Chillin' & Vibin' Fragments

It's been a while, amigos. Here are the latest and greatest fragments. 

I am back on campus after a year and a half of being away. Weird feelings but I am glad to be back. Most students are masking up and the positivity rate is on the downward trend where I am at. Good to see people. I am still doing a Zoom class, and I am doing two more in the spring. I think they will be a fixture from here on out. 

I started writing my fantasy/YA novel again, I had to stop as I am working on an important project at work that involved writing but I was really going at it for about six weeks. Tons of progress and I feel good about starting up again. It's a solid idea, the question is the execution and my talent (which, I wouldn't bet on). I am hopeless it will ever be published but I am ready to fight the good fight to try to finish it and see how I feel about it once I am done. 

The weather is finally changing and I am so happy about it. Even if the afternoons are a little warm (sometimes not even hot), the mornings and evenings have been so nice. At the football game last week, it was downright perfect. 

I think I said I was going to post some pics from our vakay but I dunno, man, too much effort. 

I made a list, but this time it was a playlist

Long-time readers (um, just kidding)...I love lists so when my daughter got Spotify it was only a matter of time, when I would craft the mother-of-all 90's playlists. 

So far it's well over 1,200 songs. I like it, so maybe you will too. My taste would be described as indie/college/alternative rock. With some mainstream rock and pop hits thrown in with some weird stuff because you just can't do a 90's list without "Waterfalls" from TLC,  nor the Kids in the Hall theme song nor a cover of the Moon theme from the DuckTales NES game. 

Ya just can't I tell ya. 

It was fun to build, I would add songs that pop in my head, album by album or by searching through the recommended list and unearthing treasures that I would have played on our Paba Free radio show on our college radio station had I known they existed. 

It was quite a nostalgic trip, I recommend it for any and all old people to do for the particular era they grew up in.  I would spend just an hour scrolling through the 90's. It was lovely. 

I don't think I am completely done with the list...it will likely top out over 1,300 when it's all said and done. Although my guess is, new discoveries await....

 I was blown away by including The Grays (their entire output), Velocity Girl (a bunch of songs) and "Drown" by Sonvolt. 

 

Really surprised how much I love the first Counting Crows album and how many good songs the Gin Blossoms had. 

Yeah, I really am getting lame in my old age. 

FAM Fragments 

C is playing every week in the marching band. It feels like she's burning the candle from both ends but the season can't last forever. She took to the Tuba because they needed Tuba players (she's usually a flute player)...what a leader. She's bringing over the boy she's been talking to this Friday to dinner. Oh boy, yeah, it's happening. I hope he's nervous. 

E is going to ballet what feels like every night but it's only three nights a week. She's growing up more and more each day and it kinda makes me sad. 7th grade is the time you really see them change. She's still a unique person but I am interested to see her in a few more years when she cares less about what people think (having a weird dad will help). 

H is doing great in the 4th grade and we just went camping a few weeks ago with the scouts. The other day he told me he had to write about three people he admired and he picked MLK, Abraham Lincoln and me. 

Wow. just wow. I was honored and it made my day. 

K (the wife) is keeping busy as usual but she was able to go out for a ladies' weekend and I was happy we didn't burn the house down and she had a great time.  

I have enjoyed cooking again, trying my hand at some grilling...trying out some delicious Penang Pork Satay (success) and the even better Ping Gai chicken. I tried out a Toad in a Hole and that also turned out pretty great too (at least the wife was impressed with my bread). I can't recommend Food Wishes channel on YT enough. Chef John, you make me so happy. 

I just have to say I love life. It's not always hearts and flowers, E and H fight or I worry about the van breaking down but I have so much to be thankful for and it feels great to just be here for the ride. Whomever you are and wherever you find yourself, I hope you're doing okay and hanging there too. 

Until next time folks, don't forget to take the trash out and take that extra umbrella with you in the car, just in case. 

Thought of the Day

 I was in a Zoom meeting and had to come up with something pithy and this is what I came up with:

"relationship is the foundation for action".

I quite liked it and I hope it could be of some use to you, some random person on the internet. Maybe if it gives you something to think about, I will be happy. 

Otherwise, it's just a thing and that's still not half bad.

Cheers.