I learned to read by listening to pop music. A transistor radio was my oracle. Lyrics became my poetry—they painted pictures, gave me a curiosity about words, and a desire to write.

Music is our societal zeitgeist, documenting decades and the atmosphere of our lives. Music gives shape, continuity, and dimension to time. I refer to songs, song titles, and lyrics throughout this memoir for those very reasons. “Songs are like tattoos.”

These playlists respond directly to the different sections in the memoir and in many cases, these songs helped shape them. The creativity within each song often guided the writing itself. Where I end and a lyric begins is blurry. I can tell you where I was—what I was doing, thinking, who I was talking to, and even what I was wearing with each tune.

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