Taxicab Confessions

I've been in my fair share of cabs and I know that you never know what kind of driver you're going to get. You could get a Chatty Cathy who's going to talk to you no matter what, even if you don't respond. You could get one that says hello, goodbye and nothing else. Or you could get one that insists that you are going to join in the conversation.

Today, I had a Chatty Cathy. These are my personal favorite kind of drivers. Mostly because it's usually fairly entertaining. Here's some excerpts from today's drive. When I realized he was giving me some gems, I hopped on my phone and started writing down what he was saying. Keep in mind that most of time I'm responding with customary Mm-hm's and Yup's. A few For sure!'s thrown in for good measure.

After he heard I was at a graduation of a friend, a potentially inspiring little speech takes a seemingly fatal and certainly depressing turn at the end. I didn't know what to think of this one:

'Life is like a ladder. You climb up the steps one at a time. You climb and climb and climb and then you fall down. When there's no more steps, you fall down and you don't get back up.'

Then he asked if I had watched the Royal Wedding. When I said no, he said that he had watched the highlights and apparently he had some opinions. For this part, keep in mind that he's a middle aged Middle Eastern man.

'They kept it simple. Everyone thought the dress was so fancy but no. There was nothing fancy about it, very simple. Very simple. Very beautiful. I like her style. It's like Cinderella! All that's missing is the slipper. She's just an average person. Her family is a normal family. Just imagine her mother. She gave birth to a daughter and one day she becomes queen. For her mother, it's probably the best moment of her life. It's like a cartoon story on DVD.'

He was fascinated but apparently, his wife didn't share the sentiment. :)

'I was more into it than my wife. She was like, 'Shut this off!'

My favorite line- "I like her style." He was so awesome. I hope, against all odds, I get him again sometime in my life.

What Came First The Music Or The Mood?

Music has always been a big part of my life. In my adult life, especially since I've lived by myself, I find that I use music to help me articulate how I'm feeling. I don't have someone here to vent to, so I turn to music. Although I do talk to my family on the phone(and to myself, although not on the phone), there's something to be said about someone 'hearing' you in your own space. When I hear a song that perfectly expresses how I'm feeling, I feel like I've been heard. Like someone gets it. However, all the different times that music has helped me feel heard, or sort out my feelings, I sometimes fight feelings of skepticism.

It's the chicken and egg question of music and mood.

Do I listen melancholy music because I'm feeling a bit blue or mellow, or is it because I turn on that kind of music that those feelings come to the surface?

One of my favorite things in the world is listening to music that just sort of, melts over you. It's like a breath of clean air for my heart. I'm trying my best not to over think it and just be grateful that time and time again, it soothes my soul.