My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2025 the theme is a random assemblage of things that are on my mind--or that just pop into my mind. Whatever! Let's just say I'll be "Tossing It Out" for your entertainment or however it is you perceive these things.
Life is filled with paradoxes, the biggest one being that life itself is a paradox. Have you ever seen how much you can do in one single minute? I've had dreams that lasted mere seconds yet seemed like lifetimes...
Arlee Bird with youngest daughter Angelina in March of 2006
Being a father is a whopper of a responsibility. So is being a son, a sibling, a friend, or a decent neighbor to people I rarely see and often don't know their names. Sometimes I become overwhelmed by my own smallness in a huge world in an infinite universe. Things that I care about are literally all over the map.
I'll eventually figure out the solution with which I feel most comfortable or have to accept. Until then, here is the main point of this current post...
Battle of the Bands Results
My most recent Battle was between two versions of the old standard "If I Didn't Care" as performed by the Ink Spots and David Cassidy. I was hesitant with this pairing as I thought the original Ink Spots version might clean Cassidy's clock. But apparently my better judgment worked once again to present a good race.
Cassidy does a very credible job with his version and he still has fans as shown by his good showing out of the starting gate. Then the Ink Spots took a strong lead and my vote goes to make that a one vote bigger lead giving them the win. Still it was a nice showing for the late teen idol.
Final Vote Tally
Ink Spots 16 David Cassidy 11
Next Battle on Monday October 15th
Maybe I'll tie into Halloween or something seasonal for this next one. Whatever it is I hope to make it a good one.
Have you ever woken from a sleep that seemed to have lasted for hours and then realize you were only asleep for a few minutes? Is your family geographically scattered? Are they scattered in any other ways?
If we don't have some bad in life it's harder to appreciate the good. Even though I've had my share of the bad, I can't say that I'd envy anyone else's life no matter how good it seemed...
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.
October 3 question - How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?
Maybe I care too much about what's going on in my life even though some might say that I don't seem to care about much of anything. Over the past year or so I haven't been writing much and I can point to major life events hitting me from all sides. It's all been a distraction for sure, but somewhere within me I have the power to write. I've seemed to have developed a strange aversion to writing of late.
A lazy streak within me plays a discernible role in my lack of writing initiative, but still there is a spark that is failing to roar into a blaze of creativity. Frequently I think about what I want to write or what I might write eventually. Ideas and words continually flow in and out of my sphere of thought. Then I get distracted by my world, my life. Writing gets put on hold again.
In my past I have often retreated into writing as a means of expressing myself or venting my emotions. Writing for the most part helped me get through high school and college--and I mean writing aside from that which was required by my classes. Through stories I could escape into worlds where my real life troubles were translated into fantasy which in turn was cycled into expression of my feelings and my beliefs. My writing was my communication to some unknown reader in some other point in time.
As I have alluded to in previous posts, my writing that has been fueled by my most intensely troubled times has typically been songs. Lately my songwriting drive has returned, not so much due to any painfully emotional times, but a complex series of events and circumstances that have come together to create that perfect storm of dilemma. Don't get me wrong: Life has been good. Still, there is a diversion of thought present that makes me want to escape into song more than story.
In the meantime there are my memoirs to which I must return. There are novels and short stories. I need to write, but for now I apparently don't want to write. Well, I want to write, but I am not compelled in the way that would work to my advantage as a writer.
Writing calls. I keep hearing songs. Those are what I will write for now and hopefully I can find a way to get them recorded in a way that does them justice.
Anyone want to start a band?
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 blogs there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month. My blog is one of those with a second Battle on 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.
If I Didn't Care
The #IWSG questions along with my current patterns of thought in this year led me to use this wonderful song that has been a tune that I've heard throughout my life. Some of you might remember this song from the film The Shawshank Redemption. It's a song that has been oft recorded since its original introduction in 1939 by The Ink Spots. Such a haunting melody expressing thoughts that we've all likely experienced.
Caring can be painful and distracting, but if we never cared about anything then we would lack passion. A life without passion is not a life that I'd want to live.
The Ink Spots "If I Didn't Care" (1939)
As with many other BOTB participants, I usually will avoid an original. In the case of this recording, since it is so old it might be new for some of you. Anyway, it's old and maybe it's not your cup of tea. You'll just have to listen and decide...
David Cassidy "If I Didn't Care" (1974)
If you were around in the 1970's then you'll likely know the name of David Cassidy He was quite a teen idol back then with his string of hit records and as a regular on the television show The Partridge Family. I saw him live in 1981 when he was touring with a stage production of George M. Cohan's Little Johnny Jones. After that I had a whole new perspective of his talent as he did a nice job in that show. Anyway, here is his more modern take on "If I Didn't Care"...
Time to Vote! I do care about your vote so I hope you will participate. What's your favorite between these two choices? Which song version do you like best? 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.
Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday October 8th
Same place, same time next week. Come back to see which version wins the most votes. Have a great week. I will try to do the same.
When have you cared so much about something that it interfered with your life? Do you ever feel like a passionate personal pursuit has been in vain? Have you ever wanted to just totally get away from your life to do something that might seem crazy to others?
