Feeling Yourself Disintegrate ( #BOTB & #IWSG )

       Just the other day I celebrated another birthday.  Seventy-five years old seems so unreal in many ways.  But I can feel the effects:  I am disintegrating in one sense and yet I feel fantastic for the most part.  Much of the time I feel like I did in my twenties or thirties.  However, the reality exists that I am getting old.  I am in a process of deterioration.  I hope it keeps on feeling as good as it does now...

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  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.

  

Feeling Yourself Disintegrate

        A year ago I used this song in a Battle in which I used the original version by Flaming Lips against another relaxing dreamy song.  To me this is one of the most beautiful songs I've heard.  And it seems so relevant as I get older.  

       Here are two versions that I find particularly nice.  Take a listen and then tell us which one you like best.

Kathleen Edwards  "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate"  (2015)

The Bad Plus  "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate"   (2009)

Time to Vote!

       Don't disintegrate yet!   Vote now please.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    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

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results on Monday February 9

       

      At least we'll say that for now.  It's probably when it will happen, but plans can change.

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 February 4 posting of the IWSG are J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Marie Lees, and Sandra Cox.

February 4 question - Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

    Through the years I have often looked back on old writing that I've done and often I have been somewhat surprised how well my writing seemed at that time.  Just the other day I was looking at a comment I had left on someone's blog post about ten years ago and thought to myself, "Did I really write that?  It seems so well expressed."   Same goes with writing from my college days fifty years ago.  I might find an old paper that I had turned in for an assignment or a short story that I had written and be quite surprised at how mature my writing had seemed back then.  

         Recently I pulled down from my closet a box of some of my old writing that I was planning to go through.  The writing goes back to my high school and college days and I think I'm going to find some writing that seems almost unrecognizable now as something I had written in the past.  Was I a better writer back then?   Am I starting to forget words and concepts as I grow older?  Maybe, but I'm not sure that this is the answer.  Probably I just haven't been writing enough lately.  

       I guess I need to start writing more again to hone my skills.  Couldn't hurt.  And maybe my mind will sharpen as well.  More writing would be good.  I need to do that.

      Did you seem to write better when you were younger?   Do you still care about writing as much as you did in another time of your life?

       

Time Is Now ( #IWSG & #BOTB Results )

   Christmas is over and I'm still talking about presents.  However, I'm thinking about the most important present of all and that is now, today, the whole where we are in our lives at this moment.  Really though, I'm always thinking about past, present, and future.  Aren't we all?  For the most part.  Maybe...

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 7 posting of the IWSG are Shannon Lawrence, Olga Godim, Jean Davis, and Jacqui Murray.

January 7 question - Is there anything in your writing plans for 2026 that you are going to do that you couldn't get done in 2025?

    Couldn't get done?  I don't know.  I can always get something done if I really want to, but I'm a bit lazy I suppose.  And maybe conflicted too?  Sometimes I feel the importance of things that later I ponder as to why they are important anyway.  My writing is important to me I suppose, but how far beyond that does this "importance" go?  I guess the best way to find that out is to keep writing and so that is what I plan to do.

      In essence, my plans for this year are the same as most years that came before.  I want to keep writing songs, but also do something with them.  We'll see.  I still have a ton of songs started that I'd like to finish some day which means now is a good time to do that.  Same with my memoir writing.  I'm more focused on that than any fiction aspirations, but apparently I haven't been focused enough to actually produce any significant progress on that front. 

       Time is not going to stop for me to get on board.  I'm already there and whatever I do with my time is up to me.  I'd better get busy.  The station of my destination is getting closer.

Battle of the Bands Results

Holding Back the Years Battle

     My previous Battle was a showdown between two different artists performing the Simply Red hit "Holding Back the Years".  I must say that I really liked the Angie Stone version with the percussive backing and all.  Love that kind of sound.  And the organ!  But, like the rest of you I had to give my vote to Dan Mason.  Just enjoyed his sound better.  And he won.

Final Vote Tally

Daniel Mason Band       7 votes

Angie Stone                    0 votes             

Holiday Fun ( #BOTB & #IWSG ).

 Sometimes what you think you're going to get is not what you really get.  And sometimes you just get something without thinking about it.  The real question is did you get what you really needed?

Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  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.

A Couple of Holiday Songs

      Before you get into a Christmas mood, let me start off by saying that this is no Battle of Songs of the Season.  Instead we have two perhaps seemingly disparate musical pieces from two different decades that have much more in common than one might expect. Both songs have "Holiday" in their titles and both are pretty weird while at the same time being quite musically complex.  To me it's sheer fun.

      I grew up loving the music and performance antics of Spike Jones and His Orchestra.  Years later I became enthralled with the music of Frank Zappa.  Like my own musical experience growing up, Zappa was greatly influenced by Spike Jones.  I think it is reasonable to say that without Spike Jones there would not be the Frank Zappa that many of us have come to appreciate.

       Here is a "Holiday" piece from each artist--one an original composition by Zappa against Spike's cover of the David Rose of "Stripper" fame's classic "Holiday for Strings".  Enjoy and then tell us which you liked best.

Frank Zappa  "Holiday in Berlin" (1970)

Spike Jones   "Holiday for Strings"  (1945)

Time to Vote!

        It's not your holiday yet so get to work and vote on this Battle.   Which song interpretation do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    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

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results in the near future

****************************************

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 December 3 posting of the IWSG are Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre.

December 3 question - As a writer, what was one of the coolest/best gifts you ever received?

       I don't know that I've necessarily received any "gifts" as a writer.  As a blogger I've received many items as giveaways, prizes, or maybe you could call them gifts.  But since I've been writing since I was a kid--I'd say that makes me a writer--I guess I'd have to include the many books, writing materials, and other similar items that influenced my writing that were given to me as gifts by my parents.  Otherwise I don't think I've gotten gifts specifically intended for me as a writer.  Come to think of it, I don't get many gifts anymore.  Since I hit Social Security age, gift exchanging doesn't fit into my budget like it used to.

      One unexpected gift was sent to me out of the blue by one of my regular blogging Battle of the Bands voters a while back.  That person who goes by Six-Gun sent me a copy of a book called Lee After the War by Marshall W. Fishwick.  What a terrific book that even a year or more after having read it, I still think about it.  It's a book that I'd highly recommend especially to anyone interested in Civil War history.  Thank you Six-Gun!

      Christmas is a-rapidly on it's way.  Don't get caught up in too much frenzy.  I plan to stay home a lot this Christmas.

      So, bah humbug, and everybody have a truly wonderful Christmas season!

What gift have you received as a writer?  Did I get the question wrong?   Have you ever known me to be wrong?

 

Imagine That! ( #IWSG )

    Where am I?  What am I?  Why am I here?  We have questions, but are we asking the right ones?  Sometimes I ask just because. Answers aren't necessarily necessary. It's just something to do.  Or maybe something to write about...

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 November 5 posting of the IWSG are Jennifer Lane, Jenni Enzor, Renee Scattergood, Rebecca Douglass, Lynn Bradshaw, and Melissa Maygrove.

 

November 5 question - When you began writing, what did you imagine your life as a writer would be like? Were you right, or has this experience presented you with some surprises along the way?

        I'm not really sure that I thought much about having a writing life.  I thought about writing more than I actually wrote.  And still do for that matter.  I still don't have a life as a working money-making writer, but I do write sometimes so I'm a writer in a way.  So no real surprises there.  I write. And that's about it. If I didn't have a blog to vent on then I'd be accumulating notebooks.  More notebooks than I already have.

        What would my life as a writer be like?  I guess I already know and I don't know depending on how I look at it. So my real question now is:  What should I fix for dinner?  And will I have time for a nap?

Falling into Fall ( #IWSG & #BOTB )

      It's that time of year again:  Halloween will be here soon, then Thanksgiving, Christmas, and, inevitably, another New Year.  If I didn't have the same old things to say every year I'd have to think up new same old things to say...

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  October 1 posting of the IWSG are Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine.

October 1 question - What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why?

       Back around 1974 I think it was, I started what I decided would be my epic novel.  Every now and then through the following years I might tinker with my idea.  Sometimes I write snippets.  Sometimes I've even written several pages.  Not much in recent years, but I think about that early novel often.  I even think I might sit down and write it. 

       Probably the main reason why I like this particular idea so much that it's basically an autobiography of sorts.  A fantasy autobiography more like, but still kind of based on things from my own life.  Maybe I should just write some kind of memoir.  But maybe I should do a lot of things that I haven't done yet.

 Battle of the Bands

 

        Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and  StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   I do this event  each month on the 15th and the 1st of the month.  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.

Barefootin'

     Continuing on with my theme of "Hits from the summer of '66" I offer up a couple of covers of a song that was popular with a lot of kids at my school. "Barefootin'" was written and performed by Robert Parker and got a lot of radio play on Knoxville's WNOX during my first summer in Tennessee. See what you think of the following covers and vote on your favorite in the comment section...

Alabama   "Barefootin'"   (1988)

Barefoot Jerry  "Barefootin'"  (1977)

 

Time to Vote!

        Kick off your shoes and get up on your feet.  Enjoy the music!  Which song interpretation  do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    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

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results on Wednesday October 8th 

    Or thereabouts.  I'm gonna have to get back to some regimented blogging schedule I think.  Or maybe not.  

Working on a Labor Day ( #BOTB & IWSG )

       "Vacation" is over.  Well, my hiatus is done for now as I come back to the blogging scene.  Now it's back to work.  And I'll kick things off with music...

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  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.

Work Songs from the Summer of '66

       Let's go back to my reflections on the summer of '66 and the hit music I was hearing back then on the Knoxville Tennessee top ten station and through new friends I was meeting as I acclimated to my new environment. 

        In honor of Labor Day I'm going to honor two songs that I liked pretty well and they always reminded me of specific jobs.  Lee Dorsey's song is pretty obviously work inspired.  However some of you might find The Capitol's "Cool Jerk" a stretch as far as work goes.  But when I first heard it it made me think of a soda jerk (a popular cool job back in the day) so that was the image bopping around in my head.  Of course there was the dance crazes back then and the jerk was one.  The song makes me want to do the jerk or something and that's cool.

     Check them out and let us know what you think.  

Lee Dorsey  "Working in a Coal Mine"  (1966)

The Capitols  "Cool Jerk"  (1966)

Time to Vote!

        Hey!  This ain't work.  It's fun.   You're supposed to vote on one of these songs.  Which one do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    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

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Mike's Ramblings

Results Monday September 8

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 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 September 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Diedre Knight.

September 3 question - What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, storybible, or creating outlines\beats?

       Since I haven't had that much experience with using the AI stuff much at all, I'm not much of one to add anything about what I've done.  I've played around with those trial song writing generators and it's really creepy how it can come up with some pretty good songs that incorporate all my absurd inputs.  It sounds like a lot of the modern music I hear.  Not sure I like what's going on, but maybe it's what it is for now.  I think a lot of that "writing" will start getting pretty stale. A lot more stale than it is now.

      Talk about shirking work on Labor Day.  AI offers a lot of potential for shortcuts.  But is it worth it in the long run?  Time will tell I guess.

      Don't you think a lot of fun of writing is in doing the hard stuff like research and such?   I know I can end up going down a lot of rabbit hole chases when I do research--what about you?

  

See You In September ( #BOTB & #IWSG )

         It's all in the title of this post so I guess you might be able to see where I'm going here.  If you know, you know and whatever else.  Sit back and enjoy...

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.

     It's almost like a cliché I guess.  It's the first song I thought of when I figured I'd take a blogging break.  I do need one I think.  Or what I really need is to figure out where I go next with my blog.  Let me think on this awhile and you can tell us which version of this song you like best.  Thanks for playing along!

The Happenings  "See You In September"  (1966)

t

Julie Budd  "See You In September"  (1972)

Time to Vote!

        This is my last Battle for the summer so please help make it a good one.   You're supposed to vote on one of these song versions.  Which one do you prefer?  Battles are no fun without you the reader participating.    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

Landmark Sounds (Diedre Knight)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS BY DEBBIE D

Trivial Music Silliness

Results on July 7th

        I hope so at least.  I'll likely be doing some traveling so I'll do what I can.  But you do have to vote to provide me a greater sense of urgency.

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 July 2 posting of the IWSG are Rebecca Douglass, Natalie Aguirre, Cathrina Constantine, and Louise Barbour.

July 2 question - Is there a genre you haven't tried writing in yet that you really want to try? If so, do you plan on trying it?

          I've done a lot of writing experiments in younger days. I don't know that I've missed out on much.  Maybe mysteries of some sort.  I've never been too effective at writing such things, but I've wanted to try someday. Probably won't, but who knows.  Perhaps one day if I get really bored and become infused with inspiration.  You never do know.

Have a wonderful summer!!!!