I know this is quite a bit later in the course than when we first listened to The Great Lakes Suite by The Rheostatics, but I still thought it was useful to return to what I originally reflected on and then consider how I see that experience now.
When we sat and listened to it in class, with no distractions and simply living in the moment, the music took over my thoughts. Even though I had never heard these sounds before, it felt strangely familiar. It calmed me and allowed me to enjoy it as if I had known it for years. That feeling itself stood out to me: music can make an unfamiliar place feel personal.
Each time a new movement played, it felt like a slideshow of images in my mind. I pictured open water and the times I have taken the boat up to friday harbour, waves crashing against rocks out on a peak in Collingwood, and quiet mornings at a lake where everything feels still growing up. At other moments I imagined rivers, canoeing, wake boarding, or winter ponds frozen over with people playing shinny. The music seemed to move the same way as water does, sometimes calm and reflective, sometimes powerful and unpredictable. And I think that captures how impactful it was to make this imagery and feelings.
Looking back now, I think the listening experience connects to ideas we discussed throughout the course about communication in Canada. The music did not simply describe the Great Lakes but it also made me feel them through sound. It created memories and emotions from my past. That shows how communication is not only about words or facts, but also about atmosphere, sensation, and imagination that the medium provides you. The Great Lakes hold an important place in Canadian identity because they represent nature and our connection between communities through water. Listening to this suite reminded me that water is more than geography and it is something tied to memory, movement, and belonging. The experience of listening was not just hearing music, but drifting with it and letting it carry my thoughts like a current.
I really liked your point that the suite did not just represent the Great Lakes, but made you feel them. Your examples of Friday Harbour, Collingwood, canoeing, and frozen ponds make your response feel grounded and personal. I also think your reflection connects nicely to ideas from the course about communication being more than information. What stood out to me the most was your idea that the music created atmosphere, sensation, and imagination. That feels very connected to how certain media can shape memory and belonging without using direct language.
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