Diversity Land ( #BOTB Results )

 Back some time ago folks eyed coming to California to pursue their golden dreams.  Then it was sunny weather, beaches, and Disneyland.  Now many who can afford to do so are fleeing the state while others like me are dreaming of going back East.  The nice weather is still here and the beaches aren't going anywhere--yet.  These days I don't know how people can afford to go to Disneyland or why they would even want to go there anyway.  Forget the what used to be The Magic Kingdom.  Welcome to Diversity Land...

What Happened?

     Most of  my elementary school years were spent living in San Diego.  Those years between 1958 and 1963 were for me a kid's paradise.  The city was still relatively small and there were plenty of wild canyons for a kid to explore nearby the vast housing developments being flooded with those post World War 2 families looking for a good place to raise their children.  It was a very good place. Those were some great times for me and probably many of those kids that lived all around me.

      Then as circumstances would have it, my family moved back East not far from my Cleveland Ohio birthplace.  First we went to Northwestern Indiana and then to East Tennessee.  In those years the nation saw the assassination of a President as well as a few other figures who many looked up to.  As I entered my teen years, the war in Viet Nam inundated the national conversation.  Still my life was decent. I had good times and grew into an adulthood that included some great jobs, a couple of marriages, and four kids of my own.  Most of the time I was pretty darn happy.

       In 1991, when I was offered a job in the Los Angeles area, I jumped at the opportunity.  My situation in Tennessee seemed to be at a dead end of sorts and my good memories of living in California were luring me back to that Golden State.  Things for me had to get better then they had become.  So I followed the money (not really that much as I think back) and the possibilities that this new life seemed to promise.

      Now here I am some thirty years later wishing I could go back to that old Tennessee home or someplace like it.   It's not all that easy for me to just pick up and go since it's more than just me.  Not that life is horrible.  I live in a part of Los Angeles where I feel safe and comfortable and things are very convenient for me.  I have to venture out away from my town to see those homeless encampments and these days with high gas prices I can't afford the leisure drives my wife and I used to take.  There is certainly some crime in our area, but not like you see on television news.  

        I'm thankful for all that I have, but I do wish I could have something different.  But to quote that old song, "You can't always get want you want".  So I guess I've got what I need to some extent.  I don't need to go to Disneyland and I don't demand any kind of diversity.  We've got as much diversity in my neighborhood as I care for and don't need to get into the realms of weird diversity land.

        Once there was a dream called California.  Now people are leaving in droves.  When I talk to friends in Tennessee they say the place is booming and being overrun by people from California.  I mean, really, what happened?

          And speaking of what happened...

Battle of the Bands Results

The Battle of L.A.

       My most recent Battle consisted of three different songs with the title "L.A."   Considering the diversity of styles, the outcome was pretty equally diverse.  Personally I liked all three songs.  Normally punk rock is not my favorite genre but the song by Los Illegals did capture my interest when I heard it in the film Mur Murs and I liked the actual album version even better, especially the drumming.

       I also enjoyed the song by Jackie DeShannon.  Bright and sunny like Southern California, this song has a fun pop sound that carried me right back to my high school years when that was a style of music we listened to much of the time.  I'll have to be honest--that song has been ringing in my head since I found it for this Battle.

        However, most of you who know my musical tastes probably can guess that my vote goes to the song by Neil Young.  There is a gritty realness to the sound and the lyrics with enough sarcasm to give me a wry smile.  Yeah, here's my L.A. and that's what I voted for.   And that means a tie.  Still not a bad outcome though.

Final Vote Tally

Los Illegals                      3 votes

Neil Young                       6 votes

Jackie DeShannon          6 votes

Next Battle????

        Maybe I'll have a Battle on the 15th, but more likely it will be on September 1st.   Right now I'm not sure what will happen.  I've got some things going on that I might have to address and I might not be focusing on blogging in the next couple weeks.  We'll see though.  After all, I'm in L.A....

L.A. ( #BOTB & #IWSG )

     What do you think of L.A.?   And I mean Los Angeles CA in case you're in doubt.  Those of you who live here or nearby certainly have some kind of opinion.  If you used to live here you must have left for some reason, but was it L.A. that made you leave?  

       Whatever you may have seen or heard or read about L.A. is probably true and a whole lot more.  It is one heck of a diverse place.  Rich, poor, conservative, liberal, crazy, sane--they're all here (with an emphasis on the crazy).  There are some who are happy as well as some who are discontent with this place.  And there are likely many who think whatever they think depending on the circumstances of the day, the hour, or the minute.  This city sucks and it's amazing at the same time depending on how you're viewing it and any given time or perspective.  And someday the powers beyond our control might just suck this city down into the bowels of the Earth.  Did I hear someone say, "that's where it belongs"?  

      There are a lot of people and groups to try to please in this metropolitan chaos and one thing is for certain:  You can't please everybody, not even some of the time.   It's kind of like writing I suppose...

(cue music for opening credits...)

        

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 August 3 posting of the IWSG are Tara Tyler, Lisa Buie Collard, Loni Townsend, and Lee Lowery!

August 3 question - When you set out to write a story, do you try to be more original or do you try to give readers what they want?

        Just like managing a city or a business in that city, you want to try to accommodate as many as you can, but the fact is you cannot please every single customer.  That's how I look at my writing.  I'm not looking to be totally absolutely original in what I write, but I try to stick to a style and subject matter that I want to read.  If I like what I've written then I will hopefully find that target audience who appreciates the same thing.  Naturally the more who want to read my writing, all the better--especially if I'm making some kind of income from that writing.  

        Then if I've established some kind of audience (customer base) then I want to give what they expect which is what they very likely want.  It would seem kind of nutty to write something that was way out of my realm of interests that would turn off readers unless I were doing so for purely experimental reasons and that is something I only might do for the novelty of doing it.

         

       Original ideas are great, but trying to go out of my way to sound original doesn't make that much sense unless I've been paid specifically to to that and in that case I doubt that I'd want to keep doing it.  Unless I liked the new style.  How often does that happen?  No, I'd rather write what I know, as the saying goes, and that includes a style and topic that I'm comfortable writing. 

      After all, I don't write to torture myself or any readers I might have.  Just like I don't live here in L.A. to torture myself.  Though that point I might question. 

        How about some views from some songwriters who have written about very different aspects of Los Angeles in some very distinctive musical styles?   

   cue intro for....

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.

L.A.

     If you look up "Songs about Los Angeles" on Wikipedia you will find hundreds on the general topic and well over 30 with just the simple title "L.A.".   A lot of songwriters have been inspired by some aspect of the city both good and bad.  Let's face it--not everyone is singing "I Love L.A.".   A place as big, diverse, historical, and influential is bound to provoke a lot of inspiration and discussion.  Many songwriters and musicians come to L.A. because of the music scene and invariably many write songs about the city.   In this Battle I will present three different perspectives of opinions about L.A. in three different styles.  Please listen and let us know which song is most to your liking...

Los Illegals   "L.A."  (1981)

        This song was the inspiration for this Battle.  The song was performed in a documentary I recently saw on TCM.  Mur Murs (1981) is a French film directed by Agnès Varda which explores the graffiti and murals of Los Angeles.  I found the film to be a fascinating look at Los Angeles in 1980.  Seemed not much different that the city is now except many of the murals in the film are now gone though new murals have taken their places.  This song by Los Illegals is about the situation faced by illegal immigrants coming to the city.  Things haven't changed much in forty years.  The punk style seems like the appropriate genre to express the feelings conveyed in the song.  Lyrics are available on the video if you want to know what they are saying...

Neil Young   "L.A."   (1973)

        When I heard the previous song in the film Mur Murs, I immediately thought of one of my favorite Neil Young songs of the same title and decided that I had a Battle of the Bands installment.  That's often how these Battles come about for me. Neil Young's song "L.A." comes from his somewhat obscure and difficult to find live album Time Fades Away. This song is Young's snarky poke at the city complete with earthquakes and pollution.  Some bleak fun that has a rather nice musical sound...

Jackie DeShannon   "L.A."  (1969)

        Life in L.A. isn't all that bad when you hear it coming from Jackie DeShannon.  Almost makes you want to come here to see what she's talking about.  But it was the hippie sixties when she wrote this.  Love, flowers, and sunny days is what it's all about in this song that sounds like a commercial track or the theme song for a fun television sitcom.  Is this one more to your liking?  Or do you prefer the darker, grittier, and more realistic side?

Time to Vote!

         Don't rate the city in this Battle!  It's all about the songs.   Which song 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

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 



Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday July 8

      

           Not only will I announce the winning song/artist in my next post, I'll also have some of my own reflections about Los Angeles.  I could write my own song about it.  So much to say.

Solitaire Room ( #BOTB Results )

I'm pushing bedtime as the sound of traffic passes below.  It's a steady sound.  I thought we had stay-at-home orders or something like that.  Not many people have been staying home from the traffic I see when I'm out and about...

Solitaire Room

         My computer has been taunting me again so I've retreated into my Solitaire Room.  It's really my wife's office which also serves as a room for guests.  In that room I also have an older computer that I only use to play solitaire before I go to bed.  When the weather gets warmer like it has been today I open the window to allow cooler breezes to blow in along with the traffic noise. 

        Hopefully my computer will decide to behave tomorrow so I don't have to use my wife's computer.  Just another thing to think about in frustrating times.  So might as well move on to...


Battle of the Bands Results  

        My previous Battle was with Iggy Pop and Voltaire with their renditions of the David Bowie hit "China Girl".   I had added this song to my BOTB queue several years ago because I like Bowie's version quite a lot and noted that there were a number of covers from which to chose.  In the end I went with Iggy Pop for historical value and I did think it was kind of cool.  Voltaire was my other pick because I like the artsy rock style and the violins.  As you might guess the latter was my pick.

       Voters overwhelmingly agreed with my pick.  At least Iggy ended up with a tiny contingent of fans.  Thanks you few folks for avoiding a shut-out.

Final Vote Tally

Iggy Pop            3

Voltaire              13

Next Battle on Friday May 15

      Hope to make it if computers are willing and the COVID don't rise...

The Lure of the Undefined ( #BOTB Results )

    There's a town--a place that exists in my dreams and yet is as real to those who live there as my current home is to me.  I wonder if anyone in my dream town dreams of being where I am...

Downtown Marion Virginia  (http://www.marionva.org/business.

       Undoubtedly, you might think of stories you've heard about someone feeling the urge, the absolute draw, to go somewhere to see or even live.  Our BOTB host Stephen T, McCarthy mentioned it in a comment to me.  After having moved to Reno Nevada a few years back, he made another move which he explained in his comment:

...for now, Carson City, Nevada ("Willoughberry"), is home. I love it here, and I am convinced that God Himself directed me here. It's the place I'd been looking for since 1992. It's 30 miles and 50 years away from Reno.

      I've heard similar stories from others and I've felt that draw within myself.  For many years I had felt the draw to California.  In the end I found that draw was more of a Beverly Hillbillies revelation from an economic standpoint mostly, but it was not a lasting compulsion.  California is a nice place in many respects, but ultimately this place is feeling more like a hellhole than heaven on Earth. 

      Now I feel a lure pulling me to Marion Virginia--a small community in Southwestern Virginia nestled along Interstate 81 in the mountainous Appalachian region.  It's a couple thousand miles from Los Angeles, but it seems like a universe away in many respects. Size and traffic are the most obvious differences.  There's no shopping mall there which is fine since I can't afford to do much shopping and don't want much these days anyway.  They've got a Walmart and that provides me about as much as I need.  Besides, being on the 81 corridor puts me in convenient access to larger cities as well as putting me closer my family.

      Why Marion?  That's what I've been pondering for a couple years now.  This town first caught my attention in 1977 when I looked down upon it while passing by on I-81 as I was heading to Richmond Virginia.  Over the next couple decades I frequently made that trip.  Every time I would pass by Marion I would go into a brief fantasy about living there.  At other times when I was not on the road my mind might return to reflecting about the town.

        Aside from pulling off for gas a few times at one of the Marion off-ramps, I never actually went into the town until December of 2017.  It was very cold that day so I only spent a brief time walking downtown where I was staying at the venerable Francis Marion Hotel.  Then, last summer, I spent another night in Marion and was able to explore the surrounding area countryside as well as walk again downtown--this time far more comfortably.  The place had a feel that felt right to me. Certainly not what everyone might want, but it somehow seems like home to me.

        Marion is a pretty little place and I still don't know what it would really be like to live there. I've read some negative things as well as positive, but I'd say that Los Angeles far outweighs any bad things that Marion has to offer and the "good" things in L.A. are probably not as good to me as they might be for some other folks.

         But let me cite a few things that I've discovered over the past few months about Marion that I find interesting in respect to me:

• Marion was named after Francis Marion, a revolutionary war hero who was immortalized in the Disney series "The Swamp Fox"--one of my favorite TV shows when I was a kid in the 1950's.  Francis Marion was also the inspiration for the Mel Gibson role in the 2000 film The Patriot (among my favorite films).
• Marion is the jumping off point for "The Back of the Dragon" which is a curvy mountain highway well-known to bikers.  Near Maryville Tennessee (another of my favorite towns that I dream of  settling down and where I had lived before moving to L.A.) is the jumping off point for another famed biker destination--"The Tail of the Dragon".  
• In my absolute favorite film--yes, The Greatest Showman--one of the main characters is the Bearded Lady Lettie Lutz.  The real life Bearded Lady who had gained famed in Barnum's attraction of the 19th century was Annie Jones, who had been born in Marion Virginia. 
• One of my best friends from church came from the Southwestern Virginia region and is well aware of Marion since he has cousins living there and has often visited the town.  This connection is part of what drew us together.
• Real estate seems to be very reasonable.  If we sold our California house right now we would probably have enough to buy a very nice house on a decent plot of land and still have a whole lot of money left over.
• And though I could probably think of many more things about Marion that seem to somehow connect to me, my final entry on this list is the fact that I've been following an excellent young Christian band called Forsaken Hero and they are from Marion Virginia,       

      Call it what you will, but to me some of this seems a bit more than coincidence.  Maybe I'm forcing pieces into a jigsaw puzzle.  Maybe I'm just dreaming.  I probably am, but I can dream can't I?   Sometimes the dreams are what keeps us going.  While at other times dreams inspire a Battle of the Bands like my last one...

Battle of the Bands Results

      My most recent Battle was between Christian themed versions of the song "From Now On" which comes from the movie musical The Greatest Showman. The versions I offered were from Susan Shiebler & Company from New York and Forsaken Hero from Marion Virginia.  I think both versions are outstanding, but I think I've demonstrated my bias in statements previously made.

      So there's probably no secret to how I voted, but if you haven't figured it out my vote goes to Forsaken Hero from Marion Virginia.  When I first watched their video I was moved to the point of tears.  Later I showed the video to my wife--no fan of most rock music, but like me a big fan of Greatest Showman--and when I looked at her at the end of the video I could see by her face that she was also moved.

       Thankfully I didn't have the lopsided outcome as my previous Battle though it was still a decisive outcome.  I'm happy that my pick was the winner, but my commendations go to the other group of artists who are also winners from my perspective.


Final Vote Tally

Susan Shiebler & Company       6 votes

Forsaken Hero                              12 votes



Next Battle on Monday July 1st

        Summer is taking it's blogging toll on all of us from the appearances of things.  Bloggers are dropping like flies as real flies are probably annoying some of you.  I'm kind of lucky where I am since I rarely see any flies around my house.  Maybe the lizards eat them.  I'm okay with lizards in my yard, but I sure hope those rats from downtown L.A. stay there and don't migrate to our neighborhood.  Hope the homeless folks stay there too.  Our local removed a bunch from our community last year to the chagrin of the city of L.A. officials.

         By the way, if you've seen TV reports about the homeless in Los Angeles, believe me it's not a hyped story.  I avoid downtown these days other than passing through on the freeway, but you can still see the encampments as you pass by.  It is disturbing.  I've got a solution, but our spineless local and state government would never put that plan into action.  It's a sad state of affairs.

       It's also another reason that I would be lured to Marion Virginia.

       I'm looking for feedback:  Do you know anything about Marion Virginia?   (Thank you Cathy for your input on this in my last post)   Would you feel content in a small town?  What would be your solution to fixing the homeless problem?
     

Pick a Paul on a Bland Song (#BOTB)

        We sometimes hear someone say how much they love this city or that.  Well, that feeling ain't mutual.  The city is a heartless place that doesn't play favorites...

 
The Mean Streets of Los Angeles
 
        Here I am on a rainy Monday morning in Los Angeles.  It's colder than I care for these days and that rain doesn't look very inviting.  The forecasters say that the rain will be here for the next four days.  Not common for L.A.  It might be the end of this world as we know it.  Or maybe just more flash floods in Malibu.  Oh well, I guess I'm okay where I live.  I'm just not going to go outside if I can avoid it.

          This morning, aside from watching the rain, I wasted another 45 minutes of my life watching a police pursuit through the streets around the Compton area.  These car chases are not particularly unusual in L.A. except when it's pouring rain like today.  The rain is unusual. The driver was navigating the streets cautiously under the circumstances, with emergency flashers on and stopping at most red lights while pursuers stayed at a distance so as not to provoke the driver.  Fortunately there were no mishaps during the pursuit.

           At the end of the chase, the driver compliantly exited the vehicle and began stripping down to underwear, something I had not seen in previous pursuits.  As the cameras zoomed closer it became obvious that the driver was a woman and a rather heavy woman at that.  The lady was put into a police vehicle as the television stations resumed with regular programming.

           Just another day in Los Angeles, albeit an unusual one because of so much rain.  Three more days of predicted rain. Might be interesting--or maybe not.  Hopefully you'll find this Battle of the Bands to be interesting...


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 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.

Bobby Blue Bland

    A couple of years ago, Stephen T. McCarthy (our BOTB host) offered a Battle that featured Bobby Blue Bland.  In my comment I had mentioned that I wanted to find something by Bland with covers by other artists.  The best song choice that came to my attention was "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" of which many excellent covers can be found on YouTube.  You might be most familiar with the cover as done by Whitesnake on their first album.

      I had a tough time narrowing this Battle down to just two so I went the gimmick route:  Two male artists from the UK who have been concurrently on the popular music scene for many years and both named Paul.  You might know their names and past affiliations so I won't delve into this.  You can always look them up if you want more info.  And if you want to hear the original version as done by Bobby Blue Bland then you can find that here.  Don't vote on it--I'm just offering this link to those who are curious.

      So, let us continue with the Battle combatants...


Paul Weller  "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City"  (1997)

         Injecting a lot of rock into some blue-eyed soul sound, Weller puts a rugged edge on things with his version.






Paul Carrack  "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City"  (2009)

          More in keeping with the original version, this big brassy performance was recorded live at St. Albans, UK.






Time to Vote!

     Show some love and please vote in this Battle.  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.

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

Angel's Bark  

Debbie Doglady's Den

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Cherdo on the Flipside

A I Love Music


Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday January 21st

     By the way, things have been stirring over the A to Z Blog so you might want to drop in to check things out.  Once again Jeremy Hawkins has come up with some neat graphics.  At the helm of things is the ever amazing J Lenni Dorner and again the team is rounded out by Jayden R Vincente, John Holton, and Zalka Csenge Virág.  Keep in mind that this will be the 10th annual Challenge so you might want to join us in the milestone year.   Watch the Challenge blog for updates.

        Do you ever get caught up in watching police pursuits on television?  Do you prefer country life or city living?   Does the future belong to the city or the rusticity?  

Fun in Los Angeles (#BOTB)

Montage of Los Angeles pictures on Commons (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Are You Ready for Some Fun?
      
          I've been living in the Los Angeles area for over 26 years now and rarely go many places.  There are several places like Venice Beach, La Brea Tar Pits, Griffith Park or Hollywood that I've been to many times.   Those are places I know from repeated visits having taken out-of-town folk there.  Everybody goes to those kinds of places.  And they're not overly expensive like going to Disneyland which if anyone is going, they can go without me.  

         Then there are those places you pass through or pass by.  Sometimes I'll linger in those places if I'm looking for some restaurant that I've heard about. But looking out as I drive through I see a lot of those nondescript urban areas of mysterious factories, an assortment of businesses, and clusters of older housing.  That's where a lot of people live and this is their neighborhood.  I'd say my neighborhood might look strange to some people just passing by.  But I think it all looks pretty normal.

         That's where you'll usually find me--home in my neighborhood where everything seems pretty normal. Still, there are plenty of  people who are getting out and about.  Some are tourists seeing the highlights.  Some are just people doing the everyday stuff that they as people do. In my Band Battle today I'll be looking at both groups from two different musical perspectives.

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 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.

          
Filmed in L.A.

          In this Battle I present two music videos filmed in Los Angeles but from very different points of view.  This Battle was inspired by Stephen T McCarthy's post with a Los Angeles theme.  Though the songs I'm using are not geographically specific the videos are most definitely filmed in the Los Angeles area.  The perspectives are very different as are the musical styles.  Hope you enjoy these...


Jenny and the Mexicats   "Verde Mas Alla"  (2012)

     Trumpet player Jenny Ball from the United Kingdom was eighteen when, while touring with an orchestra, met up with a couple of Mexican musicians at a flamenco bar in Spain.  After some "let's start a band" dreaming, the trio joined up with a Spanish cajón player to begin producing a delightful mix of traditional and pop music styles.  Jenny learned enough Spanish to begin writing songs in the language and the band began recording.  Now based in Mexico City, Jenny and her Cats continue to make great music in English as well as Spanish.

       Over the past couple years Jenny and the Mexicats has become one of my favorite bands.  These highly talented musicians play an eclectic mix that ranges from traditional flamenco to rock and a bunch of styles in between.  Many of their songs appearing on YouTube have as many as two or three video versions with additional live videos shot by fans.  The band has chosen to remain independent, recording under their own Mexicat label.

      The song "Verde Más Allá"  or "Green Beyond" is about a woman who has apparently extricated herself from a relationship and is enjoying her life.  She prefers not to work, but to spend her days dancing and drinking pints of Caguama beer and just having the best time that she can have.  As to the "green" in the title there is some controversy about what it means, but taking Jenny's word for it she would rather the listener come up with their own interpretation.  It makes me think of the old expression "The grass is greener on the other side" which fits with the rest of the song story.

      This video version of the song is basically a tourist view of Los Angeles with stops in Venice Beach, Griffith Park, and Hollywood.  These are some of the places I typically would take visitors who had not been to Los Angeles before.  In fact, the guitar player at the 1:06 mark in the video is a guy who I've seen in most of my own visits to Venice Beach.

       Enjoy the music and take in some of the sights here in Los Angeles. This is pretty much where I'd take you if you were visiting me...






Postino   "I Love It"  (2013)

       Not much in the way of lyrics to this song--the title says it all. This bit of crazy jazzy electronica was devised by the South Korean music producer Junho Lee who is based in London.  There is some hot playing in the soundtrack and what can one say about the visuals?   Guff.com says it well I think:  "For those who have never been to LA, this is actually normal. This isn't even a music video. It's just a typical Thursday here."

        No tourist spots in the video, but there are the typical things one might see while driving in Los Angeles--or walking around town dressed like something out of Where the Wild Things Are.  I particularly get a kick out of the scene in the convenience store and later on the bridge when the little boy tries to hold the girl's hand.  Watch for those bits because they are a hoot.

         If this song doesn't get you moving on the first hearing then play it a few times and I can almost guarantee you'll be moving with the beat if not dancing outright.  Maybe I'm weird--okay I'll admit it:  I'm weird.  I like this one.






Time to Vote!

        You got songs and you got videos.   Which song version do you like best?   Which video did you enjoy the most?   You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.  The videos are both relatively shosrt.

        Please vote on your favorites 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

 ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ 

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

The Doglady's Den 

Angel's Bark  

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Cherdo on the Flipside 


Winner of this Battle Announced on December 21st

         Since I'll be taking some time off starting next Friday December 22nd, I'll be posting the winner of this Battle on Thursday the 21st.  That gives you plenty of time to vote.  And if you're obsessive like I am then you might be listening to both of these videos a number of times between now and then.  Please vote and then come back on Thursday to see if your choice came out on top.   I'll also be telling you then what is in store for Tossing It Out after that.

     Do you have any favorite tourist attractions near you where you would tend to take house guests?   When you visit someone do they usually take you to places they consider highlights?   Do go out to visit attractions near you?

Just Another Day in L.A.

 Shelves of packaged food inside a Ralphs grocery store in Los Angeles
. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

        The other day I needed some groceries so I went to the supermarket near my home.  It was still fairly early in the morning--a bit earlier than my normal shopping excursions--but I just wanted to get this grocery trip out of the way so I could go on to the other things I wanted to do.

       Grabbing a shirt that I'd tossed over a chair the day before, I put it on and plopped my cell phone in the pocket.  My mind was a jumble of the things I needed to buy at the store and the things I wanted to do later.  I rarely make lists, tending to instead think and rethink my list until I have it pretty well memorized.  What that sometimes means is that I not only occasionally forget an item or two that I meant to get, but I also end up getting a bunch of stuff that I hadn't set out to get.  That's the way I shop these days.

        Today seemed no different than most, a bit cooler and hazier perhaps, but still with every indication that it would be just another beautiful warm sunny Los Angeles day while back east folks were suffering record-breaking cold and snow.   And just a few days prior to this one we'd recorded a record-breaking hot day in the 90's.  I thought about those weather things while I drove half listening to the talk show on the radio and looking around at the urban world as I passed through it, all the while trying to drive carefully.  I looked into the other cars to see who I might see, not to think I'd see anyone I'd know, but just to see what kind of people were in those cars.

         After I pulled into my parking space at the Ralph's Market, I sauntered inside noting that at 8:30 in the morning there were less people at the market than at the normal 10 or 11 o'clock hour that I usually came here. A lady with a kid in her cart of groceries was heading to her car.  An elderly couple was heading into the store.  There would not be that many people shopping at this time of day. Easy in and out would be good and I didn't have that much to buy anyway so that would be fine with me.

         So I grabbed a cart and began strolling first through the produce department where I looked at the apples but didn't buy any and then grabbed a bunch of bananas that were on sale for fifty-nine cents per pound.  As I made my way through the aisles that mattered to me plucking what I needed off of the shelves, my mind wandered to things like a movie I had seen recently, blog posts that I planned on writing, and what I should have for lunch.   I considered buying some kind of chips but deferred on that purchase, but did pick up some coffee creamer that I remembered that I was running low on.

       Then finally done with the shopping I pulled into one of the two check-out lanes that were open, loaded the conveyor belt with the few items I had picked up throughout the store, and reached into my pocket for my Ralph's loyalty card to give to the cashier.  It was at that moment I made a horrifying discovery.   I was not wearing any pants.  There I was in my tighty-whities and a shirt I'd pulled off of a chair.  At least I had remembered to stick my feet into some shoes before I'd left the house.  How I ever forgot my pants was beyond me.

        Stunned, I stood for moment feeling utterly idiotic.  A lady behind me was unloading her cart onto the check-out belt seemingly oblivious to my presence.  From the customer service counter a store manager looked up at me and then returned his attention downward to some paperwork he'd been studying.

        "Do you have your Ralph's card?" the check-out clerk asked.

         For a moment I just stood there probably looking amazingly vacant and dumb until my feeling of stupidity turned into embarrassed humiliation.  "I'm sorry, I left my wallet at home."

         Avoiding looking at anyone, I left the store trying to appear as casual as I could but still be in a sort of hurry.  Fortunately, I had left my keys in my car and my car was not locked.  I got into my car as though nothing was unusual and began to drive back home.  This time I was not looking at other drivers.  I hoped that no one could see that I was driving without pants.  I especially hoped that I wouldn't see anyone who knew me.

        No neighbors were in sight when I pulled into the driveway and I scurried into the safety of my own home which is a verified no-pants zone if I want it to be.  Relieved to be inside, I heaved a deep breath and stood without thinking momentarily.  Then, slowly, like an old machine with giant gears and cogs, my mind started working again.

         I wouldn't go back to the store today.  We had plenty of stuff to last for days anyway.  I thought about what I should have for lunch later on and then for dinner that evening.  For now I'd go back upstairs and get on the computer.  Maybe there were some comments on my most recent blog post. I'd check on that.  Later I should probably vacuum since it had been a few days since I'd last done that.

       After the week-end I'd go grocery shopping. There would be more things I needed by then and this time I'd write an actual list.  Hopefully no one would remember about me having come in there before with no pants.  Come to think of it no one really seemed to notice that I wasn't wearing any pants.  I never heard a comment or saw anyone pointing and laughing or anything like that.  Probably no one even saw that I was not wearing pants.

       A man in the grocery store with no pants on.   Just another day in L.A.

   


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