X is for Xanadu - #atozchallenge 2024

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Letter X

Xanadu

by 

Definition

Up until about a year ago, if you had asked me about Xanadu, I probably would have said, "Great movie! I have always appreciated it, regardless of whatever poor ratings it might have received. 

It seemed to me, to be a fun movie, with lots of joy, great singing and dancing, some wonderful art deco architecture, and an awesome soundtrack.  It was also really great to see Gene Kelly still "killing it", with such great dance moves, regardless of age. Like all movies it is a fantasy, but a really great fantasy, IMO, full of love, happiness, and music.

I'm pretty sure I won't ever get tired of listening to many of the tunes from this soundtrack. I keep a few favorites on a playlist I listen to regularly, these are Magic by Olivia Newton-John, All Over The World by ELO (Electric Light Orchestra), and the title song Xanadu also by Olivia Newton-John. 

I have new ideas for writing projects that were inspired by some of this music and I have  included the same songs in playlists for other writing related efforts. In the process of researching for my own projects, I found that Xanadu can be an actual location, occurs in Literature (Poetry), and exists in some form with other media (TV, Movies, and Music).

The most interesting item I found as part of my research was the definition for Xanadu, according to Merriam-Webster, which is an idyllic, exotic, or luxurious place. Ironically, this definition fits well with one of the projects I was researching for. 

That project has a different working title, which is borrowed from a song by Seal. It's theme is inspired by a combination of music and ideas or concepts about love, paradise, and unity. Some of the music that inspires this project, is the "working title" Future Love Paradise by Seal as well as Imagine by John Lennon, Higher Love by Steve Winwood, also nicely covered by Kygo & Whitney Houston and I'll Take You There by The Staple Singers. 

The concepts of love and unity were probably always in me from childhood, with me always wishing everyone would just get along. Accept, respect, love and value each other. Not hurt each other or be so hateful and malicious. 

Any of what makes up a paradise happened in later years, while studying from scriptural sources. Seeing great value outside of scripture too, I am inspired to incorporate some of these concepts into the work. Especially with everyone living in peace and there being optimal health for humans and the earth.

Of course, after that, I know what is idyllic for one, might not be for another, and that matters to me as well. There is quite a lot of oppressive toxic nonsense that would need to go for everyone to be good. Living in a world so full of problems and experiencing some of that myself, I often wish that we could all just have whatever is our Xanadu or Paradise. 

Living life with all of the joy and happiness and none of the nonsense would be so great for all of us. Spreading all of the love and unity, supporting and lifting each other up, with no entitlement, judgement, or conditional BS, sounds so idyllic to me. Though I'd probably rather exist in a world such as this, living in harmony with other like minded people, not only writing about it.

Of course, being too invested in this project to not write it, means that it will probably happen. What form the finished work will have, still seems uncertain. I for one, will always prefer to dream and work towards a happy ending. In the writing and in life.

Thanks for stopping by! Best wishes for a wonderful day, evening, and weekend, wherever you may be.

Julie

@jmdCREATIVE