Coming and Going

A Happy Arrival!

       Another grandchild!   She is my sixth grandkid (I can hardly believe it) and my fifth granddaughter.  This is the second child of my youngest daughter, Angelina, and her partner Ray.  Logan Maria Lego was born in the afternoon on Monday November 6th.  Though it will after New Years before I can see her in person, I am excited to meet her.

     According to my daughter, the inspiration for Logan's name comes from the character Wolverine.  I guess Ray and Angie must be fans. 

    Everyone is saying that Logan looks like either my daughter, Angie, or her big sister, Marley.   Either way that would certainly make sense to me, but I've never been able to tell much who a baby looks like.  I'd say she looks like herself--beautiful!

On a Sad Note...

       In the early hours of the Wednesday morning November 8th, my youngest brother, Jeff, passed away from a heart attack.  He had been living in Nashville, Tennessee for many years.  I had been looking forward to visiting him on my way to New Jersey during the Christmas break, but now it looks like I'll be picking up his ashes from the mortuary where he will be cremated.    Then I'll take his remains to be interred next to our parents in Maryville, Tennessee.  He'd been wanting to go back to Maryville.  Now he will be home at last.

       Born in San Diego on Halloween of 1962, Jeff had just turned 55.  As a small child he was one of the youngest jugglers in the world having learned the skill at age three.  By age five he could juggle five objects, which is no easy feat.  In later years he developed a passion for music.  He had an amazing talent in all sports.

       In high school Jeff began displaying signs of mental illness.  He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and moved through a number of of care facilities throughout his life.   This was a burdensome heartbreak for my parents and especially for my mother after my father died in 1991.  My mother faithfully visited Jeff on a regular basis when he was living nearby and as often as she could when he was housed farther away until her death in 2014.  At that point I became Jeff's conservator.

        It was not easy for me to visit very often, but Jeff and I spoke via phone on a regular basis.   I will miss those conversations.  He would usually talk about CD's that he wanted me to buy for him or about his favorite musical artists.  However, there were those times when we had interesting conversations about life, death, and family.  Jeff would at times have unique outlooks concerning what was in his head or at other times absolutely crack me up with his odd sense of humor.  He too enjoyed a good laugh when I would connect with him with my own humor.  Yes, I will miss his calls.

        Something that he frequently told me was that he was saved by Jesus Christ and someday he would be in heaven.  I guess it sounds cliched, but I do believe he is in a far better place where he has peace and clarity.  Just as he never failed to end our conversations with "Love you Lee," I will leave him with that same thought:   "Jeff, my brother, I love you."

Jeff Jackson at about age 9

Here? Again? Déjà vu (#BOTB Results)

Sometimes I feel like I'm posting about something I already have written about before.  That's probably because I have done another post about the topic.  Or maybe I've posted repeatedly about the topic.  It's kind of like life.  There is a lot of repetitiveness to life, which for me is a good thing.  It helps me to remember better...

That Strange Feeling
          
Déjà vu--we've all likely experienced that feeling of having been somewhere before, meeting someone whom we feel we've already known, or being in a situation that seems mighty familiar. The subject has been written about for centuries. But I wonder if the feeling is a more common occurrence in our time?

         I would argue that the sense of  déjà vu probably is more common now primarily because of media and other sensory experiences that bombard us in many ways.  We see previews, trailers, and teasers to the point that they all become part of the background noise that is ongoing data feed into our subconscious.  

         However the true déjà vu experience can be a startling and baffling mystery that can haunt us after the event has occurred.  A few years ago when my mother was in her final hours of life, at one point in the hospital room I felt an otherworldly experience of having been there before.  It was almost as though I were looking on at the scene, remembering it as something that had happened in my past.  Afterward all I could think of was déjà vu. 

         Most of the time, incidents that evoke such feelings within me I could probably reasonably explain even though I might not totally believe my own explanation.  I think we all enjoy little mind tricks that happen to us.  It's what happens when we escape into reading or watching something enacted before us. We are willingly deceived and complicit parties to that action.  Perhaps déjà vu is a bout of self-deception.  Or maybe it is real...

        What do you think? 

Battle of the Bands Results

Where or When

          My song choice for this previous Battle was the Rodgers and Hart classic "Where or When"  The song is about a lover's experience of déjà vu.  This song is one that I remember so well from early childhood because I used to hear it often.  The melody always entranced me and still does.  And all the more after I paid attention to the lyrics.

           The vocal combatants were contemporaries on the music scene from the mid to late 20th century Lena Horne and Etta Jones.  This was an outstanding Battle with both artists staying close though Etta held the lead throughout. 

            Stephen T McCarthy described my choice of Lena Horne with his description: 

"I prefer the "sweeter", gentler vocals of LENA HORNE. Her rendition retains the original melody and the very romantic, almost mystical mood indicated by the lyrics." 

I think that's a pretty good way of putting it.

           Still, Etta won the Battle, but not by much.

Final Vote Tally

Lena Horne       9 votes

Etta Jones         10 votes






  Next Battle on Wednesday November 15th

          I'm sure I'll post something before then so please visit and comment on all of my posts if you can.   On Monday November 13th I'll be participating in Remake Blogfest which will also be the theme of my next BOTB song a few days after that.   Be there!

Where or When (#BOTB)

I've never seen a pig fly, but I've seen plenty of flies on pigs.  But that doesn't make bacon any less savory.   And what this has to do with anything I don't know...

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 November 1 posting of the IWSG are Tonja Drecker, Diane Burton, MJ Fifield, and Rebecca Douglass.

November 1 Question: Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNo project? Have any of them gone on to be published?


       When I started blogging in September of 2009, I began avidly seeking out all things blogging as well as anything to do with writing.  After all, although my blog started out as a Halloween blog, within a short period I came to the realization that what I'd rather do is write and I began to put an emphasis on writing.  Not so much technique or advice regarding writing, but I just wrote whatever inspired me at the time.  I was also posting daily in that first year, so Tossing It Out became focused on writing--my writing about things that I found interesting.

       It was not long after I began blogging that I heard about NaNo.  Having always been interested in writing for as far back as I can remember, writing a novel in thirty days sounded like an interesting challenge and challenge it was--daily posts, leaving comments, and finishing my 50,000 words in a month.  I became immersed in the writing because I was hellbent on finishing what I started.

        In my first year I came up with 50,000 words in a story that I felt proud of, but that was it.  I didn't go back to finish out the details of the story or edit what was done or anything else.  I saved my work with every intention of coming back to finish it eventually.  I never did.

         Nor did I finish my second NaNo attempt in 2010.  I met my 50,000 word goal and felt good with the product I had created then, but I've yet to go back and do anything more.  In 2011 I dived into another promising idea for about three days, then something came up that put me on a different track.  Since that attempt I've half noticed each November as it passes.  For all intents and purposes I've put writing on hold.   Oh, I'm still blogging, but there are no more NaNo projects for now.  Maybe someday, but I don't know where or when...

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.



Where or When

        This is one of those songs I've heard for as long as I can remember.  It has one of those haunting melodies that seem to evoke memories and dreams.  I suppose that would be appropriate for a song about deja vu.   Recently I watched the 1939 musical film Babes in Arms with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland and was pleasantly surprised to hear this song in the soundtrack.   Two years earlier in 1937 the Rodgers and Hart musical had been a Broadway hit.

         Since this song has been in my "someday" queue for a long time, I figured this would be a good time to feature this Battle.  And I thought it fit very well into this month's theme for #IWSG.

          There are so many great versions of this song to be found on the internet and done in so many different stylings.  I decided on two musical contemporaries who both are renown in the world of jazz, who have two distinct sounds.  They're both winners as far as I'm concerned, but I guess we all can pick one version as our favorite.

           Take a listen:


Lena Horne   "Where or When"  (1941)

         Lena Horne was a multi-faceted entertainer as well as a civil rights activist.  Besides her numerous recordings, Horne appeared in movies and television performances during her long career which spanned the years from 1933 to 2000.  Lena starts the Battle with her dreamy rendition of "Where or When".





Etta Jones   "Where or When"  (1960)

       Not to be confused with Etta James, the similarity in names might have had some impact on Jones' relative obscurity.  No doubt that Jones is an outstanding artist as displayed in this recording.  Jones came on the musical scene about ten years after Lena Horne though both were essentially contemporaries in their performing careers.  Etta definitely jazzes the tune up at a snappier pace with the help of a smokin' back-up band...





Time to Vote!

        I think this is a tough choice, but I have my favorite.   Do you have a preference between these two choices?   Which version do you like the 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

 ‘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 Monday November 6th

       You can have a few days and most of the weekend to vote, but please don't tarry--you might forget!   In the meantime, be nice on Saturday and every day for that matter.