Musings: Thru With The Two Step

Hello all, and a happy mid-week to you. Just wanted to put together a brief post to stay in the writing zone. 

I'm pretty tired tonight; a car alarm kept going off every half hour or so last night from midnight until almost 4:00 AM. It sounded as if AAA finally came and towed it away, so it must have been an electrical problem. I had long since conceded defeat to getting a decent night's sleep by then, unfortuantely. I can get by on 4-5 hours, but I got less than three last night, and I'm feeling it right now.

One other, much more positive, reason I'm dragging a bit is that I'm running again. I'm still in the very early stages, where my only goal is to rebuild my stamina. I had an online appointment with my doctor this morning, who is also a runner. She nodded sympathetically when I mentioned I'd started up again. She agreed that the first few weeks of starting again from scratch (which I am, for all intents and purposes) just, well... suck. :c) There's nothing to do but keep the big picture in mind  and work through it. It will be worth it in another 2-3 months when I start seeing serious results. And having done it once before I know the payoff will come. So as the blog title says, it's through with the two step, each day.

As I've mentioned in recent posts, I'm determined to get out of the long-standing rut where I've been for too long. Without going into details, my doctor's appointment today will help. As we were finishing she said she knows I'll get past this rut, and said I'm one of the most determined patients she's ever had. That was a nice thing to hear. Positive feedback like that goes a long way.

OK, that will do it for now. I'm off to take a shower, then hopefully get a decent night's sleep. Ciao, everyone...

***

I was sorting through moving boxes over the weekend and pulled out an old favorite from my record collection: Robert Plant's second post-Zeppelin solo album, The Principle of Moments (1983), which for me is his best solo album. 

I'll start with a song that was running through my head (no pun intended) during yesterday's jaunt through the neighborhood - "Through With The Two Step."

Next is one of the album's two hit singles - "In The Mood": 

One reason it's such a great song is the unmistakable drumming of Phil Collins. I was lucky enough to see Plant's tour to support the album - his first as a solo artist - and even luckier because Collins was the dummer in his touring band. I've never understood the flack some people give Collins; the man was a monster drummer. Just listen to the drums in the song's instrumental break, around the 3:05 mark. Seriously great playing. 

(Having watched the video for the first time in I don't know how long, I have to say: it is really, really weird. lol I still haven't figured out how the housewives at the 1:28 mark figure into things... but I sure do love their look! Maybe for my next Halloween costume...)

The other hit from the album was "Big Log." I don't care much for most music videos, but this one is a standout; it perfectly captures the song's dreamy, mysterious, other-worldly feel.  

I always loved how it ends too; you get the sense this scenario plays out over and over as each new person arrives. 

I'll wrap up with my favorite song from Mr. Plant, one which never actually appeared on an album proper. "Far Post" was recorded during the sessions for Pictures at Eleven, Plant's solo debut album from 1982, but inexplicably didn't make the album. Again, Phil Collins drums are a highlight: 

It's funny what you remember; I distinctly recall this song receiving extensive airplay on WBCN-FM & WCOZ-FM, Boston's two biggest rock stations at the time, in the fall of 1982. I have vivid memory of hearing it on COZ's Thursday night Top Ten countdown that autumn as it climbed the chart all the way to the top spot. Quite impressive for a song that at the time was only available as the B-side to an import single (if memory serves). I liked it enough that I trekked all the way into Boston to Newbury Comics (which is still around and still great) to buy the single. And all these years later it still sounds great...

'Til next time, everyone...

A Sort of Homecoming

Hello all, and Happy Easter to those who observe it. Hope your weekend was good, and that the Easter Bunny was generous. :c)

As mentioned in my last post, Thursday was moving day to my new apartment. It was an intense, draining experience (I had barely two weeks from viewing the apartment to moving day), but the hardest part is over. I still have some unpacking to do, and the apartment needs some additional work on the part of the landlord (finishing repainting in the living room and spare bedroom, fixing the fan in the bathroom), but overall it's in good shape.

It's funny; this is is less than a quarter-mile from my previous apartment, and about five houses from the apartment previous to that (hence the title of this post). But even though it's not that far distance-wise from my most recent apartment, it really does feel like a homecoming. This apartment is really quiet, which is a welcome change of pace. 

And even though it's only a quarter-mile away, this feels much homier. I went for a run today on one of my old routes. It was my first run in over a year, so I have a long way to go to get back to where I was headed pre-pandemic, but I'll get there. More on that in my next post (along with plans & progress on other post-move goals).

***

Back to settling in. My sister and nephew came over Saturday afternoon to help me with the unpacking. My sister also picked out some curtains for the apartment. She has a real eye for interior design, so I'm happy to defer to her in these matters. I have to say, curtains make a *big* difference. 

Once the painting is done early this week, my nephew and I are going to hang some pictures. And after we finish we'll get dinner from his favorite restaurant, which, by sheer coincidence, is literally across the street from where I now live. (I'm sure spending quality time with his favorite aunt is the real draw for C, not the chicken cutlet & fettuccine house specialty, right? ;D)

My sister also brought a few housewarming gifts, including one of her beloved candles (she *loves* candles):

She also brought a really cute plant holder (see the top photo) - and, to my surprise, an Easter basket. Check it out: 

I saved the best for last. Check out the adorable gift I received from my dear friend Halle:

Needless to say, this occupies pride of place in my living room. :c) Thank you very much, Miss D!!! 

OK, time to wrap this one up. Have a great week, everyone!

***

I'll end with a few U2 songs, starting with the song that provided the title of this post. This "A Sort of Homecoming," the opening track of their 1984 classic The Unforgettable Fire:

Next is the title track from the same album, one of their most beautiful and mysterious songs:

The Unforgettable Fire was a transitional album for U2 between their first three albums (Boy, October, & War) and their commerical high point, 1987's The Joshua Tree. War had been a beakthrough album for them, but rather repeat its sound, they chose to take a risk and completely retool their sound. One result of that is that the band chose to leave off some excellent songs that simply didn't fit their evolving sound. This is "The Three Sunrises":

Another standout track that didn't make the cut for The Unforgettable Fire is one of their most beautiful songs - "Love Comes Tumbling":

You're definitely on a songwriting roll when songs as gorgeous as this are relegated to B-sides (and, in the case of these two tracks, the Wide Awake In America EP).

That will do it 'til next time, everyone!

My New (Old) Beat

Hey folks. Happy end of week to everyone. Just wanted to write something up tonight because (dramatic pause): I moved into my new apartment today. Phew... it was quite the adventure pulling off a move in less than two weeks while working 50+ hours. But it's done.

I liked my old apartment (really, the first floor of a house) well enough, but this is substantially larger (my bedroom is nearly twice the size of the old one), and much quieter. Much as I enjoyed my landlord's children, having a four-year-old tearing around directly above me for hours on end was less than fun. 

Now I live above a small office, and the only other apartment unit is rented by two young residents who are studying at local hospitals. I heard them come in earlier this evening, but haven't heard a sound since, which is what the landlord told me to expect.

I think I mentioned in a previous post that this is a block away from another apartment I rented several years ago. I like this neighborhood in general, but particularly because my favorite restaurant is across the street and, even better, because I now have access to the running routes I used when I started running about 5-6 years ago.

My last apartment wasn''t far from here, but the traffic is much heavier, and the running routes involve crossing a number of busy streets. The routes from here are on much less traveled roads, have more varied terrain (some hills of differing intensities), and go through some of the prettiest streets in town. 

I took today (Thursday) and tomorrow off because I know I'd be exhausted by now. It's supposed to be a quintessential early spring day here in New England tomorrow - overcast, with occasional light rain and/or snow, temperatures a degree or two above freezing, and a raw east wind off the Atlantic - excellent conditions for kicking off a new season of running. 

I am determined to get back into the best shape of my life. I was well on my way in the fall of 2019, only to be waylaid by, in order: a) a severe bronchial infection that lasted nearly two months; b) a hyper-extended knee, injured on my first run after recovering from the bronchitis; c) three (re-)broken ribs; and d) the pandemic. Other than those things, I have no excuse for not being out there pounding the pavement. ;D

Kidding aside, I've set my mind to pucking up where I left off in October 2019 and meeting my goal by the weekend before Christmas this year. I jsut had a chat with my nephew C, who told me he's going to be moving back to the next town over in a few weeks for work. He wants to start running again as well, so we're going to be running partners. I've never run with anyone else before, but C is just like me when it comes to setting goals: once he's done so, he doesn't let anything stop him, up to and including broken bones (just like his Aunt Cass, unfortunately for him!).

So, I'll be getting back to my longstanding exercise routine over the next 2-3 months. While packing for the move I dug up a number of outfits I'm looking forward to wearing again by the end of the year. Not that I needed it, but the extra motivation is nice. 

And finally, with the move nearly done, other than unpacking and some cleanup here, I can resume my writing projects again. The past month has basically been a wash in terms of significant progress; there are only so many hours in the day, and working 50+ hours and packing doesn't leave much left over I've been taking notes and jotting down ideas when time permits, which will hopefully provide some fodder now that I'll have free time again.

OK, that will do it. I'll wrap this up with a few Bruce Cockburn songs. First up is one he wrote about moving from Toronto to Montreal to be near his then-girlfriend (they've since married). This is "My New Beat," recorded for his 2002 anthology Anything Anytime Anywhere:

If the backing vocals sound familiar, that's becuase they're courtesy of Patty Griffin, who has one of the most distinctive voices around.

And to wrap things up, a gorgeous, meditative song about travel (of a sort) from his third album, 1971's Sunwheel Dance. This is "Feet Fall On The Road."

Have a great Friday, everyone. See you back here soon...

A Weekend Hello

 Hey folks. Just another brief post, as moving-related tasks are taking up all of my free time. It's not a lot of fun, but I've been thinking for some time that things need to change, so hopefully this is the first step on the road to somewhere better. Fingers crossed. 

***

Lyle Lovett, one of my favorite songwriters, has been holding a series of livestream shows since last summer. He invites a different artist for each show, and they basically have a conversation and perform songs related to what's being discussed. He was a journalism major in college, which helps explain his ability to draw people out during these shows. He's also the epitome of a Texas gentleman, which certainly doesn't hurt.

He's had on, among others, John Hiatt (another big favorite of mine), Shawn Colvin, Chris Isaak, Elvis Costello, Vince Gill, and Jason Isbell. His most recent show, on Friday evening, was with Michael McDonald, from The Doobie Brothers. I like the Doobie Brothers, and obviously he has a terrific voice, but I was still pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this show. It flew by, which is always a good sign. Looking forward to the next one already.

I thought I'd wrap up this post by sharing a few of my favorite songs from Lyle. First is one from my favorite album of his, 1996's The Road to Ensenada. This is "Private Conversation":

Next up is one that highlights his sly, self-deprecating sense of humor: "Her First Mistake," also from The Road to Ensenada:

And finally, a beautiful, heart-breaking song of betrayal - "Nobody Knows Me," from Lyle Lovett & His Large Band (1989):

You know you've written a great song when Willie Nelson sheds a tear while listening to it (at the 2:00 minute mark). 

He was close to wrapping up work on his first album of original material since 2009 when the pandemic hit, and judging from the new songs he's shared the past few months it's going to be terrific. Can't wait.

That will do it for this one, folks. Hope everyone has a good week. :c)

Move On Up (Again)

 Hello all. Just another quick post to keep the writing muscles limber. 

It's been a bit hectic lately, and will be even more so for the next few weeks, becaue I'll be moving to new digs at the beginning of April. I didn't really want to move, but my current landlord needs my apartment for family reasons. They feel terrible about it, but I've assured them (honestly) that they have no reason to apologize. Family comes first, after all. 

That being said, I have had to move far too many times, and it has gotten very, very old. Moving is stressful and exhausting, and I've definitely been feeling it recently. 

The good news is I found a new place that is almost literally around the block from where I currently live (it's less than half a mile away), so it won't be as bad as it could be. It also promises to be much quieter than my current location. There are only two units in the building, both on the top floor, and the building manager mentioned several times that it's a very quiet building. That will be a welcome change. My current landlords have two young children. I love kids, and their two are wonderful, but... well, let's just say my noise-cancelling headphones have gotten a workout the past year while I've worked from home.

So, the next three weeks will be tiring and stressful, but at least there's the promise of more restful digs afterwards. I do like this neighborhood, and this new location will offer me better routes for running, which I plan to start up again once I've moved. And there's a fabulous diner directly across the street, so that's a nice perk. Anyway, I'll be happy when it's all over.

That will do it. I'll end with a classic from the late, great Curtis Mayfield: "Move On Up," from Curtis, his solo debut album from 1970. I've shared this before, but a) I really am moving up, too (the new digs are at the top of a hill), and b) you can never have too much Curtis Mayfield in your day:

Have a good Friday, everyone...

Short & Sweet (For Once) ;c)

 Hey folks. Just a very quick post to say hello. 

It was a busy week here both at work and home, particularly home. I'm in the middle of hunting for a new apartment, which is always time-consuming and stressful. I have a few prospects to investigate in the next few days; hopefully by this time next week I'll know my next address. More on that in the next post.

That will do it for now. Hope everyone has a good week! 

***

I"ll keep the music portion of the post brief as well - but I'll make it count. :c) 

PJ Harvey released the demos from her 2000 masterpiece Stories From the City Stories From the Sea last week. It's a great record, and this is my favorite song: "You Said Something":

Her singing is so evocative - so much so that although she never tells you what they said (note that she never specifies if it's a man or a woman), I think we can guess. :c)

Ciao, all...

Moving, 'Mones, & The Mane Thing

Greetings all.  Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. It's been one of the strangest winters I can recall here in New England. We started off bitterly cold and with well above average snowfall through mid-January, followed by nearly a month of above-average temperatures.

Then, in the past week, we've twice gone from several days close to 80 F (26.6 C) to snow - in the first case, eight inches (20 cm) of snow the same night(!), all of which was gone barely 36 hours later. Even by New England standards, that is strange.

Just thought I'd post about a few unrelated items. Follow along below the fold for all of the details. :c)

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Casa de Cass: It's done!

I am in!!! I'm completely exhausted... but I don't care. :c)

The move went as smoothly as one could hope. T and J very kindly came by to help. We also found my new favorite restaurant, which is literally across the street. (I think I'm getting breakfast there tomorrow, in fact.) The staff there all said I would love the neighborhood; I think they're right. :c)

There's also a great muffin shop  a few blocks away, and what looks like a great bakery around the corner.

Just going to finish this, take a shower, eat my dinner, and then, at long last, sleep in my own bed.

I think I'm going to like my new digs. :c)

***

While unpacking I listened to one of my favorite Neil Young albums, 1978's Comes A Time. Although Nicolette Larson had a major hit with it, the gorgeous "Lotta Love" was written by Neil:

Here's the title track:

Moving On Up (And Out)

Tomorrow is the big day: Casa de Cass becomes fully operational!

It was a crazed week at work (of course), with a big deadline today, but I made it (with help from my co-workers S and B, who are life-savers, and dear friends to boot).

I was up at 4:45 AM today, worked ten hours straight with a two-plus hour commute wrapped around it, and then spent from 5:30 'till now packing clothes and assorted flotsam and jetsam. There's more to do, but I'm calling it a night. One tiny advantage of moving from your childhood home: you can come back the day after you move to get the rest of your stuff. :c)

I'll be up by 6:00 AM tomorrow, so it will be another long day... but the difference is tomorrow night I will be in my own home, and will sleep in my own bed (Is it legal to marry your TempurPedic mattress? Discuss.), and, most importantly, I will be doing so as myself. Finally. And you know what that means: Footie pajamas, here I come!

So, so much more to write about... but sleep beckons. Have a good weekend, all!

***

The great Curtis Mayfield provides the perfect soundtrack for moving day:

And here's a beautiful cover of The Carpenters (yes, those Carpenters) from 1971's classic Curtis Live album:

He could do it all, couldn't he?

One Year/Year One

My life started one year ago today.

That was the day I called M, my therapist, and said out loud what I've always known:

I'm a girl. And I want to transition.

And a year later, I'm on my way.

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No Static At All

Get ready!

For Stacks of Wax!

For Platters That Matter!

For The Top of the Pops!

For the songs making the tooth on the one-armed tone cobra ache because they're Just! So! Sweet!!!

...

Uh.. sorry. Channeling my inner Top 40 DJ (circa 1957) there... (I know, I know... who hasn't, right?)

Anyway, pull your chair up to the virtual Victrola, kids - it's time to give a listen to the tunes tickling the ear of Cass currently!

(Sorry again. No more patter. I promise...)

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