Another Paper I Wrote for English 1010

Random Shuffle and Memories
It is in our head and surrounds us as we go about our lives. It can define us or warn others of our mood. Music is very important in my life. I listen to music constantly and each song has a different meaning to me personally. I mostly listen with my iPod or phone set to random shuffle, and while I look at my life and experiences that simple word, random, takes on a whole new personal meaning. My life has been nothing if not purposely random. These random memories and experiences have made me realize who I am, how I define myself, and what is important to me.
I grew up in Heber City Utah. My fondest memories from there are when my oldest sister (ten years my elder) would sit down with me, her guitar, and her favorite Garth Brooks music book. We would spend hours singing and playing the guitar. This song, “The Beaches of Cheyenne”, was one of our favorites. Listening to the lyrics, you will notice that there is only one swear word in the whole song and me being only about seven was still naive to the meaning of the word I was not allowed to say, loved it when my sister, Celeste, would change the lyrics from “I don’t give a damn if you ever come back from Cheyenne” to ones that I was allowed to say, “I don’t give a Darn if you ever come back from Cheyarn” (it still had to rhyme). Numerous where the mornings that I would wake up to one of my oldest sister’s many Garth Brooks’ CD’s playing loudly as she readied herself for school. Needless to say, I know all of his songs word for word and have many fond memories of all us girls in the bathroom getting ready and sing our guts out to his voice. So it is no surprise one of his songs was one of the first ones I could play on the guitar. This song means more to me than an older sister editing lyrics to shield innocent ears, it showed me that no matter how old we get she will always be there for me and that I am special and important to her.
When my older sister, Whitney, started dating her now husband, Paul, they would take my little sister and me on car rides to the store occasionally. Whenever we entered his beat up old pickup truck he would be blaring one or another of his many Chris Ledoux CDs. This song, “I’ve Got the Wheel”, was one of my favorites, every time I hear it I think of an incident that tested Paul’s and mine relationship. To begin with I have never had any feeling but complete acceptance and sisterly love for Paul so my actions were not a strike out at him rooted in some evil hate I had for him. I was about eleven and Whitney had just introduced Paul to the family as her boyfriend. My dog was a short haired collie named Duncan. One time Paul ate dinner with our family and my mom prepared shish kebab on the grill. As we always did we fed our leftovers to the dogs and I had saved a special one for Duncan. I sprinted outside to share my spoils with him and in his excitement and haste to snatch the offering he ate it right out of my hand, shish kebab stick and all. I stood there dumbfounded; mouth agape as I watched my dog devour it in record time. It was gone before I could blink. I must have been in shock because I didn’t tell anyone about it thinking it would all just be digested and there was no need to worry. The days went by and I soon realized how wrong I was. A large bump was forming on Duncan’s side and I watched anxiously as it grew and one day became a horrid gaping hole. No one in my family knew what to do or what it was. Upon closer examination, I saw a point protruding from the hole. Gently as I could I grabbed it and pulled. To my horror I pulled out a whole shish kebab stick, identical to the ones we had used for dinner nights before. The stick had reached his stomach and, finding no place to go, forged its own path to the outside by burrowing through his stomach lining and muscle to the outside. My mom grilled all of us to discover how Duncan had gotten a hold of a shish kebab stick and I mentioned how Paul had feed his leftovers to the dogs that night too. As I had hoped it would the spotlight fell on him and he was blamed for almost killing my dog. I am unable to lie and live with myself so I confessed and told the truth. Paul was forgiven and apologized to and my dog lived and had no permanent consequences. Now it is a subject of laughter and endless teasing between us when ever this fond memory is reminisced.
Music also describes relationships. When this song first came out, “My Sister” by Reba McEntire, I was driving in the car with my little sister, Heidi. The lyrics describe us to at ‘T’. We both broke out laughing as we listened to the words. The whole rest of the ride to our destination we reminisced about how when we would go to bed furious at each other over one thing or another and end up having a water fight with our ‘bed-time-waters’ across the short separation of our beds. Heidi, being two years my junior, would usually jump this short expand and we would end up in the same bed soaking wet with empty cups strewn around the room and giggling uncontrollably. Then exhaustion would set in and we would wake up with no clue as to why we were mad the previous night. This cycle would repeat at least once or twice a week and would always end in the same watery war. Winter posed many wet and cold nights. Now every time I hear this song it takes me back to those days of both of us being infuriated and ending in irrepressible laughter.
Music affects everyone on an emotional level. It can be used to define a person’s mood or change it. This song, “Let That Pony Run” by Pam Tillis, is worded perfectly to describe how I calm down and handle difficult times in my life. It doesn’t matter why I’m upset or how big the problem is when I get on a horse the whole world falls away and it’s just me and that horse. My step-dad is a horse trainer and my job is a branch off of his business while still being part of it. I train horses for people and also give lessons. Riding horses is more to me than a job and entertainment; it is a part of me. Last fall me and my step-dad where in the Extreme Mustang Makeover, not for cars. This is when you get a wild mustang from the BLM, Bureau of Land Management, and train it for about 95 days. Those days of training are followed by a show to demonstrate how far the horse has come and how a wild horse can become a gentle, well trained horse. My step-dad and I each got our own horse. I fell in love with mine and my mom fell in love with his. We both bought them back at the auction at the end of the show. To this day my horse, Trooper, is the first horse I go to when I’m upset or facing a big problem. This song puts into words the feeling of simplicity and unity I feel every time I’m on a horse. On a horse is when I am reminded of what is really important and I take a deep breath and “let that pony run”.
This last song, “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga, has taught me a very valuable lesson, no matter where you are someone is always watching. I have this song on my phone I listen to it often. This was the case when I was babysitting my niece, Sesaly, who is three. We were playing and not really paying attention to the music, totally engrossed in our game of horse (where I’m on my hands and knees and she gets to sit on me and make me run around). We were having a blast, but alas, all good times have to come to a close. Later that week I got a call from my sister, Whitney, Sesaly’s mother, and was asked what ‘poke her face’ was. I was stumped and had no idea what she was talking about. The subject was dropped and we went on planning when she would next need me to babysit. When the next time came around Sesaly met me at the door with a big hug and inquired about my phone, to play music. I set on shuffle and left it in her care while I discussed the evening with Whitney before she departed. After a time, we were interrupted by a cry of joy. We both turned to Sesaly and observed her dancing around with my phone in her hand singing “Poke her face” as loud as she could. After exchanging a look with my sister we both burst into laughter as the mystery was solved. Now whenever I hear this song or babysit I am reminded of that moment. I now am more conscious about the music I play for my nieces and try to set a good example for them.
All of these songs are special to me in some way or another; a fond memory of family mixed with a self realization and what is important to me. I will continue to listen to music all my life and I hope next time you hear one of these songs you will remember my experience and in your own way learn a little about yourself and what is important to you. Family and memories are mine and every time I hear these songs these fond random memories will come flooding back.