Collect More Duke Ellington Moments

Jazz, finding joy in the mundane, & intellectual flirting.

Have you ever felt so moved that time seems to hold still? Like someone pulled the needle off the spinning record. I recall a moment like this.

Sitting in my music lecture, my professor played the first track of Duke Ellington's Far East Suite. Until then, I perceived jazz as merely lounge or elevator music. This sound shook me awake and seemed to say listen to the world around you, girl. 

After class, I listened to the album on my walk home. I sat in bed, moving through the albums of Duke, Miles Davis, and Chet Baker. Awestruck by this unexpected pleasure.

That evening I learned how life is more wondrous when I'm open to new aesthetic experiences. I imagine the world as an endless supermarket, walking through the aisles and sampling different flavors of music, film, and poetry.

Yet, I didn't become a jazz aficionado. Admittedly, I'm not an aficionado of anything. I haven't developed a deep and refined taste in one subject. Instead, I prefer to expand my aesthetic appreciation for many things.  

Retired Fan

Aesthetics originated as a branch of philosophy, a discernment of beauty and taste. When scrolling through social media, I often see aesthetic employed as an adjective. Your outfit is so aesthetic.

Aesthetics communities are trendy amongst Millennials and Gen Z. In fact, you can browse an Aesthetics Wiki dedicated to a plethora of groups (from Acid Pixie to Zombiecore).

A collage of cottagecore aesthetic

I'm wary of joining one of these Aesthetic communities. As a retired Harry Potter nerd, I avoid fandom. J.K. Rowling cast a spell on me in first grade; alas, I remember more about Harry's time at Hogwarts than my own Muggle adolescence.

I can't see myself becoming a Disney Adult or football hooligan (but I won't yuck your yum if that's your thing.)

I'm no devotee or connoisseur. Rather than refining a myopic personal taste, I'd rather see the world through many lenses.

Knowing a Little About a Lot

I search for beauty all around me, even in life's ordinary spaces. I'm able to season my day with bits of joy. Between the layers of the mundane – brushing my teeth, riding the metro, tidying the kitchen – I fold in my latest favorite playlist, podcast, or a chapter of a book. 

I enjoy exploring different microcosms and curating combinations of interests. From Tchaikovsky to Tupac, from Formula 1 to Final Fantasy, from Dante's Divine Comedy to Dave Chappelle's comedy.

When I stare out into the ocean or listen to Led Zeppelin's "The Ocean," waves of euphoria crash over me. How divine it is to be alive.

It's fun to know a little about a lot, and to like a little bit about a lot. In conversation, there's a thrill to making an unexpected reference. Saying something someone wouldn't expect you to know. This feels like a sort of intellectual flirting. 

"What Fascinates You?"

When I approach life this way, I often find myself connecting with strangers in unexpected ways. One of my favorite questions to ask is, "What fascinates you?" 

I want to learn from this new person, but I also want to connect with them and share in their delight. The conversation can evolve from the "what" to the "how" and "why"? Why does this fascinate you? How did you discover your love for this? Now we're really getting to know each other.

Through these experiences, I feel a sense of belonging and togetherness. Rather than turning inward to refine my taste, I turn outward to learn more about others. 

Creating a Collage

Is my approach to life a means to form an eclectic taste? I prefer to see it as piecing together a collage of interests and collecting more Duke Ellington moments. 

Yet, I'm not searching for a cohesive aesthetic within my collage. Maybe one day, I'll look back at it and see the common threads, the themes of my narrative, and the people I loved along the way.

Hopefully, it's a multicolored melange of a damn good life.

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