Music Can Make All the Difference

When I drive to work, I am much more likely to listen to an audio book than the radio.  To those of you who follow my other blog (Mr. Center's Wall), it may appear that I get a lot of reading done.  Okay.  Well, maybe that's the case, but the reality of the thing is that my to-read list is a whole heckuva lot longer and rapidly growing than is my have-read list.  So I listen to books on the commute, in effort to keep up.

Today it was the radio--not because I wanted it so, but because my current book is in the other car, which is in the shop, because it failed emissions inspection.  (The time of this needed repair couldn't come at a worse financial moment.  But do these things ever become necessary when money is abundant?  And when is money ever abundant??)

So today was radio.

As far as my music is concerned, my recent preferences have been extreme and time to indulge only available during my teacher prep time on A days.  To the world I announce the genres: classical on one end, heavy metal on the other.  (Yeah, I know.)

While I can't say that I'm proud of the enjoyment I get from "music" that slams and thrashes and screams, I cannot tell a lie.  I love it.  And some days, really, don't you just NEED someone to scream and thrash FOR you--a proxy screaming-thrasher--since, being a responsible, rational human being, you can't do it for yourself?

Anyway, today, listening to the radio, I heard three songs in a row that took me from what was all set to be a terribly boring, average, and potentially grumpy day to singing out loud and laughing hysterically--seriously, tears and everything.  And so far it's worked.  The day has been just great, particularly as I seem strangely impervious to the usual triggers-to-grumpiness typically delivered (anagram: re-deviled--ha, how appropriate!) by my eighth graders.

As with the metal, I am not exactly proud to associate these three songs with me.  Really, this is more of a confession than anything, but I announce them here, publicly, to all two or three people who will read it (and on the same station, believe it or not--Jack FM, 103.1, SLC), because they just made THAT much of a difference:

1. Electric Light Orchestra, "Don't Bring Me Down"
2. Kelly Clarkson, "Since U Been Gone"
3. Bon Jovie, "Living on a Prayer"

I can't say I know why this strange trio made me so happy, but they did.  The laughter that accompanied my shrieky singing was as much out of surprise at my enjoyment as for the enjoyment itself.

And now, for your listening pleasure, my three songs: