"This Is Your Brain On Music"
That's the title of a book I'm reading right now. It's written by Daniel J. Levitin, who grew up learning to be a (and becoming a successful recording/electrical engineer. So far, there's been basic music theory but it is applied to basic physiology and that's what makes it cool. He's also touched on social, cultural, anthropological connections at this point and I believe he'll do more of that later.
I'm compelled to write, however, because of the impact of music on the flight I'm on right now. I was in kind of a foul mood when I boarded and not looking forward to catching up on e-mail. After some music, life is good and the e-mail doesn't feel like a chore. That's pretty powerful. This doesn't mean I've abandoned the campaign to cut my e-mail in half, but it does mean that I'll be going to City Lights this weekend to plop down some dollars for new music.
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BTW, I like the new look and feel.
Music is an essential part of coping for me. Every day when I get home from work, the first thing we do is drop the iPod in the dock and listen to a randomly chosen smart playlist called "Dinner Mix." What is so great is that even my 5 year old can sit with us and sing Norah Jones, Neil Young, the Dead, and just about anything else that flows out of the speakers. Amazing.
When I am really in need of getting things done I have music going. Its always been that way for me -- even way back in elementary school I would steal my parents Motown tapes and play them while I did homework. Of course that prompted my parents to wonder aloud how in the heck you could do two things at once. Listening to music has always focused my attention and allowed me to really drive into a set of tasks.
With that said, there isn't anything that makes plowing through a few days of back logged emails.