Morning Music and a Quest

I screwed up my morning routine today and I don’t know how I am going to recover. No details needed, as they are neither important nor really noteworthy, but I did manage to straighten it out enough to get a couple of things done.

First things first, car music. I put vocals on four 50/90 challenge songs. I was hoping to get to five, but I didn’t have time to add another song. I didn’t do particularly well today, and a couple of the melodies were a bit more complicated than my no-talent self usually gets. We’ll see how it comes out when the songs are done.

After the car music was complete I went on a quest. My father asked me to bring him a newspaper. I had a paper route back in the 80’s. Long time ago. I tried to remember the last time I bought one… given that the newspaper industry is effectively dead and the fact that they still exist is laughable. The last time I bought one was… I think… 2007? When the Red Sox won the World Series I bought a Boston Globe. I think I did it in 2007. I know I did in 2004. Let’s just say it’s going on 20 years.

Where the hell do people buy newspapers? The one my father wanted isn’t one that you could ever regularly find near my home (we’re in Lawrence Eagle Tribune country and he wants a Lowell Sun). I went to my old home town, Tewksbury, thinking there were a couple of stores where I might be able to find one. The first store I went to does not carry newspapers anymore. Big surprise. The second… is now a dentist office. Again, not a surprise. I finally decided to just hit any grocery store or convenience store I saw and I found one.

Quest complete. Newspaper acquired.

Now some random pictures… just because…

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Obligatory clock photo
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This place sold me a newspaper because it’s still 1980

Finally… cats.

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Musical Friday Morning

It is Friday, at last. Every single day this week has tried to trick me into thinking it was Friday (there must be something wrong with my brain’s calendar function) but this time it’s real. This time it actually is Friday.

Insert the sound of an emphatic sigh of relief here.

The weekend is one 8.5 hour work day away. The best part? My step daughter is coming over tonight! She’s going to a work conference tomorrow and is stopping here on the way to it. We haven’t seen her in ages. I’m really looking forward to her visit.

Musically speaking? I played some guitar before work this morning. 50/90 progress. I put rhythm guitars on two songs and leads on one. I took a bunch of pictures with my Nikon. I had the 28mm lens on it for all but one. I swapped to the 40mm and took one more pic just to make sure it was working. It was. That lens is so much better than the 28mm. I’ll keep the 40 on there for a while. I really love that little sucker.

Here’s the one 40mm pic. It’s the choice for the photo a day thing for today.

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Note the guitar case in the blurry background. That’s my other Les Paul. The one Jen got me for my 50th birthday. I’ll be swapping them out the next time I record guitars. The birthday Les Paul is the only one of my electric guitars that hasn’t made it onto a 50/90 track yet. That will change, probably tomorrow morning.

Now for a bunch of faux artsy pics with the 28mm lens.

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Nutubes… are they a gimmick? Probably.
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Yeah, I ran a Klon into a King of Tone. Unobtanium, bitches.

Postponed Again

Band practice was once again postponed. It happened at just about the last minute. One of the guys had a family thing come up and had to take care of it. Unlike Genesis in 1974 our band understands that family comes first and no one said anything that was anything other than 100% supportive. Word on the street was that 1974 era Peter Gabriel was a little jealous.

Next time. We will play all the better next time. Seriously, I’ll have a capo so I can play that friggin’ Bryan Adams song without having to tune my guitar up a full step. Come on, Bryan Adams… a capo? Really? Just play the damn song in E like a real guitarist.

Stuff Going On

I have two things going on today besides work. First, I had to visit my father to help out with that thing that he needs help with that I am not going into details on. I usually do it after work, but tonight there is the second thing going on. Tonight is the first band practice in about a month or so.

I just got home from my father’s place. All went well. He’s good for the day. Nice. When I got home I logged back in to work and sent off a facebook messenger message to the band. Are we still on? As of right now we are, but one band member may have traffic issues. We’re keeping our fingers crossed.

I also just ordered a capo from amazon. I know I have one somewhere, but I just can’t find it. I’ll have to go with the alternate tuning solution tonight if we play that one new song. I’ll have a capo for the next practice, I promise.

I’m not sure how dinner is going to work tonight. We still need to figure that out. I expect it’s going to be protein supplements for ol’ Robbie, but I want my beloved bride to have something nice.

Okay, back to work with you, Mr. Robert.

Absent Minded Doofus

Once every three days or so I go to my father’s to help him out with a little issue. Nothing major, and I am not going to share details. Suffice to say that the visits require me to bring scissors. You don’t need to know why, but they do.

I am going over to his place on the way home from work today. It’s been on the books all week. I’ve known about it for days and days.

When I left the house this morning I forgot to bring scissors.

You absent minded doofus.

Moron.

There is a drug store right near his place. I will stop and get a pair. That’s not the point though. The point is that I am an idiot.

Q.E.D.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad

Today would have been my parents’ 57th wedding anniversary. Instead it is the second wedding anniversary since my mother passed away. It’s a sad day, but it’s also a happy day. I need to call my father and just tell him I love him.

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Credit where credit is due, my cousin Erin took these two photos at my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary party back in 2017. Thanks, Erin!

One of Those Sad Moments

Today had one of those moments. One of those sad moments that jump out of nowhere and make you sad.

Tomorrow would have been my parents’ 57th wedding anniversary. Instead it’s the second anniversary since she passed away and that is making me sad today.

I did go and visit her today. That made me feel a little better. It’s funny how that works, right?

True Crime Docs

My wife and I watched a true crime documentary on the Netflix today. I don’t remember what it was called.

I listen to a couple of true crime-ish podcasts regularly. It’s not my favorite genre but it will do in a pinch.

This one tonight has freaked me out. I mean, I know there are people out there who can be best described as evil, but the things this piece of shit did.

Hug your kids, folks. I mean it. Wow.

In happier news, I cooked chicken on the grill tonight and I didn’t ruin it! How cool is that? Jen said it was delicious. She’s so nice to me like that. I loves her lots. Hug your spouse or your significant other too because sometimes they will say nice things about your chicken.

Harry’s Cat

I think my step son Harry loves both of our cats very much, but if I am being honest, I think Robin is his favorite. I also think that Robin knows this, and I think that Harry is Robin’s favorite human. They are best buds, really.

As I have mentioned a few thousand times on this little journal of silliness, my work from home office space is currently situated in Harry’s room. When he moved to Burlington he took most of his furniture with him, including his bed. In it’s place, Jen and I bought a day bed that can double as a couch when Harry isn’t home with us, and a bed when he is.

Earlier today, while I was working, I turned around for a second and found this view of Robin sleeping on the day bed.

I sent it to the family group text and said I think this means that Robin misses Harry. I think that is clear.