by Sin | October 3rd, 2008
It’s almost been a year since I started writing a blog at least once a week. Doesn’t seem like time should’ve flown by that fast. When I was little, a month would drag by. Summers seemed to last forever, and the time between Labor Day and Christmas was the longest stretch of time ever. Now, I can’t breathe without three months passing me by faster than I can snap my fingers.
I’ve learned a lot from the blogs this past year. It’s funny how we can all talk about one subject and have a different outcome that makes sense. I’ve also learned that life is meant to be lived to have fun, enjoy yourself and those around you. And not to mention, life is lived so that you can live it a different way through your writing.
Writing, for me, is an exercise in clearing my conscience. Redoing things I wished I’d done different, living life vicariously through my main characters. It’s one of the best things about writing a story. You are someone different when looking through a different POV. I give myself up to the feelings of first love, betrayal of someone closest to you, deceit, lying, cheating, begging, and relying on no one but myself. All these emotions claw their way to the surface when on the page. But also, writing teaches you a lot about yourself. Things you keep firmly locked away seem to bubble up until you’re unable to lock it away anymore.
Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. The best way to get it over with is to just get it out.
For the writing, the life of the character is everlasting until that last page when you have to say goodbye and move on. It’s not painful to say goodbye to a good story when you know you’ve given them the right ending. But what happens if life gets in the way of that happily ever after ending and the story must go on through a new POV? It’s hard to let go then because you know somewhere in the story it went wrong. Your emotions swung the story onto the path less taken and no matter how hard you try; you can’t find your way back. That’s life breathing through your writing. My writing holds more emotion when I write this way. It’s painful for me, but I like the end result. This makes me think about life more often and how short it really is. How sometimes the most important things to us get swept aside in our quest to have bigger and better things. Makes me think about what we have to sacrifice to have what we think we want instead of just what we need. When I write, life is simpler. It’s as easy as that.
I have a theme song for writing. I’ve loved this song for so long that even when I haven’t listened to it for a while, I can still sing it without missing a beat. Love unrequited except for a single night. Lovers who can’t find a way to be together and each second they can spend together draws them further apart. The song is so heartbreaking to listen to but it’s hypnotic. I use this song when I need help remembering what’s worth sacrificing in life, in writing. I think about what it would be like to look at someone from across the room and pretend I didn’t know them. To walk past them and remember the way his fingers felt on my naked skin, the way he looked in the moonlight and the stars shining in his eyes and the way it felt when he kissed me goodbye. It’s that type of emotion that traps a reader and makes them turn the page and I needed to be reminded of that.
What sort of life do you put into your writing? Readers, do you find yourself reading a certain type of book based on what kind of story is being told? If you don’t fancy those questions, I’m curious about music. What kind of theme song would you give your life?
Afraid I forgot to give my favourite opening line in yesterday’s blog. Inspired by Janga’s quote from Loretta Chase and Bing Crosby’s singing. It is “penises from heaven”. The complete sentence hasn’t been written yet!
Sin, I love your philosophical reflections on love life and writing. If only I could have had you to teach me what Wittgenstein and Russel really meant. Instead I was seduced by Feynman and Dirac! Even when you take a wrong path it holds the promise of new insights and an exciting revelation.
I recently read a book which simply recorded a conversation between three authors, one being Rupert Sheldrake (Morphic fields fame). It just struck me that I would rather have read a book with selections from your blogs!
Sin, You are an inspiration. I need you more than coffee.
You’re sweet, Q. My blogs are exercises in randomness. I don’t think many people would be interested in such randomness. It would help if I could stay on topic once I get on topic. After a while, you’d drive yourself insane reading anything I wrote.
For me, there are instances that remind me what life is about and sometimes I just need a nudge in a different direction. I take these nudges with a grain of salt and do what I think is best. But always my characters do the opposite. *shrugs* More of a “take the path less used” sort of philosophy in my writing. I make enough mistakes in my life and think my writing should be reflective of that.
I love Bing Crosby. I’m listening to big band and swing music right now. I want to get up and do the jitterbug.
PS. Q, you always flatter my writing. I need to put you in a backpack and carry you around with me.
The word ‘flattery” smacks of Insincerity, Sin. And one thing I Don’t imagine that Q would Evahhh be is Insincere. He is simply being honest. Your writing is inspirational… in a uniquely You sort of way.
Ooohhh theme songs for My Life? The first one that came to mind is AC/DC’s Highway to Hell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erJc4dzZ3IA.
Then Duffy’s “Mercy”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE2orthS3TQ
But really my life isn’t so bad… it’s just… what? Not really Normal. Normal in the sense that other people normally five their lives in a predictable fashion. Its like when every body else is putting their right foot in… I’m taking mine out. So that eliminates the “Hookie-pookie”.
My theme songs… “Anything Goes” by Cole Porter.
Linda Ronstadt’s “Different Drum”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPvqFkCtAqw
And finally… from a CD that I found in my DS’s room when I was packing up his stuff. I was surprised that he actually had John Denver in his collection. But there it was. hidden in a pile of rap, jazz & my Led Zeppelin (the brat had filched ‘em). On the CD is a song … a song that never fails to make me a little sad. A little wistful. A song that reminds me to appreciate… to enjoy… this moment. And always. When I am done listening to it. I sigh. And think “I’m supposed to be doing “other things” aren’t I? Other than blogging… and writing…. “ The song is John Denver’s “Today’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQtb94N2RGo
What do I put into my writing? Humor. A sort of Will Ferrell/Kevin Nealon/Tina Fey humor. All at once sly and over the top. I have to work to be funny–because I used to not be and what a tight ass I was then. It comes back occasionally; I have to watch myself. I don’t think life was meant to be taken too seriously. It’s far too absurd in the big picture sort of way. Maybe in smaller views, it’s meant to take more seriously: family, friends, stuff like that.
I do tend to gravitate toward “fairy tale themed” books (beauty & the beast motif or cinderella or sleeping beauty); or reunion stories. (I’m always trying to make up for past mistakes, I guess. Reunion stories give us that fairy tale ending that it could all work out if you were given a second shot.)
Current Theme Song: Flirting With Disaster
I’m travelin’ down the road,
I’m flirtin’ with disaster.
I’ve got the pedal to the floor,
My life is running faster.
I’m out of money, I’m out of hope,
It looks like self destruction.
Well how much more can we take,
With all of this corruption.
Been flirtin’ with disaster,
Ya’ll know what I mean.
And the way we run our lives,
It makes no sense to me.
I don’t know about yourself or,
What you want to be – YEAH.
When we gamble with our time,
We choose our destiny.
What do I wish my theme song was?
Fly me to the moon by Frank…or Nice & Easy by Frank.
Julie – that Denver song is beautiful. I don’t think I’d ever heard it until I just checked it out. Thanks for the link.
I’m so with you on this blog today, Sin. That bit about seeing someone across the room and pretending you don’t know them is something I can very much relate to. There’s a song by Trisha Yearwood called “The Song Remembers When”. I, and I’m guessing most women, can totally relate to this one. Here are some of the lyrics.
I was standin’ at the counter
I was waitin’ for the change
When I heard that old familiar music start
It was like a lighted match
Had been tossed into my soul
It was like a dam had broken in my heart
After taking ev’ry detour
Gettin’ lost and losin’ track
So that even if I wanted
I could not find my way back
After drivin’ out the mem’ry
Of the way things might have been
After I’d forgotten all about us
The song remembers when
Julie, I love “Today”; it’s such a haunting song. It brings back my youth too.
I can remember when it from the folk craze days when it was a hit for the New Christy Minstrels and we all knew the words. 
My problem with choosing a theme song is that I can always think of so many that fit pieces of me and none that fit the whole. A verse from Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “I Take My Chances” seems appropriate today.
“I’ve crossed lines of words and wire and both have cut me deep.
I’ve been frozen out and I’ve been on fire and the tears are mine to weep.
Now I can cry until I laugh and laugh until I cry,
So cut the deck right in half; I’ll play from either side.”
Okay, I didn’t actual answer the theme song thing. I’ll have to think about this one. My brain is telling me there’s an obvious answer, but my brain is also not working well today (sore throat, dying vehicle) so it’s going to take some concentration. LOL!
And I probably need to use writing more for therapy. If there are too many other things going on in my life, I can’t concentrate on the story. I’m not channeling enough I think. With everything else so complicated, I tend to want the writing thing to be easy. A way to relax. But as we all know, there’s nothing easy about writing. LOL! I’m sure there’s a song about chaos out there that would probably fit me perfectly. LOL!
Terri, I love “The Song Remembers When.” I think it is one of the most evocative songs ever written. It grabs me by the heart every time I hear it. I think “This Is Me You’re Talking To” from her latest CD is another that touches a near-universal note.
Gosh, how could I forget this one? Its one of my favorite “how to live your life” songs. It feels so honest.
LeAnn Rimes: What I Cannot Change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umjRT6m4eec
What a beautifully written blog, Sin!
I don’t really choose theme songs for my work. I do hear songs that inspire me but I don’t know if I could call them theme songs. Music is wonderful. I wish I could listen to it while I work but, alas, I need complete silence to work.
And, yes, I do read certain types of books based on the sotry that’s being told.
Thanks, everybody, for the great music suggestions!
Make that *story that’s being told…(I do not know what a sotry is…*g*)
I love The Song Remembers When. Though I can’t listen to it without crying. *LOL*
Fortunately though, since I date in cycles of locust, I don’t really have too many songs that remind me of someone else. I used to have a problem listening to Shania Twain’s “You Win My Love” because it reminded me of GXB–now I can listen to it and it just makes me smile. So if I hear songs that remind me of GXB, it’s more a fond remembrance of him doing a goofy dance or something.
I haven’t had any serious relationships since where we’ve had “songs”.
Well, now I’m officially depressed. *LOL*
Kelly, maybe a “sotry” is the last effort to make something work. You know, the noun form of the verb in this sentence: I so try to understand him, but it’s hopeless. Then I can say, “I gave it my best sotry.”
Julie, that’s another great song! I love that song!
LOL! That may be it, Janga! I believe we all should give everything our best sotry.
Oh yeah, I also can recommend the song It Is You I Have Love All Along. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv8pzBYTinI
The song haunts me and reminds me of one of those great stories where the couple doesn’t realize they love each other for a very long time(Amelia and Thomas. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume)
It also fits an unrequited love story.
I don’t really like the song “I Cross My Heart” anymore since it was my wedding song. And pretty much supposed to be the theme song of my marriage. So didn’t turn out that way. LOL! I’m just glad the line “Hope to die” isn’t in there somewhere.
When I was going through my divorce and working as a country DJ, I cried a lot. LOL! I love country music, but it has to be the most depressing stuff in the world when you’re going through a heartbreak.
Janga – Trisha can do no wrong in my book. And her voice is so emotional and powerful. Another of my favorites is “I Would Have Loved You Anyway.” And the song “Like We Never Had A Broken Heart” is especially beautiful and depressing at the same time.
Oh, Terri, I love those Trisha songs! Just about all of her songs make me cry. I LOVE How Do I Live. The mocie Con Air didn’t even ruin it for me.
Hellion… I simply Cannot imagine you as Not Funny. Then I think back upon your last blog abilities verses choices & I remember that my reaction was
“That Damn Woman makes me think Too MUCH!”
Sin,
Q, said something about being random, randomness is very good. It’s fun, flirty and most times overdue. LURRVED the blog! Plus, my little comment fits the bill for being absolutely random.
As for theme songs…yikes, because I’m a self-centered romantic heroine I always think of a song that’s being sung to me. LOL.
Jack Johnson’s “Angel” is my latest “rum” so to speak. Plus, being and angel is far from what I am.
“Angel”
I’ve got an angel
She doesn’t wear any wings
She wears a heart that can melt my own
She wears a smile that can make me wanna sing
She gives me presents
With her presence alone
She gives me everything I could wish for
She gives me kisses on the lips just for coming home
She could make angels
I’ve seen it with my own eyes
You gotta be careful when you’ve got good love
Cause the angels will just keep on multiplying
But you’re so busy changing the world
Just one smile can change all of mine
We share the same soul
Oh oh oh oh oh ohhh
We Share the same soul
Oh oh oh oh oh ohhh
We Share the same soul
Oh oh oh oh oh ohhh
Oh oh oh oh oh ohhh
Umm umm umm uhhhhhhmm
*googles Jack Johnson, whistles* I’d give him kisses on the lips just for coming home. NICE.
I’ve been lurking for some time, but this entry cried out for coming forward. Sin, you’re right. Writing is therapy. I work through so much with my characters, it scares me sometimes.
Music? Oh, most any soundtrack. The Pirates of the Caribbean, all three. The Lord of the Rings, all three, Iron Man, Master and Commander, The Da Vinci Code… I like to write with galloping theme music pushing me along. Too often it gets overlooked in the theater, but a good soundtrack is a precious gift.
But songs? Oh, just about anything on the Dolores Keane, Solid Ground CD. Especially Storm in My Heart and Solid Ground. Something about her voice just paints pictures I have to put into words.
@Julie—my mother sang “Today” as my sisters’ and my lullabies, and now we sing it at each others’ weddings (three down, one to go).
Such a hurry this morning forgot to mention my song was ‘Pennies from heaven’ sung by Bing …. I’m a sucker for the old ones!
Every time it rains it rains
Pennies from heaven.
Don’t you know each cloud contains
Pennies from heaven.
You’ll find yor fortune falling
All over town.
Be sure that your umbrella is upside down.
Sin, I may flatter you a teeny bit, but then you know that I’m no literary critic. I just know what I like and I like your stuff!
Sin – I’m sorry I was slow checking in today.
Right now I listen to Realize by Colbie Caillat.
Here’s a snippet, if you’re not familiar.
But I can’t spell it out for you,
no it’s never gonna be that simple
no I can’t spell it out for you.
If you just realized what I just realized
then we’d be perfect for each other
then we’d never find another
Just realized what I just realized
we’d never have to wonder if
we missed out on each other now.
It’s not always the same
no it’s never the same
if you don’t feel it too.
If you meet me half way
If you would meet me half way.
It could be the same for you.
It fits with my story’s theme.
Great Blog, Sin!
Hey pirates and wenches,
Sorry I was gone all day
Lots of great comments. I really appreciate all the wonderful songs you shared today. A lot of them I either hadn’t heard (I don’t make a habit of listening to country music- Make that, never make a habit of it.) and a lot of them have great lyrics.
Just to answer my question and say what song I was talking about. My staple writing song is Understanding (Wash It All Away) by Evanescence. There are three versions of this song. The original is the first Evanescence song I ever heard and over 7 minutes long. The acoustic version *shrugs* and the live version is really great.
Here are a few of the lyrics for Understanding:
Lying beside you
Listening to you breathe
The life that flows inside of you
Burns inside of me
Hold and speak to me
Of love without a sound
Tell me you will live through this
And I will die for you
Cast me not away
Say you’ll be with me
For I know I cannot
Bear it all alone
“You’re not alone, honey.”
“Never… Never.”
Can’t fight it all away
Can’t hope it all away
Can’t scream it all away
It just won’t fade away, No
Can’t wash it all away
Can’t wish it all away
Can’t cry it all away
Can’t scratch it all away
“God, please don’t hate me”
*The lyrics in quotations are spoken by Ben Moody. The song lyrics are sung by Amy Lee.
I waiver between theme songs for myself. Since I’m a music ho, there’s always lyrics and songs that speak to me. Fiona Apple’s song, “Never is a Promise” has always been a top fav of mine. I think it speaks a lot of me.
Here’s an example in case you’ve never heard it:
But as the scenery grows, I see in different lights
The shades and shadows undulate in my perception
My feelings swell and stretch; I see from greater heights
I understand what I am still too proud to mention – to you
You’ll say you understand, but you don’t understand
You’ll say you’d never give up seeing eye to eye
But never is a promise, and you can’t afford to lie
You’ll never touch – these things that I hold
The skin of my emotions lies beneath my own
You’ll never feel the heat of this soul
My fever burns me deeper than Ive ever shown – to you
*The song is really just beautiful and haunting and it sticks with you even after you’ve put it away for the night. The piano is very soothing but there’s an edge to it that pierces your soul like a finger stick.
And last and not least- my newest song. I’ve had this song for a while, I just never really listened to the lyrics. It’s “Let go” by Red. I think this ties into my yearning to just live and do things when I have the impulse. It ties into my never ending thoughts of my characters and listening to them. And it’s me fighting with my conscience. Here are some of the lyrics:
Hey you, look what you do to me
You bend and you bruise me
Why you try to control me?
But you don’t know me
How come you just want to hurt me?
How come you just want to push me?
I can’t ignore you anymore
Cause everywhere I turn you
You burn me, you break me
You always want to take me down with you
What do you want from me?
I don’t wanna be afraid, I don’t wanna run away
I don’t want to be here fading it’s more that I can take
I’m never gonna be the same
I threw it all away
I don’t want to be here fading
Just let go
Let go
You kept pushing me
You keep using me
You keep twisting me
You keep breaking me
You can’t have me anymore
You can’t have me,
let go!
I suppose it fits the theme of my stories as well. There’s always a battle within my heroine that she has to learn to overcome. Maybe that’s why this song speaks to me.
Okay, that’s my two cents of the day. Thanks so much for playing along today you guys. Sorry that I couldn’t play too.
xox
Jules, for some reason I can totally see Mercy as your theme song. Now when I hear it, I will automatically think of you, you little hellraiser.
But really, I can see you with ultra teased hair and headbanging to AC/DC while you wear your boyfriend’s leather jacket and make out like wild at the concert.
Hellion- I can so see you as a Frank themed “Fly Me to the Moon”. But Flirting with Disaster is a fitting title for you. You’re always flirting with someone.
Ter- I used to listen to Trisha Yearwood. She’s got some of the best songs. I don’t know if I’d ever thought you’d pick country. I thought more like old school rock- like “Pour Some Sugar on Me”. LOL
Janga, I’m with you. There always seems to be more than one song that suits me or suits my writing. I can never just pick one. I guess I’m greedy. LOL
Kelly, sometimes all it just takes is a little inspiration. Music is good for that whether you listened to the song while you’re writing or not.
*squealing* Island Girl! It’s so great to see you out and about on the blog!
I’ve never heard this Jack Johnson song but I think I will go look it up on Youtube.
2nd Chance! Welcome to the world of non-lurkdom! I’m so glad you stepped out and commented!
I had to go look up the Dolores Keane on youtube. I listened to Storm in My Heart. She has a beautiful voice. The song is really beautiful. I can see why her songs would get you really vivid imagery.
There is only one soundtrack that I love and it’s Queen of the Damned. I think it’s the dark undertone of the beat with the lyrics that attracts me.
Marn- you still arrived to the blog before me! LOL
And Marn, I listened to the song. It’s a very you and your writing type of song. I can see you listening to A Fine Frenzy too.
Q, I’m a sucker for the old ones too. You know that.
Jordan
I love that story! Thank you for sharing.
Actually SIN, in college I Did have a boyfriend who used to play AC?DC all the time.
Yah, he let me wear his leather jacket… and sure we used to make out… still do… i married the guy! LOL
Thank you for keeping us informed.