Do You Hear What I Hear?

I've always thought that it would be cool if life had background music, the kind in the movies. Just think of how you would feel if every situation you were in had an original score that went with it conducted by the likes of John Williams or even Phil Collins (if you're the Disney type.) Granted, the era of the ipod almost accomplishes this, but not to the same degree or to the same affect I would hope for.

The music would be automatic and would reflect the type of mood you were in. It could be as loud as you wanted, as long as it didn't bother or disagree with someone else's background music. I know you're thinking that's what are imaginations are for, but imagine the blending symphonies that would be tickling our tympanic membranes all day long. It would be like Kepler's idea of the "Harmony of the Universe."

Imagine something as uneventful as watching water boil on the stove: you stir the water maybe as your mind drifts to other things. But if you had background music, you could establish any mood of feeling you wanted. With "Love Story" playing all around you, you could wistfully stir the water with a forlorn look on you face as you contemplate the agonizing wait until the water's temperature reaches 212 degrees Farenheit. WOW!

Or, if you were multitasking in the kitchen, imagine the theme from "Indiana Jones" playing in surround sound. You'd be leaping from stove to dishwasher to refrigerator to the pantry and back to the stove again. All of a sudden, work is fun, interesting, and invigorating as you try not to burn yourself or drop a jar of pickles while you play out your kitchen adventure.

Another situation where I've always wanted background music is while administering a test in school. Most students I've polled said they actually prefer to do math with some type of background music (which is the way I've always worked: in college, I used to read my history text book or do math homework with the radio on, much to the dismay of my roommate), and those that prefer to work in quiet (like my old roommate) just haven't had the chance to get used to it yet. For me, having something quietly playing in the background while I'm trying to concentrate actually stimulates my brain as it takes in more sensory information and actually helps me concentrate better AND makes it more enjoyable.

I've always thought a good Mozart sonata or a Bach fugue would be appropriate until the final thirty seconds of the test, where the theme from Final Jeopardy would kick in. The sound of the kettle drums at the end would signify that it is time to put the pencils down. As each student turned in the test, I would listen carefully to the music playing around them as an indication of how well they felt they did: Handel's "Hallelujah" or a blues tune by Muddy Waters.

There are many other instances where this would be a great asset to daily living. Waiting in line at the grocery store, in the doctor's office, while your watching the oil be changed on your car, during awkward moments of silence in conversation, in a restaurant while selecting from a menu, when you get pulled over by a cop for speeding, or when you're just listening to music.

Think about it today as you go about your business, and you may soon fine yourself imagining that your life is up on the silver screen somewhere, where YOU are the leading actor with an ensemble of supporting actors with the perfect music playing behind you.