And what do you listen to while working on apps?

[captiv8ed]

I listen to a lot of old music. Mamas and the Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Michelle Shocked, Sarah McLachlan,Pink Floyd, Luther Vandross, Joni Mitchell, ABBA.

Sometimes I will make 80s dance playlist. The other night while working on the SOP and feeling every bit the academic impostor who will be gaining acceptance nowhere, I made the most shitkicking country music playlist, mostly from the 1980s or earlier. Made me feel better.

What do other folks listen to to get you through it?

[greenpointgrad]

I love XM radio, particularly Deep Tracks. Besides that, I enjoy T.Rex, Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Moodly Blues, Steely Dan, Big Star, and The Boss.

[shai]

while working on my statement of purpose - Alex Murdoch, Elliot Smith

while frustrating - mostly grunge music

[JerryLandis]

The Mamas and the Papas help. Also the Rascals, and David Ruffin. Got to keep the positive sounds coming, to harness the manic energy.

[rising_star]

I think I watched a lot of Law & Order while working on my apps. But, if I had been listening to music, it would've been original cast recordings to any number of musicals.

[Dr._Robotnik's_Shadow]

Listening to anything distracts me. I need complete silence when working on my apps.

[rogue]

Listening to anything distracts me. I need complete silence when working on my apps.

This. I need crypt-like quiet to concentrate.

[BCHistory]

For the most part, I worked in silence. But I occasionally needed some music to help me focus, so I turned to the soothing sounds of acoustic Grateful Dead.

[Pamphilia]

Listening to anything distracts me. I need complete silence when working on my apps.

Same here. As a dancer/musician, listening to any genre of music causes me to rock out uncontrollably, which is somewhat distracting while I'm trying to do anything that requires concentration.

I did take mini dance breaks when I was feeling a little too stressed about the process, which actually helped a lot! Almost always with Arabic music, sometimes classical Arabic but often contemporary, sticky-sweet pop (I've been really feeling Nancy Ajram's most recent album, though I was never that into her earlier stuff).

[Sparky]

I have decided that my theme song for applications is "O Fortuna" from the Carmina Burana.

Most of the songs from the CB are really dirty, but "O Fortuna" basically boils down to, fate's a bitch. It's perfect.

[Roll Right]

Typically I'll listen to my entire library on shuffle while writing. I listened to a lot of slayer and atari teenage riot while designing my masters thesis proposal. A lot of rage against the machine while writing on the semiotics of film...so anything that comes on. With my tastes, it's usually aggressive.

[peppermint.beatnik]

I listen to a lot of old music. Mamas and the Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Michelle Shocked, Sarah McLachlan,Pink Floyd, Luther Vandross, Joni Mitchell, ABBA.

Sometimes I will make 80s dance playlist. The other night while working on the SOP and feeling every bit the academic impostor who will be gaining acceptance nowhere, I made the most shitkicking country music playlist, mostly from the 1980s or earlier. Made me feel better.

What do other folks listen to to get you through it?

I was listening to "orange blossom special" the other night while doing my sop.

Apropos of application time, if you like oldies you might like "Break It To Me Gently" (Brenda Lee). I'm a huge Mad Men fan; the song is on one of the soundtracks.

[coyabean]

For reasons that are a mystery even to me Jay-Z and Beyonce are my aspirational soundtrack. All that braggadocio, maybe? I mean when I hear "I don't run rap no more, I run the map" or "I'm a survivor; I'm gonna make it; keep on surviving!" I feel like I am going to PWN this grad school thing. LOL

Oh and don't judge me but Adam Lambert's got some good sugary pop to imagine yourself a superstar to.

Edited December 15, 2009 by coyabean

[ColorlessGreen]

"What I Did For Love" (from A Chorus Line) is good for letting go of my applications.

"Can't regret, what I did for love..."

[Roll Right]

"What I Did For Love" (from A Chorus Line) is good for letting go of my applications.

"Can't regret, what I did for love..."

Damn, we've got quite a variety!

[johndiligent]

A few on my application playlist (and, yup, I totally have a dedicated one on iTunes):

Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Smiths

I've Got My Mind Set on You - George Harrison (but it's going to take money, a whole lot of spending money, to do it right, child!)

I'm On My Way - The Proclaimers

You Make My Dreams Come True - Hall and Oates

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - Monty Python

Be Yourself - Audioslave

Carry on Wayward Son - Kansas

Don't Stop Believing - Journey

Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

Live and Let Die - Paul McCartney & Wings

Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

Til I Hear It From You - Gin Blossoms

I don't want to take advice from fools, I just figure everything is cool, until I hear it from the graduate school. Seriously.