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Mood music
Sometimes, we find we've forgotten pretty simple stuff.
For instance, I've gotten into the habit of listening to podcasts while I work out. It is, after all, a nice chance to work my mind as well as my body. Today, however, I had a Led Zeppelin song in my head, and even though that soung turned out not to by on my mp3 player, I listened to "Whole Lotta Love" for my warm-up run to the gym.
Normally, this run is a pretty uninspired affair. To be frank, I often do a half-assed job: slow is a given, and too often I'll stop 10 yards short of the door and walk the rest of the way in. Today? Best little run I've had in a long while. During my workout, I finished up the Zeppelin I had on my mp3 player, listened to some Pearl Jam, some Rush, some Stone Temple Pilots... and it was the best workout I've had in a while. I felt so pumped up during and after the workout.
Music just has such an influence on mood, and in this case it had a profound effect on the quality of work I was doing. It's not just that music can get us pumped up, though. I remember taking a bus into NYC and feeling pretty awful when we arrived (motion sickness combined with bumpy roads, diesel fumes, and a hot bus--not a good combination), but the classical music pumped through the subway actually perked me up quite a bit, at the same time soothing my nerves. Music's just cool that way.
How do I ever forget to apply that to life?