Sounds of Silence

 

The CD changer in my car has been busted for a few days as a result of completely normal operation. Since Friday, it has been trying in vain to change from one CD to another, eject, or do something productive. Frankly, I feel bad for it. Its wheezing, whirring, and clicking sounds were depressing to hear and I was finally driven to fix it today, which involved the radio's complete removal and mailing to someone at GM for fixing. I wonder what they'll think of my musical taste... Now only a gaping hole with wires remains where my beloved music/information hub used to glow.

Anyhow, I drove home to visit the parents for a few days and realized the loss of music in the car. I initially tried to use headphones/iPod to compensate but it was too awkward so I just went with the sounds of the road, gusts of wind whipping against the car, and the hum of the engine.

I have noticed more and more people enjoying filling their lives with static, noise, music, and other auditory fuzz with which to distract themselves from job difficulties, monkey presidents, and romantical travails and I'm coming to think they might be right to do so. Sitting in a car for over three hours with nothing but your thoughts can be alternately relaxing or completely maddening. Essentially, I was oscillating between the two in the following type of thought patterns:

- The car sounds better after getting an oil change
- There are so many billboards in rural areas protesting abortion
- Why do people love Dale Earnhart Jr. so much? What is the appeal of NASCAR?
- I can't believe I'm turning 30 this year. I'll probably end up the male equivalent of an old maid. An old butler?
- Life is passing so quickly, one day I'll be dead.
- When will people learn that the left lane is for passing?
- Why does everyone at this Subway have a mustache?
- Small town America is overrun with chain stores. This both removes any trace of originality/charm and gives yokels nicer places to spend money.
- Is the red state/blue state division a result of an endemic ideological and geographical separation between urban and suburban areas or is it just that the liberals got tired of it and moved to the cities?
- Did I shower today?

Later this week I'm going to Seattle for skiing and chicanery.