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Just yesterday, I finished reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey and sought to craft my post in relation to the novel. I came across an image of a vintage Electro-shock therapy (EST) machine from the 1930s and felt it would be a fair representation of the novel since EST plays such a significant role in the tale. The title of the post, “He Who Marches Out of Step Hears Another Drum“, comes from the novel as well. The line refers to someone who is going against the established social norms and doing his own thing. Those who march to the beat of their own drum run the risk of colliding with hospital staff and being sentenced to EST. To enhance the image, I sourced two audio files, the first is the sound of a hydraulic hammer press starting up and the second is the sound of electricity buzzing. The sound of the hydraulic hammer press was included because it augments the foreboding feel of the image in conjunction with the sound of sparking electricity. I used Audacity to merge these two audios in a way that allowed the hydraulic hammer press to rev up to full speed prior to the crackle of the electric shock and created a new master audio file for embedding into the post.

Terms of use “He Who Marches Out of Step Hears Another Drum” by Sara DeRoo is licensed under CC by 0 1.0

“Cat Purr / gato ronroneando” by yetcop is marked with CC0 1.0.

Hygge is the Danish and Norwegian concept of embracing comfort, coziness, and contentment during the cold months. Since Tallahassee is experiencing its yearly one month of winter, I have been enjoying the opportunity to embrace coziness and comfort. I feel that this photo perfectly exemplifies a sense of cozy comfort. What could be more peaceful and warm than reading a book in fuzzy socks by the fire?

I added the sound of a cat purring because this is one of the coziest sounds imaginable. I am biased, of course, since I love my two cats immeasurably. However, some studies have shown that the sound of a cat purring may actually lower your blood pressure! For me at least, the sound of a cat purring immediately evokes a sense of warmth and peace. This sound adds that additional layer of comfort to the photo and implies that, out of frame, there is a cat enjoying the Hygge lifestyle with you. If you have a cat, you know that they are the perfect companion to the Hygge lifestyle, as there is nothing a cat loves more than a warm nap.

Terms of Use: “Maximum Coziness” by Olivia Samimy is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Over the last few months my sister has really gotten into baking, specifically iced sugar cookies. I have never seen her take pleasure in a hobby before, but when she gets to cooking, I can see her face light up when her masterpiece comes out of the oven and it’s time to decorate. Looking through all of the pictures on Unsplash, none of them were really speaking to me on a personal level until this one caught my eye, and my sister immediately came to mind.

The audio to pair was easy to select. How it came so easy, you may ask? Well, my sister is what we like to call our “manic baker.” Jokingly, we describe her as this because she cooks as though she is being timed (with a countdown to the end of the world) and has no sense of the mess she makes while doing it. If you were to see my kitchen after my sister bakes, you would think the Tasmanian Devil went through it. It is truly chaotic, but I can attest that her finished product does not reflect the process. The audio I chose is very upbeat and just what I imagine is playing in my sister’s head while she bakes. Maybe there’s a method to the madness?

Terms of Use “Madness in the Kitchen” by Kaleah Gonzalez CC BY-NC 4.0

The image and audio I picked work together to show the complex and powerful nature of Dionysus, a god who represents both joy and chaos, creation and destruction. I was drawn to the marble statue because it has this timeless beauty, and even though it’s in black and white, it feels so full of emotion and depth. The details, like the flowing lines and the expression on his face, show both calm elegance and an underlying wild energy. It’s such a great reflection of his dual nature as someone who brings both delight and disorder.

The song “I AM Dionysus” adds another layer by telling the dramatic story of his revenge on Thebes. It gives the silent statue a voice and so much intensity. The music really brings out themes central to Greek tragedy, like revenge, justice, and the constant push and pull between human struggles and divine power. It makes these ideas feel raw and real.

I’ve always been fascinated by Greek mythology and the gods, and Dionysus has always stood out to me because of how complex he is. He’s a mix of light and dark, joy and chaos, and that’s what makes him so interesting. Pairing the statue with the song brings his story to life in a way that’s vivid and emotional, really showing the timeless power of Greek myths and their ability to capture the human experience.

Terms of Use: “Dionysus Unbound” by Amanda Pazos is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

“Operation Crossroads Baker” credited to the United States Department of Defense. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States.

“Oh, Christmas Tree” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

I am always a fan of dark humor and this particular combination of media certainly scratches that itch. I was scrolling through the creative commons websites while listening to music and I was on a fairly upbeat song when I came across this image and I could not help but laugh at it. At that point I started my hunt across various creative commons audio websites to find just the right sound that would maximize the juxtaposition between it and the horrific nature of nuclear weapons. I eventually came across a creative commons instrumental version of “Oh, Christmas Tree” that got the effect I was looking for.

The image of the nuclear explosion of the Crossroads Baker Test is both informative and sobering, showing the terrible nature of weapons of mass destruction. This is hard juxtaposed with the well known and very positive feeling the Christmas song “Oh, Christmas Tree”. These two clashing media forms something that I hope can invoke feelings that would contrast against the horrific nature of nuclear weapons.

As someone who believed they would be a paleontologist growing up, this image immediately stood out to me. I was instantly hit with a wave of nostalgia, recalling moments from my childhood filled with dinosaur figurines, books, and parties (yes, multiple). However, it’s a bittersweet feeling reconciling what the future currently is vs. what you thought it would be as a kid. Not to say that I’m unhappy, but there’s a tang of sadness when I realize I am no longer this little girl dusting off store-bought fossils in the middle of her room–I’m an adult, with a child of my own, watching time slip through my fingers. 

It took a minute to find music that successfully aided in emoting those intense feelings. The track, “The Stars Look Different (Ziggy Stardust Mix)”, features an infusion of soft rock and strings, creating a melancholy ambiance that aligns with the intention of my image selection. Overall, I think the audio/image combination enhances meaning and provides additional depth.

The reasons behind my choices for this painting and the pairing of music are very unclear to me even though I was incredibly picky throughout the process. When it comes to visual inspiration, I almost always turn to Pinterest. I use it so often that my algorithm is perfected to my exact taste. I have even had friends ask me to use my Pinterest for their search query. It is my fourth most used app behind the New York Times’ Games. Anyway, Pinterest is where I started. I originally sought out (and found!) a watercolor painting of birds, and through much querying found artist Alice Ravenel Huger Smith.

This particular painting pleases me for several reasons. Firstly, the colors and motifs are a complete evocation of my nursery, of which I keep photos around to look at when I am feeling nostalgic. My mom chose a “fairy” theme, painting the walls purple with clouds going up onto the ceiling, and fairy lights wrapped in organza are strung into the center of the room. Secondly, the location of the image, a bayou in Charleston where Huger Smith based most of her work, reminds me of The Princess and the Frog, which is clearly the best Disney Princess movie. No, South Carolina and Louisiana aren’t that close, but they both have bayous, ok?

The first direction I thought I may go in as far as audio was a jazz/blues song from the Charleston Renaissance, which took place around the time the painting was created. The problem here was that the jazz of the time seemed too energetic for the painting, which is melancholic and seems to depict a place where time stands still. Blues on the other hand, would pay no heed to the idyllic colors and impressionism (sorry, Bessie Smith). If I had my choice, I probably would have chosen a Mazzy Star song. Mazzy Star is not in the Creative Commons.

I found the chosen song on FreeMusicArchive.org by searching “ambient jazz”, clicking through many different songs until I found the right one, then finding it again after making an account and getting redirected. I wish the song page listed the instruments used, because it is hard for me to tell if the wind instrument is a saxophone or not. The song does sound more modern than 1920’s jazz, which, to me, is perfectly fitting for a painter whose work fits so well into my very contemporary tastes.