Week Ahead in South Windsor: Board of Education Facilities Meeting, Halloween, Muslims in Public Life

Good morning, South Windsor! Today is Monday, Oct. 28, 2013; there are 64 days left in the year.

People talk all the time about things they can’t live without. Chocolate. Their spouse. iPhone. Hair gel, according to my wife, though she doesn’t wear it and I have no idea where that came from.

Anyway, you know what people really can’t live without? Air. Seriously. Everybody does it. Can’t live without the sweet combination of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide and neon, with a little methane thrown in for taste.

So, in homage to the atmosphere, I’m giving you my top 5 songs involving breathing of all time (yeah, it’s a stretch, but after two years of writing this stuff, I need themes, kids):

5. Breathe (Faith Hill, 2000) - This is an awful song that I feel compelled to include on the list simply because of Faith Hill’s advice. Just breathe. Yep. Good one. Thank goodness Faith Hill went into music instead of medicine. Many people would have died.

4. One Last Breath (Creed, 2002) - You know who admits to liking Creed? No one. And while I won’t go so far as to admitting liking the band’s catalog (I don’t), I’ll cop to really enjoying this song, overwrought as it is and Scott Stapp’s messianic complex notwithstanding.

3. Every Breath You Take (The Police, 1983) - Best stalking song of all time. Prove me wrong.

2. Breathe (Pink Floyd, 1973) - Ah, The Dark Side of the Moon. If you didn’t own a copy of this album in high school or college, then chances are you didn’t go to high school or college. And Breathe is perhaps the most underrated track on Pink Floyd’s seminal album with the theme of that which drives us all mad. Like Faith Hill songs.

1. Just Breathe (Pearl Jam, 2008) - Yes, I admonished Faith Hill a few songs ago for proffering the advice to just breath. But we all can agree that Faith Hill is awful. I acknowledge that Pearl Jam evokes a visceral response from people, both positive and negative. For me, few songs evoke peace more than this one. Sue me.

Here’s five things going on (or not) in the area this week:

1. The third of three scheduled Board of Education meetings about the proposed elementary school facilities plan will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Timothy Edwards Middle School. No agenda yet.

2. There are no other town meetings this week, as officials look ahead to Election Day, Nov. 5.

3. The weekly child car seat safety check is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 a.m. at the South Windsor Fire Headquarters.

4. Halloween is Thursday. Here are some rules for staying safe from the South Windsor Police Department. 

5. Wood Memorial Library is hosting a series from The Hartford Seminary on a variety of topics. On Oct. 29, Dr. Timur Yuskaev and Marwa Aly will share a presentation and dialogue regarding "Muslims in American Public Life - Post 9/11," beginning at 7:30 p.m. Details here.