An Elegy to Music

Music is a wonderful thing isn’t it?! It has the ability to change someone’s mood, create a romantic/excited situation, and help others concentrate on the work at hand. My friend’s father told me if he could have any super power, he would want to hear music in his head, basically a soundtrack for his entire existence. Life would be so dramatic…your cat just died and Portishead’s “Road” consumes your mind. Or you just got that new promotion and Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” takes over your body. Unfortunately neither he nor I have this amazing ability, so we need to take advantage of what we do have…MP3 players, stereos, the internet…

When it comes to music, I’m utterly intrigued by what people listen to while in the work place…and in some ways this can be extremely hilarious. For instance, while walking by the HR office earlier, I heard Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” And this song wasn’t just playing quietly in the background…she was blaring the tune (the door was shut mind you)… rockn’ out behind her computer screen. Personally I would love the freedom of gettn’ jiggy with my own playlist while at work…oh what a glorious thought…stick in the earbuds and lose myself in my work and music…no outside distractions…I’m particularly attracted by the idea because people would be less compelled to stop by and talk needlessly to me about something I clearly don’t care about. Unfortunately I don’t have that luxury thanks to the large amount of in-coming calls I receive throughout the day. BUT! I am fortunate to have speakers with access to Pandora or Radio Milwaukee any day or time of the week.

I certainly have no complaints about my music options…besides, beggars can’t be choosers. I remember back in high school when I worked at a department store…and I remember the music too. Ugh! Let’s just say I’m not a big fan of “easy listening” at all…hell, even Christmas music! I slightly threw up in my month if even the thought of Christmas music crossed my mind for years because of that job. I’m now back to a tolerable state with it, but even Christmas music is better than no music at all. Keep in mind there are the employees out there who don’t even have the option of listening to ANYTHING?! If it wasn’t for me, my cub-mate wouldn’t get to listen to music…and lucky for her we have the same taste. Of course there are other circumstances than this. For instance, I have friends who share an office with each other. One can’t stand the silence while the other can’t stand music. A terrible situation it’s true.

But it’s exactly why I should be lucky enough to listen to music while on the job …many people can’t say as much. And silence is so defining. Who in there right mind can concentrate at all without it? Whitney is far better than hearing the light buzz of the florescent lights in the background…or how about those annoying hyena laughter outbursts down the hall, the shrill is like nails on a chalkboard to me. My favorite is when I’m on the phone with a customer, and someone decides they need to have a very vocal conversation about what they did over the weekend or some other life changing event that needs to be told right at that moment, right in front of my cub, and at the loudest volume possible before its considered shouting. Granted, even music can’t due anything about the previous comment…but I just needed to complain about it.

So I’m not a poet…on that note I’m barely a writer. But this is as close as I get to a poem. Ode to music…and to I T for placing me with a computer that allows me to hear the sweet harmonies and rhythmic beats every day. Without it, seconds would turn into hours…dragging time by, making life absolutely dull.