My Lack of Posts

I didn’t share a new music post on Sunday; there have been no updates to the playlist challenge and no featured band or album of the week. I’m pretty sure there won’t be any posts next week, either. I apologize to the followers who actually pay attention, but everything kinda went to hell recently.

My grandmother has been sick and in the nursing home for a while. She was diagnosed with COPD and congestive heart failure years ago. Otherwise, though, she was healthy.

She has had stomach issues her entire life, and for the last couple of years she’s been in and out of the hospital, complaining of nausea and pain. Well, last week she was once again in the hospital for those symptoms. Her doctor told her that there was nothing else he could do unless she allowed them to do an endoscopy and actually figure out why she had those symptoms. She refused the procedure. My mom asked her why and my grandmother said she didn’t want to know. If it was serious, she felt like they couldn’t help her anyway. (Bear in mind, she’s 89.)

My mom and I both talked to her last Wednesday, right after she was released from the hospital and sent back to the nursing home. The very next day, my great aunt called and told us that she was dying.

She is in the final stages of COPD and congestive heart failure. Her lungs are filled with fluid. She is no longer responsive, though that could be because they are keeping her dosed with morphine for the pain. She has a DNR in place, so basically they can do nothing but make sure she’s comfortable.

I ask that anyone who reads this send up a prayer, positive thoughts, or whatever it is you do. This is a very difficult time, especially for my mom, and we need all the comfort we can get.

Thank you.

It’s My Birthday Week!

Time needs to slow down. I’m getting old… Lol.

Since it’s a special week, I am taking a break from blogging. The playlist challenge will continue so as not to lose count, but there will be no album of the week or featured band.

Here are some humorous tweets and memes about getting older. I hope they make you smile 🙂

Because furbabies…

I don’t share a lot of personal things here, but I’m gonna give up a small tidbit today.

I have had a rough month. I can’t explain it, because even I don’t fully understand. Suffice it to say that it’s been a daily struggle for just over four weeks. The only things (besides music) that have brought me joy are my furbabies: Marceline, Vlad, and Elwin. And so I’m basically dedicating a post to them. Because furbabies.

Marceline

Vlad

This basically shows their personalities. Vlad is a ham and adorable, while Marceline is dignified…and kinda grumpy.

Elwin

2018 Reading Goal

I know this is a music blog, but I wanted to share something else I’m doing with my followers…just because.

I love to read! I have always loved to read. I don’t always have time, of course, though the various apps I can download to my phone have helped. Anyway, I finally joined GoodReads. I browsed through my favorite genres and found at least fifty books I was interested in reading. Lol.

The site encourages its users to set a goal for themselves, so I did. I am going to read fifteen books in 2018. I know that doesn’t seem an exceptional amount, but we’ll see how it goes. I may update my progress here, as well.

Right now, I’m on the final book in a trilogy by Shannon Mayer. The first in the series is entitled Venom and Vanilla. I honestly wasn’t sure how I was going to like it. The main character, Alena, starts out as kind of a stick in the mud. However, once she is turned into a supernatural (saving her from dying of a supposedly incurable disease), things get interesting.

Shannon Mayer combines all the usual suspects — vampires, werewolves, etc. — with the Greek pantheon, and it is masterfully done.

Thus far, my list of books for 2018 is as follows:

  • Venom and Vanilla by Shannon Mayer (read)
  • Fangs and Fennel by Shannon Mayer (read)
  • Hisses and Honey by Shannon Mayer (reading)
  • Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (reading)
  • IT by Stephen King (reading)

At this rate, I think I’ll reach my goal!

And the National Champions Are…

Last night was the final game of the college football season. The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs duked it out to prove who was the best, once and for all.

I was a nervous wreck leading up to this game. All season, Georgia had been so dominant. (To be fair, I was worried about Clemson, too, and the Tide handled them like a boss!)

There was more than just the title riding on this game. Alabama head coach Nick Saban had never been beaten by a former assistant, and he was poised to tie Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant for the most titles won in the BCS/CFP era. The Bulldogs were looking to win their first title since 1980, and of course, Kirby Smart could be the first Saban assistant to defeat the master.

Like I said, the stakes were high.

The game started on a high note for the Crimson Tide, with Tony Brown intercepting a pass, but it was all downhill from there for the rest of the first half. Georgia was on point, and they honestly dominated. It was clear they were there to win. We left the field, down 13-0.

However, following halftime, Alabama showed up. Coach Saban pulled sophomore QB Jalen Hurts and put in the true freshman Tua Tagovailoa, who had never started a game. His gamble paid off — Tua quickly fired a strike that brought us back within six points. Unfortunately, Georgia answered swiftly, and once again, we were down by thirteen.

Things were not looking good. But then, the Crimson Tide freshman cavalry arrived. There is no other way to explain it. On the backs of Tua, Najee Harris, and Jerry Jeudy, we reached the redzone. We scored thirteen unanswered points, tying the game. A missed field goal attempt on Bama’s part sent the battle into overtime.

Alabama was first to defend. They held Georgia to a field goal. The Bama offense trotted onto the field. All we needed was a touchdown to win.

On the first play, Tua was sacked for a substantial loss of yards. I was hiding my face, heart pounding, praying that we hadn’t come back and taken the game to overtime just to lose by three points. And then…

Two true freshmen connected — Tua and wide receiver DeVonta Smith — and the Tide won!!!!! Seventeenth title, sixth in Saban’s career (tying Paul Bryant), Alabama’s fifth title in nine years (and second in three years)…

Best. Game. Ever.

Even if I had about five heart attacks. Lol. If you want an accurate description of how we watched the game, check this out:

Roll Tide!!!!!!! #17

Happy New Year!

Obviously I have already posted, resuming the album of the week, weekly focus, and playlist challenge, but I wanted to jump on and wish you all a Happy New Year as well.

I rang in 2018 with my best friends. We didn’t do anything overly exciting, just drank a little and watched Scream 2 and Scream 3. (I giggled over the Creed poster in Sidney’s room… They were so young!)

More importantly, today was dedicated to football, and lots of it. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m a huge Alabama fan. Well, the Crimson Tide made it to the college football playoffs (again), and tonight they played the Clemson Tigers. This was the third matchup in as many years, and this time the good guys won! Alabama is going to the National Championship game (again). Their opponent will be the Georgia Bulldogs! An all SEC title game sounds perfect to me. Even better, Georgia’s coach is a former Nick Saban assistant; we like seeing him do well!

In other news, I’m busy compiling a list of artists/bands that will be releasing albums this year. I hope to have it posted soon. I can tell you now that both Myles Kennedy and Tremonti Project are putting out new music this year, so I’m very excited about that.

I hope y’all are having a great start to 2018!

Merry Christmas!

I will not be posting tomorrow, nor any next week. I am giving myself a vacation. Lol. So there will be no album of the week, playlist challenge updates, or anything else. I just wanted to let y’all know. I will be back early in the new year, and I have some things that might be happening in regard to this blog. Wish me luck!

With all of that said, I would like to thank everyone following this blog, and I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Recent Photos

My best friend is a hair and makeup wizard, in my opinion, so I keep asking her to doll me up and take pictures. Lol. Since it is October, our most recent “shoot” was done in Papa Emeritus (Ghost) face paint.

 

 

 

 

Rest in Peace, Tom Petty

When I was a tiny human, my parents played music constantly. It was only natural for my first favorite band to be a band they introduced me to — Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. I can remember, before I could use the turntable, asking my dad to put on Full Moon Fever for me. (I loved solo Petty as well as his work with the Heartbreakers). I would listen to that album from start to finish, on repeat.

My first favorite band…and later, my first rock star crush. Before the boy groups and all that, it was Tom Petty. To this day, I can’t explain it. I just had a thing for him. And while I was still in love with the man and his band, my parents took me to see them. Twice. I was the happiest and luckiest kid in the world. I had been to several concerts, but Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers was the first one I was old enough to really remember.

And now, Tom Petty is gone. He passed away at 8:40 p.m. (PST) on Monday, October 2, 2017.

I’m at a loss. I know there are people here who can understand; after all, the music community has been grieving far too often lately. This, though, is different, for me. This was the artist who set me on my journey, the first to make me really feel so deeply about music.

Thank you, Tom Petty, and may you rest in peace.