Like A Rolling Stone

Less than a week until we move. It feels like we move a lot. In fact if we make it for the whole three year degree it will be, incredibly enough, the longest my wife and I will have lived anywhere in our 10+ years of marriage. I wonder what it might feel like to gather a bit of moss.

For now, however, we're rolling on, propelled especially by the gestures of support shown to us by friends and family this last little while. This Sunday our church joined the ranks of grace by sending us off for our overseas excursion feeling very supported, encouraged, and appreciated.

One aspect of this send-off was a great parting gift from my colleagues on staff at the church: A $60 iTunes gift card! It has not taken long to spend.

First I filled a hole in my collection (U2's October), then I snatched up 10 favourite songs from my past that I never bothered owning, and finally, as I love to do, I introduced myself to two bands who are completely new to me. In the latter case, it is a stunning pleasure to have stumbled across Stars' brilliant 2004 album Set Yourself on Fire (where has this been for five years of my life?) and Camera Obscura's thoroughly enjoyable 2009 album My Maudlin Career (thanks for the recommendation Jeff and Dave)! This is some fantastic music, fittingly made in Canada and Scotland respectively.

Also fittingly, among the "songs from my past" are six from The Rolling Stones (who also gather little moss). I couldn't resist, even though I bawked at the idea of going to see the Stones when they were in Regina a couple years ago. Once I saw their set list from that tour I remembered that I was pretty into them in high school and, despite my distaste for tight leather pants, still like several of their songs. So here's a couple questions for you:

1) If you owned zero Rolling Stones songs but were to buy six of them, which would they be?

2) What should I buy with my remaining $11?