Music as an Art (Ramble-licious)

I am realizing things. Firstly Post Secret is an incredible site. Secondly, the other day, I was talking to a friend and they helped me realize that while my musical tastes had been expanding in one direction, across genres, it was contracting in another, subject matter. Most of the music I listen to currently is music that explicitly calls for social or political change, from Rage Against the Machine to Wyclef Jean to Johnny Cash. This tends to discount other positive attributes of music. Firstly, she recomended a song about the artist's boyfriend committing suicide. It sounded like a very interesting, affective song, even though it doesn't fall into what I would usually listen to. Also, sheer skill. Originally I liked Guns n' Roses in large part because Slash is an absolutely incredible guitarist, but I haven't really listened to my Gn'R albums lately. Essentially, I realized that there are several different characteristics of music which traverse genre, and that not being dismissive of entire genres does not alone show open mindedness to all forms of music as an art. I think that trying to open myself to different subject matters of music may also have the benefit of allowing me to think and write in different ways, helping me find more things to write about, while at the same time increasing my musical versatility. Additionally, I have found that my attitude towards music is different from my attitude toward poetry. When I wrote poetry I was (at least initially) very reluctant to show anybody my writings, I was terribly afraid that they would be found wanting. However, with music, I am excited and eager to share, though there is of course the slight nervous anticipation of hearing what others think. I am unsure why this difference is, except perhaps, that while I know several people who write poetry, there is no one to compare music to, at least in my immediate circles of friends. This, I think, alleviates some pressure, since I think that in a room full of guitarists, I would feel self conscious about my music as well. Anyway, I hope that I can get going on some music again, I have a lot of ideas, many of which just need some form. It'll be all good. Peace out, and word to your mothers.

Registering

Ay Carumba. This weekend Erin came up so we could start registering for things. We decided on Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Dillard's. First thing in the morning, we went to Target out near the mall, where everything else was too. We filled out the automated paperwork for about 15 minutes, and someone comes over to us and told us that whenever we're done, we should go to the guest services desk, and they'll hook us up with a scanner gun. We spent another five minutes or so finishing it up, and then head over to the guest services desk where another girl informed us that all their scanners were broken. She suggested we come back another time. We were displeased. So we went to Bed, Bath & Beyond. We waited a couple minutes for someone to come help us register, as their paperwork was not automated, and someone finally did. He was friendly, which was nice at first, but then he followed us around the store for an hour and a half giving us wedding advice. So we ended up registering for maybe 15 things there. However, when we got home and checked online, ALL of the attachments for the mixer we registered for were on our registry. We counted, I think, 25 different attachments, including an $80 sausage stuffer, and a $120 pasta maker. Not pleased. Anyway, then we went to David's Bridal, and I helped Erin look at wedding dresses, apparently a horrible crime, as Erin was told when she got home yesterday. Screw that. She wasn't even buying one that day, so there's a 99% chance that I didn't see the one she is going to pick at all, and even if she did, I wouldn't have any idea which one it was. So then we went to Dillard's, where pretty much the only thing we registered for was our China. This was by far the best registry experience of the day, but only incomparison to the other two. First, we had to wait for the lady to get back in an hour, because apparently she's the only one in their employ who can start a registry, at least they gave us an appointment time for when she would be back instead of just telling us to come back later or to sit and wait (We went and got lunch and looked at the ties in Men's Warehouse,, and found that surprisingly, Men's Warehouse's carry very differing stock). When we came back, the lady was nice enough, but the UPC codes were always on the bottom of the boxes, and apparently Dillard's is morally against shelves, so everything was stacked on small, overcrowded tables. Everytime we tried to scan something, it was like playing Jenga. Anyway, so we finished that up real quick and went over to David's Bridal again, so that Emily (Sister-in-Law), Janelle, and Adam could see the two styles of dresses Erin was looking at. Then we went to eat, and Adam and Janelle created the highlight of the day by doing some absolutely incredible graphic design work. And that was our Saturday from 10 am until midnight. Sunday we went to a different target and registered (their guns weren't broken) for several hours, and then Erin had to leave. I'm sorry if I was irritable, or grumpy, or whatever Sunday, but I was totally bedraggled (that's a real word, right?). Anyway, then I got a call from my mom who told me that since there were only ten things between three stores (she checked Satruday night before we could get a scanner gun at Target), it was obvious that we were only registering for things that we really needed. I proceeded to tell her that to me, ten items between three stores obviously said "not finished." But she had already called my aunt and grandmother to tell them about our registering, before even trying to contact us to find out whether we were done or not first. Anyway, other than registering not turning out to be as much fun as anticipated, things are going allright. Sorry to rant. Peace out, and word to your mothers.