What is your favorite genre of music?

I don’t have a favorite genre, per se. The type of music I listen to 100% depends on my mood or what I happen to be accomplishing at the time…

• If I’m writing, Cello Instrumental music is my go to;
• If I’m lifting weights, Alternative/Indie, Rap, or Dance/Electronic keeps me motivated (think, Foo Fighters, The Smashing Pumpkins, Masked Wolf, Kendrick Lamar, Skrillex, The Prodigy <showing my age>);
• Long runs require Pop, Hip-Hop, or R&B – something upbeat and fast (think, RuPaul Radio, Doja Cat, Beyonce);
• Everyday tasks or driving is a free-for-all. I will listen to just about everything and anything and will usually put my playlist on shuffle so I get a little taste of it all. It’s not uncommon for Eazy-E to follow Dolly Parton. Alice in Chains married with Taylor Swift. Redbone followed by The Offspring. Kenny Chesney butted up next to J. Cole.

I can’t imagine a life without music. Music is grounding, resonating, consoling, uplifting, distracting, empowering, and motivating. It’s pulled me through some of my lowest lows and helped me celebrate my highs. It’s pushed me past the finish line of a long run. It’s provided a backdrop to some pretty damn fine writing. Most importantly, music has dog-eared pages throughout Cari’s Book of Life and will forever be associated with people, places, and memories that I will never forget.

Music is what feelings sound like.

Georgia Cates