Ever put on an album you haven't listened to in a long time and it just takes you back in time?
I felt that way this week. My new car doesn't have a CD player (end of an era!) so I mostly listened to the trial satellite radio, which just recently ran out of subscription, the random ambient music that is in my car's library, and podcasts (I know; what a bore!). The other day, I remembered I had actual honest to God music I could be listening to, so I imported my Better than Ezra CD (Closer) and it's been a bit on replay throughout the week.
It's funny to go back to listen to music that was important to you when you were young but doing things that you do as an adult. I like to think that I've changed a lot from childhood to adulthood, but some things don't change. My personality is still kind of my personality, just with new wrinkles.
I sometimes wonder if I just play retro games because I'm nostalgic about the past, but nostalgia isn't the whole thing. I genuinely enjoy playing older things, wrinkles and all. I love the idea that I can start up a game, play for a couple credits (or however many are granted, or whether I want to save state my way to victory?) and then walk away and enjoy my day. Thankfully, pick-up-and-play games still exist, but these have the fringe benefit of being things I already own.
I've touched on replaying old games before, so I won't stick to that topic. Instead, I just wanted to express how that satisfying feeling of going back to something explored before years (or even decades) later goes beyond just games, like music. I don't just live in the past, though. I try to read or watch new things every now and then (I'm still actually reading books, again; what a life!). It's just that sometimes I do like to go back to the old things and experience them with my (slightly) changed perspective. Sometimes, it's cringey. Thankfully, I still enjoyed the album. I can't say the same about all of my music choices when I was younger!
