Music

Considering this is one of the most basic "get to know you" topics, I would also like to say that it is the most difficult subjects for me.

There is so much more that goes into it that just 'what kind of music do you like?' - for me, it represents my past, present - and an unknown version of my future.  As the daughter of a life-long musician, there is a certain nostalgia when I hear certain songs, names, chords or even whistling that might not present itself for other people.  I turn on the radio and immediately have a plan of up to 5 back-ups in case I don't like the song.  And it's not that I might not like the song - I might just not like it at that minute.  We all go through that ... I love me some Frank Sinatra  - but right at this second, I'm jamming (with headphones at my desk) to Kid Cudi w/heavy bass, rap, miles of piano, synthesizer & electric guitar :)

Some of my strongest memories are directly related to a song or concert of some sort!  I'm sure painters have this experience with colors or shapes ... right?  I was once asked why I didn't go to school for "music" - what would I have done?  I thought about it and for some reason, got this funny vision of myself sitting at an over-sized desk saying things like, "yes - that was good music" and "no - that was terrible."   Can you go to school to be Simon Cowell?  Ha.  Maybe the vision I had was to make sure I didn't go to school for music.

I'll never forget growing up with this music shadow - cloud - overhead ... no matter what I started listening to, I inevitably had to have my Dad hear it.  At which point, I learned all that was wrong with it or how "the Beatles did that first."  Little did I know that the countless hours of arguments (I use that word very lightly as anyone who knows him, knows my Dad isn't much of an 'arguer') that began with, "Dad, listen to this" - I was LEARNING!  I caught myself listening to some new song - of course I can't remember what it was - but while listening, I heard the different layers they put down during the studio recording.  The first thing I thought was - the Beatles did that first.  HA - is there an echo in here?  Dad is that you?

Poor Drea.  She's really in for it ... Dustin is at least somewhat used to my musical "tastes" - but poor little Drea has no idea what she was in for.  I'm not the sing-in-the-car-and-embarrass-anyone-who-rides-with-me type ... I'm the type that hears the music whether it's turned up or even ON while in the car.  I hope Drea doesn't choose the car to have serious conversations with me - I'll be secretly listening to the horn section in the second bar of the chorus in whatever song is playing!

There have been plenty of songs over the years that have been "terrible" - but have an awesome line in the first verse - therefore, I will buy the CD with the hopes not all songs are terrible.  I've been to concerts just to be able to watch the guitar playing ... Dad has turned down many-a-song for us to learn over the years because he says I think he's better than he really is.  He's just being modest.  What do you mean you can't do this Brad Paisley, John Mayer or Keith Urban song exactly the way they do?  You play guitar too!  

The cool thing about this is that Jeffrey chooses me to be his musical soundboard (pun intended) like I did with Dad.  Just today he sent me this text message -- "Timeflies tuesday - hotel california ... lemme know what you think."  I know to go to YouTube and type in exactly what he told me :)  Lo and behold ... it rocks!  Not a genre that I would have chosen by myself - but that's the cool part - being open to listening to something out of the box and LOVING IT! 

Maybe I did go to school for music ... it has taken me 27 years and I'm still not done, but it was free ... and the cool thing is I love my students, teachers and the material.

And what, do you ask is the point of me sharing this with you?  I don't know - my music is too loud to think clearly.