Do you listen intently?

Music is on in my house half of the day.  My office system is a thirty year old receiver with cheap two way speakers, hooked to the sound card that came with y Dell desktop. My home theater is a Denon 650H going to some Klispch Floor standers at least twenty years old and my main system is on probably twenty five hours a week.  When I listen to it, I’m generally not doing anything else but relaxing and enjoying the music.  I have a forth system in the basement, but I have barely used it this year.

Many decades when I was a youngster in our church choir I learned the difference between hearing the music and listening to the music. The choir master was an accomplished organist and pianist.  He opened up the world of music appreciation to those of us willing to listen.  Many decades have since passed but I do listen intently as I harken back to his wisdom which taught me to appreciate every nuance of what the artists are sharing with us.  Those artists, at least to me, include the composers, instrumentalists, vocalists, directors, arrangers, sound engineers, music media manufacturers and all who contribute to the end product that we so enjoy.  Whether your rig is analog, digital or hybrid and has several hundreds or multi thousands of dollars invested just listen. 
Enjoy the music  

I work from home couple of days per week and sometimes listen to music on my system while I work. Something would attract my attention and I would focus on music for a minute and make a note to come back to it for a more critical listen. 

I listen intently at night when the house gets quiet and I want to enjoy music and what my system can accomplish while reproducing what’s on the recording.
 

If I am listening to music, I need to be totally absorbed in it. I don't do background music, except when I have no choice in a restaurant or wherever.  

Whilst reading....an informed intensity.

Whilst eating....a fulfilling intensity.

Whilst showering...a clean intensity.

Whilst driving.....an intensity with a destination.

Whilst drinking....an altered intensity.

And Whilst dancing....an intensity not to pull a muscle.