It's time again for another edition of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, the monthly event hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh. You too can join in on the fun and education by going to the link in previous sentence and adding your blog link. But don't add your link unless you plan on actually being a part of the blog exchange. A link with no #IWSG related content is like a hollow brick which weakens the wall in which that brick is placed. After all, support is what #IWSG is all about.
And after you've read my contribution to the September #IWSG, please continue on to vote in my first September entry in my 2015 Battle of the Bands series. Also, be sure to check Alex's blog on Wednesday September 2nd for a big #IWSG announcement.
Another Brick in the Wall
“Don't let schooling interfere with your education.”― Mark Twain
| A brick wall (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Life is filled with walls that are needed as well as those that are desired. Walls can protect us from the elements, keep us secure from potentially harmful intruders, and provide privacy when we don't want others to see us. However, there are sometimes those walls that stand in our way to keep us from moving forward. Schooling and formal education are sometimes walls that become barriers to our creativity.
We sometimes construct our own walls that limit us. Our communities, friends, and family members can put up walls that are obstacles to be overcome. With so many walls confronting our paths to success it's often left up to each of us to find our own ways around or over these walls.
When I was in school as a kid and then later in college, I played by the rules when they made sense to me or when it was a matter of doing what I needed to in order to keep on progressing. Sometimes however I armed myself with a sense of humor, a stubborn persistence, or pure logic and reason to make it to the other side of whatever wall stood in my way.
In these days of my life there are still the walls that must be overcome in whatever ways they need conquering. Ultimately there are few things that can hold us back more than ourselves. I am my biggest hindrance. I build walls and then have to figure a way to knock them down. Not building those walls in the first place would be the biggest time saver and eliminator of stress.
There are enough walls that life puts before us without us raising our own silly walls. Count me guilty of putting up walls of excuses, distraction, and dalliance. What about you? Are you aware of the walls that keep you from reaching your goals?
Battle of the Bands: Another Brick in the Wall
With back to school time here again I wanted to find a song that seemed most appropriate for the occasion. "Another Brick in the Wall" was the song that popped into my mind very first thing. I attempted a playful approach on my previous post using a topic with controversy woven together with hints about the song I was going to use for this Battle. However most readers were drawn into the controversy and entered into a very stimulating debate on the education related topics. Only one commenter offered up a guess and she guessed correctly--congratulations Birgit.
Most of you are probably familiar with this song by Pink Floyd, but if not you can find the original version by clicking here. Don't vote on their version--only use it for reference. The song has been covered numerous times and in various styles. This Battle of the Bands edition offers two versions that are very different from the original.
Daria Plyushko "Another Brick in the Wall" (2011?)
This Russian fashion model has several music and fashion videos on YouTube, but otherwise I didn't find much about her. Take a listen to her laid back lazy sounding version of "Another Brick in the Wall". Since this is a "chill" version it has a comparably lengthy instrumental intro to set the mood, but then again this version is only a few seconds over three minutes so it's pretty darn short despite that instrumental intro.
Gavino Loche "Another Brick in the Wall" (2013?)
In other BOTB contests between vocal and instrumental versions, some of you prefer hearing the lyrics. Maybe you'll prefer the previous version because of that, but then again the virtuosity displayed by Gavino Loche might sway some voters. I'm sure the musicians out there will especially appreciate this version of the Pink Floyd song.
Time to Vote!
Don't let anything stand in your way to keep you from voting on this Battle. Which song version do you like the best? Surely you think one is better than the other even if you don't like either presentation as much as the original version. Just judge what you hear in the above videos. Which version do you prefer? It's up to you to help determine the winner.
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 (or which one was the least objectionable to your ears). 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:
‘FAR AWAY SERIES’
StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’
'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'
DC Relief Battle of the Bands
The Doglady's Den
Angel's Bark
Cherdo on the Flipside
Jingle, Jangle, Jungle
Women: We Shall Overcome
Book Lover
J. A. Scott
Quiet Laughter
Results on Monday September 7th
What "walls" have been standing in the way of your personal progress? How do you get past the walls that hinder you in life? Has anything in your educational history had a detrimental effect upon your creativity?





