I can’t assume that ANYONE who will read this post has heard of a legendary jazz artist by the name of Dave Brubeck. He’s like the Barack Obama of the jazz world: unexpected, well-versed, and unable to be forgotten.

With that in mind, allow me to tell you that it was the music of THIS MAN… SINGLEHANDEDLY… that made me say (as a 4-year-old) “Hey! I wanna be able to do that!” So, I began taking piano lessons. My dad bough me some of his sheet music after my first lesson, and 15 years later, I still can’t play it in a pleasing manner.

As my musical interests grew, I began taking part in more vocal music… to the point that I am now a vocal-performance-specialized music minor. NOW GET THIS: the director of my choral ensemble is CLOSE PERSONAL FRIENDS WITH DAVE BRUBECK.

I squealed. I actually fucking squealed.

So, the next time you see the earth as a huge diverse place… it’s not. Diverse, yes. Huge… no.