5 on Friday - Set 23 - By Guest Blogger Brad

Today I'm handing 5 on Friday's set list to my third guest blogger - the one and only - my husband, Brad.

~ ~ ~

In the early to mid-eighties, a friend of mine made me a mixed tape. I loved it. I listened to it every day. I mean, every day, for about fourteen years. Until the tape head fell off the cassette.

So complacent was I in the fact that I'd always have this tape, that when it broke I found out I didn't know the groups that I'd been listening to.

Following is a sample of five songs that I've been able to find that were on that tape.

1 - Save it For Later - English Beat

Sooner or later
Your legs give way and hit the ground
Save it for later
Don't run away and let me down
Sooner or later
You hit the deck, you'll get found out

Save it for later
Don't run away, run away
And let me down

- Charlery / Cox / Morton / Steele / Wakeling



2 - Our House - Madness

Father wears his Sunday best
Mother's tired, she needs a rest
The kids are playing up, downstairs

Sister's sighing in her sleep
Brother's got a date to keep
He can't hang around

Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our -

- Barson / Bedford / Foreman / McPherson / Smyth / Thompson / Woodgate



3 - Six Months in a Leaky Boat - Split Enz

This has a long intro. The song begins at the 1:28 mark.

When I was a young boy
I wanted to sail round the world
That's the life for me
Living on the sea

Spirit of a sailor
Circumnavigates the globe
The lust of a pioneer
Will ackowledge no frontier

I just spent six months in a leaky boat
Lucky just to keep afloat

- Crombie / Neil Mullane Finn & Tim Finn / Griggs / Rayner



4 - One Step Ahead - Split Enz

One step ahead of you
Time is running out
Catching up with you

One step ahead of you
When I hold you close
Can I really lose?

- Neil Mullane Finn



5 - Another Nail in My Heart - Squeeze

Note: volume is a bit low

I had excuses
Those little boy lies
That she computed
By watching my eyes
And told me firmly

I've had a bad time
Now love is resigned
I've been such a fool
I've loved and goodbyed

So here in the bar
The piano man's found
Another nail for my heart

- Difford / Tilbrook



For more fab tunes, visit Travis at Trav's Thoughts.

5 on Friday - Set 22

On Sunday, my husband and I will be celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary.

I know - crazy!

For today's set, here are five pieces of music that played during our wedding and reception.

For more amazing tunes, visit Travis at Trav's Thoughts.

1 - Gymnopedie No. 1 - Erik Satie

At the time of our wedding, I didn't know the name of this piece, but I'd heard it before and had always loved it. Brad had always loved it, too.

The pianist for our ceremony had a selection of music which she played while guests arrived and were seated. As I was in the side room getting my bouquet and veil arranged, I heard this music and was filled with joy. From his spot at the front of the church, Brad heard it too, and had the exact same reaction.



2 - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack

I walked down the aisle to this song.

"I felt your heart
So close to mine
And I knew our joy
Would fill the earth
And last
Till the end of time
My love

The first time
Ever I saw
Your face"

- Ewan MacColl



3 - Canon in D major - Johann Pachelbel

Our recessional music began at the 2:46 mark, where the triumphant, joyous section begins.

Although our wedding was in July, I have to say the slide show that goes along with this clip just takes my breath away. Fall is my favorite, favorite season - perhaps one of the reasons my wedding color was red.



4 - Pretty World - Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66

This is the song we danced to for our first dance. We even took ballroom dancing beforehand so we could samba.

"We'll hang a little sign that just says
'Paradise: Population 2'
I know together
We can make a pretty world
For me and for you"

- Adolfo / Alan & Marilyn Bergman / Gaspar



5 - A Bushel and a Peck - Dee Dee Lennon and Larry Dean

My mom and Aunt Sheila sang this song at the reception in order to get Brad and I to kiss. Since Brad had a habit of singing this to me, I just loved that they'd picked this one in particular.

"I love you
A bushel and a peck
A bushel and a peck
And a hug around the neck

Hug around the neck
And a barrel and a heap
Barrel and a heap
And I'm talkin' in my sleep

About you"

- Frank Loesser



Nikita Banerjee says Samba...wow! I am making a list of songs we like as well! We are going to have a sangeet ceremony so some dancing is going to be involved!

Charles Gramlich says Happy 18th. My wife and I are only on #3.

Anne MacFarlane says Happy Anniversary Julia and Mr. Julia!!

Thursday Thirteen - 166 - 13 Blogger Spotlights

A few Thursday Thirteen's ago, my fellow Weekend Writer's Retreat blogger Alice Audrey (who writes the serialized story Suzie's House) showcased thirteen bloggers she likes to visit - which I thought was a marvey idea.

So I'm stealing - er, running with that bit of inspiration - and here are thirteen bloggers from my blogroll.

These are all bloggers which draw me back again and again. Some of them I've been blogging with for years. Some are brand new to me. All are delightful.





1 - Apprentice Writer

Maya Missani is a budding comedy writer marking milestones on the road to dropping the 'apprentice' portion of her name. Posting from the Toronto area, she writes book reviews which include comments on the cover art, posts in-depth author interviews and shares hilarious visual humor in the name of mental health.








2 - Around the Island

Robin blogs from just outside Tel Aviv in Israel, the originator of the Sunday photography meme, Summer Stock Sunday. She sells her fine art photography on Etsy, and shares incredible glimpses of life in a country that shimmers with the energies of today and its ancient yesterdays.





3 - Art Predator

Gwendolyn Alley is a published poet from California and an exhibiting artist. She's a returning participant of the Burning Man festival, and is an environmental and social activist.





4 - Elephant Small

Stan Ski has a poetry blog, which I found through Poetry Train Monday. He posted new work without fail for the month of April (National Poetry Writing Month challenge.) He began life in England but now has a family in Thailand, and shares some of his everyday moments along with his highly-accomplished poetry.





5 - Everything and Nothing

Akelamalu blogs from Lancashire, England, where depending on her mood, she may tell us everything, or she may tell us nothing. She travels widely and always takes us along, and is an expert at crafting short, twisty tales.










6 - In The Midst of This Season

Toni is a homeschooling mom of four who blogs from Indiana. Her liquids-spurting-through-nose-inducing humour portrays the anything-but-ordinary lives of herself and her family. She remains ever watchful for those daily blessings that help her to view her cup as half full.







7 - Ire...

Nikita Banerjee blogs from Mumbai in India, posting photography, short fiction and lately the path leading to her upcoming wedding. Keep in mind - Nocturnal Mire. You Mess With Her. You Perish In Her Ire.




8 - Janet's Journal

Janet Corcoran is a new addition to my writer's group here in Nova Scotia. A Real Life friend as well as a Blog Buddy! She posts serialized humorous romantic suspense for the Weekend Writer's Retreat, shares the highs and lows of the writing life and calls us People of Blogland.








9 - Ma Vie Folle

Sheila's Crazy Life chronicles family shenanigans with a wry sense of that’s okay because that’s what life is all about…and if you can’t laugh at yourself then you’re in trouble!






10 - Romance Bandits

The Romance Bandits are a collection of 20 romance writers who turn every blog post into a party once it hits the comments section.





11 - Sans Pantaloons

Andy blogs from Aulde Scotia where he works on new sources of income and hopes someday to grow up and become a useful adult. A self-described curmudgeon, his irreverent humour appears as remarkable photoshopped jokes. I've followed his development as a graphic artist with admiration, especially his obsession with the rose imagery of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.









12 - The Gathering Nest

Debby blogs from Ontario, where she creates incredible collage art, both 3-D and digital versions. She posts photos of all the vintage material she gathers to make her creations, as well as the pieces she swaps with other art bloggers.






13 - Trav's Thoughts

So here's the thing, Travis' blog header says. I have thoughts and I'm sharing them. Travis' previous header reminded everyone that Diversity need not be divisive. The originator of the 5 on Friday music meme, he also writes passionately from the Pacific Northwest about dance shows, shares outstanding poetry, composes moving tributes to those who pass to the Other Side, and fills us in on military history with a sense of immediacy and always with humanity.

Colleen says I'll be sure to check out a few. Thanks!

Kim Richardson says Thanks for sharing these, Julia! They sound really interesting!

Jehara says I can see why you read all these blogs regularly. They all sound lovely. I am off to check them out now.

Poetry Train Monday - 126 - A War Against War

Today's found poem is taken from all of the peace quotes I posted during the lead-up to the Blog Blast for Peace, which took place on Thursday, Nov. 5th.

I got the idea for this from Travis, who reposted all of the peace quotes he'd featured in his tireless promotion of the Blog Blast while the originator, Mimi Lenox, was keeping vigil with her father as he passed away.

There are so many Peace Globes launched into the blogosphere, I'm still visiting them all. Even though the Blog Blast officially occured on the 5th, I encourage you to visit them because it's not physically possible to get to everyone on one day.


















A War Against War

If we are to teach real peace
Real peace
Here in this wondrous way we keep
We shall have to begin with the children

This is how change happens
No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place
When we need some relief
Where Mercy, Love and Pity dwell

We teach
Someone picks it up
Action is eloquence
A real war against war

If we are to carry on
If we do our part of the race
When I can’t find my feet
Pass it on. It keeps going

Begin with the children
It's a relay race
Snowflakes falling
Mercy dwelling

This world
These haunts of ancient peace
Goals are dreams with deadlines
We usually get what we anticipate

Let us go there again
Oh,
When I need rest and sleep
There God is dwelling too

Our job really is to
Pass it on
We're very conscious
We usually get what we anticipate

It's a real war
A war against war
These haunts
This peace

And that is how it is


- William Blake / Claude M. Bristol / Mahatma Gandhi / Diana Scharf Hunt / Van Morrison / William Shakespeare / Alice Walker / Zen

For more poetry, Ride the Poetry Train!

Thursday Thirteen - 81 - 13 of My Favorite Peace Globes From Last Week's Blogblast For Peace

Mimi Lenox hosted her 5th Blogblast For Peace at her blog, Mimi Writes last week. And I was rather an excited participant.

I'll let her explain how this blogosphere event began: Click here for the story of her grandfather's handmade blue marble, which evolved into the peace globes created for the Blogblast For Peace.

As I moved my way through post after post, all around the blogosphere and literally around the world, I was bowled over by the amazing talent of the creators of the peace globes. For my Thursday Thirteen this week, I'm featuring 13 of my favorite peace globes graciously loaned to me here at A Piece of My Mind.














1 - This peace globe was created by Patty Szymkowicz from Magpie's Nest

Washington, D.C.
USA














2 - This peace globe was created by Ann Tracy from Waiting For the Muse

Sacramento, California
USA














3 - This peace globe was created by Raven from Views From Raven's Nest

Hancock, New York
USA














4 - This peace globe was created by Sans Pantaloons from Sans Pantaloons

Lanarkshire, Scotland











5 - This peace globe was created by Mojo from Why? What Have You Heard?

Raleigh, North Carolina
USA














6 - This peace globe was created by Sandee from Comedy Plus

USA














7 - This peace globe was created by H. Hinkle from The HiLLbiLLy ArTiST's PEaCE of ArT a Day Project

Mountains, West Virginia
USA














8 - This peace globe was created by Karl and Ruis from Karl & Ruis

USA














9 - This peace globe was created by Brownie Hamster from Las Aventuras de Brownie

San Jose, Costa Rica














10 - This peace globe was created by Carol from Carol For Peace

Denver, Colorado
USA














11 - This peace globe was created by Travis from Trav's Thoughts

Pacific Northwest
USA














12 - This peace globe was created by Babs from Beetles Photography

Yorkshire, England














13 - This peace globe was created by MissBubake from Hello...Is this thing on?

Binghamton, New York
USA