Interludes...

I began writing something this morning that I wasn’t completely ready to write let alone post online so I typed it up and saved it for later. Blogging is fantastic and I know my limitations when it comes to sharing and I promise when the time is right, I’ll set that particular blog free.

This is probably going to be one of my shorter entries; it’s mostly about the music. In relation the blog I couldn’t share, the theme of it would fit nicely with this piece of music:

...but the more I listen to the song the deeper I want to write. There’s nothing quite like music to help stir your thoughts and truly connect you with your emotions. I’ve been avoiding myself (yes, myself) for a while now and I’ve realised that isn’t the most helpful use of my time. In the last few weeks certain things have happened to me indirectly and I’ve discovered it would be more useful to ‘ground’ and ‘centre’ myself as opposed to flit from one thought to another. A result of this is I’m thinking in more of an orderly fashion, I’m not caught up in negative moods or thoughts and the smile has returned to my face.

Since Tuesday I’ve been feeling like this:

 I do have the odd moment when this creeps in:

Not to write this off as a depressing song, truth be told I actually love it, but it's sombre enough to effective describe what I'm attempting to convey. 

One song that gets me out of a rut is always: 

And when I'm out, there's nothing but ...

Lazy Sundays

Lazy Sundays – what are they?

Good question, but I’m sure everyone has their own version, and if you don’t, what the hell are you doing?!
It’s a chance to do as much ‘nothing’ as possible in one day. I usually end up exercising, having wonderful breakfasts, watching episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, Archer, Supernatural, The Mentalist and other US shows. I read, I write whenever possible, and I tend to occupy either the bedroom or lounge for most of the day.

This week it was Grey’s, Terra Nova, X-Factor, a super awesome dinner, and some physical activity thrown in the mix; at a pace that I’ve grown accustomed to. I worked out to a Linkin Park soundtrack.

I love Sundays and look forward to them ALL week, like its Christmas morning or something.
Much of the appeal is the fact that I’m totally in love with the Butterfly and snuggling on the sofa is enough for me (I like the simple things).

The day before (8^th October) I took my nephew roller skating at the indoor disco I usually go to with my friends. Saturday daytime at The Renaissance Rooms is for kids and I invited a bunch of families to come down.
So ... Sundays are always totally awesome!

Now, I’m the kinda guy who sees a scene and immediately puts a soundtrack to it. If I took the entire weekend and turned it into a montage - the track playing over all the fun, the laughing, the food/drink, families enjoying time together and spending quality time with no interruptions; would sound like this:


 

More mood music ...

I'm feeling very musical tonight and thought I'd share some of the songs on my mind prior to going to bed tonight - enjoy:

... then:

... and:

... after that came:

... eventually: 

... without warning:

... not surprisingly:

... still love it:

... James:

... not forgetting:

... and it's finally that time ...

Music defiinitely fuels me

Yet again I'm blogging music, this time it's a song I'm totally in love with and it resonates within me because currently I'm missing my girlfriend who I haven't seen since last Sunday. "A week?!" I hear you say.
When you're in love that feels like an eternity.

I think it's a night writing to Michael Buble for moi ...

Music to sweat to ...

I'm loving the way someone has edited this visual mix of Derrick Rose alongside my workout track of the moment 'All The Above' Maino ft T-Pain.
I could damn near kill myself working out to this track. It gets me amped and I don't realise I'm pushing myself as hard as I am until I'm done and begin to cool down.

My aim is to get my hands on an Ipod Nano, some small earphones and a strap to hold it onto my arm so I can dribble and shoot without being hindered by loose wires coming out of my pockets. DID SOMEONE SAY AMAZON WISHLIST?

Anyhoo, here's the track I'm talking about ... Can you see yourself doing something awesome too?!

How does it make you feel?

If you've been reading any of my blogs you'll know that as much as I love the written word I believe music is a catalyst for much of my creativity. Playing anything by Steve Jablonsky puts me in the mood to write something exciting, Lynden David Hall fuels my romantic side as well as Laura Izibor and Ms Bailey-Rae.
Currently I'm writing short stories with The Island, Transformers, and Star Trek (Michael Giacchino) soundtracks playing in the background so take a guess as to what's coming out of my fingers.
I woke up with the urge to write something beautiful after my erotic rant last night, but decided to get on with the 'shorts' I'm having fun piecing together. The song I would have played to lubricate my lovely-bones would have been:

... instead I've dived behind a wall of:

Writing to OST's (original soundtracks) is the best way for me personally to get my juices going. Sometimes I hear a song coming from a passing car and an entire scene pops into my head too fast to write down, so I tear my BlackBerry out of my pocket and punch a few notes detailing the structure of a story. Happens all the time, but it isn't annoying, just the way my brain functions.
However, I've deviated from what I'm supposed to be doing so I'll crack on with the typing ...

I don't usually ask people to comment on my blogs but if you're a writer, do you listen to music whilst you write and what kind of songs are they?
Anyone who doesn't write much (or at all), how does music make you feel when you hear it? I'm interested in finding out if I'm not the only person that does this.

Thanks in advance.

**If you want to tell me away from here you can find me on Twitter: @StefsLines.**

Mood music

There really isn't anything better than music; to take you to places you'd physically be unable to go. I love the essence of sound which means I can't like any particular genre or swear by a certain brand of artist. I love that my tastes are broad and many a time when watching a movie, I sit and listen to the soundtrack playing over the end credits and search for the names of various songs that I liked on YouTube.
I don't make good use of the excellent sound system in my living room, or sit on the sofa and let music wash over me, but tonight I'm making an exception. At  the request of a friend who paid me a visit this evening, I dusted off my Norah Jones CD and pressed play.

We talked (details I'll keep to myself) but it was a nice chat and I was happy to hear that life was treating my friend well, maybe not on all aspects but, good enough. There were smiles, which is never a bad thing.
Prior to Norah we listened to some Esperanza Spalding:

I didn't know much about Ms. Spalding and was happy to be introduced. She's like, the present you weren't expecting at Christmas. Between chatting I highlighted the talents of Galt Macdermot:

Galt is amazing. I sit watching him playing the keys; envious that I can't play as good, but I make sure I put in the practice.
I got my friend to listen to this track as well. Some of you may recognise it:

I'm rounding out the evening on the phone to my HoneyChops followed by a warm drink and Red Velvet cake. Life isn't perfect, but music helps.

Barbershop Quartets

I'm convinced not all groups who harmonise together call themselves, Barbershop Quartets (seemingly because there's probably more than four members, or it just sounds corny) but just hearing vocals only on a track not only sounds good but it makes me feel all warm inside.
I recently posted this vid to my girlfriends Facebook page:

... she loved it by saying she loved me - cue some mood music:
 

If you've not been exposed to the world of acappela then get involved, it's great to hear and makes a bad day nice and a good day great.

Try it ... doesn't hurt to let your heart soar every so often.

NOTA

So I went in search for more acapella and found this. Yep! Another group from that show I love!

Enjoy! PS: I LOVE THIS SOOOOO MUCH ...

Playing the keys and writing blogs ...

There truly is nothing more therapeutic in the world than the title of this blog. After recent events my head has needed to go somewhere apart from where I am. I've found comfort in words and music. I knew that I had this to fall back on, but when you access it from the perspective I'm in right now, the experience is heightened one-hundred fold.
I love what I'm doing, and that's recovering to pages of Patterson and Holt as well as concentrating on one tune and one tune only on the keys. Learn it, and play it back to myself just for the 'hey' of it.

I LOVE THIS!

No explanation necessary ...

Tennis, just tennis ...

People seem to get on better with me when I'm being totally honest. I do this in a jovial way that comes across a bit easier, but in reality if I took away the smile on my face and the light inflections I add to my voice when I say certain things, I don't think I'd have many friends. But it's the fact that I avoid diluting my words that has my friends appreciating what I have to say.
Having a go-to-person that is reluctant to tell you what the 411 is like owning a really fast car with no engine.

I may bruise a few egos on the rocky road to the truth but on reflection I'm told time and time again the hard truth was what was needed especially when there are so many individuals out there ready to tell you exactly what you want to hear, usually because they have some ulterior motive for keeping you on side.

On an unrelated topic, a friend of mine who works out as much as I do (pre hernia) wanted a gym buddy. Gym buddies are hard to find and often, the buddy doesn't always want to work out as intense as you do. So, he finds one and she's cool, but as he found out recently; she isn't as copacetic as he first thought. I won't go into tons of detail because that's his business but his experience made me realise how evil and duplicitous women can be when they're ready. All the dude wanted to do was hit the gym and play racket sports. How hard is that to accept?

Oh well!

I''l end on a song tonight. As I was writing, this one popped into my head. Night folks ...

Ballad of the Black Gold

Listening to a Talib Kweli track the other day and a line in the song struck a chord.

"Have you ever seen happy hungry people that ain't rational?"

The line made me stop and really think, not the usual erratic thought processes that I usual have, but focused thought. There's a growing trend of 'action before thought' and it causes so much unnecessary outcomes, yet as a species we're too caught up racing ahead crashing into each other.
None of us are perfect either. I'd like to believe that I'm in the picture I'm painting and no different from anyone that I'm referring to. Not even I can prove that I'm not prone to ignorant thoughts every now and then.

There isn't a massive market for the kind of hip hop Kweli puts out, or the lyrics Mos Def laces on tracks; only to be ignored because the majority would much rather aspire to wearing gold and platinum.

I don't hate the times we live in, but they could be a lot better.

... couldn't resist posting this ...

... all that needs to be said is it's a lovely song that needs to be heard.

Post Grad & Jack Savoretti

Post Grad is the kind of movie that should be safely in every DVD collection. Released in 2009, it received unsavoury reviews from movie goers and critics alike. I can't quite understand why.

The story revolves around a young woman and her desire to follow her career dreams only to have them crushed, and for the rest of the movie we're taken on a quirky and entertaining walk through the lives of her family running parallel to her misfortunes.
It's all quite amusing and sentimental at times. The bad reviews probably stemmed from critics that spend too much time devouring children while they dream (see The Proposal) instead of just sitting back and watching a nicely put together love story.

That's all I really want to say about the movie - go take a look, and if you like it; HOORAY!

Jack Savoretti who loaned his song "One Day" to a scene within the movie deserves a mention. The track captures the essence of what part of the film is essentially about and is just nice to play to someone you really like or love, if you dare.