7 October 2010 -- The power of Music (and bathing...)

Privet!  ("Hello" in Russian)

As I am winding down for the evening, I was listening to some music, while taking a shower.  

First of all, it seems that most of my intelligent thoughts come to me in the shower.  Interesting?  I wonder if there is some kind of connection to running water, or relaxation that enables this thought process to occur?  Does this happen with you?  Maybe a future blog posting?

Either way, back to my original thought.  

I find it incredibly interesting that music is linked to memory.  It seems you can hear a song, and it triggers a vivid memory of something.  For instance, the song "Runaway Train" by Soul Asylum, released in 1993/94 triggers a memory that is so current to me, it feels like it just happened.  My childhood best friend Kristina just received a brand new thing called a "CD player" as a gift.  We used to take it outside and blast the radio to the whole neighborhood, while showcasing our best moves on rollerblades to each other.  This one particular day, "Runaway Train" was playing on the radio and we sung it aloud for all the neighbors to "enjoy."

Anti-climactic story, like all my others, but is an example of the power that music holds upon our memory functioning.  An insignificant event such as rollerblading one day with a friend, from nearly 20 years ago, can be brought up like it was yesterday. 

"What seems to happen is that a piece of familiar music serves as a soundtrack for a mental movie that starts playing in our head." said Petr Janata, a cognitive neuroscientist at University of California, Davis. "It calls back memories of a particular person or place, and you might all of a sudden see that person's face in your mind's eye." (livescience.com)

Listen to more music.  Reminisce a little more.  Reflect on the good times.  

Anastasia

Always remember:   "Smiles are Contagious!"