friday random elevenish: “running out the clock on 2019” edition
As this entry posts, I will be beginning my final day at work for the year 2019. And honestly, there hasn’t actually beeen a whole lot of “work” happening this week, or honestly, the last part of last week. I have largely put my programs in stasis at this point, knocked together all the documentation I’m actually able to (because people I need to tag have been off for as long as two weeks already -seriously, people take the whole month of December off around here), taken care of the last of the phone calls, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t running out the clock looking up political analysis online or *gasp* occasionally reading a library book.
As I’ve described in past years, I really have a hard time getting into the holidays anymore…especially this year, which has been a bit of a roller-coaster, emotionally and financially; big highs, low lows, interminable middles. I’ve got most of my holiday shopping done; it’s going to be mostly low-key this year anyway. I’m just one of those peoplw who end up being a bit down for the holidays for all kinds of reasons; my usual atypical mental health slate, with the added benefit of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which I’m sure is aggravated by the fact that I’m so damned busy or the weather isn’t cooperating or whatever and I can’t get outside in the sun and away from these flourescent lights.
At this point, I’ve mostly accepted that this is going to happen, and just try to get through it. Taking a break from the office, if only for the change of scenery, does help a bit, which I’m looking forward to.
Given all that, summoning up the energy to host open mic on Wednesday night was a challenge, but I pushed through it, in part through the help of good friends, good beer, and some talented people that really forced me to step up my game. My playing was not terrible, though I was honored to be upstaged by a whole bunch of new faces who showed up and brought the goods. And, with Wednesday wrapped, I am done playing shows for the year, which, given how much I’ve played out this year, a welcome relief.
Speaking of playing out, though, in discussions with my fellow performers and the staff from Marscon about schedule, I got word Wednesday afternoon that I’m not only playing with my usual compatriots The Blibbering Humdingers, likely sitting in for a set with Dimensional Riffs, and filk circling with the best of them, the organizers of this shindig have seen fit to give me my own set on Saturday, for which I’m much appreciative (both to the Marscon staff, and to my lovely spouse, who poked and prodded me and raised the subject with the right people when I wasn’t so good at promoting myself). So, come next month, I’m going to be BUSY.
That’s what I have for the moment. As holidays usually go around here, I tend to slow down my posting (as I tend to be offline more) during these times, but I expect that I’ll have thoughts on the historic events in the public square on Wednesday night once I see how everything plays out, and I usually do a couple of year-end wrap up things, so look forward to that.
Anyway – tunes. The usual Spotify discovery playlist, which tracks pretty well with the kind of musical stuff I’ve been listening to lately. Starts off strong with a 90s group I didn’t really appreciate when they were a thing, and #8 is one of the better band names I’ve seen in a while (as the AV Club’s “year in band names” hasn’t posted yet).
If I don’t see ya, Happy Holidays:
- “Here and Now”- Letters to Cleo
- “Moonage Daydream” – Zen Guerrilla
- “Delaware” – Drop Nineteens
- “Corona” – Calexico
- “Polyester Bride” – Liz Phair
- “Damn Good” – David Lee Roth
- “Never Enough” – L.A. Guns
- “Drive That Fast” – Kitchens of Distinction
- “Academy Fighting Song” – Misson to Burma
- “Virginia Reel Around the Fountain” – The Halo Benders
- “Hey Jack Kerouac” – 10,000 Maniacs
- “Rock Brigade” – Def Leppard
