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
Name your top three pet peeves. Here are a few of my pet peeves in no particular order. 1. When people don’t understand to alternate when two lanes are merging into one. 2. When someone stops in the middle of the main aisle in Costco, causing a traffic jam in both directions. 3. I can … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Patience – Guns and Roses
Who are your current most favorite people? Mount Whitney is the highest mountain peak in the lower 48 states. It’s a two day trek and the altitude can get to you as you near the summit. I was trailing the group, they were up ahead, out of sight. At one point I sat down on … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Top of the World – Shonen Knife
What are your favorite animals? We had just backpacked about 15 miles. Our packs were heavy and the last three miles were incredibly painful. The terrain was a bit rocky, so we each set up our tents a short distance apart from each other. We packed our food in a bear canister that was kept … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Lose Yourself – Eminem
Beach or mountains? Which do you prefer? Why? I like both, but in different ways. The beach is for relaxing, the mountains are for moving. I can lay out on a beach for hours and enjoy the sun. I may jump in the water from time to time, enjoy the sound of the waves and … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Alive – Pearl Jam
The day after Thanksgiving is for left overs and turkey brain fog. I’ve decided to take a day off from the daily prompt. Earlier I was reading a blog by songoftheday about one of my favorite songs – Everyday is Like Sunday. Morrissey sang the original, but the Pretenders and 10,000 Maniacs also covered it … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Every Day is Like Sunday – Morrissey, The Pretenders and 10,000 Maniacs
Happy Thanksgiving! Adding a song of thanks to the playlist. Dido released Thank You in 1998. It appears this was one of many in that year. Natalie Merchant, who also played at Lilith Fair, had a very thankful song in 1998 with “Kind & Generous.” That same year, Alanis Morissette had a hit with “Thank … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Thank You – Dido
Do you trust your instincts? I trust my instincts and listen to it before any major decision. I think the voice in my head is a mixture of intuition, life experience and a little bit of common sense. Instincts continue to evolve as we live and learn. A general rule of thumb: If you start … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Stay – Sugarland
What’s your favorite month of the year? Why? I’ve lived in California almost my entire life. The one year that I didn’t, I was finally able to experience all four seasons. In that year, it was a tie between favorite months. I lived near a river that was lined with cherry blossom trees. In April, … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Seasons of Love – The Cast of Rent
What is your favorite place to go in your city? I used to live in Pasadena for years. We lived in a small condo that we outgrew, but we loved our location so much, we couldn’t move. Everything was walking distance. Target was a block north, Trader Joe’s was a block south. If we wanted … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Stay – Lisa Loeb
What’s the first impression you want to give people? I’m at a certain age that I shouldn’t care what people think, but I’m strangely finding that I still do. It seems I care more than I used to. I think it’s a mix of a few things. I still feel the remnants of COVID’s shelter … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: People Get Ready – The Housemartins
What book are you reading right now? When we were kids, my mom took us to the library every few weeks to check out books. She was a big advocate of reading. Fiction, non-fiction. She didn’t care. As long as we read. I grew up reading Stephen King, Robert Ludlum and J.R.R Tolkien. Later, John … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Everyday I Write the Book – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? I know it’s a chick flick. I get some heat from the guys. But I’ll own up to it. I really like the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. What’s not to like about a redemption story, rediscovering life and self in beautiful Tuscany. … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Leaving on a Jet Plane – John Denver
What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever found (and kept)? When I was in my twenties, I moved to the Westside in Los Angeles. Discovering the surroundings is always a fun part of moving someplace new. In my search, I found a really cool coffee house not far from my apartment. There was something almost every … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: What’s My Age Again – Blink 182
What part of your routine do you always try to skip if you can? My great uncle lived to be almost 100. We once asked him what his secret was for a long healthy life. He attributed it to two daily things. Oatmeal and walking. Simple advice and the proof was in the pudding. Walking … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Deep Blue Something
Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met? My firm had an event about a year or two after 9/11. It was a big to do and there was a surprise guest of honor. It turns out, “America’s Mayor” was attending the celebration. We all stood in line and had our … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: A Message To You Rudy – The Specials
What is good about having a pet? “Mom, can we get a dog?” “Maybe not right now. There are four of you kids. If we got a dog, that would be a fifth.” That’s how that discussion went when we were little kids. Looking back now, that would have been a little crazy throwing a … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Always On My Mind – Pet Shop Boys
Name the most expensive personal item you’ve ever purchased (not your home or car). FOMO (fear of missing out). It’s not a good thing. Before I ever heard of the acronym, I experienced it once and it didn’t turn out well. Now it doesn’t help that I was looking for an escape hatch from my … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist – I Fought the Law – The Clash
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