Category: music

Sunday’s Theme Music

The wheels on the world go round and round…

Today is Sunday, October 9, 2022. Beautiful and chilly fall morning in the Pittsburgh suburb where I’m staying. It’s 45 F now but it was down by 38 earlier. Perhaps that restrained the animals from rising and taking care of business. Or, they’re like me and said, hey, a little coffee before I face the world.

Shift from night to day was languid, almost tentative, even though physics say, nope, that’s your imagination. Just seemed like it took a while after its initial 7:25 AM showing for the sun to fully exert its presence, like a star who shows up but stays by the wall before moving forward and letting herself be known. We’re looking for a heady high of 15 C. Meanwhile, back in Ashland where I’ll return this week, it’ll be in the 80s F today. Sunset will be at 6:50 this evening.

“Driver’s Seat” by Sniff ‘n’ the Tears is in the morning mental music stream. This came about because it was playing on the radio as I was driving to meet my sister and her hubby for dinner last night. The Neurons said, “We haven’t heard this song in a hair’s age.” I asked them what a hair’s age was. Titters were issued as answer.

“Driver’s Seat” came out in 1978, charted as a hit, but didn’t greatly impact the pop culture landscape. What I always thought about with this song was, that lead singer sometimes reminds me of Gerry Rafferty at places in this song. Also, is Sniff one of the bandmembers? How long have they had that name and what were the circumstances behind it? More likely, it was a novelty approach. Nobody was called sniff. The band liked the word play. Bet they often heard the question, which of you is sniff? Kind of like Pink Floyd being asked, which one is Pink?

The coffee is singing my name. Sounds a lot like David Bowie in his later years. Stay positive, test negative, and endure. Here is the flashback music. Cheers

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Saturday’s Theme Music

Here we go again, here we go. Saturday arrived, light as a feather, drifting through the dimensions before catching a solar wave to Earth. Some remember this Saturday, 10/8/22. Others will find it a new experience. More than a few will not know it this time around, as it’s still in their future past.

Daylight coiled through the valley as the Earth’s turn again delivered the sun to view at 7:23 AM. A timid affair, sunlight barely raised the temperature but we were grateful for the light. Diaphanous clouds treated in blues and grays, trimmed with silver, were sailing the sky. It’s 5 degrees C this morning but will breech the fifties, maybe hitting 54 F.

The Neurons pulled up another 1990s musical vehicle. I was thinking about some things being said and wondered, why do they need to be this way? The Neurons said, “What you want is some En Vogue.” What The Neurons meant was there are lines in the song, “Free Your Mind” that ask, “Why must you be this way?” Cranking it up, The Neurons jumped into another stanza where the group sings, “Free your mind and the rest will follow.” I’ve always enjoyed the song as an interesting, edgy hybrid of different genres. Hope you like it, too. This is the first time that I’ve seen the video. Nothing else comes to mind when I hear this song, although it sometimes feels like it has Prince and Lenny Kravitz flavors.

Stay pos, test neg, get vaxes as needed, yeah? I’m going to say yes to a cup of coffee now. You be good, right? Cheers

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Friday’s Theme Music

Yesterday is past. Today is here.

Today is Friday, October 7, 2022. It’s gonna be a cool one here. A silky silvery layer insulates us from the sun and promises precipitation. Sunrise at 7:22 this morning was smooth and low-key, a gradual unveiling of the fall landscape. Sunset at 6:53 will surrender the land back to night. It’s 51 degrees F now, warmer than the week’s earlier offerings, but we’re only expecting a little beyond 13 C as the high. Meanwhile, my wife tells me our high back home was 91 F.

A dream that I was swimming through green water brought me The Neuron’s music choice. Not much of the dream remains except that the water was green but clear, with good visibility. I could see myself from an external perspective, breath held, bubbles sneaking out of me, panic rising as my air ran out. I struck for the surface and could see it far, far above me. I knew I wasn’t going to make it. Cheeks and lungs bursting, I let my air escape.

But then I discovered, oh, I can breath.

Anyway, thinking about that this morning, The Neurons said, oh, “Nightswimming” by R.E.M. from 1992 would be perfect. I dunno, I replied, because it’s a very mellow morning song. But I do like Michael Stipe’s vocal stylings, so here we are.

Stay positive and test negative. I’ve had my coffee, thanks. Loved that fresh brew smell tickling my nose and energizing anticipation. The first cup was taken out to the cool air on the back porch, where I could enjoy the woods and grass’s dark jade richness. Moments like those are salves on the soul, re-establishing my balance as I contemplate existence.

Cheers

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Wednesday’s Theme Music

Last night’s sunset was like gold dust was thrown across the sun’s final rays for the day. Pretty and fascinating, shared as photos by a few, it caused me wonder: what’s in the air reflecting the light like that and giving that color?

Today is Wednesday, mid-week of October’s first week. I’ve been here in Pittsburgh a few, visiting, helping Mom and the fam. Also learning the dynamics of who is cool to who, or angry with another family member, and what words and questions to avoid like it’s a UXB.

It’s October 5, 2022. In my mind, we’re racing toward completion of the first quarter of this century. So much potential floats in the air like the stuff turning our sunset gold last night. Sunrise today is silvery clean, coming on at 7:21, about twenty minutes after I opened the back door, stepped into the 42 F air, and breathed deep. The weather the announced it’ll be 70 F and sunny today. I’ll pop the shorts back on. Sunset will sneak in at six minutes before seven in the evening.

Mom is doing a lot better by day. All her appointments and visits went well. Strength, balance, and co-ordination is returning. Her old personality and ways are emerging out of the sickness morass. But as noted, some things require walking on eggshells, broken glass, smoking coals. Gently, gently, lest you alienate another or get hurt yourself. Caution will see you through. Taking it in, The Neurons said, “This sounds like an opening for Annie Lennox.” They commenced playing “Walking on Broken Glass” from 1992. The album was part of my wife’s music rotation when we cleaned house every Saturday in the mid 1990s, so I heard it a chunk o’ times.

Stay positive and test negative. Coffee has already answered my call. Needed it to assist Mom with some matters and present her breakfast. Ready to jump into the day, starting with a shower. Here’s the tune. Y’all have a good ‘un.

Cheers

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Tuesday’s Theme Music

Sunlight highlighted a ridge of blue clouds in the eastern sky at 7:20 AM in Pittsburgh. Looks like another day of sun and clouds and temperatures in the mid 40s F to low sixties F. Autumn is taking a firmer hold as leaves acquiesce their green and yield to becoming other things. They’re good with going with the flow. Sunset arrives at 6:56 PM. Yes, we’ve broken the 7 PM barrier.

The shrinking daylight portion seems accelerated during my Pittsburgh time. Less than three weeks ago, I’d rise, go to windows, open blinds, and see the day beginning as the sun crested the east. Now, I wait for a few minutes before enough light announces that sunrise is coming.

I was out with Mom and a sister yesterday, escorting Mom to PCP and MRI appointments, and picking up ointment at a store. As she drove, my sister kept talking about road signs, particularly a large ROAD CLOSED sign sitting in some grass, surrounded by trees, on a road that no longer exists, which we used to take as a shortcut. Next thing I know, The Neurons have snuck “The Sign” by Ace of Base (1993) into the mental music stream. It’s a frothy song, a little techno, simple lyrics and an easy beat, which hooks minds with its simplicity. When I first heard the song, I thought I already knew it. Like many songs I feature here as theme music, I’d never seen the video before.

Short post today. Stay positive, test negative, get your boosters. Coffee and breakfast are calling. Have a better one. Cheers

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Monday’s Theme Music

Here in Pittsburgh, PA, Monday, October 3, 2022, appears to a lovely autumn day. That’s the message given out by the 7:19 sunrise. No clouds. Comfortable 40 F with expectations of 62. Slow silvery rise over the trees that began sunnier and brighter. The silver found gold and the air found warmth.

Mom has appointments today, including her PCP, so I’m up getting ready for that. Computer had issues yesterday that I addressed but some issues lingered from that. My wife left a voice mail on my phone that she has Internet issues at home, so she needs to call me so I can walk her through rebooting. Gonna be a busy day.

Looking at photos all over Mom’s house, I thought about growing up. The Neurons fed in the line, “To face this on my own, well, I guess that this is growing up.” Just like that, Blink-182’s 1997 song, “Dammit”, is in the morning mental music stream. It’s a straightforward song, fast beat, nice sound that I always enjoyed. Hope you do as well.

Now must go grow up. Kick into adulting gear. Stay positive, test negative. Excuse me, I gotta go get coffee. Adulting requires coffee. Have the best one you can.

Cheers

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Sunday’s Theme Music

Graylight heralded dawn and a tombstone-like sky at 7:17 this morning. The red squirrel was busy early, a crimson slash racing across the emerald lawn and through the trees. He was probably making up for yesterday, when steady rain gifted to us by Hurricane Ian kept the wildlife passive and sheltered. The deer did show yesterday and popped into the side yard outside the kitchen window as I prepared Mom’s breakfast just after sunrise.

Today is October of 2022’s first Sunday, and the second day of the month. Birthdays galore this month for our tribe. July and October are our busiest birthday months. This day will see lows of 50 F and highs of 64 with light rain. Sunset cometh this evening, 7:01 PM.

Mom continues improving. Next week will be a big challenge, with three doctor appointments and seven home visits – physical and occupational therapists, nurse, and nurse aide. I’ll probably be flying west to home the week after, I think. I miss my partners, aka my wife and floofs. I’ve only been here 22 days but it seems longer. My days are more idle as Mom gets healthier and does more for herself. I’m deliberately drawing back, mindful as I do, to test her skills, along with her partner. He’s 92 and well-meaning, in decent health, but he gets tired and forgetful, totally understandable.

BTW, did you see that after Ian’s strike on Florida and the southeastern US, and his travels up the Atlantic coast, another storm is intensifying and heading towards Mexico. Busy storm season. The death and destruction already seen is enervating and demoralizing.

I have Veruca Salt orbiting the morning mental music stream with their song, “Seether”, from 1994. The song is a throwback, solid grunge, simple chords, a steady beat. The band’s name is familiar from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Originally hearing it caused a double take followed by a short burst of laughter. Anyway, the song came into my head when I was dealing with Mom yesterday. She’d become worked up about an issue and I started chatting with her to distract her and calm her down. Lo’, The Neurons awoke and said, “Hey, that reminds me of that Veruca Salt song,” and here we are.

Side note: today’s post was delayed by house guests.

Stay positive, and test negative, and so on, and do what you need to take care of yourself and your people and tribe. I’d have coffee, thanks. Here’s the music. Hope you enjoy it.

Cheers

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Saturday’s Theme Music

Slow and ponderous, daybreak took over the sky’s voluminous gray matter at 7:16 AM. This, I learn from the baffle net, is ten minutes earlier than they’ll see in Ashland, Oregon later today. 52 and 56, respectively, degrees in F, are the current and high temperatures. 7:03 sees the world turn that brings us another night.

Welcome to October 1, 2022.

It’s Saturday. Leaves are just turning in our neighborhood, with one mighty perennial going dark red. While the trees are heralding fall, animals and the weather are muttering, “Winter is coming.” Ned would be concerned, although meteorologists tell us they’re we’re seeing Ian’s stuff in our weather pattern. Overcast, they call this sky.

The Neurons dropped “Barely Breathing” into the morning mental music stream. Had to look it up to learn it’s by Duncan Sheik from 1996. I think the song employs many clever phrases. One set in mind this dawn was, “And everyone keeps asking, what’s it all about? I used to be so certain, and I can’t figure out.
What is this attraction, I can only feel the pain. There’s nothing left to reason and only you to blame.
Will it ever change?”

Why those words today, I queried The Neurons. Is it part of a memory set? Could well be, something of the air, imbued in the house, makes me think of other times and years, of course. Photos on the walls and shelves document the family’s expansion, and there we are as the young, when now we’re the old. It could be the chilly wet weather, and the dance of leaves falling off trees as they flirt with new colors. Maybe it’s just a natural echo of the mind set delivered when you realize, oh, I have aged. I used to be so certain. Now I wonder about more, and entertain reflections on paths taken and results found.

Think I need coffee.

Stay positive, test negative, and so on. Stay safe as you travel the roads and skies, stealing glances at weather, people, news. Where the heck is that coffee?

Here’s some music. Cheers

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Friday’s Theme Music

The train pulled into Friday but did not stop, forcing us to jump on and off. Each day we think it’s a new beginning but we also think that it’s a continuation of what’s been going on, and Fridays in particular are a start and a finish. Meanwhile, we’re edging towards September’s final minutes, as this is the last day, the 30th. Tomorrow will be October 1, 2022. And we will start and end, begin and continue.

Sunrise whispered past some gray clouds hugging the green trees surmounting the hill line at 7:15 AM. I’d been up awhile before that. My lodgings are below the kitchen in Mom’s old house. I’d awakened a little before six. Listening, I heard water running and then the fast thumping of someone rushing. Springing up to go help, I continued listening and came to understand the flow of things. The heat was being turned on, and man’s partner was getting Mom her daily breakfast of half a bagel and a cup of decaf coffee with almond milk and hazelnut creamer. I usually do that and it was over an hour early. Not surprised because Mom, worn out by physical therapy, her nurse visit, and other visitors had passed on proper dinner, so she was hungry.

I went up at 7:30 and confirmed my conclusion. Mom was up and bright-eyed, sitting on her bed, busy with her phone and iPad. She continues improving. I do have a disagreement going on with her over meds. She’s convinced herself that a pill which the label describes as a white oblong has morphed into a pink pill. We looked the pink pill up the other day and identified it. Today, Mom says, no, that’s not what it is. Did I mention that she’s intelligent but as obstinate as a rock? She exasperates me.

8:45 now, it’s warmed up to 44 degrees F. The anticipated high is 18 degrees C. We will be rain-free but clouds and sunshine will skirmish for dominance. The 7:04 PM sunset will deliver night, and September will shift into October.

I have Gorillaz with “Feel Good Inc” in the morning mental music stream. This came up from watching Youtube videos from Cartier Family. The title, “First Time Hearing “Van Halen” Eruption Guitar Solo”, pulled me, so I watched it. After enjoying it, watched several more, including the Gorillaz webisode. The Neurons liked “Feel Good Inc” so here we are.

Stay positive, test negative. Keep good thoughts in mind for Florida, just as we have for every place being struck with disasters. Tiring of the parade of disasters, myself. Don’t mean to be callous but there it is.

Okay, here’s music. I got coffee, thanks. Hope your Friday goes well. Cheers

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Thursday’s Theme Music

Time to rock another day. The day in question, September 29, 2022, is a Thursday. Sunlight rocked us at dawn about 7:14 this morning, slicing apart the clouds with golden blades. The clouds recovered and came together in a solid front. They say it won’t rain, and I generally trust that set of they, the weather people. It’s 44 F now, with hopes that 60 F will be touched before the sun steals away at 7:06 PM and leaves us to the night.

Mom has a few home appointments. Nurse aide coming to bath her, and a nurse coming to check her out. She’s doing well, in good spirits, with a healthy appetite. I’m beginning to plot my return home.

Thinking about sleeping and dreaming, not just nocturnal dreams, but dreams of aspirations and accomplishments provoked Les Neurons into dropping Fiona Apple into the morning mental music stream with a song outta 1997, “Sleep to Dream”. Used to hear it a bit during my daily commutes and on my radio at work in my office. I enjoy the song’s thudding, rhythmic beat and how the vocals almost fluctuate between singing and rapping, something that we’ve seen more frequently in this century.

Stay positive, test negative, give a care for Florida and their situation. I have coffee, thanks. Here’s the tune. Cheers

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