Thursday, August 14, 2008

I Think I’m in Love

This is kind of embarrassing to admit but I'm usually kind of slow to embrace new technology. Computers, I've always loved them and heck, I spend a large portion of my existence sitting in front of one trying to remember how to spell, but I have been hesitant to move into the world of digital music. In fact, it was not that long ago that both Lefty and I could quote Brian Eno about digital corruption and argue long into the night with anyone who did not prefer the warmth of a recording on vinyl. I won't argue the pros and cons or voice my initial misgivings about digital music here - I am too busy rubbing two sticks together to make fire.


Relax. We did eventually start buying and listening to cds.


I still have cassette tapes, however, that I listen to just for their warped graininess. Mix tapes that my sister made for me, the guitar and voice of an old lover, tapes that sound as old as they are. I will always love these recordings because they exist in physical time, in memory.


You may recall that Santa brought The Kid a MP3 player for Christmas. I put some new songs on it before we left for vacation and wound up borrowing it while I walked on the treadmill a couple of times. It was a meaningless little flirtation but I fell hard, came home and ordered one for myself. Not a fancy ipod from the evil empire, just a simple little player from the same company that made The Kid's. It also has FM radio, good for an npr junkie and a little voice recording device that let's you record short notes to yourself, an excellent tool for the writerly me. I am always thinking of something I must write down when I am miles from pen and paper.


It is a startling experience to put those ear buds in and let music close around me , the rest of the world fades a bit. Normally, I have one ear cocked for the sounds of the other people I live with, Lefty's small sigh at being unable to find socks, The Kid's garbled yelp of "Mom" if he's had a bad dream or fallen with a thump out of his bed. Lefty often comments on how quickly I can jump up from a sound sleep and sprint into the next room. I tell him it's because I'm always half-listening, even asleep. This little chunk of black plastic gives me the chance to wrap some music around myself and get a little distance from all the other things I'm always listening for and I love it for that.

2 comments:

  1. Hey Laura -- I was thinking of asking Mrs. G. what music she and her posterior are listening to during these Arse Project days. What's on your not-ipod? :)

    (Mine includes The Sick Puppies and Pablo Casals Bach Cello Suites, as well as Madder Rose. What? I like variety.)

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  2. My not-ipod is currently playing Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Keith Jarrett, Indigo Girls, REM, Rhett Miller and Van Morrison plus the soundtrack from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode Once More with Feeling.

    I too enjoy variety.

    I took my arse out for a long walk this morning. We had fun.

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