Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Smiling all the Way From A to Z -- U


U is a special one for me. Without fail what (who) this letter stands for makes me smile. It stands for...

U2

Salt Lake City, Utah  May 24, 2011
Photo by Julia King 

Yup, my favorite band. Ever. Period. My U2 journey commenced when I was 15 and U2's Pop album was released. I attened the PopMart tour and since then I have seen them three more times. Lovely evenings for sure! Oh, how I smiled during those few precious hours listening to my Irish lads rockin' out on the stage. And yes, I spent time in Dublin, Ireland, and I saw all the U2 sites including Bono's house in Killney Bay. I even met his brother Norman Hewson. Coolness. Yes, I'm obsessed!

Yet, the story goes back farther than that... Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved music. It stems from my brother and sister listening to music during my formative years. Their musical favs were new-wave synth 80's all the way to alternative 90's tunes. As any good little sister, I followed in their footsteps. Listening to music has been a huge part of my life since then. In junior and high school, I pretty much was a radio junky. I won a bunch of radio contests and heard my voice on the air plenty of times; they should have paid me for all the air-time.

Because of my love of music, I totally love concerts! And I've been to more than I can count on my fingers and toes. Plus, my precious U2 concerts. Oh, sorry, I already mentioned that. Silly me. :D

Music is inspirational when I write. Gotta have me some music blaring in my ears to get me in the creative zone. :)

Are you a music fan? What are your favorite bands or types of music? Do you listen to music while writing? Starting with the letter U, what makes you smile?

Writing Jewels

PS: Refer to the blurb on the very top of my blogs sidebar to know why I am posting about what makes me smile. Go forward and smile!

25 comments:

  1. Well if you gotta have a favorite band, this is one of the best around in my book. I'm jealous you got to see them live. :)

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  2. Wow that many live events? Can't even count that high with your shoes off? That is a ton lol and yep music is grand, I like a ton and don't have one favorite band.

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  3. I like several different types of music. One I can always listen to is Ozzy Osbourne. Love him and have for years!

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  4. I didn't appreciate U2 until a few albums ago. I tend to like the harder rock. And I think I've attended close to a hundred concerts.

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    1. Wow, you've got me beat. I think I've seen close to 35 concerts. I gotta get on the wagon again. :)

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  5. I frequently listen to music while writing. If I'm doing contemporary historical, I like to listen to the music of that decade (Sixties, Seventies, Eighties) to get me in the mood and help me along. While writing my Russian novel sequel in 2011, I started listening to one band in particular while writing, and now, as I'm writing the third book in the family saga, I'm listening to them again. I suppose listening to upbeat Eighties and Nineties music is a needed counterpoint while I'm writing about such dark, dramatic events in that time period.

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  6. I've never been to a concert (other than the symphony kind) but I do love U2.

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    1. I enjoy the symphony, for sure. I need to go to it more often. I really want to go see an opera one of these days. That's on the bucket list.

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  7. Hi Julia,

    U2 is one of my favorite, sorry spell check, one of my favourite bands. I can certainly understand why they are your favourite band. In fact, this made me smile and "It's a Beautiful Day!" Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar likes "Bono". I have informed her that this a human in this case and not a doggy biscuit!

    Penny and I, here mere human, often write with music that is conducive to the ambience of the writing. We like loads of different music. Take care and happy, smiling alphabeting to you.

    Gary :)

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    1. Sometimes I have to remind myself that Bono isn't a piece of chocolate cake. hehe He is my favourite, sorry spell check, favorite. haha

      You take care too!

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  8. I LOVE music, but when I write it has to be silent. I listen to music for inspiration, but it can not be playing while I'm writing....because I will start singing and then nothing gets done. :) My favorite song by U2 is Sunday Bloody Sunday....but, my favorite band in the 80's Duran Duran (love Simon)...my current obsession for the past 5 years has been Maroon 5 ~ I liked it better when they weren't so popular, but I guess I have to learn to share.

    A U word that makes me smile? hmmmmmm...can't think of one, but I go to about 2-3 concerts a year. It's a must! Great Post.

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    1. I used to need complete silence while I wrote. For some reason, the tide changed a couple years back. Now, I can only write with the ear buds in my ears. It is my form or silence because it drowns out all the noisy distractions around me.

      I like Duran Duran too. My fav song by them is Come Undone. Amazing.

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  9. I love music and listen to it all morning leading up to my writing time. If I know I try to have the music I listen to be linked to whatever I'm writing that day, so the proper mood can be formed. But not when I write. Then it has to be silent.

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    1. I have two songs I listen to before I start writing:

      1. Halo by Depeche Mode
      2. Stronger by Kelly Clarkson

      Don't know why those two songs get me going but they do and that's all that matters. :)

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  10. I knew this was going to be your U post! Iwanted to share my cousin's story with you:

    http://m5carolin.blogspot.com/2011/01/laurence-carolin.html

    I have to listen to music when I'm working!

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    1. Wow wow wow! That is an inspiring story. Brings a huge smile across my face. Thanks for sharing it.

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  11. There's something about U2 and Utah that goes together like PB and J. I like them and all, but yeah...

    I would kill to have seen Miles Davis perform live. Barenaked Ladies put on a great show and I thoroughly enjoyed Metallica's showmanship.

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    1. I'd love to see The Beatles in concert. I so was born in the wrong decade, well only for that reason. I enjoy being a literal product of the 80's a bit too much.

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  12. I love music and tend to go for alternative rock but I love a bit of pop. (I sound like a radio station!) Gotta have silence while I'm writing though!

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    1. Music rules my world... and books too. Well, gotta throw in food too and sleep. You know what I mean. :)

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