It’s Friday. About damned time.

I’ll be honest, it’s been a heavy week. Accomplished quite a bit, and maybe drank a little too much, but all with an unmistakable air of frustration and bleh.

Finally got the lawn guys mostly sorted, and my property is mostly clear of crap before the snowstorm. That effort was a little more frustrating that I’d have liked; of the quotes I got, these guys were the most reasonably priced, though they were a newish small business, had some equipment trouble, and I suspect took on a little more business than they could handle and priced themselves a little *too* competitively. There are a few places that are a little extra hairy that they just weren’t equipped to handle. I paid them their (reasonable, if probably too low) fee, and don’t feel bad about supporting a local small business trying to get established, but I think I’ll go with someone a bit more experienced next time.

Work’s been a little crazy, as one would expect being in the midst of a transition. It’s meant really cranking it to get up to speed on all these new projects I have to support (as the expert in a particular part of the process and have to advise everyone), plus working to try and transition the new person into my old slot, as well as deal with a kind of clueless PM from a partner organization we’re doing some tests with who likes to talk more than he likes to listen. It led to lots of long (talking nearly 13 hours Wednesday) days.

Also, most technology the last couple of days has been cowering and breaking at my touch. I spent the first two hours of work on the phone with the help desk one morning because of computer issues, I can’t seem to get audioconferencing working in Microsoft Teams (at least it isn’t SharePoint), and touchscreens either don’t like my guitar calluses and won’t respond, or respond double.

I can only hope I’m developing wizard powers, Dresden-style.

I did, however, get up to nine songs written and recorded as I type this for February Album Writing Month, and none of them feel completely like filler. I continue to get really rather wonderful comments from folks, both those who I like and respect, as well as people I’ve never met. I need to knock out five more in the next two weeks or so. I think I’ll get there.

I’ve also, of course, been keeping tabs on Impeachment II: Impeach Harder, being really impressed with the case the House Managers have made, but also kind of knowing that while the exercise is important and necessary, it’s unlikely to end at the result a slim majority of Americans would like (according recent polls). I did, however, write a song about it; a reasonably clever “talking blues” thing that was, of course, out of date by the time I recorded it. Alas.

Nothing on line for the weekend, really – I think with the snow and ice (less than predicted, but enough), we’ll be stuck inside more than is currently usual, so nothing fancy, for normal lbife or for Valentine’s Day, though I still am low-key trying to cook up something special.

Anyway, tunes the algorithms spit out. This playlist came out of me doing a little searching for inspiration; I have it in my head that I want one of my songs this month to have that mid-period R.E.M. sound; y’know, “Crush With Eyeliner” etc. So, I fed that into Spotify and it kicked out the following list, full of pop alternative, from that early 90s era and some cool stuff from earlier decades. I can dig it.

1. “Pop Muzik” – M
2. “My Sharona” – The Knack
3. “Pump It Up” – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4. Been Caught Stealing” – Jane’s Addiction
5. “Once In A Lifetime” – Talking Heads
6. “Ana Ng” – They Might Be Giants
7. “Radio Free Europe” – R.E.M.
8. “Novocaine For The Soul” – Eels
9. “Debaser” – Pixies
10. “Peaches” – ThePresidentsoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica
11. “In The Meantime” – Spacehog
12. “Cannonball” – The Breeders
13. “Where It’s At” – Beck