OT: Crazy Programming

[James J. Besemer]

Simon Brunning wrote:

> I, for example, can't stand country and western music. Hate the stuff. But I
> would not be so arrogant as to suggest that those who *do* like country and
> western are wrong, and that it's a bad thing. It's just not my cup of tea.

A very mature attitude.  I used to share this prejudice, except I went overboard
and furthermore believed people who did like C+W were wrong.

Then one day not too long ago I realized that, unlike a lot of people I know, I
genuinely do like all sorts of different kinds of music, from rock and roll to
14th century chamber music; from early baroque to Wagner; folk music of the US
and the Brittish is. to [some] Show Tunes; Linda Ronstat whether she's singing
with the Stone Ponies or with Nelson Riddle.  In fact, it actually was rather
odd that C+W was the only kind of music I ostensibly didn't like (until Rap grew
the list to two)..

For a long time I knew on an intellectual level that the highly venerated Rock
and Roll, so popular with most of my friends, was the mere synthesis of Country
and Western with The Blues.  I liked Rock and I loved the Blues -- what (other
than an indefensible prejudice) was keeping me from liking Country and Western?

So about a year and a half ago I decided to give the genera a chance.  A guy who
sat nearby at a client's site was into C+W and I asked him to recommend and loan
me some music.  At first he thought I was mocking him but I convinced him I was
sincere.  He recommended a number of titles and I picked a few others of my
own.  Some of the stuff I absolutely still do not like but a lot of it I had to
admit was OK and some of it was absolutely fabulous.  It's especially curious to
see the various Elvis and Beatles songs that are pretty direct rip offs from
Hank Williams.

So now I'm down again to just one type of music I reject out of hand: Rap.

Regards

--jb

--
James J. Besemer  503-280-0838 voice
http://cascade-sys.com  503-280-0375 fax
mailto:jb at cascade-sys.com