Soundtracks

Walking around Cambridge, I notice that a large proportion of the pedestrians are plugged into their mp3-players, as am I. I can't help but wonder if they walk to the beat of the current tune like I do. You see, I like to think that while I have my headphones on, that's my personal soundtrack playing. Maybe it's remnants of the mentality of a former member of a High School Marching Band where they drill it into you to walk with military precision to the beat of the music, heel-first, toes pointing upwards ("rolling your feet" like this allows you to keep your upper-body as steady as possible, making it easier to play whatever instrument you're playing) that makes me keep pace with the current track playing. But for whatever reason, I find myself meticulously trying to walk to the beat.

While this sounds like good, old-fashioned, nerd-fun, it has its down side. Unlike a major motion picture soundtrack that is written/selected for scenes in a film, depicting the mood and tempo, I am at the mercy of the "shuffle" feature of my iPod. I'll be strolling solemnly to the melancholy rhythms of Coldplay, when suddenly R.E.M.'s It's the End of the World as We Know it comes on, and (even though I feel fine) I find myself with quickened pace, hurrying to my destination so as to get there before the world in fact ends. Or Chariots of Fire would start up and as I'm wondering how the Hell that tune got on my playlist, I would be running triumphantly in the streets in super-slow-motion.

This got me to thinking, wouldn't it be neat if somehow my iPod could detect my mood, my rhythm, my sense of urgency, and play songs based on the moment without any conscious input from me? My own personal soundtrack! But that's probably a little way's off. In the meantime, maybe I could hire someone to follow me around and select the arrangement of songs based on the moment. Although, that might get awkward when I go to the bathroom. Oh well, almost a perfect idea.