Yes I realize it is really early for this… but I kinda am in the mood for the conversation.
We do yule. It is a wonderful thing where we celebrate the time together more than anything else. Yes we do presents but we don’t make it a big deal. Most of my gifts to my daughter have been homemade for years. I try to get the rest of the family something that will make them smile.
So much of the people end up feeling like they have to go into debt to get the best gift for the holiday thing… for me the best thing about the holidays is that I get to see some of my family that are too far away to see otherwise.
There is a house way down in New Orleans They call the Rising Sun And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy And God I know I’m one
Mother was a tailor, yeah, yeah Sewed my Levi jeans My father was a gamblin’ man, yeah, yeah Down, way down in New Orleans
Now the only thing a gamblin’ man ever needs Is a suitcase, Lord, and a trunk And the only time a fool like him is satisfied Is when he’s all stone cold drunk
Oh, mothers, tell your children Not to do what I have done Spend your lives in sin and misery In the House of the Rising Sun
[Verse 4] Well, I got one foot on the platform The other foot on the train I’m goin’ back to New Orleans To wear that ball and chain
[Refrain] Well, there is a house in New Orleans They call the Rising Sun And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy And God, I know I’m one
My 2 Cents –
So I am all of the time having a conversation with my daughter about cover songs. A lot of the ones that she likes are covers of stuff that I listened to in my youth. The covers are not always a bad thing. This song in particular is one that has been covered by everyone. Seriously 😒. But I have to admit… I kinda like this one.
This time of year is so niche. First the artists in September/October are all doing all sorts of nifty art challenges. Then in November the writers all start talking about writing challenges. Not a writer and curious about what the challenges mean?
well For Poets there is a P.A.D. Challenge. This is fairly simple and easy to explain. It is a Poem A Day Challenge. The idea is to write at least one poem everyday in November. (I am trying to do 2 or more but that is because I already do a poem daily as one of my daily goals. The idea is to challenge yourself after all.)
The other Major challenge that goes on in November is NANOWRIMO. Which stands for National Novel Writing Month. The Idea is to write 50000 words during the month of November. (preferably all in one manuscript. but some split it up into shorts and other ideas just to get the writing done.) In order to accomplish this you would need to write at minimum, you should be writing 1,667 words a day, or approximately 11,700 words a week. That can be daunting.
I am not doing Nano, but I am trying to boost my daily writing activity. I am hoping to make the habit stick. What challenges do you try to attempt? Are you a Writer or an artist? There is also art challenges throughout the other months of the year. April also generally sees a PAD challenge for National Poetry Month.
I am curious what other challenges people put themselves through. I end up having to explain the PAD challenge and Nano so often I wonder what challenges I may be missing out of ignorance.
Save me a place In the heart of your hearts When you think of love Never forsake me
Wanting and dreaming you Each time I think of you Lying naked beside me
Only a Lady of Dreams She will bring magic To sing to your heartstrings
Only a Lady of Dreams Come alive, you are all That I desire
Save me a place In the heart of your hearts When you think of dreams Never forsake me
Wanting and holding you Each time I come to you Lying naked beside you
Only a Lady of Dreams Could there be magic To sing to your heartstrings
Only a Lady of Dreams Come alive, you are all That I desire
Something tells me This is love that surrounds Only a fool Without wisdom can see Blind as I am In your eyes My Lady of Dreams
Blind as I am In your eyes My Lady of Dreams
Save me, save me A place in your heart Tears escape from me When we’re apart Please dream of me now My Lady of Dreams
My thoughts and wishes Are all the surrounds Mysteries hold you Then fly you away You know you are my life My Lady of Dreams
You know you are my life My Lady of Dreams
Save me a place In the heart of your heart When you think of love Never forsake me
Wanting and dreaming you Each time I think of you Lying so naked beside me
Only a Lady of Dreams Could there be magic To sing to your heartstrings
Only a Lady of Dreams Come alive, you are all That I desire
Something tells me This is love that surrounds Only a fool Without wisdom can see Blind as I am In your eyes My Lady of Dreams
Blind as I am In your eyes My Lady of Dreams
My 2 Cents –
My cousin asked for suggestions on how to get a child to sleep through the night. One of her friends is struggling with it, and I recommended the music of Kitaro. Most of their music is instrumental. My daughter loved it when she was little. The recommendation caused me to want to hear old favorites again. This particular song is sung by Jon Anderson from Yes. It is the only non Instrumental in their discography. They are a Japanese band. The music is quite soothing.
Down down down down down down down Down down down down down down down I’m gonna burn it down Down down down down down down down Down down down down down down down I’m gonna burn it down Down down down down down down down
9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, fun I’m crawling through the doggy door My key don’t fit my lock no more I’ll change the drapes I’ll break the plates I’ll find a new place Burn this fucker down Down down down down down down down
I’m crawling through the doggy door My key don’t fit my lock no more I’ll change the drapes I’ll break the plates I’ll find a new place Burn this fucker down Down down down down down down down
Funhouse But now it’s full of evil clowns It’s time to start the countdown I’m gonna burn it down down down I’m gonna burn it down Down down down down down down down 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
I’m gonna burn it down Down down down down down down down Down down down down down down down I’m gonna burn it down Down down down down down down down I’m gonna burn it down Down down down down down down down
My 2 Cents –
There have been a couple of occasions that I have felt like this. One of my writing groups imploded, a friend group fell apart. I think it is a common feeling. Where you just wanna go yeah I am out. it’s been fun, but I can’t no more. And Pink says it with a catchy beat.
And yeah I know I should do one more Halloween tune for this is HALLOWEEN! Meh….
I was working in the lab, late one night When my eyes beheld an eerie sight For my monster from his slab, began to rise And suddenly to my surprise
He did the mash, he did the monster mash The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash He did the mash, it caught on in a flash He did the mash, he did the monster mash
From my laboratory in the castle east (Wa-ooh) To the master bedroom where the vampires feast (Wa-wa-ooh) The ghouls all came from their humble abodes (Wa-ooh) To get a jolt from my electrodes
They did the mash, they did the monster mash The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash They did the mash, it caught on in a flash They did the mash, they did the monster mash
The zombies were having fun (Tennis shoe wa-ooh) The party had just begun (Tennis shoe wa-ooh) The guests included Wolfman (Tennis shoe wa-ooh) Dracula, and his son
The scene was rockin’, all were digging the sounds (Wa-ooh) Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds (Wa-wa-ooh) The coffin-bangers were about to arrive (Wa-ooh) With their vocal group, The Crypt-Kicker Five
They played the mash, they played the monster mash The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash They played the mash, it caught on in a flash They played the mash, they played the monster mash
Out from his coffin’, Drac’s voice did ring (Wa-ooh) Seems he was troubled by just one thing (Wa-wa-ooh) He opened the lid and shook his fist and said (Wa-ooh) “Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?
It’s now the mash, it’s now the monster mash The monster mash, and it’s a graveyard smash It’s now the mash, it caught on in a flash It’s now the mash, it’s now the monster mash
Now everything’s cool, Drac’s a part of the band (Wa-ooh) And my Monster Mash is the hit of the land (Wa-wa-ooh) For you, the living this mash was meant too (Wa-ooh) When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you
Then you can mash, then you can monster mash The monster mash and do my graveyard smash Then you can mash, you’ll catch on in a flash Then you can mash, then you can monster mash
Mash good Easy, Igor, you impetuous young boy Mash good, grr
My 2 Cents –
Continuing the theme from last week…It’s Halloween Time Y’all. Celebrate the dark and spooky with me.
I wanted Halloween Music. I came across this List.
I love it. When I had searched for the same sort of thing on Movies…Well I found I was disappointed in the list. Scary movies most of these are not…at least not to me. Boyfriend says I am desensitized.
He might be right. I was reading horror books back in elementary school – like real ones. Steven King and the like. My parents did not limit what I read. (I was reading College level by time I hit 4th grade.)
I remember being scared by some really well written stories.
And My imagination is far richer than most movies.
So, I end up being disappointed by the movies because they can not live up to the full richness of the stories in my head. I get people who get mad at me when I say that I am not a video person…because the shows rarely are worth the time I have to spend away from my books.
And I have no way to explain that without sounding strange. I love music. I love books. Movies and television however often disappoints.
Old radio programs and Theater shows are amazing however…
It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurkin’ in the dark Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes, You’re paralyzed
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night And no one’s gonna save you from the beast about to strike You know it’s thriller, thriller night You’re fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight Yeah Ooh
You hear the door slam and realize there’s nowhere left to run You feel the cold hand and wonder if you’ll ever see the sun You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination, girl But all the while you hear a creature creepin’ up behind You’re outta time
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night There ain’t no second chance against the thing with the forty eyes, girl Thriller, ooh, thriller night You’re fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
Night creatures call And the dead start to walk in their masquerade There’s no escaping the jaws of the alien this time (they’re open wide) This is the end of your life, ooh
They’re out to get you, there’s demons closing in on every side (ooh) They will possess you unless you change that number on your dial Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together, yeah All through the night I’ll save you from the terror on the screen, I’ll make you see
That this is thriller, thriller night ‘Cause I can thrill you more than any ghoul could ever dare try Thriller, ooh, thriller night So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller, chiller Thriller here tonight
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night Girl, I can thrill you more than any ghoul could ever dare try Thriller, ooh, thriller night So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller (ow)
I’m gonna thrill you tonight
[Vincent Price:] Darkness falls across the land The midnight hour is close at hand Creatures crawl in search of blood To terrorize y’all’s neighborhood (I’m gonna thrill you tonight) And whomsoever shall be found Without the soul for getting down Must stand and face the hounds of hell And rot inside a corpse’s shell
[Vincent Price:] The foulest stench is in the air The funk of forty thousand years (Thriller night, thriller) And grisly ghouls from every tomb Are closing in to seal your doom And though you fight to stay alive Your body starts to shiver (I’m gonna thrill you tonight) For no mere mortal can resist The evil of the thriller
[Into maniacal laugh, in deep echo]
My 2 Cents –
Continuing the theme from last week…It’s Halloween Time Y’all. Celebrate the dark and spooky with me.
I love all sorts. Today I am going to introduce you to one of my favorites.
Give me the Brain. You pay $4 get a pdf and print some cards. it’s neat as all get out. this is how I did it. The game is so fun. the concept is you are zombies running a restaurant. There is one brain between you. Some tasks require the brain to do. some don’t. The winner is the one who ends up with no cards.
There is a version of cards already made on Amazon…But I like my printed cards best. We went and had them laminated. Found a fake brain at the dollar tree that we keep with it and a six sided dice. (You need the dice) It has been hours of fun for us.
A single game usually takes around 15-20 minutes to play and can be anywhere from 2-10 players with no problems. The flavor text on the cards are a source of humor…and it really is good clean family friendly fun. (we got the deck when my daughter was around six. She loves it.)