As Maria and I were unpacking and organizing all of our stuff, I was sifting through all of my art books and cringing that I actually owned some of them. Some were purchased as gifts for me, some I bought out of obligation because people I know are featured in them, some were recommended to me and I bought a copy before really thinking about who the recommendation was coming from, and some were just the results of the foibles of youth.

For example, I pulled a copy of “The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity” out of a box and visibly flinched. I’ve had this book for over seven years and have never made it past page 10 without throwing up a little in my mouth. The editorial review over at Amazon.com reads, “Julia Cameron and Mark Bryan lead you through a comprehensive twelve-week program to recover your creativity…” It then goes on to state, “This book links creativity to spirituality by showing how to connect with the creative energies of the universe, and has, in the four years since its publication, spawned a remarkable number of support groups for artists dedicated to practicing the exercises it contains.”

“Twelve week program?” “Links spirituality to creativity?” “Energies of the universe?” “Support groups for artists?” How did this worm its way into my library? It was like opening a box of memorabilia only to find the signed Michael Bolton CD your aunt gave you for your birthday in ‘92 - Michael sitting backwards in a chair, arms folded, mullet cascading over his shoulders, and his beady eyes staring directly at you as if, in a horrible case of mistaken identity, you were his lady.

I almost feel like that copy of “The Artist’s Way” owns me more than I own it. I don’t want to own it any more, but it seems to declare ownership of my taste: “You are the kind of guy who would actually have a new-agey book about overcoming your artistic impotence.”

No matter how many rotten apples I may find in my collection of books and CDs, every item says something about the evolution of my taste. From the books I want to resell, to the CDs I’ve been continuously listening to for the last fifteen years.

Books I really need to get rid of:
• The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
• See above.
• Impressionism
• An overview of Impressionism’s major artists with thick glossy pages.
• Broken Spirits
• Cheeseball artsy photos of dead animals - sensitive goth art.
• Butoh: Dance of the Dark Soul
• You just don’t want pictures of naked writhing Butoh actors in the house with kids. That stuff will scar them for life.

Books I’ve had for years and still enjoy:
• Siddhartha / Herman Hesse
• Neuromancer / William Gibson
• The Book of Three / Lloyd Alexander

CDs I really need to get rid of:
• Breakfast in the Field / Michael Hedges
• The Uplift Mofo Party Plan / The Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Sausage / Riddles Are Abound Tonight

CDs I’ve had for years and still enjoy:
• Zenyatta Mondatta / The Police
• By far the best Police album. Sting was still a little fresh at this point.
• Blind / The Sundays
• What happened to Harriet and David? They really need to put out another album.
• Walk Together, Rock Together / 7 Seconds
• A staple of my jr. high years that was very formative in my tastes and social views.
• World Machine / Level 42
• The best of 1980’s cheesy pop. Everything fell into place for this album.
• Margin Walker (13 Songs) / Fugazi
• I remember when Spencer Barton lent me this cassette in 9th grade - the opening bass line to “Waiting Room,” the headshot of Ian MacKay on the front covered in some white junk. Perfect.
• Crazy Moon / The Stench
• Another Spencer Barton contribution to my delinqunece. I was so excited that someone was making music like this in Utah.
• I Wonder / Bad Yodelers
• Same as above.
• S/T / Crowded House
• This was my introduction to Neil Finn’s songwriting. I’m still a fan of all his work.
• So Far / Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
• Neil Young did his best work on this album.
• Document / REM
• It was all downhill from here.
• Bone Machine / Tom Waits
• Not necessarily the best of his albums, but the one I’ve had the longest.
• Nothing Shocking / Jane’s Addiction
• More consistent than Ritual de lo Habitual.
• I Against I / Bad Brains
• Their crazy energy and political lyrics were perfect for my little 10th grade leanings. Lent to me by the only black kid in our high school.