Saturday, September 23, 2006

The Hill (and surrounding City) is alive with the sound of my music...

So, I've been thinking lately...

[Well, really, when haven't I been "thinking lately" about something or other?]

If my life had a soundtrack, what songs would play?

It's an interesting question, to be sure. It would, of course, include multiple CDs. "Nina, the Soundtrack" would have to be a huge album in order to chronicle my life adequately. And the genres would have to be all over the map. A little bit of jazz, a little bit of blues, a little bit of fast-tempo swing/Charleston stuff, of course. There would also be quite a bit of pop music, especially from the 90s. But there'd be some great hip-hop stuff, a few rap songs perhaps, some bluegrass (the fast instrumental stuff, no lyrics), a couple of mellow alternative songs maybe, definitely some fantastic harmonied a cappella, some classic cheesy Broadway and Disney stuff, some smooth classical/instrumental numbers, even a *gasp* country song or two, and I think it just wouldn't be complete without some rockin' techno/electronica stuff...

Man. But the actual songs that would make the cut? What a project that would turn into! I don't think I'm even going to start down that road...I'd never finish this post!!!

But, it's fun to think about sometimes...especially day-to-day as I walk around the city, or take a stroll around The Hill, or when I'm at work, at home, at a dance (when the soundtrack is playing for me already, haha). I always have a song in my head. Day and night, doesn't matter. I'm walking to work? - Yep, humming a song. Sitting at my desk? - Got a chorus running through my head (if I'm not listening to music at that given moment). Going to or from a dance? - You can be sure I'm playing a jazz tune in my head that I dance to while waiting at an intersection or riding on the T. Sometimes I have more than one song playing at a time! [Let's be serious...those times are like a chaotic party scene exploding in my head. I don't recommend the two-songs-in-your-head-at-once idea if you can help it...]

I do also dream with songs playing in the background on occasion. [Dream interpreters, eat your heart out...?]

The point is that I love that my life is so full of music. Everywhere I go, there's a song playing...whether a store that's actually got music in the background, or just a place that puts a particular song in my head. Every moment is filled with a song. Sometimes, that song is a improv'ed version of the sounds of the city. Sometimes it's a random artist in the Common or on the T. Sometimes it's a lively conversation. Sometimes it's happy, sometimes sad or somber. But always music. Music that creates the soundtrack for the dance of life...at least the dance of my life.

[I may sound ridiculously corny in this post. But so what? It's true. And sometimes, a girl just has to be a little corny, right? Right.]

Friday, September 22, 2006

First observations of my new neighborhood:

So, I recently moved into an apartment in Beacon Hill. And I gotta say...I love this neighborhood. It's narrow roads, it's near-45-degree-angle hills, it's tightly-packed buildings, it's cute little street lights... It's such a charming place to live. In my 3 weeks of living here, I've started to form some conclusions from my observations. We'll see if they continue to hold true (so make that my disclaimer that I don't hold myself to these opinions at this point...they may change)...

- I'm convinced everyone in Beacon Hill has a dog. No matter what time it is that I leave my apartment or come back home, there is ALWAYS someone walking their dog. ALWAYS.
- Shafts between buildings create great breezes to cool down your apartment.
- Rooftop views of Boston are superior to any other view of the city. Especially when the rooftop reminds you of that scene from Mary Poppins after dark.
- Beacon Hill is made up of two distinct demographical groups: rich people and young twenty-somethings. The rich people have the huge condos/apartments/houses that are squeezed into impossible spaces with beautiful views out of their windows. The young twenty-somethings inhabit the basement apartments and small 4th floor apartments.
- If you live in Beacon Hill, you do not refer to the area as "Beacon Hill" but just simply as "The Hill." After all, there is only one hill...
- Trash collection is better here than anywhere else in the city. They pick it up 3 times a week!
- Beacon Hill is close to everything. Bostonians are notorious for claiming everything is a "five-minute walk" away...well, those people must all be from Beacon Hill.
- The "intersection" that makes up the beginning of Charles Street and the end of Cambridge Street and the entrance and exit ramps onto/off of 93 and the end of Storrow Drive (pause to take a breath) is quite possibly the most dangerous and confusing mess of cars in the city.
- You shouldn't live here if you're on the Dunkin' Donuts side of the Dunkin' Donuts vs. Starbucks battle. There might be one near the Hill, but there are 3 Starbucks at the base of the hill (that I've counted thus far).
- Rich people throw out really cool things in their trash (my roommate is quite the expert at finding excellent stuff on other people's stoops.
- The best adjective to describe this neighborhood is cute. And everyone got that memo. That's the way everyone describes my place when they see it.
- Everyday here looks like something from a postcard. Even the rainy days.
- The laundromat is always a happenin' place. There are always loads of people (hehe...and loads of laundry) there. Definitely a new hang-out spot for me.

I think I'm definitely going to like it here. The Hill and all its quirks really matches my personality well. :)

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