“I know it sounds funny but I just can’t stand the rain, so I’m leaving here tomorrow…”
I can’t promise those are the actual L. Richie lyrics, but that song has been stuck in my head for days now. The whole sound of that era is orbiting back around towards me, a memory of days gone by. See, I grew up on music. We had record players back then and I would drop the needle on an album almost every day, looking for the soundtrack to my day. These days don’t have a soundtrack so much as the constant background hum of video games and children’s screams. They are not being raised to love music the way I did—which is entirely my fault. Is music still as important to youth development? I think so, I just wonder about the songs they cling to with a love of the rhythm and little understanding of the meaning.
They’re into Gangam Style and LMFAO. They want it fast with a deep baseline that promises a structure for dance. When I try exposing them to lighter or even different stuff, they call it noise. Hey, Portishead is not noise. It is also not the kind of thing an 8 yr old is going to be up for.
Some Thoughts:
1. Here at the airport enjoying the wait with a friend. Good trip with good company. I try to go to these things every year. I missed out last year, but next year Boston will be host to the talislegger. This is meant to be the year of the conference. As I pointed out in my last post, I am not doing this to escape next time. I am doing it to connect to a community of writers, teachers, and readers. I am hoping to tap into that zeitgeist and grow from it a little each time. Of course, there will be drinks, and dancing, and talk of old times along the way. The more I go, the more I become a participant in those old times as opposed to hearing them for the first time.