Always Something...

...to be thankful for.  Don't you agree?

In my neck of the woods, the heat has been unbearable.  I'm usually fond of warm weather and am miserable when cold, but this week has been brutal.  And I had no opportunities to dive into a pool.  But as I was driving home from grocery shopping (fun stuff, right?) I had my window down and the music playing.  It was a perfect night for a drive.  The sun had set, and a cool breeze was stroking my face.  Such a simple pleasure.  Nights like that I wish I could just keep driving.  But more household chores were beckoning.  Bummer.

Hope everyone is staying cool!

Musical Inspiration

Writers being inspired by music is nothing new.  I have music playing more often than not when I'm writing.  It's a useful tool for setting the mood.  So for today's post, I'd like to share with you a few of the songs that inspired me while I was writing SHARDS OF GLASS.  Music is to me what scents are to others.  In other words, my memories aren't really associated with any scents.  However, there are plenty of songs that take me back to a certain time or place.  You'll see what I mean while reviewing some of the songs on this list.

So here we go:

1. Down the Road, by Kenny Chesney 
This is the song that inspired me the most.  The boy and girl living on the same street forming an immediate relationship.  This is Emily and Nicky.

2. Hit 'Em High, by B Real, Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J, and Method Man
Every time I hear this song, I'm taken back to high school basketball games.  This song was used by our team to warm up before games, so every time I hear it I find myself sitting in the high school gym, waiting for a game to start.  I used this song for what is now the opening scene of SHARDS OF GLASS.  The first draft had the song itself, but I have since edited it out.  It still plays in my head, though.

3. I'm Still Holding On, by Clint Black & Martina McBride
This is the song that inspired me to write the important prom scene where Emily and Nicky have their first kiss.  During the scene, which takes place during Nicky's senior year, Emily is aware of her time with Nicky running out since he'll be leaving for college. 

4. Here Comes Goodbye, by Rascal Flatts
The first draft originally had three parts.  In part three, Emily began dating a guy named Jason.  This particular song helped me write their break up scene.  All of part three has since been removed from the story along with part one.  Jason may get his own story some day, though.  I really enjoyed his character.

5. It Matters to Me, by Faith Hill; Wrong Again, by Martina McBride; You Were Mine, by Dixie Chicks; Have You Ever, by Brandy
These songs get lumped together because they were used for the same thing.  All of these songs were ones that I listened to in high school while crushing on particular boys.  I used these songs to put me back in that "high school girl giddy excitement over a boy" mentality.  They're not exactly happy songs, though.  Not sure what that says about my high school years. :)

I could list more, but these are the main ones.  If you have any particular songs that you used for your inspiration, feel free to share them in the comments. 

I'll end with part of Down the Road, which if one of my characters were singing, it would be Nicky singing about Emily. 

"When I was a boy

Four houses down from me, was a family with an only child
She was the only girl, in this whole world who could make me smile
Down the road"

Our Role as Consumers

I've spent a lot of time considering our role as consumers.  And by "consumer" I mean anyone who purchases books, movies, music, or any particular item from any store.  I would guess everyone fits into the category of "consumer."  What really got me thinking was the whole Chick-fil-A mess.  (There.  I said it.  I won't say it again because that's not the focus of this post, and there's no point beating a dead horse with a stick.)

I don't have an answer, but I can't help wondering how far we as consumers are willing to go to support one company or author or musician or actor/actress, etc. versus not supporting another.  For instance, if I decide to boycott every person or company that believes something contrary to what I believe, I'd probably have to carry a mile long list as a reminder of who/what I cannot see/read/listen to, etc.  And that would probably be the same for many other consumers regardless of what side of an issue they are on.

So that bring me to the next question.  Does appreciating a person's talent/ability or a store's service/items equal supporting the person's/store's beliefs? That's where the water gets really muddy for me personally.  I can recall a time when someone I know stopped watching a particular show because of something that came out about the main actress.  At the time, I thought that was rather silly.  I thought about the person I know, just because you don't support "that" doesn't mean you can't support her acting ability.  I also recall when an author came out with a particular novel and a set of people threw a fit because of the author's stance on an issue.  And again, I thought that was silly.  It was just a book.  Pure fiction.  It didn't mean anything.  Reading the book didn't mean a particular consumer agreed with the author's belief.  Yet there is an author I will not read.  There are singers I will not listen to.  There is an actor I will not watch.  And that leaves me questioning why I'm diligent about not supporting those, but I don't mind supporting others.  I'll use my religion as an example.  If I were to boycott one atheist, what would be the point if I don't boycott them all? It seems rather ridiculous to make a big stink about one and not the others.  That's just an example.

So back to the original question.  As consumers, should we pay more attention and be more diligent about those we choose to support and who we choose not to support? Or do we just enjoy what we enjoy while recognizing we won't always agree with certain people's/companies beliefs? Perhaps it depends on your definition of "support." 

I'd love to know what others think, so leave your thoughts below!