I moved recently, in a process that involved me shoving everything I could possibly fit into my Toyota Corolla and driving two days through British Columbia to arrive south of Seattle. 

I mention this because of the things I could fit in my car, what did not make it was the meager collection of DVDs I collected while living in Alaska. I left what remained of the collection in the hands of a good friend for him to mail to me in a week or so. 

There was no urgency in the task, I mean, it’s only movies and books and such. Nothing urgent by any means.

Except.

I haven’t hooked up internet to my apartment yet, and at nearly three weeks in, I’m going a bit stir crazy. 

Which brings me to today.

I was wandering through my iTunes collection, looking for something uncomplicated to keep me company while catching up on reading. First it was 20 classical tracks from Debussy, which I love, but it’s a bit sleepy.

While scrolling through the library by genre, I “stumbled” upon the “alternative & punk” section. 

“All right!” I thought to myself, though I admit I may have exclaimed out loud. While scrolling, I found The Moffatts, and literally — in the literal meaning of the word literally— I laughed out loud.

I LOL’d big time.

Sidenote: Can The Moffatts really be classified as ‘alternative & punk?’ I totally think not.

Anyway, I hit play it and sang along to every single word as if I listened to the album every day.

I have no idea how I ended up with “Chapter 1: A New Beginning,” but I’m sure I paid money for it. And then unknowingly uploaded it to my iTunes library in The Great CD Purge of… 2010. 

And the album truly terrible. Sophomoric. Not good. As in, don’t buy it. Don’t even look it up. 

Needless to say, “Miss you like crazy” still tugs my heart strings, “Wild at heart” makes me roll my eyes, and I checked out during “Raining in my mind.” Predictably.  

I listened to the whole thing, because why not, and quickly moved to find something equally sing-along-able, only better.

Barry Manilow, you guys. 

Because we ARE just two ships passing in the night, and I AM ready to take that chance again, and somewhere down the road, we ARE going to meet again. Because all it takes is one voice to sing the old songs and make it through the rain. And really, I just can’t smile without you.

Damn you guys. Barry Manilow.

In other news, have my movies arrived yet?