Intro To A Blogger – My Beautiful Things

Today’s Music: Tori Amos – Take To The Sky
Note on Today’s Music: With the subject matter, you’d think I’d be inclined to use David Bowie – Suffragette City.
No. It’s anot appropriate here.
And David Bowie sucks.

I watched Wendy Davis, Texas state Senator on a live stream the other night.
For about eleven hours, she stood and filibustered a bill to restrict abortion rights in Texas.
I caught a documentary about the doomed Space Shuttle Challenger, carrying Sally Ride, the first American Woman in space.
I was doing some reading and came across something on Carrie Nation (not a favorite of mine), who was a big mover in the Temperance Movement that led to Prohibition after her death.

Be impressed or annoyed, but there’s no denying that these women showed the best (and most annoying) of humankind. And to think that around the world, there was a time when they didn’t even have the vote.

My Beautiful Things

My Beautiful Things is a blogger who’s Great Grandmother was a suffragette in England. Her ancestor lives on in MBT’s Suffragette Garden.
She’s primarily a photo blogger. Her text gives context to the photos, and brief descriptions to make them a little clearer.
I’m not sure when I started following, or why (I’m actually kind of crass in real life, so I’m as surprised as you that I follow a tasteful, well presented photo blog), but I’m glad I did.
MBT just saw the 100th anniversary of a walk her Great Grandmother participated in – a Suffragette walk. She asked if I could lend some space to publicize it a bit, and I was more than happy to agree.
She recently took part in a commemoration of that walk, and took some great pictures!
She isn’t just about that one cause though. She will also spend time updating us on what her grandkids are up to, even as she celebrates what her great grandmother and her peers achieved.
And, as the anniversary of the Great Suffragette Pilgrimage was just a couple of days ago, MBT is inordinately proud! And fortunately, she had her camera with her.

So at some point,take a moment if you’re willing to. Pause and admire, and recognize, and thank incredible women for what they’ve done for the world. And then stop by My Beautiful Things and say hi.
Her connection with history is alive, her grandkids are beautiful, and her pictures are magnificent.
And she’s one of the nicest people I’ve been privileged to hang out with here in the sphere!

All Day Mental Moment – Whee!!!

Today’s Music: Tori Amos – Big Wheel

WOOHOO!!! It’s time for a Mental Moment!
But this one isn’t just a moment – it lasts a whole day. And beyond, even!

Doin’ the happy birthday dance!

Maybe you’ve seen mental moments before. Maybe you’re thinking a proper mental moment should be all Veggie Tales and Batman.
Or maybe you just think Batman is hot.
Ladies?

But this isn’t that kind of Mental Moment. It’s a 24 hour Mental Moment! But you already knew that. Because you saw above where is says ALL DAY.

Ok, maybe you like the frivolous ramblings here. But maybe you like these moments with (3/7) more substantial thoughts, with substance and eloquence?

There, satisfied? Of course you are. Now before I get to the point, why don’t you grab yourself a cup of coffee and a donut? I’ll wait…

There, all set? Have you figured it out yet?
You did?
Did the clue in the title help you out?
GREAT!!!

Then you realize that we’re celebrating the anniversary of another trip around the sun for Lizzie Cracked, the Chief Articulator of Running Naked With Scissors! Whee!!!
That’s right – HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIZZIE!!!, one of the coolest bloggers people on the planet!

But you already knew how cool she is. Over the last year, you’ve seen her brave posts about living as a bipolar, about raising kids on her own, about dealing with some truly ridiculous people who have a paucity of nice bones in their bodies.
You’ve seen her overcome challenges, embrace differences, and you’ve probably come to realize, like I have, that people are just people, and when you meet a good on (like Lizzie), well, that’s worth celebrating.
Even if they do occasionally torture you with Veggie Tales.

And it is my honor, and my privilege to call her a friend and wish her a happy birthday.
The world is a better place with her in it.

So join us in celebrating, with a scavenger hunt! Somewhere in this post is a clue in italics! and a number!
So go to the other blogs that are celebrating. Find all the words and put them in order in front of “wordpress.com” and go check out Lizzie’s birthday site, and wish her a Ridiculously Happy Birthday!!!

The rest of the clues are hidden here:
Red
Ginger
Linda
Buddha Kat
GingerFightBack
Writer Wannabe 763

They all put a lot of effort into making a great birthday treat for Lizzie. I know you’ll like them all!
But for those of you feeling really lazy, I suppose you can go right to the birthday site…

And have a great day. Whatever your mental state.

From the Ticket Stub Bin – One Song

Today’s Music: See Below.

A hard ticket to get...

We’ve all heard covers of songs. Sometimes it’s almost a note for note cover of the original (Rascal Flats covering Tom Cochrane’s Life Is A Highway). Sometimes it brings the song to a whole new, previously unimagined level (Jimi Hendrix on Bob Dylan’s All Along The Watchtower).
And sometimes you get to hear three different versions of a song that you never expected to hear live in the first place.

One year, I was lucky enough to see Eric Clapton, Tony Bennett and Tori Amos in concert. Not together (Though that would probably an incredible show!).
All three of them did Somewhere Over The Rainbow. From the Wizard of Oz.
Let me refresh your memory…

She sings it with a child’s wistfulness. It’s a beautiful song of innocence and aspiration. Really, you have to be pretty jaded to not feel anything when listening to it.

Tony Bennett was a contemporary of Judy. By all accounts, they were friends.
When I saw Tony, he led into this song by describing what a wonderful person Judy was, and how much he missed her.
That version seemed laced with sadness, perhaps regret.
The version below is more fun and playful. There’s hope, but Tony’s voice makes it seem more like a fond reminiscence of someone unavoidably detained…

During an encore set, Clapton came out with his acoustic guitar and launched into the song.
I think he does a great job with it. His version is interesting to me, because (by all accounts) he’s made it over the rainbow. I think he has a very fun take on the song, not least of which is “Really? Clapton is doing that song? Live?”
But he doesn’t turn it into a Clapton tour-de-force. There is plenty of room for the rest of the band to shine and fill, and his jazzy version really does sound good to me.

Tori has a…distinct style. Many of her songs I honestly find a bit disturbing. Which I think is what Tori is going for. She writes a lot about pain, and I think that carries through well in her music.
When I saw her and recognized the song from the intro, I expected it to be a creepy, bent version of a classic.
But what she did instead, for me, is unlock some of the true meaning of the song. She sings it with such heartache, such longing, that I, as a listener, could only hope and pray that she would make it over the rainbow.

One song. Three unique perspectives. Each a highlight of their show.
But of course, just for giggles, I have to throw this one in too. Just because it’s fun.

So a question for y’all: What song cover made you think about the original in a whole different way?