Search Results for: blog the influence of music

Music and Movement: Entertainment at the Animal Kingdom

My earliest Disney memory that doesn’t have to do with the movies is of the Disney World Christmas Day Parade. That’s what I knew about Disney parks before I processed the whole theme park thing: I thought of parades featuring Disney characters. Of course now that I know more about Disney World I realize that my early assumptions about what the park meant weren’t so far off base; there are daily parades with various characters all over Disney World, and they’re not limited to the Magic Kingdom. The Animal Kingdom has in fact two of its own parades: Mickey’s Jammin’ … Continue reading →

The Influence of Older Siblings on Preschoolers

A preschooler is blessed to have older siblings. A big sister is great for reading bedtime stories, doing hair and laughing. A big brother will play all day outside, let you win, and doesn’t mind if you get dirty. A sweet relationship develops between older and younger siblings. There are trying times, challenges, and disagreements but in the end a bond is formed that cannot be broken. Most big brothers and sisters have no intention of being a poor influence on their younger siblings. Many times what is acceptable and age appropriate for an older sibling is not acceptable or … Continue reading →

The Influence of Music

Can music influence attitudes towards relationships and marriage? Do songs reflect attitudes towards relationships, and reflect the era or do they shape them? These are the question Mick and I were discussing the other day in the car. We were listening to some old 1960s songs. The theme in so many of them was very much the same. Songs like ‘It’s my Party’ and ‘Judy’s Turn to Cry,’ ‘Oh No, Not My Baby,’ and ‘Lightning Strikes’ were a few but there were myriad others that came out around the same time and they all had a similar theme. The theme … Continue reading →

More on Music and Medicine

More and more researchers are looking at the relationship between music and the human body. Here are a few recent developments! At the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute in New Jersey, patients who undergo surgery are accompanied by music during recovery. The heart tends to fall into rhythm with music — the beat helps the heart maintain a smooth, steady pace. Music is also used in the recovery room immediately after surgery to help quiet anxiety and promote feelings of peace. A study from the University of Maryland Medical Center found that hearing your favorite song can be a big benefit for … Continue reading →

The Influence of Music

Have you ever noticed the power of music to influence your moods, attitudes and actions? It’s no wonder experts have discovered music therapy. Last week at church we sang two songs. One was, ‘To live is Christ.’ That song has encouraged me and challenged me throughout this week to look at how I respond to what is happening in my life. Am I responding as Jesus would? Am I showing Christ to the world in the way I speak, the things I say and do? ‘No matter what price I pay, I choose to give this life away.’ Notice it’s … Continue reading →

Chatting about Music, Romantic Suspense, and Pets: An Interview with Author JB Thompson

When I was on a panel at the Southern Festival of Books last month, author Jennie Bentley wasn’t the only one to accept my request for an interview. So did this next author, who moderated the panel. JB Thompson is the immediate past president of the Middle Tennessee Sisters in Crime and has always done nothing but welcome me with open arms and extraordinary graciousness every time I’ve participated in any SinC event. The funny thing is, every time I’m around her, I learn we have something else in common. For instance, on previous occasions I learned we both write … Continue reading →

Exercise and Music

What kind of music do you listen to while you workout? A new study says the type of tunes that play on your iPod as you run (or participate in other cardio exercise) influences your physical endurance. The new research, which is set to appear in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, is part of a 20-year study highlighting motivational qualities of music in sport and exercise. The findings illustrate the benefits associated with exercising in time to music. In one part of the study 30 participants exercised on a treadmill while listening to songs by pop stars such … Continue reading →

Rocking and Bouncing Can Affect Your Baby’s Music Preference

Did you know that the way you rock and bounce your baby can affect his sense of rhythm and even what type of music he prefers? Researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada studied how babies perceive music. Since parents usually bounce or rock their babies while singing to them, the researchers wanted to see if there was any connection to the development of rhythm or later preference for music in the babies. The researcher took a look at seven-month old babies. The babies listened to an ambiguous piece of music. That is, the music couldn’t be defined as any … Continue reading →

Music at Home

Music is a great way to influence the mood of the home and your family relationships. If you think about the background noise that you have in your house, you may already have music playing or something else going on. Growing up I read a lot of books and one book “Meet the Austins” by Madeline L’Engle talked about the mom constantly having music on the background. I loved the way the descriptions had the music match the mood of the house. Growing up my dad would play classical music when he was doing various tasks around the house. I … Continue reading →

I Don’t Think I’m Supposed to be Hip on Modern Music

The other day, I wrote about how much my kids just don’t get MY music, so I thought it would be only fair for me to talk about how surprisingly out of touch I am when it comes to what they listen to. I say “surprisingly” because I always fancied myself to be rather hip. I listened to pop music, I used to know all the bands and which musician was in what band before, and who influenced whom. I guess I blinked, or played the same Melissa Etheridge album over and over a few too many times, because the … Continue reading →