Category: All the Things You Are
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All the Things She Taught Me
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, All the Things You Are, Creative Writing, Elizabeth Joan Owen, Elizabeth Joan Owen (Ms. Owen), Life in Central Florida, Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Melodies and Memories: Music, Songs, and Singers, Music, Music & Concert Specials, Personal Thoughts, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, South Miami High School in fiction, South Miami Senior High SchoolAll the Things She Taught Me Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Orlando, Florida On this exquisitely hot July afternoon in Central Florida, I find myself thinking about the lasting impact truly great teachers have on our lives—and how even the smallest things can bring their memories back. That feels especially true as we grow older, and…
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How Pop Culture and Music Inform the Garratyverse
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in A Bridge Too Far (1977 film), Alex Diaz-Granados, All the Things You Are, All the Things You Are (Kern and Hammerstein), Amazon, Billy Joel, Classical music, Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, John Williams (Composer), Kindle, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Ludwig van Beethoven, Melodies and Memories: Music, Songs, and Singers, Movies, Music, Music & Concert Specials, Pop Music, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: Coda, Star Wars, Superman: The Movie, The Summer of Two Movies, West Side Story – Original Broadway Cast (1957)How Pop Culture and Music Inform the Garratyverse If you spend enough time inside the Garratyverse, you eventually notice something: Jim Garraty’s world doesn’t just contain pop culture and music—it breathes through them. Songs, films, TV shows, and the cultural noise of their eras aren’t background decoration. They’re emotional weather systems. They shape memory, mood,…
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Say It With Music: A Sunday Musicale
If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die. – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
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A Thursday Musicale
Hi everyone. Well, it’s already mid-afternoon on a chilly day in March 2026, by Florida standards, and I haven’t been able to write a proper blog post. As hard as I try, I can’t think of anything interesting to say, even though I have a lot on my mind on this cloudy and cold Thursday.…
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A Sunday Afternoon Musicale
Hi, everyone. I was going to write a writing-related post today, but a bout of insomnia kept me awake till way past three in the morning, and now I’m too tired to even think of something worth reading. I don’t, however, want to let today slip by without any contribution to A Certain Point of…
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On Writing and Storytelling: The Music Behind the Words
The Music Behind the Words: How Soundtracks, Standards, and Serendipity Shaped the Reunion Duology Most writers can point to a moment in their youth when they first felt the spark — that strange, exhilarating sense that imagination could be shaped into story. For me, that moment arrived in ninth grade at Riviera Junior High School,…
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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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A Rainy Monday Musicale!
Midday, Monday, February 24, 2025, Miami, Florida Hi there! It’s a cool and rainy late February day in South Florida. The current temperature is 74°°F (23°°C), and unfortunately, it’s not an ideal day for tourists hoping for sunshine and fun in the Magic City. Today’s forecast predicts more rain in the afternoon, and the high…
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Saturday Serenade: Some of My Favorite Piano Pieces*
Midday/Early Afternoon, Saturday, January 4, 2025, Miami, Florida * Including piano transcriptions of orchestral compositions. Hi, everyone. I’m feeling a bit better today, but still dealing with a persistent cold. I’m exhausted from the symptoms and medication. Instead of my usual long blog post, here are some of my favorite piano performances. Enjoy!
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A Midweek Musicfest!
Early Afternoon, Wednesday, September 4, 2024, Madison, New Hampshire I woke up later than usual – at 9:30 AM EST – and I am already behind schedule, so, I will just post a few Reunion Duology-related music videos (music that I listen to when I’m working on the novel, mostly). Some songs and compositions should…
A Certain Point of View, Too 