Category: News

Friday’s Theme Music

Mood: upbeat

Swaddled in surreal dreams, tucked into bed, left alone by the cats, I slept late and solid. Now I’m back, baby, ready for Friday, September 8, 2023. After clouds gathered like buffalo at a watering hole yesterday afternoon, we passed through the night without wetness falling from the sky, thunder, and lightning. Today brought us impressive sky clarity and blueness. It chilled overnight. Back into the late sixties now, we’re heading into the mid 80s realm.

Reading Peter Navarro was convicted pushed my belief in the US justice system fractionally higher. Hurricane Lee still has me watching anxiously to see what’ll happen. You’re talking Cat 5, sustained winds over 159 MPH, strong enough to easily flatten frame houses.

Interesting article over on NYT about data being delivered by the James Webb Space Telescope and its impact on our knowledge and theories about the Universe’s origins. Confounding and unexpected discoveries have cosmologies saying “Wait, what?” I’m pleased because one theory being considered is whether physics itself is evolving and changing. That’s one of several personal ideas in my quiver, along with the idea that we have many ‘variations’ of time which we haven’t even begun to approach, and that these things are not uniform nor consistent, giving us a much richer tapestry of existence. Fun to ponder with coffee, beer, or wine.

We have a repeat of a song posted in 2017. The Neurons have dug out “Long, Long Way from Home” by Foreigner (1977) and plopped it right into the morning mental music stream (Trademark confounding). I don’t know what aspects of my dreams, thinking, or activities inspired Les Neuros to pop this one out. Trying to figure them out is like understanding quantum mechanics, and I ain’t nowhere near even explaining QM to others. By the way, remember when QM meant a Quinn Martin production? Yes, that’s The Neuries talking.

Okay, a collective demand for coffee is swelling through my corporeal being. Time to move it, move it, move it. Stay strong, be pos, test neg, and carry on. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Thursday’s Theme Music

Mood: focused

It’s cool and blue in Ashlandia, where the nights are getting longer, and the people are looking inward. 60 F now on this Thursday, the seventh day of September, 2023 in the common era, but we will experience 81 F today. I’ll take that. No wildfire smoke. The fires are slowly being contained. Last week’s rain helped. That pressure — worrying about fires encroaching on your town, your home, and eating it until only blackened messes remained — has eased.

The cats approve of the weather change. Papi remains on his out-at-night schedule, but he’s now more likely to be visible in a resting space just outside one of the doors during the day. Tucker has decided he’s an elder statesfloof, who are beings who don’t worry about details about weather and seasons.

Watching Hurricane Lee’s progress today. Another destructive storm, it is missing Puerto Rico at this point, and looks like it might lick the Bahamas. Early days, yet, but it could avoid the US eastern coast except for some tide and surf impacts. Meanwhile, some of the US in the realms of the east and south continue to endure a record-setting heatwave as they cruise toward autumn. San Antonio has had 70 days over 100 F degrees. I remember when I lived there back in 1980, we were impressed that we had eleven straight days over 100. That’s nothing these days.

Also paying attention to conversations and lawsuits addressing whether Donald Trump can or should be on ballots, discussions about the potential government shutdown, and the continuing war in Ukraine. Also interesting news and data about abortion rates was found in the NYTimes. There was too much other matters — uplifting and depressing — to go on about without caffeine.

From out of the blue — or out of the gray, I guess — The Neurons are treating me to the 1970 song, “Ride Captain Ride” by the Blues Image in my morning mental music stream (Trademark revocable). I can speculate about this song’s place in my day’s thinking. Maybe it’s because I’m thinking of my youth and this 1970 song was part of the scene in my fourteenth year, when many things are happening to a boy’s mind, body, and soul. Or, it could be the sense of focus and promise the song offers to me. Who knows what The Neurons latched onto? I certainly don’t.

Stay pos, be strong, and eat well. Here’s the music — which, um, is an interesting video, a product of the times back then. Hope you enjoy it. Coffee time, one more time. Cheers

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Wednesday’s Theme Music

Mood: sultry

Wednesday in Ashlandia, where the air is clear today, and the people are happy, today. 58 F now, the weather system is expected to deliver a high of 82 this afternoon before the night shift comes on.

Ukraine’s stand against Russia’s land grab continues, which is good for the number of deaths but not anything else. War, what is it good for, you know. This one isn’t good for anything. I’m impressed by Ukraine’s stand and hope that Russia — sorry, Putin — will come to his senses and declare a cease fire. Not holding my breath, though.

I applaud Gov. Kemp’s stand against the false election lie peddlers, aka Trumpists and MAGAts. Nice to hear some principles of law are respected by a few Republicans, at least on this matter. I’m weary of the others and their constant cry about stolen elections. No evidence, turned down in multiple courts, multiple levels, multiple states. Yet their claims keep going. The trail against Trump and gang will be intriguing.

Was some good news when DNA evidence cleared a man of wrongful conviction after five decades. Imagine the weight of being accused and convicted while you know you’re innocence, and all that happens to you in the penal system after such a conviction. Imagine that weight being finally lifted when you’re 72 years old.

Reading about Gary Wright’s death from cancer at a respectable age of 80 — not bad for a rocker — has The Neurons playing “Dream Weaver” (1975) for me in my morning mental music stream (Trademark giftwrapped). It helps that I had several dreams of interest to me. With Buffett Harwell, and Wright’s death, existence lived up to the ‘always in threes’ billing of celebrities dying.

Stay pos and strong, and raise your head and look forward to what you can do. I’ll do the same after I have some strong black coffee. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Monday’s Theme Music

Mood: bubbly

A chill holiday Monday morning in Ashlandia, where the lawns can be green and lush, or dry and brown, depending on your ability to afford water. Clouds have sway over the scene. No rain is expected but one wonders with fifty shades of gray drifting overhead. Yardwork has commenced out there somewhere — you can hear the power tools cutting, blowing, trimming. It never ends for some, and they don’t take breaks until snow seizes the space. Fall seems truly on the way, with 60 F again our morning temp and an afternoon high of 72 F anticipated. This is September 4, 2023. Happy birthday if it’s your day, likewise happy anniversary, and congratulations.

Slow news day, of course, as is the American holiday tradition. Steve Harwell’s death at 56 from liver issues has us talking. In light of Buffett’s death, we remember the many years when ‘always in threes’ seemed to rule. This was a general observation that celebrities and famous people die in clumps of three at a time. It’s been studied and disproven, but here we are, two gone.

If it’s not on your news feed, Harwell was a Smash Mouth founder and member up until a few years ago. (Smash Mouth is an American rock band.) Naturally Los Neurons have plucked Harwell songs from the gray vault of memory and slide them into the morning mental music stream (Trademark offered). I’m going with “Walking on the Sun” in 1997. When the song was unleashed on the world, it was one that gave pause to listen and think, “Wait, what’s he singing?” Written in the aftermath of the 1992 Rodney King riots, some band members dubbed it a social justice battle cry. I’ve always interpreted it as a song bitter with recognition that we keep doing insipid things while much greater problems taking place are shoved into the background. Big reason for this happening is how often the media treats news like entertainment, advocating for a local escaped convict in one city or town with the same time and passion as hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires. Need the white girl syndrome need be mentioned? Anyway, with the world on fire again or still, thought it was proper tribute to Harwell and the Earth’s situation to have this song on Labor Day in America.

Stay pos, be brave, be strong. Time to press on one more time, one more day. Here’s my coffee, and the music. Cheers

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Sunday’s Theme Music

Mood: comfy

Man, was I comfortable in bed. Night air slipped in over me through a cracked window. I’d shifted positions and blankets until my sleeping g spot was nailed, and I didn’t want to go. Pleasant dreams had entertained me, and Tucker’s deep-throated purr was putting out white noise. So I just stayed in bed a while, drifting through various stages of sleep until my bladder spoiled it all.

It’s Sunday, September 3, 2023, in Ashlandia, where the politicians are average and the people are good-looking. Gray clouds block the sky. Weather folks say it’s partly sunny. I wouldn’t call this party sunny, but mostly cloudy. Could be different in another part of town. Probably is. 62 F out now, 72 F is thought to be the high. Yesterday’s high was supposed to reach the 70s but the weather was an overachiever around our place, ending up at 82 F.

After learning of Jimmy Buffett’s passing, one of his songs has full command of The Neurons. “Come Monday” is echoing through the hallowed halls of the morning mental music stream (Trademark forecasted). It’s not like his bouncier songs, but it does feature his hallmark mellow-dy. A worthy song for Sunday when you’re looking forward to going on. It could also have been Der Neurons’ choice because the first line mentions, “Headed out to San Francisco for the Labor Day weekend show,” This is the Labor Day weekend in the US.

As I got up late, I started on coffee early in my routine. Have already had a cup, thanks; The Neurons are happy campers. Stay pos, be strong, and keep going. It’s darkest before the dawn, right? Here’s the music. Cheers

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Saturday’s Theme Music

Mood: sparkling

Wow. Saturday, we have blue sky, and I can see across to forever. Rained most of the first day of September. September 2, 2023 gives us almost smoke free sky and the best air quality numbers in over a month in Ashlandia, where the roads are under construction and the people are weary. 60 F now, we expect sunshine and thunderstorms, along with a high in the mid to upper seventies. Feels like summer is throwing a final hurrah.

We have had a great deal of road work going on in town. Repaving, along with fixing sidewalks and building ADA bump-out corners. Slowed us down a little, but given that our vehicular traffic is miniscule, our slow downs are nothing like the frustrating encounters of San Jose & San Francisco, CA, or Frankfurt,
Germany, Seattle, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Boston, San Antonio, Chicago, etc. There are advantages to small town living, and that what’s we are.

I had Wham singing “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” ringing through the morning mental music stream (Trademark tested). I don’t know how The Neurons came up with that. Nothing about their reasoning peered through the morning fog. They wouldn’t answer any queries about it, either. Crickets to however I phrased things. No reply at all, as Phil Collins sang.

Then I saw something about the Beastie Boys on social media and “You gotta fight for your right to paartay” blared through the morning mental music stream. However, that only lasted until I saw news of Jimmy Buffet’s death. Then a medley of his songs swam into the morning mental music stream. Which to go with?

Well, the choice wasn’t mine. The Neurons resumed with Beastie Boys and won’t let it out of the morning mental music stream. So, here we go with today’s choice about rights; “You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) from 1986 is today’s theme music. But I will comment on Buffett. His mellow music, with a touch of whimsy introspection, was a regular car companion on long drives across the states and Europe for a number of years. That easy-going style was a good remedy for stress in many days. He’s gone, but technology will keep him alive for us.

Stay pos and strong. The coffee cup cometh. Here’s the boys with their Saturday theme music. Time to bop heads. You gotta admit, it’s a quaint video. Cheers

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Friday’s Theme Music

Mood: trending up

September 1, 2023. Friday. Are you ready to turn another page? They’re different sizes, aren’t they? Varying purposes. But they can help us move on and go forward.

Rainy here in Ashlandia, where the cats are masters and the rest are servants. 59 F with our bodies set for a high of 72 F. Thunderstorms are possible. The smoke gives the damp morning an interesting petrichor.

I read about ‘the bottleneck’ last night, a time when humans were almost extinct due to massive climate change. “Our ancestors remained at low numbers — fewer than 1,280 breeding individuals — during a period known as a bottleneck. It lasted for over 100,000 years before the population rebounded.” The study estimates that 98.2% of the world’s humans were wiped out in that era. All due to climate change. Well, probably also due to some poor survival skills, bad lucks, and willful ignorance which led to an unwillingness to change. It’s a study, a paper, an idea that remains to be fully investigated, including how we rebounded. Fascinating stuff, though.

I was thinking about how many tales there are to tell, or new spins on old tales. Out of that, The Neurons brought up a Love and Rockets song, “No New Tale to Tell” and pitted it in the morning mental music stream (Trademark overrated). Bit perverse of The Neurons. They point to the closing lines, “It’s all the same thing, no new tale to tell.” What do you think? Are there new tales to tell?

Let’s continue practicing the Four Bs — be safe, be smart, be pos, be strong. Forward into September with confidence. The coffee is here at last — like I’m not the local provider. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Wednesday’s Theme Music

Mood: optimistic

Lovely moon out last night. I checked it out about 12:30 AM, when the air quality levels were improved and the temperature hovered about 60 F. Did you see that moon? Part of the perigean moon cycle, it seemed quite large, almost full, and pretty clear for us, meaning only soft marigold brushstrokes marred its clarity.

Now it’s 61 F. Clearish air, with some bluish smoky sky. AQI is better but the smoke smell is there to be sucked up as soon as you step out. Where there is smoke, there’s particulates, and possible respiratory system damages. Myself suffers from an AM stuffy nose and sinuses, and a sore throat. Shot of saline up each nostril helps the first, and a cough drop is sucked on once in a while for the latter.

Today’s high will be in the low 80s. This is Wednesday, August 30, 2023, in Ashlandia, where the children seek advancement, and the parents press for sanity.

Tracking the Hurricane Idalia, worrying about my fellow citizens, and tracking fires, worrying about everyone and everything. Engenders a sense of helplessness to track information and understand how little I can affect the course of activities. But track I must. I want to know what’s going on in a multitude of areas.

All that takes me back to how much I take for granted, which is a testament to the past, where problems were recognized and people worked out solutions. I mean things like highways and roads, fresh water supplies, electricity, the net, the food chain. Not all were perfect and some cause us problems, and because people are invested with how well those solutions work, they refuse to admit their solutions are now problems. Also, money. Security. Power. MSP. Follow the MSP and you’ll learn more than you want to know. I mean, think about how insecure wealthy people must be, if they must keep acquiring more money and power to prop themselves up. It’s a sad sickness.

Hearing about taking things for granted caused The Neurons to bring up Todd Rundgren and “Hello, It’s Me,” from the early 1970s. See, he wrote about and sings, “I take for granted that you’re always there.” So easy to fall into the mind slip of taking people and things for granted, and as I was thinking on that, the song began playing in the morning mental music stream (Trademark ancient). I found an interesting stripped down, live version that I hope you enjoy.

I’ve had a half cuppa joe, and the mind has picked up speed. Be strong and stay pos. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Monday’s Theme Music

We’ve traveled through the rotation again. Another Monday has come upon us.

It’s August 28, 2023, in Ashlandia, where the smoke rules and we submit. Will be a coolish day for us, 63 with haze now, in the mid eighties on the top end. I was hoping for an overnight miracle and some relief from the smoke. The air quality has improved a little but not enough to give us happy feet. The photo is off Ashland Street and Tolman, going northwest, late afternoon, ’bout 3/4 miles from my abode. Nasty at that time, it only got worse as night descended. No new fires, knock on head, but a cumulative effect of the half dozen burning within 100 miles of us. Turn on the air filter and close the doors and windows. Glad I can do that but it’s dispiriting to think of the many in town without that, homed and homeless.

The cats are none too pleased, and when the cats are upset, then you have trouble. Doing what we can to keep them safe and healthy although they have other opinions about it.

Well, you know with the former President’s latest trial date being set for him and his co-conspirators, Les Neurons have law and order on their minds. That culminated with one of their favorites songs, “Breaking the Law” by Judas Priest (1980) settling into the morning mental music stream (Trademark gossip). Here they are, performing at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.

Alright, coffee is on the way. Stay pos, be strong, and mind your step. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Sunday’s Theme Music

Mood: mellow

It’s Sunday, August 27, 2023 in Ashlandia, where the beer and wine is above average. 65 F now, today’s forecast is for smoke and sunshine. Smokeshine? Sunsmoke? Don’t know. High will be 93 F.

Wedding stuff presently frequently preoccupies us. A nephew getting married, we’re down to a few weeks. I’m buying a suit, planning a haircut, making hotel, flight, and rental car reservations, talking to the floofs sitter. Wife has found her dress and is working on accessories. Thank dog we’re not in the wedding party.

Woke up with wet elbow syndrome today. Familiar with this? Tucker, my feline buddy, enjoys morning cuddling. He signifies this by getting up on the bed, finding a hand and tapping it with a claw until the hand is raised and offered for his use. Then he rubs his face against the hand and fingers, working it until I start participating. I guess today he couldn’t find a hand, but a bare elbow was discovered, so he engaged in it with his face until I woke up and felt the wet skin. Don’t know which part of the engagement actually brought me out of slumber, the rubbing, or the wet. I immediately began fulfilling the terms of the contracts (which I don’t remember signing) to scratch him. He threw himself down against me so that belly scratching could commence. A thick-furred booger head, his belly fur gets knotted and is often home to small sticks, leaves, etc. I work my way through the knots and remove all that stuff.

Read more sickening racist news. Blacks being targeted shot in Florida. Another black couple harrassed and handcuffed while touring their new home after a neighbor called the cops because he couldn’t believe that a Black could afford a house in HIS neighborhood. Ending after the builder came and confirmed that the couple had bought the house. THEN the cops uncuffed them. Then the neighbor flipped them the finger and yelled, “Fuck you” and retreated to his house. Really, WTF is wrong with people?

The Neurons have a battle of the bands happening in my morning mental music stream (Trademark problematic). First up is Alabama 3 with “Woke Up This Morning”, known as being the theme song for the defunct TV series, “The Sopranos”. That’s not a surprise; I posted it to someone’s page yesterday, and “woke up this morning with a wet elbow in the bed” crossed my mind as song lyrics, forcing The Neurons to reprise the song. The other bit of music is the Rolling Stones with “Under My Thumb”. Don’t know what brought that out. I was busy with the feeding routine for me and the cats (they’re fed first) when the song settled into the MMMS.

I think I’m going with Alabama 3 today. Just seems more fitting to my mood.

Coffee is ready. It’s pleasant out on the back patio, if you don’t mind a little smoke. Stay pos and be strong. Here we go. Cheers

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