Pandora's Box

We *heart* Pandora One at our house.  Because our station includes: Jeff's Station, Tiff's station, Molly's station, Anna's station, Classical Station, Christmas station, Classical Christmas Station and Running.  There are not enough skips to spread around, nor enough free listening hours, when that umbrella station is playing on a laptop at SU, an Ipad in our spare room/study, and a desktop in the family room for regular Pandora.  Plus you can get rid of all those pesky advertisements.

Tiff's station and Running are my creations.  Tiff's station is cerebral, soulful, and mellow. It hosts the likes of Over the Rhine and Billy Holliday.  It's a grown-up station that can be played anywhere and not offend.

Running is its alter ego.  Running is played in the basement and it sounds like a dance party.  Running's purpose is to get Tiff to run hard on the treadmill. Running blasts Rihanna and Eminem.  Sometimes in the same song.  Driving beats and people rapping obscenities at me seem to get me to run fast. er. 

I like these stations equally, for different reasons.  I dip into the other stations too. I play the Christmas station when I'm baking Christmas cookies.  I play Molly's station when I want her to hang out and do the dishes with me.  I play Anna's stations when I want to giggle and sing silly songs with her.

No, I haven't been paid to endorse Pandora One, although they could totally pay me to do that.  I just agreed to be in cahoots with my husband on an outrageous and expensive (in my mind) gift for my children, so I am up for extra cash. 

I do think that as I get older, a deep satisfaction comes in embracing the different sides of oneself.   This Christmas season has been more enjoyable than many for me.  I'm still busy, but I've been tuning in to all the different stations.  Entertaining with great joy at times, and quietly hanging out with family at others.  Doing the Christmas stuff like trimming the tree and baking, and also reflecting on some deeper stuff.   I think I've made peace with some of my conflicting ideas about Christmas.  And life. I mean, there has to be a way to reconcile disgust for materialism with outrageous and expensive gifts for your children.  And the Decemberists with Kanye West.