Nerdgasm

While I putz around on the internet in the mornings, I have a tendency to play music.  Just for background, plus it keeps the tv off, which to me is a nice change of pace.  So I put the music on shuffle and just let it go.  Unless there is a song that comes up that makes me want to listen to more of the same music.  That happened today.  When a song from the 'Star Wars' soundtrack came on.  The sci-fi nerd in me did a happy (if not awkward) dance.

A few seconds after it started playing, I decided to play the soundtrack, beginning to end.  It made my morning.  I have always loved the original trilogy, the prequels were okay but were a money grab.  When the music started playing I had a thought back to my teens.  I owned the cassette of the soundtrack.  I bought it when I was in sixth grade maybe.  I played the shit out of it.  Morning, noon, and night.  When everyone else was up on the latest music, I was hanging with John Williams.  The connection with the movies made the music that much better.  When the music was playing, I could picture what part of the movie it goes with.  That is the true power of the soundtrack.   

I was on the edge of grunge music era, just a little too young to understand the angst when it came out.  I lived in a town that consisted of a top forty station, adult contemporary, classic rock, and country radio stations.  Not exactly the perfect place to hear the latest Alice in Chains or Pearl Jam.  Whenever I would have to mow the grass, this was the cassette in my Walkman.  And mowing the grass wasn't a half hour job, it took long enough to play the tape once through and then some.  When CDs became prevalent, this cassette went by the wayside.  On occasion, I would bust it out because I enjoyed it.

I have always embraced my nerdy side.  Even when it comes to music.  Other than having a strong connection with the movies, one reason I enjoy the soundtrack was because I was in band for eight years.  Not 'A band', band.  As in high school band.  As in band geek.  Again, I embrace my nerdness.  Playing music was fun.  The people I was in band with were great.  Looking back, I could have put a ton more effort into it, but who wanted to do that?  In high school it isn't as cool as playing football or hockey, but that is what I wanted to do.