Effort 2 – The Constant Noise of Song
For 30 days, I will share the joys, pains, and dirty little secrets of my life with multiple sclerosis. My goal is to find a reason to convince you to support/share my fight against MS. Please donate today: https://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/eleanor.
This is Effort Number 2…
After yesterday’s blog post, I doubted for a moment my heart could handle 30 days of this. While taking some time to organize my thoughts into topics for the series, the constant noise in my head pulled me from focus again and again. Rather than fight the already overcrowded clamor between my ears, I figured it would be best to try and explain the scene. [Don’t try this at home.]
Most people who know me acknowledge there is usually more than one thought running through my brain at any given time. The scene is an aggressive competition of every thought I possess. The constant noise, or Constant Noise?, or #constantnoise (take your pick) is never a bother. For an introvert like me, it’s the interactions I can’t do without. My constant noise distracts me from the pain, constantly challenges me to get off my lazy butt, and reminds me every day that the only thing I need to do is to Never Stop… Never Quit…
I find it difficult to express more than one constant noise at the time, possibly two, should they work well together in public! A collective pool of candidates remains active while the chosen few are brought to life. Rather than dumping a bulletized list of noises, and since I will be doing this until at least the 24th of September, I’ll just dole them out like TicTac’s.
The Constant Noise of Song — that is song, not music. I need words. For me, listening to a song without words is like…music, I guess. Not my thing, I don’t find needed noise in music. My playlists reflect the stories I need to hear at some point.
Here’s a quick blast of the stories of my Constant Noise in Song. This is not an endorsement of Spotify, but I really do recommend the music service. You can sign up and play music for free (with commercials – paid, for no-ad music).
PLAYLISTS OF MY GENERIC NOISE
KB
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1YUCjapjm5cWAzjI30yUdo?si=KFBHipOCQIm_QXT7sE6Tvw
Spanning genres and moods, this playlist represents the songs I can listen to any time/anywhere. My only restriction maybe the audience within earshot, and their level of tolerance…
Trax
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5zDdzGxgtyuF1rpAxG9WwD?si=xx1svRloTWud-uIOtCkirw
My other go-to playlist, this one theoretically has no ability to offend anyone.
SPECIALTY PLAYLISTS — HERE’S WHERE IT GETS FUN!
BB Mix
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3NwSGYGC3hoo5JbPJPhjvY?si=hMPUFkb0SK2luvI5N5LM-A
I lost tolerance for “The Wheels on the Bus” and other similar songs when Eleanor was a baby. I started playing music I liked but was relatively appropriate for kids. Ellie got older, her tastes more significant, so she hijacked my playlist! We’ve come to an uneasy peace where both of us must approve of the song before it is added to the Byrne/Byrne playlist (her idea, plus she wanted a subtle tribute to Bill Byrne).
~Yes, my daughter was the one walking down the hallways of her school singing “Paradise by the Dashboard Lights.”
The Full Monte!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ShQjws0SyKiB3Lr4T3xwe?si=RW5oYz_MTX6VX2lC0JFMJA
Best. Dog. Ever.
From 2007-2013, we had a party every year in honor of Monte! My playlist is a roll-up from those years. The songs are not about me, it’s about the dog.
NEVER STOP NEVER QUIT
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7pBgdR68kGceEVLqz7kCq5?si=5sqqsvjfQ6qbsDSPB5t14A
Without a doubt, this is my most listened to playlist of late. Relatively short, 27 songs/2 hours, every track quantifies what I’m thinking about in the gym. This is the only time my competing noises rest — the time when my body is pushing as hard as possible. I binge-watch a lot of TV programs when I’m using elliptical cross trainer. For the 2 to 3 hours I’m not on machine, NEVER STOP NEVER QUIT is blaring on repeat through my headphones.
My playlists are always expanding, as the constant noise in song continues to spin. I invite you to follow my collections, just don’t try to figure out what was going through my head when I added a particular song. Neither of us wants that…
The noise attributable to my MS constantly inspires me. The hope is my story will inspire your donation in this fight.
Because it is a fight.
The fight is not over and it won’t be over until a cure is found.
It will never stop…nor will we
It will never quit…nor will we
This is why we ride!
Please donate today: https://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/eleanor
100% of the royalties earned from my books go to the National MS Society, to support our fight: https://neverstopneverquit.com/books
Never Stop… Never Quit…?
Kevin Byrne
Portland, OR
www.neverstopneverquit.blogspot.com
Never Stop… Never Quit… Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.