hope for the world (an addendum)

Since my last post regarding the slow death of the art of mix cds, I would like to say there is hope for the world:  Michael (Olson, of my dissertation-advisor fame) imparted to me a bunch of music from his computer onto my Ipod today, and among the list of usual artists were a handful of "albums" entitled Japanese Polka. 

"What's Japanese Polka?" I said, feeling like I must not be cool enough to know that band.

"Oh, it's not a band... it's a series of mix cds a friend of mine organized and we all exchanged." 

And in the distance the clouds parted with angle-colored arms of sun, proclaiming that it is not the end of the music world, Caroline... only another beginning. Japanese Polka.

And so there were a total of 7 albums created and distributed to dozens of people from Knoxville to New York.

The songs were good, diverse, and best of all-- shared. I felt there was hope for the world.  Now I am listening to Neko Case and regretting, somewhat, my current re-entry into the deep pool of music, as it does distract me from my novel. What a beautiful world we live to complain in-- the temptation of so much art! :)