writing playlists

Last night I put together a playlist (though incomplete as I still have some CDs to go through), that would help with the mood while rewriting some scenes and making some edits. And...so far I have to say that it really does help. I've sorted through some songs while working on one particular scene...and was able to really get that scene to convey what I wanted. Or so I think, anyway.

Here are some of the songs I've found particularly useful:

Mummer's Dance - Loreena McKennitt
Diamonds and Rust - Joan Baez
Fable - Robert Miles
Before I'm Dead - Kidney Thieves
Truly - Delerium
Is This Real? - Lisa Hall
Standing Still - Jewel

This is just a sampling, of course. And I think a few of these will probably show up in other playlists for other books. I've always listened to music when writing, except if I've gone out to Starbucks for a little writing sessions. And I've found that when I'm home, I definitely get more writing done listening to...the right kind of music.

While going through a bunch of these CDs, I also came across some really fantastic songs that I haven't listened to in awhile. I'm really looking forward to putting those on my iPod for the week.

I'll just have to try to refrain from singing aloud with some of them.

baseball

I went to a baseball game this past week. Nationals vs. Reds. And though it was a pretty uneventful game by sporting standards (at least until the rain delay was over, but I didn't stay for that), it was still fun. And for the most part, the rain held out until the ninth inning. There was a spurt kind of early on where I did pull out my umbrella for a little bit, but it wasn't bad.

I went with my writer's group for a break away from our normal meetings. And no matter the sport, I've since learned that there is something to going to a sporting event with several friends or family, or friends of the family. It's being up in the stands, with all the fans, the classic fanfare foods and yes, even the oh-so-classy beer in plastic bottles.

I have not been converted to baseball though, I feel a little sorry to say. But it is not for want of trying! This was my fourth game. I've been to two Rangers games back in Dallas, although I guess in all fairness I should say I don't remember a whole about those. And then I went to a Nationals game at RFK shortly after moving here. Perhaps if I had someone explain everything to me, much like the last Cowboys game, I'd understand the game better and enjoy it. Although...baseball doesn't strike me as confusing as football. Sorry. It looks like a pretty straight forward game.

I know, I know. What do I know?

But the real question. Would I go to another one? Yeah, I think so. With the right people, of course. And hopefully without the rain. Do you know strange rain looks though when you look up at it falling down when you're pretty high up? It was kind of cool, the first time. But then later on when it came in torrents...not so much.

Who's up for a DC United game?

sunday morning

Mmmm....I love the smell of fresh basil. I was buying it for a different recipe, and knew I would only need a small portion of the bunch I was buying, and so I ended up buying a couple of different items for different recipes to use up more and more of the fresh basil. I would have to say that's one of my favorite herbs.

And not a bad way to start out a day. I feel almost like I'm giving away a secret, but grocery shopping on Sunday morning is really one of the best times to do it. The store isn't very crowded so there's no rushed feeling. I was able to get a lot of great fresh fruit to try a new recipe: Fresh Fruit Parfait with Lemon-Poppy Seed Yogurt. Not a particularly difficult recipe, but perfect for Sunday morning. That along with an iced vanilla coffee...can we do Sundays more often? I'd vote for that.

In other news, I have a couple of book recommendations coming up. I finished up The Count of Monte Cristo the other day, and I have to say it didn't take me as long to read as I first thought. Probably because it's so incredibly good you just get sucked up in the story and the time just flows by.

rain

If I'm not mistaken, all this rain we've been having really should have come in April, right? We had quite a bit of rain in May too, and I remember thinking that it went "April showers bring May flowers," not the other way around. Last night I thought it wasn't raining when I left the office, but it poured. Thankfully, the rain came in light, thin sheets.

At least until I was halfway home and the skies opened up. I even stopped a few minutes under an awning. I had my umbrella, but really at that point, it wasn't doing any good.

To say that I was drenched would be an understatement. And of course....the rain practically stopped just a few blocks from home.

Complaining aside, the thunderstorm did make for a very enjoyable evening once I was home with the windows open and changed into dry clothes made specifically for lounging. And the rain is great also for beauty. Did you go out around DC last weekend? Everything was so green and absolutely beautiful! I took some of the best photos, I think, that I've taken of DC in awhile. Several other times it's been a little overcast, or the colors weren't as vibrant, or what have you.

I have some photos up from last weekend. I had initially planned on just going to the Freer and Sackler Galleries for their new exhibition, but after that I ended up walking around the tidal basin and then down around the mall. I don't think it's supposed to rain this weekend, so I'm looking forward to being out again. But if the rain can just hold off or take a breather on my way to and from work today, that would be wonderful.