Music As Memories
how to hold on to vacation...
Sydney and Tokyo/Kyoto feel so long ago. The high from vacation has dissipated and it feels like I’m trying to plan the next trip NOW.
I want to go back to being on vacation mode. I want to go back to exploring new places and eating delicious things. I want to go back so so so so so badly.
A way for me to get back that vacation feeling is to listen to my vacation playlist. A habit I’ve done for quite some time is to create playlists associated with memories. Every year I create a new playlist for the year with some shnazzy name that I deem the theme for the year. For example this year’s theme is “Just Be 2023.” This playlist is still in progress since I’ll add songs as they strike my fancy. Many times it’s when something notable occurs or I’m trying to remember a random moment with friends.
2022: Covid Season 3 - The Omarion Reckoning is one of my favorite playlist titles.
I try to listen to the playlist at the end of the year to get a feel for how the year was. This way I have a musical archive of my emotions. In previous years I would have a mason jar with strips of paper that I would write down memories. I did this for several years and it was always so fun to see how life went for that year. Covid stopped that habit and the playlists took over instead.
While abroad I added several songs to Just Be 2023 playlist. Then as a way to commemorate the trip on it’s own, I created this vacation playlist. It’s a compilation of songs that I heard in stores, heard in restaurants, listened to while trying to go to sleep, heard at Disney Tokyo Sea, heard while feeling free. I’m listening to this playlist as I write this and I’m being transported to vacation mode.
Looks like I need to check how many points I have to book that next trip and that next playlist.