I love music. Who doesn't love music? I'm sure there's someone out there who hasn't found the right song yet, but aside from that person and the countless people that would argue with me just to do so, I think I can safely say that music is inherent to the human soul. Let's be clear, I'm not talking "religious" soul. You can call it that if you want but I'm talking about the all-encompassing soul that makes everyone, regardless of religion, race, creed, sexuality, or gender, uniquely human. We need music; we thrive on it; we're made better by it.
What got me thinking about this was how the music we listen to fits the mood we're in at that moment. Right now, I'm listening to an orchestral meditation track that allows me to write freely without interruption by lyrics that could influence which words I use or which sentiment I want to convey. It's what I listen to almost every time I write and as soon as I hear this song, my mind immediately goes to writing.
When I want to get into a party mood, I listen to Rita Ora's "Party & Bullsh*t" song. My fiancee laughs at me because when I'm feeling in a happy mood, I listen to tweeny-bopper pop songs. I call them my "happy songs." That's what they are to me, they are happy to listen to - just don't pay attention to the lyrics too much and you can stay just as blissfully happy as I am ("Call me maybe" anyone?)
Thousands upon thousands of songs, all for very very different moods. The most poignant song for me is "Memory" from Cats. Why? Because I must have listened to this song a hundred times by now and yet I still can't remember the lyrics to save my life. If you told me to sing it right now, I could hum the melody but do little more. (Yes, I'm not lost on the irony that the song is called "Memory" and yet I can't remember the lyrics.) Why does this song affect me as it does? I'd like to think that it's because I don't want to remember the lyrics. I'd like to think that not knowing which verse comes next makes it all the more powerful. That song is a true testament of the genius that can go into song-writing.
Now, I may never be a great lyricist or great song-writer, or even performer (though if I'm doing karaoke I'm going to rock the house as always) but I can be a great song appreciator. We can all be for that matter, because with so many different songs, styles, formats, artists, genres, etc. out there, what's not to appreciate?
I'd love to hear from you out there. What's your favorite song? Why do you listen to it and how does it speak to you?
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Why I won't vote for Romney
So I just finished watching the acceptance speech of Mitt Romney to the RNC and all I can say with unquestionable resolve is that I'll never vote for this man for President of the United States. Regardless of the kind of President that Obama is, he is not going to be kind of President that Mitt Romney would be, and that is a good thing.
Mitt Romney could have banked his nomination on being a man that was able to usher in compromise in a Democratically led Massachusetts when he was their governor. He could have discussed how he respects the Republican party but cannot abide by every plank of their new platform (incidentally he doesn't favor "personhood" plank, so actual kudos to him on that). He could have even said that he is fiscally conservative and will try to bring that type of rationality to his presidency. Did he say any of these things? No.
No, he claimed that he is the descendant of a man who was a descendant of immigrants. He called this land a "nation of immigrants" and yet his party has become increasingly xenophobic as this election progresses. He has supported measures that would prevent further immigration to the US and has not criticized his colleagues for their backwards and antagonistic views on immigrants. He rattled out a lot of hyperbole about the American dream but even that felt very white-bread. When it comes to minorities, Mitt Romney and the GOP would rather quietly think that these people do not make up the fabric of our society. Come out and say it, why don't you? at least then it's not utter hypocrisy every time you speak.
Furthermore, stop saying you're an advocate of women's rights when you won't defend their need for birth control to be covered under basic medical care. Don't say you will uphold the sanctity of life when you won't advocate to permanently remove the death penalty. Don't claim to respect people's right to privacy and then say that they don't have the right to get married, just because they're different than you. In the end, Mitt and the GOP want to stay out of people's private lives only when it comes to taxes and regulation, but as soon as it's a social issue, they are no holds barred. He wouldn't even advocate to reduce military spending even though a balanced budget would require it, because the military industrial complex is so intertwined with fundamentalist conservative votes.
And his entire acceptance speech was all about one thing: pandering to fundamentalists. I expect the same thing from Democrats, don't get me wrong. Obama and his party are going to do do their fair share of pandering next week but at least their party platform doesn't demean women, disenfranchise minority and elderly voters and have a completely backwards approach to progressive values.
I want to believe in a GOP that could go back to the core values of fiscal discipline and states' rights that is founded upon, but sadly the conservative fundamentalists have taken over the dialogue there. GOP, you're going to have to try a lot harder to earn my vote. It just saddens me to no end that the bar is so low for your constituents out there that they have no choice but to vote for Mitt Romney this November.
Mitt Romney could have banked his nomination on being a man that was able to usher in compromise in a Democratically led Massachusetts when he was their governor. He could have discussed how he respects the Republican party but cannot abide by every plank of their new platform (incidentally he doesn't favor "personhood" plank, so actual kudos to him on that). He could have even said that he is fiscally conservative and will try to bring that type of rationality to his presidency. Did he say any of these things? No.
No, he claimed that he is the descendant of a man who was a descendant of immigrants. He called this land a "nation of immigrants" and yet his party has become increasingly xenophobic as this election progresses. He has supported measures that would prevent further immigration to the US and has not criticized his colleagues for their backwards and antagonistic views on immigrants. He rattled out a lot of hyperbole about the American dream but even that felt very white-bread. When it comes to minorities, Mitt Romney and the GOP would rather quietly think that these people do not make up the fabric of our society. Come out and say it, why don't you? at least then it's not utter hypocrisy every time you speak.
Furthermore, stop saying you're an advocate of women's rights when you won't defend their need for birth control to be covered under basic medical care. Don't say you will uphold the sanctity of life when you won't advocate to permanently remove the death penalty. Don't claim to respect people's right to privacy and then say that they don't have the right to get married, just because they're different than you. In the end, Mitt and the GOP want to stay out of people's private lives only when it comes to taxes and regulation, but as soon as it's a social issue, they are no holds barred. He wouldn't even advocate to reduce military spending even though a balanced budget would require it, because the military industrial complex is so intertwined with fundamentalist conservative votes.
And his entire acceptance speech was all about one thing: pandering to fundamentalists. I expect the same thing from Democrats, don't get me wrong. Obama and his party are going to do do their fair share of pandering next week but at least their party platform doesn't demean women, disenfranchise minority and elderly voters and have a completely backwards approach to progressive values.
I want to believe in a GOP that could go back to the core values of fiscal discipline and states' rights that is founded upon, but sadly the conservative fundamentalists have taken over the dialogue there. GOP, you're going to have to try a lot harder to earn my vote. It just saddens me to no end that the bar is so low for your constituents out there that they have no choice but to vote for Mitt Romney this November.
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