September 16, 2008

Shower Zen

This blog entry is probably the most incestuous of any that I have ever written. I'm sure this applies to many people, but for me the time I spend in the shower is my time think, ponder and sort out my head. It's often where I finalize important decisions and think about topics to write about in my blog. So, this morning I thought, "Why don't I just write about this?" And so I did. Right now.

I guess the shower experience almost serves as my "cone of silence" if you will. It's one of the few times when I am completely alone, without communication to the outside world. No phone, television or computer in reach. Just me with my thoughts and the sound of running water.

I'm a morning showerer. I need that time to wake up and prepare for the day. I like to think about what I'm going to be doing during the time between my next shower and plan how the day will go. I'm a morning person, but I think that's only because I take the time in the shower to clear my head and prepare my attitude for the day before I have to interact with anyone.

I often find myself experiencing flashes of memories and images that I haven't consciously thought about for years, decades even. The other day, without provocation, I got a memory flash of my babysitter's house from when I was 3 or 4. Just a quick memory of the inside of her living room, and the stairs leading up. It only lasted for a split second then I started thinking about something else. A few weeks ago I got a flash of when I was in 7th grade pre-algebra class. I was sitting in my exact seat and I remember the teacher asking us who had the Internet at home (only 5 or so kids raised their hands. This was 1995). Perhaps these "memory flashes" are the last little volt of electricity that my brain has for these thoughts. One last spark before they are forgotten forever.

I guess the same idea is true about when I'm listening to my iPod; using the music to block out all the other distractions and only hear the songs and my internal monologue. It's not like some astronomically new concept that I just came up with. I know I'm not the only one who experiences it. I just thought I'd share.

Any thoughts on the topic?