Music, Politics, Art, Literature, Film, Yoga, Science, Theology, History, Cooking, Gardening, Biodiversity, Paleontology, Electing officials who aren't religious fundamentalists, Making the perfect cup of chai, Travel that isn't work-related, Drinking my morning coffee in peace,

Here's a sampling of what's on my Ipod:

8 1/2 Souvenirs, Al Green, Amelita Galli-Curci, Aretha Franklin, Art Tatum, Astor Piazzolla, The Avengers, The B-52's, The Beatles, Beck, Ben Charest, Benny Goodman, Betty Carter, Bill Monroe, Billy Holiday, Blind Willie Johnson, Blondie, Bob Brozman, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Booker T and the MG's, Boomtown Rats, Boswell Sisters, Brave Combo, Buck Owens, Butthole Surfers, Buzzcocks, Cake, Cab Calloway, Carlos Gardel, Carole King, Cesaria Evora, Charlie Parker, Chet Baker, Clara Rockmore, The Clash, Cliff Edwards, Cocteau Twins, John Coltrane, The Cramps, The Cure, Curtis Mayfield, Dave Biller, David Bowie, The Decemberists, The Derailers, Devo, Dinah Washington, Dinosaur Jr., Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dixie Hummingbirds, Dizzy Gillespie, Django Reinhardt, Duke Ellington, Dusty Springfield, Dwight Yoakam, Eartha Kitt, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Costello, Elvis Presley, Erik Hokkanen, Etta James, Fats Waller, The Flaming Lips, Flatt and Scruggs, Fleetwood Mac, Fletcher Henderson, Fountains of Wayne, Frank Sinatra, George Jones, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Glenn Miller, Golden Gate Gospel Quartet, The Gourds, Guy Forsyth, Hank Williams, Harry Nilsson, Haydee Alba, Helen Humes, Helen Kane, Henry Mancini, Sol Hoopii, Howlin' Wolf, Iggy Pop & the Stooges, Ike & Tina Turner, Jack Teagarden, Jackson 5, James Brown, Jane's Addiction, Jazz Butcher, Jeff Buckley, Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, Jimmie Rodgers, Joe Jackson, John Lee Hooker, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lavern Baker, Leadbelly, Ledward Kaapana, Lefty Frizzell, Leonard Cohen, Lightnin' Hopkins, Lil Green, Loretta Lynn, Los Lobos, Louie Armstrong, Louvin Brothers, Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett, Ma Rainey, Mahalia Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Maxine Sullivan, Meat Puppets, Memphis Minnie, Mercedes Simone, Mercedes Sosa, Miles Davis, Mills Brothers, Modest Mouse, Muddy Waters, Nat King Cole, Neil Young, Neville Brothers, New York Dolls, Nina Simone, Nirvana, Otis Redding, Patsy Cline, Patti Smith, Pixies, The Pogues, The Police, Porter Wagoner, The Pretenders, Public Enemy, Radiohead, The Ramones, Ray Charles, Ray Price, Rebirth Brass Band, Rickie Lee Jones, Roy Smeck, Sam & Dave, Sam Cooke, Scrappy Hamilton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Skatalites, Sly & the Family Stone, Smokey Robinson, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Sophie Tucker, The Southern Sons, Spike Jones, Split Lip Rayfield, The Stanley Brothers, Stanley Smith, Staple Singers, Stevie Wonder, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Talking Heads, Tammy Wynette, Thelonious Monk, They Might Be Giants, This Mortal Coil, Tom Petty, Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Violent Femmes, Willie Nelson, Wilco, X.

Some recent faves:

Some other faves (by no means a complete list):

The Usual Suspects. Midnight Cowboy. Grass. Cabaret. This is Spinal Tap. Spirited Away. The Color Purple. About Schmidt. Citizen Kane. Blazing Saddles. A Simple Plan. Night, Mother. Full Metal Jacket. The Princess Bride. Lost in Translation. Bowling for Columbine. Monster. Spider-Man 2. Identity. The Fugitive. A Clockwork Orange. Memento. Ghandi. Chicago. Reservoir Dogs. Fargo. Best in Show. Being John Malkovich. Happiness. American Splendor. Crumb. Taxi Driver. Raising Arizona. Ghost World. Playing for Time. Sling Blade. Roger and Me. American Beauty. 12 Monkeys. The Jerk. Any Monty Python movie. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Monsters Inc.

Plagues and Peoples by William H. McNeill

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins

Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres

The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan

Can't Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, 1945-2000 by Martin Torgoff