Vernal Cleaning

I'm still fighting depression and anxiety. Mostly anxiety. And sadness. The sadness seems healthier than it was 2 years ago, for obvious reasons. The anxiety is less severe, maybe even much much less severe. And the depression doesn't seem to be putting up much of a fight. I blame a lot of the angst on coffee.

Still, I do best when I focus on the small pictures -- shop floor, garage siding, glorious glorious mowing -- and try to... manage/turn down the volume on less small pictures -- what does it all mean?, death, etc.

In any case, Spring is a yearly miracle. Easily explained and accounted for by our planet earth's rotation around and its relative proximity to the sun. But miraculous nonetheless.

Hell's Kitchen 2013

It's interesting and fun to watch the teams panic about a slightly overcooked pancake ("Too brown on that side!!!"), and then quickly switch to the scene from New World when the colonists are boiling and eating their own belts.

Some songs

"Are You Gonna Waste My Time", Zeus
For fans of Zeppelin B-Sides.

"Hot Knife", Fiona Apple

"Again and Again and Again (and Again)", The Bird and The Bee

"The Times They Are A-Changing", Joshua Redman (guess who on piano)

"River Man", Nick Drake
Might be worthwhile to check out also the cover of this by, well, you know.

"A Lady Does Not Often Falter", Cahalen Morrison and Eli West
These 2 hippie kids aren't just the future of bluegrass music; they're the future of authentic music.

"Is Your Love Big Enough (for What's to Come)", Lianne LaHavas
The best version of this song for me is still the live performance on Letterman, conveniently located on YouTube for those connected to the intranet.

"Anthropology", Mehldau/Rossy Trio
For me, the best tune Charlie Parker ever wrote. This is a great study in solving the rhythm changes problem, by a young Mehldau. On iTunes, look for it under the record title, When I Fall In Love

"Queen of California", John Mayer
Sorry, guys. But I love his voice. Always have. Guess I'm all gay again.

Attack of the Log Cabin Republican

My brother, Jess, has it in his head that I need to build a log cabin. There's an awesome log cabin kit manufacturer over near Millersberg/burg, which means the manufacturer is Amish. Really well-made stuff.

I don't know that I want a log cabin, at least not in this context/execution. He and Jane, his wife, are stopping by tomorrow, so I'm jotting down some notes. Jane will understand, because she always does, mostly.

1. Just because it's not what you would do doesn't mean it's not right.
2. I don't want to have to heat even just 900 square feet.
3. When it's nice out, even in the winter, I won't be inside.
4. I don't need a kitchen.
5. I don't need a bedroom.
6. I don't need a "bathroom".
7. You won't have to live here.
8. You don't have to help build it.
9. Maybe I would like to build it myself.
10. Maybe building it myself is a large part of the point (to whatever it is I think I'm doing [still don't know]).
11. You're not always right.
12. Again, I don't live like you do.
13. I kind of hate kits, no matter how high-end.
14. Again, for the 397th time, I don't need/want a kitchen.
15. You're not listening. (Whole other post.)

Freaks and Geeks

If any of you out there are Freaks and Geeks freaks like yours truly, the latest issue of Vanity Fair has an interesting though brief piece on the evolution of the show with a fun "you knew them when" look at its creators and stars.

My Bham friend Paula gave me a prescription of VF for Christmas. Good mag, great gift, appropriate prescription.

It was one of those shows that was so good and ahead of its time that of course it was cancelled after one season. (Available at The Netflix.) But you knew these folks were neither defeated nor finished.

For those of you not familiar with the show, let me hit you with some knowledge!

Judd Apatow
Linda Cardellini
Seth Rogan
Something Kasdan?
James Franco
Paul Feig
Busy Phillips
Jason Segal
Martin Starr
&c.

For those of you who don't recognize any of those names, never mind.

"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"

The greatest Christmas song ever written. Just a few good versions. My favorite is Tony Bennett with strings. But it doesn't have the crucial original lyric: "Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow." That's the whole point of the song!

Anyways, I can't decide whether to watch It's A Wonderful Life, or Sense And Sensibility.

Big storm coming in tomorrow night. Might be another chance to give the easement a try with the plow.

Some kind of peace, any kind of contentment, to you guys and your families.

switters and Moonpie

Just Another Day

Yeah, yet another day that I'm almost grateful that death has spared my mom and my dad from having to see... the very worst of inexplicability and helplessness, and, well, hopelessness.