For today's song of the day, let me take you all the way back to the 1980's. Picture it: big-ass hair, jumbo combs in back pockets, stirrup pants, Rubik's cubes, etc..... Now that you are strapped into the time machine, let's go to the movies to see a little film called "Pretty in Pink". That, friends, is where we will find today's song, called "Left of Center" by Suzanne Vega. We all know that "If You Leave" by OMD (also a great song) is the iconic track off this soundtrack, but I have always really loved "Left of Center" because it captures that feeling of not fitting in, being an outsider. I had some really great friends in high school, then there are many others from that time that I really never got to know, because of my shyness and low self-esteem. I just assumed that they couldn't possibly like me, so I shut down alot and kept to myself at times. This was really evident when I went to my 20th high school reunion a few years ago. I wanted to talk to everyone, but felt like I didn't really belong there or that I wasn't wanted there. It was nothing that my former classmates did, it was all in my head. I weighed alot more at that reunion than I did in high school, so I was especially embarassed about that. That was reinforced when one of my former classmates came over to me later in the evening, and couldn't stop giggling as she told me that she didn't recognize me, in a snide way that was so insulting! Ugh. I'm pretty sure I left the reunion after that. Not that I spent the whole reunion alone. Tom and I sat with a couple of my good friends all night and had fun talking about the ole' days!

Back to the song. I actually have seen Suzanne Vega in concert a couple of times over the years. Once in the late '80's and again about 4 years ago. At the latter, I was able to meet her after the show. I'd like to say that I said something clever, or that we became buddies, but that simply didn't happen. She barely replied when I said "hello" and she could not have been less interested in meeting any of us. I like to tell myself that she is simply shy, and not a beyotch, and give her the benefit of the doubt. Good show, though.