Nix the Mouth Mask, Give Me a Sleep Mask ( #BOTB Results )

 Wouldn't it be nice if we woke up one morning to find that 2020 had been the longest, most tortuous dream/nightmare we'd ever had in our lives?    I'd gladly take a do over without all of the nonsensical pandemic stuff and the utterly absurd Black Lives Matter/Antifa garbage.  This has been one insane year if I have my say about it...

Wear Your Sleep Mask!

       I've gotten into more arguments/discussions about the topic of face masks than any other subject that I've ever brought up.   This is particularly true of FaceBook, the go to place for fake friends and bloggers who never comment on my blog posts but will compose incessantly long tirades defending the Holy Mask.  

       In many ways social media has a way of being the biggest time waste I can think of.  Why oh why do I waste my time bringing up controversies on Facebook?  I guess it does reveal something about some of the bloggers who have become my "friends" on Facebook.  My mistake for not screening people more carefully.  And also for continuing to put up such triggering posts.  I'm baffled that people can see where I'm coming from and yet will deliver long diatribes complete with research and links.  Maybe I'm not the only one getting these missives from those bloggers.  If I am then I suppose I should consider myself honored to some degree.  That is, if one can consider it an honor to be repeatedly told the same things.  No, you haven't convinced me of your side.

       Why don't we all just remove the silly mouth masks and don sleep masks instead.  Perhaps if we hibernate for a while all of the nonsense will be gone.  Or, better yet, maybe we can wake up on January 1, 2020 and start all over again.  How about a do over?

 Battle of the Bands Results

       I thought this recent three-way Battle featuring the song "This Masquerade" was a very difficult choice.  Over the course of the week I was all over the place with my preference.  In the end I settled on the original version by Leon Russell.  But I could have gone with any of these wonderful song versions.  The win was a pretty decisive one and that works for me.

Final Vote Tally

Leon Russell            4 votes

Carpenters              11 votes

George Benson         4 votes

Next Battle on Thursday October 1st

          If I'm not asleep then I'll be back.  

      Does anyone else on Blogger dislike the new format as much as I do?

Masquerade ( #BOTB )

       I usually don't say things just to piss people off, but I say them to express my opinion.  A lot of times that opinion just pisses people off...


        Recently I saw the following meme on Facebook.  Not only did the sentiments resonate with me, but it also cried out, "Battle of the Bands"!!  September 15th is what I'm saying...

         When I saw this meme I immediately shared it on my own page.  Generally speaking, my posts on Facebook or Twitter tend to go seemingly unnoticed, but there are a few topics that seem raise the hackles of those who are passionate about certain topics.  This post was one of those, though still not any huge response.  One such respondent was a guy that I haven't seen or spoken to in about forty years.  And I've had similar online encounters.

        There was the long time friend who "unfriended" me on Facebook because of a difference in political beliefs.  Before doing so he privately messaged me to tell me of his disappointment in how much I had changed over the years. All his message revealed was that he never knew me very well if he thought I had changed as what I believe now is pretty much what I believed 40+ years ago when we used to hang around sometimes.  What I didn't bother to remind him of is that over the many years we only spoke every 2 or 3 years by telephone or when I stopped in to visit him when I was in Tennessee.  He never once called me like some of my real friends do--it was always me calling him.

         But getting back to face masks, in our time this has become one of the most divisive issues not only in the United States, but the world.  I've tried reasoning with some using logic, but usually the Maskers are passionate and unwavering about their beliefs.  They cite "science" just as the Climate Change Hysterics do.  As I pointed out in my A to Z post "Science Is Speaking",  this is a poorly framed argument since science is a field comprised of many studies, many scientists, and many points of view.  "Science" is saying nothing, but people without strong arguments like to hide behind the veil of the concept of science thinking it somehow lends credibility to a rather flimsy argument.

        So if science doesn't convince anybody then maybe some cliched slogan will do the trick.  "Wearing Is Caring" or some such drivel might make a nice play on the emotions of some, but, sorry, it just doesn't tug on my heartstrings.  My sense of logic tells me something different.

         Please don't get all upset with me and click away from my Battle of the Bands segment.  Ignore my opinion if you don't like it. Or express your own in the comment section--I've most likely heard your argument, but I'll listen one more time and if you are truly convincing then I might perk my ears a bit to listen more.  But don't get mad or unfollow me or whatever people in social media times do.  I'm just expressing myself and offering you the option to do the same.

           Besides, I'm tired of the bickering, the lecturing, and the effusion of emotions that people keep gushing out.  If you've got something that beats the logic then let us hear it.  Not sure what that would be, but I enjoy discussion.  I think I'm pretty civil about discussions, but these days disagreement sometimes seems to be an uncivil offense.

This masquerade?  (photo source)

     
Hopefully if you were able to get this far then you'll continue on to what I think is a pretty decent...

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.



Leon Russell   "This Masquerade"  (1972)

         When Russell's Carny album came out I was not initially won over.  For me it was mainly the vocal style that turned me off.  However, once I'd become accustomed to the vocals, having already been won over by the top-notch song-crafting and musical production, the album became a favorite of mine.  In succeeding years "This Masquerade" became an oft performed and recorded musical standard with a high point coming in George Benson's outstanding version.

        Typically I'd be offering an original as merely an introduction to the song for those not familiar with it.  The traditional wisdom of these Battles is not to use an original version and ask that blog visitors not vote for it and only listen.  In this case, I think some listeners might react as I did decades ago and not care for what they hear.  Therefore, I'm not going to discourage voting for this version since I don't know that it would sweep the other contestants out of the running.  This version is here for you to consider.  You can just ignore it or you can listen and consider it in the voting.  Your choice...





Carpenters   "This Masquerade"  (1973)

       I'm sure I've heard this version, but I did not recall it as I was compiling this Battle.  But it's the Carpenters and who doesn't like the Carpenters.  Many of Russell's songs seem to be a good fit for Karen's beautiful voice.  She does a wonderful job with this song...







George Benson   "This Masquerade"  (1976)

         The version by Benson grabbed my attention when it came out and, soon after, I bought the album the song appeared on.  In fact, during the eighties I became a fairly avid George Benson fan.  The guy could not only play a decent guitar, his singing wasn't bad either...

         








Time to Vote!
        
           Don't hide behind a mask!  Let your opinion be heard!  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

 ‘Storms and Stardust’ 

  '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 

A I Love Music


Winner of this Battle Announced on Tuesday September 22nd
   
        One way or another I should be here on that date to announce the voting results of this Battle.  In the meantime I'll probably just lay low in my house most of the time so I don't feel obligated to wear what I consider a mostly useless mask.  That's my opinion based on well-reasoned logic.  Besides, I don't guess I need to be going anywhere anyway.  Except the grocery store now and then and then I'll wear my mask.