2.2.05

diem

Today is awesome and for no particular reason!
Nothing happened, I didn't have a noticeably positive experience with any passers-by, and no, I did not eat a burrito. At least not yet.
Nay, on the surface this day seems like every other day.
But how it's not!

Today is different because I started it out with music. You know, like music. This is something I used to do but has ceased in the past two years. In fact, ceasing, along with desisting have been overall themes in this netherworld, post-grad life of mine.

Up until today.*

This morning I listened to one of my favorite songs on the way to work: "the Obvious Child" by Paul Simon (the live, in-Central Park version). If you've ever been present when I listen to this song, first of all, I apologize and secondly, you might know what I'm talking about. (Some of you have even participated).

This song begins with a simple snare drum hammering out a few repetious beats leading into huge African bass rythyms, which are soon complemented with syncopatedly-blaring horns, a bass vocalist, twinkly triangles and a harpsichord-like guitar swish.
Oh, and a swelling feeling in the chest.
Indeed, the introduction quickly becomes an all-out party for both ear and soul (all the while you've got a 100,000+ crowd with an amazing roar). Even before Paul comes in with the first line ("Well I'm accustomed to a smooth ride..."), I feel like I can do anything.
Point: this song lifts me off my feet and today I wanted to do some jumpy, tribal dance all the way down the Connecticut bridge. In fact, I kind of did.

Many of you may have observed, and have sometimes quipped, that I seem different than from a few years ago: more stressed out, more edgy (not in the artsy way)--perhaps even kind of lame.
I completely agree with you, dear friend. Although it's not without cause--a lot of my life has been switched around--it's also not without fault. Mayhaps it's even possible for someone as great as Emilie Cole** to become a reactor--a player--in her own life!

I'm not advocating some dramatic "taking the bull by the horns" kind of awakening; sometimes it's good to ride the bull. I can't believe I just said that. However I feel like I'm leaving one state and entering another. And NO, it's not Maryland and DC.

All in all, I feel like Sonny from the song:
"getting sunnier day by day by day by day...."
(or is it Sonnier? Hmmm...)

* "today" refers to the past few days, similar to how "seven days" in the Bible actually means millions of years.
** This is a sarcastically-put statement intended to satirize my self-realization that I'm not really "great" yet I am, and that neither are you, yet you are.


Full lyrics:
Well I’m accustomed to a smooth ride
Or maybe I’m a dog who’s lost it’s bite
I don’t expect to be treated like a fool no more
I don’t expect to sleep through the night
Some people say a lie is just a lie
But I say
Why deny the obvious child? Why deny the obvious child?

And in remembering a road sign
I am remembering a girl when I was young
And we said
these songs are true
These days are ours
These tears are free
And hey now
The cross is in the ballpark, The cross is in the ballpark

We had a lot of fun, had a lot of money
We had a little son and we thought we’d call him Sonny
Sonny gets married and moves away
Sonny has a baby and bills to pay
Sonny gets sunnier day by day by day by day

I’ve been waking up at sunrise
I’ve been following the light across my room
I watch the night receive the room of my day
Some people say the sky is just the sky
But I say
Why deny the obvious child? Why deny the obvious child?


Sonny sits by his window and thinks to himself how it’s strange that some rooms are like cages
Sonny’s yearbook from high school is down from the shelf and he idly thumbs through the pages
Some have died
Some have fled from themselves
Or struggled from here to get there
Sonny wanders beyond his interior walls,
Runs his hand through his thinning brown hair

Well I’m accustomed to a smoother ride
Maybe I’m a dog that’s lost his bite
I don’t expect to be treated like a fool no more!
I don’t expect to sleep the night!
Some people say a lie is just a lie, but I say
the cross is in the ballpark!
Why deny the obvious child?


1 comment:

Merry said...

That same thing happens to me whenever i hear "Life is Sweet" by Natalie Merchant. but, get this, yesterday it happened while i was listening to "the origin of Love" by Hedwig. isn't music swell!?! too bad most songs are under 4 minutes long...