One row of houses sits between me and an elementary school. Every other Friday, the children get an "active recess". This means that someone is brought in to "activate" them. This may be due to the Ritalin revolution, the mini people's Valium. In any case, I love watching the wee ones dance around to the sounds of... belly dancing music and Cotton Eyed Joe. Strange venue, but better than what I got in elementary school. Our music had to be educational so we got classical and square dancing music (not the good kind) shoveled down our throats. My sister actually went for the classical. Well, in a way I did too.
It's just a matter of matching the music to the activity. I love classical music as long as it occurs while I am shopping. Even trance, which I was sure was created by mutant devils, has found its way into my heart as it is really good background music for doing stuff at the gym. Gregorian monk chants go well with having a meal at a trendy restaurant when someone else is paying. I love Buddy Guy when I'm washing the floor (thanks Martin), Incubus when riding in the car at night, Opera for watching mice trounce cats. Hip-hop is appropriate background music for undergoing root canal. Britney for getting your cubicle partner Sam to go take a walk so you can do something you don't want him to know about.
Here's how music has helped me: For too long my neighbor's young son had been sharing his love of trance with the entire neighborhood, precisely at the official start of Friday siesta. We have a nice bunch of neighbors and we all complained, but not to his face, even the lady with toddlers who lived above him. One day, zonked and trying desperately and unsuccessfully to fall asleep, I figured if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I propped my acoustic generator on the window ledge, popped in the Rolling Stones (who I'm sure he'd never hear of) and cranked the volume up as high as it would go. Within minutes the trance was down to lullaby level, and I turned off the Stones and had a nap. After all, they are great for riding in a car, doing dishes, and being drunk, but I like my naps without musical accompaniment.
If you're wondering, Friday siesta time was never again violated by that boy, and we all lived happily ever after till his younger brother got a set of drums.
It's just a matter of matching the music to the activity. I love classical music as long as it occurs while I am shopping. Even trance, which I was sure was created by mutant devils, has found its way into my heart as it is really good background music for doing stuff at the gym. Gregorian monk chants go well with having a meal at a trendy restaurant when someone else is paying. I love Buddy Guy when I'm washing the floor (thanks Martin), Incubus when riding in the car at night, Opera for watching mice trounce cats. Hip-hop is appropriate background music for undergoing root canal. Britney for getting your cubicle partner Sam to go take a walk so you can do something you don't want him to know about.
Here's how music has helped me: For too long my neighbor's young son had been sharing his love of trance with the entire neighborhood, precisely at the official start of Friday siesta. We have a nice bunch of neighbors and we all complained, but not to his face, even the lady with toddlers who lived above him. One day, zonked and trying desperately and unsuccessfully to fall asleep, I figured if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I propped my acoustic generator on the window ledge, popped in the Rolling Stones (who I'm sure he'd never hear of) and cranked the volume up as high as it would go. Within minutes the trance was down to lullaby level, and I turned off the Stones and had a nap. After all, they are great for riding in a car, doing dishes, and being drunk, but I like my naps without musical accompaniment.
If you're wondering, Friday siesta time was never again violated by that boy, and we all lived happily ever after till his younger brother got a set of drums.
I guess the world would be far less interesting without young boys. (And far quieter too) ;)
ReplyDelete"I guess the world would be far less interesting without young boys."
ReplyDeleteo really...
So what do they do during a recess that is not active?
ReplyDelete