Mar 072007
A friend asked me to make a mix CD for her. Now, mix CDs are a tricky business. A good mix is a careful balance of the mixer’s own tastes and those of the recipient. This isn’t the time to show off your musical geekiness (well, maybe just a little). But it’s mostly about creating a memorable listening experience for the recipient. The song selection should be diverse but the transitions shouldn’t be too jarring. No Billie Holliday followed by Nine Inch Nails. This isn’t your iPod on shuffle. The best mixes are those that a person can stumble upon a decade later–tucked away in some attic corner–and instantly remind one of that long-ago friend or lover as soon as the “play” button is pressed.
So have you written a novel yet? You are a very gifted writer. That post evoked feelings I forgot about.
I’ve been compiling a CD for my nephew today, who is just six months old, but I am determined to get underway with his musical education. And I did track down a Line Dancing version of the Hokey Cokey, which should please him (you only have to mouth the words of the Hokey Cokey and the child breaks into hysterics). This should balance out the Marilyn Manson…