Tag dailyprompt

Scenes From a Memory: My Favorite Album

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Daily writing prompt
What’s your all-time favorite album?
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Today, I’ve decided to answer another writing prompt: “What’s your all-time favorite album?” It’s clearly off-topic for this blog, but I say why not?

I mostly listen to rock music of all types. Everything that could remotely be called rock, from Metallica and Rush to Imagine Dragons and twenty øne piløts to The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. But my clear #1 album is, in my opinion, the best album from Dream Theater, the only band I really listen to in their sub-genre of rock, progressive metal. Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory is great from start to finish and the only album I regularly listen to in order all the way through and lose myself in. The complex musicianship and interesting lyrics distract me from whatever I might need an escape from.

An interesting fact about the album is that they released an earlier song called Metropolis Part 1 and never intended to write a part 2.  After a lot of fan questions and pressure, the band took some of the lyrical themes and musical ideas from the first song and turned it into this complete album.

Scenes From a Memory is a concept album telling the story of a man is tormented by memories that are not his own, so he goes under hypnosis in an attempt to figure out what’s going on. He discovers that his memories are actually from a woman who died decades earlier while involved in a tragic love triangle. The album ends with a great twist ending (I won’t spoil) that would be great in any movie or TV show.

Musically the album is wave after wave of heavy, catchy riffs and amazing solos, including the instrumental “The Dance of Eternity” and its 108 time signature changes in 6 minutes. Everything works and goes along with the changing moods of the story.

If you’re into this kind of music, check out this album if you haven’t already. If its not your cup of tea, that’s probably more likely…

Worship: Why I Blog

Todd R 2 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Why do you blog?
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Today I’m answering another writing prompt: “Why do you blog?”  This is a great question, because I shouldn’t be spending so much time on this blog without good reasons!  But first, a broader question is: “Why write at all?”  After that, choosing to blog is a second issue.

Why I write
First, we are made to be creative.  We are not random accidents with no creator and no purpose.  Before man existed, the Bible describes God Himself as creative, taking a universe that was “without form and void”[1] and making it into something orderly.  Then He put mankind in a garden, which was meant as a model for what we should turn the rest of the world into.  Writing is a way to take formless ideas and turn them into something orderly.  Creativity goes beyond what we typically consider art.  It is using our God-given abilities to make this world more like Paradise.

Second, we are told to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”[2]  Writing is a way to force myself to think through ideas I have or that I’ve come across.  Everyone has in their conscience a variety of voices, or influences, that they follow.  If we don’t take intentional time to consider why we believe what we believe and do what we do, we aren’t testing the spirits.  We’re just doing whatever seems to come naturally, which isn’t the best approach.

Lastly, I write because I enjoy it and want to get better at it.  Saint Augustine wrote: “I endeavor to be one of those who write because they have made some progress, and who, by means of writing, make further progress.”

Why I blog
Many people write things and keep them private, and I also keep some of what I write private, but the only way writing can be useful to others is to write publicly, and blogs are about as public as it gets – I don’t filter who reads these.  It also forces me to put things in a more “final” form than I otherwise might.

Christianity includes “speaking the truth in love.”[3]  If I’ve found something truthful and beneficial to me, it could be beneficial to someone else, and I should share it.  My writing motto is to be compelling and clear, but most of all charitable, meaning written for the benefit of the audience.  Hopefully what I write here is worthwhile to others!

When writing, I keep in mind:

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23-24

[1] Genesis 1:2
[2] 1 John 4:1
[3] Ephesians 4:15

10 Movies I Like a Lot

Todd R 2 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What are your top ten favorite movies?
View all responses

As a change of pace today, I’ve decided to answer my first writing prompt: “What are your top ten favorite movies?” I don’t really have a top ten list, but I’ll share ten that I could probably watch over and over and not get tired of. So, here we go…

Monty Python visit the French.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Most of these won’t be ranked but this one is definitely #1. There’s no other movie where I’m laughing constantly before things even happen because I know what’s coming. People probably don’t like watching it with me. Sure, the ending is terrible, but it’s so much fun along the way!

Braveheart
This one is the clear #2, but the other 8 are in no particular order. Not many movies are 3 hours long, and you don’t mind it or feel it at all. There’s no wasted time in this one, and it’s a great story.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
This is my favorite of the books, and my favorite of the movies. The scenes from Weathertop on through the Mines of Moria are probably my favorite sequence within any book or movie. None other shall pass!
The Matrix
This was so stunning when it came out in terms of special effects and also the big ideas in it. Philosophically, it’s still an ugly mess but it remains interesting long after you see it. It may seem like you’ve been living two lives.
Spider Man: No Way Home
The Marvel Cinematic Universe movies are a mixed bag, but this one was definitely made for the true Spider Man fanboys. He was my favorite for the short time I collected comics, and this movie was chock full of references without seeming contrived. I left the theater saying I wanted to walk right back in and watch it again.
Tenet
This one makes the list ahead of Inception partly because of when I saw it, in November 2020 in the theater. Times were tough during the Covid-19 pandemic and I needed to get out and escape. The complicated and bizarre premise and plot of this movie got my mind off of everything else for a while. It also made me want to borrow a fire truck.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
This one is in the same camp as Fellowship above, my favorite book and movie in a series. The scenes in and around the shrieking shack part are so well-paced and move the story forward so much in a short time.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Many other people are much bigger Star Wars fans than I am. I like only a few of the movies, but this was the first one I saw when it was new in the theater! Full of iconic moments and lines, I think this is where Star Wars peaked those many years ago.
Shawshank Redemption
A true classic and one of the best movies ever made. The sequence of revelations at the climax of the movie, while seeing how diligently Andy overcome the injustice of his situation, is fiendishly clever. Also, Red is one of Morgan Freeman’s best roles.
Singin’ in the Rain
Last but definitely not least, another true all-time classic. This movie just makes you laugh and smile all the way through it, and Make ‘Em Laugh does exactly what it says. I love that they gave Donald O’Connor a moment to shine, because Gene Kelly tends to steal every scene he’s in.

And there they are, 10 movies I really like a lot. Which of these are your favorites too?