Currently listening:

You can hear their friendship come through in their playing and trading of solos.

This clown car we’re all on definitely did not pass NHTSA safety requirements.

Years from now, someone will uncover that the selfie camera was the cause of society’s demise.

“Written without AI” is the new “Written on my phone, please excuse typos”

Airplane, with occasional cancer.

We should all double down on TACO. Just like we should have doubled down on “he’s just weird”.

I am salivating over these kits and fortunately they are local pickup only on the Reverb listings!

Two poignant pieces I’ve been reading over and over today:

• The Who Cares Era by @dansinker@omfg.town
• What if Collapse Has Already Happened? by Brian Miller

Each piece a reminder of what’s important, and within grasp despite the bullshit surrounding us.

Clouds trying to get me while I was riding my bike.

My new Canopus (amazing drum company from Japan) snare drum arrived. 4 x 14 all maple shell with die cast hoops. It’s heavy and meaty. I hope one day to own a full Canopus set.

“Agentic” is something I want to see wiped, nay, obliterated… from all languages.

Today’s bounty.

Currently listening to the best movie soundtrack ever made.

First dust bowl like storms, now fuel shortages, it’s all fine.

Well, that was scary.

My son, when we’re putting him to bed:

Rice cookers are great, but one should still learn how to cook rice on the stove top.

Nice finish to a long ass day.

This album is too good, and so is this song.

First shower heads and lo-flo toilets, now radiation standards offend these people (bold emphasis mine):

Trump tightens control of independent agency overseeing nuclear safety

NPR has also seen a draft of an executive order “ordering the reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.” The draft calls for reducing the size of the NRC’s staff, conducting a “wholesale revision” of its regulations in coordination with the White House and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency team, shortening the time to review reactor designs and possibly loosening the current, strict standards for radiation exposure.

This week I have taken the plunge to learn WMA by Pearl Jam from their wonderful Vs. album.

There isn’t much on the internet (footage or tutorials) on this song which is too bad, but also a little refreshing. I think I’m close in my pattern, I still haven’t figured out how to incorporate the hi-hat part yet with everything else going on. And I can’t sustain the pattern through the entire song (while being in time)yet so going to spend more hours on it.

A reminder.

It’s the Stupid, Stupid

Really good interview with Mike Bordin, drummer of Faith No More fame. The comradery of Bay Area musicians reminds me of my experience in Seattle in the late 90s and early 2000s.

pca.st/episode/4…

Soundgarden and Bill Withers played in the background today for most of the day…

I can’t imagine what job seeking must be like these days. This article calls out that roughly 60% of CFOs at companies have pessimistic views of the economy (they believe we will be in a recession as soon as the second half of this year).

Whether this administration forces a recession on us or through shear self-fulfilling prophecy, the likelihood of accelerated layoffs because of corporate austerity or actual economic events is becoming more real.

Since the elections I’ve amped up my rainy day fund savings and can’t shake the feeling that I need more. I had made some assumptions around ACA benefit needs but in researching the numbers tonight around coverage for me and my family here in the state of Nebraska, the outlook isn’t great: If I lost my job tomorrow I would be looking at anywhere from $1400-$2800 per month in healthcare premiums. Nebraska just doesn’t participate in ACA in the same way more progressive states do.

This is bananas. I am fortunate, and privileged, in that I work for a tech company (which also means highly volatile) and that I still have a job. I am considered a high performer in my current role. But I can only hope for the best and plan for the worst, and the ticking hands of that worst clock appear to be moving closer to that dreadful hour.

I am not economically rich, far from it. I am rich in the important ways, I have a wonderful wife and beautiful son, they help counter that clock and fill me with joy every day. All I have to do is show up for them every day and do one thing.

TV is on while I wait for my car repair. I haven’t had cable or a tv in 20+ years. Of course they set it to Fox News. The kool aid is just… wow