On Sat, 16 May 2009 14:35:57 -0700, Patrick Elliott wrote:

> The point is, not to deny your experience, just... don't let it turn you
> into the grumpy old man that hates everything new, because that "new
> thing" reminds you of The Beatles, instead of some other band you
> actually liked. ;-)

I wasn't saying that it reminded me of The Beatles, I was using The 
Beatles as an example of something I can't listen to because it brings up 
painful memories.  I know why it does, but the memories are painful 
enough that I would rather not remember them.

But at the same time, I'm perfectly fine listening to The Eagles because 
(a) I like them, and (b) because I associate happy memories with them.

Similarly, I can listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons and bring back 
extremely vivid memories of being in Puerto Vallarta when I was in 9th 
grade - sitting in the hotel lobby listening to a cassette I'd purchased 
and reading the Foundation books.  That was a school trip, and while I 
ended up spending most of the time by myself, the memories were still 
good.

What the Enterprise music evokes for me is riding on the bus home from 
school and being taunted by other kids on the bus.  It's not an 
excruciatingly bad memory, but it was typical of how I spent most of my 
days at school - being teased and picked on by the bullies at the school.

That's not exactly something I wish to remember in great detail.  I dealt 
with it then, I lived through it, and I moved on to better things.

That's not to say there weren't good memories associated with school 
(performing in the orchestra, for example, or performing solos in the 
solo and ensemble "contests" the district held).

But I've also learned over the years (only 38 of them so far) that being 
a curmudgeon has its uses, too. :-)

Jim

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