Drifting Peacefully-Assesment 2

Looking back on my first two drifts, although I was unsure of what to expect at the beginning, I found the whole drift experiences to be satisfying, enjoyable, and at times very peaceful. For instance while on my first drift, after walking around for and hour or two with unsatisfactory results, I found my way to the shore of Lake Michigan in the middle of one of the most brutal winters (in terms of snowfall) just as the sun was setting. Because of the heavy snowfall, a large ice/snow ledge formed on top of the large rocks on the shoreline protruding out over the water. (to see a hand-drawn map of the location click here). Although, one of the limitations of the drift was to not spend more than fifteen minutes in one place, I had spent an hour and fifteen minutes at this location before I even thought to check how long I had been there. This was where I first started to experiment with different approaches to finding interesting audio events (to listen to one of the sounds I recorded there, click here), and even though it was cold and dark after I watched the sun set, the place had a very calming effect on me and inspired me to continue searching my drift area for unique sounds. More contemplation and ease would come my way as I continued on my first audio drift. After spending such a long time along the shoreline, it was much later than I thought and while heading back into the city I was surprised to see how dead it was. Walking through the empty, calm streets that I had only ever experienced during the usual crowded and very active daytime or evening was a very reflective experience, allowing me to gain a new perspective about the city and appreciate some of the details that I normally miss while dealing with the frustration of maneuvering around all the cluster of the city.