Bad News

I'm afraid I've got some bad news. I've been debating this for awhile and I've been trying to find some way around it. But for the time, I fear I need to go on another blog hiatus. No need to worry about me, I'm fine. There are just several things I need to attend to in the next few months. I'm not sure how long I'll be away, I hope not too long. Most likely, I will return in the next year. I absolutely love writing and blogging, so this decision has not been very easy for me. In truth, I'm completely gutted by it. The duties which I will be preoccupying my time with are of the highest importance to me at this time, and necessary. I hope you, my readers, my writing collogues and my internet friends will understand.

My Hero; Ultra-Boy

R.a.n.t. for month of December 2016

As I was growing up, my favourite comic book was Legion of Super Heroes. One of the best heroes was names Ultra-Boy. He had many interesting powers: flight, speed, vision, invulnerability, strength. Kind of like Superman. But what set this character apart from Superman was his inability to use more than one power at a time. Superman was always boring to me because there wasn't much he couldn't do. Ultra-Boy on the other hand, had to be creative, especially if he needed to use two different powers. Imagine a super power juggling act. If he were to discover a bomb about to go off, he could deal with it in several ways. He could grab the bomb, fly off with it into the air, quickly switch to invulnerability as the bomb went off, then switch back to flying so he wouldn't fall back to Earth. Or he could simply pick the bomb up and throw it away with super strength into space.

But I don't have super powers. That's not the way I seem to be like Ultra-Boy lately. Lately, it seems I can only concentrate on one thing at a time. I have many interests, as regular readers are well aware. I'm a writer and photographer who also enjoys learning a second language, blogging and gaming. But I tend to do only one at a time. When I'm into my blogging, I rarely do much writing (yes the two are vastly different). My photography and language skills also tend to fall by the way-side. I don't mean, I try to do more than one thing at one time, I'm pretty much talking about within a set time frame. Let's say, weeks or months. Well, now I've got a new distraction. For the past few months, I've been trying to lose weight. Depression is something I battle with and many many times I turn to comfort food. I've been cutting out almost all forms of junk-food and walking a 5K two to three time a week. I'm proud to say I've been very successful so far. In the span of 5 weeks, I've lost 20 pounds. And yet, I have so much more to go.

So, to my readers I must say this. Please bear with me. I know at times I get behind in visiting my blogging buddies, and bad at commenting, but I'm working on one thing and finding it difficult to manage doing the other things I love. Don't worry, I'll get to it. Like my hero Ultra-Boy, I just need to learn to be more creative. I just need to learn to juggle better. Perhaps my blogging colleague, Arlee could give me a few pointers?


Some questions for discussion.
What super hero can you identify yourself as?
If you could pick one super power, what would it be?
Have you / Do you read comic books? If so, what is your favourite title(s)?
Have you ever felt too lazy to work on a favourite projects? How do you handle this?
Do you do 5k's or half or full marathons?


Please note:
My next Battle of the Bands will be December 15th


Did you know?
Jeffrey Scott has his own Facebook Page?
It's true! Follow the link below.
It's a great way to keep in touch apart from leaving comments here.

Help me reach 100 follows by the end of Winter.
Current count - 66
Jeffrey Scott Facebook Page

Battle of the Bands Results - That's Entertainment

Usually, I hate when battles are clearly one sided. This battle was another one-sided battle. But for once, I don't mind. You are probably wondering why I don't mind so much. Well, I'll tell you. But first the results of the first round.
Morrissey came out fighting right away. It looked like he was going to run away with it at first, but in the end, the competitor received a vote.
Morrissey votes: Alex, FAE, Debbie & Shady
Michael Anthony Austin votes: Janet
Morrissey leads 4-1

So why is it I'm not that broken hearted about a landslide of a battle? Could it be my friends favourite artist won and I'm happy for her? Again, I'll answer that in a second, but first the second round results.
As expected, a complete run-away.
Morrissey votes: Mary, Crystal, Spacer Guy, Stephen & holli.
Morrissey leads 9-1

You didn't really expect me to reveal the answer to those above questions in this paragraph, did you? OF course not. Because to be honest, it's possible my friends favourite artist lost and I'm happy because, like last post, I'm being facetious and annoying. But am I really that crass?
Third round was more of a battle. Now that's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it.
Morrissey votes: Chrys, Cathy & Robin
Michael Anthony Austin votes: G.B.Miller & Stephanie Faris
Morrissey leads 12-3

Yes, I know. I keep so many things secret. It must be infuriating for even you, the reader. So where was I? Oh yea, the final round and results. As you might have figured, this round was another victory for Morrissey. Which means, of course...
Morrissey votes: Michele, Birgit, Cherdo, mike & Kim
Michael Anthony Austin votes: Arlee


Winner's Circle
With a final score of 17-4
Congratulations to Morrissey

Were you able to guess which artist was my friends favourites? If you said it was Morrissey, you win an additional half point this round. See? I was being nice this time.
Now enjoy the winning song, hand selected by my friend Kimberly.


Top Comments

Shady Del Knight - I found Michael Anthony Austin's vocals irritating while those of Morrissey were easier on my ears. The Morrissey version was more melodic and I appreciated the echo FX and harmony.

Janet Miles - Count me in for Michael Anthony Austin, I felt it was more true to the original. The Morrissey one was going to put me to sleep.

diedre Knight - Yep, it's Morrissey for me! He managed to make the sounds (lyrics) of screaming sirens and screeching tires much less alarming.

Spacer Guy - I think Morrissey' has a chorus or something backing his vocals up which is why his musical flow sounds better than Austin.

holli - Morrissey - definitely Morrissey!!! I love him and always have. I love the 80's!!

G. B. Miller - I never got into Morrissey when I old enough to listen to his stuff to begin with (weird UK new wave/emo never appealed to me) and the other gentleman I've never heard of. Having said that, anyone who can turn a song into a very good acoustic version always gets the nod in my book, so by default, the gentleman opposing Morrissey the militant vegan gets my vote.

Stephanie Faris - I'm going to go with Michael Anthony Austin. His voice just draws you in and the song is more upbeat, even though I've never heard of him before. I always go with the more upbeat version of a song!

Kim Trucksess - Morrissey's version of most cover songs aren't as good as his original songs, so I was ready to be unbiased despite being a fan. But alas, I'm voting for the Moz. The other version by Michael Anthony Austin wasn't too bad, actually, because I didn't mind the high vocals. (Morrissey's vocals can be just as high and even include some yodeling on occasion...so that didn't bother me too much.


Please note: My next battle will held December 15th.
Once again, thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
See you next battle.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.

Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING
YOUR DAILY DOSE
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE


Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.

Battle of the Bands - That's Entertainment

For years, one of my friends has been raving about a particular musical artist. I've never really given the artist much thought. But, I am hosting musical battles, so how can I not use the artist my friend enjoys more than all others? Well, the time for that battle has finally arrived.

Without getting too much into our conversation on the matter, she was somewhat apprehensive I use her favourite artist in an upcoming battle. In part, it may have been in jest. But it's just as likely she has a fear her artist will not rise victoriously.

Should I respect her suggestion I don't use her favourite artist? Nahhhh! Despite her hesitation, I am going along with this battle. Because, hey, what are friends for?

Kim, this one is for you. And don't forget to place your vote! Everyone else? You know what to do.

For reference only: The Jam - That's Entertainment


BATTLE OF THE BANDS
The two musical contenders for this Battle of the Bands are below.
Please listen to both and tell me who you like best.

Michael Anthony Austin


Morrissey



Those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, who do you think performs the song best? I collected the two bands to battle it out, now it's your job to vote on your favourite. Please list your preferred song choice in the comments. Additionally, let me know why you feel the way you do. Voting ends on the 22nd when I'll cast my vote (if needed) and announce the winner in a separate posting.

Additional Questions:
Have you ever done something to annoy one of your friends? In a joking sort of way?
Has a friend ever suggested a musical artist to you, that you came to enjoy?
What was your favourite bread spread as a child?

Please note:
My first BOTB in December will be on the 15th. I will be skipping the first battle of the month so I can concentrate on more writing.

If you enjoyed this Battle of the Bands feature, don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see what sort of music they are featuring. You will certainly be entertained, so click on their links below.

Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING
YOUR DAILY DOSE
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
DISCCONNECTED


Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.

Random Rants - IV

R.a.n.t. of month November, 2016

It's coming back! That's right, my R.A.N.T. feature is coming back. I've gotten so engrossed in musical posts lately, I've let my other love (ranting) fall by the way-side. Well, it's finally back.

And what better way to get into the swing of things, than with my annual Random Rants feature. Yes, every 13 month I head over to Twitter and give the job of ranting to you. (Can you believe this is the fourth year)? It's fun listening to other people rant for a change and I don't have to do the hard work of preparing a rant. Truth be told, it's a lot more work than coming up with my own. And, of course, I try to come up with some humorous and/or witty responses.

Note: I didn't say I'm successful (at writing humorous and witty), I said I try.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

(Random) Random Rants
@stinestinks - I like to rant. I was on Big Brother 16 or something.
You like to rant too? I knew there was a reason I liked you season 16.

@chakri_iiith - Life, is sometimes like the game Jenga, you make one wrong move and it all comes crashing down.
I always thought life was more like the Game of Life from Milton Bradley.

@hello_andi - when I feel like waiting 2 hours, have none of my questions answered, and leave with a still-glitching phone, I visit a #sprint store
Now I know where to go when I feel like that next time.

@rahimaxarsenal - I don't understand people who plagiarise jokes and pass them off as their own. I may be unfunny but at least I'm original.
I agree, it's as ridiculous as a box of Grape Nuts. I looked inside a box once, no grapes, no nuts. What's the deal with that?

@TARDISArchives - I can't watch a scene of Doctor Who with Donna Noble in it without the urge to rant about how AMAZING SHE IS
(rant) I do not think that word means what you think it means.
(But I agree, Donna is amazing!)


Grammar Department
@MarkMolloy - I really dislike writing "that that" in a sentence - how is this allowed in the English language?
It's not that that is allowed, it's that some people don't care how awkward it sounds. Trust me, there are worse things afflicting the English language...

@summertimedrive - Here's the think like you know what you're doing dude like you're not dumb you
...for example this sentence. I think my IQ just dropped 10 points.

@deanashraf - So I can be trusted to pay for all items I pick up in a shop, but I have to ask for a 5p bag? I KNOW THEY'RE ARE 5P IT'S BEEN A YEAR
And then... "They are are". Almost as bad as Michael Scott's "ASAP as possible."


Time is Money Department
@davidmarsh - Do you have time critical information to pass on? Just send an email and then sit around for hours waiting without saying a word.
Sorry about that. I guess an email was not the best way to let everyone know the building was on fire.

@AldWells - If you wanted something urgently don't give it to me two days ago knowing it takes two days to setup.
The building is on fire. Is it too late to ask you to install the smoke alarms today?

@HYost_Photo - Pricing goes a lot father than just for the photos. You're paying for my time, travel & editing. Good photography isn't cheap.
Speaking of editing (perhaps this should be in the grammar department), what does your father have to do with your photography?


Coffee Department
@lpatrao - Coffee with a huge dose of some rudeness from someone this morning. So unnecessary.
I guess your barista didn't have her cup of coffee that morning?

@sniperkc - " DO YOU NEED A CUP HOLDER " nah Ima walk all 5 of these drinks in the house with my hands
If you can balance all five on top of each other, I'd pay $10.00 to see that. Could you please?

@natshane - Popcorn, headphones, coffee and a good book. Then you realise, you have work tomorrow.
Gee thanks a lot! Here I was enjoying my rants article and you had to remind me I have work tomorrow.

@milda_cup - @FDNCoffee your WiFi is a joke! Came in to do some work and couldn't connect! Also music in clubs is quieter than here! Not OK!!!
If their WIFI is a joke, I wonder if I could use it to help me write better jokes. No, I agree, probably not. Nothing can help improve my lame jokes.

@Skegee_Man - The worse ones are the parents who have on the new shoes, fancy clothes, fancy car, but complain about $3. $50 worth of starbucks tho.
According to the film Back to the Future, Starbucks is supposed to cost $50 a cup. I can't imagine that. I still complain about $3 Starbucks. 


Parking Department
@Kendal_22 - I'm glad I paid $140.00 to park on campus and it takes me 30 minutes to find a spot
For my humorous comment on parking, click HERE for a short poem I wrote last year. You must read and see if you agree.

@iMello12 - Why do we have to pay parking at the hospital or no parking at the emergency? "Okie, I'm almost dying but first lemme pay my parking"
How am I supposed to make jokes if you already include one on your rant?

@alternajock33 - For the people that dont have the street numbers for their house posted for people to find you, you are a horrible person
You should see me looking for house numbers at night. I have to use a pair of binoculars. And yes, I have been reported to the police a number of times. 


Driving Department
@drdrehole - Yield does not mean come to a complete stop when you're in a merging lane that's a half mile long and the speed limit is 45.
It's either that, or people ignore the yield sign altogether. "What yield sign? I don't see no sign." Where's Bill Engvall when you need him?

@Brady_01 - Beet truck drivers can drive a man to the brink of insanity.
When I was married, my ex-wife drove me to drink all the time. Then when I was done, she came and picked me up.

@Al_Apun - Tho there's a lot of roundabouts here but people still fails to use common sense. They'd stop even tho d incoming car is miles away.
Were they looking for a yield sign?

@AmandaKingcup66 - when did it become a choice whether to stop for a red light??!
I must have missed the notification too. I guess peoples lives don't matter much to some people. And how much time are they really saving? 30 seconds? Where are they going they need an extra 30 seconds?


Restaurant Department
‏@hwiley10 - Rant for the night: DO NOT COME INTO A RESTAURANT IF YOURE NOT GOING TO TIP
And certainly don't order food if you are not going to tip. Honestly, don't you wish you knew in advance who is not going to tip?

@emmypickle18 - PSA: Please don't tip your waitress/waiter in change, you are not helping them out, and it never leaves their apron or change pouch!
My friend and I shared a hotel once for a convention we were at. Every morning he kept leaving a few dollars and some change for a tip. At night the bills would be gone but the change remained. I kept trying to explain to him why, but he never got it. Finally, on the last day, he left five dollars in quarters. After he left, I picked up the quarters and left a five dollar bill instead. (On top of the tip I was leaving, of course).

@fan_breakeven - ... because of course the point of takeaway is to order something 1-2 days after you actually want to eat it. What a joke
It wouldn't be such a bad thing if you were a traveller. Somehow, I'm guessing you are not.


Technology Department
@k8seren - As an IT person, I hate Adobe programs. I can't figure them out, the licensing is confusing, and they take 6 years to install.
Have you tried turning it off and on again?

@FrogMichaels - Pet hate: when ppl try to make their #twitter profile interesting with varied, random facts. 'Tofu, yoga & knitting'. Stop it!‏
So what's your stand on random rants?

@LauraSeeber - Anyone else get annoyed by pop ups that block the web content? If you want to lose me as a potential customer, this is how.
I have no pop-ups on my blog. Is that enough to retain you as a reader?

@Larooooon - Replacing the pistol emoji with a water gun was such a great decision. I'm sure that's really gonna cut down on gun violence.
Water guns can be dangerous. If they are filled with acid, and you are the Joker.

@browncoatgrimm - only recently started referring to emoji's as "emoji's". they were emoticons back in my day,
Back in my day, we didn't even have emoticons, we had to smile with our face. You kids today are so spoiled.

@sheilajoymags - #rant rant rant rant rant Rant Rant Rant Rant Rant Now that's how you rant on social media
So I've been doing it wrong all these years?

Battle of the Bands Results - It Takes Two

Welcome to the results for Battle of the Bands. It's a fun feature Jeffrey Scott runs on his blog. Unfortunately, Jeffrey Scott is unavailable to post the results for this current battle, so he has asked myself and two other friends if we would mind updating his blog page for him. First of all, let me introduce myself.

My name is Abigail Pettigrew. I come from the 44th century and unfortunately, I am slowly dying. But aren't we all, in our own way. Thanks to the Doctor, my last week has been filled with nothing but adventures. I even had a chance to meet Marilyn Monroe. Even in my time she is well know. OH, but I digress. It's time to get back to the battle results.


If you don't mind Abby, I'd like to introduce myself as well. Or had you forgotten Jeffrey asked us all here to help out? Honestly, some people can be so conceited.

My name is Astrid Peth, and I came from the planet Sto. I was a cocktail waitress aboard the unfortunately named Titanic Space Liner. While saving the Earth from the spaceship, which was crashing on her maiden voyage, I died. I would have been forever gone if the Doctor had not ingeniously used a local T-Mat to reconstitute, albeit incorporeally, my body.

Hi BOTB participants, Rose Tyler here. Nothing special or out of the ordinary with me, unlike Jeffrey's first two friends. Well, except for the fact I too, met the Dcotor. If I were to spend some time telling you all the things I have seen because of the Doctor, we would be here for a long, long time. Not bad for an Earth girl, don't you think?

I'm sorry, what was that? Why yes, I do bear a striking resemblance to Billie Piper. Which is probably why Jeffrey asked me to stop in and help him deliver the results for this Battle of the Bands. I've no idea why he asked the other two ladies. But then again, I have not been following along with the recent battles on this blog. So, let's get to it, shall we? I'm sure you have other things to do and the Doctor and I need to investigate a report of Slitheen on Pennsylvania Ave.


I'm honoured to bring to you the first of three rounds. I particularly enjoyed this round because it was the most exciting. Votes went back and forth. Jeffrey even contacted me personally to deliver his vote in the case of a tie. It wasn't needed, as you'll see, so I've thrown it into the mix. This means the first round resulted in a tie.
The breakdown went like this.
Tina & Rod - Michele, Arlee & Janet.
Billie - Alex, Robin and Jeffrey

As part of my duties, I was also asked to choose the comment I most appreciated. The comment I have selected was from Michele Truhlik.

"When I saw the contenders I thought this would be a "no contest" but wow, the choice is harder than I thought it would be. Billie Piper is good! That being said, I am voting for Rod and Tina. Their version is just more fun and lively. But Billie sure gives them a run for the money. She's good."

I appreciate Michele giving praise to both contestants. We can't all be winners, but we can be comforting to everyone. Win or lose.


Astrid here again. I've got the results for the second round. After the first round, I expected the back and forth game which Abby seems to have enjoyed so much. Turns out, I was wrong. Personally, I found the second round much more exciting than the second. Now, I'm not saying I like to see someone give up a fight, as it seemed Billie did, but it was still exciting to see how much Tina & Rod wanted this win. Was I expecting more from Billie? Yes. Was it exciting to see Tina & Rod take charge? Again, yes.
Here is how the vote fell (GAHH, why did I use that word).
Tina & Rod - Debbie, Mary, John, Spacer Guy (cute name, I like it) & Cathy.
Billie - Chrys

The comment I have selected was a simple one. It came from Chrys Fey. "I really liked Billie's version. I just didn't care for Tina and Rod's version".

It was nice to see Billie receive a valued comment, despite her second round lose. Perhaps the third round would be different? Take it away Rose. Errrr, what's wrong with your eyes?


I'm sorry, Rose isn't here at the moment. I am the Bad Wolf. I have vainly tried to manipulate all of time and space to insure Billie would win this round. But something has been preventing me. Perhaps the Doctor has found out what I was up to and persuaded someone to change their vote back. Nevertheless, despite my failure, I shall provide the third round results.

Rod & Tina received three votes while Billie received 2,483,653,057 votes. This means that Billie wins the Battle of the.....
What? No Doctor, I'm not using the power of the time vortex to manipulate the votes. What are you talking about? Oh very well. I'll behave. Billie received two votes. Well, she will after I repair the timeline back to its original state.

Here is the breakdown:
Tina & Rod - Stephen, Pat & Cherdo
Billie - mike, Birgit, Ace, Adric, Amy Pond, Barbara, Dodo, Jo Grant, Liz Shaw, Micki Smith, Sarah Jane Smith..... Okay, okay, just Stephen & Pat. Well, there is a reason they call me the Bad Wolf. I'm going dormant, you can talk to Rose again.

Sorry about that everyone. I hate when that happens. Before we conclude the results page, I wanted to share my choice for favourite comment. Pat Garcia shared this with us, "My own opinion is that no one can surpass the first recording by Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell. They gave that song meaning and life."

I will have to agree with Pat. I had the privilege of seeing Marvin Gaye perform in the early 80's, a decade before I was even born. Not everyone can say that. And yes, I've seen the Beatles perform live too. Having a time traveller as a best friend has it's advantages. The final results are below.


Second Chance Circle
With a final score of 11-6
Congratulations to Tina & Rod

Bad wolf again - We were ordered by Jeffrey Scott to share a video from the winner. But no one tells the Bad Wolf what to do. I rather like Billie. She looks a lot like me. So enjoy the second chance you have to watch her perform for you.



Secret Theme Reveal:
For anyone still needing clarification on what the secret theme has been.
The past three battles, have featured musical artists who have also acted as the main companion of the Doctor on Jeffrey's favourite television show, Doctor Who.


Questions:
Where you able to guess before I revealed?
Have you ever watched Doctor Who?
Would you ever be interested to see more (and easier) themed battles?

It was a pleasure meeting everyone. I'm off for one last adventure with the Doctor. We still need to track down that sky shark.

Time I was off as well. The Doctor here, has been helping me hold my corporeal form. But he's been draining the energy from a nearby star to do so.

It's Rose, one last time. Just Rose. The Doctor has drained the energies of the vortex and placed them safely back inside the Tardis. Bad Wolf shouldn't be around to cause any more problems.


Please note: Jeffrey Scott's next battle will held November 15th.

Once again, thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
See you next battle.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.

Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING
YOUR DAILY DOSE
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
DISCCONNECTED


Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.

I Am Not God

First off, I apologize for being late again. I really do like contributing to the group here. The truth is, I tend to run out of time. Where has all my time gone lately? I'm continuing on my studies of a foreign language. A not so well known language from Myanmar (Burma). Additionally, I have finally decided it is time to lose weight. This means I've been walking a lot of 5K's after work. No, not every day, but currently 2 to 3 times a week. Then there is the house work and my regular job. So what am I trying to say? My writing, at times, gets pushed to the back burner. So then why do I continue to write?

Well, that brings me to the question of the month. Which is:
November Question – What is your favourite aspect of being a writer?

Even before I began writing, I was enamoured with writers. I was impressed with what they were able to produce. Contriving a story from something in their head only. In middle school, I had an English class where we were required to keep a weekly journal. Everyone complained, because we were given a situation, and expected to write about it. But to my surprise, it came easy to me. I was suddenly filling my weekly journal with stories. Eventually, I began to work on 'extra credit' writing because I enjoyed it so much.

But it wasn't so much that it came easy to me, I was having fun creating worlds that other people were reading about. The teacher (certainly corrected me a lot), but told me she loved the stories. When we had to pass around our journals for others to read, everyone else seemed to enjoy what I wrote also. I was doing something I was good at. I was doing something others enjoyed. But most important, I was doing something I had complete control over. I am essentially god of the worlds I created. No I don't have a power trip, but it is nice to know I can create whatever I want.

I have done a lot of fan-fiction. Mostly for Doctor Who, and mostly for other Sci.Fi.'s, but the point is. If there is a story I wish the show had produced, I simply decide to write it myself. Whether it's well received or not, is not my biggest thrill. It's that I am able to do it at all. I may not be god, but I do have complete control of the worlds I create.


Goals and such:
New Goal:
Work on being more punctual with my writing. I may not have actual deadlines, but I should work on keeping myself in line.


Old Goals:
Full year of posting:
I went AWOL for a couple of months back, and get deleted from the list for doing so. I aim to not let that happen again.
Writing Schedule:
Winter is the time of the year I seem to have more time for writing. I shall continue to work on a new writing schedule.



My Encouragement:
"Would I rather be feared or loved? Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me".
- Michael Scott


Questions to Ponder:
How much do you love the creating process of writing?

Have any of your characters disobeyed your wishes when you tried to direct them one way? But the character simply goes in another direction?


* * * * * * * * * *

The Insecure Writer's Support Group posts the first Wednesday of every month. Please follow along as my fellow writers and I relate why we feel insecure, or read as we help encourage others suffering from insecurity.

Are you an insecure writer? Why not join the group? Find out more information via the group HERE.

The site is founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh - Thanks for all the support!

Battle of the Bands - It Takes Two

For this instalment of Battle of the Bands, I have selected the song, 'It Takes Two' by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston. As you may have guessed, I have opted out of utilizing their version. What I have done, however, could be a risky move. I have pitted two well know artists who have teamed up to sing the song together versus a lesser known British Pop star.

Unlike my past two battles, I think this song is rather upbeat and not so brooding. Win or lose, I hope you will like these two singing companions, Tina & Rod, it's a great song. But I also hope you enjoy the Bad Wolf (I mean Lone Wolf) version from Billie.

As for the secret theme, I have to be honest, I've been very naughty. Mostly, because I think the theme will not truly be guessed. It's a difficult one for sure, and to be honest, needs some detective work. So on to my clue for this battle. The secret theme relates do something in common with all three battles. One thing in particular.
1.) Could it be the actual song? Are all the song selections anagrams of each other?
2.) The performing artists? Have they all performed in the same venue on a Wednesday night?
3.) The Writers of the songs? Do the writers all share the same Dentist or Doctor? Who can figure it out?

It can be done. Thanks for playing along.

For reference only: Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston - It Takes Two

BATTLE OF THE BANDS
The two musical contenders for this Battle of the Bands are below.
Please listen to both and tell me who you like best.

Cover A - The British/American Duo:
Tina Turner & Rod Stewart


Cover B - English Pop Star:
Billie Piper


Those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, who do you think performs the song best? I collected the two bands to battle it out, now it's your job to vote on your favourite. Please list your preferred song choice in the comments. Additionally, let me know why you feel the way you do. Voting ends on the 8th when I'll cast my vote (if needed) and announce the winner in a separate posting.

Additional Questions:
This time - It's your turn to ask me a question (related to my secret theme, of course).
Everyone is entitled to ask one Yes or No based question.
Do not start your question with 'I was wondering', 'Can you tell me' or 'Do you know'.


Please note:
I will be unavailable to post the results for this battle. But never fear!!!
I have scheduled three good friends to stop by and present the results of this battle. They may even reveal the three battle long secret theme.

Additional note:
Starting in December, I will be changing my BOTB posts. In order to get more writing done, I will only be producing one battle a month, the second battle. The first of the month I will be devoting to my R.a.n.t. series and working on YA series.

If you enjoyed this Battle of the Bands feature, don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see what sort of music they are featuring. You will certainly be entertained, so click on their links below.

STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING
YOUR DAILY DOSE
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
DISCCONNECTED


Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.

Chicago - China Town (Set 1)

This past weekend, I visited a place in Chicago I was unaware of. Imagine living "right next door" to Chicago and never having heard of the China Town district. I always thought it was a New York State exclusive. Now I'm finding many other states have similar communities. I suppose it makes sense, there is a large Asian population in the United States now. Following are a few more photos I took while in China Town. Hope you enjoy them.

Questions:
Which is your favourite photo?
Have you ever visited a China Town?
Ever been pleasantly surprised by a new discovery in your own home town or neighbouring city?

China Town - Not too far from the Willis Tower

One of the streets in China Town

Aji Ichiban - A well known sweet shop chain from Hong Kong with a Japanese sounding name.

At different times throughout the year, various street musicians play.

Another view of the street from an upper level.

Visit TBaar for the best Bubble Tea in town.

The largest selection of K-Pop I have ever seen can be found here.

Battle of the Bands Results - Tears On My Pillow

I have to be honest, I was VERY happy with the results of this battle. No, it has nothing to do with who won. It has to do with voting turn-out and the fact we had an actual BATTLE! Seriously, more exciting than anything I could watch on TV. What do I mean? Read on....

Our first round could have gone either way. Points were literally awarded back and forth. Gwen, Kylie, Gwn, Kylie Gwen. This means Gwen wins the first round, but just barely. Kylie has NOT given up yet.
Gwen Votes - Debbie, Michele & Arlee
Kylie Votes - Mary & Alex

The second round votes came in pairs, with a final tie breaker to decide the round. Two votes for Kylie, two votes for Gwen and a final deciding vote for Kylie. This means Kylie wins the second round and at the end of ten total votes, they are tied.
Gwen Votes - Stephen & Janie
Kylie Votes - Janet, Robin & mike

Round three begins and end the same as round one. Votes go back and forth. Like the first round, Gwen took charge and scored one final vote to secure her the third round decision. Will this break Kylie's spirit? Or will she hold on, dig in, and show Gwen who's really in charge?
Gwen Votes - Cherdo, Shady Del Knight & Chrys Fey
Kylie Votes - Dixie & Borgot
Once again, Gwen takes the lead by one single vote.

The fourth and final round was a quick one. diedre came to support Gwen, giving her two votes over Kyle but then the next two votes came in from John & Spacer Guy for Kylie. You know what this means? Yes, WE HAVE A TIE!

HOLD THE PHONE!!!!! THE FIGHT IS NOT QUITE DONE YET.
WE HAVE A LAST MINUTE ENTRY.

That's right, suddenly at the zero hour, one final vote from Cathy came in for Kylie!!!
The tie is broken and we can declare a winner!



Winner's Circle
With a final score of 10-9
Congratulations to Kylie Minogue

PS - Have you figured out what the theme is I'm running? You would be so lucky to figure it out. It's CHALLENGING! While you ponder on it, here is a song which may have aired back in the day on TV. For a few hints see below.



Secret Theme: Notes
First Battle - Bring Me To Life
American - Chris Daughtry vs. Welsh Katherine Jenkins

Second Battle - Tears on my Pillow
American Gwen McCrae vs. Australian Kylie Minogue

Clue 1: The theme has nothing to do with song selections.
Clue 2: You will likely need all three battles to work on a guess.
Previous Guesses - Just because I have not declared a winner, does not mean someone may not have guessed correctly. But that doesn't mean someone HAS guessed correctly yet either.
Want additional clues? In your comments below, you may ask one Yes/No question.
I will answer it in my next battle.

How much of a detective are you?
Have you noticed a pattern?
Would I be evil and throw in a few red herrings?
Well, enough with the clues and such, I'm off to watch a bit of TV.



Top Comments
Debbie D. - For this battle I preferred Gwen McCrae's bluesy rendition. Kylie Minogue's voice makes me grimace.

Michele Truhlik - I'm going with Gwen McCrae on this one. I love her version. I didn't like Kylie's voice.

Janet Miles - Hey Jeffrey, I have to go with the Kylie version, McCrae's was just too slow for me.

Stephen T. McCarthy - I didn't really care for the way the version by GWEN started out (I rarely like spoken passages in a song) but, boy, it sure intensified as it went along. Her deep, Bluesy, impassioned interpretation of the song easily beat out the much more superficially Poppish version by Kylie, in my opinion.

Janie Junebug - I vote for Gwen McRae because of the emotion in her voice, although I don't like the spoken part at the beginning. Kylie seems too manufactured.

Cherdo - Basically, I like both of these versions for waaaay different reasons. Pop is not a bad word in my world, so I like Kylie - but Gen is superior when we battle 'em out!

Birgit - Oh I give my vote to Kylie because it is. Throwback to the 50's which I like and I like her voice. Gwen's talking and style just didn't do it for me at all. I'm not into that style

diedre Knight - I rather liked Kylie's Doo-wop style, I love that era. However, in terms of 'singing your heart out' Gwen gets the golden hanky!

John Holton - I prefer Kylie Minogue's version of this. Gwen McCrae's version was a little too hammy for my taste, while Kylie's was closer to the original, which I think is quintessential Little Anthony.



Please note: My next battle will held November 1st.

Once again, thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
See you next battle.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.

Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING
YOUR DAILY DOSE
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
DISCCONNECTED


Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.
Save

Battle of the Bands - Tears on my Pillow

For my last BOTB, I mentioned there was a secret theme for three battles. Well, one battle has been completed, and there were a few guesses. If you'll recall, the song selected was from Evanescence, 'Bring Me to Life'. The covers were from the American - Chris Daughtry and the Welsh operatic singer - Katherin Jenkins. Additionally, I placed a hint in the results page, though I won't repost that hint here. ;)

For this battle, I have turned to an oldie but a goldie song, 'Tears on my Pillow'. I subject which I can certainly relate to. To be honest, who can't relate to this song in one form or another? It certainly sucks when you have to cry yourself to sleep, doesn't it? But, it happens from time to time. And we must learn to go on. There are plenty of fish in the sea, and all that jazz.

So what is the clue I'm giving this week? Is it the song name or the original artist? My lips are sealed. Perhaps it's neither. Perhaps the clue is in one of the covers for this song. So who exactly will battle it out this time? I'm glad you asked.

For reference only: Little Anthony & the Imperials - Bring Me To Life



BATTLE OF THE BANDS
The two musical contenders for this Battle of the Bands are below.
Please listen to both and tell me who you like best.

Cover A - The American:
Gwen McCrae


Cover B - The Australian:
Kylie Minogue


Those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, who do you think performs the song best? I collected the two bands to battle it out, now it's your job to vote on your favourite. Please list your preferred song choice in the comments. Additionally, let me know why you feel the way you do. Voting ends on the 8th when I'll cast my vote (if needed) and announce the winner in a separate posting.

Additional Questions:
Have you ever had tears on your pillow?
Who can remember the Soundtrack this song has appeared on?
Which, if any of the artists are you familiar with?



Please note:
Starting in December, I will be changing my BOTB posts. In order to get more writing done, I will only be producing one battle a month, the second battle. The first of the month I will be devoting to my R.a.n.t. series and working on YA series.

If you enjoyed this Battle of the Bands feature, don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see what sort of music they are featuring. You will certainly be entertained, so click on their links below.

STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING
YOUR DAILY DOSE
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
DISCCONNECTED


Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.

Battle of the Bands Results - Bring Me To Life

Jeffrey Scott came back to the Battle of the Bands with a powerful song. And win or lose, each contestant seemed to do well with all voters. Though the vote wasn't the closest I've ever seen, kind comments for both were encouraging. (Okay, there were a few negatives, but that's the nature of the beast. This battle, featured American Chris Daughtry vs the UK's Katherine Jenkin's.

The first round of the battle went to Chris with an impressive 3-1 lead. But would this be enough of a lead to maintain.
Chris Votes - Shady, Janet & Alex
Katherine Votes - Arlee

The second round insured Chris was to keep his lead. Voting for Chris had surely come to life. But would the second round help out Katherine?
Chris Votes - Janie, Mary & mike
Katherine Votes - Stephen

The third round did bring some new life to the game. This round was won by Katherine. Perhaps she could make a comeback as powerful as her beautiful voice. We shall see.
Chris Votes - Michele
Katherine Votes - Birgit & GB Miller

Perhaps if more showed up to vote, the outcome would have been different. The fourth and final round was a draw. However, having won the first two rounds, this puts Chris as the ultimate winner of this Battle of the Bands.
Chris Votes - DisConnected & diedre KnightKatherine Votes - Cathy and Jeffrey Scott


Second Chance Circle
With a final score of 6-9
Katherine Jenkins comes in second place.
Congratulations to Chris Daughtry - our First Place Winner!

Following is a second chance song for you to enjoy.
Will this one from Katherine Jenkins win you over?
Is there a reason the loser is a second song?
Is this a clue?
Do you remember I have some kind of a theme running?
Can you figure it out?
  



Top Comments

Arlee Bird - In the case of your battle I really like Daughtry, but the outcome of the race for me is a squeaker. I'm going give the opera singer an edge though. I cast my vote for Katherine Jenkins.

Shady Del Knight - This is my third BOTB vote of the day and another very difficult decision. Both of your selections are superb, the kind of music you would find in my personal collection. Katherine Jenkins is drop dead gorgeous (your new dream girl replacing Diana Krall?)

Janet Miles - As for the battle, I was going to vote for Katherine but then I listened to Daughtry again and he seems to sing the song as if he really needs to be brought back. I don't get that feeling from Ms. Jenkins. Also interestingly, I don't like Evanescence!

Mary Burris - OH boy! Do I go for the rocker, or do I go for the one that stayed pretty true to the original? Well, it *IS* Rocktober this month, so I think I'm going to give my vote to Daughtry.

Stephen T. McCarthy - I have just one word about Daughtry's performance: annoying, annoying, annoying! (That was one word. I just repeated it three times, that's all.) Seriously, that was like "MEATLOAF singing" -- heavy on the histrionics; ten dollars worth of emotion in a ten cent song.

Birgit - No doubts for me....Katherine Jenkins all the way! In fact I have her album with this song on it. She has a tremendous voice and just brings it home for me especially this song.

Michele Truhlik - I really felt Daughtry's. His version is very powerful and emotional. I liked Katherine's until it got opera-y. I'm not keen on the opera sound.

G. B. Miller - I have the c.d. that contains the original (I'm very strange that way, will buy the entire c.d. for one song. 99% of the time it's a good thing), so I'm a bit biased in that aspect.

DiscConnected - I liked the Katherine Jenkins version ok, but since I am a fan of Daughtry's "Meat Loaf" singing, as McCarthy put it, he sort of had my vote locked before I hit "play."

Cathy Kennedy - Jeffrey, WOW, you put together two different styled artists going head to head on a Evanescence's biggest song! This is a good song for Chris and he pulled it off beautifully while keeping it close to the original. The real surprise for me came with Katherine Jenkins. I thought, "Ok, this isn't a song up her alley." and yet she did a fantastic job. Her vocals are far, far better Amy's and I loved Jenkins lighter rendition which didn't make me think about death.

diedre Knight - Katherine Jenkins is really good, but I'm hooked on Doughtry!


Please note: I will be offline for the entire weekend. I will return Tuesday to comment and answer comments.
My next battle will be October 15th.

Once again, thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
See you next battle.
Who will you vote for?
What song will I choose?
Which artists will battle it out?
Stay tuned.

Don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see who won their battles.

FAR AWAY SERIES (Honorary Lifetime Member)
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING
YOUR DAILY DOSE
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
QUIET LAUGHTER
BE_REINVINTAGED
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
eViL pOp TaRt
HOLLI'S HOOTS AND HOLLERS


Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.

I'm done!

Please don't let the blog title fool you. I know it might do so because for the past few months, my blog has been fairly vacant. I've taken a self-imposed hiatus for various reasons. But I'm back. And I apologize for missing the past two IWSG posts. I was suffering depression and I simply could not bring myself to get online. Yes, that might seem odd, I was so depressed I couldn't even get online to drop a quick note. Well, I eventually did. So what do I mean by my blog heading?

Well, that brings me to the question of the month. Which is:

When do you know when you're story is ready?

This really is a challenging question for me because I continually rewrite and look for improvements in all my stories. Even when I'm done, I usually will go back and rewrite. I've been writing a series for so long, I have finally decided I have it where I want it. How did I decide this? I came to the conclusion that I will NEVER be happy 100% with my writing. I wonder if this is just me, or a typical writer experience. So I had to finally 'call it'. Finish a final edit and let it be. If I don't/didn't tell myself to finally stop, I'd still be working on it and I can't do that. I have to stop looking back, I have to move forward. And that's what I'm going to do. As I mentioned above, a lot of my depression stemmed from things in the past. But I have to stop looking to the past. No more. I need to move forward. In my writing and everything else. Continuing to rewrite and be depressed? I'm done!


Goals and such:


New Goal:
Make it a full year, posting to IWSG, without going AWOL again.

Old Goals:
Test readers:
In the next few months, I'm going to be looking for someone to exchange a YA manuscript with, to test read. I have a few sites others have suggested for me to check out. I shall be doing so.
Find Writing Schedule:
Still looking to time my non-negotial time. Summer is a bad time for me. So much going on. Can I still find the time?



My Encouragement:
"In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity".
- Albert Einstein


Questions to Ponder:
Outside of school, what was the first thing you wrote that others enjoyed?
 
Have you ever written something, put it away for a long period of time, then returned to rewrite it years later?


* * * * * * * * * *

The Insecure Writer's Support Group posts the first Wednesday of every month. Please follow along as my fellow writers and I relate why we feel insecure, or read as we help encourage others suffering from insecurity.

Are you an insecure writer? Why not join the group? Find out more information via the group HERE.

The site is founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh - Thanks for all the support!
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Battle of the Bands - Bring Me To Life

A few things before I continue with the Battle of the Bands.

1.) First, I'm sorry I have been away for awhile. I was dealing with a few things which were seriously depressing me. I believe I finally have thing under control (for the most part) so I shall pick up where I last left off. I was feeling so out of it, I couldn't bring myself to visit my online colleagues, much less post to my own blog. But I'm back. Please note, even still, I shall be adjusting my blogging schedule. More on that later.

B.) There is no hidden message to my song selection for the day. Though I had initially though on doing so with other songs floating through my head. But that is not to say, there isn't a reason why I have selected this battle. Which brings us to.....

III.) Over the course of my next three BOTB, I have a hidden theme. Will anyone be able to figure it out before the third battle results? There is the hook. And to be really mean, I'm not even going to give any clues this battle. Hello my old friend, the sound of silence is all you will know from me. Muaahaaaha. However, starting in the results of this battle, I shall begin to drop hints. (Or maybe I'm lying and I've already started dropping hints).

Back to the Battle: As you may have deduced already. The song for today is Bring Me to Life and I have found some dramatic covers of the song, almost as interesting as the original Evanescence version.


For reference only: Evanescence - Bring Me To Life



BATTLE OF THE BANDS
The two musical contenders for this Battle of the Bands are below.
Please listen to both and tell me who you like best.

Chris Daughtry


Katherine Jenkins



Those are the two contenders. Ignoring the actual videos, who do you think performs the song best? I collected the two bands to battle it out, now it's your job to vote on your favourite. Please list your preferred song choice in the comments. Additionally, let me know why you feel the way you do. Voting ends on the 8th when I'll cast my vote (if needed) and announce the winner in a separate posting.

Additional Questions:
Have you ever felt so stressed, you had no motivation to do anything?Will you forgive me for being gone so long without a word?
Are you good at puzzles?


Please note:
Starting in December, I will be changing my BOTB posts. In order to get more writing done, I will only be producing one battle a month, the second battle. The first of the month I will be devoting to my R.a.n.t. series and working on YA series.

If you enjoyed this Battle of the Bands feature, don't forget to visit the other participants in the Battle of the Band to see what sort of music they are featuring. You will certainly be entertained, so click on their links below.

FAR AWAY SERIES
STMcC PRESENTS 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
TOSSING IT OUT
JANIE JUNEBUG RIGHTING AND EDITING
YOUR DAILY DOSE
MIKE'S RAMBLINGS
CURIOUS AS A CATHY
DCRELIEF - BATTLE OF THE BANDS
THE DOGLADY'S DEN
CHERDO ON THE FLIPSIDE
ANGELS BARK
QUIET LAUGHTER
BE_REINVINTAGED
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
eViL pOp TaRt
HOLLI'S HOOTS AND HOLLERS

Are you currently in the BOTB and don't see your name in the list above? Let me know in comments and I'll include it.