Today’s Holidays: International Strange Music Day, Pluto Demoted Day, Knife Day, National Waffle Day
Website of the Day: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/waffles-2398336
Fun Fact of the Day: Pluto, the planet demoted to dwarf planet status in 2006, takes 248 Earth years to revolve once around the sun!
I’ve always enjoyed summer, but up until now fall has been my favorite season. Fall was always the start of something new: the leaves changing colors, the blinding white sneakers and sun highlighted hair at the start of school, and the temporary retirement of the outdoor grill for the aroma of chile and soups in the kitchen. This version of “new” is comforting in its familiarity: a change from the daily routine, but one that occurs each year around the same time. Yet as summer now comes to an end, I’m forced to reflect on the value of spontaneously trying new things and the opportunity that summer provides for us to do so. We have these new experiences not due to the natural change of season, but because of free will and maybe a little fate.
This summer was my season of trying new things. I ordered the Snickers cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory instead of my usual Fresh Strawberry or Oreo Dream Extreme. I tried the Modern Caprese sandwich at Panera in contrast to my usual Classic Grilled Cheese, and when Panera took the Classic Grilled Cheese off their menu, (a truly unforgivable act) I tried the Four Cheese Grilled Cheese instead. I took up a new sport, golf, except I mostly had my view from the golf cart as a camp counselor. While I was in the habit of rewatching my favorite Netflix shows, (which I get a lot of criticism for, but there’s no shame in returning to Meredith and Derek's candle house scene in season 4 episode 17 in Grey's Anatomy or Elena and Damon's epic kiss outside the hotel in season 3 episode 19 in The Vampire Diaries) I ventured out and watched The Office and Jane the Virgin. I experimented with style, incorporating colorful, statement earrings and necklaces into my outfits as well as fun jeans full of stars and glitter.
I went to my first festivals: Governor’s Ball and a Hot Air Balloon Festival.
I also ordered a burrito at Moe’s instead of my usual quesadilla, but that was because they don’t sell quesadillas at the Moe’s in Hershey Park, which I found out after waiting in line for over half an hour.
Lastly, and most importantly to this blog post, I listened to new music. It all started one sunny, Wednesday morning at golf camp. Youcef and I were asked to drive to Walmart to buy certificates for the campers and flags for the golf course, and so we hopped into my Prius, excited to escape from the campers for a little while. Yet it was still the morning, my least favorite time of day, and so, too lazy to turn my Prius Jams Spotify playlist on, (consisting of the top pop songs on the radio and a few early 2000’s pop throwbacks) Youcef took my phone and put on a song.
What started to play in the car was definitely not a Prius Jam. No, this song was a whole new category, one I did not have a playlist for, not yet at least. Too Hotty, by Migos, was completely unfamiliar territory in the realm of music for me, but something about the song, perhaps the beat, the lyrics, Youcef’s energy, or maybe, though embarrassed to admit it, the song made me feel really really cool, I loved it right away. Too Hotty led to All Girls Are the Same, which led to Rich and Blind, which led to Lucid Dreams, which led to Nowadays, and the next thing I knew, I had the lyrics down to a bunch of rap songs, along with memories of jamming in the Prius to last a lifetime.
When I think of this summer, the beach days, New York City trips, Cheesecake Factory dates, and Netflix marathons are not what comes to mind. Strangely, the first thing I think of are the times Youcef and I blasted Too Hotty, singing every word (except for the last verse, which we’re still working on), the moments Jake sang Rich and Blind at the top of his lungs (which is rare because before this year, I never heard Jake sing at all), and when my friend, Aspen, sang, or I should say yelled, the lyrics to Lucid Dreams on a snapchat video like it was her personal diary entry.
International Strange Music Day is one that is celebrated different by all, because the definition of “strange” varies based upon what you normally listen to. I challenge you to venture into a new genre of music. Turn up the sound to maximum volume, roll down the windows, and embrace your music like the only world that exists is the one between the voices of you and those around you. I have Youcef to thank for my summer realization of the beauty of trying new things, and I hope that everyone ventures into new experiences, any time of year, but specifically starting with today on International Strange Music Day!
Happy #InternationalStrangeMusicDay ! How did you celebrate? Comment below or send in a picture to @nationalholidaymovement . #NationalHolidayMovement #BeHappy #TryNewThings