Frequency

Today, while on an errand at work to get a semi-retired engineer to seal some plans, I had the opportunity to watch a rippling pond and I wondered about sinosidal waves (that's because I'm an engineer, probably). It made me ponder that certain frequencies that are very calming to me. Considering the brief time I have available this night to comment on them, I will look at them and ponder the oddities of their patterns.

Music:

As I am a (somewhat) irritable person, I need things to calm me down and relax me, as I can be somewhat high-strung. It is fortunate that I like to listen to melodic music, as well as sing and play the viola. Music has a calming effect on me, soothing the wild beast, if you will. It is noteworthy that I am attracted to certain types of music, though, that demonstrate certain patterns. Pop music, with its very narrow constraints involving chords, or baroque and classical music, with their patterns of harmonies and rhythms, meet the bill. Rap music, sadly, does not.

Water:

Bodies of water are very relaxing to me, even from childhood. I can sit for hours (this is a hard task, you ever tried to get me to sit still?) watching the ocean, or a lake, or a stream. There is something in the pattern of the waves and ripples that is relaxing and soothing. The same is true even of watching a rainstorm, which is quite soothing as well. It was a favorite pasttime of mine when I was a child (well, rather, playing in the rain at least). Watching waves is one of the most enjoyable things to do at the beach of course, at least if I want to relax. Relaxation is a rare thing for me, so at least it's good to know some places to go.

Rolling Country/Rollercoasters:

My father's family lives in the gently rolling hill country of Eastern Pennsylvania. I find great contentment in riding in cars along such country (less enjoyment, as can be imagined, hiking the country, unless it is with good friends as I did in northern England once). Incidentally enough, I like rollercoasters for the same reason. I'm not a big fan of the loops, but I love the ups and downs of a rollercoaster, especially the wooden ones, which have an organic feel to them, instead of the jerky and abrupt steel roller coasters (though I still like those).

Conclusions:

Is there a reason for this odd sort of attraction to sine and cosine waves? I don't know, but it sure is interesting to think about (at least for me). I wonder if anyone else has the same sort of odd contentment in such cyclical patterns as I do...