Music

Seattle is full of music, as is Cleveland. A friend of mine joked that when you crossed over the state line someone says "Hi! Welcome to Washington. Here's your guitar." I've surrounded myself often with people who love music, play music, need music. I have made most of my friends, in the past, through dance (dependent on music) and now have friends who play music, spin music or go to "see" music all of the time. Today I was home sick (slept all morning); today was full of music.

I decided to go to Target in the afternoon to get the kitty friends more food. While at a stop light on busy Holman Drive, a young school boy, his backpack heavy, his head wet with rain, was dancing, and I mean dancing at the street corner waiting for the light to change. The white walking man appeared and he danced in and around the lines making up the crosswalk to some incredible internal beat in his head - no earplugs, no radio - just the rain and his own music.

On my way to the gym (which is sometimes a good idea to sweat your cold out), I passed by the public library (which I love) and there was a crowd of people in the community room - moms, kids, dads, older people, younger people, quite a hodge-podge. I stepped in to see what was going on and the Seattle Mandolin Orchestra was playing a Christmas concert. I hung out in the hallway for a very lively (yet very traditional sounding) rendition of Jingle Bell Rock while one of the community crazies was shouting for them to play Ava Maria.

After my very tired workout, I headed to the QFC for some crackers to eat with my can of clam chowder and I could hear Christmas carols. I thought they were coming from a car stopped at a sign but the music remained even when they drove away. I thought it was the bank but that would be odd. Maybe the Norwegian Cultural Center... maybe. I never did find the source but it was everywhere and it actually sounded lovely in the pouring rain.