Music Nostalgia

I am so lucky to be the age that I am. I started listening to popular music while quite young, so my music memory goes back in 50's. People say that the 60's were a special time in music...and so they were. Today is special as well, but for different reasons. I think that it is fair to say that we all enjoy hearing the music we listened to as teenagers, when the hormones were raging and the world seemed like a small, simple place.

The 60's saw the emergence of rock&roll, blues and jazz on a large scale. Kids could attend large music festivals and stay stoned for the weekend. Wear your hair really long, paint your vehicle psychedelic colours and you were good to go.

Now, as a mature adult, I have those memories as well as that shared history with my friends. So, what is different about today? Kids still go to big music festivals and get wasted. Is the music different? Better? Not as cool?

In my mind, the music today is at least good as any time in the past. There is just a lot more of it (or at least better access to it). With iTunes and MP3 players, kids can chase down whatever they like, then share their likes with their friends and thru social media.

The variety of music kids listen to these days is breath-taking. Old blues, jazz standards, Bruce Springsteen, the Beatles, African guitar, South American Indian flute, Beijing Opera...there are no limits.

This is so cool. My playlists seem so random. I like what I like, and don't mind skipping genres every tune. I just wish I had more time to chase down more music. I get my kids to send me some of their current favs every so often and cherry-pick what I like.

What will this mean when my kids are my age? How much shared nostalgia will they have with their friends??? For certain, it will not be like we now enjoy...but is that a bad thing??

My guess...there will be enough crossover that when the old fogies get together and have a little party, the tunes list will make most people happy, just like the 60's revivial stuff does for this generation.

Relax with a bath

If you are not a bath person, this post will not interest you. I take a few baths a week, more in the winter. I am not an immersion type bather. I like 4-6 inches of really hot water, that I top up as it cools. In winter, I get a delicious contrast... bottom half of me is soaking up hot water, while the top is exposed to really chilly air (we run the house about 10-12 degrees Celsius in winter. I supplement the room I'm in with an electric heater).

I have 2 speeds...On and Off. Sitting in a tub for an hour is the serious version of Off. I bring in tunes and usually a glass of wine or beer. This is my favorite way to listen to Saturday afternoon opera on CBC2 (from the Met).

Knowing that you can't just up and fix something or write an email lets your mind wander. The alcohol helps with the sense of relaxation. The tunes suit or make the mood.

While I travelling last year, a fair number of people asked what I missed most about being home. Staying in hostels, or on farms, or with friends, chances at the tub are extremely limited. While I did get in 3-4 baths over the year, there's no place like home...there's no place like home...