I tend to get bored rather easily so I have a wide spectrum of music in my musical library. It varies from: pop, hip-hop, R&B, rock, kid’s music, country, classic rock, musical theater, and reggae. This goes to show that I am open to pretty much anything and will give an artist or song I have never heard before a chance before I decide if I like it or not. My job also opens me to a different kind of music I wouldn’t personally listen to. I have to find music appropriate for kids that I actually enjoy enough to create a dance to, and that the kids will enjoy as well.
Over the years my taste and opinion in music has changed. When I was younger, around the Jr. High age, I only listened to what was “in” at the time. Looking back I can remember liking the music but I’m not sure if I only liked it because I thought it was cool and that’s what I was supposed to do, or if I truly enjoyed it. As I got older and gained some life experience I really started to appreciate the meaning of the songs and was able to somehow make a personal connection to what the artists were saying. Around the end of high school is when I started to open myself up to different genres of music. I was meeting new people who weren’t like me, that had a different taste and style of music that wasn’t typical for the people I had always surrounded myself with. These new friends and their music really helped me learn a lot, not only about myself, but about different cultures, likes, dislikes, and different lifestyles. I became not so narrow minded.
Now I listen to everything. I still have all of my music from all of my different stages in life. Music is like my own personal time machine. Whenever I hear a song it takes me back to a certain time in my life. It’s like I can close my eyes and remember every detail of that time, who I was with, how I felt, where I was, even the mentality of my age at the time. Sometimes when all of the responsibilities of being an adult and mom, with a full time job and school become a little too overwhelming I can put on my headphones, take a me moment, and travel back to a time when life was much simpler. I also use music as therapy. When I’m feeling sad I can listen to something that I know is going to put me into a better mood, like Jack Johnson. Then I feel the need to travel to Hawaii. Hmm I wish.:)
I don’t think I have a certain pattern in my musical style. During my personal time I listen to whatever type of style I am in the mood for. If I’m in the mood for something sweet and romantic I’ll usually put on country. If I’m in the mood to just relax I’ll put on reggae. When I’m working and choreographing dances I’ll usually put on musical theater or pop. It all just depends on my mood so my patterns vary.
It is nice that you kept such an open mind for music over the years and that because of it you were able to open up to so many new things. I like how you used music to introduce yourself to new people of different backgrounds and was able to learn so much from them. I think that music is so versatile which allows us to use it to our advantages at times. I remember when I was first introduced to new people there always develop at some point an awkward silence between us so I would use music to get the conversation going again. At most times it worked, it all depended on how much the people actually wanted to talk to me. It seems like music is something that most people can relate to and is why it is such an easy topic to discuss. I also use music as a form of therapy, I know at times when you get stressed out and at the end of the day when you turn on some music how all your tensions and stress just seems disappear, it is such a wonderful feeling. I will have to listen to some Jack Johnson, I have never heard of him before I’m sorry to say.
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