All Things Go, All Things Go

Could it be that one album will be the biggest deciding factor in the decision of which city to live in upon returning to the U.S.?

Since arriving in Taiwan, every time I listen to Sufjan Steven's "Come on Feel the Illinoise" I have an intense desire to return to Chicago. When I left, I felt good about my decision. Even if I hadn't been moving to Taiwan, it seemed like the right time to say goodbye to the windy city.

I'm already prone to nostalgia, constantly looking back with great fondness (forgetting the frustrations) on past years. Music does it for me. All I have to do is hear a song, and I immediately find myself back in the place I associate with that song. Riding in the car with someone special. Working at a particular clothing store. Sitting in the kitchen while my mom prepares Thanksgiving dinner listening to that overly sentimental christian artist. All of these memories are tied to a particular song, and I immediately find myself in that moment, wishing I were there.

That is what happens every time I listen to "Come on Feel the Illinoise." Not only was it my most listened to cd of that year, but all of the songs are Illinois-themed. I spent a lot of time at my previous job, riding around the south side, the west side, and the suburbs, searching for the homes of pregnant teens while listening to this cd. I find myself back in those neighborhoods while listening to certain songs. Others place me back on a notoriously uncomfortable futon listening to satellite TV music stations.

I will definitely go back to Chicago. I wonder if that would be the case if my Itunes randomizer didn't turn out a Sufjan Stevens song nearly every day.