I’ve been trying really hard to find the good things going on in the world. This is not an easy thing to do. The news media thrives on negativity, and with Trump out of office they’re doing everything they can to sensationalism any glimmer of bad news into something outrageous to build ratings and ad revenue.
It’s not easy to blog about the happy when the world is filled with so much unhappy. So, as a distraction, here’s Mr. Mister from 1985 and a performance of “Kyrie”.
It’s finally happened! ABBA as announced a new album, “Voyage”, due out in November. Going along with the new album, “ABBA” will be performing in a specially constructed venue in London. I put ABBA in quotes because the performance will actually be by ABBAtars, holographic representations of the group with younger looking features. They’re wearing their motion capture suits in the picture at the top of this page.
I would love to go to London to see this show!
Two songs of the upcoming “Voyage” album were released today. The first, “I Still Have Faith In You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down”. I enjoy both songs and even though it’s been 39 years since the release of their last single, “Under Attack”, these new tracks solidly sound like ABBA. They sound as great as ever.
I can’t wait for the entire album to drop.
I always thought Texas wanted to secede from the United States because they have they’re own little country going on down there, with their own rules, big hair, big trucks, and quite frankly, too many people with shit for brains.
I could easily go on a long rant about how stupid and idiotic things are in The Lone Star state. The whole loss of electricity last winter. The rampant COVID-19 blowing through the population. Now they’ve set up a citizens tattling system where any citizen can sue anyone involved with a suspected abortion after the first six weeks of pregnancy. The Uber driver, the doctor, the security guard at the clinic, the woman, the man, hell, probably even the fetus. No evidence is required, just an anonymous tip to a website and if the accused doesn’t show up they default to guilty and $10K in fines are some other such nonsense. Feels like McCarthyism with a more sadistic twist to me. Anyone that thinks this is a good idea is out of their god damn mind.
Of course, the tainted Supreme Court of the United States ruled to let the new stay while they figure things out because Trump, McConnell, and the fucktard set put judges on the bench that have no right or merit to be there. The Supreme Court, as it is today, is a joke and if they weren’t so dangerous with their idiocy I couldn’t care less what they had to say.
This is a huge step in order to nullify Roe v Wade, and if anyone thinks the idiots on the Supreme Court are going to protect anything like gay rights or voter rights or anything else that isn’t man at work-wife in the kitchen-and 2.5 children-only white thank you, you’re an idiot too.
I’m sure that busted up old hag in Maine (Susan Collins) is very concerned. Of course the lobster fucktards up there voted her back in because they’re stupid and probably dying of butter poisoning because we all know lobster is nothing more than a butter delivery system. Meanwhile, in Arizona we’re stuck with some fuckwit (Kyrsten Sinema) that dresses up in skirts and wigs and does cutsie dances while denying people a raise in minimum wage.
But I’m not going to rant.
There’s a ton of buzz about this ABBA Voyage coming out later this week. We know we’ll get some new music and maybe a concert with some holograms. I’m really excited to hear one of my favorite groups again. I’ve always loved ABBA and the idea of them releasing new music after nearly 40 years is a bright spot in a desperately bleak century.
As a refresher, here’s the last song ABBA released before their “temporary hiatus”. From 1982, it’s “Under Attack”.
Some days, you just have to hold your tongue. Other days, the mouth says what it’s going to say.
During our travels yesterday, we stopped at the Sunset Point Rest Area on Interstate 17 between Phoenix and Flagstaff. We did the same thing 18 1/2 years ago in March 2003.
So, we’ve lived in Arizona for five or so months and I finally found my “favorite road” to drive (thus far). We’ve been around a good portion of the southeast corner of the state, and State Route 188 has been deemed my favorite.
When we lived in New York, it was NY Route 177. When we lived in Chicago, it was Illinois 26 (especially south of Interstate 80).
State Route 188 here in Arizona runs from US 60 just west of Globe to State Route 87 south of Payson. The road is wide and open, with the speed limit as high as 65. Like favorite NY Route 177, Arizona State Route 188 runs through very few towns; one basically has to slow down to pass through Roosevelt and to go over the bridge near Theodore Roosevelt Dam. Much of the route passes alongside the Roosevelt Reservoir.
It’s open, with gentle curves, interesting desert scenery, and I find it a pleasure to drive. I look forward to doing it again soon.
It’s a two selfie day! 15 years or so ago I went back to school to become a Civil Engineer, with a focus on traffic management. That dream didn’t come to fruition in the way of a career, but from time to time I dabble with designs based on what I learned in college.
Sometimes a dork just wants to have fun.
I don’t know if it can be attributed to middle age or if it’s a result of pandemic and the general chaos of society, but I have really lost track of time. Moving from the Midwest to the Desert Southwest probably contributed to this as well. When I was in North Carolina last week I was surprised to see some maple trees starting to change their leaves; in my mind it’s somewhere between January 2020 and May 2021 and I’ve found it very hard to discern the current season living here in the desert.
This morning I was in the mood to throw on a t-shirt and a pair of camo shorts for work. Even though I’ve worked from home for over a decade, I still like to put on fairly decent clothes when in “work mode”. Today’s agenda involves writing a bunch of code and doing a few end of the week odds and ends. In a swing of incredible events, my calendar today was clear of calls. Hence, an Atari t-shirt and camo shorts. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m also in my bare feet while working today.
My work week flew by but I’m still ready for the weekend. I need to relax from this jumbled up timeline.
I will always consider being a teenager in the 1980s as one of the greatest gifts to my life. This song resonates with me in a way few songs do, and I’ve always loved the simplicity of the music video. Many bad things happened in the 1980s, yes, but so many good things happened as well.
I really miss music like this. Here’s Joe Jackson with “Steppin’ Out”.
Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.
Weird? Eccentric!