"Life Has Surface Noise"
I’ve been a writer since 2nd Grade, when my teacher was really adamant about getting our class to write. With her guidance, I began to grow a love for writing. I loved to write so much, in fact, that my stories kept getting longer and longer without end. While my classmates had finished their stories, mine were left...unfinished. But nonetheless, I had become a student of the pen (or rather the keyboard, if you’ve seen my handwriting), destined to write whatever came into my head.
So what happened after 2nd Grade? Well, I wrote (supposedly) really good essays throughout middle and high school. I became known among my friends as the kid who could write a kickass essay at 3 A.M. the night before it was due. But those thoughts in my head? I needed to somehow transform them into words, but I wasn’t sure where to begin. Years passed where writing was an almost an afterthought for me.
In my junior year of high school, I decided to join my school newsmagazine and was slightly underwhelmed by my experience. Senior year, however, the publication took a slight change in direction and opened up several opportunities for expressive writing that helped me to come to peace with who I was as a person. But with my time in high school coming to a close, I decided that I needed another outlet for my writing: what you’re reading right now.
Now, in order for me to explain the purpose of this blog, I should probably start with its name: Surface Noise. The first thing that most people find out about me is that I’m an avid record collector. My bedroom is practically a shrine to vinyl, as is my basement. So naturally, one of my favorite quotes comes from the late BBC DJ John Peel, who once had this conversation with a friend of his:
"Somebody was trying to tell me that CDs are better than vinyl because they don't have any surface noise. I said, 'Listen, mate, life has surface noise."
“Life has surface noise”. Well said. Those words of wisdom speak volumes about both life and record collecting. But what exactly is surface noise?
Vinyl nerds like Peel and myself often come up with lofty, unnecessary terms to describe mundane parts of our hobby. Using these terms incorrectly can make some snobs particularly upset (as ridiculous as that is). For example, that thing that touches the record? God forbid you call it a needle. It’s a stylus. And the amount of weight that the stylus puts on the record? That’s what we call tracking force. You probably didn’t even imagine that was something we even worried about, but rest assured, we find ways to overthink everything.
Surface noise, however, is simply the vinyl enthusiast’s term for the crackles and pops that one might hear when they play a record. While some might not be fond of it when there are crackle-free alternatives like Spotify, I agree with Peel on the basis that the noise is charming.
The imperfections of records are part of the reason for their allure, along with their warm sound and tangibility. And so that’s how I used to think of that quote: an excuse for why I collect vinyl records, as antiquated and crackly as they are. Yet there’s another side of the quote that never came to mind. So, when choosing a name for this blog, Peel’s words came to mind and I began to think of them a little bit differently.
Nothing in life is perfect. Nothing. We all wish that we could pass through our lives without hardships or rough patches, but that is simply impossible. Even someone whose life seems to play out like a beautiful song--with calming acoustic guitar and soothing vocals--can have a bit of a crackle or hiss that gets in the way of perfection. Whether it be depression, failed love, a rough home life, or something else entirely, everyone has something tough in their lives that they’re struggling to grapple with. However, we as humans must realize that although these struggles sometimes seem impossible to get through, they are only minor pops and clicks in the grand song of life. And, most importantly, part of getting past these roadblocks is simply opening up discussion about them. That’s where this blog comes in.
We also must learn to understand to love others despite their imperfections. I can listen to a record I love and get a smile on my face, even if there’s a bit of surface noise every now and again. Why don’t we treat people the same way? While everyone has their faults, nobody’s perfect, so why worry? Why be so petty towards others when you’re not aware of what they might be struggling with in private? And why hold grudges against your friends when you know that you yourself are not perfect?
Everybody has surface noise and it sounds different for each person. It’s a common part of all of our lives, so we can’t be quick to judge people for their mistakes and issues. Rather, we must appreciate those around us for who they really are beneath all of the noise.
So that being said…
My name is Alex, and I just recently graduated high school. I’ll be studying Marketing and minoring in Political Science in college. I’m an avid Presbyterian, record collector, and runner. I was the Business Manager of my school’s newmagazine this past year, which continued to foster my love of both business and writing. On top of that, I’m also a (barely) fraternal twin, and I’ll likely write about how being a twin has shaped my life.
I’m not sure how often I’ll use this blog, but hopefully I’ll find time to update it somewhat frequently. I’m also not entirely sure what I’ll be writing about. Sometimes you’ll find a story about something heavy in my life that I’ve been struggling with; on other days you might find a post about some weird record I uncovered or about a pivotal moment in my faith. You might see late night rants and raves, pieces of my past work, and things that have inspired me.
Above all, the purpose of blog is mostly to help me reflect on the surface noise in my life and to release the thoughts ensnared in my head. I do realize, however, that I have an audience. And if I can just make one person feel as though I have felt the same way as they have at one point or another, then I believe that I have done my job. So buckle up, because you’re about to take a wild trip through my soul!
Cheers to the surface noise in all our lives!
Best,
Alex
So what happened after 2nd Grade? Well, I wrote (supposedly) really good essays throughout middle and high school. I became known among my friends as the kid who could write a kickass essay at 3 A.M. the night before it was due. But those thoughts in my head? I needed to somehow transform them into words, but I wasn’t sure where to begin. Years passed where writing was an almost an afterthought for me.
In my junior year of high school, I decided to join my school newsmagazine and was slightly underwhelmed by my experience. Senior year, however, the publication took a slight change in direction and opened up several opportunities for expressive writing that helped me to come to peace with who I was as a person. But with my time in high school coming to a close, I decided that I needed another outlet for my writing: what you’re reading right now.
Now, in order for me to explain the purpose of this blog, I should probably start with its name: Surface Noise. The first thing that most people find out about me is that I’m an avid record collector. My bedroom is practically a shrine to vinyl, as is my basement. So naturally, one of my favorite quotes comes from the late BBC DJ John Peel, who once had this conversation with a friend of his:
"Somebody was trying to tell me that CDs are better than vinyl because they don't have any surface noise. I said, 'Listen, mate, life has surface noise."
 |
| John Peel in the studio. Len Trievnor/Getty Images |
“Life has surface noise”. Well said. Those words of wisdom speak volumes about both life and record collecting. But what exactly is surface noise?
Vinyl nerds like Peel and myself often come up with lofty, unnecessary terms to describe mundane parts of our hobby. Using these terms incorrectly can make some snobs particularly upset (as ridiculous as that is). For example, that thing that touches the record? God forbid you call it a needle. It’s a stylus. And the amount of weight that the stylus puts on the record? That’s what we call tracking force. You probably didn’t even imagine that was something we even worried about, but rest assured, we find ways to overthink everything.
Surface noise, however, is simply the vinyl enthusiast’s term for the crackles and pops that one might hear when they play a record. While some might not be fond of it when there are crackle-free alternatives like Spotify, I agree with Peel on the basis that the noise is charming.
The imperfections of records are part of the reason for their allure, along with their warm sound and tangibility. And so that’s how I used to think of that quote: an excuse for why I collect vinyl records, as antiquated and crackly as they are. Yet there’s another side of the quote that never came to mind. So, when choosing a name for this blog, Peel’s words came to mind and I began to think of them a little bit differently.
Nothing in life is perfect. Nothing. We all wish that we could pass through our lives without hardships or rough patches, but that is simply impossible. Even someone whose life seems to play out like a beautiful song--with calming acoustic guitar and soothing vocals--can have a bit of a crackle or hiss that gets in the way of perfection. Whether it be depression, failed love, a rough home life, or something else entirely, everyone has something tough in their lives that they’re struggling to grapple with. However, we as humans must realize that although these struggles sometimes seem impossible to get through, they are only minor pops and clicks in the grand song of life. And, most importantly, part of getting past these roadblocks is simply opening up discussion about them. That’s where this blog comes in.
We also must learn to understand to love others despite their imperfections. I can listen to a record I love and get a smile on my face, even if there’s a bit of surface noise every now and again. Why don’t we treat people the same way? While everyone has their faults, nobody’s perfect, so why worry? Why be so petty towards others when you’re not aware of what they might be struggling with in private? And why hold grudges against your friends when you know that you yourself are not perfect?
Everybody has surface noise and it sounds different for each person. It’s a common part of all of our lives, so we can’t be quick to judge people for their mistakes and issues. Rather, we must appreciate those around us for who they really are beneath all of the noise.
So that being said…
My name is Alex, and I just recently graduated high school. I’ll be studying Marketing and minoring in Political Science in college. I’m an avid Presbyterian, record collector, and runner. I was the Business Manager of my school’s newmagazine this past year, which continued to foster my love of both business and writing. On top of that, I’m also a (barely) fraternal twin, and I’ll likely write about how being a twin has shaped my life.
I’m not sure how often I’ll use this blog, but hopefully I’ll find time to update it somewhat frequently. I’m also not entirely sure what I’ll be writing about. Sometimes you’ll find a story about something heavy in my life that I’ve been struggling with; on other days you might find a post about some weird record I uncovered or about a pivotal moment in my faith. You might see late night rants and raves, pieces of my past work, and things that have inspired me.
Above all, the purpose of blog is mostly to help me reflect on the surface noise in my life and to release the thoughts ensnared in my head. I do realize, however, that I have an audience. And if I can just make one person feel as though I have felt the same way as they have at one point or another, then I believe that I have done my job. So buckle up, because you’re about to take a wild trip through my soul!
Cheers to the surface noise in all our lives!
Best,
Alex
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