My mum is a big lover of 60's and 70's music, so I grew up listening to a lot of Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles and assorted other bands who I'm not sure the name of. Hearing any of those songs takes me straight back to primary school.

With music that I liked, I had a habit of thrashing one particular album for a time, and now whenever I hear it I always associate with that particular time period, even though I didn't intend it to be that way at the time. The main ones were these:

Stripped by Christina Aguilera - Always used to sing along to this pretending I was a diva in my room. I adored her voice and still do, though I don't have quite the same reaction to her music anymore. I was obsessed with the song "Dirrty", which I know sounds weird for a 12 year old, but I think its because even though the lyrics kind of were more meant for someone who's just hit the club scene, for me it kind of represented fun and partying and sexuality and all those things you naively expect will happen to you when you start year 7 and magically grow up. Maybe no one else thought like that, but I certainly had visions of suddenly becoming popular and going to parties and having boyfriends and stuff when I started high school (and by that I mean puberty, but I hate saying that word, it makes me feels like I'm back in P.D learning about penises again.) My high school years turned out nothing like that, but hearing certain songs off that album make me feel that nervous, pre adolescent excitement all over again. Also, I played this CD until I literally scratched a hole in the shiny stuff.

Vulture Street by Powderfinger - My sister left this at my house one time she came to visit, and it sat unplayed on my shelf for ages. I don't know why I decided to play it one day, but I'm so glad I did. Its probably my favourite album of all time. I remember one set of holidays in year 9 where I would sleep in til about 10am every day, wake up and put Vulture Street on my discman (LOL discman), then play old school Pokemon Silver until I had listened to the whole album a few times. I hear it now and it makes me feel happy and relaxed like those holidays. Except for the shred of bitterness I feel abut never finding Lugia. Elusive troll.

Pretty much you can see that if the Stripped days were "How I expect high school to be" then the Vulture Street days were "How stuff actually turned out." Lol.

The last two albums are How To Save A Life by The Fray, and A Song Is A City by Eskimo Joe - put these on and give me a bowl of Honey Wheats with no milk, and I reckon I would remember everything about year 12 maths. Helped me study for some reason, especially Eskimo Joe. I think its because the lyrics generally make no sense, so its hard to relate them to something and get distracted by it. For me anyway.

So yeah, I'd say they were the four I listened to the most.

I usually find that for most activities, I am most productive at night time. Writing, definitely. I usually have more ideas at night, especially when I reach that crazy tired phase just before bed. In school I always used to stay up late doing essays and assessments. Writing in my diary was a night time thing too. For maths it was still night time, but a bit earlier, like about 8pm instead of midnight. And for maths I always needed a cup of tea, a bowl of Honey Wheats, and Eskimo Joe or The Fray playing. It was the only way I could get it done. Weird.

For gymming, I find afternoon or early night is best.

Theres not much stuff I do the best during the day time, except work I guess, but only because I have to. I'm not really a day time person, particularly not mornings. I went through a phase years ago of going to the gym at 6am, and I hated it. It was always dark and cold when I left, then I'd be on the treadmill and they'd have Mel and Kochie on, who I can't cope with at the best of times let alone the morning, then I'd drive home with the sun rising in my eyes, then get ready for work, and be hungry all day from working out. Such a bad idea.

Night time is very under rated I feel.