Sometimes I want to start a podcast with my friend Andy where we listen to one Tori Amos song and talk about it. We’d listen in sequential order of commercial release but then from time to time we’d choose a b-side from an era of our liking and call it a very special episode.

Ohioans passed an AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION (all caps because that’s a big deal) and Republicans literally ignore it and do what they want anyway. When is someone going to put them in their place?! Not “hold them accountable.” They wouldn’t know accountability from Nancy Regan’s asshole. But someone to really put them in their place, rip the rug out from under them, knock them on their asses, emphatically tell them NO, and that enough is enough, and to shut the hell up, and to go sit in the corner while the rest of us grown ups go and try to repair all the shit they’ve burned down to the ground.

I’m a recovering HR professional who believed layoffs, while terrible, were sometimes inevitable and necessary. But nope. The only thing they do is make human livelihood expendable so that people with money get more money. Fuck off Spotify. Spotify is laying off 1,500 people, or 17% of its workforce

Got a 9-page IT policy on the “use of artificial intelligence in state solutions.” I think it’s basically saying stop using AI unless you’ve been explicitly granted permission and here are the 50 layers of disincentivizing red tape that will hinder you from ever being explicitly granted permission.

Have I told you lately how I love this beagle?

Also, my first Blogger blog is probably up for deletion in Google’s purge. I’ve tried every password I could remember from around that time, and every password recovery technique they offer, and have never been able to log in to re-claim it. I guess that’s the way the internet cookie crumbles.

Hoping to unlock some fond memories, I ordered a CK cologne gift set with some old favorites from high school. It came and I opened the small Obsession bottle. I took a whiff - - YUCK! It was terrible. They all were. Then I realized…hold on, I don’t want to smell like high school. $45 💸🗑️🤦🏻‍♂️

I was just browsing pictures and laughed out loud when I saw (and didn’t remember) that I had put my 8th grade yearbook photo in a folder called “memes.” Appropriately filed. Good one, Me.

✍️ I’ve been thinking about writing (and not sending) about a letter a week to my conservative dad. The one who sent me to conversion therapy with a clergyman when I was a teen, leaving wounds that still aren’t closed. The one who believes that Black Lives Matter is more of a threat to America than the January 6th insurrection which literally set the White House on fire. The one who thinks Trump is a wealthy, smart businessman because Art of the Deal.

🙅‍♂️ “Imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try.” Also, it would solve a lot of problems and conflicts and wars and persecution and brainwashing and indoctrination and cults. Cuz, I hate to break the news, but prayer sure hasn’t solved any of it… Happy Sunday!

Cyndi Lauper’s vocal chops on full display in this ol’ number. Listen through to the end if you’ve ever thought of her as just a novelty act (which I hope no one here would ever do).

This is the time of year when I play the seasonal choral songs we sang in high school’s Senior Ensemble, the smaller, auditioned group. Invariably I also listen to the non-seasonal choral songs we sang in high school’s Senior Ensemble. Songs like this one that we took to contest:

♀️ I may subscribe to Vanity Fair. They pull no punches and their truthy headlines alone are worth the $1 a month digital access fee. Eg: Republicans Trip Over Their Own Assholes Trying to Take Down Hunter Biden

🎵 I got an Echo Sub to pair with our (my) Echo Studio in the main bedroom. Wasn’t sure it was working ‘til I played some Missy Elliott. That put a BIG smile on my face. 😁 Now playing: the bass heavy Tori Amos cover of Steely Dan’s Do It Again and it’s delicious.

🎵 Now Playing: Walking in Memphis by Marc Cohn from the album Marc Cohn on Music

🎵 I am 100% certain that the specific play counts are off, but I’m ok with the final Apple Music Replay ‘23 rankings.

🙏 Today I facilitated a small class on gratitude in the workplace. It was more of a great discussion than a lecture or training. One of my colleagues shared this when we were closing out, and I nearly cried. It’s an absolutely beautiful essay and you should listen to it now. Gratitude by Michael Perry

😁 I recovered the PowerPoint file I thought I’d lost.

An afternoon updating a PowerPoint for a class I’m doing tomorrow, and PPT just crashed hard. Our agency won’t enable OneDrive for Business so it wasn’t auto saved. I lost every update I’d made. Ironically, the class I’m doing tomorrow is on gratitude. Here’s a slide that doesn’t lie.

🎵 Now Playing: Off the Wall (album) by Michael Jackson

I need a hobby/project and I was thinking about digitizing our big DVD collection and serving them up on a home server. The digitizing/ripping part I can do. The server part, not so much. Any good tutorials out there?

Good news, everyone! The ulcers in Lucy’s eye have healed!

Here’s a photo of Lucy waiting to see the doc.

At Lucy’s ophthalmologist, hoping for some good news about the two ulcers she’s had in her good eye for about a month. It is pretty heartbreaking watching her bump into walls, but she seems to not be too bothered. Much more resilient than I am.