Typecast

I am featuring Steve on  Soundtrack To My Life this week.  Our paths crossed a few years back through some Filofax chat but we later on we both discovered that we have been involved in amateur radio.  It's a small world! Steve opens with an explanation that his musical taste is rooted in the early to mid 1970's when he was still at secondary school but he listens to music from all eras.  He has asked if he can do another Soundtrack To My Life in the future and he is very welcome, as is everyone else (the link to the form is at the bottom of this post).  As most of Steve's chosen tracks are guitar-heavy, I've tried to find live versions of the songs. ¨¨°º©©º°¨¨ Steely Dan - Reelin' in the Years This track takes me back to when I was still at school in about 1974-75, I was supposed to be revising for my O levels, instead I was trying to perfect the lead guitar solos on this track.. I got quite close but not note perfect!  I love all of Steely Dan...

As the cold winds begin to blow and the dark nights draw in, it’s easy to feel inclined to seek shelter and draw the curtains on the rest of the world. But the winter months are a truly beautiful time of year and there are plenty of unique events and happenings to take advantage of. As such, button up your coat; pull on a warm hat and the hit the road with our guide to surviving the winter months.  Get into the Christmas spirit  The first half of winter is the most enjoyable for many people for the simple reason that it’s got a huge silver lining – Christmas is coming. No matter how much of a Scrooge you are, you’ll inevitably find there is something to love about the festive season.  Don’t grumble and make things hard on yourself, throw yourself into the Christmas spirit. Shop for gifts early to avoid last minute stress, make plans with friends and family that involve plenty of good food and merriment, and install plenty of decorations to really get into the...

Not so long ago I watched a video which was a compilation of mums shouting loud and proud about their achievements and what they were good at.  About two-thirds of the way the video   thorough ( this link starts at the right place ) one of my favourite bloggers and tweeters popped up and said something along the lines of: "IF IT'S NOT IN THE BOOK, IT'S NOT HAPPENING" and told us all how fabulous she was at organising.  As she thumped that book, we believed her!  People wanting to know how The Book worked but Tanya kept her mouth shut and didn't share. Until now. I'm dead proud when a mate of mine launches something that I believe in and Tanya's done just that.  She's taken her Book idea and gone public and called it  Dotty Diary ! The system is so simple yet I know it works well as I've been using a similar diary/notebook idea at work for the last seven years with my BOAT ( Book Of All Things ).  Tanya sent me the full system (A...

There's something enormously special about reading a book; being led into a world that you didn't know existed.  Tempted by the words someone else has written and becoming completely and utterly enveloped in where the story is going to take you next. When my favourite books are developed into films, I become twitchy.  I have already created my own image of the characters in my head and there is usually no way that all the details can be encaptured in the recommended length of a film.  It can happen in reverse too.   One of the best films ever  is based on  a book  which I hunted down and was very disappointed in.  But that is the nature of storytelling, isn't it?  We all have different ways of presenting our ideas to our audience.   None of my children have ever really read for pleasure.  Not in the way I do, anyway.  They learnt to read and write as normal, books were always made available to them along with library mem...

Here's a cute little home-made Filofax marker that I found whilst using StumbleUpon ages and ages ago. Get a friend to donate some coloured paperclips (thanks Mel!) Bend them in half  (practice with some boring silver ones as it may take a couple of  attempts to work out which way to bend them) Attach to Filofax and use as a page marker or to clip papers to a page in your diary Oh and for anyone asking the quote on the front page of my Filofax is: "However the world treats you, don't let it change the way you treat the world" Sarah Brown PS.  Would you like a tour of my Filofaxes?  I'm thinking of filming a walkthrough of my personal organisations systems on YouTube.  If it's a popular idea, I'll pull something together.  Let me know! Related post:   How to use StumbleUpon - on Geekalicious

Kate warned me that there would be another Listography along soon.  When I read it and saw she'd cheated slightly I realised that I had to incorporate it into a Soundtrack To My Life entry for many reasons.  She has stolen the idea from a Guardian music section feature called Six Songs Of Me so it breaks the Rule Of Five that we both have for our features but as one is an 'encore' I'll let it go this time.  Feel free to join in at Kate's  or here in the comments.  Normal Soundtrack To My Life service will resume next week. ¨¨°º©©º°¨¨ What was the first song you ever bought? The first song that I bought was Planet Earth by Duran Duran .  I remember saving up my pocket money and going to Woolworths with my dad and my sister (she chose Shakin' Stevens, This Ole' House).  It was 1981 and it was the start of a beautiful love affair that continues until today. [popout: http://youtu.be/8NF6Qa84mno ] What song always gets you dancing? Wow,...