Record of the Month

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what I'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there!    

Besides My Music Monday selections, I'm backlogged on Record of the Month choices as well. 

2025 has so far had some good, and numerous, releases, but there aren't enough months to match up yet with the records. So this Garbage album is now like two months old. Let All That We Imagine Be the Light came out in May. 

For the record, I have purchased everything Garbage has released, and rarely been disappointed. Sure, songs here and there, but over all their albums have been pretty solid. 

The new disk is strong in many ways. The guys write and play tight still. Shirley Manson's voice remains powerful and strong.  I like the songwriting as well. 

I would say with the last few Garbage albums there are not "singles" or even potential singles. I mean, not in this era of radio - be it terrestrial or satellite. I know they attempted with the first track, "There's No Future in Optimism" - a title with which I agree. While I get the sound of it has the markings of commercial, when it comes to the actual vocals, there isn't a lot there, but the arrangement is cool. 

That said, I'm digging "R U Happy Now", "Get Out of My Face aka Bad Kitty". "Radical" is good, but one of the few low key songs. 

"Sisyphus" is one of the misses for me. It's not bad, but not my jam. Same with the album closer, "the Day I Met Gd". I get with the latter Manson wrote it and then recorded the vocals in her closet and those demo vocals were just used as the actual song. 

I know some of the underlying themes here are about ageism. If Manson were a dude, they would not comment on her age and looks. So "Chinese Fire Horse' takes that on, as do some of the others, to a lesser degree. 

Let All That We Imagine... is a nice solid disk. It won't make a huge commercial or cultural impact, but it's nice to know a band that is 30+ years into it can still make a quality record. 

Bare Trees

Almost two years ago, we had a storm that told us what we already knew:  we had trees that needed to come down. 

We had four large trees - maples all - residing in our front yard. Taking up much of that yard, as they were all probably into their eighth decade. Big mothers. 

The problem - ours and ours alone - was that we just couldn't part with them. Of course, it just became a risk / benefit analysis. It's one thing to take out part of our house with a fallen tree. It's quite another to have a neighbors house damaged because of us. That was really my sticking point. 

We decided to ease our way in and have two taken down. But when we got the estimate, the arborist said that would expose the weakest of the trees to the wind. So, we eased our way more into it and settled on bringing down three and trimming up the remaining one. 

Honestly, from estimate to take down was about 36 hours. Well 40. They arrived 36 hours after we got and approved the estimate. It took another 4-5 to get them down. They thought they'd be here all day. They were wrong. 

Sure, the above pic makes it look like our house is (was) completely obscured from the street, but it wasn't. It is just the angle. But now.......ugh......we are wide out in the open. A house you can now see four residences away. It is just jarring to us.  ....and maybe to our neighbors. I saw one, Zach, walking his kids the other day and he just stopped and looked and looked and looked. We feel exposed literally and figuratively. 

It will be a few weeks before they grind the huge stumps. Longer for the ground to settle. In the meantime, we need to have some landscape person give us advice on how to move forward. 

I'm guessing we will plant new trees, but we will be long gone from the house and planet before they mature. So we need additional solutions. 

Two days after taking them down, we got hit by a huge t-storm. I'm not sure as much of the rain would have pelted the house the way it did had the trees still been there. It was enough to wake me up in the middle of the night - not that it takes much. 

Yes, First World problems, I know. Still, we hate taking a chainsaw to mother nature. Many of Shep's squirrel enemies have been displaced. On a somewhat silver lining note: leaf collection in the fall should be easier. 

Song by: Fleetwood Mac

Strawberry Letter 23

I said I was going to make strawberry ice cream per my husband's request. 

I would do anything for love, but unlike Meat Loaf, I would do that!

The ingredients are even less than they were for the chocolate. The putting it together was slightly easier too, not that the first was taxing. 

The most timely part (other than chilling overnight) is hulling the strawberries. But that is only for a one and one-quarters cup worth. I did slice other for inclusion into the churning process and for garnish, for which the recipe did not call.  

I mean, I AM gay! Somethings just must be done. And Ina always says to have something on it to show what's in it. And one just doesn't cross Ina. 

Should this ice cream making thing continue, I find it highly doubtful you want updates on each kind I attempt. But I'm willing to bow to peer pressure - as always. 

Let's go!

Ingredients 

1½ cups strawberries, hulled and halved (if large) 

¾ cup whole milk 

½ cup granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Pinch sea salt 

1¼ cups heavy cream 

Preparation 

Put the strawberries, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt into a blender and blend on High until completely smooth and homogenous, 40 to 50 seconds. 

Washing the blender took longer than mixing. But it's a purdy shade of strawberry. 

Pour into a bowl and stir in the heavy cream. I licked the spatula and it tasted good. 

Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, preferably overnight. 

Assemble the Mix It In™ Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker with paddle secured and dispenser handle in its upright position. Turn on and pour in the chilled base. 

btw.....this was not soft serve, should it have supposed to have been. 

Churn until the desired serving consistency is reached, 25 to 30 minutes. 

If ice cream is not thick enough, pour back into the freezer bowl and continue mixing until desired consistency is reached, checking every few minutes. 

I had some snafus, to say the least. I'm still figuring out the contraption. Parts didn't move that I though were supposed to (I was incorrect). In trying to fix, the machine wouldn't churn what I had put in, as it had already started to freeze. 

Also, I thought I'd add in some cross-sectioned macerated strawberries for contrast and texture. More on that later. 

The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture.  It would have been more had more air been churned into it before freezing. 

I also added chopped macerated berries while preparing it for cold storage. Again: homo!

Serve in cups or cones, adding toppings while dispensing ice cream.

It served up just fine. It tasted very very strawberry-y.  

Ironically enough, the strawberries were the problem. They froze froze. It was like eating strawberry ice cubes. They were icy, not just frozen. 

The thing to do would have just been to spoon macerated berries over the ice cream after dishing it up. 

Live and learn. 

710 loved it and told me strawberry was his favourite. 40.5 years in and I'm STILL learning something new about this man. 

To me, strawberry was the section of the Neapolitan carton that was thrown out after someone ate the chocolate and vanilla. 

Song by: the Brothers Johnson

My Music Monday

Another new-ish song. 

I think at this stage it is about 3-4 months old, but I'm a little backlogged. I almost did this the other week and opted for another selection, but "undressed" by sombr is now on deck.

Yes, everything is lower cased. It's soooooo in right now. e.e. cummings would be so proud!

The song itself is good. 'undressed' starts off in a very Gotye way. 

After it gets going though, it is reminiscent of someone / something else on which I can not put my finger. If anyone has thoughts, I'm all ears. 

'undressed' is a break-up song for sure. Or post break-up song. 

I've heard this dozens of times, but it's the break of the verse / chorus (2:19 - 2:47) that is the strongest for me, and again, reminiscent of another era of song, the '70s. Late '70s at that.  That 30 second stretch keeps me not changing the XM channel. I want to hear it. 

It is a solid outing. 

Sympathy for the Devil

We don't have Paramount Plus, so we cannot see the 27th season premiere of South Park. 

I'm sure you have all heard about it in regards to making fun of BLOTUS and him sleeping with Satan. I did look into it where I could - mostly YouTube - and from what I can tell, the Satan thing is not really the thing.  .....and it's been done before with Saddam Hussein. 

Yes, I have heard of the "use Paramount's free 7 day trial, then cancel it" thing. It seems like a lot of hoop jumping and you gotta figure they're onto it by now. 

My take is that this episode is a lot more about Paramount than BLOTUS, but it is baiting both of them. Possibly with the hope that BLOTUS will use Paramount or kill the Skydance deal that got Colbert fired cancelled for mocking it as a bribe.  

Trey Parker and Matt Stone even go off "animation" on this one with a deep fake BLOTUS guy trekking through the desert losing more and more clothes down to, and then past his diapers - and just being portrayed as the fat incontinent slob he is, no matter what his doctors say. 

And yes, there is penis. 

The continual theme is how small his penis is. 

.....and you know that is what's gonna piss of BLOTUS. Making fun of his physical being should just level him. 

What I absolutely love: Trey and Stone negotiated a new 5 year deal for $1.2 BILLION dollars with Paramount, and six days later released this episode. It seems like it is a full middle finger to Paramount over their business ethics in streaming rights and acting in "good faith" or lack thereof. 

I didn't know that these guys can put together an episode so fast, but they did. Colbert references and all. 

Of course the episode mocks BLOTUS, but I don't think that's new.  Well......except off the "official" portraits of him hanging at the White House. 

The gloryhole one might be my fave, though the sheep fucking is a close runner up. 

I don't see what is left to do other than for Colbert to have Stone and Parker on for a full hour. 

But yeah - the way Stephen is now really going after BLOTUS and CBS, he's not making it for another year. No way. No how. 

Song by: Rolling Stones

On Top

Yes yes - it's Saturday. Dog and cats. Or kittens. 

It's been hot again. Now and then he needs to air out his privates. 

Arthur!  I get to see him at the gym 1-2 x / week. 

I get jumps and licks. 

Simon!

A rare sighting anymore. Apparently, he likes sleeping on top of the kitchen cabinets. 

Pop Up Shep. 

Another ride home from a run where I happen upon Shep and his walker. He jumped up to see me!

Kitts chillaxing as my nephew works from home. 

It doesn't look like they stray far from each other. Ever. All of them. 

Arthur again.  More licks. He is so adorable. 

Oh, the manipulation. 

Cuteness to hurry along the process to a car ride on a weekend day. 

Song by: the Killers

Crumble

You have to love the GOP and their ever striving lie to being 'fiscal conservatives'. 

Adding $4 TRILLION to the deficit isn't enough. Adding $100 BILLION in "tariffs" isn't the win they think it is. Yes, they taxed those counties, who raised prices which U.S. citizens paid. So, "we" paid the tariffs. 

Now we have this. 

It took me a while to understand this chart. Red is just this year - 2025, month by month. January through June. 

The other 38 grey lines are from 1986-2024 with the same month by month overview. 

There is no way the GOP won't blame this on Pappy Joe. But in reality, even January when Biden was in office, the dollar was affected by the November 2024 news of the soon to be squatting tenant at 1600 Pennsylvania. 

I keep coming back to seeing David Gergen speak in 2010 saying China would pass us economically by 2027 and Japan by 2050.  This is tracking - and that was from 15 years ago. When asked, he wasn't sure the U.S. would even have a seat at the table G7 table. 

He also said that same night, 250 years is a long time for an empire. It wasn't a question of if it would collapse, but when. 

We are one year away from 250 years. I'm not sure we're gonna make it another 11 months before we completely crumble. 

Song by: the National ft Rosanne Cash

Cooking with Blobby

For the most part, Mondays are 'salmon night' for dinner. Usually in the air fryer.

When I started that, I used a rub that for a while seemed ok, but I tired of it quickly - making it and eating it. 710 liked it though. 

Mostly, I just use olive oil, salt and pepper anymore. 

But I saw a recipe for a baked version with a 'glaze' (for lack of a better word) that goes on top. Normally when I use the oven, I just do it on a sheet surrounded by broccoli which roasts perfectly with the fish. 

Anyhoo......I tried a new version this last Monday: Chile Crisp and Honey Roasted Salmon.

I like Chile Crip, so, why the hell not, right? The trick is to get the right chile crisp, or make your own. 

Ingredients are few, and prep is pretty easy. All can be done while the oven preheats. 

Let's do it!

Ingredients 

Yield: 6 servings (I cut everything in half and it yielded two servings)

1 (2-pound) salmon fillet (skin on or off), preferably center cut (I took the skin off)

Salt and pepper 

¼ cup mayonnaise 

2 tablespoons chile crisp 

2 tablespoons honey 

Grated zest from 1 medium lemon 

Preparation 

Step 1 Heat oven to 375 degrees with the rack set in the center position. 

Step 2 Place the salmon in a baking dish that fits the salmon snugly (about 8 by 12 inches or 9 by 13 inches) and season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the salmon skin-side down (if it has a skin) and set aside. 

Step 3 In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chile crisp, honey and lemon zest. Taste the mixture and add more chile crisp to taste, or honey to balance the heat. Spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly on top of the salmon. 

The pieces on the left broke off with the pulling of the skin. I still baked them. It was a good treat for Shep. No sauce for him. 

Step 4 Place the salmon in the oven and bake until the thickest part of the salmon flakes easily when tested with a paring knife and the topping is bubbling a little along the edges, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. Spoon any glaze that has run off back onto the salmon and serve.

I looked pretty. It tasted ok. The salmon was cooked wonderfully. 710 got heat from the chile crisp - I did not. I picked up on the lemon zest. 

I was hoping for more spice. I used a mild chile crisp, maybe I need a hotter one - though again, 710 tasted and felt it. Maybe my spice receptors have taken a beating over the last years. 

This seems more of a fall / winter thing. I don't normally fire up the oven in summer. While I did serve with a salad, broccoli would have been good as the side. 

Baking (?) with Blobby

Ok. I don't know what the post title should be here. 

It's not Cooking. It's not Baking. At best it's Assembling. But it's dessert, so I feel 'baking' goes better. 

It's ice cream making time. 

Eons ago we got an ice cream maker from some leftover store credit we had at William Sonoma. We have used it once (!) in 13 years.  

The reality is: I eat ice cream a lot. So 710 had the scathingly brilliant idea of pulling the maker out of storage. That we moved it to the "new" place was a surprise to me. I guess we didn't purge as much as I thought. 

710 got the ball rolling by getting it from the basement and sending me a recipe. A little passive-aggressive, but I got the fucking hint. 

I don't know a lot about ice cream recipes but I know some involve cooking. This one did not. It was mixing, chilling, churning and freezing. 

Overall pretty easy. A little messy. but hell, I was using cocoa powder. Try not to get that everywhere!

I mean, you do - I'm assuming - have to have some kind of ice cream making device unless you have your own churn, ice and salt. 

Ingredients 

¾ cup cocoa powder, sifted 

½ cup granulated sugar 

⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar 

Pinch salt 

1 cup whole milk 

2 cups heavy cream 

½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract 

¾ cup crumbled brownies, chilled 

Preparation 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugars, and salt. 

Add the milk and, using a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk, beat to combine until the cocoa, sugars, and salt are dissolved. 

Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. 

Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. I did it for 10 hours. 

Turn on the Cuisinart® ice cream maker. 

Whisk the ice cream base, and then pour the mixture into the freezer bowl through the ingredient funnel.

Churn until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. 

At the end of churning time, add the brownie pieces through the ingredient funnel and churn for about 1 minute. 

I didn't think the pieces were big, but they didn't incorporate well. They broke down to nothing and the ice cream at this point was thick and they didn't churn in well.  Next time I'd add them after I scooped out the ice cream and fold them in. 

The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. For a firmer consistency, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in the freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

I froze for a few hours. Didn't take it out 15 minutes early. 

It served up just fine. Extremely chocolatey and tasty. 710 said he couldn't taste the brownie part since the ice cream was so chocolatey. If I ever got brownie, I didn't know it.  .....though the kid in me tossed on some sprinkles. 

I'd definitely do this again. And I'll price it out, but I think it's cheaper than Ben & Jerry's.

.....I've been asked to try Strawberry next. 

Affair of the Heart

I really really really really really really want to thank that CEO and Chief People Officer for a somewhat much needed internet distraction. 

Sure sure......Congress ok'd the defunding of NPR and PBS while we were looking at two people trying to hide at a Coldplay concert. They payoff was not equal, of course. 

I mean, if I went to a Coldplay concert, I too would not want anyone to know either. 

We know I'm cheap frugal, so you know I wasn't parting with $$$ to see Chris Martin & Co.  .....even if the company was probably being expensed for it. 

You know, if they showed no reaction to the kiss-cam, or whatever it was, no one would have even noticed them. Martin would have never correctly guessed they were having an affair and no one would have put 2+2 together. 

Probably. 

Instead, they've just became meme fodder (well and unemployable) that took off like no one's business. And many were A or A+. 

Possibly no one did better, or quicker, than the Phillie Phanatic. 

It was one of the first I had seen and it made me smile. Ditto with the Elaine Dickinson and Otto Pilot one on top.

I feel bad-ish for their spouses and children - though Show and Tell is gonna be killer this year! Doubtful this a first cheat for either of them. Or who knows, maybe they all have open relationships, but then why the duck and cover.

As cynical as I can be - and oh, can I be - I assumed it was all just to get that guy's company in the news. The news items were talking about it like we should already know about it - and I think we just don't. Nor have I looked. Though I have seen former employees from former companies for which the CEO headed and heard horror stories about imploding start-ups and the losing of funds for those employed. 

Sure, start-ups are risky, but this guy's track record isn't great. 

If nothing else, we know how Chris Martin is gonna start his probable holiday letter at the end of this year.....

Song by: Rick Springfield

My Music Monday

We were driving just a few days back and a song called "Lights & Music" from a group called Cut Copy came on. 

There was no Paste. 

That's an operating software "joke". 

I was thinking I liked it but 710 said it aloud. 

To me - well, us - it was new. I'm a little surprised to find out it's at least 14 years old. But in a way it makes sense. I was telling 710 how I thought it harkened back to some older music.......and I suppose because it was older music. 

It was the backing vocals / arrangement that drew me in more than the main melody or lyrics. I pick up on lyrics easily, but have only listened to the song twice, so.that wasn't the major factor. What I have picked up on is nothing earthshaking. 

The backing "vocals" (no actual words) just have a semi-hypnotic kind of feel. 

While it won't make any running playlist, it's familiar for being new......to me. 

Late Show

You know, I had a post ready to go - well, almost ready to go. But social media has just exploded over the last few days. 

Today I'll touch on Stephen Colbert. 

When I heard CBS had cancelled his show, it was without knowledge he had criticized his own network for pandering to, and caving to, some business deal that would please BLOTUS. 

However, I did assume that since he makes fun of BLOTUS five times per week, that CBS pulled the plug due to the daily mockery of the asshole president. 

Think Norm MacDonald being fired from SNL for making fun of OJ Simpson, who was a close friend of the head of the show at the time. 

Better yet, think of the executive producer of 60 Minutes who got canned* earlier this year by, tah-dah, CBS corporate leaders were no longer allowing him to make independent decisions. This resignation came after a period of increased pressure on the show, including a lawsuit from BLOTUS. 

Yes, CBS kowtowed to BLOTUS in hopes of avoiding a lawsuit about unflattering stories about him on 60 Minutes. And they most likely did it again with Colbert. 

It goes back to my oft stated view that no network will truly press BLOTUS or this administration on just about any and every thing in hopes of still being considered to head what will become State Media. 

CBS aren't just cowards, they are blatant about it. 

The cancellation news came three days after Colbert called CBS out on their dealings while on the air. Yes, CBS said they're cancelling it, but in another year, due to cost. 

I have zero idea how much this production takes. But Colbert brings in almost as many viewers and Kimmel and Fallon combined.  So..........I'm not sure $$$ holds water. 

And IF it is monetary, why wait a year to incur costs? Even if you have to payout Colbert's contract, if you cut the production costs and sell the Ed Sullivan Theater, I'm guessing your money woes are no more, no? 

The on-line support for Colbert is massive. Even Kimmel came out with a big "fuck you" to CBS. Fallon, ever the pussy, has said nothing. 

Maybe it's all a tactic to get more viewers. But I'm thinking - and I could be wrong - this show isn't going on another year. Not if people keep bashing CBS this way. There is too much ill will with and for the network. 

Colbert can probably go and do whatever he wants, after what I'm sure is a healthy and iron clad non-compete clause in his contract. Cable is probably safer for him than network. Conan thrived that way. 

I'd say he'd be a shoe-in for full time host of the Daily Show. But Comedy Central is owned by Paramount who owns CBS. 

Actually, Paramount's main properties include the namesake Paramount Pictures Corporation, the CBS Entertainment Group (consisting of the CBS and partially owned The CW television networks and television stations, BET Media Group (which oversees BET and its sister channels), and other CBS-branded assets), Paramount Media Networks (consisting of American-based cable television networks including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CMT, Paramount Network, and Showtime) and Paramount Streaming (including Paramount+ and Pluto TV). 

If you wonder how easy it is for BLOTUS to gain and retain propaganda, it's really not that hard. 

Now do the same search for Warner Brothers, Universal, Disney and Fox and that is just about every news, entertainment, movie, sports, and a lot of radio and streaming services too. 

I don't stay up for any late talk show, but Colbert was (is) one of the best and most natural. I think, and hope, CBS has bit off more than it can chew with this transition. 

*he actually resigned citing loss of journalistic independence. 

Song by: Book of Love

Double Trouble

To reference my 12 of 12 the other day, the vet sign said "Show Us Your Kitties" 

Technically - or remotely - they are not mine. But I have some for you today - including some dog shots. 

While I know I can't do another kitten (I'm too old), I love kittens. 

Shep waiting for transport somewhere. Anywhere. Well....almost anywhere. 

Hank makes a return visit. He was "featured" here a few weeks back. 

He is a Portuguese Water Dog who doesn't like water. 

He also didn't fawn all over me, so now I hate him!  

Maybe it's a brown tabby thing. 

This is how Sophie used to sleep with me on cold winter nights. But I'm glad this pair feel safe with my nephew. 

Mid-bark. 

ALWAYS mid bark. 

Shep at the vet. 

He wasn't sick, he needed all his annual shots. He just shakes so badly at the vet. But he was a champ. 

Olive. 

Her owners just loathe that she loves me. I'm ok with that. 

Raspberries. 

Hot Hot Day. 

And we found a shin deep fountain in which to frolic. 

Passed out. 

They always seem to be sleeping. I rarely caught Simon sleeping. He was always on the go!

 

Song by: the Cars