Music

Something a little different today.

I was nominated on Facebook to list my top ten music albums. I don’t listen to music albums much anymore, but I do listen to movie scores/soundtracks as well as instrumental music when I write. I listen to lots of different music to get me into the mood of writing, so many favorites that I can’t list them all. I hope this will meet the challenge rules.

1. Star Trek III. Simply my favorite. Stealing the Enterprise, Return to Vulcan, and the Main title; I close my eyes and I’m in another world.

2. Transformers-2007. Scorponok easily sets the mood for a battle scene.

3. Star Trek-2009. Welcome back Star Trek! Love Enterprising Young Men.

4. Spider-Man-2002. My bread-n-butter option when I was writing in Galaxy Wars.

5. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. John Williams…‘Nuff said.

6. Ace Combat 04-this is not an album per se, it’s from a video game. I listen to various pieces on You Tube when I’m writing. Agnus Dei is the grand finale of the game and it’s epic. Northern Eye is another favorite from the game.

7. Vanessa Mae-Violin Player. Before Lindsey Stirling there was Vanessa Mae.

8. Iron Man. Repeatedly played this in 2008, Driving with the Top Down...

9. Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe. Don’t listen to it much anymore, perhaps I should. Might give my creativity a swift kick in the fanny.

10. Independence Day. Listened to this during the twilight of my drawing days.

Honorable Mention: Mannheim Steamroller. Great for Christmas stories! Lastly the Piano Guys, can’t list them in the Top 10 since I’ve only been listening to them for a few months.

In closing I can safely say I nearly drive my wife insane when I listen to my music. I would like to thank her for not killing me.

Movies

Movies are off the menu, my poor trigeminal nerve can't handle them anymore at the Big Screen.

It all started with Transformers 3. I walked out of the local theater with one of the biggest headaches I've ever had, dinner afterwards did nothing to ease it. Next morning I was better, but still felt the effects from the previous night.

Next movie I watched was a harmless documentary. I was eating popcorn and chugging it down with some Cherry Coke when I got hit with a round of nausea. I made it to the bathroom once, and the other time? Thank God for garbage cans. I passed it off as not having my gall bladder anymore and my stomach had a hard time trying to digest the oil in the popcorn.

A few weeks later I was officially diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia. Months later my doctor informed me the nerve can't keep up with the speed of the film as well as the audio. She said it would be best if I waited for the movie I wanted to see is released onto DVD, that way I can control the volume and it wouldn't be as fast. I grimaced, my birthday was coming up and Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness was right around the corner. I was bound and determined to see them both, so I devised a plan.

Yes, I made a brilliant plan! I would take two Migraine Excedrin caplets before the movie. I would also put earplugs in my ear! A beautiful plan if I say so myself. Wrong. I jumped everytime there was an explosion. My ear couldn't take the punishing audio even with earplugs! I walked out of there feeling almost like I did after Transformers 3, just more nauseous.

My birthday was nearing rapidly and I didn't want to wait to watch Star Trek on DVD. I hatched another plan. I took the Excedrin Migraine pills an hour before the movie started. I wore sunglasses as well as wearing earplugs. I smiled when I realized halfway through that I could take my earplugs out. Star Trek wasn't that loud compared to Iron Man. However, Star Trek was the last movie I've seen in the theaters. I do have Avengers on DVD, just can't find the time to watch it on my computer. So no spoilers!