Writer’s Workshop: Dissecting Songs?

Dec 3, 2009 | Uncategorized

“Verse by verse, dissect a favorite song you had in 7th grade”

What is it with memories from 7th grade lately, Mama Kat? (Sort of fun though, honestly!)

In 7th grade (1983?) my cool cousin, Ginna, sent me my first “real” cassette tapes (those are things that held music for you young folk-like a cd sort of.) Before this I listened to my mom’s records (big cd things) or to my Disney tapes.

and
U2’s “The Unforgettable Fire“ (Told you she is cool!)


They were bands that didn’t play on Spanish MTV at the time and I’d never heard of them.
I was taken.
Michael Stipe and Bono would adorn my walls for years to come.


It’s hard to pick a favorite song. I love poetry and both of these totally fed into the brooding teenage 13 yr old psyche. I almost wore the R.E.M. cassette out I played it so much. The tunes are great and perfect for dancing alone to. I looked up the lyrics to the Murmur album because, honestly, you can’t understand most of the words Michael Stipe was singing. I thought they were deep and political at the time (for some reason) but upon looking at them now I see I really still have no clue what they mean.

Here’s one for you:

U2’s “A Sort of Homecoming”

And you know it’s time to go
Through the sleet and driving snow
Across the fields of mourning
Light in the distance
And you hunger for the time
Time to heal, desire, time
And your earth moves beneath
Your own dream landscape

Oh, oh, oh…
On borderland we run…

I’ll be there
I’ll be there…
Tonight
A high road
A high road out from here

The city walls are all pulled down
The dust, a smoke screen all around
See faces ploughed like fields that once
Gave no resistance

And we live by the side of the road
On the side of a hill
As the valley explode
Dislocated, suffocated
The land grows weary of its own

Oh, oh, oh…on borderland we run…
And still we run
We run and don’t look back
I’ll be there
I’ll be there
Tonight
Tonight

I’ll be there tonight…I believe
I’ll be there…somehow
I’ll be there…tonight
Tonight

The wind will crack in winter time
This bomb-blast lightning waltz
No spoken words, just a scream…

Tonight we’ll build a bridge
Across the sea and land
See the sky, the burning rain
She will die and live again
Tonight

And your heart beats so slow
Through the rain and fallen snow
Across the fields of mourning
Light’s in the distance

Oh don’t sorrow, no don’t weep
For tonight, at last
I am coming home
I am coming home

*Okay, so I didn’t really dissect this. I imagined then (and still do) that it was about the Irish resistance and the troubles that were going on in Ireland then. I see a young, Irish teenager coming home to see his girlfriend from wherever he was hiding/fighting.

Now it’s your turn!

If you choose to accept Mama Kat‘s assignment the prompts are:

1.) Verse by verse, dissect a favorite song you had in 7th grade.

2.) List 5 must have gifts you are purchasing for a loved one this Christmas.

3.) Open letter to Santa Claus.

4.) Describe how you would celebrate the holidays if it was totally up to you and money was not a factor.

5.) Book review time! What winter read has you snuggled in and turning pages?

Writer’s Workshop: Diary entry, age 13

Nov 19, 2009 | Uncategorized



Me at 13


I did keep multiple diaries when I was 13. Well, one for poetry and stories and one for personal things (both given to me by my awesome Aunt Kathy.)

So here it what I’ve dug up:

Diary entry from 13 yr old me
December 10th, 1984
“Dear Diary,
I guess a lot has changed since October when we moved to Margarita!
Derek P. left :(, Toneta D.’s last day is Friday :(.
Don’t know how many people are still leaving. 🙁
Thank goodness Jennifer, Ivette, Jody, Karine, Tony are still here.
Went to a party at Ivette B’s on Saturday. It was Panamanian Mother’s Day and Ivette’s birthday (Friday, the day before the party.) All of her cousins and other family were there, but we (kids) all went to the bowling alley and played video games. It was fun! Yesterday we went to Meme and Popie’s on the Pacific side and shopped.
M.M. “
Picture from my scrapbook
(Me in the middle – Karine to the right of me, Jennifer in the lower right.)



Jennifer and myself at our 20 yr reunion this summer


Me, Derek, and Mai Grace at the 20th reunion

Another Entry

“Time Capsule- 1984
Reason: So I’ll remember what it like when I’m grown.
Pop songs:
Beat It – Michael Jackson
Carma Camelian- Boy George
Thriller- Michael Jackson
Breakdance- Irene Cara
18 Wheeler- Alabama
Islands In the Stream- Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
Panama- Van Halen
Jump- Van Halen
Purple Rain- Prince
Ghostbusters- Ray Parker Jr.
Movies:
Karate Kid
Ghostbusters
(I had a whole list of my friends here)
Styles:
Flashdance shirts (cut up shirts on top of t shirts)
Mini skirts
Oriental writing shirts
Blue jeans
OP clothes
Polo shirts
(Wow, that sounds familiar doesn’t it?)
Breakdancing is popular- the worm, windmill, popping, the wave…”
If you have the urge run on over to Mama Kat’s and join the fun!

Writer’s Workshop: What was I hearing?

Nov 12, 2009 | Uncategorized

For Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop this week I chose:


“I picked up the phone and could not believe what I was hearing…”
Growing up in Panama we were pretty used to having crossed lines (mainly in rainy season.)
Occasionally you would pick up the phone and hear people talking.
I remember when we lived in Margarita when I was in junior high we had a bar tie into our line so that mom would have to pay their phone bill. (Don’t ask me how they did that one.) You’d pick up the phone and hear crazy conversations in Spanish. All the bochinche (A.K.A. gossip) except never about anyone we knew. I knew all about Sr. Someone’s affairs and how many bottles of seco the bar needed to order. My babysitter would yell at them to get off the line because there were children in this house and they had bad language. Nothing ever exciting enough to keep us listening (or maybe I just didn’t know those words yet.)
The strangest things happened during my senior year of high school during the build up to Operation Just Cause.
Our lines were tapped. You’d pick up to call a friend to see if they wanted to go to the beach and you’d hear “click, click.” We would poke fun at whomever was listening by saying “I promise, this is going to be a very boring conversation.” or “Do you really like this job?” Then you’d sometimes hear another “click, click.” It kept teenage phone calls short and sweet, which probably made my mother very happy.
I still am careful about what I say on the phone, not that I have any secrets to keep.
I always wonder who might be listening.



Now it’s your turn! Click on this button and link to Mama Kat’s workshop. It is every Thursday, but I am eternally late it seems and Friday is about as good as I get!
Oh! Also if you have an inkling, please check out my cooking blog to comment on what items are always in your pantry. I’m trying to be snoopy and see what everyone else considers “staples!” I’ll put a new topic every week (pantry, dry goods, baking, refrigerator, etc.)
As soon as a I get some free time I want to redo my blog and have tabs at the top to combine the three I have going now. If anyone has hints please let me know!

Writer’s Workshop: 10 Reasons for My Insomnia

Nov 5, 2009 | Uncategorized


This week’s prompts for Mama Kat’s Writing workshop were:

1.) Describe something you’re proud of.

2.) Tell me your most humorous wedding experience

3.) 10 reasons why you can’t sleep at night

4.) Describe an experience that you wish you could shake from your memory.

5.) Write a love letter to the object of your affection.

I am so blocked on this one.
I was going to do #2, but realized those involved in some of these stories might not appreciate me posting it to the WWW. (Oh, and I have some GOOOD ones.)
#4 involved some of said wedding stories, and other things I might not want on the WWW.
(They would be hilarious though…)

Anyway, I’ll tell you why I can’t sleep at night instead because that is so near and dear to my heart!

I’ve never been a good sleeper (except maybe when I was a teenager and running constantly, working 40 hrs a week and in school.)

  1. My bed is old and worn out. I really need a new one but have been so overwhelmed after mattress shopping I just give up! I want one that is environmentally friendly, but one that is good and not as expensive as my van! (It’s bad when you get back from a vacation and realize you slept better on the hotel mattress.)
  2. My stupid restless legs won’t stop moving.
  3. My husband falls asleep the minute his head hits the pillow- makes me mad that I can’t.
  4. My husband snores so loud I’ll probably need hearing aids soon.
  5. I wonder if the doors are locked and then go check them.
  6. I have to pee.
  7. I get get caught up in the book I’m reading and can’t stop.
  8. I have to pee (and so does the dog.)
  9. I worry that I forgot to pay a bill and have to go check.
  10. I wonder if I locked the cars and have to go check.

Well, sorry it’s not the juicy story that it could be if I was brave enough to choose another prompt. Maybe next week! 🙂