Greetings to 2024! What does your year ahead look like? Will you sink to new lows or reach your highest heights? I'm going to be a realistic optimist as always...
As for 2023 mine was a pretty good year. There was no sickness in our household and life went pretty smoothly for the most part. No major expenses and no devastating calamities. Calm before a storm? I hope not, but I'm ready for whatever gets dumped on us. Or whatever blesses us if that could be a thing in these times.
One of my highest highs of the preceding year was a wonderful vacation trip back east to visit family in Florida, New Jersey, and Tennessee. Everything went so smoothly and my wife and I had a great time everyplace we went. Since that trip started in mid-May and our return was in the second week of June, it was a nice way to kick off our summer which turned out to be a very pleasant and peaceful season. The year wrapped up with visits from family and good times in general. It was the kind of year that I wish every year could be like.
I can't say what the year 2024 will hold for us, but I hope it treats us all well. As of now I don't have any specific plans, but hopefully I will attack some of my dream projects with greater fervor. There is much that I need to finish as well as so much that I yet need to start. Hope the craziness that this year could be doesn't get in your way or mine. We've got things to do! Right?
So with all this in mind let me continue with my first blog post of this New Year...
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 3 posting of the IWSG are Joylene Nowell Butler, Olga Godim, Diedre Knight, and Natalie Aguirre.
You can answer this question on your own if you want to, but as for me I've got nothing regarding this. I'd never heard of BookBub until now and don't feel any great draw to look into it. I can't even keep up with posting on GoodReads or reading reviews others have put up. Life is too full!
Instead, I'm going to look at some of my own writing highs and lows of the past year and my hopes for the coming year. As I mentioned, on a personal level my year was pretty darn good, but not so much true for my writing and blogging.
My year started off with computer problems which greatly hindered my blogging activity. I still have not solved those problems, partly due to financial issues, but also a lack of initiative to do anything about this matter. I get by just using my wife's computer for the time being and finding other activities to occupy my time. To the detriment of my writerly life, those activities haven't so much involved blogging or writing.
However, on the up side, I've written some (what I think are) pretty good songs and have come up with some ideas that might have some real potential if I continue to pursue them. I completed another Blogging from A to Z this past April and plan to do it again this coming April. Hope you'll join us for that. While we're waiting for that April event to come, we've got some time for another...
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.
Highs and Lows
In my state of California we have plenty of highs and lows that we could bring up, but for this Battle I'm going to just stick with geography. When I was in elementary school in San Diego we were often reminded that Mt. Whitney was the highest point of the state. I've lived in California for near forty years now (between my childhood in San Diego and the past thirty plus years here in L.A.) and I've never been to Mt. Whitney. Nor have I been to the lowest point of Death Valley. Been kind of nearby, but always opted for Vegas instead. To be sure, my wife was having none of anything like Death Valley so that curtails any trip I'd be taking there with her.
Oh well, maybe I won't go to either place, but at least I've got a couple of songs about them. The first is by a prog folk trio I heard on the PBS show Song of the Mountains , which has inspired a few of my other Battles. The second was chosen from other songs with the same name that after listening to all of them I decided on the one that I enjoyed the most. Since both videos are live performances I think it also provides a nice contrast in similar formats. Please listen and decide on your favorite...
Palmyra "Mt Whitney" (2021)
My Jerusalem Death Valley (2012)
Of these songs, for you, which is the high and the low. In other words, which song version do you like best? 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. I don't know if anyone else will be doing a Battle this time around, but you can still check out these sites.
Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:
StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
'Curious as a Cathy'
Sound of One Hand Typing
Jingle, Jangle, Jungle
Sadly, both of these songs were a low point for me... lower than Badwater Basin, which I have visited. Of the two songs (neither of which I would willingly listen to for more than a few seconds) I will vote for the more active but awful second one.
ReplyDeleteSixgun McItchyfingerinears
6-Gun, a song that is new to a person is often a challenge to appreciate I think. Especially on New Year's Day.
DeleteFirst vote goes to My Jerusalem
Lee
BOIDMAN ~
ReplyDeleteAlthough I've never hiked on it, I have certainly seen Mt. Whitney many times. And I did drive through Death Valley once (and survived to type about it).
As soon as 'Death Valley' started playing - with that revved-up drumming - I thought I was going to like it a great deal. And it *was* pretty hot... until that guy started singing (if one can call that "singing"). It got so annoying after awhile, that I decided I have to vote for that very sedate, meandering song by the guy with boogers hanging down out of his nose.
Chalk one up for Booger Boy and his bandmates (Palmyra).
Best wishes to you and yourn in 2024.
~ D-FensDogG
[Link> BOTB's BATTLE OF THE BOOZE: JAN. 1, 2024
STMcC, thanks for sharing your insightful thoughts on this Battle.
DeleteA vote for Palmyra.
Lee
Been a good year for us as well.
ReplyDeleteBeen to Death Valley when I was a kid. Don't remember much.
Glad your trip was good. Maybe someday it will be permanent and you can escape the insanity that is California.
Alex, Thanks for visiting. Wish you could have left a vote. Happy New Year>
DeleteLee
Hi Lee Happy New Year, pleased 2023 was ok for you.
ReplyDeleteNot sure how to sign in so gone anon.
Great post Went to Death Valley some years ago .
Take care.
Yvonne.
Yvonne, take care in the coming year. Not sure why you had trouble signing in.
DeleteLee
Much of my comment would have been the same as STMc's. I will, though, defer to others who had a more positive opinion.
ReplyDeleteCW, impressive comment. Thank you for sharing.
DeleteLee
Interesting battle. Plenty of highs and lows for me this past year.
ReplyDeleteI'm voting for the Death Valley song, merely because it wasn't nearly as annoying as My Whitney.
-Mary
Mary B, yeah, you had some of those for sure.
DeleteMy Jerusalem.
Lee
Happy New Year, Lee!
ReplyDeleteThe vocals of both bands lost me, so between the two I'm going with Death Vally since I like the music arrangement very well.
I hope 2024 is a good one for you and yours, my friend!
Cathy, good 2024 to you.
DeleteA vote for My Jerusalem.
Lee
Both bands need better vocalists. Or, perhaps skip it altogether. I liked the musical composition of both. While the architectural aesthetics are helpful for Palmyra, I've seen the Sailing Stones of Death Valley and that steady tom-tom beat (My Jerusalem) made me think of the spirits of ancient natives who I once believed set those stones in motion ;-) Death Valley for me, please.
ReplyDeleteDiedre, I didn't mind either vocalists, but I probably look at it a different way than a lot of listeners.
DeleteI like your explanation for which you preferred.
My Jerusalem.
Lee
Sounds like you had an excellent year! Here's hoping 2024 will be a good one too. I much preferred Death Valley - it had way more energy, plus the music was better. The vocals weren't great, but still an improvement over Palmyra.
ReplyDeleteDebbie D, hope we stay in the highs in the coming year, but in this Battle seems like the lows are predominate.
DeleteMy Jerusalem.
Lee
Didn't really like either of these, but of the two I prefer Palmyra,
ReplyDeleteJohn H, I admire the musicianship of both.
DeleteA vote for Palmyra.
Lee
Death Valley had an early U2 sound and gets my vote.
ReplyDeleteWe have three working computers plus two in the closet - want one?
L.Diane, I get the U2 vibe to a degree. Someone here supposedly has a computer for me, but so far... I'll keep your offer in mind.
DeleteMy Jerusalem.
Lee
Sadly, I couldn't get the songs opened. We have horrible internet here. It's one of my most ongoing frustrations. Happy 2024!
ReplyDeleteJoylene, I guess we have good internet, but just not on my old computer. That tech stuff really frustrates me.
DeleteLee
From the comments on my blog, I see that there are a lot of people who don't use or even know about Book Bub.
ReplyDeleteC.Lee, Maybe someday I'll consider Book Bub more, but for now I still have more books in my house than I'll probably read in what's left of my life--well, unless I start reading like crazy (which might not be a bad thing).
DeleteLee
Like you, I haven't written much in the last year, but I traveled. By a strange coincidence, I visited my friend in LA in October. We first met in 1973, our first year of university. I even got her a mug saying '50 years of friendship'. It's such a big number, I never thought I would ever apply it to myself. :)
ReplyDeleteOlga, cool that you made it to see your old friend. I've got a few friends that I've known that long as well as those who have passed.
DeleteLee
I'm glad 2023 was good for you! Mine was pretty decent as well. I'm hoping 2024 will continue to improve, and hopefully I'll keep on top of my health goals this year.
ReplyDeleteI vote for My Jerusalem.
Loni, health should be a priority.
DeleteA vote for My Jerusalem
Lee
It's so nice hearing someone who had a great 2023. I hope it repeats itself.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of computer problems, I have a heck of a time getting Blogger to view me as anything other than this defunct 'computer tutor'. It's me, Jacqui Murray!
OK, worked this time!
DeleteHi Jacqui! These sites like to toy with us sometimes I guess.
DeleteLee
Glad you stayed healthy and had a good trip in 2023. It's great that you could write more songs during the time you had computer problems.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, and now I have to do something with those songs! I'm looking forward to the coming year, but I've got to be a realistic optimist.
DeleteLee
Results are now in:
ReplyDeletehttps://tossingitout.blogspot.com/2024/01/off-to-start-botb-results.html