Author: robertjames1971

I'm wicked tall.

A Good Day for Genesis Fans

Today is a good day for fans of people who used to be in Genesis.

Peter Gabriel’s first album of new original material in 45000 years has finally been released. It’s called i/o. He’s been releasing it one song at a time for the past year, but the whole thing is out now and it’s pretty freakin’ magical. Is it as good as So or his third record? No. It’s good though.

I knew that one was coming, but I didn’t know about this one. Steve Hackett released a single today. It’s called People of the Smoke. I haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet but it’s on my to do list for today. I knew he had an album on the way sometime relatively soon, but I didn’t know there would be a single out today. Excellent!

This coincidence is making me wonder what Anthony Phillips is doing today. I wonder…

The Most Difficult Decision

What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? Why?

Daily writing prompt

Nope. Not going there. It’s way too soon. I’ll tell you what but I won’t tell you why. That will have to do.

First, we had to put a DNR order into place for my mother. DNR stands for Do Not Resuscitate. If you don’t know what that is then Google it. I don’t have the heart to explain.

Next, when the hospital could do no more to treat her, we had to move her to Hospice. That included instructions to do nothing beyond making her comfortable. That easily topped the DNR as the hardest decision. It was literally decided to make her comfortable in her last days before she died. It took a lot longer than we thought it would, and every day was utter torture right up until the end.

Okay. That’s way more than I was planning to share. That’s enough. I’m sorry.

November’s End

I can’t believe it’s here, but we’re just over three hours away from December. Another year, another winter, another season of me wishing it were summer again. Ugh. It was cold enough in the cellar today during the work day that I turned on the little space heater for the first time. Again… ugh.

My Star Trek Deep Space 9 rewatch has reached the first mirror universe episode. The first one is a classic. All of the 10000 that followed, including the ones in Discovery demonstrate the law of diminishing returns. They just get dumber and more boring as they go. Again, again… ugh.

Side note, I am watching DS9 on the Paramount app on my AppleTV. It’s an ad-supported plan. It’s been so long since I’ve watched commercial television that I forgot the wonder of the mute button. Thankfully the AppleTV remote has one. Every time a commercial starts, I hit mute and… sigh of relief.

Change of subject, the Bruins have lost three straight games. Tonight they look to end the losing streak in a match up with the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks are pitiful this season. This is just what we need. We are up 2-0 after two periods. Again, just what we needed.

I have had two crappy nights sleep in a row. Here’s hoping that a good DS9 episode and a Bruins win will be followed by a rare good nights sleep. Fingers crossed.

Lerxst Omega Amp

Looks like Alex Lifeson and Mojotone are bringing out new versions of Lifeson’s signature Lerxst amps.

That sound you are hearing right now (not the youtube clip) is me drooling. They are too expensive to really consider, but that doesn’t matter. I’m still drooling. Literally.

Hopefully we’ll have some good review videos soon. I want to hear more.

Ancestry

My beloved bride, Jennifer, has been poking around on ancestry.com and she found something in my family tree that is freaking awesome.

If the information is accurate, she has a branch of my father’s family tree going back to the American Revolution in the 1770’s. One family was living in White Plains, New York and at some point their family home was used as a headquarters for none other than George “Father of Our Country” Washington.

Ho… ly… shit.

Yeah, that’s right. Me and President Washington are old family friends. No big deal, really.

My wife may also have tracked a branch of my family tree going all the way back to the 15th century. Again, no big deal*.

*That is sarcasm. It is totally a big deal. It is an epically big deal.

Holiday Dishes

Do you or your family make any special dishes for the holidays?

Daily writing prompt

I’m thinking, I’m thinking. I don’t think there is anything specific to any holidays, but there are a couple of things that we usually have that we happen to usually have around the holidays.

Jen makes deviled eggs and my step kids devour them like their lives depend on it. I don’t think she does it for the holidays, but that is when she usually makes them. In fact, she whipped up a bach for Thanksgiving and Bellana and Harry attacked them with merciless vengeance.

Jen’s family traditions include a christmas eve party and that party includes a lot of food. Much of it is prepared in an army of crock pots. Jen and her mother make a couple of types of chicken wings and meatballs that we generally don’t have at any time of year. Are we having them for the holiday or are we having them because of the holiday? I don’t know. I just know that it’s all delicious and it makes me feel like christmas, so I think it counts either way.

So, do we have any special dishes for the holidays? Yeah, I guess we do. Cool, huh? Happy/Merry.