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Monday, September 22, 2008

It's All About Me

I intend this to be a place where I can rant or rave about my various complaints and obsessions. Expect long-winded tomes on Farscape, why Ben Browder isn’t a household name, people who leave their shopping carts stranded in the parking lot, and text messaging. And maybe, now and again, I’ll touch on less important stuff, like writing.

I want to start off by saying I’m composing this in St. Louis, where I’m visiting my daughter, who is in grad school. I’m sitting in her beat up leather chair, listening to Pandora radio. Do you know about Pandora? It’s the coolest idea. It’s an internet radio station that allows you to create your own “stations” by selecting the type of music or artist you like. My stations range from Vivaldi (what I’m hearing now as I click away) to Amy Winehouse (great for Freecell or Mah Jong Solitaire) with some Nightnoise in between. They also have a great instrumental folk station already put together. If you like Leo Kotke you’ll like this.

I listen to Pandora when I’m writing. Usually because I’m in Panera’s (hmm, Panera’s, Pandora’s. Is there something in that alliteration?) and some goofball’s making sales calls on his cell phone at the top of his lungs (Deep, booming voice: “I can have the A-22s there by tomorrow. The 24s by the day after.” What the hell is an A- 22 and why should I care? Take it outside, buddy). Pandora drowns it all out. And as long as there are no lyrics the music doesn’t interfere with my words.

I never used to listen to music when I wrote. Then again, I used to write at home, in my office. My teeny tiny, very small, two-people-can’t-fit-inside-at-the-same-time office. Then something happened to my back and I couldn’t sit in the fancy chair I’d spent a small fortune on and my office started to seem cramped and closed off (maybe it was all the junk scattered around?) and suddenly I couldn’t write at all.

Weird, huh?

Panera’s saved me, and Pandora’s saved Panera’s. So, for my first blog, I’m passing the word to you. Pandora.com.

(Oh, and by the by, speaking of passing the word, pass the word on this new addition to my site.)

So...do you write? Do you listen to music when you do? Do you listen to music when you don't? If you could set up your own private radio station, what would be on it?

Labels: , , ,

24 Comments:

Blogger Emilka said...

Hi Annie!
It was a pleasure to meet you this evening at Borders. I had a great time listening to what you had to say, and I hope to see you again sometime around Nashville!

Hmm...when I write, I usually do it without music, although as a general rule, I end up listening to music that relates to what I'm currently writing.

Hope to see you again, and I will keep you updated about the progress of my projects.

Emily

PS: I like Panera, too. Yum. And Pandora.

September 22, 2008 at 10:06 PM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

It was fun meeting you, too, Emily. I'm wondering--what kind of music relates to your current wip?

September 23, 2008 at 8:05 AM  
Blogger Rae Ann Parker said...

Welcome to blogging, Annie! I think I am the only writer who doesn't listen to music when I write. People keep telling me to try it, but when I listen to music, I am so into it, I can't tune it out. But it does sound like a good idea when writing in public.

Happy blogging.

September 23, 2008 at 8:39 AM  
Blogger Trish Milburn said...

Annie, welcome to Blogland. :) My hubby uses Pandora, but I've only tried it once. I don't tend to listen to music when I write, but when I'm working on other things in my office, I tend to listen to the things I have on iTunes -- everything from Finnish goth rock bands to soundtracks.

September 23, 2008 at 9:19 AM  
Blogger lucy said...

No, music--I get too distracted by my wonderful dance moves and then I can't write. :)

But beat up leather chairs...those are a necessity.

September 23, 2008 at 9:44 AM  
Blogger  said...

Hello Annie. :)

You did a great job linking your blog with your website. It looks great. I use google reader to keep up with mine and I already added you to the list of blogs I need to read. I don't know any special tricks. I just try to have fun with it.

Sometimes I use music to help with my mood in writing, but not often.

September 23, 2008 at 10:05 AM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

Well, howdy y'all! Thanks for the blogland welcome. Fun to see what everyone else's habits are. I used to think music would distract me, too Rae Anne, but as long as it doesn't have words, I'm down with it.

September 23, 2008 at 10:43 AM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

Trish--what the !@# is Finnish goth music? Where can I get my hands on that? Sounds...well, I don't know what it sounds like, but I want to check it out.

September 23, 2008 at 10:44 AM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

you beat up leather chairs, lucy? Hmm...do I need to come over there and take you to some anger mgt classes?

September 23, 2008 at 10:46 AM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

Hey, Missy! Thanks for stopping by. I sure hope I have fun with this. Wait a sec...I already am!

September 23, 2008 at 10:47 AM  
Blogger Monica McCabe said...

Hi Annie!

I'm fairly new to blogging myself, I just read them and participate now and then. Actually having one of my own is waaaay too scary.

And I can't listen to music when I write. It's distracting. Mostly what I'm hearing is football, cause when I escape to the spare room to write the DH always seems to find ESPN on TV. To hubby's utter disbelief, I can tune out football.

Good luck with your blog and I'll add you to my list of places to visit!

September 23, 2008 at 1:33 PM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

I know exactly what you mean about football, Monica. It's like white noise...

September 23, 2008 at 1:50 PM  
Blogger cara elliott said...

Hi Annie,

Thanks for the tip on Pandora, Will definitely check it out. I don't generally listen to music while writing, except on train rides into NYC, where my i-pod and Handel's Water Music are essential!

Loved Dead Shot, and look forward to checking out your blog regularly, You are a braver soul than I am!

Andrea

September 23, 2008 at 3:06 PM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

Well, I had to work up my courage, Andrea. I've been thinking about blogging for a couple of years. And I love Handel's Water Music. One of my faves to write to.

September 23, 2008 at 3:44 PM  
Blogger Marie-Nicole Ryan said...

How cool, that you have a blog now. I don't get to see you often enough.

I listen to music, too. Light classical and some New Age--how it calms this nutso brain of mind and get me in the zone.

September 23, 2008 at 5:14 PM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

I like New Age, too, Mary. See? We WERE separated at birth...

September 23, 2008 at 5:39 PM  
Blogger eleanor said...

I love your blog! I am a definite fan of alliteration, so enjoyed panera and pandora. they are like my name! Can't wait for the next update.

September 23, 2008 at 10:08 PM  
Blogger Diana Holquist said...

Hi Annie.

Welcome to the blogging world!

I sometimes listen to my ipod when I write, but I don't really know how to work it, and my music gets followed by my nine-year-old's music and suddenly, I'm listening to Queen sing "We Will Rock You" and then I have to go lie down.

So, no, mostly silence.

See you in blogland!

--Diana

September 24, 2008 at 10:39 AM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

That's why I don't do i-pod, diana. First off, like you, I can't figure out how to work it, and then I'd have to listen to hubby's Kings of Leon, which is fine for bopping out...but not in the middle of Panera's!

September 24, 2008 at 10:58 AM  
Blogger Phyllis Bourne said...

Hi Annie! Welcome to blogland. I listen to music when I start writing, but aome point twitch it off.

September 24, 2008 at 3:43 PM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

Hey, pbw! Thanks for the welcome. And watch those twitches!

September 24, 2008 at 3:53 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I LOVED Farscape and Ben Browder totally rocks!

Looking forward to your opinions on the two.

September 24, 2008 at 6:39 PM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

So excited to have a scaper here, Carolyn!! Hope to talk about Ben and FS from time to time. I'm a super fan.

September 24, 2008 at 9:19 PM  
Blogger Annie Solomon said...

Hey::SOPHINDA:: How cool of you to drop by, my alliterative friend. Hope you stop by again!

September 24, 2008 at 9:20 PM  

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