Category: Melodies and Memories: Music, Songs, and Singers
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A Tuesday in December’s Musicale
Hi, everyone. I’m still tired after that brief trip down to Miami to retrieve most of my belongings from the place where I lived for 10 months after decamping from New Hampshire last fall. So, instead of a regular post or review, I offer a selection of music videos from YouTube.
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A Tuesday Musicale
Hi, everyone. I have a lot on my mind, most of it unpleasant and stressful, so I’m unable to come up with anything worth anyone’s time. So…here are some music videos instead!
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Sunday Musicale for November 30, 2025
It’s early afternoon on this last day of November here in the Orlando area. Try as I might, though, I can’t seem to pick a topic for my daily blog, and I don’t feel like checking to see what the WordPress daily prompt is. So…how about some music videos instead?
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A Thanksgiving Musicale
Today is Thanksgiving 2025! It’s the first recurrence of the occasion since 2023 when I celebrate the holiday with other folks. Last year, I spent my first Thanksgiving back in Florida by myself; today, I’ll at least have the company of my current landlady in Orlando. I don’t have time to write a proper post,…
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On Writing and Storytelling: Leisure Time Activities (Even Writers Need Time Off!)
Sunday, November 16, 2025 — Orlando, Florida Hello, Constant Reader. Today is a day of relative rest. Aside from this post, I don’t plan to do much writing. Most of my energy lately has gone into the release of Comings and Goings’ audiobook. I don’t yet have a clear vision for “The Next Big Project,”…
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A Sunday Musicale for a Cloudy November Day in Florida
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in ACX, Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Amazon Spain (Amazon.es), Amazon UK, Anxiety, Audible, Audiobooks, Autumn in Florida, Brandon Padilla, Bryan Haddock, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Family History, Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Melodies and Memories: Music, Songs, and Singers, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A StorySunday, November 9, 2025, Orlando, Florida It’s late morning here in my corner of Central Florida, and the second weekend of November has arrived cloaked in gray skies and a damp chill that mirrors my mood a little too well. I’m still worried—quietly, persistently—about when (or if) I’ll be reunited with my belongings that remain…
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Music Album Retrospective: ‘The Beatles: 1962-1966 (The Red Album)
The Beatles’ Red Album (1962–1966) was originally released in April 1973 by Apple Records in collaboration with EMI/Capitol, and reissued on compact disc in September 1993. It features 26 Lennon–McCartney tracks from the band’s early years, offering a curated glimpse into their meteoric rise before Sgt. Pepper. 🎵 A Personal Reflection on The Beatles: 1962–1966…
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Music Album Review: ‘Victory at Sea – Richard Rodgers, Robert Russell Bennett & the RCA Symphony Orchestra’
Victory at Sea – Richard Rodgers, Robert Russell Bennett & the RCA Symphony Orchestra Label: RCA Victor Genre: Classical/Film and TV Score Released: 1992 Although Richard Rodgers is best known for his legendary musical theater collaborations with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II—especially the emotionally resonant scores for South Pacific and The Sound of Music—his…
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Music Appreciation: My First Encounter with Berlioz’s ‘Symphonie Fantastique’
🎼 A Fever Dream in Five Movements: Remembering My First Encounter with Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique One of the most memorable experiences from my college years—now four decades ago—took place on a rare cool afternoon in South Florida. I was sitting in my Humanities class at Miami-Dade Community College, where Professor Jay Brown, a talented musician…
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Music Album Review: ‘Billy Joel – 52nd Street’
52nd Street Revisited: Billy Joel and the Art of Returning There’s something hauntingly familiar about the first album that makes you feel seen. For me, it was 52nd Street—acquired through teenage negotiation, a bulky eight-track cassette wrested from my sister when she moved out. At the time, “My Life” felt like rebellion’s anthem, its defiance…
A Certain Point of View, Too 