Head To Wall

This morning I spent some quality time banging my head against a wall.

I do this occasionally.

But, I seem to be doing it more here in Lime Plant City than I ever did in Rome.

Here's what's bothering me. Music. Everywhere you go you are inundated with some nameless entity's catalog of songs not necessarily to your liking and it's very frustrating because you don't know this person, so you can't tell them to their face, "Hey, turn down the music because it's too loud and if I wanted to listen to Hall and Oates singing 'Your Kiss Is On My Lips' I'd buy the CD, assuming of course that it's still available because that song must be about 89 years old, by now!"

No, you just have to stand or sit there and take it! And, this makes me really angry. And, then I get mad because The Man and I are the only people upset about it. All the other people just sit there like zombies, completely oblivious to the insipid, stupid songs oozing into their brains. They just sit there like dead people.

This is going on EVERYWHERE. ALL THE TIME. Think about it. Stores, restaurants, gas stations, for crying out loud, doctor's offices, airports, elevators, restrooms, everywhere you go, they've got you. It's like someone decided, gee let's make sure these people don't get too out of hand, they might start complaining and, heaven forbid, protesting so we'd better sedate them with endless love songs.

I mean, okay, I like "You're So Vain" as much as the next guy, BUT NOT AT 8:20 IN THE MORNING OVER MY BOWL OF OATMEAL AT BOB EVANS! And when you ask the server to please turn the music down because you are attempting to converse with your husband sitting across the table and he can't hear you because Carly is really into the final chorus and his mind is starting to ponder the age-old question, "who was Carly Simon really singing about in this song?" - the waitress looks at you like you must be a real trouble-maker.

Walmart is the worst offender and I vow that getting me inside one of those stores again will require unplugging my life support because I will NEVER go back after today. There were about 15 video monitors dispersed throughout the store spewing out commercials and "info"mercials and I don't know what because I didn't stop to listen. In addition, each department of the store has it's own music playing, so as you walk the music blends into other music in one giant cacophony of rap, country western and 70's disco. I was lucky to get out of there alive!

And, why do they play music from the 70's and 80's. Aren't the performers writing anything new? Do they think that listening to the Beach Boys is going to make me feel happy enough to order another root canal while waiting at the dentist's office. I mean, just what is the psychology here? I don't get it. I just get irritated.

All I want to say is, "Be aware, people!" Be conscious of what they're feeding you. As for me, I don't like being programmed and I never will.

I keep seeing in my mind those people at Bob Evan's this morning. They were just sitting there, mindless. I don't think they even heard the music. They tuned it out. But, it still goes in.

Hmph!