Computer Connection? ( #BOTB Results )

       I'll be keeping this post short and basic.   Looks like my Lenovo desktop computer has gone kaput.   I really can't complain since I inherited it from my late stepfather in 2012 and he'd had it for a couple years prior to that.  I guess I shouldn't complain about a good computer that has given me seven years of reliable service.  I'm going to miss that good old computer.

      For now I'm using my wife's computer, but that is going to have to be a very short term solution.  My old notebook computer kind of ground to an interminable state of slowness and is no longer functional.   I guess that means New Computer Time!  Any suggestions?

      What I want to find is not only a basic warhorse for composing blog posts, looking up stuff, taking care of business, and checking emails, but also something good for doing home music recording and some video editing.  Currently I'm doing research regarding this, but any input from those in the know might be helpful.

       Any thoughts?  In the meantime my online activity will be drastically curtailed until I find the best solution for me.  Maybe if this crash was destined to happen then this might have been a good time for it.  Still, I'd rather not have to deal with this expense and computer search.

       C'est la vie!

Rainbow Connection Battle

         My most recent Battle was between The Carpenters and Willie Nelson performing The Muppet Movie song "Rainbow Connection".   What a great turnout for a fight to the finish Battle!  At first it looked like Willie was going to take a handy win and then the Muppet fan club must have entered the fray to bring them up to the leader. 

         As some of you also indicated, The Carpenters did a lovely version though it was a bit saccharine like sugar infused maple sugar on sweet hotcakes.  That was my take as well.  I thought Willie gave a more genuine performance that exuded more sentiment than sweetness.  My vote goes to Willie and that brought the final tally to a tie vote.   I'm okay with that since that means the race was pretty even...



Final Vote Tally

The Carpenters                13

Willie Nelson                   13



Next Battle on Tuesday October 15th

         Well, this will happen hopefully as long as I can resolve my computer situation.  I will do what I can until then.  Why can't they just make computers that last forever...

          What kind of computer do you use?   How long have you been using it?   Where have you found to be the best place to buy a good new computer?

Rainbow Connection (#BOTB) ( #IWSG )

"I've heard that story before--a lot. Every time I hear it, there might be a few variations, but it's still basically the same story.  A good story is always worth retelling..."
                --a possible character from some future work I might write?


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 2 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!

October 2 question - It's been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don't enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

           As I typically try to approach things, I'm going to address this question with logic--or what seems most logical to me.  Using the old philosophical position that art imitates life, we might further extend it to a simpler concept that simply says "Art imitates".  Art is essentially the reproduction of that which has been seen or imagined.

           Monkey see, monkey do is the beginning of the process of learning and creating.  Learning to write and learning to read go hand in hand.  One cannot learn to write without first learning to read. And then there are the rules that must be learned so that we are all reading and writing from the same or a similar fundamental perspective.  Reading provides us with a sense of the rules of language and gives us examples of the ways in which other experienced writers use language.

          When we read more, we learn more and gain more experience.  We establish our voice by reading and hearing the voices of others.  We build our world upon the worlds others have built before us and with the help of those building the world around us.  By reading we keep up with trends in the literary market (good business sense) and try on the voices of others in order to further develop our own voice (good artistic strategy).  

          We should never stop reading because then our writing voice and idea development can stagnate.  If we stop our reading at our last favorite book then we are more likely to parrot that book rather than amalgamating many ideas, concepts and styles into something that is more true to who we are as writers.  Reading what others have written is perhaps comparable to a writing education in which we learn what exactly appeals most to us as writers.

       

          It's kind of like the song from The Muppet Movie where Kermit ponders the question: "Why are there so many songs about rainbows?"  We all have seen rainbows and the impact on each of us is our unique experience.  And when we've seen one rainbow we don't mind looking at the next one.

        Which brings us to a Battle of the Bands match using versions of Kermit the Frog's "Rainbow Connection"...

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.

Rainbow Connection

       This song was written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher for the 1979 film The Muppet Movie.  In the film the song is sung by Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson) and has since been recorded by numerous artists.   I dedicate this Battle to our BOTB "host" Stephen T. McCarthy as I know he likes both of the artists I'm using.  For me this is a very tough choice as each artist brings their own special touch to the song.

        I also dedicate this Battle to all of the dreamers out there which means all of us.  If we aren't dreaming, we aren't living...


The Carpenters    "Rainbow Connection"  (1981)




Willie Nelson  "Rainbow Connection"   (2001)








Time to Vote!

        Now it's time for the music connection.  Which artist do you like best?   Pick one and have some fun!  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





Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday October 7th

          I'll be tallying the votes on Sunday so you've got a few days to get yours in.  But don't delay!  Vote now!

           What types of literature do you predominately read?   What do you tend to avoid reading?  For those who write, does reading the works of others tend to lead you to imitation or inspiration?

My Theory of Evolution ( #IWSG & #BOTB Results)

       I didn't start out my writing life as one of a million monkeys with a typewriter, but as a regular ol' kid with a number 2 pencil and some lined notebook paper.  No monkeys in my family tree as far as I'm concerned though a few of us have been known to monkey around...

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. 

Co-hosts for the November 7 posting of the IWSG are Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Ann V. Friend, JQ Rose, and Elizabeth Seckman--be sure to stop by their blogs to thank them.

November 7 question - How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?

      Since I've been writing as far back as the third grade, my creative life has grown along with my life in general.   I began thinking in musical terms as I began writing poetry and songs.  I played violin in the school orchestra.   I learned to juggle and joined our family juggling act.  Experience has been my greatest teacher.  A curiosity about life and the world around me evolved into a quest to create

       Writing certainly did not set off my creative life, however writing became an integral part of my creative life.  The ability to express myself through written word opened up a whole new world of imagination, communication, and analysis.  I welcomed most writing projects in school when others dreaded the idea.  In my spare off-school time I would often turn to writing as well as reading. I imagined myself as a writer early on.

        Maybe it would be more accurate to say that my writing evolved in tandem with my creative life.  Writing has just been one part of the creative side of me.  It has been but one of the many things that I am.  

Battle of the Bands Results

        This most recent Battle put Michael Jackson against Willie Nelson with the old ballad "All the Things You Are".   From the outset I figured that Willie would pretty well out-distance Michael in the final vote count, but I wasn't concerned about a shut-out for this match because I was sure there would be a few who don't care much for Willie Nelson's vocals.  I was right.  No shut-out and actually not a horrible outcome for the late King of Pop.

        Since "All the Things You Are" is one of those songs that I like a great deal, I had been planning on using it for quite some time.  Finding the unique disco take by Michael Jackson cinched that choice as one for me to use since it was new to me and I quite frankly liked it.   Still Willie does the song the way I think it should be done and does it exquisitely.  I've got to join in with the majority and cast my vote for Willie.

Final Vote Tally

Michael Jackson       5

Willie Nelson           16

Next Battle of the Bands on Thursday November 15th

          I'm doing a special NANO tribute post for my upcoming Battle of the Bands face-off.   This one will be a bit quirky and a Battle that I think you'll have some fun with.

         

      Did you enjoy writing when you were in school?   Which of your talents have you honed the most in your life?   What would you most want to be known for at the end of your days in this world?  

All the Things You Are (#BOTB)

        There are so many things in life that we might dream of being.  On Halloween we can be some of those things for a fantasy fun time.  Sometimes the fun gets lost in the fantasy...

Sloppy the Clown Mask
from Morris Costumes

All the Things We've Been

       Another Halloween gone by and I hope yours was okay.  I've tended to mostly ignore Halloween since I stopped working in the business.  But the event of Halloween had a good run through my childhood.  I dressed up every year until high school and made my rounds candy gathering.  I was good at that sport, reaping a stash that would always last until the day after Thanksgiving.  On that Friday I'd either eat up whatever was left (and typically not much good was left by then) and then I'd dump the rest unceremoniously.

        Over the years we've seen so many costumes come and go as well as the traditional favorites that have likely been around for decades.  My mother usually bought us the packaged costumes.  One of my better costumes was the one I wore in 1962 when I was 11 years old.  My mother was in the hospital giving birth to my brother, Jeff, so my sister and I had to put together homemade costumes.  She used some old dance clothes and went as a ballerina.  I patched together some old clothes and hoop earrings and went as a pirate complete with facial hair drawn on with an eyebrow pencil.   Looking at a photo taken by a neighbor, I must say that my sister and I looked rather professionally costumed--far better than those prepackaged jobs we'd always gotten in previous years.

        It's not surprising to me that I eventually went into entertaining on stage and later managed a costume company.  I've played a lot of roles in my life, but we all do wouldn't you say?   Each day we can appear in different ways to different people.  Sometimes pretending just seems to be the way things are.  Some of us do our pretending with our writing.  With NANO now upon us there will likely be a lot of mental role playing as participants write (or attempt to write) their novels.

         What are your roles?   Who will you be tomorrow?   Or maybe we should just listen to a song about a more metaphoric, poetic way to look at this question...

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.

All the Things You Are

         This Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein tune was originally written for the mostly now forgotten 1939 musical Very Warm for May.  This is the most well known song from this "lost musical" having appeared in a few subsequent films and recorded by a myriad of artists over the years.  Unique in its melody and chord progression, the song has become a true jazz and pop standard.

        "All the Things You Are" is another of those haunting melody songs that I have heard and loved since I was a child.   My BOTB post of a year ago today was another similar type song, "Where or When" which was from the 1937 musical Babes in Arms.   Sadly, songwriters of recent times don't seem to write as many melodies such as these songs. 

          For this Battle I've chosen relatively recent versions by two very well known artists.  Who wins for you?  I have a feeling how this will turn out, but I'm almost always surprised by the outcomes of these Battles.   Take a listen to both and tell us who you like the best...
     

Michael Jackson  "All the Things You Are"  (1973)

         This recording comes against a visual backdrop of earlier live performances by MJ and his brothers before he became the "King of Pop" serving as a reminder of a more innocent but still immense talent that Michael Jackson was.  This version gets a lively injection of disco pop sound which might just get you to dancing in your seats...





Willie Nelson  "All the Things You Are"  (1994?)

        Slowing things down more in keeping with the original versions of the song, this video comes from a live performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.   I'm not sure about the exact date, but I'm guessing he was promoting the album that featured this song and that one came out in 1994.  With lush orchestration and Willie's expressive vocals, this rendition of the song might instill a reverie filled with memories or it might bore you to death.  You'll have to decide and let us know...





Time to Vote!

       With elections coming up this is a good opportunity to get in voting practice while having fun.  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



Winner of this Battle Announced Wednesday November 7th

       Not only will the winner of the above Battle be announced next Wednesday, but I'll also be submitting my contribution to The Insecure Writer's Support Group.  Best of luck to all of you who will be participating in NANO.  I've chosen not to be a part of this once again, but that's become a tradition with me--not participating.  

        Are you doing NANO this year?   Did you dress up for Halloween?  Do you like to fantasize about living a life other than what you're living now?  What would that be?