My first blog

I am going to give blogging a try again. I have so many different things running through my head; I figured I might as well try writing them down! For those who don't know me, my name is Meghan and I enjoy the usual stuff: movies, hanging out with friends, writing, music, and throwing parties. Sometimes, I might post some of a story I am working on, just to see what people think. Right now I am working on three stories with varying degrees of success. My biggest challenge is walking the fine line between drama and melodrama.

I mentioned that I enjoy music. I guess I should say, it is a passion of mine and the main subject of this first blog.

Music really is an inspiration to a lot of what I write. Sometimes, I'll hear a song and it makes me feel things that I could never express in any other way. I also just love singing along with the radio (not well, I might add). My music tastes really are all over the place. Brian commented today that the CD in my car was "freaky". Maybe so, but I am the type of person who can listen to Ray Charles, followed by Ice Cube, followed by The Backstreet Boys followed by Aerosmith. I am sure I have a playlist somewhere in my computer that has Beethoven and Eminem in it. Sure, it is off the wall, but in my opinion, it is all the same; artists just saying/writing/playing what they feel to different rhythms and tempos. Take the theme of friendship. How many songs are there about friendship? A Google search says there are 9.3 million topics about songs about friends. James Taylor wrote about it, The Beatles, Natalie Merchant, Christina Aguilera, Queen, Tim McGraw, and many more.

Music all started from the same point. Religious and secular songs date back to prehistoric times. Chant music with its haunting melodies, the grandness of Bach and baroque music, the joy and freshness of classical, the emotions and science of Bhrams, Beethoven and Wagner, during the 1850s and 1860s, slaves could be heard singing songs that gave hope and direction with the Underground Railroad ("Wade In the Water") which lead to the development of blues and jazz, during happy progressive times, there was happy progressive music (ragtime), religious music brought about soul music, soul brought out the first sounds of rock and roll, The Beatles were reportedly inspired by Elvis. During war times, patriotic and political music was written (Holiday, Fortunate Son, The Star Spangled Banner, Tie a Yellow Ribbon). No matter where we go and what we do, there will always be music. Like Pete Seeger said "I always believed that the right song at the right moment could change history".
So is there any point to my rambling? Maybe not, but I will leave you with the following thought on music. "I have my own particular sorrows, loves, delights; and you have yours. But sorrow, gladness, yearning, hope, love, belong to all of us, in all times and in all places. Music is the only means whereby we feel these emotions in their universality." -H.A. Overstreet