My Life As A Sound Track

By Kerry Schafer

My life is a soundtrack of sorts:

The cat meowing frenziedly from door to door and back again because she wants out, even though it's still dark and the coyotes are howling. Kids, slamming, banging, and talking. The TV broadcasting nuggets of wisdom from South Park, the Family Guy, or the 113^th iteration of The Forty Year Old Virgin. Music drifting down from kid central upstairs – an eclectic mix of classic rock, modern alternative, rap, screamo, jazz. Guitar boy playing guitar riffs. Keyboard boy playing keyboard riffs. The Viking talking to one of the kids about something. (Vikings do not have quiet voices).

If I want to write, I often need to shut it all out. Yep, I now have a closing door to my mudroom office, but it's a glass door. Not too effective at keeping out the household rhythm and blues. So I plug the noise canceling earbuds into my ears and flick on the iTunes collection.

On a rare occasion I'll create a playlist. Generally I just hit shuffle, and what an interesting mix that turns out to be. Doesn't matter all that much – from Enya to Opeth, it all turns into background music so long as it isn't NEW. I can't write to brand new music.

Just for fun, I've noted down the last ten songs played on my iPod on shuffle.

1. Anyway the Wind Blows, J.J. Cale & Eric Clapton
2. Life Must Go On, Alter Bridge
3. Sorrento Moon, Tina Arena
4. Jean, Johnny Jean by Roch Voisine
5. Keep Talking, Pink Floyd
6. Going Under, Evanescence
7. He Won't Go, Adele
8. Tempus Vernum, Enya
9. Flash, Queen
10. Quasimodo, Life House

Like I said, a weird sort of a mix, but it works for me. As for the real life soundtrack, well – here's a taste of that if you care to listen. My kids and their rock band, [typkast]