What keeps me (mostly) sane.

In a world that's full of radioactive material, serial killers, economic depressions, adulterous relationships, it's no wonder why we all feel like we need a Zoloft at the ending of most days. Actually, come to think of it... the phrase "a hard day's work" really shouldn't be as commonly used as it is. Why is life difficult? Why are we faced with problems daily that seem to have absolutely no easy solution? Well folks, I haven't taken a class on philosophy and I'm not a clinical psychologist, so I can't answer either of those questions for you.  The only advice that I can give you, is to start doing the things in life that make your heart beat a little faster. A pitter-patter, if you will.

Many professionals suggest meditation in times of stress, proclaiming that it brings you back to your life's core purpose and it can help you ground and center your thoughts, realizing what is important and what is not. Personally, silence irritates me. Maybe I still behave like an antsy 5 year old child, but whenever I'm forced into a situation where someone is telling me to envision a clear blue sky, and a whispering wind grazing my bare neck, I start to think about the ants that would inevitably be crawling up my jean shorts, and how the grass that I'm supposed to be sitting in would no doubt cause me to break out in hives.

Meditation? Not for this girl. Not in the sense that most people meditate, anyway.

I always tell people that my worst punishment growing up would be having my music taken away from me.

Though, I can't sing or play any instruments, and I dance like a total white girl, music is such a huge part of my life. It's importance and power was taught to me at very young age, mostly by my father. To this day, whenever I go home to visit my parents, 9 times out of 10, I walk in the door and immediately hear music playing. 

As a kid, my dad would force me to sit down with him and listen to a song, say by John Mellencamp, and afterwords we would talk about the message the song was trying to send the audience, our favorite parts, the best solos, etc. and then we would play the song over and over and over again. It's one of my most fond memories I have with my Dad.

I love the saying, "When words fail, music speaks."

Through tough times, I turn up my music. Through great times, I turn up my music. I love how a song can alleviate worry, alter your mood, or stir up an epiphany within your soul. It's beautiful and incredible when two people can not say a word, but dance and listen to a song, and still be in the same exact state of mind with one another.  I can't get enough of concerts, for they can bring people together and spark a wonderful and powerful elation within an entire atmosphere.

Music is my therapy. It makes me happy and gets me through this hectic, wild life.

So, this is my music appreciation post. Tell me, what's your favorite song? Favorite artist? Favorite genre? Favorite era in music? What do I need to be listening to? What music will make my life a little better?