This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

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!

Friday, January 22, 2021

Staying Out of Trouble ( #BOTB Results )

 

What can I say?  I've just been staying here at home staying out of trouble.  Seems like the best thing to do these days...


                                       Battle of the Bands Results



          My previous Battle was Mitchell Brunings and Rootsriders versus Eyesburn each performing Bob Marley's "So Much Trouble in the World".

          This match went well, though as I had expected, the smoother sounds of Mitchell Brunings won over the most voters.  To me that version is outstanding and so professionally recorded, but I happened to prefer the grungier version by Eyesburn.  That version burned with trouble, so hey, that gets my vote..

 Final Vote Tally

Mitchell Brunings    8 votes

Eyesburn                  6 votes






Next Battle on Monday February 1st





Friday, January 15, 2021

So Much Trouble in the World ( #BOTB )

       Here I am. Back again with another Battle of the Bands.  For now I'm going to refrain from tossing out much as far as anything I think.  I'll let the music speak for itself.  So....let's go!


Battle of the Bands


        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC 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.




So Much Trouble in the World

         Has there ever been a time when there wasn't trouble in the world?   Since his death in 1981 has there ever been a time when the music of Bob Marley didn't influence musicians throughout the world?  

         Marley's song "So Much Trouble in the World" has been recorded by many different artists since it was first released in 1979.  That makes for a good BOTB song I think.  So here we go with two versions that I enjoy.  Hope you do too...





Mitchell Brunings & Rootsriders  "So Much Trouble in the World"   (2013)

       From the Netherlands we start with Mitchell Brunings and his Bob Marley tribute band.  This version keeps in the spirit of the original...





Eyesburn  "So Much Trouble in the World"  (2005)

        How about some hardcore thrash Reggae from Serbia?  Sure, why not?   We're talking about the world so let's bring more international influence into the mix.  Bang your heads and enjoy...






Time to Vote!
        
          While there may be lots of trouble in the world, I hope you don't have any trouble playing along with this Battle of the Bands.    Which version 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

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

The Doglady's Den 

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 


Cherdo on the Flipside 

A I Love Music



Winner of this Battle Announced on Friday January 22
       
           I'll have the Battle winner and maybe a few more thoughts on that day.  But let me think about that before then.  Thanks for visiting!





     





Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Here We Go Again... ( #IWSG )

 


    Personally I don't see much change between this year and last.  I think we have become stuck in 2020.  At least it's still a kind of cool sounding year as far as numbers go...

       If  2020 had been a book I would probably have stopped reading about chapter April.   The book started off badly anyway but I was reading reluctantly.  Besides, I guess that was the only book in that library.  

         And somewhat reluctantly I'm returning from my blogging hiatus just so I can talk about my insecurities.  But I doubt whether anybody cares.  So welcome to the ...

The Insecure Writer's Support Group



Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure 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


The co-hosts for the January 6 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren , J Lenni Dorner, Gwen Gardner Sandra Cox, and Louise - Fundy Blue.


January 6 question - Being a writer, when you're reading someone else's work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people's books?


         Several times I've stopped reading non-fiction books or read selectively from them.  Rarely have I started any fiction book and just stopped reading.  In fact, the times that I did that was when I was in high school and college, when I couldn't keep up with a reading load and just faked it.  And, of course, some of the books were so boring and long.  I'd probably appreciate those better now.

        These days--when I read fiction (and it's been at least a year or more since I last read any fiction)--I make an attempt to try to understand the writer's intent in order to better recreate in my mind what has been written. 

        I have a better appreciation now for the craft of writing but not from any extreme perspective of editorial bias.  I am a very forgiving reader.  If the editing is not good to the point of me noticing, I'm not overly shaken.  Bad formatting might be less forgivable.  The main thing for me is whether I understood what was before my eyes or, perhaps better, did I enjoy it.

        Gee, I've almost talked myself in picking up a fiction book and reading it.  I've got a lot here that I haven't read. I'll finish it if it's reasonably coherent.  I feel I owe it to the mind of the author.