Over the past month, I've rediscovered the joy of music in its purest forms. I recently pulled my collection of over 900 vinyl records out of storage and started diving back in. On top of that, I bought a new to me older car that still has a CD player, giving me a reason to sift through my 2,000+ CDs and curate soundtracks for my daily commute. It's been a refreshing experience to intentionally consume music again—putting on a record and sitting with it or choosing a CD and letting the whole album unfold as I drive. I need this in my life!
The Gen-X in me never gets use to how easy it is to hit shuffle on Spotify while responding to Slack messages or taking client calls, we rarely savor the full arc of an album or go out of our way to enjoy art. But this past year, I’ve made a point to carve out time to be with art: visiting the Des Moines Art Center over 25 times, wandering through other museums, and making a point to explore record and bookstores. It’s been a meditative, inspiring practice.
As a Marketing Director, I think a lot about content that’s worth spending time with—content that creates community, inspires, and leaves a lasting impact. In 2025, I hope we all make more space for that. Go out of your way to immerse yourself in art, give it your full attention, and let it move you. It’s worth it. A good reminder to businesses to make content you want your customers to spend time with and be a part of.
By Patrick Tape Fleming
