The Power of a Good Playlist
I am away this weekend. My busy season at work is, theoretically, over. I plan a trip each year after the busy season to serve as my light at the end of the tunnel in the midst of chaos. This year, I planned a weekend in Port Washington/Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Here I sit, in the Java House. I'm spending time reading, writing, reflecting. I can't wait to have a glass of wine and sit in front of the fire in my cute room at the Inn tonight.
In preparation for this trip, I had to create a playlist. Of course. This is what I do. It took me a while this morning to get it done, and it pushed back my departure time. But it must be done. Music is how I process life. It's how I remember things. I can remember what music was playing at key points in my life - important conversations etc. It's my mental record of life - playlists.
It works like this. I create a playlist - letting my mind pick whatever seems right. Then I look at the finished product, and it provides some insight into my soul. The playlist for this trip (affectionately called Waltnerate in celebration of me recently finishing Fringe) had a lot of songs that I loved years ago. A lot of John Mayer, Norah Jones, David Gray, Jack Johnson...some "new" stuff mixed in too, like Arcade fire and JT, of course. But the guts of it was music that was instrumental during my quarter-life-crisis. At that point in my life, I threw out my life plans and decided to go to grad school. I changed my career path from real estate to non-profit work. A lot changed in a small window of time.
I'm facing some decisions in my life right now, and feel like a big change could be coming. I can't put it into words. I can't see it yet, but something is beneath the surface. And the music I'm listening to right now is helping it to rise to where I can see it. Touch it. And act on it.
It's still in progress - I'll let you know when I figure it out. Until then, I'll keep listening.
It works like this. I create a playlist - letting my mind pick whatever seems right. Then I look at the finished product, and it provides some insight into my soul. The playlist for this trip (affectionately called Waltnerate in celebration of me recently finishing Fringe) had a lot of songs that I loved years ago. A lot of John Mayer, Norah Jones, David Gray, Jack Johnson...some "new" stuff mixed in too, like Arcade fire and JT, of course. But the guts of it was music that was instrumental during my quarter-life-crisis. At that point in my life, I threw out my life plans and decided to go to grad school. I changed my career path from real estate to non-profit work. A lot changed in a small window of time.
I'm facing some decisions in my life right now, and feel like a big change could be coming. I can't put it into words. I can't see it yet, but something is beneath the surface. And the music I'm listening to right now is helping it to rise to where I can see it. Touch it. And act on it.
It's still in progress - I'll let you know when I figure it out. Until then, I'll keep listening.
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