Ann Litts , it was slightly difficult for me personally to relate to your wonderful, well-written story. That is because it has been 17 years since I’ve commuted to work. By commuted, I mean driven in a car to work. The last time I drove to work most of that commute was on a quiet two-lane road going through a National Forest. But many years before that I did in fact commute to work on busy freeways so, after digging deep into long ago memories, I was able to relate somewhat.

Currently, I live two blocks away from where I work. I walk. It takes about four minutes. The only thing I listen to is birdsong. Long ago, when I had my business, I lived in the apartment above the business. My commute was a less than one minute descent down a flight of stairs. The only thing I listened to was the padding of my dog’s feet as she flew down the stairs. (She was always very eager to get to work.)

I have walked to all the jobs I’ve had between then and now. The longest commute was 8 blocks.

But thinking back so long ago when I lived in big cities and drove to jobs that were a 45 minute or hour-long drive from where I lived I remember how much I absolutely hated commuting. Oh, how I wish I had read your story then instead of now. It would have helped me a lot.

But more importantly, your story has once again made me think about music. I’ve been thinking about it but I have not yet begun listening to it. That may change later today.

I have two shelves of CDs and I have not played a single one in almost two years. I have a playlist here somewhere on my laptop but I haven’t listened in months. What the hell is wrong with me?

I’m beginning to think that one thing wrong with me is that I’ve listened to all that stuff before. I want something new; something that does not bring up past associations and memories. Reading your descriptions of ‘yoga music,’ I realize that’s the kind of stuff I often listened to you. I have several CDs of stuff like that.

But I think that after my picnic today I might just initiate a search for something new. Thanks for continuing to push me. I appreciate that.