Wonder Why You Haven't Before

While surfing on Rhapsody today, I discovered that I am apparently a fan of Baroque-Pop. As if my musical tastes didn't already label me a freak (the worlds "Celtic rock" confuse most people). Rhapsody's Baroque-pop page tells me that many of my favorite artists, like Feist, the Shins, Fiona Apple, Sufjan Stevens, Belle & Sebastian, are in fact "baroque pop".

It's funny how something so obvious can go undetected. Baroque pop is really just anything that has a rich orchestral sound, or uses unconventional instruments - strings, brass, even woodwinds. Obviously I would like this... practically any song I've ever heard that involves a large strings section blows me away. Yet I've sat here for years wondering what exactly it is about R.E.M. that I loved so much. Factor out the "strings" from these bands and the equation reads: orchestral = happiness.

Now that I know this, I can purposely look for bands that utilize strings and orchestras, and I'll probably find more that I like.

So, acknowledging the obvious can do a whole lot of good. Maybe it's just me, but I think people develop the notion that the obvious cannot hold truth or significance. For years I've always thought it was obvious that the fiddle was the coolest instrument in the world, so why didn't I play it? I just didn't think I could. Not everyone can play the coolest instrument in the world... until I realized, well, yeah I can. Why not.

When I was younger, everyone told me I should be a journalist, and I thought it would be wicked cool. I just kind of thought it was above me. I didn't think I could. Then this year I realized there really isn't anything stopping me, I don't really lack anything needed to pursue that career.

So if something seems like the obvious choice, it's probably the right one. Life is not a NYS Regents Exam, designed by malicious teachers who are out to fool you with their multiple choice answers. There aren't really trick questions.