Another very busy weekend for us, mostly revolving around C’s senior prom. We kicked off the weekend by going across the street to watch the #1 high school volleyball team in the state, FHS, play our local squad. “What a weird way to spend a Friday night,” you might say to yourself. True, true. We have good friends with a senior on FHS and we’ve been meaning to see him play for a couple years.
A slight change-of-pace this week. I’ve been working on a new music project this week that has slowed down my processing of the new songs considerably. (I’ll share more about that project next week.) Plus a couple of these songs/bands are tough to Google, so I wasn’t able to find out much about them. As a result, a slightly more lean playlist than we’ve had recently. We should get back in the regular flow for the first playlist of May.
A few thoughts about game two of the Pacers-Bucks series last night. Once again the Pacers jumped out to a big, early lead. Not as much of an ass-kicking as in game one, but there was never any doubt who the better team was. And that was with Dame Lillard coming back. He actually played remarkably well in the first half, then clearly suffered a bit from his long layoff in the second half.
As it is Easter Monday, our holiday weekend continues. Or at least it does for C and L, who have the day off. Might as well keep to the normal blog schedule, though. Let’s run through the days rather than individual events. Friday A lot of work and errands to get ready for the holiday weekend. L had a PT session. M and her boyfriend arrived from Cincinnati late afternoon.
I have an absolutely loaded Friday as we prepare for weekend guests and our extra-large family gathering for Easter on Sunday. Because of that I’m starting this Thursday evening, and I’m not really sure where it’s going to take me after this odd week. Let’s find out together! [open.spotify.com/playlist/...](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1mlgX0sKC5cwbswK21ve8O?si=c032c2248e424a30) “April Skies” - The Jesus and Mary Chain They’re going to be dark and stormy for the next couple days, at least here in Indy.
A double-barreled discussion of health topics, one about a kid, one about me. A Hospital Visit My week got thrown off its already adjusted trajectory by spending four hours in the emergency department with L yesterday.[1] She’s fine but it was a stressful morning. Her stomach started hurting badly Sunday. She was also hot, sweaty, and looked like hell. She had gone out to dinner with friends the night before and we wondered if she got some bad chicken.
Given that our government is run by a fool who should be on some serious ADHD meds, it is nearly impossible to follow what is going on in Washington as it wildly careens from one insane policy to another every 6–12 hours. Thus, a couple of the articles I’m linking to below were out-of-date almost as soon as they were published. That doesn’t mean they aren’t still worth reading, though.
A pretty chill weekend, at least for me. We knocked out a bunch of yard stuff over the past few days. I installed some new exterior lighting with a huge assist from a friend. S and I ripped out some dead plants and replaced them with new ones. Our lawn crew came for the first time on Friday. If not for all the washed-out mulch from the storms of two weeks ago, our front yard would look like a million dollars.
Yowza! Take a week off and not only does the music pile up, but there are also a couple large events to recognize. So this week’s list is EXTRA large for your listening pleasure. And that’s even with me probably cutting a song or two from my working list as I finalize what I share. open.spotify.com/playlist/… “catch these fists” - Wet Leg LOOK WHO’S BACK!!! WATCH OUT, FOOLS!!! “NW1” - Mên An Tol Whoo, this song cooks!
I read two-and-a-half books while on break. I admit I had to go back and read a summary of one of them. That’s what happens when you read most of it in small doses on the beach, I guess. The Seventh Floor - David McCloskey The latest entry from the former CIA analyst and host of The Rest Is Classified podcast. This time, operations against a Russian target run into constant obstacles because of a Russian mole deep within the CIA’s leadership.
Chart Week: April 4, 1981 Song: “Take It On The Run” - REO Speedwagon Chart Position: #27, third week on the chart. Peaked at #5 for two weeks in May/June. What makes a song great? There are like a million different things we could talk about when breaking that question down. I respect you and don’t want to type up a post that long. So let’s focus on one specific attribute: a powerful set of opening lyrics.
A lot of hoops thoughts to work through as the college season has come to a very entertaining end. Women’s Tourney Man, UConn roared through the tournament like they were all mad the program hadn’t won a title in nearly a decade. Their performance in the Final Four was as dominant as I can remember any team, men or women, having over the final two games of the season. They eviscerated UCLA and South Carolina with a gorgeous, flowing, democratic brand of basketball.
Home after a nearly perfect week in Siesta Key, FL for C’s senior spring break. This might have been the easiest spring break we’ve ever had. In nearly every way you can assess it, things went as well, or even better, as we could have hoped for. We were on one of the B Team breaks for C’s class. The largest group trip was to a resort in Cancun. After doing the huge, overseas, resort trip two years ago with M’s class, C was not interested in all the drama that came with it.
Nothing special about this playlist in advance of our spring break. Although it is chock full of great tunes. No playlist next week, as that is our fly home day. Hope everyone has a great week. [open.spotify.com/playlist/...](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/48oYNFd51GDO0joQ07XY0W?si=dff9bb1ef1ca42fa) "Bonnet Of Pins" - Matt Berninger Oh my! Often when lead singers of bands release solo projects, they use them as opportunities to explore new ground different than where their band normally treads.
A little earlier than normal so it doesn’t sit in the Drafts folder until we return from spring break. Movies, Shows, etc The Agency Tuuuuuurific! I had read/heard raves for this and was waiting until S needed to get her next Taylor Sheridan fix on Paramount+ so I could watch it. It lived up to the hype. Now, there are some issues with the story, which got a little broad at times.
A quick kid update. L had her cast taken off this morning. Everything looked great. No swelling, no pain. The doctor said the incision and tendon anchor in her foot all seemed fine. When he had her rotate her foot inward, an action that triggered her pain pre-surgery, she could do so without limitation or pain. She will be in a boot for the next six weeks and can finally put weight on it again.
Steven Hyden has a new megalist out, this one his favorite 100 indie rock albums of the last 25 years. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop, spending over an hour working through it while building a playlist based upon it to listen to over spring break. The Best Indie Rock Albums Of The 21st Century, Ranked I’m not a vinyl-head by any measure, but I try to stay up on music news and trends.
Chart Week: March 24, 1984 Song: “Eat It” - ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Chart Position: #18, 3rd week on the chart. Peaked at #11 the week of April 14. It’s been a while, and for that I offer my endless apologies. I still listen to at least part of an AT40 show every weekend. Over the past couple months I’ve started several drafts for new RFTS entries. However, each time I’ve lost enthusiasm while doing research and have let them die on the digital vine.
A weekend mostly filled with basketball, the last time I’ll say that until late next fall. Jayhawk Talk What an appropriate ending. KU had a three-point lead over Arkansas Thursday with just over 3:00 remaining in the game. In the following 90 or so seconds: AJ Storr forced a bad shot early in the shot clock, missing. This came after a time out. As usual with Storr, Bill Self threw up his hands in disgust/disappointment after the play.
open.spotify.com/playlist/… “Bang Bang Bang” - Sports Team UK funsters making fun of Americans for our fascination with guns. “Afraid of Guns” - Motorbike Cincinnati funsters making fun of Americans for our fascination with guns. “Death of a Giant” - Murder Capital Irish funsters making fun of…oh, wait. Actually this song is about the band members being in Dublin on the day of Pogues leader Shane MacGowan’s funeral. “777” - illuminati hotties Sarah Tudzin takes her normal fuzzy, power pop sound in a slightly more shoegazey direction here.