraw (shocking). I will listen to the songs in order of the concert and I attempt to relive being there at the concert while scrubbing the toilet. Hey. Whatever gets you through the day, right? 
)
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Oh wait. I wasn’t born in FL. So scratch that. lmao
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LOL Marie!! Any self respecting girl with TIES to florida has to love the man, huh? Seriously just cracked me up!
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Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James.
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Music absolutely inspires me. I listen to everything. Tom Petty is awesome (I’ve seen him twice).
Like you, he also taught me to stand my ground and not back down.
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Another Floridian For Petty here! “Don’t Come Around Here No More” is my favorite song of his.
alexandsams last blog post..Progress, or not
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I LOVE Tom Petty and he, along with others, totally inspire me daily. We have music on constantly in the house and hope that our daughter loves it as much as we do too.
“you belong among the wildflowers…you belong somewhere you feel free”
Lisas last blog post..Focusing on something small
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@Lis, that’s my favorite of my favorites of his. I couldn’t find a way to tie it in today. i would’ve been writing for hours if I started listing them all!
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Totally a Tom Petty Fan!! Glad the music lifted you up in spirit!
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Music inspires me very much Emily. In fact, earlier this morning I had a playlist going with Free Falling, I Won’t Back Down, and American Girl on (amongst others)! I love those songs. Another artist I’ve discovered recently whose music I find really inspiring is Christine Kane. And she blogs too! Oh, and I love me some U2 also…to name a few.
Lances last blog post..Cheerful Wins!
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Tom Petty is one of those artists who I never think of as a favorite, but when I go through my playlists, I have a ton of TP on there. So many good tracks, but Walls always puts me in a meditative state.
Al Green inspires me to simplicity, as do the Beach Boys and Bob Marley. Anything that connotes a sunny morning in early spring is dear to my heart. Eddie Money gets me all happy; can’t explain it. I always knew I had cheesy taste in music, but jeez…
Ooh, and Kina is awesome. She has three songs I adore, and they all perfectly fit a different mood (angry and rebellious, fun and happy, completely in love). Music is such a powerful mood changer. Maybe you should have a Tom Petty CD in a “Break glass in case of emergency” case!
Sara at On Simplicitys last blog post..Do You Really Deserve a Break Today?
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Love music. Love Tom Petty. My tastes are pretty all over the place, from Beethoven to Rob Zombie. Lattely I’ve been listening to MIA and to Pinks new song- So what. Somewhat angry but very powerful to me.
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Tim McCraw is the best album of Taylor Swift.”-
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i love Taylor Swift and her Tim McGraw album. it is full of very beautiful songs“:
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