Friday, February 12, 2010

bring it back friday

Why not? Bring back some good books, movies, music or writing… give us a little inspiration or nostalgia to get our spirits lifted even further for another wonderful weekend ahead!

I was listening to Hometown Glory by Adele (whom I love!) the song itself is not an old song, however the memories I get while listening to makes me happy. Reliving where you grew up, some of your favorite places, how united you were in your own town. I’m sure everyone remembers their high school events, whether it was drama, book club, or some sport you were all united as one, your team was better than all the other schools around. Mine was the South Side… South Side proud… to this day I still find myself saying the little “south side pride” chant in my head, nothing takes that away, good or bad you will always remember what made you who you are. I find that attending High School wasn’t necessarily the best years of my life but they certainly taught me the most, to trust in myself and I would surely succeed, and with the help of my favorite English teacher Ms. Malmberg I learned what it was like to really love books, really love the English language, the words the way they make you feel, the absolute brilliance of those who take the time to write an amazing novel.

Macbeth, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The catcher and the rye were the words that changed my life forever, she allowed me to understand how to read a Shakespeare play and what the true meanings of the other two were. I will never forget her, and listening to certain songs just brings me back to those days where I felt free and able to soak every word in she shared with my class.

So what are you favorite memories? An old song, movie or book that inspires you, or reminds you of how far you have come? A piece of writing when you were in high school?

23 comments:

jdsanc said...

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge has stayed with me forever. The story so envelopes you that you no way see that crazy end coming where you almost throw up, it's that violent. Love it!

Bish Denham said...

How well I remember one long week-end reading The Lord of the Rings and weeping at the end, not wanting it to end....

Robyn Campbell said...

To Kill a Mockingbird. Ahhhh, now that is a GREAT read!! Big Red, Where The Red Fern Grows, and my PERSONAL fav, Black Beauty.

Thanks for such a great post. I am trying to instill this love for books for my kids in our home-school. Ivy didn't really want to read Big Red. But now she finds herself enjoying it. HA! I told her so. (^_^)

Michelle DeRusha said...

Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for visiting my blog this morning! It's so great to find you here...I am always happy to meet another writer on the journey!

Let's see...Robyn's comment reminded me of reading Where the Red Fern Grows and just bawling and bawling -- gosh I loved that book.

I just loved (and still love) reading so much -- I recall many a summer afternoon, sitting on a limb of the backyard apple tree, book in hand, snack nestled into a crook, just reading and reading. My best friend and I also used to hang out together on my parents' porch and read -- I know...pretty exciting...but we loved it!

Wendy Paine Miller said...

A Wrinkle in Time set something in motion when I was in fourth grade and that thing in motion hasn't landed yet.
~ Wendy

Kristi Faith said...

The time I landed the lead b**ch role, Abigail, in The Crucible....most of the times I competed in drama. Times when I was a child and went to the park only to have my mother push me on a swing for hours. The times when I now get to do that with my own children. Hmm...lots and lots of great things. Oh..and Veruca Salt always makes me feel a little rebellious. :)

Sara Louise said...

Devouring Anne of Green Gables and the rest of the series. I loved Anne so much that I managed to convince a friend's family to go to Prince Edward Island for their summer vacationing and then invited myself along (I was 11!). Wonderful memories of the books and that vacation.

Catherine Denton said...

Mrs. Brandon introduced me to Pride and Prejudice my sophomore year. We watched the movie at the end of the unit to celebrate.

While I was laughing hysterically at Mrs. Bennett; one of my guy friends wrinkled his eyebrows and said, "I just don't get it." I've only met one guy in all these years who did.

But Jane Austin made a hopeless romantic out of me.
Winged Writer

Kimberly Franklin said...

It's too early or I'm too much in need of coffee right now to remember anything, but I do love Adele. I mean LOVE her. And I know what you mean about that song. : )

Snow day today for me... woot,woot. 12 inches in 24 hours... it's crazy!

Happy Friday!!!

Anna M. said...

The Clash - anything by the Clash - they changed my life. They made me interested in keeping up with what was happening in the world.
Book wise - I love Beverly Cleary's Ramona series. She was spunky and as a kid I wanted to be her. She was funny and quirky and just her own girl..like Pippi Longstocking. I love the girl characters that were kind of weird because it made it ok that I was kind of weird too. :)
Great post! and great question :)

John said...

Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Makes me think of being a young boy who didn't have a care in the world.

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

Music often brings back great memories! An old favorite song from high school (that I would listen to nonstop at the time) brings me right back to those days... ahh the memories!! :)

Arlee Bird said...

Ah, music, the soundtrack of my life. I've loved music since I was a small child and there are so many songs that evoke memories. The Beatles RUBBER SOUL album is when I really began to focus on rock and pop music and that and all of the subsequent Beatles albums really had a huge influence and even now the music has not lost anything for me.

Crystal Cook said...

Of Mice and Men. My english teacher in High School made this book come alive for me and it was the time in my life that I first thought, I really want to be a writer.

Ashley Stone said...

I love Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird too!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Two books I think of often from my childhood are Riff Remembers and Follow My Leader. Both are such beautiful stories and held such power for me as an elementary student.

Unknown said...

Wow, a the books and music I've forgotten about! I love remembering and hearing what others remember!!!

Anna I loved Beverly Cleary's Ramona series... and who didn't love pippi longstockings!!!

Wow Kimberly, I'm sure jealous! I am at work until 4 and wish I was at home snuggled inside with a snow day!!

Christopher said...

I loved to kill a mockingbird. I think it was the first novel that I really got into and it had a huge impact on my views on the world around me.

Melissa Hurst said...

Wendy already mentioned this one, but A Wrinkle In Time was the first book that made me think I could be a writer, too. I was in sixth grade when I first read it and that yearning has been a part of me since then.

Christina said...

I love to reread books that I read in high school. It always amazes me how different each book seems now. And, music, now music floods memories back! Great post.

lisa and laura said...

For me nothing captures the angst of being a teenager like My So-Called Life. I swear, watching one episode brings me right back to being 16 and lusting after boys that I never stood a chance with. There's just nothing like those first crushes.

Gorilla Bananas said...

How to fart like a lady is my favourite book. You don't have to be a lady to enjoy it.

m. said...

To Kill A Mockingbird is my most favourite amazing book.

Have you seen the movie?
It's in black and white, but it's really good :)