On Learning to Appreciate Life for What It Is, Not What We Hoped It Would Be
Or life lessons from reviewing Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS” and Taylor Swift’s “Midnights”
On the glorious morning of October 21, 2022, I woke up, grabbed Dunkin’ Donuts, and settled into bed. It was a workday, but I had already planned on taking the day off. Taylor Swift’s album “Midnights” had just released, and like any Swiftie, I needed time to listen and process.
Some songs immediately popped out to me as potential favorites — “Maroon” and “Vigilante Sh*t,” for example— but others, well, didn’t.
In fact, I remember frankly low-key hating the voice modulation in “Midnight Rain” (which is probably one of my favorites now) and I was upset that “Sweet Nothing” and “Mastermind” (also bangers) weren’t the heart-wrenching songs I’d been hoping for in the months after a breakup.
The same thing happened when I listened to Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS” for the first time. Her first album, “SOUR,” has been exactly what I’ve needed at times. It’s helped me feel less alone in having experienced unhealthy relationships, and it’s debatably some of the best sad music out there. (Can you tell I love sad music?)
