Firsts and Near Firsts
The first morning of high school went as well as we could have hoped. M woke up on her own, on time, got ready, and was pretty cheerful once she came downstairs. She was pleasant during the obligatory photo session and was chatty on the way to school. She admitted she was nervous but equally excited to get things started.…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 29
Chart Week: August 31, 1985 Song: “Invincible (Theme from The Legend of Billy Jean)” – Pat Benatar Chart Position: #12, 15th week on the chart. Peaked at #10 the week of September 14. I’m cheating a little for this entry. Although I’m sure if I listened to the iHeart Radio classic AT40 station long enough I’d hear a countdown from…
The Final Countdown
Days are getting marked off the calendar, this meeting or that passes, and we keep getting closer and closer to M’s first day of high school. Last week she took part in a three-day study skills workshop. I must share that this was not her choice. But it was the better end of a bargain she struck with us for…
Friday Playlist
August has arrived. There’s been a lull in good music lately, but there are some promising albums on the horizon. I still managed to cobble together five new songs and a classic video for your Friday enjoyment. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3w2bRx9urv7IzQvw59HJGk?si=Qu0Y9Q5nSx6vsizjs08a4A “Rocket Fuel” – DJ Shadow feat. De La Soul. This song is a bit of a throwback. Not necessarily to the second-wave…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 28
Chart Week: July 24, 1976 Song: “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” – Elton John and Kiki Dee Chart Position: #8, 4th week on the chart. Peaked at #1 for four weeks in August. What a song. I could stop right there, throw up the video, and that would be enough. A quarter-century after its release it was a Saturday night…
Reader’s Notebook, 7/30/19
I Love You, Michael Collins – Lauren Baratz-Logsted This is the second book that L has read for her book club that I’ve gotten sucked into. It is a wonderful book. It is written as a series of letters from 10-year-old Mamie in Connecticut to the sometimes forgotten member of the Apollo 11 crew. Her letters begin in the school…
Weekend Visitor Notes
Sometimes it takes visitors to shake you out of your routine. Our good friends the Nesbitts – who many of you know – were in town over the weekend and we hit a few spots we either don’t hit enough or had never checked out before. They drove in Friday, so we met them at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, thinking…
Friday Playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0TXWOzuPmBbDhLE3pMohu3?si=GsgUL2iIRYedA3FsDeN-oA “I Need a Teacher” – Hiss Golden Messenger. I’m never sure how to pronounce this band’s name. Is it hiss like a cat? Or just his with an extra S? Good thing I’m not podcasting anymore and don’t have to worry about it. This is right in their sweet spot. “Forever Half Mast” – Lucy Dacus. Dacus put out…
Dog-ish Days
We are in weird times. I’m talking about our family and the point in the calendar we’re at, not more globally. Summer’s end is coming up quick and we’re beginning to squeeze in as much as we can. But we also just came out of the hottest stretch of weather in nearly seven years here in Indy, which made it…
Friday Vid
“Long Hot Summer” – The Style Council ’Tis time for this annual vid. It has been a long, hot week. One of those weeks that makes you, for a moment, look forward to fall. Then you’re shaken and realize that you don’t really want summer to be over quite yet. Fortunately the forecast looks much more reasonable beginning Monday. BTW,…