I Have (Almost) Overcome

I have written several times about Kenny’s love affair with the Rodney Atkins song “These Are My People.” As of late, it has verged on obsession. Everytime we get in the car, it’s, “Daddy Song Radio!” (he calls it “Daddy’s Song”) over and over again until I either A) Give in and play it, or B) Crank another song up so loud that it drowns him out. I don’t happen to think that the B option is very kind, so I usually give in, at least for a few rounds.

Over the last few days, I’ve been reading a couple of books on neuro-linguistic programing (they are Casey’s and I started one because I was out of novels, and then started the other because I am flat-out facinated with the whole thing.) It’s basically the study of how you can change your own way of thinking, and therefore your way of speaking, reacting to people and situations, and being more successful at acheiving your goals. Anyway, there is a section in one of the books about the influence of music in your life. I was a music minor in college, and I know that music affects my moods, and I also know that listening to (and creating) music can have a tremendous impact on strengthening your mental capacities in many different areas. What this book stated, whick I already knew but had forgotten, was that listening to the same type of music over and over again, or listening to the same beat and note patterns, can actually stiffle your creativity and keep you from being able to think at your most cognitive. It suggested challenging yourself to listen to different styles of music throughout the day to affect your attitude and increase your creativity.

Before Kenny came along, I used to balance my daytime music between things like ABBA, Country, Classic Rock, Classical and Showtunes. But lately, it’s been all country – all the time – with the occassional dose of one of two CDs that Kenny likes, both Baby Einstein: one classical and one nursery rhymes. So yesterday we went to Barnes and Noble and I bought a Broadway soundtrack, another classical CD (this one more Baroque) and Sesame Street’s Platinum Hits. Guess what Kenny’s been begging for all day.

Not Sesame Street (though we’ve listened to it a few times through and he’s diggin’ the tunes). It’s the soundtrack to Hairspray. Track one, to be exact, a goofy and easy-to-dance-to tune called “Good Morning Baltimore.” He has dubbed it “Mommy’s New SONG!” and requested it about twenty times today. He especially likes it when I sing along, and he’s already able to shout, “Baltimore!” at appropriate intervals in the song.

That settles it: I’m picking the music from now on.