Settle in, kids, this one might go on a while.

1) Inattentive/careless/distracted/poorly skilled drivers. This one could be its own blog. When you’re in the car, you have ONE JOB. That job is successfully navigating from the place you started to the place you’re going. The number of way people manage to screw this up boggles my mind. One time, on I-75 near Ocala, I saw this, and I swear I’m not even exaggerating a little: a woman driving in the center lane, a hardcover book propped open on the steering wheel, held aloft by her more than ample stomach and bosom. Which she was reading. While eating. WITH A FORK, off a plate she held in her other hand!!! So, at best, only one of her four appendages and none of the necessary senses was committed to car control; and zero were if this event involved cruise control, which I can only guess it did. Needless to say I gassed it and got as far ahead of her as I could.

Now, beyond criminal levels of distraction; there’s the “left lane bandits”. You know who you are. You’re the ones who think “Well, I’m going the speed limit, I shouldn’t have to change lanes”. Well, you’re wrong. You are contributing more to the accident rate than speeders, and you’re causing all the bottlenecks that are keeping you from getting where you’re going sooner. Here. Watch this video:

2) Incivility - especially that which occurs from behind a keyboard. Social media and the internet has been great at connecting us with each other, but the dark side of that connection is that it has emboldened people to show only the worst versions of themselves. When I see the way people treat each other on Facebook, Instagram, and other places, I am repulsed. I’m by no means perfect, but I try hard to abide by the following rules:

- Don’t say anything so someone on the internet that you would not say to their face, and

- Don’t say anything on the internet that you wouldn’t want either your worst enemy or someone who might hire you for a job to read.

​I could really go on, but the longer I go, the more of a self-righteous twit I sound like. So, I’ll stop here.

What are YOUR pet peeves? Tell me in the comments!

Thankfully, this challenge didn't say anywhere in the rules 31 CONSECUTIVE days, because I'm 5 days behind now! I'll try to catch up by the 31st, but no promises. 

This one is actually harder to do the older you are. There is a lot of music to sift through when you’re over 50. Some of these are in no particular order, just in the order I thought of them. Others are, in fact, in their appropriate spots in my rankings.

This song is appearing for the 2nd time in this blog, and it is indeed my #1 of all time. For a lot of reasons, not the least of which is Karen’s otherworldly voice. But this song, which started life as a Crocker Bank jingle, was penned by the mighty Paul Williams, and bears all the elements of his amazing style. Also, it has Richard’s micrometered harmony arrangements, and features some Wrecking Crew players. For me, that’s a home run combination. 

2) More Today Than Yesterday - Spiral Staircase

This one is just simply the happiest song I know. From its bouncy lilt to its ever-uplifting theme, it is the ultimate pick me up. No matter what mood I’m in, if this song comes on, I’m smiling by the end. 

3) Chase The Clouds Away - Chuck Mangione

I love this song for a lot of reasons. First, it’s Chuck, man. That said, I’ve been a big fan of Chuck’s long-form style for a long time. The melody soars simply over a lovely chord progression that applies the concept of tension/release in exquisite ways. Plus, Chuck’s wonderful orchestrations add further to the beauty. Further, this song holds a lot of personal memories for me, as my late best friend also loved Mangione's work and this was one of his favorites, too. 

4) Brite Nightgown - Donald Fagen

This song galvanizes everything there is to love about Fagen (and Steely Dan). Wry, sardonic lyrics, dark subject matter, and a meticulously clean yet unbelievably funky groove. Fagen's craftsmanship is in no better evidence than this ridiculously catchy tune. 

5) Sowing The Seeds of Love - Tears For Fears

I wouldn’t have thought of this one, but I went into iTunes and sorted my list of over 14,000 songs by number of plays, and this song was at the top of the list, having almost 3x as many plays as the #2 song on my list. So, I must really like it; and indeed I do. Powerful lyric, bombastic Sgt. Pepper era influence in the arrangement, soaring vocal performance.

6)  Scenes From an Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel

Just an EPIC piece of songwriting and performing. 7 minutes plus of vintage Joel imagery. The top of my bucket list would be to play this song on drums with Billy and his band in concert at Madison Square Garden. 

7) Lullabye - Chuck Mangione

If More Today than Yesterday is the happiest song I know, then this is the saddest. Aching in its beauty, Lullabye paints a haunting picture of familial loss through the eyes of an innocent child. What drives it home even more is the understanding that this particular performance was captured at the moment of the song’s conception. Chuck sat at the Fender Rhodes very late at night in the studio; the clarinet player and vocalist were sight reading, and the final take was in fact the first take. Strings were overdubbed later, but the essence of the performance is its own innocence; being captured forever on its very first performance. 

8) James - Pat Metheny Group

This is my favorite Pat Metheny song. It also makes this list because of its high play count in my iTunes. It has a lovely melody, an even lovelier chord progression, and monumental solo work. Plus, it feels like a story; with a distinct beginning, a middle, and an end. 

9) Why Not? (Manhattan Carnaval) - Manhattan Transfer

This is another “instant happy” song. Filled with exuberance, and some truly stratospheric technical playing and singing. 

10) My Ecstasy - STILL

I would be remiss if I didn’t include one indie song. I have amassed many friends in the music biz over the years, and also have curated a truly massive (400+) collection of CDs that were recorded by these friends. A few of those friends make truly world class music; stuff that belongs in the “massive seller” pantheon in terms of quality, but lacking label backing for reasons passing understanding. Of all the indie songs, I esteem this one highest. Wade Biery, under the musical pseudonym STILL, crafts some incredible rock and roll. This song grabbed me so hard when I first heard it in 2000 on MP3.com. It has every element of a great song: powerful lyrics, masterful playing, a killer groove, perfect structure, and that intangible X-factor of likability. I’ve been a big fan of Wade’s music ever since, and we’ve become friends over our shared love of the art. 

What are YOUR favorite all time songs? Let me know in the comments!

I miss a lot of things. But the one I want to focus on here is the magic of Christmas. There's been a generational shift, I think. When I was young, there was a tangible sense of anticipation; a yearning. We watched the animated specials when they came on TV. We decorated the trees with enthusiasm. We hung lights, cooked, baked, did all sorts of things. And this was even when I was an older kid, and even a young adult.

It's different now. Kids are more savvy, and more cynical. The magical mythos surrounding Christmas fades into obscurity much sooner. I want to blame technology and stuff but that's not what this is about. I just miss it. It doesn't feel the same to me anymore. I think some of it is that time itself moves so much more quickly when you get older.

I try to recapture it by going bat crap crazy with outside lighting and multiple trees, but it doesn't rub off. Do you guys feel this too, or is it just me? Let me know in the comments.

I can answer this one with one word - RETIRED. I want to make enough money in the next 10 years that I can retire early and enjoy myself while I’m young enough to still enjoy things.

​I want to see my beautiful daughter launching herself into her adult life, living the life she wants with the job she wants, and the love she wants, knowing that her mom and I did the best we could do for her and that she learned the things she was supposed to. I want to be comfortable and healthy so Bonnie and I can grow old together doing the things we love to do…

Plus, you know, being alive will be good. ​

OK, this is getting brutal, all the self-examination. But the hell with it, I know who I am, I’ll fess up.

I am smart, and I know it; and it gets the better of me sometimes. I interrupt people, I talk over people sometimes; I can be an insufferable know it all. In my defense, if I don’t know something, I’ll readily admit it, I’m not one of those jerks that pretends to have all the answers when I don’t, but I’m sure it probably seems like it to others. All the interrupting and “answer knowing” and all that is done in the spirit of trying to be helpful, but I know for sure it’s not always seen that way. I’ve been trying to peel that back a bit over time.

I’m not very adventuresome. I don’t have a good working relationship with the outdoors. I don’t like camping, or traveling very much, so I by habit avoid that if I can (I like BEING places, I just hate GOING places). I also resist trying new foods and dorky stuff like that. I like what I like, and I’m sure I miss out on stuff because of that.
I can be too strict in my habits. This is the OCD and introvert in me peeking through; but I’m an incessant nail clipper, and I like things to happen at the same times each day.

I hold myself to a pretty rigid standard of behavior; which is OK in and of itself, but I also catch myself holding OTHERS to that standard; and that’s not fair. I’ve been working on this one a lot. I have gotten a lot better at this at work than I was years ago, thankfully.

I can be intolerant. I guess that is an outcropping of the last paragraph, but when other people make what I see is “bad decisions”, I don’t have a lot of mercy on it in my mind. I mostly keep my mouth shut, but if the person asks me about it, I’m frank and honest. Some may see that as a good, but it’s not always. If I can deliver that honesty with sensitivity and tact, it’s better; but I think I don’t always get there.

That intolerance extends to the road. I’m not a full tilt road rager; I’d never leave the car or run someone off the road or anything violent like that, but I’m impatient with people who go slow in the left lane, people who text while driving, or otherwise do distracted stuff. I do my share of yelling in the car. I sometimes with for a roof rack of Exocet missiles.
​
How about you? What are YOUR bad habits? Tell me in the comments! 

Hoo boy, more self-examination. I’m not gonna give you the “guy” answer that I fear nothing, because I do fear things.

As I apparently discovered right here in my blog two days ago, I’m apparently too afraid of being broke to try a dream job out.

I’m afraid of failure. Most specifically, of failing my family. Which I guess ties into the being broke one. I wonder how many risks that fear has prevented me from taking?

I’m afraid of becoming infirm. I fear my body giving out and me not being able to physically do the things I want to do. If I were to become paralyzed, I would not want to live anymore, I think.

I fear falling. It’s not heights so much as the notion of falling from one, and the sudden stop at the end. No force in the universe would get me to jump out of a plane.

As a dad, I fear the future for my daughter; I fear that I haven’t adequately prepared her yet. I’m sure that one is unfounded, but that’s probably true of most fears.
​
I guess most of those are common and rational; but some of them bummed me out to discover. The question is what, if anything, will I do about them? 

Sorry this one is a little late; I was sleeping over at my best friend’s house. I got a little verklempt thinking about this topic. I had a lot of favorite books as a child, but one stood out above all the others. It was called Alexander and the Magic Mouse, published in 1969 by Martha Sanders with illustrations by Phillipe Fix. It came through the Weekly Reader Children’s Book Club (THANKS, MOM!!! :) )  and was one of a series of magnificent books I was exposed to as a result of my membership.

The book is about a little Old Lady who lived at the top of a hill in a glorious Victorian era mansion, and her house overlooked a town. She was a traveler, and in her youth (When she was a Younger Lady, natch), she brought back animal friends to live with her; a Brindle London Squatting Cat, a Magical Mouse, an Alligator from China and a Tibetan Yak (Yes, she went to the A.A. Milne School of Capitalization).

I already touched on this one in my 20 Facts post last week. If I could have any job besides the one I have, it would be to run a great recording studio. The one where the best folks had to go because Phil is the guy then need. It would be so fun because I’d finally be working in the music business, and I’d meet all the people I want to meet, and help them make fantastic music, working with top shelf equipment and learning from everyone who came in the door. .

I’m gonna go a little further and give you my OTHER dream job, the one that would actually be more attainable than running the best recording studio in the world...

My secret love is voice acting. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be a voice actor/audiobook narrator/announcer. Oddly enough, my degree aligns with this more closely than it does to anything at which I’ve ever actually worked. I love messing around with my voice, I love creating characters, and I love that I am articulate and can both write and read copy well. I’m no Don LaFontaine, but I can also do pretty convincing radio stingers.

These are nothing remotely close to what I actually do for a living now. I don’t know why I never tried to do either of these things, other than being really scared of being broke. :)

So, yeah, just learned something I don’t like about myself. Go figure. :) I guess that's why this challenge is important. 

Eurrrgh. I wasn’t looking forward to this one. Timeline of my day. Kinda boring actually...
​…
7:00AM - BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPWHAM!
7:14AM - BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPfumblefumblePLOP
7:15AM - Shower, shave, dress, get ready for work
7:48AM - Leave for work
7:57AM - Arrive at work
8:00AM-12:10PM - Workity work work, phone, email, blah blah
12:10PM-1:10PM - Lunch, tuna salad on toast, diet iced tea, watch a little Voyager, chat a little with Kaitlyn about her upcoming trip
1:10-5:00PM - Workity work work some more, pick on Rachel, Rhys, and Zlatko
5:00PM - In the car to come home
5:22PM - “Could it be that I have found my home at last?” (they retimed the lights at Ulmerton and 49th, takes WAY longer to get home)
5:45PM - Arrange to take delivery of music for new CD review for the next Buzz Magazine
6:00PM - Start working on Mom’s clogged laptop
7:00PM - Breaktime to eat and troubleshoot the Christmas tree lights gone bad. (fuse)
7:30PM - Call Mum to let her know her laptop is ready (over 600 hits in the various AV clients)
7:45PM - Futz around corralling garbage to take out, help girls get ready for trip
8:30PM - Mom arrives, deliver the  laptop, go down brief Youtube wormhole with her
9:15 PM - Mom leaves, put Abby to bed, go down small YT wormhole
10:00PM - Read friend’s blog challenge, settle down to write this
10:34PM - After a couple of minor interruptions, finish blog entry.

TOMORROW – Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

Damned sexist challenges. I don't have a purse. But I do have a bag I carry, its one of those slimline backpacks, and in it I usually carry a few essentials:

1. My iPad Pro
2. Earbuds for the iPad
3. A small Kindle for reading in paces where it's impractical to break out the iPad
4. Emery boards. Keep the nails smooth, that's the OCD guitar player in me speaking.
5. A portable battery to charge phones and iPads
6. A few pencils and pens
7. My Shepard Posse button from The Swannanoa Gathering, to remind me I'll be back there soon... :)

That's about it. I'm a bare essentials kind of guy I guess. I wanted to say things like :the sould if my enemies, but that would be too cloying. :)

​Have a great night. What's in YOUR bag? Talk in the comment section!