If Music Be the Food Of Love, Play On

Image Credit - Derek Bakken

Dull, cold and damp weather. You go to work in the dark, you drive home and it’s dark. Yes, it’s good old winter. The bane of many peoples lives. However, I have the answer to cheer up the nations of the world. Music! Yes, music is the answer to this oppressive, depressing time of the year.

Picture the scenario. Monday morning, it’s dark outside and you REALLY don’t want to get up for work. You somehow manage to get ready and out of the house, immediately slipping on a patch of ice. Body contortions, various pirouettes and other ballet moves ensue, the situation, however, cannot be saved and you fall flat on your backside.

Looking around to check if the neighbours have seen what happened you limp to your car, only to find it’s frozen over. Curses ensue. Finally you get driving, and hit the worst tailback in history. Again, curses ensue.

After finally making it to your beloved job, parking 10 miles away, then getting shouted at by your warm and welcoming boss, you settle down to a days relaxing work schedule. Or not. Yes, it is the worst day in the history of work, and even out-does the day that someone decided that having a cigarette in the fireworks factory would be fine.

Work finishes, you run the full length of the office, onto the car park and dive into your car, and floor it out onto the road. In your mind the boss is chasing you like the T-1000 out of Terminator 2: Judgement Day. He won’t give up or slow down until he’s told you that you must do overtime tonight.

Ha ha, you’ve escaped! Into traffic. Again. Resisting the urge to pull the steering wheel off your car and throw it out of the window, you push the power button on your stereo, and out of the speakers comes… your favourite song.

Suddenly, the world is a better place. Things seem to have a brighter outlook. Singing along at the top of your voice, you really do not care that you look a complete idiot to the next driver. Out comes the CD wallet or plug-in MP3 player.A fine selection of music later and, much sooner than you thought, you’re home, and even in time to watch The Simpsons. Nice.

So next time you have to get up early and, in the dark, slide your way to your frozen car. Get in and turn on your stereo. Listen to your favourite breakfast team on the radio, or put on a great song, it’ll make that bad old depressing winter journey to wherever, a much happier one!