Cass's Glasses Redux (a/k/a The Vision Thing, Plus Songs for a Summer Weekend)

Happy Friday everyone. Just a brief post to share a few things while I work on several longer posts (honest!). 

First, I thought I'd share a pic of me wearing my new glasses. Well, relatively new; I got them in late March (yes, I need to post way more often): 

This is my day-to-day business look, for better or worse ;c) - other than when I remember to a) bring my contacts and b) actually put them in (spoiler alert: not very often - ditziness still reigns, alas). Anyway, I like the new spectacles quite a bit. 

This is also how I usually wear my hair (also for better or worse). :c) For some reason most of my pictures show me with it down; in reality, though, I typically wear it up, simply because I don't want to get up at the crack of dawn and spend an hour-plus trying to tame it. (First world problems, I know... :c))

I also thought I'd share a few songs from two albums I've really been enjoying this year. Both of these albums have one thing in common: Jason Isbell, who both produced both records and played on them with his band, the 400 Unit (which features his wife Amanda Shires, moonlighting from her solo career).

First up is Strand of Oaks, who released several terrific albums the past 5-6 years that I somehow missed out on completely. Fortunately I'm making up for lost time, starting with with this year's Eraserland album. Here's a clip of his performance of "Ruby" on Stephen Colbert's show. In addition to Mr. Isbell (lead guitar) and Miss Shires (fiddle), his band features several members of My Morning Jacket, and, on drums, Will Johnson, of Centro-Matic/South San Gabriel. Great stuff:

The second album is one of my two favorite albums of 2019 so far (along with Bruce Springsteen's remarkable Western Stars), Josh Ritter's Fever Breaks. I rarely comment on politics online, but "All Some Kind of Dream" captures how I feel about America the past three years under the Orange Sh*tgibbon - albeit with far more eloquence (and much, much less profanity) than I am capable of. I think in years to come - assuming we still have a functioning democracy, that is - this will be remembered as one of the songs that sum up the horror/sh*t show. Be sure to listen to the lyrics on this one:

I'll end with another song from Fever Breaks, "Old Black Magic." I usually post live performances of songs in my posts, but Jason Isbell uncorks a tremendous, blistering, minute-plus guitar solo at the end of the studio version that is so smoking-hot I just had to share it. Play this one LOUD:

That will do it for now. Look for several longer posts in the near future (again, honest!). Have a good weekend, everyone...

Magic and Loss

This was another of those posts that seemed to write itself.

They seem to happen from time to time; in fact, one arrived, unbidden, last week. I have learned to simply get out of the way and let them go where they will.

It began as a light-hearted reply to Jenna's comment on my previous post, about her sudden interest in all things Red Sox.

(Jenna, all I can say is that you are now a citizen of Red Sox Nation. Welcome! Oh, and please - try not to get any tobacco stains on the clubhouse furniture, OK?)

But then, mysteriously, it turned into something more.

It was soon about baseball.

And Lou Reed.

And community.

How did all of those widely disparate things come together?

Follow along, and discover as I did.

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Fearless Heart

I was recently chatting with a friend about Valentines Day and jokingly asked her if she had submitted her list of demands preferences to her beau regarding the big day.

Her thoughtful reply surprised me - something that occurs regularly when I speak with her.

She said that they prefer not to focus the celebration of their relationship on a day that they feel is dictated by the commercial needs of greeting card companies.

Instead, she says, he likes to surprise her throughout the year with demonstrations of his affection, and vice versa. Sometimes this takes the form of flowers, candy, or gifts; more often it's a simple gesture that carries far more weight when the person performing the action is taken into account.

I was left shaking my head in admiration - also a common occurrence after our conversations. She would be the first to tell you that she is far from perfect, and by no means has everything figured out... but she is far ahead of me, that is for certain. This was a perfect example.

I've always loathed Valentines Day. The emphasis on extravagant material expressions of the most profound emotion we have - love - seems not just vulgar, but obscene.

While I still feel that way, what I could never acknowledge until I started transitioning was the real reason why that was so.

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"A Night of Transition, and of New Beginnings"

Happy New Year!

I still wasn't feeling well last night - and in fact I still don't feel well now - but I had enough reserves in the tank to go see My Morning Jacket and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band as planned with T & J.

I'm so glad I did. :c)

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Having A Cow

Day Seven of my semi-annual bout with the flu, 2012 edition.

All I can say is this:

Ugh. :c)

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Leftovers

OK... so I know I said I was taking a brief break from writing on Saturday; what I *meant* was I was taking one from writing heavy posts. What, that wasn't clear? Well, who is to blame for that?!?

[cough cough]

;c)

So, yes... 

In the interim, I decided I'd just throw together a bunch of stuff to keep the ol' writing muscles limber.

So... here we go!

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A Frantic Week...

Just got off the phone with a friend after nearly three hours, talking about jobs, music, cars, transitioning... life. A fitting end to an intense, emotional week.

Some of it was bad... but most of it was good. And some is still TBD... but I'm leaning toward good there as well. Cross those fingers.

It's late, I have an appointment with M tomorrow (thankfully), and I need sleep desperately, so details will have to wait 'til tomorrow, or maybe tomorrow and Sunday.

For now, here's a taste of how I spent my last weekend. This most definitely falls into the "good" - the VERY, VERY good - category:

What an amazing live band they are!!!

Quick Update - And More Newport Artists!

Trying to catch my breath after a frantic, sleep-deprived week. Work has been hellish, per usual, especially trying to wrap up things before going on my mini-Newport Folk Fest-vacation for a few days.

I'll write more tomorrow, but the short version is that I have an interview tomorrow morning for a new job. Yea!!!

This happened REALLY fast. I did a phone screen two weeks ago, then didn't hear anything until this afternoon. There was some confusion (more in my next post), but essentially I did a second phone screen with no advance notice this afternoon. Always a good way to unwind after a harrowing day at the office. lol

It must have gone OK, because they asked if I could do an in-person interview - tomorrow morning. I sort of stammered that I was supposed to head to Newport, but they explained that the hiring manager was going on vacation for two weeks as of noon tomorrow, so this was the only time that worked. Needless to say, I said no problem.

This would be a really, really good opportunity. Much more stable than my current situation, which feels more and more like a nightmare with each passing day. So please send some positive vibes my way tomorrow morning; they will be much appreciated! And I will return them a thousand-fold as I wind my way to Newport as soon as the interview is over - promise!!!

***

As promised, more of the Newport artists I most want to see:

My Morning Jacket, who are an AMAZING live band. Watch this tremendous performance of "One Big Holiday" on the old Conan O'Brien show and be awed:

Patty Griffin, an astonishingly good singer and songwriter (and current main squeeze of one Robert Plant - rumor is he may grace us with his presence!):

And Trampled By Turtles, a way-cool, turbo-charged bluegrass group from the great state of Minnesota:

They're all barely 36 hours away! Woo-hoo!!!

***

Oh - and this is my 100th post!!!! I am a chatty Kathy since I started transitioning! lol