Peace of Mind

I've been thinking. I have been blogging my P90X experience and have kind of enjoyed it. I decided that there's more I'd like to say, but it doesn't really fit in with my P90X stuff and I don't want to just throw it all in together. So, I decided to start a new blog. I'll call it Musings. It may or may not be updated as often as the P90X one, but it will contain things of a more personal nature. Don't think that it will be a voyeuristic experience for you...I am not going to reveal anything that I wouldn't normally, this is just a unique way to reach more people and more effective than calling someone to say, "hey guess what I was thinking". I'm kinda excited for this. It will be a new experience for me.

So, with that explanation...here it comes.

I like music. No, I love music. I wish I could play it; I'm trying to learn how. I love songs that tell stories or have morals. I don't like this new-fangled corporate rock. It all seems so canned, so lifeless. It didn't use to be this way. Singers used to be songwriters and they would write about things that mattered to them. They would write about the things in their heart. Sometimes the messages were political and sometimes they were tributes to people or experiences. Sometimes they were stories...I like those ones.

Some of these people are Harry Chapin, Cat Stevens, Neil Young, Eric Clapton...just to name a few.

I'm not saying there is no good music today, it's just very different than the music of yesteryear. One of my all time favorite songs is "Peace of Mind" by Boston. That song speaks to me, something that is lost on much of today's music.

"Now if you're feelin' kinda low 'bout the dues you've been paying
Future's coming much too slow
And you wanna run but somehow you just keep on stayin'
Can't decide on which way to go

I understand about indecision
But I don't care if I get behind
People livin' in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind.

Now you're climbin' to the top of the company ladder
Hope it doesn't take too long
Can't you see there'll come a day when it won't matter
Come a day when you'll be gone"

I was driving today and I saw a big truck in front of me waiting to turn right at a red light. All of a sudden, he punched the gas, squeeled his tires and took off in front of oncoming traffic. This is something I've sure we've all seen (and maybe even done). It's one of my biggest pet peeves with driving. When I saw this cat pull out, the first thing I thought of was this song. I wondered why he was in such a hurry and why it seems everyone is in a hurry. Is where he's going so important that he can't wait 30 seconds to show some consideration to the people around him? Is everywhere everyone is going so important that we can't show some regard for the people around us?

Why does it seem that everyone is in competition with each other? Hurrying around, can't let the other guy in because it would delay us. Are we so narcissistic to think that we're so much more important than everyone else? What ever happened to common courtesy? If this was the biggest problem, it wouldn't be a big deal, but I think it's indicative of a much larger social problem. When we start thinking that we're better than others or more important and can inconvenience someone because it suits us or because it serves our interest, we are on dangerous ground. Where will it stop?

Just something I thought about when I saw a white truck pull out in front of traffic.

If you think this is all about driving, you've missed the point.