April 3, 2003
Music
I see my friends with their fancy Live Journals, and I'm sure it's swell, but I'm glad I don't have one. Here's one reason: the "Music" link. You may be aware that this is a way to let everyone know what CD, tape, MP3, LP, 45, 78, 8-track, CD-single, music box, Ogg Vorbis, or player piano tape you're listening to.
Bully for my friends, but this would just be too much pressure for me, too much pressure to be cool. Look, here's what Maureen was listening to today: "Catalani: La Wally". Now what the hell is that? Has anyone ever heard of this? Of course not. But you just know that it's very cool, and erudite, and that whatever you're listening to (probably Billy Joel or REM) can't begin to compare.
So you get a little nervous and try to come up with something clever for your livejournal entry. Looking through the old CD collection, hoping to find something hip, the best you can do is Bjork. You pick one of the more obscure tracks, and start listening to it, so that you can proclaim to the world: "Bjork: Isobel".
Thanks, but no thanks.
On the other hand, while driving home from work today I had the new Massive Attack CD going, and I was thinking to myself, "I'm pretty cool." With the windows down and the sun roof open, I was honestly hoping I'd have to stop at a red light so nearby pedestrians would hear my CD and think, "hey, that guy's pretty cool." More specifically, I was hoping the pedestrians would be attractive women.
I have this micro-fantasy all the time. It's almost subconscious, now, but I catch myself putting the windows down or turning up the volume when my car is stopped and I think somebody might be able to hear.
Does anybody else do this?
Posted by cradle at April 3, 2003 9:45 PMI just post what I'm really listening to. For a while it was being really folky stuff and I was thinking "Oh no, they'll think I'm emo or something!" but I decided that truth is more important than my image. Massive Attack is cool, and you're the one who introduced me to it, so you have to be at least as cool as me!
Posted by: Brooke at April 4, 2003 12:29 AMOh yeah, and about the playing music loud and opening the windows: there's always the temptation to do that, because we each tend to think our music is really cool, but music is such a personal taste, one needs to accept that not everyone can appreciate things the same way as you do, so I try to limit my "LISTEN TO THIS!" impulses to friends who are stuck in my car with me. Strangers on the street are spared.
Posted by: Brooke at April 4, 2003 12:31 AMActually, Brooke, I disagree. As someone who hoofed it until the age of 23, I can honestly say that I was appreciative of good music from cars, especially cars with cute guys in them.
And I loved it when guys would lean out their windows and yell, "Hey, where you goin' baby?" It was doubly good when they would circle the block to talk to me, and triply good when they would circle the block and idle on the side of the road for when I would pass.
But seriously, I think playing your music loud is just fine. I've asked neighboring cars what they were listening to, especially when there was a good looking guy driving, but need I say that?
Posted by: Maureen at April 4, 2003 9:14 AMDoes anybody else do this?
I actually went so far, when my jeep was brand new, as to crank up some trance and get out of the car to see how far away I could hear it with the engine running and the AC on.
Posted by: Andrew at April 4, 2003 10:59 AMWell, how far? Jeeze.
Posted by: David at April 4, 2003 11:35 AMDavid, I believe that is spelled, "Geez."
I used to blast Rage Against the Machine from a 1985 Cavalier. I wish one of those pedestrians I was trying to impress had told me how lame I was.
Posted by: Dan at April 4, 2003 4:11 PMIf I saw you at a stop light with Rage blasting,
I'd make a gun gesture with my hand, point
at you, and wink. And then I'd double over
laughing. Ahahaha.
Hey. Rage is cool!
And cute guys are nothin' but trouble, Maureen. It's best not to make eye contact with them.
Posted by: Brooke at April 5, 2003 12:33 AMI have always found that "np: ... " thing with the music to be very annoying.
As for the rolling down the windows bit, you do that because you live in PG county.
Posted by: cliff at April 5, 2003 1:58 PMwhat cliff said. and about twenty feet
Posted by: Andrew at April 5, 2003 6:18 PM