Non Linear Thinking, Again...

I had two quick thoughts today about becoming so used to something based on a first impression and ingraining in our head that it, whatever it may be, is the only way.

For instance, you should already know about my addiction to my iPod.

I have a little over 3300 songs downloaded. The past couple of days, I've not listened to many entire songs. Instead, I'll listen to a few seconds and then rate the song one-through-five stars. Most songs deserve three. If it's a really great song I'll give it a four.

Five stars requires the song just absolutely blow me out of the water - each must almost convince me that I've never heard music before and will never hear anything like it ever again.

I guess to put things into perspective on how rare my five star rating is, I'm about half-way through the 3314 songs and I have given only 28 five stars. I know you care, so:

A Man/Me/Then Jim: Rilo Kiley
Brothers In Arms: Dire Straits
Bye Bye Blackbird: Miles Davis
Do you Want To Dance: Bette Midler
Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree: Glenn Miller
Fly Me To The Moon: Frank Sinatra
Hanging On A Star: Nick Drake
Made To Love Magic: Nick Drake
Helplessly Hoping: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Magic: Nick Drake
More Adventurous: Rilo Kiley
Nice 'N' Easy: Frank Sinatra
Ohio: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Paint It Black: The Rolling Stones
Part I: Acknowledgement: John Coltrane
Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 43, Variation XVIII: Rachmaninov
Somebody: Depeche Mode
Such Great Heights: The Postal Service
Sugartime: The McGuire Sisters
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Synchronicity I: The Police
The Charging Sky: Jenny Lewis
The End: The Doors
The Soft Parade: The Doors
The Way You Look Tonight: Frank Sinatra
Tomorrow Is A Long Place: Bob Dylan
Untouchable Face: Ani DiFranco
You Are What You Love: Jenny Lewis

My Four Star list is quite a bit bigger (there's 250 of them) so I won't list them, but just tell about a particular dilemma.

You can well imagine that I have several songs recorded by the same artist. For instance, I have several Sinatra songs recorded at various points in his career - some live, some recorded in the studio.

I have a couple versions of "Me and My Shadow", a song Sinatra sang with Davis, Jr. Both were recorded the same year, but at different shows at different locations. One was at Villa Venice, the other at The Sands.

I had the version recorded at Villa Venice first; I gave it fours stars. Tonight, I heard the version recorded at The Sands. There was something about it that just didn't sound "right". I have been so accustomed to hearing it "the right way" that the Sands version almost seemed like a different song to me.

I had to give it three stars.

Even though it's virtually identical, there's something about it that makes me feel differently.

Second story:

When I was in college, I worked for a year or so at Mikasa. It required a uniform. Granted, when I was at Brooks Brothers, they required a uniform also - albeit a very cool one: khakis, dress shirt, and rep tie. At Mikasa, it was a white dress shirt and black trousers.

Since I didn't want to spend money on trousers I would only wear to work, I didn't spend a lot of money on them. They were cheap and looked it.

I hated putting on those pants each day I went to work. After I left Mikasa for good, I swore I would never wear black pants again.

And I almost made it: the last pair I wore was with my wedding tuxedo.

A couple of years ago, Melissa and I went shopping. She found a pair of nice trousers of good material, good cut, good fit. Only one problem. Yep, you guessed it. I wouldn't even consider buying them.

I'll concede my narrow mindedness when it comes to black trousers. There may be a pair out there that I just may love someday. Just don't count on it.

Well, a co-worker of mine wore black trousers today. I had a instant recollection of those black pants I had to wear each day to Mikasa.

It was enough to make me stay out of his office all day long.