Thematica

What am I missing? I'm completely dumbfounded, and the longer I live, the less I get it. Why do we need themes? Today is Thanksgiving. OK. Sure, I'm thankful for many things, namely -- that I'm not living in the street. There are many other things I'm thankful for, but they're continually overcast by human annoyance.

Which brings me back to themes. Mornings aren't my favourite time of day to begin with, but this morning I'm slapped with this hideous theme. As I have no television -- at least, now right now -- I've been listening to the radio. I quite enjoy, & have sorely missed over the past year & a half, the Seattle alternative station KEXP. Most of the shows & DJ's are great, though a bit smoother than my beloved college radio DJ's style(s). But I not only enjoy listening to music from all over the world, local bands who get little or no other air-play, & their public affairs programming (though I really want to bug them about not playing Democracy Now.

But this morning's & last night's fill-in DJ's are making this holiday really difficult to endure. And it's not that highly feared a holiday alone which bothers me -- I've always rather preferred not being in a family setting on holidays.

First, last night's DJ, in the themed folk roots show (I forget the name of it now), had chosen another theme within the standard theme. Not only did he dig up every version of numerous songs ever recorded, he had to play each one back-to-back before moving on to the next set of versions of some song. The first set got on my nerves. Have you ever listened to When the Saints Go Marching In & not been annoyed by it? Try listening to ten (it may only have been three, but damn, it just wouldn't stop) different versions, one after the other? I couldn't believe he was doing that to however many listeners he'd had when the show began -- which, I'm sure, dropped dramatically as the show went on.

I somehow managed to endure this torture. Though, I'm sure I'll never be the same. Hoping the DJ would not only move on, but would also realize just how annoying hearing the same song over & over was, now he was actually putting his plan into effect, I decided to wait on selecting a CD of my own to put on.

Next he decided on a treatment of something I'll have to look up (I'll check the play-list & let you know the actual title). He started playing something I think was called either something like The Saga of John Henry, John Henry, or maybe even Steel Driver. The first one didn't do much for me -- & I love, particularly, shabby folk music -- the second, I think, was a version by one of my least favourite (OK -- most hated) performers from our own era, & while I can see his ugly face in my head, Bruce Springsteen.

That was pretty painful, though I did like that his aging voice grows more & more appropriate for folk music. When I finally got sick of hearing these songs repeatedly assaulting me, I was listening to a studio version (apparently, he'd done a live version which was coming up next) of Johnny Cash's cover of this. It was interesting, & while I like Johnny Cash's voice & attitude -- particularly now he's dead -- I just couldn't take any more & opted for my Cibo Matto CD burned for me by a former co-worker named Michele (another thing for which I'm grateful), followed by a long CD of Robin Hitchcock. Now, there's some really good music.

So, if last night's excruciation wasn't bad enough, this morning's, admittedly milder, theme is really making me think. The DJ this morning, keeps trying to find Thanksgiving related music. Again, I'm grateful, that she, at least, isn't playing different versions of the same song, & I'm also grateful that she's not driving us by her chosen theme into absolute hell. I'm hoping that xmas won't turn out on KEXP to be as all the commercial stations to be an onslaught of Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.

If I've not lost you completely, I do have a point. As you've surmised, I don't care for themes. I remember in jobs, it was always a woman (& while I love women, I don't care for this general trait) who'd insisted on themes. Thanksgiving, xmas, New Year's, etc, all required decorations. Oh, & Halloween has, since childhood, been another annoyance for me. Why do adults insist on everyone -- including not just misanthropes, but also, whether they know it or not, students of the occult -- dressing up in stupid costumes? And, naturally, because I'm part Irish, they're obsessed with my wearing green on St Patrick's Day. Let's ignore the history of this Patrick's blood-stained reign of terror for the moment, & consider that the day is considered a celebration of his converting pagans to xians. Let's get a clue, folks. I've never made a mystery of my not being xian, so why would I want to celebrate the fact people were converted to a religion I don't practice, by fear, torture & death?

Anyway, back to what I was saying. Do we really, as intelligent human beings -- I assume those listening to KEXP have some brains -- need a constant reminder of the significance of the date? Why? Why must people turn what may be a good thing into sheer annoyance?

I haven't the training -- or the patience -- to really delve into this, but I suspect those who have to cram these themes down our throats, may be seriously lacking in some part of their lives. Could it be that in spite of the fact life is often difficult (read "sucks"), they just aren't comfortable with themselves & need any form of distraction? Elsewhere I talk about the human need of excuses to drink. I don't get this either, but maybe the solution is that these theme-mongers should simply drink -- & drink often.