Again. It was here a couple months ago and sold out. Last night it sold out thanks to me and a couple friends being in the crowd. We were intrigued by the concept, but were glad our seats were by the emergency exit, just in case the show was a train wreck, and we did think that was a distinct possibility. I was especially skeptical of the inclusion of Jason Scheff who provided bass and vocals for Chicago in the 1980s when Chicago was cranking out sappy love songs.
Maybe the Republicans are right with their love of Russia. I live in the USA and can’t afford to buy VR gear. Even the cows have VR glasses in Russia. I feel like an udder failure.
I set my goal lofty for Thanksgiving yesterday. I planned to eat pie in the morning, afternoon, and evening. An early start saw me down this piece of expiring pie for breakfast …
I’m not sure if I like ‘Expiring Pie’ better as a band name or as an album title. On Thanksgiving, it was just what I had for breakfast. I really had no choice.
Christmas is coming, and I considered having this gem polished up to present to my wife.
Of course, I couldn’t just hand it to her. I mean, she even tried to throw it out. In fact, she did! I had to rescue this precious gem from the garbage. You have to admit, it does look beautiful against my delicate, hairy knuckle …
I was inspired to create this cartoon after watching our middle daughter dance at her university yesterday. She did a fine job. On the way home, somehow the discussion between my wife, middle daughter, youngest daughter, and I drifted to who is our favorite child. I believe our middle daughter “drifted” the conversation that way. My wife and I really don’t have favorites, although none of our five children will ever believe that. We are proud of each of them for their achievements, and do our best to support their attempts to achieve. Our youngest daughter is currently intent on achieving becoming taller than our middle daughter. She’s well on her way.
Yesterday, we were proud of our middle daughter’s performance along with hearing that she will start her professional dance career in Milwaukee this summer where she’s accepted a paid position in a dance company for one month. It’s a start. She’ll return for a 5th year at the university in 2020 to finish up double majors and minors.
If you are interested, here’s a short snippet of a longer dance from last year’s fall dance concert at her university. Our daughter enters the stage first.
I have grown to really like and appreciate Beck’s music as time has passed, enough to actually go see him put on a great live show this summer. I was anxious for his new album Hyperspace to be released after hearing the first song from the album, “Saw Lightning” that dropped over the summer. That song is a collaboration with Pharrell Williams, and it took a while, but it grew on me. I like songs that grab me and pull me toward the speaker or are so melodic that they cause me to sing along. My family prefers I get pulled to the speaker rather than the latter.
I started my listening relationship tentatively with “Saw Lightning.” At first, I took some baby steps toward the speaker, but eventually ran to it. But not so much with his second release from the album “Uneventful Days.” It’s a dreamy and ethereal tune, floating from the speaker to lull me into wanting to be in an elevator heading up to the 17th floor of a nondescript office building on Main Street in Anytown, USA. It doesn’t pull me to the speaker or make me want to sing along. It’s not a bad song, just … uneventful. And I find the music video to be a bit depressing.
The whole album is more minimalist than Beck’s 2017 release Colors which just roars from the speakers with layered perfection. Hyperspace has some decent tunes like “Star” and “Die Waiting,” but none that make me want to turn up the volume and shush whoever I’m with. I’m just not sure if I can stay awake between the moderately decent tracks to get to them. It’s not like it’s a bad album. Beck breaks new ground with his new sound once again. Illinois legalizes recreational pot on January 1st. I think I may enjoy this album a lot more after a few edibles on New Year’s Day.
I feel bad about not sharing some cool new song, so I’ll close by offering up Sturgill Simpson’s new country rocker called “Sing Along,” complete with wild cartoon video.
Makes me want to get in the car, roll down the windows (brrr!), crank this tune, and speed just enough that the cops allow it without pulling me over.
I can’t tell you how many times my wife has told me that I took something too far. My jokes? Initially, fine, but then I push them over that imaginary line I can never gauge into what she considers the bad taste zone. My manscaping? Fine when it is out of sight, but last Valentine’s Day was too much for my wife.
I admit that I crossed the line. I should have stuck with the more traditional Cupid.
And my personal hygiene? Well, I have to admit that always crosses the line.
But I really thought I was helping this time. Especially after my wife thoughtlessly destroyed a valued vintage item in the sprawling Flanigan estate. I’ll explain.
No, not that Little Jimmy. Get your mind out of the gutter. It smells like me as a young lad. I couldn’t figure out why. I smelled the air freshener dangling from the rear view mirror.
I’m not sure what a breeze in the Bahamas smells like, but this air freshener smells like a tropical drink. I’m also not sure why my wife even needs an air freshener in the car. She always smells good to me.
So, I wasn’t sure where the Little Jimmy smell came from until I spotted this …
The early onset of winter has caused me to fall ill. I’m afraid I have become afflicted with a severe case of reverse vampirism. Now that cold and snow has settled in here for the next few months, I feel the need to get indoors before the sun sets. There is just no way I feel I can be outside in the cold, snow, and darkness. It’s going to be a long next 3 to 4 months.
As DC burns with the fire of a pending Trump impeachment, the Nerotic fools at Fox News once again fiddle around with creating a new battle in the fictional War on Christmas as a shiny distraction from Trump’s crimes.
I have NEVER heard anyone describe a Christmas tree as a Holiday tree. If I ever did, I would tell them that it’s a Christmas tree, but they can call it a Covfefe Hamberder for all I care. As far as Fox News goes, it looks like they are making Trump look foolish once again (shooting fish in a barrel) since Trump said everyone would be saying “Merry Christmas” with him in charge. Mission Accomplished?
I think not. Happy Holidays. I can’t wait to chop down and trim our Covfefe Hamberder this holiday season. The Resistance continues.
I was surprised when someone I have known since high school turned up his nose at “Brandy” by the Looking Glass as a fine song. Yeah, it is a mere wisp of a song, but I love it. And if it’s good enough for a Guardians of the Galaxy movie soundtrack, it should be good enough for all of us.
I’m a sucker for catchy pop songs. “Brandy” is one of those. I filled my 2019 summer playlist with light, breezy, fun, and wistful songs. Although summer has ended, I find myself going back to that playlist for certain songs when I’m down and need cheering up or when I am already cheerful, so basically all the time. Some of those select songs include …
Happy Hour by Weezer
24 Frames by Jason Isbell
King of a One Horse Town by Dan Auerbach (of the Black Keys)
Up All Night by Beck
Renegades by X Ambassadors
Spirits by the Strumbellas
And then there’s one more older song that I can’t stop listening to, but I should. I need an intervention. Stop me before I listen to this song again …
Oh, no. The mulch cartoon is back. And you thought Halloween was scary. And a double panel edition yet … with even more Dad-type jokes. Will someone please offer an intervention before this becomes a regular feature?
I started No Shame November by walking around the house this morning with my shirt off. My wife advised me that it is traditionally No Shave November. Works for me either way. I have no intention of shaving my belly.
Jim Flanigan Looks at the World 