FebMusMo
So this is me playing catch-up…
#4 – Post a song that was played at your first dance during middle/high school. OR Play a song that you heard during a middle/high school dance that impacted you.
It Is You I Have Loved (All Along) ~ Dana Glover
So technically, it was not played at a school dance, and I honestly don’t remember any of the songs played at any of our dances or proms. But senior year, I had one of those moments that makes a girl feel like she’s living in a fairy tale. I had picked out my prom dress and was all excited to be going to prom with my boyfriend at the time, Tim. Tim is one of the great loves of my life and this song just really captured our relationship. Now Tim hadn’t seen my dress yet, and he wanted to make sure his tux would match so he convinced me to let him see the dress. I went into my room to change and he was messing around with the CD player waiting for me. Shrek happened to be one of our favorite movies and we could quote nearly the whole thing to each other. He was playing the soundtrack to the movie when I walked into the room and this song was on. He had a huge grin on his face and he asked me to dance. There in my dining room, no makeup, no hairdo, him in jeans and sneakers, we danced the first dance of prom.
#5 – Play your favorite song about insects.
Butterflies and Hurricanes by Muse
#6 – Play the theme song from your favorite TV show (or a song from your favorite movie).
This may not be my absolute favorite TV show, but this is my favorite theme song, or rather closing credits theme song from the TV show Bones.
#8 – Play songs that remind you of your mom and dad.
Saturday nights are sacred times for my family, the radio and the fireplace. Six o’clock was the start of a 2 hour radio show called Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. There was music and skits and special guests. Eight o’clock was the Hudson River Sampler, which played all kinds local folk music. This is what my memories of my parents and childhood are made up of. The radio playing away while Dad builds model train cars, Mom knits and I color in front of the fireplace. This is one of the songs which would get us all up, dancing and singing. Even now, if the song comes on the radio, my parents will call me up on the phone to sing to me. This isn’t the exact recording of what we’ve always heard, but it was closest and best I could find on You Tube. Still, imagine a father dancing around a living room with his daughter and wife as we’re all singing this at the top of our lungs!
Waltzing with Bears
Post songs that remind you of your childhood.
My grandfather used to sing this to me when I was really little and in Gaelic, just like this group. Every time I hear the song I think about my grandfather….
Nut-Brown Maiden – Rankin Family
#9 – Post your favorite single by a one-hit wonder.
There was a time when I thought any music written after 1900s was pop music and since my parents didn’t listen to it, why should I? I think I was in about 6th grade when I first heard this in my babysitter’s car. She had the cassette tape playing and taught me all the words. After that I started listening to the radio and coming out of my classical music shell. I soon found out my parents aren’t mutant transplants from the 1920s and they both had a large record collection which included Linda Ronstadt (my father’s if you can believe that!), Sweeney Todd, the Beach Boys, Chicago and Don McLean. My father wouldn’t give him his Linda Ronstadt album, but willingly gave up the Don McLean. He claims that American Pie was the only good thing on the album, Don’s one-hit wonder. I don’t mind the other stuff I’ve heard on the album, but I do believe this song falls in that one-hit wonder category. And before you ask, I hated the Madonna version of this song. The song is an sideways recounting of the plane crash of 1959 that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Jiles Perry Richardson, Jr. The event became known as The Day The Music Died. Anyway – I love this song, and Don McLean did it right.
American Pie – Don McLean
RYN: Well, that’s kind of hard. Eli’s interrupted a few things, but usually if I tell him that I can listen at a specific time (when I get home from work) he’s pretty understanding. Sirus on the other hand can be a bit of a slacker when it comes to writing, because he wants to paint instead. He also had to have every Friday off. Mostly, they talk when they feel like it, I’ve just gottengood at learning to ignore them, or “writing” the ideas in my memory. Writing on your memory is hard, it’s taken me a LOT of practice to not mess it up. I start with a sentence, then go on to the next, repeating that first sentence, then the next. I add another, and repeat all three from the beginning. That way, I never forget the first sentences by the time I get to the last ones. For me, I can do about a page and a half that way before it gets to be too much for me to remember. I also take writing breaks when I’m doing other things (sock monkeys for instance). That way, the characters stay happy, and I get my other work done. I’m very used to writing in 10 minute intervals. That takes practice too (stopping can be hard) but you get used to it. Write or Die is a good way to get
Warning Comment
practice in for that. The site lets you program the time interval (and choose a level of irritation should you stop writing). The site is: writeordie.drwicked.com. It’s great for NaNo too, I use it a lot then. Now, I mostly I just rely on my internal clock to know when it’s time to go back to other things. That way, you get your work done, and you can still squeak writing in there. It’stough, but I’ve written five novels that way, so it can work. As for getting her to slow down… I had that issue with Eli. He wanted to skip the hard bits, or he’d lose me when he was counting things. Eventually, I think he learned to slow down just so my poor brain could catch up. Sirus was the opposite. I have to prod him to work sometimes. I hope that helps! John
Warning Comment
RYN: I’m so glad that helped! I think the Write or Die software is pretty cheap, but you could achieve the same thing if you set the timer on your stove or microwave. I have ten minute mix times at work, it’s just enough time to get a little bit in. Also, for those random times when Maggie comes out with a Very Important bit of information, I suggest carrying a piece of paper and pen inyour pocket. It’s not hard to jot something like “Sirus beats up Caleb” so that you remember it later. I tend to write primarily by hand and then type it up since I’m better at getting letters in the right order by hand. That helps with the timing as well. Absolute Write has some great tips in their forum under “Learn to Write with Uncle Jim” section if mine aren’t a good fit. Everyone writes differently after all. I could never come close to the amazing, muse-ness of Ninja Muse, but thank you for the compliment it’s nice to know I helped! Hugs, John
Warning Comment
American Pie is great! Though, Don McLean might have been a two-hit wonder…
Warning Comment