Monday, March 30, 2009

The Adventurer and the Nostalgic

There's something to be said for the adventurer. There's a level of respect and admiration for someone so willing to venture out into unknown places. This isn't about the adventurer. What about the nostalgic? The one who is content in reliving prior events. If the feelings are the same as the first time, isn't it a little like being there? I want to be an adventurer. I want to boldly go where no man has gone before. But, I'm just not that way; at least not 100%. Not even 70%. Most times I'm completely happy with doing things the way they've been done. I could sit around with my friends from high school, retell old stories, laugh my ass off, and be fine. Maybe it's because whenever I do try to be adventurous, I screw up. I break an ankle.
The Postal Service got me thinking about all this. The band, not the government run parcel service. I refer back to my lack of musical adventurism. When we are so concerned with finding what's new, what's cutting edge, what's original; we sometimes lose the ability to really fall in love with an old song or an old album. Have you ever known someone who was like that with people? They are so concerned with "networking" and "making connections" that they never really cultivate any solid friendships. I feel like I "should be" a musical adventurer. I should be a guy that people can go to for the new stuff. I'm not. I'm more likely to be found listening to an old Caedmon's album or, like I said above, a Postal Service EP. Am I resisting change? I don't know. Most of the time I'd simply rather listen to an old favorite for the 29th time and discover a new ride cymbal part I've somehow never heard before. What's the old saying? "All things in moderation". Perhaps I'd be best served by a healthy dose of both adventurism and nostalgic... ism.

Love whatever you're listening to.

1 comment:

easyedwin said...

I used to avoid listening to "oldies" because they reminded me of a past time that I wanted to forget!! Seasons flew by and I came to terms with my past (eventually). Now I embrace the old songs, but am constantly vigilant for the unique "new" artist/song/writer. That is why I love XM so much. I get VARIETY and lots of it. Without XM I would not have found Adelle, Ray L.,Blue Merle, Neco Case, Billy Holliday. It's all in your state of mind. Music moves me--sometimes happily--sometimes sadly, but it MOVES me always.