Category: Inspiration

What Hooks Me to a Book #Wednesday Words #Open Book Blog Hop

I don’t judge a book by its cover. When I read or hear about one that sounds interesting, I read the synopsis. If I find the book on Audible and am not familiar with the author or narrator, I play a sample to get an idea of the style of writing and narration. Because of my limited vision, I have difficulty reading Kindle samples. So, I hope for the best. I never return a book if I don’t like it because I still want to support the author.

Once I start a book, I can’t always guarantee I’ll finish it. If a book contains too much strong language or too many vivid descriptions of sex or violence, I no longer care about how it will end. If a book turns out to be too unbelievable, it’s not worth it for me.

I have a nasty habit of letting myself get too drawn into a story. Over and over, I tell myself it’s just a book and the characters’ tribulations are not my problem, but that doesn’t always work. Sometimes, a story keeps me awake at night, and I can’t let it go. If I have a bad feeling about how a book will end, I don’t finish it because I don’t want to know.

When I was younger, I enjoyed reading mystery, fantasy, science fiction, and even some horror stories. Now, I’m more selective about what I read. Isn’t it interesting how tastes change as we age?

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The above was inspired by Stevie Turner’s Open Book Blog Hop question for this week. If you’d like to participate, click here.

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Today’s the day. I’ll be performing at noon Mountain Standard Time at the Wyo Theater here in Sheridan, Wyoming, as part of our local senior center’s live music streaming series. The event will be held virtually on Facebook, but even if you don’t have an account, you should be able to watch my program live by clicking this link. Please share this information with all your friends. I hope you can come.

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New! The Red Dress

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When It’s Too Darn Cold #Tuesday Tidbit

Why didn’t Cole Porter write a song about that as well as it being too darn hot in the summer? When it’s too darn hot, you don’t want to snuggle up with your baby, but when the temperature drops, Mr. Adam is definitely interested in being with his madam.

In parts of Texas, where there’s no electricity, heat, or running water, snuggling under blankets is a great way to keep warm. While you’re at it, if you’re with your significant other, it’s a good time for some hanky panky, another way to keep warm this time of year.

Where am I going with this? I don’t know. I guess I’m just grazing.

Speaking of which, here in Wyoming, cattle are, no doubt, miserable in the snow when the temperature is below zero. They eat more hay, so they can put on more body fat to keep warm. Soon, it will be time for calving, and ranchers who help bring bovine bundles of joy into the world will be just as miserable. But the groundhog saw his shadow, which means there will be a few more weeks of this. I don’t know which is worse, being too darn cold or being too darn hot.

Last week, it was my turn to facilitate my Third Thursday Poets meeting. We usually start with a writing exercise for twenty minutes, then share what we’ve written. For this month’s prompt, I read the group the poem, “February 2^nd” by Kay Winters, which you can read here. Then, I suggested that everyone write about whatever in that poem inspired them. The above vignette is the product of some free association on the subject of cold.

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New! The Red Dress

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Lunchtime Music Livestream #Event

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve gotten my first music performance gig since COVID19 started last year, and you’re invited. This coming Wednesday, February 24^th, at noon Mountain standard Time, I’ll be playing the piano and singing at the Wyo Theater here in Sheridan. The event will be streamed live on Facebook. Even if you don’t have an account, you should be able to watch the event by clicking this link at the appointed date and time. My performance will be recorded, and I’ll try to post a link to the recording in case you aren’t able to attend. Please share this event far and wide. I hope you can all come.

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New! The Red Dress

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Adelveis #Musical Monday

According to Wikipedia, The Sound of Music is based on the 1949 memoir, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp, who is played by Julie Andrews in the movie. The music, of course, was written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, II. The movie was released on March 2^nd, 1965. An adaptation of the 1959 stage musical by the same name, it was filmed from March to September of 1964 in Los Angeles and Salzburg, Austria. You can read more about that in Julie Andrews’s memoir, Home Work, which I reviewed here. To learn more about The Sound of Music, visit the film’s Wikipedia page.

Several years ago when I started entertaining at an assisted living facility’s monthly birthday parties, I met a woman who grew up in Austria during World War II and witnessed the filming of The Sound of Music. She asked me to sing “Adelveis.” I made a point of doing that every time I performed there, and it always brought tears to her eyes. Now, in light of the recent passing of Christopher Plumber, who played Captain von Trapp, here’s “Adelveis” from The Sound of Music.

New! The Red Dress

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