Associations

All things have associations. You associate being sick with that Chinese food which induced two days of vomiting. You associate that tattered grey T-shirt of yours with your best friend who selflessly gave it to you despite its importance to her. You associate the smell of pine needles with Christmas and cold weather. Everything possesses some sort of an association. I place keen associations on many things, but two things specifically--music and clothing. I strongly mark the periods or eras in my life by my clothing and the music connected with that time--and it is always progressive--it is always moving forward, never backward--that's the rule. I tend to buy, wear, grow and discard. My growth as a person, as an individual prevents me from retaining the clothes of a "former era" due to the fact that it has been "tainted" by my past and equally so by my former-self. I grow and I must change--literally. Making sense? No matter...it stands thus. Music, in my mind, possesses a similar quality of association. I am, however, slowly learning to overcome this neuroticism regarding music. Driving for me and listening to music formally "tainted" by past experiences, relationships, has become a very cleansing experience--clearing my palate if you will--allowing the music to exist new and unmolested by the past. All things possess associations, some normal, some not.