I spent this Thursday running up and down campus.The pole lights turned on as my day ended and I headed home. I packed my bags once I got back, then walked to the Kogod stop.
The bus arrived promptly. I was looking forward to this quick moment of stillness. I played Katy’s Song when I first sat down. I was still looking at a long night of travel, but the song would give me a second to be mellow and another second to prepare for the next stop on my journey: a descent into the underground.
I rushed down the Tenleytown Metro escalators playing Idea June Video next since I felt it would help me keep the momentum I needed to catch the Glenmont train in time.
I was on my way to Union Station; my train to New York was leaving in just under an hour. Why should I be sad? It was my own fault, really. So, I queued up some songs from the 80’s that would brighten my mood instead. A lively 80’s synthwave song with a bouncy drum and some piano always lifts my spirits.
While I sat I continued to add songs to my mix. Heavier songs like Easy, Pale Blue Sky, and Loud made their way into the list since they almost match the volume of the metro, and help drown out the noise. They helped me stay alert as I stared out the window and at my reflection until I reached Union Station.
I stomped up the escalator. I took a quick break before I was locked away in a train for the rest of the night. I dropped my navy green duffel to the floor, sat on it, and took a quick break before I was locked away in a train for the rest of the night. Chariot played as I took a few deep breaths. Union Station feels even more grand at night. Dramatic lighting,
Post Prom Disorder played as I waited for my train. I had somehow ended up at the back of the line to board — oddly enough, to a song that feels like getting shoved.
I slept through my train ride and when I awoke, I walked myself up to ground level. To my surprise, the sun wasn’t even close to rising. It was still pretty early so I put on Marble Walls and added some other guitar heavy songs to the mix because the city that never sleeps still needs to relax sometimes. I wanted to start my day off slowly because I didn’t have anywhere to be and I knew these songs would give me the fresh start feeling I was looking for this morning.
I dropped off my bags and made my way towards the Brooklyn Bridge. I was about a quarter of the way across the bridge when dusk had officially ended. The sun began to shine behind the buildings and its rays peeked through the Manhattan bridge. But, I was faced with the consequences of my own actions again: the songs I chose to listen to were making me sad. So, I turned on The Songs That We Sing instead and added The Morning Fog after it to snap myself out of it.
With a coffee in hand, I made my way to Washington Square Park. I played a new selection of songs as I went about this portion of my day. Clap Your Hands, Candy Perfume Girl, and A Little More were a few of the songs I based this mix around. As long as I walked to the beat of these songs, I’d find my way around town. I grew up fantasizing about wandering around a big city like New York. These songs were the final touch to making the scene feel as real as it could be.
I had arrived at Washington Square but started walking again before I knew where I was going. I got cold and Top of the World started to play, so I was ready to take on the city again. I added songs like Just Like A Flower and Barely Legal to keep me going as I made my way to my next stop, the record store. I walked like a punk rocker through Greenwich village. My pace was a little faster this time around, and as the day picked up, I figured the beat should too.
I browsed Academy Records & CDs for a moment while $10 and How Does It Make You Feel — the perfect song to loiter in a store you know you won’t buy anything in — muffled whatever song they were playing over their speakers. I took a business card as a keepsake and made my way to Central Park as the mix played out.
It was fall in New York, and I’d blocked off a good chunk of the day just to walk through the parks and admire the foliage — or better, how the sunshine and buildings peek through the canopy of trees that cover you. The hard part was deciding what mix to listen to. I know jazz is an essential part of the city’s culture, so I added La Femme d’argent and some Amy Winehouse to feel as present as music would let me be.
I sat and listened to Christina while staring at the pavement. The hue of the leaves was so warm, the ground almost looked blue in comparison. Like water almost. Berlin played me out. It got me up and out of my seat and finally, on my way to a Thai dinner. As the night fell and I approached the restaurant, I played Walk Slowly, a song that makes you want to dance in an alley as opposed to a night club.
We finished eating, and it was dark when we walked outside — as dark as the city lights allow New York to get, that is. I listened to Let’s Go Out Tonight to wind down as I strolled around. Two things I think are essential before a night out on the town: taking a moment to yourself, and listening to this song. I added Tonight’s The Night to my mix next. I was ready, and the city was ready for me too. My day in the city was approaching its end, but my night was just beginning.