My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!
Wouldn't it be nice if we woke up one morning to find that 2020 had been the longest, most tortuous dream/nightmare we'd ever had in our lives? I'd gladly take a do over without all of the nonsensical pandemic stuff and the utterly absurd Black Lives Matter/Antifa garbage. This has been one insane year if I have my say about it...
Wear Your Sleep Mask!
I've gotten into more arguments/discussions about the topic of face masks than any other subject that I've ever brought up. This is particularly true of FaceBook, the go to place for fake friends and bloggers who never comment on my blog posts but will compose incessantly long tirades defending the Holy Mask.
In many ways social media has a way of being the biggest time waste I can think of. Why oh why do I waste my time bringing up controversies on Facebook? I guess it does reveal something about some of the bloggers who have become my "friends" on Facebook. My mistake for not screening people more carefully. And also for continuing to put up such triggering posts. I'm baffled that people can see where I'm coming from and yet will deliver long diatribes complete with research and links. Maybe I'm not the only one getting these missives from those bloggers. If I am then I suppose I should consider myself honored to some degree. That is, if one can consider it an honor to be repeatedly told the same things. No, you haven't convinced me of your side.
Why don't we all just remove the silly mouth masks and don sleep masks instead. Perhaps if we hibernate for a while all of the nonsense will be gone. Or, better yet, maybe we can wake up on January 1, 2020 and start all over again. How about a do over?
Battle of the Bands Results
I thought this recent three-way Battle featuring the song "This Masquerade" was a very difficult choice. Over the course of the week I was all over the place with my preference. In the end I settled on the original version by Leon Russell. But I could have gone with any of these wonderful song versions. The win was a pretty decisive one and that works for me.
Final Vote Tally
Leon Russell 4 votes
Carpenters 11 votes
George Benson 4 votes
Next Battle on Thursday October 1st
If I'm not asleep then I'll be back.
Does anyone else on Blogger dislike the new format as much as I do?
I usually don't say things just to piss people off, but I say them to express my opinion. A lot of times that opinion just pisses people off...
Recently I saw the following meme on Facebook. Not only did the sentiments resonate with me, but it also cried out, "Battle of the Bands"!! September 15th is what I'm saying...
When I saw this meme I immediately shared it on my own page. Generally speaking, my posts on Facebook or Twitter tend to go seemingly unnoticed, but there are a few topics that seem raise the hackles of those who are passionate about certain topics. This post was one of those, though still not any huge response. One such respondent was a guy that I haven't seen or spoken to in about forty years. And I've had similar online encounters.
There was the long time friend who "unfriended" me on Facebook because of a difference in political beliefs. Before doing so he privately messaged me to tell me of his disappointment in how much I had changed over the years. All his message revealed was that he never knew me very well if he thought I had changed as what I believe now is pretty much what I believed 40+ years ago when we used to hang around sometimes. What I didn't bother to remind him of is that over the many years we only spoke every 2 or 3 years by telephone or when I stopped in to visit him when I was in Tennessee. He never once called me like some of my real friends do--it was always me calling him.
But getting back to face masks, in our time this has become one of the most divisive issues not only in the United States, but the world. I've tried reasoning with some using logic, but usually the Maskers are passionate and unwavering about their beliefs. They cite "science" just as the Climate Change Hysterics do. As I pointed out in my A to Z post "Science Is Speaking", this is a poorly framed argument since science is a field comprised of many studies, many scientists, and many points of view. "Science" is saying nothing, but people without strong arguments like to hide behind the veil of the concept of science thinking it somehow lends credibility to a rather flimsy argument.
So if science doesn't convince anybody then maybe some cliched slogan will do the trick. "Wearing Is Caring" or some such drivel might make a nice play on the emotions of some, but, sorry, it just doesn't tug on my heartstrings. My sense of logic tells me something different.
Please don't get all upset with me and click away from my Battle of the Bands segment. Ignore my opinion if you don't like it. Or express your own in the comment section--I've most likely heard your argument, but I'll listen one more time and if you are truly convincing then I might perk my ears a bit to listen more. But don't get mad or unfollow me or whatever people in social media times do. I'm just expressing myself and offering you the option to do the same.
Besides, I'm tired of the bickering, the lecturing, and the effusion of emotions that people keep gushing out. If you've got something that beats the logic then let us hear it. Not sure what that would be, but I enjoy discussion. I think I'm pretty civil about discussions, but these days disagreement sometimes seems to be an uncivil offense.
Hopefully if you were able to get this far then you'll continue on to what I think is a pretty decent...
Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bandsisthe blogging event started byFar Away Seriesand now hosted byStMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. This event happens each month on the 15th and on some there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month. My blog is one of those with a second Battle excepting over these summer months. The premise is simple: Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it. Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.
Leon Russell "This Masquerade" (1972)
When Russell's Carny album came out I was not initially won over. For me it was mainly the vocal style that turned me off. However, once I'd become accustomed to the vocals, having already been won over by the top-notch song-crafting and musical production, the album became a favorite of mine. In succeeding years "This Masquerade" became an oft performed and recorded musical standard with a high point coming in George Benson's outstanding version.
Typically I'd be offering an original as merely an introduction to the song for those not familiar with it. The traditional wisdom of these Battles is not to use an original version and ask that blog visitors not vote for it and only listen. In this case, I think some listeners might react as I did decades ago and not care for what they hear. Therefore, I'm not going to discourage voting for this version since I don't know that it would sweep the other contestants out of the running. This version is here for you to consider. You can just ignore it or you can listen and consider it in the voting. Your choice...
Carpenters "This Masquerade" (1973)
I'm sure I've heard this version, but I did not recall it as I was compiling this Battle. But it's the Carpenters and who doesn't like the Carpenters. Many of Russell's songs seem to be a good fit for Karen's beautiful voice. She does a wonderful job with this song...
George Benson "This Masquerade" (1976)
The version by Benson grabbed my attention when it came out and, soon after, I bought the album the song appeared on. In fact, during the eighties I became a fairly avid George Benson fan. The guy could not only play a decent guitar, his singing wasn't bad either...
Time to Vote! Don't hide behind a mask! Let your opinion be heard! Which song do you prefer? Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind. 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 ‘Storms and Stardust’ 'MIKE'SRAMBLINGS' 'Curious as a Cathy' Sound of One Hand Typing The Doglady's Den Angel's Bark Jingle, Jangle, Jungle Cherdo on the Flipside A I Love Music Winner of this Battle Announced on Tuesday September 22nd One way or another I should be here on that date to announce the voting results of this Battle. In the meantime I'll probably just lay low in my house most of the time so I don't feel obligated to wear what I consider a mostly useless mask. That's my opinion based on well-reasoned logic. Besides, I don't guess I need to be going anywhere anyway. Except the grocery store now and then and then I'll wear my mask.
Did words evade me when it came to writing this post? Was I just kind of lazy? Or were the words too many with every expectation that the words would end up lost in the pages of this blog? I wonder sometimes, but my wondering doesn't consume me. The words are everywhere, but nowhere all at once...
Words in the Wind
A lot of words have gone into the blog posts of Tossing It Out over the past decade plus. I have played with words and dallied with ideas. At times I have attempted to inspire, inform, and incite. Perhaps there have been some successes while at other times I've considered just putting all the words aside and forgetting about this particular writing platform. And yet I remain.
In my third post back in September of 2009 ( a post upon which no one commented so I'm not sure it was ever actually read by anyone), I presented this mission statement for Tossing It Out:
The "Tossing It Out" blog is here to entertain, stimulate, and inform whenever possible. The author will make every attempt to be accurate and fair at all times and will be open to the input of any readership the blog may develop. There is no set course, no absolute purpose, and the content, though at times random, will strive for cohesion and clarity.
While I do believe that I have mostly lived up to this statement in my acts of writing, my goal of "tossing out" ideas, controversies, and other contemplations has fallen by the wayside to a great extent. Though I have managed to keep a fairly consistent participatory readership returning to my music posts and my monthly Insecure Writer's Support Group posts, there is rarely the level of engagement in the comment section like I had once envisioned. Now, to be sure, there are still some wonderful comments that continue to come my way, but something still seems to be lacking.
What it comes down to is that there is so much more that I'd like to say at times and yet I hesitate to let the words flow. Maybe it's a concern of losing readers because of controversial ideas that turn some of them off. It has happened on my blog as well as others I've followed over the years--maybe even some of your blogs. People get offended--they get mad. They go away.
"It's only words and words are all I have to take your heart away" says the Bee Gees song. And when I've tried and failed and instead of taking hearts away, I've sometimes driven them away. But that's life I guess when you have opinions.
So now I perfunctorily write words in regular monthly posts about music and writing. Just to keep the blog alive in one respect, but also on a precipice of wanting to say something and yet stepping back when I'm too close to the edge of the cliffs of controversy.
Does anybody really want my words? Do they need them? Do they want or need your words? We go on writing. Or posting pictures maybe. Or perhaps sharing videos. We write words, speak words, read words, listen to words. Does it matter?
Missing Persons said it pretty well in their song "Words":
Do you hear me Do you care My lips are moving and the sound's coming out The words are audible but i have my doubts That you realize what has been said You look at me as if you're in a daze It's like the feeling at the end of the page When you realize you don't know what you just read What are words for when no one listens anymore
Those are my words on this Labor Day. What are yours? Maybe you can leave some thoughts in the comment section.
Battle of the Bands Results
The Battle at hand was a three-way match between Bee Gees, Neil Young, and Missing Persons all performing different songs with the same title of "Words". I know all three songs well and I like all three almost equally well. However, in the interest of the Battle I must choose one as my own favorite.
I began listening to Bee Gees early on in their career and their song "Words" was a standout favorite for me in their early years. This is a classic hit that I still enjoy hearing. I couldn't recall the Missing Persons song by title alone, but when I heard it I realized I'd heard it many many times and always liked it. It was an MTV and radio mainstay in the eighties and hearing their "Words" again reminded me how much fun eighties music was for many of us. Most of my music buying was in the eighties, though never did I buy an album by Missing Persons. But I think their song is excellent especially after focusing on the lyrics which have maybe more to say in our time than four decades ago. "Words" by Missing Persons in my view is a great song and I almost gave my vote to that one.
Which brings me to the song that really inspired this Battle. Back when Neil Young's Harvest album came out, the song that most caught my attention was "Words" even though there were other songs that got more critical attention and airplay. "Words" had that spacey dreamy sound that attracted me to Young's music so much. At the time I commented to friends on a number of occasions that even though being the longest song on the album clocking in at over six minutes, I wished it were even longer. I wanted it to last the entire album side. From the comments some readers left on my Battle, their is some disagreement about my thought to the point that some even think it's one of Young's worst songs. It is one of my favorites.
After the Harvest album had been out for a while, my dream of the long version of "Words" came true when Young released the double album Journey Through the Past with a version of the song that lasts sixteen and a half minutes. A nightmare for some of you I guess, but for me I was in "Words" heaven.
And of course what this all means now is that my vote goes to Neil Young's "Words" even though I almost equally enjoy hearing any of these three songs.
Final Vote Tally
Bee Gees 11 votes Neil Young 5 votes Missing Persons 5 votes
Next Battle of the Bands on Tuesday September 15th
I've got plenty of words about plenty of subjects, but for now I'll keep them to myself. When I vent these days it's usually on Facebook or Twitter. Now those are places where words fly freely and I've only been placed in "Twitter jail" twice so far. I'm trying to be careful.
Words are the reason I write. They also provide an effective way of communicating verbally. Life is pretty well encompassed by words. And then there is The Word...
The Insecure Writer's Support Group
Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh'sInsecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog.
September 2 question - If you could choose one author, living or dead, to be your beta partner, who would it be and why?
This year with all that has been going on I've been thinking a lot about George Orwell. I've only read a couple of his books--Animal Farm and 1984. There might have been another book that was not fiction, but now I can't recall what is was.
In a sort of fixation to find pandemic related movies, I tracked down a passable copy of 1984 on YouTube for my wife and I to watch. Orwell's thinking was rather prescient of our times though he had to have been influenced by the wave of fascism that swept Europe in mid-twentieth century. The guy had not only a good grasp on the English language and a clever approach to words, but he was a literary critic as well. Seems like someone who could be helpful getting my writing in shape.
Wikipedia says the following:
In his essay "Politics and the English Language" (1946), Orwell wrote about the importance of precise and clear language, arguing that vague writing can be used as a powerful tool of political manipulation because it shapes the way we think. In that essay, Orwell provides six rules for writers:
Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
Never use a long word where a short one will do.
If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
Never use the passive where you can use the active.
Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
If nothing else, this set of guidelines might be nice to print out to have posted in ones writing space.
And while I'm on the subject of words, how about three very different songs that were big releases from three different decades by three different artists competing in another...
Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bandsisthe blogging event started byFar Away Seriesand now hosted byStMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. This event happens each month on the 15th and on some there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month. My blog is one of those with a second Battle excepting over these summer months. The premise is simple: Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it. Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.
Bee Gees "Words" (1968)
Neil Young "Words" (1972)
Missing Persons "Words" (1982)
Time to Vote! Put your preference into words. Which song do you prefer? Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind. 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 ‘Storms and Stardust’ 'MIKE'SRAMBLINGS' 'Curious as a Cathy' Sound of One Hand Typing The Doglady's Den Angel's Bark Jingle, Jangle, Jungle Cherdo on the Flipside A I Love Music Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday September 7 Lately I don't get many comments on my results posts, but I see the page hits showing up in my analytics so I guess people come back to at least check. I will post my results, but likely have an economy with words. Well, that is, unless I really have something that I want to say. Would you want a literary critic as a beta partner? During the pandemic have you been drawn to more dystopian type films and books? What is your favorite resource for finding interesting words?
