I wish it were this simple

It's not, really, not for most of us. Sometimes, though, I think it should be.

Enjoy.

Music to fit my mood

Tonight and during moments of working on No Going Back, these two Snow Patrol songs are perfect.

Sometimes after a very rough day

you need a beautiful emo tune. Like this one.



Other times, after a very rough day, you need an auditory workout montage, say a silly early 80's tune. Like this one.



On a very rough day, you may want someone to save you. Then a TV theme song might be just what you need. Like this one.



Eventually, though, on even a very rough day, you realize that you're alive and doing better than so many people that you have no right to complain, that in fact you should be thankful. When you reach that point, a joyful song might be just the ticket. Like this one.



Today was a very rough day.

Music and my writing

Many folks have asked me whether I listen to music while writing, so I thought I'd answer the question here. (Web Weasel, are you noticing that this is another potential FAQ candidate? Back off.)

I usually write in silence, but often because I forgot to put on music. I actually prefer writing to music, because it helps enhance the trance-like effect of intense concentration, but the music must meet one of two requirements: it must either have no words and a relatively consistent tone, or it must be music I have listened to so many times that the words fade away for me.

For example, over the years I have written many columns, stories, and novel parts to the sounds of Blue Rodeo's Outskirts, one of the best albums ever. I've also written a great many parts of my first two novels while listening to the two Smallville soundtracks, particularly the first one, and the lovely Snow Patrol album, Eyes Open.

If you don't know Eyes Open and you at all like emotional (okay, emo) music, you should check out this CD. It was, in my opinion, the best album of last year. (The Killers' Hot Fuss was the best of the previous year. I'm not sure about this year's best.)

I've amassed a number of albums that meet my requirements, and I am always listening to new ones and adding them to the list by giving them heavy rotation on my playlist. I like having a range of available music, so I can match the sounds to the emotions of what I'm writing at the time.

New albums, though, never qualify, because they distract me. I can't have that.

Tonight's magic moment

was in the car, driving home at 11:30, listening to Snow Patrol's song, "Chocolate," a band and a tune that Sarah turned me on to. The air was cool, I put the windows down, and the music reminded me of all the passion and dreams I felt at sixteen--and still feel, at least at moments like that one, when I'm not working and not being a boss or a father or a partner or anything else, when it's just me, my thoughts, and the music.

Some will tell you to grow up, to abandon the dreams of youth, to let go of useless passions, to get over it all.

Screw them.

Cling tight to all of it, and never ever ever give up on any of it.