Category: Billy Joel
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“This Night”: Music, Memory, and the Moments That Define Us
There’s something about music that stays long after the moment has passed. A lyric looping quietly in the back of your mind. A piano chord that stirs a memory you hadn’t meant to revisit. In Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen, one such song plays softly in the background—Billy Joel’s “This Night.”…
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On Soft Light and Honest Songs: A Note to the Reader
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Amazon, Billy Joel, Books, Comings and Goings (Short Story), Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen, Creative Writing, Garratyverse, Kindle, Kindle Create (Publishing App), Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Love and Sex, Melodies and Memories: Music, Songs, and Singers, Movies, Reunion Duology, Reunion: A Story, Reunion: CodaEvery story in the Garratyverse carries its own rhythm. Some sweep across decades, reckoning with inherited grief, generational wounds, and the long arc of forgiveness. Comings and Goings: The Art of Being Seen isn’t that kind of story. It’s smaller. Quieter. But no less true. This one lives in the hush between songs, the half-step…
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42 Years Ago, in a High School Not So Far Away (A Tempus Fugit Gig)
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in Alex Diaz-Granados, Billy Joel, Blogging, Cold War (1945-1991), Computers, John Williams (Composer), Life in Florida, Life in Miami (1972-2016), Life in South Florida, Personal History, Personal Thoughts, Personal Thoughts, South Miami Senior High School, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Tempus fugit, U.S. History42 Years Ago, in a High School Not So Far Away…. Late Morning, Tuesday, June 17, 2025 — Miami, Florida “It was only high school, after all—arguably one of the most bizarre periods in a person’s life. How anyone emerges well-adjusted is nothing short of a miracle.” — E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly A…
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Where Time’s Winds Blow: The Scene That Started It All
Every story has a beginning. Sometimes, that beginning is clear and deliberate—a spark of inspiration that feels undeniable. Other times, it sneaks up on you, a seemingly small moment that quietly takes root, only revealing its true significance years later. For Reunion: A Story, that moment came in the late 1980s when I was a…
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More Musings for Mother’s Day 2025: Of Mothers, Sons…and Music
Evening, Sunday, May 11, 2025 – Miami, Florida Mother’s Day always brings a mix of emotions. The ache of missing my mother is ever-present, but today, I choose to celebrate the memories—the quiet, joyful moments that defined our bond. Mom and I shared an unspoken connection through the things we loved: books, films, dogs, and…
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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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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Fourteenth
Music and Emotion: Maddie is a concert pianist for the New York Philharmonic. How did you use music to enhance the emotional depth of the story? Are there specific pieces of music that played a significant role in the narrative? Music is a huge deal in the Reunion Duology, and it shapes the story in…
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Narrative Threads: A Conversation on Crafting the Reunion Duology, Part the Thirteenth
The author of “Reunion: Coda” drew inspiration from Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” to implement a dual timeline approach. This allowed for a seamless transition between early 1980s South Florida and early 2000s New York City. The story features Jim and Marty’s high school journey and Jim’s romance with Maddie, presented through alternating…
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More of My Top Fives: A (Hopefully) Self-Explanatory Set of Five ‘Favorites’ Lists
More of My Top Fives: A (Hopefully) Self-Explanatory Set of Five ‘Favorites’ Lists For my friend Patti Aliventi. Music Albums – Movie Soundtracks Music Albums – Classical Music Albums – Pop/Rock Music Albums – Jazz/Standards Music Albums – Miscellaneous
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My Top Fives: A (Hopefully) Self-Explanatory Set of Five ‘Favorites’ Lists
My Top Fives: A (Hopefully) Self-Explanatory Set of Five “Favorites” Lists Movies Books (Non-fiction) Books (Fiction) Computer/Video Games Songs (Standards, Mostly)
A Certain Point of View, Too 