We're excited to share a playlist from our friend Evan Goose Casey. Goose runs Zing Zine, an independent music zine, with our buddy and former Best Case alum, Jake Beaver. He's also a freelance writer for his hometown newspaper and tours with bands Slow Bullet and Verdict, and is planning a new movie blog titled Front Lobe Film with Sam of Slow Bullet.
Goose wrote a playlist about the concept of change. Marking the passage of time is a tricky thing. A common way is by tally marking major life events. Birth. Driver license. First kiss. Discovery of passions. Family growth. Risk taking. Getting and leaving jobs. Lost love. Formulating beliefs, and grappling with the accompanying responsibility to fight for them.
But hidden within the tapestry of simply checking off life event boxes is a subtler, fuller way to measure time—observing the discretion and personal wisdom that comes with experience. Though life's major turning points often makes us susceptible to self doubt, the reflection that doubt often spawns can be the cracks in the ceiling needed to let light illuminate new areas in ourselves. Sometimes we find courage there.
Self doubt can mean that we've reached a tipping point, and that growth is often on the other side. But it's rare for someone to articulate their emotions while in the midst of a lesson. We usually just hear about the lessons learned afterwards.
In this list, Goose offers a view into his reflection during one of these turning points—college graduation. And he does so with vulnerability. Maybe being honest about our uncertainty is one of those marks of wisdom that comes with experience. Whatever the case, Goose is seeking an accurate appraisal of what he's feeling in the unknown.
Thank you, Goose. Enjoy.
Photo by Evan, taken at Gettysburg last summer.
By Evan Casey:
Commencement Ceremony: It was with these words, printed boldly on a white envelope that was sitting outside of my parents' worn down mailbox on a warm September day, that I knew my summer, and maybe even my life, was over. Okay, well definitely not my life, but it is with this ceremony that a college student begins their descent into adulthood. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those students who has multiple “STATE COLLEGE” posters lining their dorm room wall, but I have been in college for the past 5 years of my life, and the fact that those student loan payments will start coming in the mail soon is daunting to say the least. Sure, I’ve prepared for graduation and might be ready to start pursuing a more stable job, but I’m still left with the question, “what now?”
Although I’ve never been too worried about post college life, and am definitely not looking to go into the typical 9-5 adult life, I still want to work hard and pursue my goals. However, for now, while I still have time, I’m going to simply enjoy it. I have been so busy and have worked so hard for so long that at times I feel like life is moving too fast for me to catch up. So these songs might be a reminder for me to not worry about the next step of life but to rather be present and be still where I am right now.
I guess if there was a theme to these songs, it would be one word: “change.” All of us are dealing with change, every day. Some of us are dealing with big changes like relationships or life choices, and some of us are dealing with small changes, but change is constant throughout one’s life. So, some of the songs are slow, some of them are fast, some of them are sad and some of them are happy, but all them are meaningful and ask the bigger questions about life.
Here are some lyrics from the amazing song ‘Cross the Green Mountain’ by Bob Dylan that I feel match this playlist very well.
I cross the Green Mountain, I sit by the stream
Heaven blazing in my head , I dreamed a monstrous dream
Something came up, Out of the sea
Swept through the land of, The rich and the free
I look into the eyes, Of my merciful friend
And then I ask myself, Is this the end?
Memories linger, Sad yet sweet
And I think of the souls in heaven who will be.
Tracks:
- Where’s My Dini? - Ovlov
- Think You Can Wait - The National
- Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song)- Oscar Isaac(Inside Llewyn Davis Soundtrack)
- Dreams - The Cranberries
- Hit Your Head, Greedy - Drug Church
- Let Me Sing To You - Joe Purdy
- Houdini Blues - Blacklisted
- School Friends - Now, Now
- Alexander All Alone - Andy Shauf
- My Father’s Gun - Elton John
- Yes I’m Changing - Tame Impala
- Old Enough to Know - Tony Molina
- Snot - Alex G
- Contact - Run, Forever
- Cross the Green Mountain - Bob Dylan
- Another Harvest Moon - Dogwood Tales
Apple playlist here.