The first mix tape I ever made was for a boy in my middle school homeroom who I will call, Brian of the Beautiful Blue Eyes.  He was popular, funny, and confident without being cocky which is so hard for a twelve-year-old boy.  He wasn’t too bright, but made me feel smart by asking for homework help. Brian of the Beautiful Blue Eyes was my muse for all the heroes in my journal of short stories.
I found myself day dreaming about him, doodling his name and mine intertwined in hearts on my binder, and daring to myself to ask him to an upcoming dance where I would give him his very own, made by me, Mix Tape O’ Love: forty minutes of nine songs on a heart themed decorated cassette with my phone number written on the spine in my best, most romantic cursive. 
I spent a whole week planning the playlist and sweet messages in between the songs.  A portion of my Teen Beat allowance went to buy the supplies and I devoted the weekend before the dance to record songs off of borrowed CDs and tapes on my Boombox.  I did all of this to make my profession of tween love just perfect.
And the darn thing never made it from my purse into the hands of my beloved Brian of the Beautiful  Blue Eyes. 
I’ll admit it: I chickened out at the middle school’s Winter Dance. (Hang head in shame). 
I saw him on the dance floor stiffly rocking side to side with Sarah of the Freakishly Perfect Blonde Hair while Whitney belted out “I Will Always Love You”.  Realizing I’d probably make a huge fool of myself if I tried to pry Brian away from Sarah,  turned and ran to the hallway under an arch of garishly red heart balloons, into the (thankfully empty) bathroom. The blood red heart balloons hanging from every available stationary bathroom fixture mocked me as I had a good old-fashioned, broken-hearted, ugly cry into the mirror. 
Top that Molly Ringwald!
Although tragic and riddled with tween angst, that experience didn’t ruin me for love. I don’t I pine for Brian of the Beautiful Blue Eyes anymore because I’ve got someone better—T.C. of the Tremendous, Terrific, Tempting… Total Package.
And yes, he has beautiful blue eyes.  Check it:
So this Valentine’s Day I wish to redeem the lost energy, time, and mental space I gave Brian, and create a mix tape O’ Love for my hubby.
I didn’t really love Brian (how can you love someone at twelve) but those songs made him and the prospect of being with him bigger.  He was more charismatic, funnier, kinder, and attainable after I spent a week meditating on heart-felt lyrics and sweet melodies. 
The music transformed my teenage dream into a tenuous reality. 
So I wondered what would happen if those feelings of love, commitment, and passion that are already sure and settled in my heart for T.C. were stoked by the magic of music. 
It’s incredible that after I made a playlist for him, my love for my husband grew. I appreciate him more, I’m fonder of him, and I’m straight up smitten by him.
The music transformed our twelve-year love story into a timeless tale. 
(Ok, maybe I’ve gotten a bit carried away with the lovey-dovey language. Can you blame me after a week of listening to every Brian Mcknight wedding song to find the perfect one T.C.’s Mix Tape O’ Love?)
So, Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends!  Thanks for sitting in on my walk down middle school memory lane and enjoy the playlist below.  I’m going to offer a bit of explanation for each song —just ‘cause I’m sappy like that.  
Maybe it’ll inspire you to make a playlist for that special someone…just
don’t forget to use lots of heart emoticons when you email them the list!
Osheta’s Mix ‘O Love for T.C.

[spotify id=”spotify:user:oshetamoore:playlist:3JIFp402qnF2C1ahJUp4PL” width=”300″ height=”380″ /]

(lyrics of the songs are italicized)
1: The Rest of My Life: Brian Mcknight 
Ok, I have to admit, the beginning has a bit of that Edward Cullen creep factor, “three in the morning, I can’t be dreaming, I’m wide-awake, watching you sleeping…”, but the rest is really sweet—promise!  Plus, Brian Mcknight accompanies and harmonizes with his two grown sons—so beautiful it makes me want to cry . There’s no one I’d rather spend the rest of my life with than my husband.  He’s my best friend who I can tell everything. We had a bit of a rocky start, but we’re oh so solid now.  I swear we haven’t seen nothing yet. 
2: Made for Me by TobyMac
Confession time again: My best friend and I made a Mix-tape for DC. Talk.  She was supposed to marry Kevin Smith and I 
was supposed to marry Michael Tait.  We told them we loved them. They wrote back, “thanks for the tape”.  We squealed and jumped on her bed.  We were thirteen.
This song is so much fun it makes me want to bop around the kitchen in my red and black apron while making dinner,  singing into my wooden spoon, and grabbing whatever child that passes me to sneak a Danimal before dinner to bop with me—hypothetically speaking of course ;).  I love the chorus, because sometimes T.C. and I will say the same thing or make the same facial expressions and I’ll think, “wow it’s almost like we were made for each other”.  Plus c’mon how can you not love lyrics like: “Well I got white skin and she got brown skin, but milk and coffee always been a beautiful blend”?
3: Let’s  Stay Together as sung by Maroon 5.
This one’s a no brainer.  It’s Adam Lavine singing Al Green—that alone gives it admission onto the playlist. I’m in my marriage for the long haul, whether times are good or bad, happy or sad.  Sing it Adam, sing it in your $500 holey t-shirts.
4: Sweetest Love by Robin Thicke
Robin’s falsetto proclaiming he’s “got the sweetest love” inspires me to tell T.C. that he’s the sweetest love I’ve ever had. Seriously, dude always calls me when he’s near the store to see if I need anything, brings me Starbucks, and puts the kids to bed every night because he knows I’m done after dinner.  There ‘aint nothing sweeter!
5: It’s Oh So Quiet by as sung by Lucy Woodward.
I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend when I met T.C.  In fact I was “dating Jesus” enjoying his still small voice, but he brought this man into my life and Zing! Boom! I’ve never been so nuts about a guy.  Also, we’re both really opinionated people so we’ve had to learn how to fight fair and not blow a fuse, Zing! Boom! I guess that’s what happens when you fall in love.
6: Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You as sung by Lauyrn Hill
This smooth hip-hop rendition of a classic makes me want to grab T.C. and hold (him) so much.  The first time I knew I could love T.C., was when he put Lauyrn Hill’s “Unplugged” album in my car’s CD player and began to break down the theology and philosophy of each song. I knew he was too good to be true, so cute I couldn’t take my eyes off of him but super smart too.  Score for Osheta.
7: End of Time by Beyonce
The drum-line in this song is sick!  So much fun and makes me want to celebrate the love I share with T.C.  I will love this boy like crazy until the end of time.  Plus, the speed of the second verse reminds of how I was so intimidated by his coolness when we first met, that I talked way, way, way too fast.  Oh, and we did the whole courting thing so I remember what a big step holding hands was for us. Now we’re married and I can say, “come take my hand” anytime I want.
So here it is, my:
Mix tape O’Love for T.C. Moore: twenty-seven minutes of seven songs in a Spotify playlist, written with my best, most romantic words, on a pretty blog that he created for me
Happy Valentine’s Day, to my T.C. of the Tremendous, Terrific, Tempting… Total Package
Yay Love,
 
 
What is your favorite love song of all time? And… conversation hearts, yes or no? Oh and if I made you giggle or laugh, please share the love and pass on this post to your friends today.