Notes
1. I've been pondering cutting music out of my life for a week. This means I would play no music on my stereo, in my car, on my work or home computer, or anywhere else I have control over the soundtrack. I don't mean entirely avoiding the incidental music of life (overhearing a co-worker's iPod, elevator music, music over a store's P.A. system, movie and TV show soundtracks, etc.) since that would be impossible, short of me walking around wearing sound-proof earmuffs. A friend once suggested that we cheapen the music we love by listening to it over and over again. He brought this up after I mentioned buying Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings-which was the filmic cliche for sorrow and pensive contemplation before directors started inserting Nick Drake into soundtracks. He's partially right. We listen to our favorite songs because, like scents (though to a lesser degree), they allow us to revisit certain situations and sensations, but the effect diminishes over time or through repeated listening. Personally, I think the music's effect doesn't diminish, we just build up a tolerance. This applies to so many things, and usually leads to snide remarks like, "Oh, every adolescent male thinks _______ band and ________author is the greatest ever! How predictable." Relatively speaking, yes, this is true... because the jaded adult forgets that it's all new to the kids.
Still and all, even if you don't listen to Adagio for Strings ad nauseam, by your own choice you hear an average of about, oh, let's say 13 hours of music a day, applying a radio standard play time of three minutes each, that comes out to 260 songs daily. Which is interesting and sobering, not to mention possibly an example of addiction. Harmless addiction, surely, but why the need for constant stimulation of the pleasure and memory centers of the brain on top of whatever else is happening in your life? Boredom at work? Fine, but no one is constantly bored. Much as I love music, I worry that my music listening holds the same status as my two cups of coffee or a self-administered electric shock to my cerebral cortex. I think that I can't function without the artificial stimulation. What will happen if I go cold turkey, starting Sunday? I wonder. I wonder...
I suppose to make it interesting, I should try to leave wherever I am whenever I hear music. I should take notes along the way. Article idea? Hmmm...
2. Earth-Man Kirk... What is that large fiery ball in the sky? Where is the grey sky ceiling and sharp-edged falling bits of frosted water? Is this what you Hu-Mans call spring?
What do you mean... "to kiss"...? Does not compute.
3. The wife gave me An American Werewolf in London on DVD. God, I loved that flick in high school. Time to make some popcorn, grab a Dr. Pepper (in honor of David Naughton), and enjoy a Saturday afternoon monster movie.
Favorite Parts: Every scene with Griffin Dunne and David's nightmare. If you haven't seen it yet, well, that's peculiar, but I won't ruin it for you.
4. Hey, you know what I haven't run here for a while?
5. Ask me a question. Any question.
Still and all, even if you don't listen to Adagio for Strings ad nauseam, by your own choice you hear an average of about, oh, let's say 13 hours of music a day, applying a radio standard play time of three minutes each, that comes out to 260 songs daily. Which is interesting and sobering, not to mention possibly an example of addiction. Harmless addiction, surely, but why the need for constant stimulation of the pleasure and memory centers of the brain on top of whatever else is happening in your life? Boredom at work? Fine, but no one is constantly bored. Much as I love music, I worry that my music listening holds the same status as my two cups of coffee or a self-administered electric shock to my cerebral cortex. I think that I can't function without the artificial stimulation. What will happen if I go cold turkey, starting Sunday? I wonder. I wonder...
I suppose to make it interesting, I should try to leave wherever I am whenever I hear music. I should take notes along the way. Article idea? Hmmm...
2. Earth-Man Kirk... What is that large fiery ball in the sky? Where is the grey sky ceiling and sharp-edged falling bits of frosted water? Is this what you Hu-Mans call spring?
What do you mean... "to kiss"...? Does not compute.
3. The wife gave me An American Werewolf in London on DVD. God, I loved that flick in high school. Time to make some popcorn, grab a Dr. Pepper (in honor of David Naughton), and enjoy a Saturday afternoon monster movie.
Favorite Parts: Every scene with Griffin Dunne and David's nightmare. If you haven't seen it yet, well, that's peculiar, but I won't ruin it for you.
4. Hey, you know what I haven't run here for a while?
5. Ask me a question. Any question.