Your Soundtrack.

I've been thinking lately, what if we all had our own personal soundtrack? You know, the music that plays along during a movie, giving the audience a clue as to the feelings and thoughts of the film's characters and maybe even giving a hint of coming events. I think it would make life a lot easier in some ways. For instance, you'd know when danger was coming (cue low, ominous string music), when you had met the love of your life (cue soaring fanfare), or when someone was hitting on you (cue Barry White's "Let's Get It On"). Admit it, now that you think about it, you'd love to have that kind of social help.

Now imagine how wonderful it could be in your interactions with other people. Imagine walking down the sidewalk and, as you pass each person, you hear their soundtrack. That man that just staggered past reeking of gin and ale has muted piano bar music playing. That past-her-prime lady that smells of cheap perfume has big band blasting loudly as she strides past you in her high heels. The creepy guy that's making a pass at you in the bar has the screeching strings of Hitchcock's Psycho (Get out. Get out now!). Not that I've ever had a guy hit on me in a bar.

Wouldn't it be great? Obviously, the accompanying music wouldn't be the same all the time for each person. It would change with their mood. So I might wake up with some dragging bassoon playing, but by the end of the day it may have changed to a piping piccolo (short of living in a Disney cartoon, I can't think of a situation would necessitate a piccolo, but you get my point).

So what's your soundtrack sound like right now? Dark and foreboding? Happy and chipper? Lazy and low? Is what your soundtrack is playing not what you want others to hear when they interact with you? Change the tune.

As the words to the old Doobie Brothers song go, "listen to the music."