Nana

So, here's the dealio. Since leaving Provo, Utah, and school behind, I don't really get a lot of human interaction aside from my family. And coworkers. I left most of my friends in Utah, the few that I have still here in MD aren't out of school yet, and even if they were, I probably wouldn't be able to see them much, because I work a 40 hour work week with an hour's commute both ways. I don't know real people with real jobs survive. Regardless, I spend a lot of time alone in the car, what with the two hours of commute each day, so I decided to finally break down and purchase a new iPod, replacing the one that I lost at least a month ago. It was one of the old Nanos, don't ask me what generation, but it was silver and the short side was about the size of your thumb (which I learned through describing my dear iPod to multiple people at the Wilkinson Center lost and found and showing them the size with my fingers). I loved that thing, and I felt absolutely no need to replace it. It is dearly missed. However, life goes on, and I needed some sort of companionship for my daily pilgrimage to Rockville. I found this new companion in one of those new touch screen nanos, of a granite color, with the longs side far shorter than my thumb. Great. I couldn't even keep track of the last one, what am I going to do with this one? But, I brought home my new prize, plugged her into the computer, where iTunes asked me to name my device. Well, I thought, she's a nano, and she's a girl (my iPods are always girls), and so Nana was born.

The beginning of any new relationship is always hard. I didn't realize it would be this hard, though. At first, I was just happy to have an iPod again. There were the moments of frustration, such as when I couldn't figure out how to get Nana to shuffle songs, and moments where I missed my old iPod even more, because I knew how it worked, and I could get it to do what I wanted. But, overall, having an iPod was good, and I was glad to be able to listen to music in the car. 

Once the initial hardship of communication error had somewhat subsided, I realized there was another difficulty in our relationship: namely, that of taste. Nana, it appears, greatly enjoys lots and lots of showtunes and a capella music. These are fine (clearly, since they are on my iPod to begin with), but these are two genres that I prefer in moderation. I seem to be unable to get sick of the Scarlet Pimpernel soundtrack, and there are some songs from Wicked that I refuse to skip, on principle if nothing else, but there comes a time after about three, four, five a capella songs that you just want to hear a sound not made my a human voice. Perhaps this frustration came partially from my failing to understand how Nana felt, that she felt that she could really relate to these artists, as music producing devices. Regardless, it just about drove me insane. Nana also really likes instrumental music (despite the fact that I'm almost certain that I took those songs off of the playlist I run her on...) and All Time Low's "Coffeeshop Soundtrack." However, the a capella was what got me. Don't get me wrong, I love a capella, but, again, in moderation. Also, she disliked and flat-out refused to play the songs that I particularly wanted to hear. "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Walk Off the Earth was one of these, and probably the one whose exclusion bothered me the most. Driving home became contentious, as Nana refused to cease her incessant string of songs from her specific, stupidly selective taste, and I would skip them and complain at her in raised voice. 

Then, after days of these dark stormy clouds of contention, the sun suddenly broke through. We both realized that we shared common ground: we could compromise on the Goo Goo Dolls. We both like every single song on Dizzy Up the Girl. So, we began to utilize this common ground. When Nana started playing all kinds of a capella songs in a row, and then I started skipping them, if she was in a good mood, she would pull up a Goo Goo Dolls song and then we'd both cease our warring and accept the compromise. Occasionally, if she was in a bad mood, she would refuse to select the Goo Goo Dolls song, and we would fight until one of us gave up (usually me) and someone would be left unhappy with the music selection. But, for the most part, this compromise worked.

Finding this common ground was the beginning of a bright period of understanding, respect, and, slowly but surely, enjoyment. We realized other things that we had in common. Both of us, for example, appreciate my non-English music. Though she does not play my Hindi music (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi soundtrack!!!!!) as much as I would like, she definitely does not overplay it, so it is still a treat to listen to. She also will occasionally play my Korean song ("Breathe" by Miss A- I need to add some others, as well as buy some others; we'll see how Nana likes those!), and she played the "Queen of the Night aria" twice in the past two days. I really appreciate her open-mindedness in music of different languages, especially after my mother confessed to me not long ago that she does not like music in other languages, because she can't sing along (to which I respond with the argument that it is actually easier, because then you don't have to worry about getting the words right, because you just aren't going to). Also, because of our increased respect and understanding, we appreciate each other's taste more, and are more willing to listen to the other party's music of choice. Nana plays more of the music that I like, and I in turn allow her to indulge in her love for a capella and show tunes, without interrupting (very often). 

We are also more considerate of each other's feelings in the moment. One day, I was in a bit of a solemn mood, a mood for listening to "Comatose" by Skillet (it really was the perfect song for the occasion; I got the greatest sense of satisfaction from feeling the bass reverberate in my chest/rib cage). Nana realized the kind of mood that I was in, and, instead of trying my patience, was very kind and considerate in her music selection, something for which I was very grateful. Very little a capella, and no more than one a capella song at a time. 

I think that the more healthy and safe environment cultivated through our compromise has allowed Nana to feel comfortable exploring the music that I downloaded onto her. She has started playing songs I hadn't ever heard her play before. Through doing this, she realized that she really likes Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. She has also been approaching the music that I like with a more open mind. Once or twice, she has played "What Makes You Beautiful" by Boyce Avenue without being asked, and she once even played "Somebody That I Used to Know" all on her own. Now that we lack the animosity in our relationship, I think she feels safe trying things out with an open mind, and feels that it's okay if she likes things that I want her to like. 

Things are still not easy. There is still compromise, and some struggle between opposing tastes, but it's so worth it, in the long run, to not be alone in a silent car, and to not fall asleep and run off the road in rush hour traffic.