The meaning of swimming

I fear that my poetry skills are not up to snuff I do not think I'd be good at writing this stuff ... :p

This is my pathetic first attempt .. Fort convinced me ... For long swims I do not train Anything over 100 yards I disdain Long distance free just isn’t for me It’s way too much monotony Stroke after stroke and flip and flip You can call me a wimp I simply will not swim that far I prefer to be the first one to the bar Only the boring swim that many laps Down and back then take a nap Who would want to swim a 500 free There’s a mile, too? I can’t believe! I’ll stick with the 50s and 100s, too For I can’t afford a shoulder new ..

It's good to see that the Meaning of Swimming thread hasn't died, with that, I'd like to say that I feel like I've abandoned this forum and for that, I'm truly sorry. All these stories of swimming gives me mixed emotions. Some happy, some sad, some tears of joy, some tears of sorrow. Recently, I've started school again and after having a three-year hiatus too. Sadly, this means I won't be swimming much, which has me a li'l down. The worst part is I am not renewing my USMS membership due to lack of cooperation with the swim team I used to swim with. One of the main problems I had was transportation because of my poor vision. The other problem was that 90% of the swim team lived in one part of the City, where I on the other hand was the only 10% who lived in the opposite side of town, which made going to swim meets damn near impossible. ...My mother had to tell it straight to me and as much as I hate to admit it, she's right, the only LMSC here in town has little to no consideration for the legally blind persuasion, which Masters Swimming is *NOT* about. I feel that Masters Swimming is an alliance, it's like a brotherhood, a fraternity and an organization that helps out their fellow teammates when they're in need. Reading both Swimmy's and Seagurl51's poems made me feel right at home. The same goes to NewMastersSwimmer and Mark in MD, whom I haven't heard from in a while. I know this might not be the right thread to post this in, but I felt this was sort of necessary. - Sonic Swimmer78 Sonic, I am sorry you are having so many problems with your team. You are correct that is NOT what masters is all about. I'm glad you are back and okay. Good luck with school! Hopefully you can find a way to get back in the pool. (look at me still rhyming!) I was thinking about you today and wondering where you were.

A Regular Occurance Standing on the very edge Staring down into the starry water Time to get in is looming large And I begin to sway and totter The water's freezing cold you see There's icebergs floating on top But coach says that is not excuse For us to whine or stop I adjust my goggles for the millionth time And plunge right in head first WHHHOOAAA!!! this water's COLD I scream I think someone better call the hearst.

I think both short axis strokes are beautiful when done well ... Like when I swim them :) I'm sorry. I've been resisting for awhile and I just can't anymore...the set up.....so good.......

It's good to see that the Meaning of Swimming thread hasn't died, with that, I'd like to say that I feel like I've abandoned this forum and for that, I'm truly sorry. All these stories of swimming gives me mixed emotions. Some happy, some sad, some tears of joy, some tears of sorrow. Recently, I've started school again and after having a three-year hiatus too. Sadly, this means I won't be swimming much, which has me a li'l down. The worst part is I am not renewing my USMS membership due to lack of cooperation with the swim team I used to swim with. One of the main problems I had was transportation because of my poor vision. The other problem was that 90% of the swim team lived in one part of the City, where I on the other hand was the only 10% who lived in the opposite side of town, which made going to swim meets damn near impossible. ...My mother had to tell it straight to me and as much as I hate to admit it, she's right, the only LMSC here in town has little to no consideration for the legally blind persuasion, which Masters Swimming is *NOT* about. I feel that Masters Swimming is an alliance, it's like a brotherhood, a fraternity and an organization that helps out their fellow teammates when they're in need. Reading both Swimmy's and Seagurl51's poems made me feel right at home. The same goes to NewMastersSwimmer and Mark in MD, whom I haven't heard from in a while. I know this might not be the right thread to post this in, but I felt this was sort of necessary. - Sonic Swimmer78

Fort those were wonderful...minus the distance bashing..... ;) Heather, I'm impressed. Though I might have to declare war now for the all this negative energy to my events. Sonic!!! I'm so glad you're still around!! I'm sad to hear that you can't swim though. Best of luck in school!!!

I've never written a swimming song, I might have to now, I've found thousands of song ideas, written hundreds of lyrics, have over 100 demos and rough recordings, but no swimming songs, which is weird because swimming is something I love so much. Songs begin with titles or concepts that sums up a situation swimmers have experienced and can relate to so if anyone has a song idea or a few send 'em to me maybe I'll write one or we can cowrite one or a few well actually, a few years ago I wrote a swimming related song called It's My Time to Shine it describes what we do and feel when that moment we dream of and train years for finally arrives (i wrote the lyrics to the piano track melody in the "chariots of fire" instrumental by Vangellis, the piano part begins 41 seconds into the song (I usually write lyrics with no melody in mind and it's a struggle for me to write to an existing melody, but I love this piece so much that I did, "chariots of fire" gives me goosebumps when I listen to it.) then I showed the lyrics to a cowriter and he wrote a different melody, my only instruction to him was I wanted it to be an inspiring anthem type of song here's part of the lyrics I can remember: "It's My Time to Shine" by Ande Rasmussen verse 1 my muscles are straining blood floods through my veins I refuse to hear the cry of the pain desire is burning inside of me and I am chasing my own destiny chorus: it's my time to shine and show the world who I really am it's my time to shine and show myself that I truly can my moment is here it's all on the line and though I feel fear it's my time to shine there's a second verse I don't recall it right now I probably need to rewrite it I have a demo of it somewhere, i'll put it up on the web ande An ode for my friends Both new and old And the countless fun That seems to unfold In our cyber playground We play all day long Perhaps Ande and Sonic Should write a theme song Even 'mongst our squibbles We get along happily I just love our big Twisted USMS family!!!

i am honored to be in this poem thank you fort, ande ande: You're welcome. If was nothing compared to the tips and advice you've given. And your creativity is so fun and inspiring! I had the most pure fun writing the thank you poem. I was more serious on the "Top TI or not to TI" one. But my most Mer-devilish favorite was "Stacey At Back," which I wrote after a swim meet with one of my forum friends here in mind. She knows who she is. ;)

since most people are writing poems and such I thought I'll give y'all a few tips on how to write lyrics since lyric writing is actually a different discipline from writing poetry Ande's Lyric Writing Tips 1) there are no rules, there's only tools, you'll find exceptions to everything below, but it's generally good to stick with them. 2) write a lyric the way you would say it lyrics are conversational, don't reverse word order for the sake of rhyme, only use words you'd use in a natural normal conversation keep it simple, make it so people who are half listening can half understand 3) lyrics have structure, there's usually a verse then a chorus then the 2nd verse then the chorus so the simplest song form is V C V C some songs have a Bridge V C V C B C 4) songs have a title, the title is the most repeated phrase in the chorus, it's the phrase that sticks in people's heads, find a phrase that DEMANDS ATTENTION it usually summarizes the song if a chorus has 8 lines here's 5 examples of where the title can be placed in an 8 line chorus 1) x 2) 3) 4) 5) x 6) 7) 8) 1) x 2) 3) x 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) x 1) x 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) x 1) 2) 3) 4) x 5) 6) 7) 8) x 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) x some songs don't have a chorus they just have a repeated hook line 5) the purpose of the verse is to lead the listener to the chorus every line in the verse should be connected to or point at the title 6) use imagery, don't tell me, show me with images write with all your senses, things you see, feel, hear, taste, and touch 7) the opening line of the lyric should grab the listeners attention 8) avoid cliches, they are the kiss of death 9) the last line in each verse should transition the listener into the chorus 10) a song contains lyrics which are the words the vocal melody which are the way you sing the words and music 11) you don't need to be able to sing, read music, or even write music to write songs 12) each line in a song needs to be concise each syllable has to be sung, 13) some words don't sing well, avoid using them, avoid using adverbs, find the verb, one and two syllable words are the backbone of lyrics 14) verse 1 and 2 should have the same rhyme scheme when you compare each line in verse 1 and 2, they should have close to the same number of syllables and you should be able to sing the same melody on each line ie when you compare V1 L1 with V2 L2 15) study the songs you love and write similar songs 16) when an idea arrives allow it to flow out write down what ever else arrives with it just get it out then go back later and edit it if you have a strong idea you will think of many lines to go with it you want to edit it down to the strongest most effect lines 17) a well written song will emotionally move the listener a well written lyric will emotionally move the reader 18) songwriting can be pandoras box if you start you might not be able to stop 19) have your song idea radar on at all times when you find a song idea write it down 20) songs rarely arrive fully baked at once they usually arrive in bits and pieces it's up to you to put the lyric together writing lyrics can be like solving a puzzle 21) you can tweak the song forever ad nauseum a some point have the courage to say the song is done 22) start a songwriting journal and write down your ideas keep pen and paper handy where you can't bring your journal when you have enough of a song going transfer it to your computer 23) it's ok to cowrite, songwriting is probably the second best thing consenting adults can do to have fun creating something 24) avoid puns and being overly clever, a song should generate a real emotion in the listener rather than make the reader say, "my my my you are so clever" 25) keep a list of all the songs you've written, the date you started, who you worked on it with, what the current status of the song is 26) you dont have to use perfect rhymes, like rock and block, you rhyme the vowel sound an imperfect rhyme sound similar to each other like swim and win, 27) the basic concept of music is theme, variation on the theme, departure, return to theme Each song section should sound different from each other writers want to create contrast, we do this by changing the following items from one section to the other: + rhyme scheme, + rhyme sounds, + syllable counts and stress words per line, these aspects allow melody writers to create variation, 28) the chorus should be catchy and memorable writers do this by using simple catchy phrases with rhyme and by repeating syllable patterns if i asked you to memorize these numbers 7 4 5 3 4 9 0 1 5 2 it might be difficult but if we chunk the numbers 7 4 5 3 4 9 0 1 5 2 it's easier to remember the chorus should be so good the listener can't wait to hear it again, there verses build tension and anticipation and the chorus releases it 29) that's all for now but i'll probably write more later I hope this helps you write your first song once you do, write more. so now I challenge you to write and post a swimming lyric ande