This past week, the kids started back to school in the state of Hessen. Several of my friends in the neighborhood all have children under the age of 10, and I thought of them this past week as I listened to the sounds coming from the school playground across the street from my apartment. It's always kind of an exciting time as everyone gets back into the school year routine; getting up early, doing homework (maybe), and starting any extracurricular activities.
Yesterday when I spoke with my father on skype, he mentioned that he saw all the little kids in his neighborhood trooping off for their first day of the new school year. Likewise, I have seen a fair amount of "back to school" photos posted by parents on facebook of my younger friends all starting their new grade. My own nephew is just starting his final year of high school (2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate? seniors, that's who) and I took a few minutes to reflect back on my own school days, all those years ago.
I was always really anxious on the first day of school, from kindergarten through university, though I might argue that university years were noticeably different from the k-12 era. But local public school? Incredible. Every year on the last night before starting back to school, my folks would have to really calm me down, and then the following evening, AFTER the first day of school was finished, everything was perfect again, and we could all sort of laugh as we (or better said, my parents) would say, "See, there was nothing to be worried about?"
Although I still get a little anxious when starting something new (ie..a new job, a new project, etc), it amazes me how worked up I got all those year ago. After all, the pressures of being a student these days are considerably higher than they were 30-40 years ago. Yet most of the photos I see are of smiling kids wearing their new duds and embracing the excitement of the new school year; no one seems as apprehensive as I felt. Fair play to them.
Over the years, I have mentioned how how much I disliked high school, almost to the point of being unhappy. Of course, it had much more to do simply with me being bored, ready for new challenges, wanting to be independent and treated like an adult (but with the safety of still having a place to live and a semi-regular stream of cash flow), but unable to completely express what it was exactly that I was looking for. This experience is no different from any other student of the same age, but obviously everyone has to go through their own experience.
Like many students before me and after me, I found my solace in music. It was always about the music, and for sure, music is what helped get me through high school. My tastes were (still are, for that matter) far away from mainstream, but I found others with similar music tastes, and it was no real surprise that they, too, were equally annoyed with the trials and tribulations of being a teenager.
We were all searching for answers, and there were so many questions. But we found common ground in the music.
Earlier this week at Kioskabend, we got to talking about the Sisters of Mercy. A couple of my friends first got into SoM in the early 90s, which is a little understandable due to the fact that it sometimes takes longer for some music to get to other parts of the world. As it were, the Sisters were rather obscure in the USA in the mid-80s; it was hard enough for me to my hands on their stuff. But the Sisters and an associated act, the Mission, had a tremendous influence on me during high school. In fact, the Mission still drives one of my mantras to this day. So, I was a little surprised when my friends were talking about their discovery of these bands some 8-10 years later.
To be fair, we have had similar conversations on other evenings at the Kiosk where I have been the latecomer; a certain band might have been well known (on the underground scene) in Germany for years before I ever heard their music.
Talking about music is still one of my favorite past times, and it's really interesting to get different perspectives and experiences from the friends I have made over the years. It's a real positive for me to still have the opportunity to discuss music with folks in Germany, and it often reminds me of those school days, where I felt like I only had music to break up the monotony of being a frustrated adolescent. As we have all grown up, reflected on our life experiences and shared with others, we inevitably recall a certain tune or certain band that sticks firmly in our memory.
Thus, I listened to the Sisters of Mercy catalog this morning while writing this piece. 30 years ago, I was getting back to start my second year of college with Tim (and playing this stuff non-stop) and today, I am actually thinking about Tim's son and the new chapter in life as he begins freshman year in college. Likewise for my cousin's kid, who is also entering university. I have to assume that they all have a go-to group that they listen to regularly.
I laugh out loud as I bring this piece to a close; I just glanced up on my kitchen wall at a poster that I have had for many years.
Yep, it used to be on my dorm room wall.
see you out there
bryan
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