Weekend Notes
Christmas week has finally arrived! The countdown that begins sometime around October 1 in my mind is just about done. Reading through old posts, I see I often updated you all on my state of holiday spirit. This has been a weird year for me. I’ve listened to less holiday music than anytime this century maybe? Don’t get me wrong,…
Friday Playlist, Part 2
For part two, the annual review of my favorite songs of the past 20 years. Remember there have been ties for #1 a few years, thus the extra tracks. Also don’t forget that these lists remain static once published. There are several songs I would replace with others if I re-evaluated their years today. Flags fly forever, and favorite songs…
Friday Playlist, Part 1
As promised, two different playlists and two videos for the last Friday before Christmas. We begin with the 11 songs that just missed making my Favorite Songs of 2024. That list isn’t completely done – I just moved a couple songs around before I started typing this – but the songs are locked in. Here are the remnants, presented in…
Reaching For The Stars, Vol. 108
Chart Week: December 13, 1980 Song: “(Just Like) Starting Over” – John Lennon Chart Position: #4, 7th week on the chart. Peaked at #1 for five weeks across December and January. This entry is less about a specific song than an extraordinary moment in American Top 40 history. And an opportunity for me to revisit a lost piece of writing…
Overheard At The Gym
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m dialing back the blogging a bit to close the year. I’ve been working on my Favorite Songs list. I’m hoping to squeeze out one more RFTS post before the year is over. And general end-of-the-year busyness is keeping me from sitting down at the keyboard too much. That said, I had an encounter today…
Weekend Notes
A slightly quieter weekend. No sitting on the couch for 183 hours watching football. I actually got out of the house both days. Multiple times! Let’s review. College Girls I’ll share the biggest, best news up top: C got her acceptance letter from IU on Thursday. That’s the only school she’s really interested in, so I think she’s locked into…
Friday Playlist
Doing things a little different the next couple weeks. Today I’m going to share some new, indie rock, Christmas-y tracks I’ve discovered this year. Next week will be a double playlist of both the songs that just missed my Favorite Songs of the Year list, and a review of the #1 songs of each year I’ve made those lists. Plus,…
Reader’s Notebook, 12/11/24
A Spy Like Me – Kim Sherwood The second installment in Sherwood’s planned 007 trilogy, it continues to tread ground that is very unlike anything ever written for the Bond franchise. James Bond himself remains absent (mostly), as the rest of the Double-Os attempt to unravel a network that finances terror attacks before it can strike again. They’re also searching…
Weekend Notes
Well, a lot to get caught up on. Not thrilled about all of it… College Football I spent the better part of 11 hours on the couch watching the big conference title games Saturday. Literally. I know I got up to eat dinner. Obviously a few restroom runs. Maybe I ran out to get the mail? Those were momentary breaks,…
Friday Playlist
I’m behind my normal schedule, but my annual December shift in music has begun. More holiday music and reviewing my favorite songs of the year than listening to new tunes. Which means this is a last-minute collection, rushed a bit as I have to get a kid to an early appointment before school. “Ceiling Fan” – Swapmeet While not taking…