‘Risk Another’ — #Lyrics to a #Pop #Ballad

Risk Another
lyrics by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
Please give credit if you produce or perform

lovers come and go
but your departure
came as a blow
what am I to do
to right my ship of state
I can’t even get out of bed
to go on a date

I had a lover
I don’t think
I’d risk another
I’d risk another
I’d risk another

our love was sublime
inspired me to great heights
now I struggle to put words together
that rhyme
but I have to push forward
keep the faith
because tomorrow is another date

I had a lover
I don’t think
I’d risk another
I’d risk another
I’d risk another

(bridge)
my love for you is enternal
the grief I feel now that you’re gone
is eternal, too
but one day I’ll recover I swear
and maybe make a baby

I had a lover
I don’t think
I’d risk another
I’d risk another
I’d risk another

‘Where You Loved Me’ — #Lyrics to a #Country #Pop #Ballad

Where You Loved Me
lyrics by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
Please give credit if you produce or perform

where you loved me
where you loved me
where you loved me

our love was better than most
we were the toast of the town
just you and your old man the clown
my hands might have been rough
but for you they were smooth enough

where you loved me
will never stop existing
in my heart
where you loved me
is all around me
even though we grew apart
where you loved me
where you loved me
where you loved me

now our home is just a house
the place where you loved me
doesn’t exist I’m afraid
it’s just a shack without a soul
if I may be so bold

(bridge)
where you loved me
never ever existed
that it was all a lie
but that doesn’t stop me
having another drink
with a sigh

where you loved me
will never stop existing
in my heart
where you loved me
is all around me
even though we grew apart
where you loved me
where you loved me
where you loved me

‘Open To The Dark’ — #Lyrics To A #Pop #Ballad

Open To The Dark
lyrics by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
Please give credit if you produce or perform

your satisfaction
of the flesh
cast a pale, a shadow
over my soul
but when push came to shove
I opened the door to the dark

I’m not afraid
of the dark
not afraid of starting a fight
with the fears that I feel
because I know in the end
I’ll win

the door is open to the dark
I’m ready to start a fight
with my fears I’m afraid

the door is open to the dark
I’m ready to start a fight
with my fears I’m afraid

the door is open to the dark
I’m ready to start a fight
with my fears I’m afraid

(bridge)
the light will shine one day
make my fears fly away
but tonight alas I have to fight
the darkness one last time before
I leave

the door is open to the dark
I’m ready to start a fight
with my fears I’m afraid

the door is open to the dark
I’m ready to start a fight
with my fears I’m afraid

the door is open to the dark
I’m ready to start a fight
with my fears I’m afraid

‘Love You The Most’ — #Lyrics to a #Pop #Song

Love You The Most
lyrics by Shelt Garner

@sheltgarner
Please give credit if you produce or perform

love you the most
love you the most
love you the most

the end could be neigh
I’d still hug you and smile
of all the places I could be
in your arms is it
if the world ends
wanna be with the one
who has my heart

love you the most
could heat the sun
or power a city
with how it burns

love you the most
could heat the sun
or power a city
with how it burns

people say we won’t last
that the earth is about to explode
but I don’t care what they say
as long as it’s you and me
together at the end of history

love you the most
could heat the sun
or power a city
with how it burns

love you the most
could heat the sun
or power a city
with how it burns

(bridge)
know I’m being dramatic
that it’s all too hectic
but I love you more than ever
even after we turn into dust
lighter than a feather

love you the most
love you the most
love you the most
love you the most
love you the most
love you the most

‘A Cold Rain’ –#Lyrics To A #Pop #Song

Too bad for fucked up legal reasons this will probably never be produced. But the quick jolt of creativity that writing song lyrics gives me is a lot of fun.
A Cold Rain
lyrics by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
Please give credit if you produce or perform

a cold rain
complicates
everything
everything
everything

check my watch in the dark
afraid my heart will be broken
can’t get no signal on my phone
I’m afraid I’m alone

I think of walking to your place
so I can see your face
give you a kiss when I arrive
but it’s cold and rainy
I realize with a sigh

a cold rain
complicates everything

a cold rain
complicates everything

a cold rain
complicates everything

what am I going to do
if you tell me we’re through
will you throw me out into the dark
force me to go where you are not
but I’m just nervous, insecure
it must be the cold rain
and its complications

(bridge)
when the warmth of the sun returns
won’t have any worries or any cares
we’ll be together for enterity
just like it’s supposed to be
you’ll love me, keep me warm
it will be as simple as can be

because we all know that for now
we have to deal with the cold rain
of fading love

a cold rain
complicates everything

a cold rain
complicates everything

a cold rain
complicates everything

a cold rain
complicates
everything
everything
everything

Are Comparisons Between Zelenskyy & Churchill Legitimate?


by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

Short Answer: We don’t know yet — and why are you asking me?

Long Answer:

I’m a big believer in the idea that people rise to the occasion — but they have to have the opportunity to rise to the occasion. It is rare for people not to rise to the occasion, though Trump is a recent instance of that very thing.

But Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, definitely seems to be rising to the occasion. And, yet, the verdict is still very much out. To this date, there are historical ne’er-do-wells who posit that Lincoln or Churchill weren’t all that great.

I think we want and need Zelenskyy to be the hero of the moment. It is interesting that the bar is so fucking low for modern leadership that Zelenskyy simply doing what we all assume our leaders will do — lead — is a huge deal. But, in general, the verdict is still out.

I wish him well and believe in him, though.

The Russo-Ukrainian Winter War’s Impending WW1 Endgame — We Have To Prepare For The Violent Collapse Of Putin’s Russia


by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

History is a fickle mistress. Nowhere is this more obvious that than Russia. I’m just a nobody in the middle of nowhere — you probably shouldn’t listen to me — but I do have a hot take on Russia’s future.

It seems to me that Russia’s military in Ukraine is on the verge of collapse. If that happens, then there could be a significant cascading series of events that ultimately leads to Putin’s downfall.

Given Russia’s size and the number of nukes it has, this would throw the entire world order for a loop. There could be loose nukes. Limited nuclear exchanges, you name it. But there would also be a lot of opportunity. Russia has huge unlocked potential and if there was some macro creative destruction in Russia, there is a chance that the nation could transform itself form economic backwater to economic powerhouse within a generation.

I say this in the context of global climate change. But the process of this propose transformation would be very bloody and very painful for millions –if not billions — of people.

So, I don’t know. But it would be very ironic if there was a Second Russian Revolution just as the United States had a Second Civil War and we switch sides politically and economically. Russia liberating itself just as America turns into a theocratic, autocratic state would be rather surreal and ironic.

But it’s very much a real possibility, given macro trends in both nations as we lurch towards 2024 – 2025.

Development Hell


by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I continue to spin my wheels with this first novel in what I hope is a five novel series. The reason why I get so worked up about the first three chapters is they are the bedrock that sets up everything else for the novel. And, given that this first novel is meant to be something of a calling card for the other four novels, I want everything to be just right.

One issue that has really gotten me stuck at times is relationships. It only has slowly dawned on me how important it is to have as much conflict in relationships as possible. As such, I sometimes have to think up creative reasons why people who otherwise don’t like each other would feel forced to interact.

I think I’ve managed to figure out yet another situation where this happens. What I really need is that awkward element found so often in drama that I hate, hate, hate to see on screen or read in a book. But that’s pretty much what drama is — people being forced into severely awkward situations.

But I do find that when I’m the one creating the awkward situations that I can handle it all.

Inspiration

Another thing — I really, really need to read more. I need to read more fiction. And more fiction that isn’t my own stuff. I’m trying to read a few books and novels but it’s not going so great. But I’m hopeful.

I have a really compelling five novels and this first novel is very well thought out. I’m kind of obsessed and or addicted to this whole process. And I definitely have a process that I like for how *I* develop and write a novel. But I have to, finally, push forward beyond just the very beginning of the novel.

I just have to.

Sometimes, It Pays To Just Get Drunk & Throw Yourself Into Writing


by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

I continue to have existential problems with this first novel in the five novel series I’m developing and writing. The fact that it’s existential is why I can’t tear myself away from it — it’s not like these problems wouldn’t exist in anything else I worked on.

The problem isn’t the project, the problem is ME.

What keeps happening in my storytelling ability keeps getting better, which in turn prompts a reset of the whole thing, then this process keeps going on and on and on and on. It can really feel like I’m spinning my wheels and not getting anything done.

There are so many things to consider. Right now, word count is at the forefront of my mind. I’m an untested aspiring novelist and so the sweet spot for any novel I try to sell is probably between 80,000 – 110,000 words. Publishers just aren’t prepared to physically pay to publish anything much longer unless there are some very specific circumstances that change that situation.

Stieg Larsson was originally writing not only for a Swedish audience, but he was also an established journalist in the country. So, publishers were probably far more likely to give him something closer to 200,000 words for a first novel simply for the sake of the Swedish language.

Anyway.

One of the biggest issues I have is how, exactly, do I want to start the novel. That’s the thing I keep spinning my wheels with the most. But I think I may have come up with a square the circle solution because of the nature of what the actual inciting incident in the novel is. I think. I hope. I keep saying this to myself, only to revert back to the exact same beginning I had in the first place.

But I think — maybe — I might have come up with a really interesting beginning. I just hope it holds.

Thoughts On ‘The Batman’


by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner

So, I walked out of The Batman. Now, let me be clear — I did this not because I didn’t like the movie, it’s just from a storytelling point of view it wasn’t doing much for me. (I must also note that there were some guys in the theatre who were creeping me out and I was being paranoid that they were going to jump me in the parking lot once the movie was over tonight.)

Anyway, The Batman was a good movie, just not good enough to keep me in my seat.

I think some of this had to do with me not being the intended audience. I’ve grown very, very tired of comic book movies. I’ve come to believe that particular market has “matured” to the point that it needs to be sent off to pasture so some other genre can, thankfully, replace it at last.

But another problem I had was I just didn’t really see the point of Yet Another Batman Movie. I just didn’t care. I didn’t care about the characters and I didn’t care about the plot. It was pretty to look — especially Zoe Kravitz — but the whole thing left me feeling rather meh.

And, yet, I’m not saying what I saw was “bad.” It wasn’t all that bad. Just kind of hum-drum. I wish we could get a solid reboot of the Alien or Terminator franchises. I think good scifi should make a comeback.