Sunday, January 21

music

Music plays a huge part in how I process the world. Like smell, it can take me back instantaneously to a place, a time, a person. The connections it makes for me are ones I both do and do not decide--I make a playlist every month of new music or old music I want to pay attention to, and, naturally, those songs are often ones I come to identify with that month. But then there are others that happen par hasard, like when I was going to Paris on the train and listened to the song "America," by Simon and Garfunkel, and that night in the hostel met a kid from New Jersey (counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike/ they've all come/ to look for America) and then, later still, talked with another stranger about how beautiful that song is. Now I can't hear it without being there. Music is a way of being everywhere, which makes me both content and melancholy. Transience and permanence. Belonging and outsiderness.

I'm back from Paris. I am never leaving Paris.

it was night, I stood on the terrace between our rooms

* * *

I will update the shop in the first week or so of February. There will be a few travel wallets. I have gotten a lot of emails about them, and I'm sorry I can't make enough for everyone, but I will try to have a few, among the rest of the things.

And, Sarah emailed me to tag me for six strange things about myself. I don't like memes but I can tell you six things, I think.

1/ I like doing chores, but I don't like planning to do them.
2/ My favorite parts of the body are the little bone pieces that jut out from the elbow.
3/ I don't like pudding, bananas, or yoghurt, because of the texture, and I don't eat fish.
4/ Until I was in high school, I hadn't listened to pop/top 40 radio.
5/ I can walk straight with my eyes closed.
6/ I always envision myself as being as tall as the people around me (I'm 5'2").

* * *

Hello to all you delurkers!

14 Comments:

Blogger sulu-design said...

Beautiful line about Paris. Just lovely.

5:22 PM  
Blogger lisa solomon said...

oh yes about the music.... sometimes it's not even the words? and sometimes it is

we played sometimes good guys don't wear white [minor threat] at our wedding at night in the woods near the end of the event.... that sound... whenever i hear that song [whatever version] i get the biggest grin on my face....

being only an inch taller than you i also dream of being one of the taller people... xo

7:31 PM  
Blogger Mama Urchin said...

I am the same way with music, I can be totally transported in my mind. And the height thing too. If I remembered that I am usually among the shorter people I'd pay more attention to what the top of my head looks like.

7:43 PM  
Blogger Irene said...

I love Paris, it has something magical about it, something that makes it so amazing.
I love to hear old songs, it has the same effect on me that it has on you, I travel through time to that time when that song was playing, to what made it special.
I'm so anxious about your shop update.

5:44 AM  
Blogger amisha said...

your writing about music is so evocative. i've found recently in listening to music that i hadn't listened to in a long time that memories were flooding back, not all good... but i was then forming new associations, linking these sounds to this current, better time in my life... and it was healing of those earlier memories in a way.

7:48 AM  
Blogger Casey Maura said...

That is so funny that you should mention music! I'm the same way: constantly changing my playlists based on mood, location, surroundings. Certain combinations tend to make me think of a certain emotion or place I was when I listned to something a lot. Glad I'm not the only one who does that. ;) lol.

Your photographs are so beautiful, as is the sentiment about Paris. :) It definately makes me want to go there very soon! :D

8:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think of this as little dog syndrome (I say this as a lover of little dogs and as someone who is 5'1 & never quite registers just how small I am.)

Also, I completely identify with your sentiments about music. Some songs take me back so strongly that I can't even listen to them.

12:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I echo your sentiments about music and place and being. There is something particularly poignant about music and Paris though - perhaps it is because all my trips to Paris have been based around very intense emotional times, or maybe it's just the way that city is.

And at the moment my playlists are all about remembering.

3:27 PM  
Blogger nuttnbunny said...

I know I was supposed to delurk last post but - with a 3 yr old - if I'm only one behind, I'm really ahead. :-) Welcome back.

5:55 PM  
Blogger gina k said...

I can't wait for the travel wallets to become available! I just loved the one on the Kim family auction. (And way to go, auctioning it for $227.50!)

6:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm sending a yodel your way. lol
Love your site!

10:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

never been to paris... need to get there...

but i complely know what you mean about the music. america is one of my favorite songs ever.

music continually soundtracks my life with words i long to express but rarely have the guts for them to come out of my mouth. sigur ros melodies take me out of myself to check and make sure i'm still on a good track.

thanks for a great post.

1:12 PM  
Blogger Cally said...

I like your 6 things, I've still to do mine after Susan tagged me.

And your talk of music got me thinking to ask for recommendations on my blog so an extra thank you for that.

2:02 PM  
Blogger design dna said...

what a beautiful post and a lovely, lovely site! thanks!

1:52 PM  

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