The Grammys as text messages

Writing is such a strange thing. There are some days I feel like writing and some days I don't. On the days I do feel like writing I can't write, Nothing comes rushing to me like water out of a spigot, and on the days I don't feel like writing the words just seem to flow.

My friend the woman writer texted me last night. Among other things she wrote that she was watching The Grammys, so I switched from The Golf Channel to The Grammys.

I'd never watched The Grammy's before; I knew it was a music awards program, that's about it.

When I first turned to The Grammys a person named Janelle Monae, presumably a musician, was on stage making a speech. The first words I heard from Janelle Monae stopped me in my tracks..."and women of all sexes of the business." Breathtaking language indeed!

Hearing Janelle Monae's words I texted another friend--you have to watch The Grammys! It's astonishing. (Please bear in mind that I'm a writer who doesn't like using exclamation points!!!!!!!)

A lover of music and language, my friend was already watching. Worst Grammys ever, he texted. A 3-hour set up for Target and Apple commercials. It's not even music anymore, it's corporate dogshit. I think most of these "artists" performing are dropouts, and so on.

We then got into this really intense text conversation about what music is and isn't. At some point I texted him, do we hear music or do we see music?

He texted: We hear it. But at concerts, in addition to hearing it, we are also able to see it being made. We also see the actions of the musicians playing it, as well as the lights and other things that add to it. 

I really admired my friend's text, his response to my question, do we hear music or do we see music?, and texted him: I'd like to borrow your writing about seeing and hearing music, and promise to give it back.

The Grammys droned on. A guy with a long sad beard sang a duet with Emmylou Harris. Then the words, Lil Uzi Vert appeared on screen.

I Googled Lil Uzi Vert, a nominee for something. They'd already posted Lil Uzi's 'red-carpet' interview, which took place on Lil Uzi's walk into The Grammys and I watched it. I kind of liked him, he was as blase as a real artist is blase; but when I listened to Lil Uzi's music I didn't much like it or his name, so I turned from The Grammys to ESPN.

Just before I turned off the tv and went to bed I had this thought: music is probably the very last thing I'll see.