A to Z: It's Over! (but not totally)
Insecure Writer's Support Group
May 3 Question: What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?
I've always enjoyed doing research. In fact I was one of those dorky guys who read encyclopedias and dictionaries for entertainment. In college I used to spend hours in the library just looking up stuff whether it related to anything I was doing for classes or not. Research is fun! And oh, the rabbit holes you can fall into!
These days most of the research I do is for blog posts and Battle of the Bands (be sure to vote on the Battle you will find below). Once I start researching for either of these, I will invariably find all sorts of ideas for more blog posts and Battles that I'll add to my queue of things to post in the future. If you are one of those who find yourself strapped for ideas in your writing, set off to explore new research projects and if you are keeping your mind awake you will surely start coming up with ideas.
One of my stranger research explorations was when I was writing my 2010 NANO novel Time Light. Part of my story involved characters going to Cairo, Illinois where there is a nearby town listed on the map as Future City. I wanted to incorporate this oddly named place into the story, but since I was over 1800 miles away, just popping over to get information about this place was out of the question.
At the time I was doing this research, there was little I could find on line about Future City so I called the Cairo library. From there I was directed to a wonderful older African-American gentleman who was a retired city worker and a history scholar who had written a couple of books about the area. We conversed for a lengthy period as he filled me in on the origins of Future City and some of its history. Afterwards I asked if he minded if I did a story about him on my blog to help promote his book, but he declined because his book was no longer in print and he wasn't interested in having his name on the internet. Interesting, but he sure was friendly and helpful for the purpose of my investigation.
Battle of the Bands
"Don't Dream It's Over" (1986)
It was September of 1986 when I was coming upon Austin, TX on I-35 and "Don't Dream It's Over" came on the radio. I was immediately transfixed by the song. The sound of it was mesmerizing to me--such a beautiful melody with puzzling lyrics. The next chance I had to go to a record store I bought the Crowded House album on cassette and from that point on I was a fan of the group as well as anything related to Neil Finn, the composer of the song. I sought out the albums of his earlier group Split Enz as well as the albums by his brother Tim Finn. The Finn brothers are outstanding songwriters and I now count "Don't Dream It's Over" as one of my all time favorite songs.
Until I ran across a beautiful instrumental jazz version which inspired me to consider the song for a Battle of the Bands match, I had no idea that there were so many great versions of the song. Instead of using that jazz version (I've decided to use a different song by that jazz group for a later Battle) I decided to use two versions by more known artists that some of you might like or dislike. I thought these versions displayed a nice contrast of stylistic approach to a song that has become even more amazing to me after having listened to many cover versions.
To hear the Crowded House original you can click the link in the above title, but please don't vote on that version.
Here are the versions up for Battle:
Miley Cyrus & Ariana Grande "Don't Dream It's Over" (2015)
Diana Krall "Don't Dream It's Over" (2015)
Time To Vote!
Between these choices do you have a preference? Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind. Which version do you like the best? Do you prefer the more uptempo fun version of Miley and Ariana or the more somber take by Diana Krall? You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.
Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.
Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:
StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’
'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'
'Curious as a Cathy'
Sound of One Hand Typing
The Doglady's Den
Angel's Bark
Jingle, Jangle, Jungle
Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday May 8th
You have until Sunday May 7th to vote with the winner announced on May 8th. That will be a big day as it is also when my A to Z Reflections will appear.
Do you enjoy doing research? Do you ever go down a rabbit hole of research to end up looking up things you originally didn't intend to research? What do you think "Don't Dream It's Over" is about?
Congrats Lee on another successful A to Z.
ReplyDeleteI vote goes to Miley Syrus and Arianda Grande.
Have a good May and week.
Yvonne.
Yvonne, and congrats to you as well! We finished another one!
DeleteFirst vote goes to Miley/Ariana
Lee
Interesting he didn't want to be on the Internet. Bet he gave you a lot more information than you ever could've found online though.
ReplyDeleteThe Syrus-Grande version was more traditional and sounded better. It gets my vote.
Alex, the funny thing is the guy was already on the internet regarding his books. Maybe he didn't know it because he might not have been an internet guy. Even now there is not too much to be found about Future City, but there is more now than then.
DeleteAnother vote for Miley/Ariana
Lee
I have to say Krall only because I prefer the original. As far as research--yes-- I often get distracted and end up in a new place. Your story about Future Coty is interesting because I did research for my short novella on a town called Normal, Illinois. I guess that state has uniquely named towns that spark a writer's imagination. Great job on the 30 day blog challenge.
ReplyDeleteEve, I've actually been to Normal which is adjacent to Bloomington. Illinois has some wonderful towns with much history to them.
DeleteA lukewarm vote for Diana Krall.
Lee
There's a real Future City? What a unique name.
ReplyDeleteI like the first song choice best.
L.Diane, the uniqueness of the name drew me to the place. Not much there now, but I'd still like to visit it again. I was there in the 70's when I went to Cairo on a few occasions. I remember seeing the signs for the town, but I don't recall anything about the town itself.
DeleteA vote for Miley/Ariana.
Lee
haha oh yeah, once in a while I research something that leads to another and another and go down that rabbit hole. Can't believe it, but my vote goes for #1.
ReplyDeletePat, those rabbit holes are easy to get lost in when one is doing research.
DeleteAn unbelievable vote for Miley/Ariana
Lee
We tried to post on "Monsters" from my childhood... some of these posts brought back some fond memories, good Sir Arlee... have a great Monday... Stacey
ReplyDeleteStacey, I have a lot of monster memories as well from my pre-high school years. I still enjoy the old monster classic films.
DeleteLee
loved the old Universal sets... (and Hammer Films)...!!!
DeleteI've loved Split Enz since their one and only radio single 'I got you' in 1980. One of my friends got me their album that Christmas and the vinyl is beautifully laser etched. That was very cutting edge for that time. It reflects rainbow colours as it spins. "Don't dream it's over' is a beautiful song. Love that too.
ReplyDeleteJoJo, that album is probably a collectible now. I was late to the Split Enz party since I didn't know about them until after I discovered Crowded House. The Brothers Finn are very talented.
DeleteLee
Lee,
ReplyDeleteI turn to Google for anything I want to know. It's a great way to broaden my understanding about anything and yes, I do find myself going down a rabbit hole frequently to learn about something else that popped up on my radar in the original search. "Don't Dream It Over" is a song I haven't heard in quite awhile. I'm not too good at lyric interpretations but it seems with the line, "In the paper today tales of war and of waste But you turn right over to the T.V. page" it's eluding to people lack of interest in what's going on in the world. You picked two cover artists with different styles. Grande & Cyrus reminds me a lot of Crowded House's style and while I enjoyed Ariana's polished sound, Miley's nasally vocals is a huge turn off. Diana Krall's cover the simplistic piano and the string backing is beautiful but...(there's always a but, isn't there?) Krall's vocals were really rough. This is a hair puller but I can't say I'm crazy about either but I Diana made the song more hers, so I'm giving Diana Krall my vote. If you haven't already please join me for 3 Way "Take It Easy" #BoTB showdown. Now, I need to do a little A2Z catching up with you while I'm here. Have an awesome day, my friend!
Cathy, Google is a go to for me for anything from info about movies to recipes to restaurant reviews and on and on. One of the best data storage inventions ever.
DeleteA vote for Diana Krall.
Lee
Lee,
DeleteBoy, I tell you I wish I was the brains behind Google! I'd be a very rich gal with no money worries. :)
Google is my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without the internet. I would hate to rely on outdated books for information.
ReplyDeleteI didn't recognize the song by the title, but the second it started playing, I knew it. Beautiful song. I really don't care for Miley Cyrus, but I think that she and Ariana did a fairly decent job on the song. I also really liked that Diana Krall made the song hers. My vote goes to Diana Krall.
~Mary
Jingle Jangle Jungle
Mary, We have several encyclopedia sets as well as other reference books around our house that barely get opened anymore. Anything you want (and a lot that you don't want) can be found on search engines like Google.
DeleteAnother vote for Diane Krall.
Lee
Well, shoot, Arlee, every time you pull Miley Cyrus out on me, I think, "This is going to suck," then the music starts and damned if I don't just fall in love with it. Okay, the costumes on her and Ariana Grande were a little much, and I wanted to smack both of them when they were horsing around during the instrumental break, but when they settled down and sang it was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned in my "K" entry in this year's A to Z Challenge, I have a thing for female singers with lower voices, and Diana Krall certainly fills that bill. I also agree with the person or people who commented that she doesn't exactly have the best judgment as far as music she chooses, and frankly I didn't care for the strings at all.
So, put me down for Miley and Ariana.
John, funny how music tastes can vary so widely. The strings really captivated me on Krall's version, but I did like the arrangement as well.
DeleteThis was my first Battle with Miley. Others have used songs by her before.
Another vote for Miley/Ariana.
Lee
I really loved the energy between Cyrus and Grande, so that's my vote. This song really lends itself to a duet.
ReplyDeleteThe strangest research rabbit hole I went down (I was researching hand guns) took me to a cannibal site with--I kid you not--recipes. Um...
Deb, I agree that the song works well as a duet and Miley's and Ariana's voices work well together.
DeleteHope no one ever cooks a dish for me from that site!
A vote for Miley/Ariana.
Lee
Well, this was a pretty tough one, LEE.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I'll say that although I'd heard of the group Crowded House, I was pretty sure I'd never heard any of their stuffs, and the song title rang no bells for me. But very quickly into the Miley version I realized I've heard this song many times.
This is hardly the first time this sort of thing has happened to me in BOTB. It's surprising how much music we absorb without even knowing it. And even without actively listening to music. Because other than a couple Jazz stations, I have not listened to music on the radio since about 1984. I guess I must have heard this song in bars and while shopping for jeans or something.
A pretty close competition for me but I'm going to give my vote to DIANA KRALL. The first one sounded much more like the original, but I thought there was more of a plaintive quality to Krall's rendition which suited the lyrics better.
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
STMcC, I would imagine this song would turn up on bar playlists and such. It's pretty much a classic now and the Christian group Sixpence None the Richer released a remake a decade or two later that also charted.
DeleteA vote for Diana Krall.
Lee
I think my wierdest research - besides BDSM and those interesting toys - had to be ball and powder guns. And yes, I got lost in a lot of revolutionary war stuff. Thought I was never gonna get through to what I actually needed cuz it was all so fascinating. I'm with you, I love research. So glad the internet took over from encyclopedia's! Always about 20 years behind, lol.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a great time talking to the old-timer.
Loved your song pick. I'm not a fan of Diane Krall, rarely hear anything exceptional from her. I like her back up band though. Even if you'd had a better contender however, I'd probably still vote for Miley and Ariana. They have great chemistry onstage, and both have beautiful voices. They did well with this song. I loved the live-show banter too. Well sung and lots of fun.
Vote for Miley and Arianna.
Dolorah, encyclopedias also outdated quickly because they are so expense and are hard to keep updated. Internet is such a logical way to provide continually updated data. I just wish there was more control of the fake stuff getting mixed in.
DeleteSo glad that you appreciated what the girls did with this song. I thought it was very well performed.
Another vote for Miley/Ariana.
Lee
Not a fan of Miley Cyrus, so I opened the first biased, but was surprised how much I liked their voices and the rendition!
ReplyDeleteHowever, the Diana Krall version is still more to my taste, I think her version suits the lyrics better. My vote goes to Diana.
Best wishes,
Nilanjana
Nilanjana, I think Miley's reputation affects the way we see her now, but she has talent.
DeleteA vote for Diana Krall.
Lee
What an interesting name for a city. I get lost in my research; I love it too.
ReplyDeleteHR, the name intrigued me for years and I had to find a way to incorporate the city into my novel. Some day I want to get back there to check it out more.
DeleteLee
What a fun time this was. It will be my new April tradition. I'll be late for my Reflection, but it'll arrive!
ReplyDeleteJacqui, A to Z has become an April tradition for many bloggers. We'll look for your A to Z thoughts when your Reflection post goes up.
DeleteLee
My first comment of a couple of days ago was eaten by blogger, and I was so discouraged and my comment so distasteful that I could only assume that God did not want me to make it. I was going to skip commenting on this BOTB. But I've decided to try again in toned-down and more concise form.
ReplyDeleteI like the original Crowded House song a lot. I cannot stand ANYTHING Krall ever has done or ever will do. (toned down?) Grande is good and beautiful. Cyrus is homely and terrible in every way.
I vote for Ron Paul (or Sixpence None the Richer.)
Sixgun Guy, don't know why you have problems commenting here, but maybe it was indeed a sign from God.
DeleteCan't agree with any assessment you made here about any of these artists, but you are of course entitled to have those opinions. And I don't even need to go into a safe space.
No legitimate vote here (unless I'd get some kind of weird onslaught of Ron Paul or Sixpence votes).
Lee
Grande isn't good and beautiful?
DeleteSix, that I will agree on--or at least "good" as in talented.
DeleteLee
Karen, reading encyclopedias and dictionaries doesn't sound dorky? Well, now maybe not, but when you're a kid it can be. But a lot of my friends did it too so maybe it was the norm.
ReplyDeleteLee
The books I'm writing don't require a lot of research, but some of the ones I'm not writing do :) I love history, so I'll dive into learning about any time and place that catches my eye. Maybe someday it'll all come out in an amazing book.
ReplyDelete—Rebecca
My IWSG Post
Rebecca, if someone can't fact check the fiction you create then research is often optional. I also enjoy history now unlike when I was in school and I thought it bored me.
DeleteLee
Hi Lee! You just can't get any closer to history than when speaking with one who lived it. It must have been a fascinating interview you had with the man from Future City!
ReplyDeleteI do regret not being able to survive the challenge this year and look determinedly forward to next year ;-)
Having loved the song since it first came out, I was somewhat surprised by your choice of artists and didn't think either one would measure up. Then I was pleasantly surprised by the rich, melodic voices of the pajama party girls who performed it so fittingly well!
Diedre, eyewitness accounts are the best you can find. They can be biased at times, but they provide a better sense of what was going on.
DeleteThere's always next year for A to Z--we hope!
I take this as a vote for Miley/Ariana.
Lee
Hi Lee,
ReplyDeleteI love doing research also. Always have. I say it is in my blood.
As for the Battle of the Bands,
Well vote goes to the one and only Diana. Krall is a woman that I admire very much. Her voice has a sweet melancholy soul sound that touches the heart strings.
Pat, research comes from that desire to answer our questions so I think it should be in the blood of all of us, writers or not.
DeleteA vote for Diana Krall.
Lee
I need to remember that some information is only a phone call away. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Anna, When you call someone to ask a legitimate question for research, I think most people are more than glad to help if they aren't too busy with something else.
DeleteLee
My mother always likes to tell the story that when I was a kid, I would see something on TV or in a book, and then I'd have to grab the encyclopedia to look it up. And once I did that, I'd keep researching from one thing to the next, always finding something fascinating to read on to next.
ReplyDeleteAnd she always found it really weird to have to tell me, "Put away those damn encyclopedias and go to bed!"
I still haven't changed. Now it's just the Internet. Great for knowledge, terrible for writing productivity.
I actually checked this battle out on Monday, but the Miley video wasn't working. It still isn't. For some reason it just sits and loads and loads and never plays. I had to watch it on my phone. So weird. Literally every other video on YouTube works.
Anyhow, I can't stand Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande is as dumb as a box of rocks (middle of song, Miley: "Are you a mouse or a bear?" Ariana: "Uhhh, durrr...?" Great answer!), and I just really don't like Diana Krall. I can't bring myself to vote for either version. I just really didn't like either. You said if you get an onslaught of Ron Paul/Sixpence None the Richer votes you'd consider it... well, here's another, then. That version is the absolute best, in my opinion.
ABFTS, glad that I'm not the only weirdo who got lost reading encyclopedias. Maybe I wasn't so weird after all.
DeleteMaybe so many people have been watching the Miley/Ariana video that it's overloaded? Naw.
So it's another imaginary chasing the rainbow vote for Ron Paul/Sixpence. Kind of a unicorn vote. I'm surprised you didn't like Miley better.
Lee
Your Battle of the Bands is an interesting idea. I especially enjoyed learning about the retired city worker and a history scholar. In my imagination I considered where he must have been when he wrote the book and how today he prefers to not to draw attention to himself.
ReplyDeleteLynn, hope you'll come back to vote on future Battles. I've been doing these for a few years now and it's a lot of fun.
DeleteI think maybe the author/historian might have had some kind of contract or something where he wasn't supposed to appear without his representation or something of that nature. I'd found where he had spoken at a number of universities and such in the past. I didn't probe into his reasons, but just respected his request.
Lee
Oh my goodness!! I love the original "don't dream it's over" and I was VERY sceptic what kind of cover version you were presenting here. In my humble opinion there aren't many excellent cover versions out there.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I am pretty impressed by Miley Cyrus & Ariana Grande's version, who would have thought? They definitely got my vote.
As for your question "What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?" Let's not go back far. For my monthly photo blog challenge I had to research something that had actually to do with Ariana Grande as well. Check it out and giggle:
https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch/2017/04/color.html
Tamara, I checked out the post and left a comment. Pretty cool photo/song juxtapositions.
DeleteA vote for Miley/Ariana.
Lee
Thanks, Arlee. Working on my Reflection Post...
DeleteI wish I didn't have other things to do sometimes. I love getting lost in a library, reading and researching interesting subjects. Of course now we can do a lot of that online, if we have a reliable site.
ReplyDeleteAs you said, you can spend hours learning new things and lose yourself in it. Who knows, it could bring up new questions for a story. Thanks for sharing all this with your followers, Lee.
Victoria, as long as I included a lunch break, I could spend all day in the library and in doing the research I might get so lost that I'd forget lunch. Learning is fun and it's an inspiration as well.
DeleteLee
Writing mysteries as a pantser, I do a lot of research. Poisons, electrocution, how it feels to be shot or stabbed and most recently learning all about cadaver dogs.
ReplyDeleteDB McNicol, author & traveler
Donna, lots of weird tangents and rabbit holes with these topics I'd imagine.
DeleteLee
I know what you mean with the passion for research. I love diving into little things and finding out more. My recent research has been into medical journals and what effect the glycemic index of food has on a body.
ReplyDeleteThough I don't like either versions of the song (they seem to lack the type of edge I find appealing), I will throw my vote for Miley Syrus and Arianda Grande, since it's more palatable than the other to me.
Loni, doing research is like exploring an unknown land. I don't know for sure what I'll find, but whatever it is makes me want to keep exploring more.
DeleteA vote for Miley/Ariana.
Lee
I'm more passionate about now that when I wrote non-fiction, and it seems more challenging.
ReplyDeleteC.Lee, with non-fiction research is almost always a necessity. With fiction you can make everything up if it doesn't deal with real stuff or it's stuff you already know a lot about.
DeleteLee
I attended an inquest as story research. I got what I needed for the book - and learned to be grateful for some things I'd previously taken for granted.
ReplyDeletePatsy, the research can make what we're writing better as well as giving us greater knowledge even if we don't use that knowledge in the writing. Research is a form of education.
DeleteLee
I'll take the original version of the song.
ReplyDeleteI remember the days of encyclopedias. Now I just feel old. haha
FYI, I made the big move away from Blogger and can be found at:
Elsie Amata
Elsie, I was wondering what happened to your blog when I was looking earlier today. I not only feel old at times, but I guess some would say I am old. I say it's all relative.
DeleteI think I prefer the original version of the song, but that doesn't help the voting any.
Lee
That interview sounds like a wonderful research experience!
ReplyDeleteI've voting for Diane Krall for the Battle of the Bands - she has a beautiful, husky voice that adds a haunting depth to the song.
Tyrean, a research conversation where you can ask questions beats reading through stuff.
DeleteThanks for the vote for Diana Krall.
Lee
Two young ladies who will one day looking for redemption. I wish them well in the future.
ReplyDeleteStephen Tremp, they're young and crazy, but they are talented. Hopefully they'll become better examples for youth one day, but then I guess they might not be popular with the younger crowd when that time comes.
DeleteLee
Hahaha, I used to read encyclopedias and dictionaries for entertainment too. Dorks unite!
ReplyDeleteLynda, reference books are the best!
DeleteLee
Future City... what a cool name for a town. I wonder how its skyline looks like. I guess I need to do some research! :-) I think that is part of why I try to avoid research... for the many rabbit holes. I love reading and I love learning more, but I always feel like I have "better things" to do and I have too many topics already I'd love to write blogs, articles and books about... Yes, I would spend a whole day in the library - or on the internet - if I were to go in to look something up! :-)
ReplyDeleteLiesbet, there are now some web sites that show photos of the "city" and provide some historical background. Not much of a city to be found there--mostly abandoned buildings and ruins.
DeleteI think doing even idle research can be more productive than mindlessly watching TV, playing video games, or even reading certain books.
Lee
I certainly agree with that last statement, Lee. Imagine all the freed up time to actually do something productive when electronics are put aside, even if it is just for the evening! I love not having a TV. :-)
DeleteI usually love to do research. It can lead your storytelling into even more fascinating places.
ReplyDeleteTamara, you can also run across ideas for new stories to tell. For me one blog post often leads to another and that's because of research I've done.
DeleteLee
Nice choice of music. Hope you do well? Researching can be rewarding, glad you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.
Andrew, thanks for dropping by.
DeleteLee
Thank you.
ReplyDeleteRegine, uh, you're welcome?
DeleteLee
I do research, esp. when I am writing about history of my family. My photos tell much, but then it is important to dig for what happened.
ReplyDeleteI vote for Diana Krall. While it is mellow, it really isn't "laid back". There is a depth of understanding.
Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande, as they sit in bunny costumes on an inflatable couch, ridicule a song they don't really seem to understand.
I vote for Diana Krall, no doubt.
Susan K, in writing about history it is imperative to do the research if for no other reason than to fact check things one thinks they might know.
DeleteThe Cyrus/Grande collaboration seems to be part of an "entertainment" series of songs where they goof around a lot. I haven't watched the other videos, but I think they are all meant for fun. There were studio versions of both the girls and Krall that were more polished, but I liked the live Krall version and wanted parity between the two version.
A vote for Diana Krall.
Lee
Diana Krall gets my vote, she changed the song and made it her own. Miley and Grande were going to get my vote but they had too much fun and couldn't hold the song together.
ReplyDeleteMike, the studio version by Miley and Ariana is straight-forward with no silliness and better in that respect.
DeleteA vote for Diana Krall.
Lee
Interesting. After listening to the light airy voices of Cyrus and Grande, the opening lines of Diana Krall appealed to me because she seemed to be coming from somewhere deeper and more serious. But as the song went on and the music swelled, her voice disappointed me. It had a choked throat quality that made me want to go back to the lightness of the first two. So Cyrus and Grande get my vote.
ReplyDeleteLD, that was an interesting progression in coming to your final vote.
DeleteA vote for Miley/Ariana
Lee
It's surprising how helpful people can be when we ask, as with the guy in Cairo. I tend to shy away from this, thinking it's an imposition. Funny your comment initially. I was so excited to receive my first encyclopedia set many years back. Also a verifiable nerd, I attempted to read all....and of course didn't get very far!
ReplyDeleteSharon, we never know how people can react to being asked for information, but the worst they could probably do is just say no. I still think the encyclopedia makes for interesting reading, but I wouldn't likely sit down to read it from beginning to end. It's best for random research as intended.
DeleteLee
I'm so late.....I bet when doing research it brings you to many places of funto read about. I have to say I prefer, gulp, the 2 little gals with strong voices-Miley and Arianna over the snore, Diana zzzzzz Krall. I really can't stand Krall and don't get why so mangy think she is great. She always reminds me of that spoof that SCTV did of Perry Como. They could do the same thing with this chick. Miley and Arianna have strong voices, no how to control their voice and sing it out.
ReplyDeleteBirgit, I hear what you're saying, but not that I'd agree--at least not totally, but I get it.
DeleteA vote for Miley/Ariana
Lee
Hey, wait just a doggone second, LEE! I didn't realize that RON PAUL was an option.
ReplyDeleteI am officially changing my vote from Diana (makes my skin) Krall to the great American and Constitutionalist, RON PAUL!
I believe that makes 3 votes for Ron Paul, which should surely get him mentioned in the final results post!
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
STMcC, you can't sneak back into the poll and change your vote! What do think this is? California? Besides, Diana Krall needs all the help she can get in this contest.
DeleteLee
But... but... but, you ARE in California!!
Delete~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
My body might be imprisoned in California, but my heart, mind, and soul are beyond this place which means my blog is too.
DeleteLee
"Undocumented Immigrant" worker here in Austin, Texas, casting a vote for Ron Paul.
ReplyDeleteAntifa protester here in Berkeley, California, casting half a vote for Karl Marx and half a vote for George Soros.
ReplyDeleteDead person here in Chicago, Illinois, casting six votes for Hillary Clinton.
ReplyDeleteLooks like more evidence that President Trump was correct in saying that millions of illegitimate votes were cast in the 2016 presidential election. Hillary did not win the popular vote because millions of those votes were fake and millions came from the fake state of California.
ReplyDeleteLee
Who wouldn't want to know more about Future City? There's nothing like speaking to a direct source on a subject to get more info. A lot of writers wouldn't go to such an effort.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, neither of these covers come anywhere near the original but I'll have to vote for Miley and Ariana. Krall's is just far too overbearing.
Nick, Calling someone doesn't take much effort, but I guess some people just maybe are afraid to do it.
DeleteAnother vote for Miley/Ariana.
Lee
The weirdest/ coolest bit of research I did was a University study by a professor (who is NOT, near as I could find, an off-his-rocker nutter) about the memories of water. Not memories like our brains, of course, but how the molecules and such exist in such a way that evidence exists in them of the history of all the world. It's vital to my character, Xavier.
ReplyDeleteDiana Krall has my vote.
Thank you for having me as a co-host this year. I love the challenge and I love having the opportunity to contribute.
J, memories of water sounds like a very cool and not so strange an idea. I like that. It makes a lot of sense to me.
DeleteI appreciate everything you did in the Challenge. I'll be contacting you directly soon.
A vote for Diana Krall
Lee
An immense 'thank you' for helping host the A to Z challenge. It was so much fun, I made many new friends and many new discoveries of excellent writing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog and for your comments.
Toni, thank you for being a part of A to Z. Without the participants the Challenge wouldn't be the epic event that it is.
DeleteLee
Hi I'm Karine from Tropical Colours. I Came across your blog through Tamara's post. What an awesome post! My vote goes to Ariana and Miley! Their voices are just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteTC, thanks for stopping by. You're a tad late for the vote to count, but it wouldn't have changed the results since you voted for the version that won. Hope you come back for the next Battle. I do them every 1st and 15th of each month.
DeleteLee