The Loop.
If you live in or travel through the Chicago, Illinois area with any regularity, you are familiar with 'The Loop', a downtown area of the Windy City.
In another context, 'the loop' is a nebulous state of being that you probably want to be in because to be out of 'the loop' means that you are not 'in the know' and this drives some people crazy. If one is not in 'the loop', it may also mean that, workplace-wise, you are missing information vital to your job-related survival. This, too, would drive some people crazy - and for good reason.
The other 'loop' with which I am very familiar is the loop (my term) that plays music in my head. I don't know if this is an affliction known only to musicians, although I suspect not, but it is a mental malady that drives me crazy. These musical snippets are almost always related to the music that is being prepared, or recently performed, by a musical group that I am directing. Often these note-worthy vignettes (pun intended) are from choral literature, so I have both words and music running in my brain. Fortunately, I direct a church choir, so the text is sacred in nature. At least I am not looping profane and violent text oft associated with gangsta rap.
I've spoken with other musicians who talk about this same phenomenon and they are equally as vexed as I. I don't think the music ever leaves my sub-conscious, although it may be coerced to a corner table by some other mental distraction, such as reading, having a conversation, or watching a movie or show on the tiny screen. There is usually a two-to-four measure excerpt playing over and over in my head each night when I commit weariness to the pillow. I'm my own stereo system!
Occasionally 'the loop' has bits and pieces of data that my brain is struggling to remember. I have learned, the hard way, that if this is occurring, I'd best get up, and write down whatever it is I think I need to retain. To not do this ensures that I will have a sleepless night with my brain wrestling itself in an attempt to maintain a grasp on a tiny byte of stored data. The little pad of paper and pen I keep at my bedside has saved me from many a sleep-deprived night.
Now that I've written about 'the loop', I wonder if this makes me loopy?
Some would nod in affirmation!
Ancora imparo
