Blogocentric Formulations (Book)

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I am SoCalScribe. This is my InkSpot.

Blogocentric Formulations

Logocentric (adj). Regarding words and language as a fundamental expression of an external reality (especially applied as a negative term to traditional Western thought by postmodernist critics).

Sometimes I just write whatever I feel like. Other times I respond to prompts, many taken from the following places:

"The Soundtrackers Group"

"Blogging Circle of Friends "

"Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise"

"JAFBG"

"Take up Your Cross"

Thanks for stopping by!

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Aiva Raine

Nov 6, 2024 at 4:49pm
In response to "October Watch List"

Grin. I loved Psych! I rewatched White Collar approx a month ago. Having issues finding good new shows so I've resorted to rewatching my favorites from old.

Currently rewatching Castle, Supernatural, and Buffy/Angel.

Enjoyed The Great and Lady Jane Grey, sad they both got cancelled. The "I made a teddy bear" episode on The Great was so funny hubby and I had to rewatch that scene 4 times before we could finally stop laughing hysterically at it.

Thanks for your recaps of shows- it's given me some new items to add to our lists.

Jeff

Nov 6, 2024 at 3:20am
In response to "October Watch List"

Aiva Raine

- I've actually watched all three! PERSON OF INTEREST was a really good show, but WHITE COLLAR and BURN NOTICE (along with another great USA Network show called PSYCH) are some of my favorite television shows of all time. I actually just started rewatching WHITE COLLAR a few weeks ago!

Aiva Raine

Nov 5, 2024 at 3:08pm
In response to "October Watch List"

Wasn't aware that there was a movie for "What we do in the shadows"- thought it was just a TV show on Hulu. Thanks for sharing that tidbit- will find the movie and add it to our watch list. The TV show is quite humorous.

I also enjoyed the Lincoln Lawyer- need to watch the newest season.

Have you ever checked out Person of Interest, White Collar, or Burn Notice? If so, did you enjoy them?

1 Like

Aiva Raine

Aug 3, 2024 at 11:10pm
In response to "Man on the Moon"

Just missed seeing the moon landing by a few years and as one of those "old people", I will admit to being depressed at our lack of space progress. Sure, we've got great new telescopes that are letting us see wonderful things way out in space, but we still haven't even put a man back on the moon again after all this time. Putting someone on Mars looked promising for a while, until Elon Musk went all nutso and can't stop mucking up everything. Yeah, he's got reusable rockets, but we aren't really progressing much beyond that.

I truly hope I can live long enough to see humans do some real space exploration. Because even though I didn't see the original moon landing in person- watching it on TV after the fact still was pretty freaking cool. Although watching the Challenger blow up from our desks at school sucked. Here's hoping we get to bring the astronauts stuck in space home soon. Maybe NASA can work with someone besides Boeing for that!

Aiva Raine

Aug 3, 2024 at 11:01pm
In response to "July 2024 Watch List"

Only seen the Fall Guy and Deadpool & Wolverine. Both fell a bit flat for me. I think because the first Deadpool was just so awesome. This last one felt a bit Disneyfied. Yes, I know- tons of gore and the occasional sex joke, but it just, meh. There wasn't any real "bite" to it.

The first one had a real plot. It made you belly laugh hard. And you cared a bit about the characters. This last one, I didn't really care at all. About anyone. I laughed, but most were the "oh wow- that's so over the top it's funny" laughs, not "that's freaking hysterical and I'm still gonna be laughing about that on the way home".

Fall guy- it was more cheesy than funny or entertaining. It wasn't that memorable at all. So not memorable that I'm trying to remember anything I hated or liked about it and well, I can't. I do remember at the end going, well, not sure that was worth the 2 or so hours it took to watch.

There really hasn't been a movie lately that's wowed me. Everything seems to be trying to follow the whole Marvel action movie formula and they just don't do it for me. There's only so many explosions, fart jokes, and over the top gore scenes all done special effecty that you can do before you've completely lost me. I quit watching Marvel or Superhero movies a while ago, but went to Deadpool because- it was Deadpool and my son asked me to go for a Mom/Son outing.

I've tried watching many of the newer shows that get all the hype and they fall flat. I've gone back to watching reruns of shows I actually enjoyed- like Leverage, or White Collar. I'm on rewatch # 3 of Supernatural, rewatch 2 of Vampire Diaries, got about half-way through rewatch 2 of Originals before I gave up.

I did enjoy "The Great" and was bummed they killed it after 3 seasons. That was funny!

I loved the Bridgerton series, but this last season left me a bit unimpressed.

I'm currently rewatching Warehouse 13 with hubby who has never seen it. We watched Eureka before then. Somehow- all these older shows are much better than 99% of the newer shows and I honestly want to know why.

Why do most of the newer shows suck? Lazy writing? AI writing? What's the story? I'm really curious?

Kåre เลียม Enga

Aug 3, 2024 at 4:46pm
In response to "July 2024 Watch List"

I don't go out or have a television. I would watch more on-line but the internet has been wonky recently.

Two Thai BLs:

"1000 Year Old Vampire"

So... uneven. Some of the premise makes sense in a supernatural way. A vampire can't die even though he's bored of living. He's old... very old... and keeps meeting the same human/alien again and again. That 'love story' has some merit. The final scene is moving.

12 episodes could've been condensed to 4 or 6 (so... 160 - 240 minutes total; even a 90 minute western movie would've been better). I could take the final words "Wave goodbye, Master Yoh" and rewrite it as a prequel, having it placed in 1940 (not necessarily in Bangkok), ending in 2000... with it being 'reborn' in 2020. I like the idea, not just how it's done.

"Love Sea"

Good acting, great chemistry, edgy at times. It tackles sex-for-pay, family abuse/neglect, criminality, and the age old "what happens when we fall in love". I love a romance when there are layers of other genres and when it takes me to a time and/or place. Episode 2 is steamy and geo-restricted but it's fitting to get past the 'sex' because that's not the story.

Both main actors are top-shelf and work well together. The niece Meena is adorable. The father is chilling (evil wrapped up in normality). It hasn't finished yet. There are 10 episodes. #9 airs August 4th.

"1000YO" gets about a 6.5 rating at MyDramaList ... and that's about right imho for PG silliness. "Love Sea" is rated 8.0 and that's a tad low. The story may be a bit too 'real' for some audiences as it's 18+ and serious.

These are the opening episodes to save time looking for them! IMHO, it's getting harder to find some things on-line.

1000YO: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8sq35e
LoveSea: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9037r4

[Visit the entry for more...]

Kåre เลียม Enga

Jul 29, 2024 at 12:01am
In response to "Hiding behind humor"

"I was just joking" can trigger my traumas and make me distrust someone. I want to respond, "I'm not laughing" ... without an apology or smile. It's too akin to bullying.

1 Like

Kåre เลียม Enga

Jul 28, 2024 at 11:55pm
In response to "Man on the Moon"

The original Star Trek was 1966-1969. And let's not forget the Jetsons. Both forecast new technologies... as people looked to the future.

The future seems more dystopian now. And since the Moon has little commercial value, money has gone elsewhere. NASA has a $25 billion budget; Pentagon ... $825 billion.

When there's a military base on the Moon... or when it's found to be made of gold instead of cheese... then it will become a priority.

Sumojo

Jul 16, 2024 at 2:16am
In response to "Memorable Places"

Hi, Jeff, I’m reviewing this interesting blog post as next in line for I Write in 24.

I’ll comment on each of your memorable places in turn.

Flathead Lake (Polson, Montana
I could feel the connection you had to this place, but also to the memories of your grandparents. I couldn’t quite envisage the boathouse though. To me a boathouse is a shelter for a boat! But obviously it wasn’t just that.
I could also feel the sadness when you returned there, even if it was just on line. It’s distressing really to see the new owners had messed with a place you held so dear.

Zuma Beach (Malibu, California)
Now here you showed your true romanticism. What a beautiful plan you devised to recreate the table setting of your wedding day. Your wife would have been so happy.

Gare du Nord (Paris, France).
I understand that feeling when you become the foreigner when you first land in a country whose language is not yours. I felt it when we were in Vietnam, even the street signs weren’t in English and finding one’s way around was daunting.
I believe though that the French people are willing to speak English if one makes at least an attempt at French.

Edmund D. Edelman Children's Courthouse (Los Angeles, California).

A different feeling and experience here. I was a little taken aback when I saw a courthouse as a place you had strong memories about until I read the rest of the post. Yes, a location can leave a person traumatised. Your experiences at that particular courthouse are mixed. The applications and endless paperwork involved in the process which allowed you to adopt your precious children would certainly have left you with mixed feelings of that location.

The Walt Disney Studios Lot (Burbank, California)

Now this location isn’t one where many people can put as their workplace. You certainly have an interesting job.I would have loved to hear more about your experiences in the movie business.

Overall I throughly enjoyed the blog post. Thank you so much for sharing.
Sue.

[Visit the entry for more...]

Wordsmitty ✍️

Jul 15, 2024 at 12:12am
In response to "Memorable Places"

A nice time capsule of your life as well. Thanks for sharing.

1 Like

February 11, 2021 at 12:50am

#1004211

Raising Hell

"The Soundtrack of Your Life" | Day 5

"Raising Hell"
by Kesha (feat. Big Freedia)

Full Lyrics ▼

Ooh, oh, oh, oh
Let's go

Hallelujah
I'm still here, still bringing it to ya
Ohm like Buddha
Good girls know how to get hard too, ya (Uh huh)

I'm all fucked up in my Sunday best
No walk of shame 'cause I love this dress
Hungover, heart of gold, holy mess
Doin' my best (Ha), bitch, I'm blessed

Oh, if you couldn't tell
We can always find the trouble, we don't need no help
Singing oh, mama raised me well
But I don't wanna go to Heaven without raising hell (Get in)

Get it
Drop it down low, hit it, hit the floor with it
Drop it down low, drop it down low
Drop, dr-drop it down low, drop it down low (Get it)
Drop it, drop it, drop it, drop-drop-drop it down, down low
Bounce it up and down where the good Lord split it

Hands up, witness
Solo cup full of holy spirits
Something wicked (Ooh)
Speaking in tongues in my blood-red lipstick (Brrah)

I'm all fucked up in my Sunday best
No walk of shame 'cause I love this dress (Ooh)
Only God can judge this holy mess (Ah, ah)
Bitch, I'm blessed

Oh, if you couldn't tell (Oh well)
We can always find the trouble, we don't need no help
Singing oh, mama raised me well (Uh huh)
But I don't wanna go to Heaven without raising hell (Ah)

Get it
Drop it down low, hit it, hit the floor with it
Drop it down low, drop it down low
Drop, dr-drop it down low, drop it down low (Get it)
Drop it, drop it, drop it, drop-drop-drop it down, down low
Bounce it up and down where the good Lord split it

Ladies and gentlemen (Oh shit)
Let's shake what the good Lord gave us (Oh yes, baby)
Come on, let's go

Aw dang, this that shit (Uh huh)
Beat like this, wanna shake my ooh
Oh dang, this that shit
Beat like this, wanna shake my ooh
Aw dang, this that shit
Beat like this, haters, suck my ooh
Woo, Lord, feeling it
Beat like this, make me feel that power

Oh, if you couldn't tell
We can always find the trouble, we don't need no help
Singing oh, mama raised me well
But I don't wanna go to Heaven without raising hell

Can I get an amen? (Ha)
This is for the misfits of creation (Ha)
Take this as your holy validation (Let's go now, come on)
You don't need to hide your celebratin'
This is our salvation

Okay, enough with the sad songs and melancholy sentiments for a minute! I originally heard this song on the Season 10 finale of SHAMELESS when Mickey and Ian get married and I haven't stopped listening to it since. I have mixed feelings on Kesha as an artist, but there's no question that she can write an arrange a catchy song. The lyrics are just fun and the song has a great energy to it.

And, honestly, "I'm all fucked up in my Sunday best, no walk of shame 'cause I love this dress" might be one of the best might-as-well-enjoy-being-a-sinner lyrics since Billy Joel's "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, the sinners are much more fun" line from "Only The Good Die Young."

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February 11, 2021 at 12:33am

#1004210

My Best Friend's Wedding

"The Soundtrack of Your Life" | Day 4

"My Best Friend's Wedding"
by The Chicks

Full Lyrics ▼

This is another one of those songs that I've been listening to a lot and thinking about my mom. Late last year, I was left myself a note to include The Chicks' song "Gaslighter" on my "The Soundtrack of Your Life"

this year because it's a super-satisfying middle finger to Adrian Pasdar, the ex-husband of lead singer Natalie Maines and their awful divorce... but once my mom passed, this was the song I gravitated toward more and more.

The lyrics of this song remind me a lot of their prior hit "The Long Way Around" in that there's something a little bittersweet and self-reflective about the journey through life that both songs really hit on in similar ways. I've always enjoyed The Chicks' music, and their concert was - to this day - one of the best ones I've ever been to. I think they're great musicians, and incredibly courageous for braving the stuff that they've been through over the years, especially the political attacks in the early 2000s.

Songs like this are reminders of why they're so talented. They're simple and yet able to evoke a lot of emotion.

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February 11, 2021 at 12:25am

#1004208

Problems

"The Soundtrack of Your Life" | Day 3

"Problems"
by A R I Z O N A

Full Lyrics ▼

A R I Z O N A is another one of the bands that I've found recently and I'm really enjoying. I almost went with "Nostalgic" or "Oceans Away" or "Find Someone" but this is the song that introduced me to the band and I swear I must've stayed up listening to it on repeat for two hours at least. I don't know what it is, exactly, about their sound, but it really resonates with me. It's a little pop, a little alternative, a little old, a little new. These guys (and The Band CAMINO) are probably the first bands in a long time that I've listened to and can say that I think they have a pretty unique sound.

This song in particular is one that I've found helps me write. I think it's the combination of the uptempo beat and the flowing lyrics, but it's one of the few songs I've been listening to lately that just energizes me to write. I've been trying to assemble a playlist of those kinds of songs in my effort to create more content this year. I'm actually trying to do playlists of songs for each project I work on, and this one's definitely shown up on a couple of different ones at this point.

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February 11, 2021 at 12:15am

#1004207

My Thoughts On You

"The Soundtrack of Your Life" | Day 2

"My Thoughts On You"
by The Band CAMINO

Full Lyrics ▼

This was a hard song to pick because The Band CAMINO is probably my favorite newly-discovered band this year. As I mentioned in my prior blog post "Changes for 2021"

, I'm trying to spend less time consuming content so that I can create more of it, and a big part of that has been listening to a lot more music and finding new artists. The Band CAMINO has such an incredibly diverse sound, and I'm really impressed with their lyrics. I'm strongly considering doing one of their albums for "Musicology Anthology"

later this year as well.

While I almost went with "The Black and White" or their amazing collaboration "Crying Over You" with Chelsea Cutler, this is the song I probably play on repeat the most often. It's another of the songs I've been listening to when I want to remember my mom (spoiler alert: that's probably going to be a popular theme in my "The Soundtrack of Your Life"

this year).

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February 11, 2021 at 12:07am

#1004204

Memories

"The Soundtrack of Your Life" | Day 1

"Memories"
by Maroon 5

Full Lyrics ▼

Here's to the ones that we got
Cheers to the wish you were here but you're not
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we've been through
Toast to the ones here today
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you

There's a time that I remember
When I did not know no pain
When I believed in forever
And everything would stay the same
Now my heart feel like December
When somebody say your name
'Cause I can't reach out to call you
But I know I will one day, yeah

Everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody hurts someday, ay ay
But everything gon' be alright
Go on raise a glass and say, ay

Here's to the ones that we got
Cheers to the wish you were here but you're not
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we've been through
Toast to the ones here today
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you

Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Memories bring back, memories bring back you

There's a time that I remember
When I never felt so lost
When I felt all of the hatred
Was too powerful to stop (ooh, yeah)
Now my heart feel like an ember
And it's lighting up the dark
I'll carry these torches for ya
That you know I'll never drop, yeah

Everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody hurts someday, ay ay
But everything gon' be alright
Go on raise a glass and say, ay

Here's to the ones that we got (oh, oh)
Cheers to the wish you were here but you're not
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we've been through (no, no)
Toast to the ones here today (ay)
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories (ay)
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you

Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Memories bring back, memories bring back you

Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo (ooh, yeah)
Memories bring back, memories bring back you

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no
Memories bring back, memories bring back you

It wouldn't be a true "The Soundtrack of Your Life"

without including a deeply personal song, and one that I've been listening to a lot this year. This is probably the track I've listened to the most since my mom passed in early November, mostly because I find the line "'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories, and the memories bring back, memories bring back you" to be a bittersweet sentiment. While the drinking isn't really something that I relate to, I can definitely relate to the idea of spending time trying to dredge up memories because the memories are a way of bringing my mom back so I can remember her again.

I honestly don't know how long it takes to grieve a loss like this, or if you ever really get past it but, for now, I'm content to have a handful of songs like this that help me grieve by reminding me of all the memories I can use to bring her back (in a way) whenever I want.

On a side note, I'm including this version of the song with a delightful animated story of a little girl who dreams of being an astronaut. The song loops a bit and it's not a perfect rendition but, honestly, this is a 1000x better video than the official one which is yet another "hey let's just hold the camera close on Adam Levine's face while he sings" video.

Do yourself a favor and watch this version... it's delightful.

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