by Koski

Created on: November 28, 2008

When you have that catchy song you heard the other day, and you have it ingrained in your brain whether you want it there or not, it seems to be a little distracting. Sometimes, you are abandoned with a great song. A song that lifts you and your mood and places it right up there above the dreary clouds of monotony.

Then there are other times when the song does not suit you.

Being a musician, a percussionist in particular, I find that having ANY sort of song (good or terrible) is better than having no tune at all. I have a beat in my head like others have thoughts. When my friends are daydreaming about acting or having a conversation with an attractive male, I am imagining drumming to a popular rock song on stage. I tap the hi-hat and ride cymbals as I groove to a little cool jazz. I make my own soundtracks to my surroundings.

I spend my days both in a classroom and in the office, and I find nothing more helpful for productivity than music. When my boss or instructor is talking, I unplug my ears. When there are coworkers poking to push some friendly conversation, I disconnect from my music. When my friend needs to tell me about his relationship problems, I stop and open myself up to the world once again. But when I am sitting down to work, my instruction has been given to me, I turn my iPod up and I do my work. The background noises are muffled, and what normally would be distracting is then softened. At work we have a printer on which death is preying. It is loud and screechy and is rather comically suffering. A rock Indie band of my choice pays me a visit, though, and I don't have to hear any more of the machinery violence and gore.

Concededly, it could just be a musician's preference. I am always studying music because it's one of my favorite things to create or experience. Music is my comfort zone. At school, where the pressure is on and stress is creeping up to my ears, I throw up my ear buds instead for a sort of comforting protection. The stress condom, if you will. Always play it safe.

My math teacher does not approve of music in her classroom. She bans Mp3 players of any kind. I have a hard time with this, and so some days, when she is sitting at her desk, I plug an ear in. She sometimes sees me, but since she likes me, she never enforces her own rule. The difference between the days I am sans music and when I am with music is rather incredible. I speed through my work, I write more neatly, and I have a beat that keeps my mind from wandering. I stay on topic and focused, and that is, all in all, quite calming.

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