Watching "Saturday Night Live"'s sketch, "The Race," brought to mind an '80s tune that's almost impossible to forget once you hear it. Are you ready for it to lodge itself into your brain for an hour or, more likely, a day? If not, feel free to go back three years and read one of my favorite Christmas-themed blog posts.
For the brave readers still remaining, my earworm this morning is Matthew Wilder's "Break My Stride." That tune ran through my mind prominently one night during college. I took a nap before an orchestra concert in which I was supposed to play. I slept through the alarm and woke up at 7:45, 15 minutes before the concert's starting time. I changed into concert garb hastily, darted out of my dorm room, flew down six flights of stairs, and ran faster through the streets of Columbia than I ever had. In my mind, Wilder was singing, "I've got to keep on moving," about eight times louder than usual. I arrived at the theater out of breath but on time. My fellow bass players, not knowing if I'd make it in time, had considerately unpacked my bass for me. I learned my lesson that night; leave nothing to chance on the night of a concert. Even if you've only had an hour of sleep that day, don't take a nap. Also, head to the venue much earlier than I did.
