Make the bad thing stop

A trend is sweeping across blogs that is turning me into a neurotic mess. It started out innocently enough, I only knew of one little blog that had it and it was easy to get to and shut down.

But now every time I turn around there's another black box hidden somewhere, taunting me, challenging me to try and ignore it.

Well I can't take it anymore! The noise is driving me mad! I hate blogs that have those stupid playlists!

I like to take my time when visiting a blog, treat it like a cozy living room. Maybe curl up with a cup of tea, take my shoes off and get comfy before I settle in to read. Then out of nowhere a loud noise startles me out of my reading stupor. Fearing at first that my computer is slowly eating its hard drive I start computer CPR only to hear the beginnings of Thriller.

Oh, I lean back as my vision comes back, it's just that stupid new blog widget.

Music has an amazing affect on the human psyche. It is great when you want to put someone in a certain mood, which is why you hear Muzac when shopping. Studies have shown that slower music causes people to buy more, while with fast beats they are more prone to getting in and out as fast as possible.

So I understand that some people have decided that their readers deserve that same kind of love and attention to their own consumers. Perhaps you want to create an atmosphere for your blog about yarn by playing nothing by heavy metal as I try to read up on the latest knit trends (okay I know nothing about yarn) or your loving journal devoted to sky diving needs some 80's hair bands to give the full rush of jumping out of a plane.

But what about when I want to make my own music selections? I am one of those people who always always has music playing on my computer. It's usually a dull and simple Golden Oldies sampler but it's something that I've found reflects best for my computerizing activity (at least it keeps me from getting over worked about anything beyond the occasional troll or Minotaur) .

Now try overlaying a rap song with some old Elvis. That's usually what I run into every time I load a playlist from a blog and I have to scurry to turn one or the other off. It is doubly annoying when the black box is hidden deep at the bottom of the page almost as an afterthought, like a dying fire alarm stuck in a box in the basement.

"Beeping? What Beeping? You must be going insane."

Please for those of you that have gotten onto the playlist craze I beg of you, if you must keep your tunes maybe think of moving it up within the top of your blog so those of us who have other noises on our computer (or are say looking at it while at work) won't have to suddenly reach under our desks and rip out the speaker cable.

I will admit I was just as guilty of this in my younger days embedding midi's willy nilly in webpages. I'd like to think since then I've learned a thing or two about how it is sure to pop a few blood vessels hearing the tinny sound of an engine roaring every time one must refresh a page (though I probably haven't actually learned a damn thing).

But as music has become more and more synonymous with the digital age and people are less likely to have a radio on as opposed to iTunes I've realized just how much forcing someone to listen to certain music can really get on some peoples nerves and even drive them far far away.

And I really don't want to have to get driven away by something as simple as a song or two (if I do have to be I'd rather pitchforks and torches be involved. Put some effort into it people).

Thank you all for your time, and I hope to be able to visit your cozy living room again soon. I may even bring some fresh cookies and hot cocoa.