So, given the last ten days or so in Washington, we’re in all kinds of uncharted territory. While the former civics/history teacher in me is fascinated, the concerned citizen in me is, well, concerned, and not in a Susan Collins way.

While I am absolutely in favor of impeachment here, because there have to be consequences for what happened last Wednesday (and, obviously, all the bad behavior leading up to it), the actual mechanics of things are going to be interesting not just because of the whole “trying the impeached after the term is up” thing, but aslo as Senate rules for a trial are pretty specific, and Joe Biden’s going to need to get his team confirmed (by said Senate) and working as soon as possible in order to address all the various problems, in particular a once-in-a-century pandemic the United States has absolutely failed to deal with effectively thus far.

I suspect the split-effort approach (Cabinet validation and such in the morning, trial in the afternoon) is workable; even given the (to put it kindly) divergence of perception of reality in Federal government. In any reasonable world (which no one will convince me we have), any trial would be a formality, really – just play back the President’s words. That said, it’s not going to be that easy, there are political considerations on both sides showing that getting 45 out of the way is in everyone’s benefit, from different points of view.

We shall see.

In any case, watching history being made is certainly compelling, although a large part of me is still sitting here mourning the fact that in normal times, I’d be leaving this stuff all behind in just a few hours and heading out to Marscon to spend a few days relaxing, making music, and spending time with dear friends. Yeah, we’re doing some stuff online, which is great, but it’s not quite the same. Something about getting a bunch of geeky musicians and creative types together in a shared space just leads to irreplacable memories. My life’s going to be poorer for not getting to spend that time this year.

And that’s really all there is concerning the weekend. I’m wrapping up some work stuff (been busy, I’m technically over 40 hours already) that needs to be in and approved by COB today, kind of celebrating internally the good things I heard (and the financial way I’m being rewarded) from my annual performance appraisal, and maybe even looking forward to some shifts in responsibility given the upcoming reorganization of our department. This year could indeed be interesting in terms of employment, if my boss and I are actually able to enact some of the plans we have brewing, which could really improve the way the organization works, but we’ll see.

And after that, I’ll finalize my setlist for 4pm tomorrow, then watch some WandaVision, which I hear is really good.

Anyway, tunes. Mix of stuff out of Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” again; alternative, classic and glam rock, and whatever the Dead Milkmen call themselves (I call them awesome):

1. “Roots” – Grumpster
2. “Bitchin’ Camaro” – Dead Milkmen
3. “Breathless on DVD”- Antarctigo Vespucci
4. “Inked in Red” – Vision Video
5. “What You Do To Me” – Teenage Fanclub
6. “Runs in the Family” – Amanda Palmer
7. “Anthem” – Rush
8. “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” – Billy Joel
9. “Someone Like You” – Bang Tango
10. “This Spark in You” – Daniel Pemberton
11. “Fat Bottomed Girls” – Queen
12. “Mr. Blue Sky” – Electric Light Orchestra
13. “Hawthorne” – that dog.