The National Archives described 1968 as a year of turmoil and change. The Vietnam War, riots in Washington DC, the assassinations of MLK and Robert Kennedy. I wanted to find a brighter, lighter spot in this year. It’s trivial and minor, but I think found it. The Big Mac began selling nationally in 1968, for … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: There is a Light that Never Goes Out – The Smiths
I grew up in the suburbs, in a bubble. When I moved to LA to attend college, it was eye opening to say the least. It was also new and exciting. One weekend I ventured downtown. I wanted to wander around the city and soak up this new experience. I came upon a crowd congregating at the … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Sixth Avenue Heartache – The Wallflowers
I love experiencing nature. Right now I’m spending time in Hawaii visiting family during the Christmas holidays. It’s the rainy season with scattered liquid sunshine throughout the day. This morning I awoke to find a beautiful rainbow outside our window. I could see the entire arc, from one end to the other. What a way to begin the day. … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: River – Joni Mitchell
To say that COVID was a big disrupter is an understatement. We used to do a Vegas guys trip, but that had been put on hold for the past three or four years. We have been going to Vegas together the last thirty years. The frequency waned a bit as we got older, but we tried to at … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Go Daddy O – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
I’ve heard it said that you should shop on the perimeter of a grocery store. The processed foods tend to be on the inside. I’m not sure how accurate that is, but I’ve always remembered that. I once had a co-worker that claimed he only ate three vegetables. One of the vegetables on the list … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode
My grandfather was the glue of the family. He was a kind man and the family was drawn to him. He always smiled and was continuously positive despite a number of challenges in his lifetime. He had long bushy eyebrows that extended pretty far out. I’m glad he never trimmed them. It was part of … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel
I used to have a mental road map of my life. I think this was way back when I was in my twenties. Ah, to be young and naive. As I leaned into life, things started to happen and life seemed to veer away from the original plan. Life got in the way of . … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Once In a Lifetime – Talking Heads
We hosted Thanksgiving this year. There were a few unexpected guests and the head count reached 21. Good thing we had a big turkey and thankfully, I wasn’t on my own. I’ve heard of brining before, but wouldn’t know what it was even we said hello every morning over a cup at Starbucks. Thank goodness … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Superman – REM
I’ve recently been watching Restoration Road With Clint Harp. It’s a restoration show where they transport 200 year old aging barns across the country. They strip the old and worn outer shell and what they ultimately are left with is the interior foundation that’s used for the restoration build. These barns are restored into amazing … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
Somewhere I’ve heard it said not to be the antagonist in someone else’s story. That stuck with me. It’s not a difficult thing to do, but it’s made me pause a few times when my initial reaction was probably not the best. I don’t want to be the Eddie Haskell in anyone else’s show. That’s … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: You’re No Good – Linda Ronstadt
When I changed companies early in my career, I moved to a new apartment to reduce my commute. The weekend before my start date, I decided to clean myself up and get a haircut. Because I was new to the area, I just randomly picked a place to cut my hair. My hair is fairly … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Hairdresser On Fire – Morrissey
When I was in elementary school, I joined the chorus. I didn’t join for my love of singing. I joined because I thought it would get me out of a few classes during the week. I thought I was being clever and sly. That was until we had to perform in front of the entire … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Karma Chameleon – Culture Club
In high school, my track coach once told me to take the team on a two mile run. I competed in the field events and never was a fan of running, but what could I do? We ended up running to the nearest Thrifty’s, sat on the curb and ate ice cream in the hot … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Rocky Mountain High – John Denver
I used to work on a large national corporate client. We worked with our client contact throughout the year, but had an executive meeting twice a year with the CEO. What I remember most about the CEO was her grace. She was incredibly accomplished, yet she was down to earth and warm. She had class … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Tougher Than the Rest – Everything But the Girl (Cover)
When I was a kid, I watched all kinds of cartoons. From Tom and Jerry to the Superheros, I loved them all. Back then, cartoons were fairly primitive and two dimensional, but that’s all we knew. If I had to pick a favorite cartoon, I’d lean towards Speed Racer. Who didn’t like a cartoon about … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Just What I Needed – The Cars
There is a basketful of things I could do less of. Here is a partial list off the top of my head. I really try to do less of these things, but some are at the core of who I am. I think I just have to try to manage myself instead of stop cold … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: I Try – Macy Gray
I once was lost in a bamboo forest. I left the trail and had a difficult time finding my way back. It was getting dark and I wandered aimlessly. It all looked the same. I had no idea how I got so lost, but getting lost is easy to do. It sometimes sneaks up on … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: A Forest – The Cure
At our old place in Pasadena, it wasn’t uncommon to see squirrels or raccoons. Squirrels would dig up our planters and literally lounge on our wall soaking up the sun. At our new place, coyotes sightings are not unusual. There are a lot of rabbits scurrying around and they attract coyotes to our neighborhood. One … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Kids in America – Kim Wilde
When I lived in the city, I loved to go to the Melrose Trading Place over the weekend. This is an outdoor market open every Sunday, selling antiques, vintage goods and collectibles. It was fun walking through rows of yesterday’s reminders and there was always something interesting for sale. Over the years I’ve bought small … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Photographs and Memories – Jim Croce
I once knew a guy that loved meat, but had this thing about eating meat off the bone. It totally grossed him out. I guess I can understand his point of view. That gives gnawing on ribs a new name. But honestly, it didn’t quite add up because he had no qualms eating a rare … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) – Meat Loaf
What are your two favorite things to wear? One is for comfort, the other is out of pure laziness. I wear shorts nearly every day. California weather lends this to be a staple of everyday attire. It’s been in the low to mid 70s in November and December this year. We couldn’t ask for more … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) – Haircut 100
What technology would you be better off without, why? I’m coming up with a big fat donut. So far, every piece of technology has made life more convenient. I don’t think I would cut out any of it. I will say our cable bill has been creeping up on us. It makes me wonder if … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: With or Without You – U2
What’s the hardest decision you ever had to make? One of the most difficult decisions we had to make was saying goodbye to our six month old puppy. Because of allergy issues, it was best to find her a new home. She joined a friend’s family and now lives near the beach with a lot … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds
Do you or your family make special dishes for the holiday? I once told a coworker that I ate teriyaki turkey every year at Thanksgiving. I dropped that line in passing as I walked by. I could feel the stares in the back of my head as I continued walking down the hall. I had … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow
If you didn’t need sleep, what would you do with the extra time? I have this strange relationship with sleep. It’s a mix of deep sleep and insomnia. Not wanting to waste the day away in slumber, but also enjoying being deep within a dream. I naturally wake up at 6 am regardless when my … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: You Can’t Walk in Your Sleep (If you Can’t Sleep) – The Go Go’s
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