Tag: pop

Friday’s Theme Music

As we slept, the overlords declared, “This will be Friday, June 23, 2023. Let us see how they take to the change.” So far as I can tell, the reality shuffle didn’t to anything to me, other than that flash in the night when the date and time was established. When you think about it, moving billions of people to another reality is impressive, especially as it takes so little energy and effort. They siphon off less than a quarter teaspoon of the needed energy off of every individual being shifted. Leaves a few people feeling groggy, sure. That’s why the overlords introduced us to coffee.

It’s a warmish June morning, 53 F right now. Heading up the scale to 80 F today. Thunderstorms were being mentioned yesterday when the weather they talked about the forecast. That word left their vocabulary now. Probably because they weren’t expecting the reality shift. Few usually are.

I was chatting with friends the other night. One is an unbridled cat fellow. The other is the father of a daughter who fosters. That’s what started the entire chat; she’d sent pix to him of her new foster. She’d already had a little singleton she was bottling feeding and bringing along. This week, another singleton was introduced so the poor little fellow has a play and cuddle buddy.

Remembering this convo this morning prompted The Neurons to inject David Bowie’s “Cat People (Putting Out Fires)” from 1982. A little rock, techno, and glam folded together, it was written for the movie, Cat People. Wouldn’t say the song is a ‘usual’ Bowie recipe; he frequently reinvented himself. No telling what he would come up with the next time a song or album was released.

Fire up your corporeal being. Stay pos. Drink some coffee, tea, etc., right? Something to light the body and spirit’s burners. Here’s the music. Liftoff.

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Thursday’s Theme Music

It’s Thursday, June 22, 2023, according to most reliable data. We’re still sliding into summer mode in Ashlandia. 64 F now, the weather thinkers claim 84 F will be seen in Ashlandia. Last night at the beer ‘bibing, sitting outside, several men complained that the sun was too hot and changed seats to be in the shade. It was 78 F then. It was a wonderfully sun to me. I had no prob basking in its warmth. Maybe I’m part cat. Or part floof. Call me floofman. Sounds like the first line of a novel.

Our house floofs are certainly pleased that the sun’s heat made a comeback. Popping out the door into the backyard after eating, they sat in sunny pools, licking their lips and washing, pausing to look for a noise source or to eye a passing jay. It’s a sight like a calming tonic, seeing them in those relaxed activities. Sip some coffee and watch the cats while enjoying sunshine and relative quiet — distant machiney sounds — cars, trucks, lawnmowers and leaf blowers — crack the absolute stillness — is a fine way to launch a day.

The Neurons wadded up “Have A Nice Day” by the Ramones (1995) in the morning mental music stream. There’s some argument about when it was first used. In the last century, many people found it so trite and overused that it was empty. That’s exactly the Ramones’ point. The lyrics talk about hearing it after all kinds of bad things happen to him. Each time something happened, someone told the secret, “Have a nice day.”

Stay pos. Coffee help sustains me in that effort. Some days need more than others. Here’s the tune. Cheers

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Wednesday’s Theme Music

Surprised to find Bad Bunny is the world’s #1 musical superstar. But that’s the world’s state on the first day of summer, Wednesday, June 21, 2023. I know some of Bad Bunny’s music. His sound does not generally titillate The Neurons. That happens, and it’s no big deal. Different tastes, preferences, experiences, and interests dictate what we latch onto. But the overall music picture surprises me. Here’s a startling except, with a piece of another article embedded in it, for a rare triple embedding.

But if you want to really be shocked, read this article:

“No One Even Comes Close to Bad Bunny’s Stardom Right Now“

Here’s the meat of the story:

“Bad Bunny songs appeared in the Spotify top 100 more times over the last 2 months than those of Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, Drake and Kendrick Lamar combined. Three of those four acts also released new albums. Post Malone, one of the most popular performers of the last few years, didn’t even crack the top 10.

Now let’s take it a step further. Bad Bunny beat every single record label in the industry. The only label that even came close is Columbia, which charted songs from more than a dozen artists, including Harry Styles, Lil Nas X, Adele and The Kid Laroi. Bad Bunny songs appeared more than twice as many times as acts from Atlantic, home of Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Cardi B, Lizzo and Jack Harlow.”

That’s right, one single artist eclipsed the ENTIRE OUTPUT of every major label.

Talk about a blockbuster business.

As implied, I’m blown away.

It’s a chilly morning in Ashlandia, where the beer is superior and the wine is fabulous. Was 44 F but we’re making up heat, and now, after sunshine’s effects, we’re up to 52. Don’t despair; we’ll climb to 80 F, the weather sprites tell us. Not bad for summer.

This is the mythological longest day of the year for the northern hem. In Ashlandia, we achieved sunrise at 5:33 AM and will strike sunset at 8:52 PM. Not bad for a span of daylight hours.

The Neurons have plugged “The Boys of Summer” by Don Henley (1984) into the morning mental music stream, but I decided to go with The Ataris’ cover from 2003. Nineteen years passed between Henley’s release and The Ataris’ cover; it’s now been twenty since that happened. I think we’re due for another cover.

Stay pos, gang, seriously. The cat just fetched me a cup of coffee. Right. Can anyone imagine that? I can’t, and I have a decently strong imagination. Asked the cat to procure coffee. He just smiled and walked away. Had to get it myself.

Here’s the music. Cheers

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Tuesday’s Theme Music

“It’s only Tuesday?” I asked the world. “Why does it feel like anything but Tuesday?”

The world mutely pointed me to the calendars. One on my wearable, one on my phone, one on my wall, one on desk, one on my laptop, one on my refrigerator.

“Why do we have so many calendars?”

Two were sent to us in the mail. Bank and animal shelter. I ordered one (which also came by mail) because it memorializes an era of auto racing prevalent during my childhood. The others are digital and come with the package.

Strange, though. The days of the week and date have little meaning for me. Streaming and routines define me, not the calendar, though I bow to the holidays’ existence and do as I must to observe them, succumbing to peer pressure.

But it’s Tuesday, June 20, 2023. Last day of spring in Ashlandia, with a feel lifted right out of spring’s first day, rainy and cold. Rained throughout the morning and early afternoon yesterday in Ashlandia, where the coffee is hot and the cannabis is legal. Only made it to 52 F as a high. Cats were like, screw this noise, wake me when sunshine returns. I replied with all the reasons why we should be grateful for this rain. They responded, got anything to eat?

Today’s high should top the mid-sixties. Clouds are shouldering out the blue sky. Sunshine, which came up strong earlier, is as faded as my hairline.

Got some Fall Out Boy in my morning mental music stream. The Neurons planted “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” (2005) in there when I responded to someone that even if I fail, I’m going to go down swinging. Pop, The Neurons had it loaded like it was ready and waiting. It was last heard as theme music back in August, 2020.

Okay, let’s stay pos out there, sweethearts. I’m drinking coffee and turning in to where I was when I last stopped writing, ginning up the scene, ready to go in there with keyboard blazing. It’s your move.

Here’s the music. Cheers

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Monday’s Theme Music

June showers bring chilly temperatures. It’s Monday, June 19, 2023. Raining. Started about midnight and has been singing from the skies since. 45 F. Not heavy stuff, but still wet and, sporadic. High today will be about 55 F. Yes, here comes summer.

Big battle between our house floofs at 4 AM. Tucker likes to sleep in front of the pet door. Papi enjoys going in and out said pet door. I can only imagine what the ignitor looked like for this incident but battling high notes snapped me out of sleep and launched me across the room yelling, “Hey,” once in a loud and irritated voice. That voice always stops their actions. Learned it in the military as a senior NCO. Worked there, too.

Lot of fur, mostly Papi’s, was left behind. Neither seemed injured. They’d separated themselves. I isolated them for a while as cool down and closed the pet door for business. Letting in cold air anyway. They’re in the house, Tucker asleep back on a bed, Papi asleep on the sofa.

I was remembering a friend this morning. Something about the weather and date triggered thoughts of him. About a year older than me, he passed away seven years ago. An interesting guy and fun to be around. Big Van Halen fan. So after thinking about him as I tended to morning duties and requirements, The Neurons kicked in a Van Halen song, “Runaround” from 1991. Don’t know why they slipped that Van Halen offering into the morning metal music stream. Randy enjoyed watching it being performed while smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer. He’d be outside, window open, watching through it, as smoking in the house wasn’t permitted. The song’s words make little sense. Lots of innuendo but it’s all about Eddie and the guitar, isn’t it?

Stay pos, if and when you can. Bounce back if you fall. I’m about to embrace a cup of coffee and study the rainfall for a bit. Then it’s get up and move, move, move.

Here’s the tune. Cheers

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Sunday’s Theme Music

It’s Sunday, June 18, 2023. Let’s put this day on our back and run wild. You know, like Trump said that gangs of young people do by the hundreds. Except he said they were running into department stores and stealing refrigerators by strapping them on their backs and running out of the stores. Cities all across the nation. Sure you’ve seen some videos of it on the net or television. I haven’t. Doesn’t seem to be happening in my world.

It’s a chilly 58 F almost summer morning. Gonna be 69 before we’re done with the sun in Ashlandia, where the cats are smart and the drivers are below average. Clouds dominate the blue above like Game of Thrones dominated HBO. Sun is out there, poking and peeking around said clouds but a front tempers the sun’s effects.

Our house floofs are not pleased with this turn. Their exact comments, said in unison, was, “What the hell? Where is the warmth?” They search for it outside and then turn their sights inside, settling down on old familiars like the sofa and bed. They’re miffed but they’re not letting that impede a good nap.

The bears are awake, out, and active, so beware. Mostly going for trash cans, trashing bird feeders — they are especially fond of hummingbird feeders — or trying to open doors to see what’s on the other side.

We’re bemoaning the state of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. They made some unusual moves the last several years. The artistic director resigned this year and OSF is begging us to donate money so that the show can go on. Meanwhile, they uprooted the Tudor Guild a few years ago — said that the landlord raised the rent — and bought and built several properties, and moved their offices to a swanky new locations. The pandemic, wildfires, and smoke affected them — the primary theater is open-air — but they also killed several youth-oriented programs which focused on introducing school children to plays. If it sounds like chaos, that’s how it feels living alongside it.

Today’s song is “Photograph” by Nickelback from 2005. It was inspired by looking at some photos, of course. I’d stumbled across them as I looked for something else. I was surprised that The Neurons brought out this instead of something like “Kodachrome” by Simon or “Photograph” by Ringo. But The Neurons have a mind of their own. The song works as today’s theme music, as it’s all about looking back, reacting and remembering. Photographs of Dad were in there, which was nice serendipity for Father’s Day in America.

Stay pos, and don’t let the weight grind you down. My morning cuppa coffee is over. Time to move it, move it, move it. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Saturday’s Theme Music

Saturday, June 17, 2023, and the temperatures are dropping, preparing for summer in Ashlandia. Now 67 F with a cool breeze sometimes goosebumping us, today’s high will entrench itself in the upper 70s F. Tomorrow’s high will be 65 F and Monday, a rain recipient, has low expectations, just 55 F. Then it’s supposed to start slowly rising.

The morning began slow for me, a leisurely petting of the floofs, followed by a leisurely floof-petting session, capped with leisurely coffee-sipping on the porches to experience the cool air and spy on the floofs. Some interesting dreams to contemplate , including one about building a complex while dealing with a lion.

Today’s song, from 1991, is “Kiss Them for Me” by Siouxsie and the Banshees. The song features lines about being delayed. I was in the coffee shop yesterday when a man stopped by my table, looked back, and called to the person they’d been with, “Tell them I’ll be delayed.” I was writing and thought little of it but The Neurons went into a tizzy. Soon the song melody was drifting through me like smoke from a distant fire. Then I’d hum some lyrics to myself. Then, awakening to a song in the mental music stream, I realized that I’d been ambushed.

Just an aside but when the song came out in 1991, I didn’t think it was Siouxsie and the Banshees. It seemed different to me than their usual fare. like “Spellbound”. This is the first time that I’ve seen the “Kiss Them for Me” video.

Stay pos, drink coffee, unwind, relax, carpe the moment. Let’s do this again next year. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Friday’s Theme Music

Here we are again on the little backwater establishment known as Earth. Look at the humans; aren’t they cute. Look at that old one, sipping coffee. Just adorable. He looks so sleepy.

It’s 6/16/2023. Friday. Cushioned with a light cool breeze, 64 degrees F and hopping up, Ashlandia is living a dreamy Friday morning. Blue sky and sunshine rule. Gonna get warm. 88 F, they say. I say 90.

Now, a correction. Not that anyone uses this blog for reminders but I thought last Sunday, June 11, was Father’s Day. That’s because my wife said it was. She was pointing at a sign in a store when she said it. It just locked into me. I hustled a card out to Dad but didn’t call him. Put it off because we’d just spoken a few days before. Neither of us are big pholks (phone folks).

Then I began noticing all these Father Day ads springing up and checked the calendar on my wall. Correction realized.

Injured my back yesterday while running. Only went a little less than a mile. Probably closer to a little less than half a mile. Didn’t feel anything snap, crackle, or pop, but when I finished, my back said, “Why did you do that?” It then stiffened like a flag in a strong breeze. The spouse unit, who regularly goes through aches and pains associated with her chronic malaise, provided me with a Salon Pas pad, which heated the back up very impressively, alleviating the pain and stiffness. After wearing it for six hours, I removed it per instructions and then applied CBD TherapyReLeaf to the area. Feel much better this morning, thanks. While the back’s pain surprised, I’m relieved I bounced back, knock wood.

A dream inspired The Neurons to plug a 1982 song by The Kinks, “Come Dancing”, into the morning mental music stream. The dream was all ’bout food prep and eating — mostly cakes and sandwiches — and then dancin’. Sort of chaotic, a little hasty, like the dream had been put together at the last minute and had a small budget. “Come Dancing”, a light song, fit the dream mood and is perfect for a relaxed Friday.

‘Bout done with my first cuppa. I’d gotten up and cleaned the kitchen. That slid things back a bit. Hadn’t been a plan to clean the kitchen. Wasn’t that dirty as my wife had tidied before leaving for her exercise class. We work well in tandems like that. Then ended up cleaning the primary litter box, a.k.a., the big ‘un.

Stay pos. Hope it’s a satisfying day in your existence. Here are The Kinks. Cheers

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Wednesday’s Theme Music

Hello, you lucky people. Time to embrace another Wednesday. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate Jun 14, 2023. If it’s your birthday, have a happy one. Same toast to you if it’s your anniversary.

This is Flag Day in the U.S., a celebration of the congressional resolution in 1777 about the new nation’s flag design.

Although we’re a week away from summer’s start in Ashlandia, we’re doing a chilly one this morning, 52 F. Sky is a sea of softly rolling gray-tinged white with sporadic islands and atolls of darker grays. No blue. A white lagoon represents our sun. High of 76 F is in the deck. Same is planned for tomorrow, with cold front delivering us overnight lows in the mid to upper 40s. Get a blanket out.

You can guess that the house floofs are saying nope to this weather. Not expecting the cooler air, they were out with their usual bravado. Now they’re sitting in the other room, telling me, “We thought we’d visit you today. Help celebrate flag day. Seems like a silly celebration. When will we celebrate treat day? How ’bout lap day? That’s worth celebrating. We’re not even sure what a flag is.”

I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s Star Wars Day somewhere as on this date in 1977, the first Star Wars movie was shown in the U.S. My wife and I, then stationed at Randolph AFB, just outside of San Antonio, TX, went with my cousin and his friends to see the movie. Pretty entertaining.

I have Eric Clapton’s cover of the Bob Marley song, “I Shot the Sheriff”, in the morning mental music stream. I don’t know why The Neurons tossed it into the morning mental music stream. I think sometimes they do things just to see what happens, like mixing and coffee. Both are good. Wouldn’t they be better together?

Stay pos and fresh as a winter day. Don’t know where I was going with that. Maybe coffee will help me find answers. Won’t hurt to try. Here’s the music. Cheers

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Tuesday’s Theme Music

Tuesday’s here. Take advantage while you can because soon Tuesday will be gone. These fleet days add up.

It’s June 13, 2023. No clouds out there. 69 F in Ashlandia, so a warm morning with cooling tones licking in from the mountains and trees. Looking to a high in the mid 80s F before the sun’s exit just before 9 PM. Yesterday saw over 91 on the digital thermometer outside.

The floof boys so love this. In to visit, eat, drink, and zip back out. Back door is open so they’re going in out through the morning’s early hours before finding a napnest. Papi likes the vinka or the yard in the grass in shadows while Tucker prefers the front porch bushes. Both do the sun and shadow dance throughout the day.

I have “Calm Down” by Rema (2022) in the morning mental music stream. It’s a relaxed song, nice beat, interesting lyrics and inflections but what really had me going when I first heard it was, is he singing ‘condom’? So I had to look the song up. Didn’t know it’s name then or it was — they don’t like telling you who is singing what song on many radio stations. It’s apparently a game they’re playing with you. As the song gains popularity, they start telling you who and what. Well, when they said the song was “Calm Down”, the big light blinked on. Laughter followed because calm down made more sense than condom. Although thinking the song was being sung about condoms had Les Neurons imagining all manner of interesting lyrics.

Hope the tune rocks your Tuesday. Stay pos and don’t trip. If you do trip, don’t fall. If you fall, get up. Yes, simplistic; who knows what will happen between the beginning and end, things beyond your control? Oh, well. Calm down. Carry on and have some coffee.

Cheers

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