Back for who knows why
(because I got a lot of things to share and not many places to share them or those places are too public)
A lot and nothing has changed over the past few months. The most impoartant changes having to do with electronics and water. -> Spilled water on my laptop while I was watching a Tiny Desk concert in the bath, so my computer access is limited. -> Lost my sell phone on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (while is was raining) ((never found it after retracing my steps 5 times)) which led me to use an iPheaune for a month or so and then updgrading to a Pixel 2 so my photos of urban waste are ON POINT.
There is not better song to come back to than this. It's a perfect mix:
I always come back to posting a thing after a bad/sad day like clockwork. Today, a pleasant surprise of song that is the total opposite from what I expected to hear from Brittany Howard. I'm a sucker for those harmonies reminiscent of a tasteful 70's palette and I'm only slightly disappointed in the drums that kick in for the chorus. It's nice for fall, after all.
Let's lighten things up, shall we? I should have gone to Kacey Musgraves concert when she came to Salt Lake last summer, but maybe I can make up for it this year?
Got extra ambitious with Lent this year, and decided to go vegan. No consuming animal products. No meat, fish, chicken, dairy, eggs, pork, cheese, honey, ice cream... basically everything good. Day one started with all optimism, but ended with this for dinner:
It was even sadder than it looks. Ramen without the spices (whats the point?), olive oil, lemon juice, and avocado. Not exactly the pinnacle of health, but that's what happens when laziness and good intentions meet. Why am I subjecting myself to this? It can be summed up in a few tired bullet points that I kept re-iterating to friends and and coworkers but seemed less important by the minute GIVE ME SOME CHEESE:
Abstaining from animal products has been part of many Lenten traditions, specifically Eastern Orthodox, so there is a bit of a precedent
Going vegan does not only have potentially help your health, but benefits the environment as a whole ( a guy on Bumble told me that we have all these restrictions on pollution but we practically have no restrictions limiting how much we use animals for farming/food and they are one of our biggest polluters! Guys on Bumble say a lot of things though, so take that with a grain of salt)
It's a good practice in self-control (which I have had NONE of over the past year). I've been far too permissive, and challenges like this always encourage me to be more mindful.
Lent is meant to be a time of fasting, abstinence and sacrifice to help sanctify us. I'm basically giving up a lot of favorite things, and some unhealthy coping mechanisms along with it. It can really only be for my good, right?
I gained back 25 pounds I had previously lost since I started my new job last year, so it's time for some DRASTIC measures. See? It's not all holy.
Here's another article if you're like me and love getting swept up in these archaic rules. I'll be checking in daily (hopefully) to help keep me on track, so here goes!
ALSO
on Wednesdays, I used to post a song I've been thinking about. I thought this ol' thing fit the bill just fine for today:
I was introduced to Connie Converse by Robin Banks, and what a great find! She is a real gem. Connie is of the same ilk of those special artists that have always hold a place in my heart. I can't wait to learn more about her. Sometimes I think disappearing at 50 doesn't sound like such a bad idea either. Here is my fave track by Connie, and the first one I heard:
All this moon talk the past couple days. Just looking for something pretty up there cause things down here on earth are cracking. But I guess that's ok too. Let's just try to have a nice time:
And another favorite mooney cover for old times sake:
I visited a nuclear reactor graveyard on Sunday as part of a walk-about with Deep Time Chicago. (Day of rest, indeed!) This song is a pretty good accompaniment to that experience:
If you would like to read more about the experience (and to see a photo of me with my arms crossed, looking thoughtful-ish) click here. Maybe we should start our own Anthropocene discussion/walk-about group in Salt Lake City?
Uffff. This song has been twisting the knife since it was released a couple weeks ago. Impregnable Question is one of my favorite love songs, and the way it's sampled in this track is devastating.
No hyperbole. Made me cry. Big surprise:
