Background music

​I have noticed that guest houses will often set the television to a news channel during breakfast.To me that is just one notch above listening to rap while having a meal - who wants to start his day with bad news, and let's face it, 'news' will inevitably be bad news. For seventeen years my background music of choice at the breakfast table has been light classical music, but I also have quite a collection of 'soothing' background CD's. I think one should be careful with vocals and I prefer to play soothing instrumental music if not light classical.

As I was grocery shopping today I suddenly became aware that the shop was playing classical music. It will not surprise me if they find that clients shop longer and more with soothing classical music in their ears. I for one immediately went off to find the floor manager and compliment her on their choice of music. You have to understand - at the end of the year I run through the supermarket like a mad woman just so that I can limit the time that I have to listen to 'jingle bells rock' and the likes. I just do not understand how shops and restaurants do not grasp the power of music - how it can build or destroy the shopping mood in a flash. Imagine buying a pair of shoes with a waltz playing in the background.... Now imagine buying a pair of shoes to the beat of a rap song... I rest my case.
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When my children were still at home I once had a CD with Gregorian chants playing in the background and just as I was serving breakfast my one son came running into the breakfast room and, without greeting anyone, he grabbed the remote from the table, changed CD's and with blazer coat flying went running off to school. When he came home I reprimanded him for not greeting the guests and just changing my music without asking me. His answer: 'Mom, I heard that freaky music and thought to myself, shame, those poor guests will never get their bacon and eggs down with that playing in the background'.
I suppose each to his own...