In periods of relentless stress, it would, I think, be nice to draw my brain a bubble bath, pop it in the suds, and let it soak for an hour or so. You know, just submerge it in something warm and enveloping and relaxing, let it splash around. Unfortunately, many obstacles stand between me and that goal — I do not have a bathtub, for starters — and therefore I must find other ways to make my mind relax. One thing I believe approximates the feeling I am going for, one of calm and quiet contentment, is watching video after video of a septuagenarian lovingly serenading her Chihuahua. So pure, such bliss. Would you like to try it?
Wonderful, so: The videos in question come from Malinda Herman of Bangkok, Thailand. Herman enjoys playing instruments for her tiny dog, Jewjam, and posting the footage to social media, for posterity. She has a large following (890,000 YouTube subscribers and 48,700 Instagram followers at time of writing) and went viral in 2019, for reasons I think will become obvious when you watch the below vid:
Which is to say, you may already know Herman! But no better time to revisit her canon than now, I say. Earlier this afternoon, a friend messaged me a clip of Herman strumming Paul Anka’s “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” for her small companion, who did indeed put his head on her shoulder. This content did just the trick. My own shoulders dropped away from my ears, loosening my squinched neck muscles, and when I checked in with my face, I discovered a large and goofy smile to rival the Chihuahua’s. So now, this is where I live:
The Anthony-Hopkins-playing-piano-for-his-cat vibes are strong, and indeed, sometimes Herman does give her assistant a little piano, as a treat:
She also has a cat, who does not appear to appreciate the music quite as much as its canine colleague:
But then, it is possible Herman has no more devoted fan than her little dog:
Or possibly you! Anyway, it’s not a competition. Just relax, close your eyes, and let the music soothe you:
