Thursday, March 31, 2016

Are you ready for the AtoZ challenge?


Are you ready for April?

Bloggers from all over the globe are!

Certainly, it's a time for hard work and dedication.

Do you know what I'm talking about?

Every April, is A to Z month in the blog-sphere.

Friendships are forged, colleagues are made.

Great writers are introduced to one another.

Have you joined in on the fun?

If you have not, I think you would enjoy it.

Join us. Won't you?

Keep in mind, it's a lot of fun.

Love to get visitors to your own blog? This is a great way to introduce others to your own blog.

Motivating yourself is another great reward from this challenge.

Ninja minions such as myself, will be making sure everyone is following the guidelines and all are having fun.

Only serious participants need apply.

Perhaps this sounds like something you can do. Something you WANT to do.

Quickly, it's time to act!

Register now before the deadline ends.

Sign up HERE. Yes, there is still time.

Theming your A to Z entries for the month is optional.

Unless you have one specific thing you want to blog, the sky is the limit.

View the bloggers who have already signed up if you want a few ideas.

Worry not if someone else blogs similar to you. We all have our own styles and presentations.

X-cited? I'm excited for April is here.

Your time is now. Sign up this instant.

Zee you in Aprils A to Z challenge!

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

There Can Be Only One

R.a.n.t. of month March 2016 (Additional)
Once again, March Madness is upon us. And once again, I have no interest in who's playing or who's winning. But that's not going to stop my third annual NCAA Sweet 16 Basketball Breakdown. If you've read my picks in the past, you'll probably already be aware I know next to nothing about basketball "stats or statistics" (As Michael Scott would say). My biggest gripe in the past is being unsure how people can actually fill out a bracket and feel confident in their picks. I know nothing about the teams playing and last year I had three teams in the final four. I still ultimately lost. But perhaps I'll do better this year. Or perhaps you'll be the one mad at me, since I am making a mockery of the whole bracket picks, or whatever it's called. Anyway, enough chatter, it's time for me to decide who I think will advance and why.

Sweet 16
Maryland Terrapins vs. Kansas Jayhawks- Winner: Jayhawks. Not only do they have a jazzier looking Heckle and Jeckle mascot, but a Terrapin is a turtle. Is it not? Come one Maryland! Don't make this so easy for me.

Miami Hurricanes vs. Villanova Wildcats - Winner: Wildcats. My old High School mascot was also the Wildcats, so how could I choose anything else? Especially in the first round? The Hurricanes will most likely blow away or peter out before they hit land.

Duke Blue Devils vs. Oregon Ducks - Winner: Blue Devils. I once had a dream about a weird blue devil like creature. I never knew where that dream came from. Perhaps I had seen this mascot as a child and it scared me. But if it scared me, it's sure to scare a duck.

Texas A&M Aggies vs.  Oklahoma Sooners - Winner: Sooners. When I was a child, we used to play marbles on the playground all the time. My favourites were the aggies, but then a bully wanted them so he beat me up and took them from me. So Aggies have bad memories for me.

Indiana Hoosiers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels - Winner: Tar Heels. I love the colour blue and their logo is blue. That's it. So sue me.

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Winner: Badgers. Come on, I live in Wisconsin. Why wouldn't I pick my home state team? Sure, the Fighting Irish are tough, but you don't want to back a Badger into a corner. Trust me.

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Virginia Cavaliers - Winner: Cyclones. You can't truly fight against the forces of nature. Would that apply to Basketball teams as well? I'm not sure, but better to be safe than sorry.

Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Syracuse Orange  - Winner: Bulldogs. I was attacked by a bulldog, it was vicious and I hated it. I also had an orange soda once. It wasn't the best tasting, but at least it wasn't vicious.



Elite 8
Kansas Jayhawks vs. Villanova Wildcats -Winner: Kansas Jayhawks. Last round I picked the Wildcats because they reminded me of my High School team. But what High School team can rival a College team?

Duke Blue Devils vs. Oklahoma Sooners - Winner: Duke Blue Devils. I'm about to head for the evening. If I don't want that Blue Devil to be in my dreams again. I should probably choose them to win this round. Perhaps I'll finish this in the morning.

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Wisconsin Badgers - Winner: North Carolina Tar Heels. I was informed that it is bad form to choose your favourite team to win. Because it can jinx their playing. I can certainly see that point. If I were to pick Badgers, then they would all suddenly play horribly. Yep, that makes perfect sense to me.

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs - Winner: Gonzaga Bulldogs. I've never had to live through a cyclone, but I have been attacked by a bulldog. Oh right, I mentioned that before, didn't I? Well, I don't think I told you I was attacked by a dog twice in my life. So the reasoning still holds for me.


Final 4
Kansas Jayhawks vs. Duke Blue Devils - Winner: Kansas Jayhawks. Birds are amazing creatures. Sure, I could be threatened in my dreams by the blue devil mascot, but I could also be threatened in real life with a massive amount of birds. It's happened before! Or was that just a film? 
North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs - Winner: North Carolina Tar Heels. I said I was only attacked by a dog two times. After that, perhaps the dog gave up the fight. Much like how this battle will likely turn out.

Championship Game
Kansas Jayhawks vs. North Carolina Tar Heels - Winner: Kansas Jayhawks. The court will be all tarred up from those tarheels, which will slow everyone down. Or not. The Jayhawks are birds and can just fly around the court. Wait! Why do I keep confusing he mascots with the actual players? I don't know, I should probably not do that. It's really a stupid way to pick a team. But, it's late and I've made my picks already. I'm not going to change them.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Battle of the (Wilson) Band Results - Doctor My Eyes

It's been awhile since I've had a decent music battle, so I was overjoyed when I realized I had a real battle taking place this time. As you'll see, the votes went back and forth.

But it didn't seem that way at first. At first I thought Wilson Phillips was going to run away with all the votes, but after the first round was finished, we had a 3-3 tie.
First Round Votes for Wilson Phillips: Debbie, Alex & Shady
First Round Votes for Gretchen Wilson: Arlee, eViL pOp TaRt &Guilie

The second round was much different. Wilson Phillips let Gretchen Wilson take charge. Gretchen won the second round 4-1
Second Round Votes for Wilson Phillips: diedre
Second Round Votes for Gretchen Wilson: Robin, Dixie, ReInVintagedGoods, Cathy

The tides turned in the third round though, and Wilson Phillips was back. Racking up double the votes Gretchen received. This nearly tied up the battle. The war waged on.
Third Round Votes for Wilson Phillips: Michele, Stephanie, mike, Chero
Third Round Votes for Gretchen Wilson: Chrys, Mary

Unfortunately, the battle tuckered one of the contestants out and they soon gave up the battle giving their rival the decisive win.
Fourth Round Votes for Wilson Phillips: John,
Fourth Round Votes for Gretchen Wilson: Stephen, Birgit, A Gal Needs, FAE


Winners Circle
With a final score of 9-13

Congratulations to Gretchen Wilson



Top Comments

Arlee Bird - Back in the 90's I went through a big Wilson Phillips fan phase. I figured I'd be going for their version before even listening. Then Gretchen started taking hold of me. I like the crisp punchy sound of Gretchen's version. The more I listened, the more I started liking her voice. Give my vote to Gretchen Phillips for this match.

Robin - Gretchen Wilson has a powerful voice that's grittier (and sometimes raw in a good way). So, I prefer her sound on this one, but they were both good.

Debbie D. - Gretchen Wilson's twang didn't sound pleasing to my ears, so my vote goes to the harmonies of Wilson Phillips.

ReInVintagedGoods - Wilson gets my vote!

Chrys Fey - I'm voting for Gretchen Wilson. I like the piano, the beat, her voice. Win, win, win. I do like the band Wilson Philips, though.

diedre Knight - Well, Mr. Wilson I do believe Dr. Welby is the only one to Doctor My Eyes ;-) I hate to castaway the country gal, but Wilson Phillips gets my vote!

Stephanie Faris - Not a fan of country music (despite living in Nashville!). I'm going to go with Wilson Phillips. It wasn't cool to say so in the 90s, but I've always found their voices so ear-pleasing!

Mary Burris - Well. I am surprised at myself. I honestly thought I would be giving my vote to Wilson Phillips, as I have always enjoyed them. But Gretchen Wilson knocked it out of the park for me.

Stephen T. McCarthy - Hokey-Smoke, JEFFY, this was a good one, Brother! I liked both recordings but my vote is a total slam dunk. In fact, this one seemed so obvious to me that I'm rather shocked you have a close contest here. To my ears, this has "shutout" written all over it. GRETCHEN WILSON gets my vote. And, sheesh! Who the hell is playing that piano? Is that her? What a fabulous rolling keyboard sound - it knocks me out! The guitar work is absolutely first-rate, too.

mike spain - My vote is for Wilson Phillips, both versions were a bit pop however I liked the harmonies on Wilson Phillips.

A GAL NEEDS - That's a tough one! One would be a great party song because it would blend right into the background smoothly and enhance the mood--namely Wilson Phillips. Gretchen's would be more of an acoustic performance, where one actually pays attention to the vocals, instrumentals, and harmonies! My vote goes to Gretchen for that reason.

farawayeyes - SURPRISE! SURPRISE! I liked Gretchen Wilson better than Wilson Phillips. I don't care for much of her other stuff ('Red Neck Woman'-an absolute disgrace to the female kind), but this one was rockin'. Give Gretchen my vote.

John Holton -Gretchen Wilson sounded like they stripped the vocal track out of Jackson Browne's version and substituted her voice.


Once again, thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
Come back again for a new battle April 1st
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
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.

Monday, March 21, 2016

A to Z Theme Reveal (2016)

Are you sitting comfortably? Good, then we'll begin. That's right, April is near. Which means it's almost time for the annual A-Z Blogging Challenge. I will be joining hundreds (almost thousands) of other bloggers as we embark on a unique challenge. We will be blogging every day in April (excluding Sunday's, we get that day off for good behaviour), from A to Z. That is, each day we will be utilizing the next letter of the alphabet in our specific theme. Last year, I decided to rant about something new every day, from April Fools to Zoo Fares. 


This year I've decided to do something different. My theme is going to focus on vintage television show theme songs. I won't be selecting such shows as Big Bang Theory, Survivor or CSI. No, these shows are still very much with us. I'm talking about the shows we seldom see on TV any more. The shows we grew up with. The shows we may have forgotten about. Or the shows so old, some of us may not have even heard of them.


Unfortunately, I have been low on funds, so it's possible each day's post may be brought to you by different products. Products such as Quisp Cereal, Apple IIe Computers or Lite Beer from Miller. Who knows? There may even be a few surprise celebrities hawking these products.


Additionally this year, I will be helping to keep the A-Z list updated. So if you sign up, make sure you work on your theme every day. But above all else, remember to have fun!





Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Battle of the Bands - Doctor My Eyes

I think by now, everyone has learned I've not been feeling too well. So I decided to find a song theme to fit that. No worries, this is where the topic of my health begins and ends. It's time to celebrate music, and that's what I plan to do. I love much of Jackson Browne's music, that when I thought of this song, I thought it would be a great fit.

However, as you might imagine, it would be somewhat unfair to pit Jackson Browne against a cover artist. So I have found two cover artists to compete for your votes. The first artist is named Wilson, as is the second artist. That is, Wilson Phillips is competing against Gretchen Wilson. That's right. It's a battle of the Wilson's.

For reference only: Jackson Browne: Doctor My Eyes


BATTLE OF THE BANDS

The two musical contenders for this Battle of the Bands are below.
Please listen to both and tell me which you like best.

Wilson Phillips


Gretchen Wilson


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 and announce the winner in a separate posting.

Additional Questions:
What was the name of Dennis the Menace's grumpy neighbour?
Who is your favourite fictional doctor?
Do you have a favourite Jackson Browne song?

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.

Monday, March 14, 2016

Doctor Who?

R.a.n.t. for month of March, 2016
Firstly, I apologize for getting this r.a.n.t. out late today. However, there is a good reason for it. I'm still feeling a little under the weather. I've had a nagging cough for two weeks now and all my OTC and home remedies do not seem to be working. My sisters are urging me to head into the doctors office to get it checked out. Unfortunately, I've always been reluctant to do so. Doctors always seem to simply tell me to wait it out and send me on my way. So I'm out half a day pay and my HSA dips about 100 bucks or so.

Then there is the other problem. About ten years ago, I kind of had a family doctor. He has since retired and I've never really picked a new family doctor. Should I be doing that? I'm really not sure. Maybe I don't need to do that any more. Perhaps all I need to do is show up at the clinic and ask to see anyone. To be honest, I'm not even sure how that really works. As I said, probably part of the reason I've been reluctant to go. My awkwardness around other people makes me nervous to call, or stop in. But, that's another rant for another time.

Additional Questions
Do you have a family doctor?
When you are not feeling well, how long do you wait before getting check out?
Should we immediately trust whatever a doctor tells us to do?

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

* R.a.n.t. - an acronym for 'Rage About Nothing, Typically'. It's writing about life's little nuances that are, (for the most part), trivial. Something we can all relate to. Do you have something that irritates you? Would you like to r.a.n.t. about it?

Of course you would! Join the monthly R.a.n.t. blog hop today.

When will we be ranting?
The second Monday of each month.

How long should my r.a.n.t. be?
The length is up to you, I find one or two short paragraphs enough to quench my rage.

How do I join?
Let me know you are interested. To the right, you'll notice a banner you can proudly use on your site. Link back to this blog and I'll be linking to yours.

Who has joined?
Write With Fey

What should I r.a.n.t. about?
Whatever you feel irate about. Preferably, something that's been bugging you.
Examples: Your writing - the supermarket - annoying people - drivers
The sky is the limit.
If you need suggestions, check out my r.a.n.t.archive below.

Friday, March 11, 2016

My Life According to Huey Lewis & the News - Musical Challenge

How To Play:
Using only song names from ONE ARTIST OR BAND, answer the following questions. Try not to use the band I used, or repeat a song title. (It’s a lot harder than you think!) Publish as “My Life According to (BAND NAME)” and link back to this post.

Pick Your Artist:
Huey Lewis & the News

Questions:
1.) Are you a male or female?
Jacob's Ladder

2.) Describe yourself.
Hip to be Square

3.) How do you feel?
But It's Alright

4.) Describe where you currently live.
Finally Found a Home

5.) If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
100 Years From Now

6.) Your favourite form of transportation.
Pineapple Express

7.) Your best friend is...
You Crack Me Up

8.) Your favourite colour.
Blue Monday

9.) What's the weather like?
It's Al right

10.) Favourite time of the day.
When the Time Has Come

11.) If your life was a TV show, what would it be called?
Who Cares?

12.) What is life to you?
Perfect World

13.) Your relationships.
Never Found a Girl

14.) Your fear.
So Little Kindness

15.) What is the best advice you have to give?
Respect Yourself

16.) If you could change your name, you would change it to...
Bobo Tempo

17.) Thought for the day.
Better to Have and Not Need

18.) How you would like to die.
Going Down Slow

19.) Your present condition.
I'm Not in Love Yet

20.) Your motto.
I Know What I Like

If you had fun reading this, make sure you stop by and visit the inspiration behind this post.
My Life According to Steppenwolf, The Doglady's Den

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Music & Words #MWA

I was recently nominated (twice) for the Music & Words Award. First by Stephen T. McCarthy (even though we rarely see eye to eye on our musical tastes), then by Michele Truhlik. With two such nominations, how could I ignore this?

Here are the rules:
Once accepted, the award process has five steps:
1.) Link back to the person who nominated you.
2.) Answer the questions with words AND music.
3.) Pass the award on to 5 bloggers who inspire you with their posts about music.
4.) Tag your post with #MWA, for Music&Words Award so that we can all find you down the line.
5.) Quote these 5 steps and the award icon in your post. You can display the icon on your sidebar as well.

Questions & Answers.
Q1: What does music mean to you?
Music is my motivator, music is my constant companion, music is my best friend, music enhances my emotions. I listen to rocking songs when I'm in a good mood and sad songs say so much when I'm depressed. What would life be without music? It wouldn't be life at all. So music means life to me.



Q2: What is your first music related memory?
I never listened to music much as a kid. It wasn't till middle school that I started to notice it. In fact, I remember the first day I started listening. It was 1983, I wasn't even in High School yet. But I was sitting around the house when I heard a loud noise from outside. I ran to the door to find out what it was and it was someone walking across the street blasting their ghetto blaster. You see, back in those days kids, we didn't have headphones. We walked around with large cumbersome radios if we wanted to take our music to go. And we LIKED it that way. The song was Eddie Grant's, 'Electric Avenue'. The radio and the song were soon gone, but I wanted to hear more. I ran to my bedroom and turned on the radio, turning till I found another song I liked. I was now hooked. So much so, music became a part of my personal journal. Every year I would listen to radio stations count down. Here is an actual countdown I recorded in my 1984 journal. Do you remember any of these?
10.Klymaxx - I Miss You
9. Eddie Murphy - Party All the Time
8. ZZ Top - Sleeping Bag
7. Mr. Mister - Kyrie
6. Sting - the Russians
5. Starship - Sara
4. Survivor - Burning Heart
3. Sheila E. - A Love Bizarre
2. [I inaccurately noted this one as A-Ha - Amotaua / I literally have no idea what it should be]
1. Paul McCartney - Spies Like Us



Q3: What was the first album you've purchased yourself?
Does anyone remember Columbia Record Club? Yea, I got sucked into that. 6 or 8 cassettes for only one penny!!! And then the fine print. LOL I still remember most of the cassettes I picked out. Prince 1999, Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits, Hall & Oates Rock 'n Soul Part 1 & Huey Lewis and the News Sports.



Q4: What was the latest music you purchased? (No online streaming or free downloads, I'm talking about cash here)!
There is a store close to where I work called, 'Mega-Media Exchange'. I get a lot of great CD's & DVD's here for a low price. Which is good because I buy a lot. I have about 500 CD's in my collection currently and the number is always increasing. The last full priced album I purchased was probably 'Weird' Al Yankovic's - 'Mandatory Fun'. Because Weird Al or Diana Krall CD's I buy as soon as they are out. But the last actual CD I purchased was from the Mega Media. It was Michael Bublé's 'To Be Loved'. I love his music and he makes the best videos.



Q5: Which song did you listen to last? (No cheating, it's only fun if you're honest).
I love listening to all sorts of music. I have the maximum amount of Pandora stations and they are always changing. When I listen, I put all the stations on shuffle. When I started answering this question my 'Wang Chung' channel started and Billy Idol's 'White Wedding' was playing.



Nominations:
The people I nominated, I've noticed have almost all been nominated already. So I'm simply going to nominate them again, so they know they were thought of. I'm a little slow, so most of these have already done a similar post.
Shady Del Knight
Jingle Jangle Jungle
Doglady's Den
Tossing It Out
Mike's Ramblings

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Battle of the Bands Results - Every Breath You Take

I've had some really lop-sided battles here lately. So much so, I was hoping to make things difficult for everyone. Didn't turn out exactly how I was hoping, but turn out, it was still a great battle. The artists selected both surprised and/or amused everyone. So how did the battle go?

First round had me thinking this was another battle where the winner was going to run away with it all. How could I not? Andy Williams took almost all the votes.
First Round Votes for Andy - Alex, Doe Do, Shady and Arlee
First Round Votes for Gloria - Debbie D.

Then came the second round. Would Gloria start to make a come-back? NO!!!! Not a single vote was cast for Gloria. It seems no one liked her upbeat version of the stalker song.
Second Round Votes for Andy - Mary, Dixie, Cathy, Robin & Hilary

But wait! Suddenly Andy started to lose a little steam. His supporters were beginning to wane. Though he received a few more votes, Gloria took the third round. It seems several actually liked the peppier version. Who knew?
Third Round Votes for Andy - John & Cherdo
Third Round Votes for Gloria - Mike, Michele & FAE

It was now the fourth and final round. Once again, Gloria won the set! In fact, she took all but one vote. But was it enough? Could this be the biggest upset in Jeffrey Scott's BOTB history? Unfortunately, no. Even with a final vote from my for Gloria, the battle ended 12-8. At least it wasn't the biggest upset in Jeffrey Scott's BOTB history.
Fourth Round Votes for Andy - Janie
Fourth Round Votes for Gloria - Stephen, ReInVintigedGood, Birgit and Jeffrey Scott


Winners Circle
Congratulations to Andy Williams
So, since Andy Williams wins by watching 'Every Breath You Take'
He's returning to sing "Can't Take My Eyes Off You'.
Get it?!!!



Top Comments

Doe Do - Ohhh, the very best of Andy Williams, I miss hearing his song. Glad this song remind me to breath. I love his song and pretty good voice, it is remind me of Alan Jackson. Anyway I like Andy Williams.

Shady Del Knight - Forgive me for going a little negative on you today, good buddy. This battle required me to choose between two artists I don't particularly like covering a song I don't particularly like by a band that I don't particularly like. It had me bouncing back and forth between the two contestants trying to find something to hang my hat on.

Debbie D. - Andy Williams' version is so bland. At least Gloria's version has some pizzazz and I always enjoy good sax. ☺ Please give my vote to her.

Dixie@dcrelief - I'm voting Andy Williams because I love the saxophone in the middle.

Cathy Kennedy - WOW, you blew out of the water using a Police Every Breath You Take song for two cover artist. I was surprised to see Andy Williams take this song on. It seems so out of character, but like some reflected on thoughts of Pat Boone stepping out of his comfort zone to do heavy metal. That was just crazy. At least Andy Williams didn't go wild man on us, in fact, I liked his cover fine. It's closer to Police's style than Gloria Gaynor.

Michele Truhlik - I thought I was going to vote for Andy Williams on this one but the more I listened to Gloria Gaynor's version, the more I liked it. I really enjoyed the instrumentation and her upbeat take on the song.

Robin - I was surprised to see that Andy Williams covered this song. I had reservations before pressing play. I was surprised. I liked it. He changed it up a bit and the addition of the sax in the middle was very enjoyable. As soon as Gloria Gaynor started I knew this wasn't going to be my cup of tea. The peppy instrumentation combined with her vocals (which somehow seemed way too happy for a song about stalking)... It all just rubbed me wrong. So, my vote goes to Andy Williams on this one.

Stephen T. McCarthy - Ordinarily, I like Andy Williams. I know that's supposed to be un-cool but too bad - I go my own way. However, I don't feel this song really suited him. It wasn't bad at all, but it kind of bored me. But I thought the GLORIA GAYNOR version was terrific. From the super-charged vocals and funky sax to the playful piano, I thought GLORIA's cover was better than Andy's, and better'n the Police original, too.

John Holton - I'm sorry, Gloria Gaynor's version just made me bust out laughing. I've been in a crappy mood all day, so I appreciate the ha-ha's.

Cherdo -SHOCKINGLY, I liked Andy Williams best. To be clear, I never disliked him but when I saw the song, I didn't think he could pull it off. Gloria seemed like a shoe-in, but I really didn't care for her version as much. I love a surprise! That's a great battle.

ReInVintagedGoods - My vote goes to Gloria Gaynor. Her version might not have been better, per se, but Andy's version is just too similar to The Police. He didn't need to necessarily turn the song inside out, but he didn't put enough of his own spin on it, IMO.


Once again, thanks to everyone who stopped by and placed a vote.
Come back again for a new battle March 15th
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
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
NOVEL BREWS
QUIET LAUGHTER
BE_REINVINTAGED
THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING
JINGLE JANGLE JUNGLE
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.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

I.W.S.G. (7) - Sick of Failed Goals

Last entry, I decided it would be a good idea to stop dragging my feet and move forward with my writing goals. Per a few suggestions, one of the things I did accomplish was to take down sample chapters I earlier posted online. I think I need to have something complete before I start asking people to peruse it. Additionally, keeping the entire story posted online may work against me in the long run. Once I've complete the first four stories in the series, I think I shall then start looking for test readers. A few suggestions would be nice.

I also ran into another wall. I was sick, which didn't help. As such, I was unmotivated to work on the goals I set out. As a few of my regular blog readers are already familiar with, I'm still feeling under the weather. This means I'm still dragging my feet to get the goals from last month accomplished. Am I biting off more than I can chew? Are my goals too large? Am I doing far too much blogging and not enough story writing? I guess I shall be exploring that this month.


My Goals:

Old Goals:
1.) Finish the next chapter in my 'Writer's Block' series.
(I failed to do this, this month. I will try again this month.)

2.) Remove the sample chapters of my story from my blog.
(This was one goal I accomplished. I hope this will encourage me to move forward with the goal above.)

3.) Start compiling a list of what I need to be working on and questions I should be researching in regards to my writing and what to do with it.
(Perhaps I shall put this goal on the back-burner till I get nearer completion of the four story YA series I'm writing.)

New Goal:
April is going to be a blogging explosion here. My goal this month, is to get a few posts prepped and ready to post before April 1st.


My Encouragement:
If you think you are a writer, you are a writer. So write something grand!


Questions to ponder:
How do you deal with a failed goal?
Do you think it's better to set difficult goals? Or simple baby-step goals?
Should an unfulfilled goal with a time limit be scraped, amended, or extended?

* * * * * * * * * *

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!

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Battle of the Bands - Every Breath You Take

I've been fighting a cold for the past few weeks. What started as a flu, morphed into a sore throat. This past weekend, it's changed once again. It has now moved into it's (I hope), final stage of a wheezing, hacking cough. This means it's been increasingly difficult for me to breath. Each breath is hard because it triggers a fit of coughs. I've been trying to self-medicate with such things as cough drops, cough suppressants and Muchinex, but to no avail. I'm told I should see the Doctor, but I'm stubborn. Yes, I'm stubborn, even though I can barely breath, let alone sing.

Speaking of singing, It's time once again for another Battle of the Bands. Since I've been having such a hard time breathing, I thought this would be the perfect song to utilize. Yes, I know the song is more about a stalker, and less about difficulties in breathing, but I think you get the point.

How does this work? Listen to the two cover artists below and in the comments, tell me which of the two you most enjoy. Keep in mind, 'the Police' can not be your vote. We are looking to see which cover artists you most enjoy.


BATTLE OF THE BANDS

The two musical contenders for this Battle of the Bands are below.
Please listen to both and tell me which you like best.


Andy Williams


Gloria Gaynor


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 15th when I'll cast my vote and announce the winner in a separate posting.

Additional Questions:
Is there something you are stubborn about doing?
What is your #1 cold remedy?
Do you have a favourite Sting/Police song?

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
NOVEL BREWS
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.