Music Friday: "Life Is Grand"

I listened to a lot of Camper Van Beethoven in the late 80s and early 90s. 

Here's what might be described as an anti-alternative anthem amongst the angst of the Reagan-Bush administrations. 

The second video has better sound quality, fwiw. 

Random Notes from a Crank

On Valentines Day, YouGov had its three daily questions focus on love and relationships and such. 

The first question was, "Throughout your life, how many people have you been in love with?" Here's how the percentages broke down when I took the survey:

• 0, 4%
• 1, 17%
• 2, 24%
• 3, 19%
• 4, 9%
• 5, 4%
• More than 5, 10%

60% of respondents said either 1, 2, or 3 partners. One factor I think in play is the first person you love and how breaking up with them makes you more rigorous in falling in love after the first person broke your heart. That's why I checked 2. 

As for these "more than 5" people, I think they need to be more rigorous with their loving. 

This week I finished rewatching all six seasons of Northern Exposure, which is now available on Amazon Prime. It's my favorite TV show of all time. At the end of every episode, you have a good feeling at the end--except of course the final episode when I was sad the series was over. 

The show was way ahead of its time. From my knowledge, the series has to be one of the first to have an openly gay couple in it. And the show started questioning Maurice's sexuality from the second episode after he gets mad at Chris for bringing up Walt Whitman's homosexuality. 

One of my favorite episodes is the one in which Maurice has a fancy dinner party for the 25th anniversary of his radio station, the one titled "The Big Feast." Ron, one of the gay men in the series, raises a toast to Maurice by saying, "You're a bigot and a homophobe." 

Music Friday: "Homesick"

After watching his performance on Austin City Limites, I've gotten into Noah Kahan's music lately.

Here's a great tune from Stick Season.

Random Notes from a Crank

In the February issue of Harper's, they provided some excerpts from The Notebooks of Sonny Rollins, the great jazz saxophonist. Here are some entries to spoke to me: 

• Another good day to think and be thankful for.
• Ask Charles: Is it about eating and putting a roof over your head? Is that what life amounts to?
• I have at times wanted and wished for time to stand still at particular moment. If it would all stay this way this would be heaven. But of course (reality) the other side of the whole soon reappears. Things are never constant. Disaster is coming. Disasters are coming. 
• Forgive everyone everything. 
• What other people think of you is none of your business. 
• No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up. 

Here's an interesting gifted article from The Washington Post: "The Remarkable Power of Holding Hands with Someone You Love."

The article reminds of a bit by Chris Rock in one of his more recent specials where he talks about how he'll do all kinds of sexual stuff with a woman with no personal attachment, but if he holds hands with her, then he gets emotionally attached. 

It's been a long time ago since I had gotten under the weather. I think the last time I got sick was maybe in 2018 or 2017. I survived the pandemic without contracting Covid (as far as I know), and this past weekend I got brought down by the common cold. 

Music Friday: "ICU"

I'm a big fan of Phoebe Bridgers. 

Here's a tune of hers. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Salmon Loaf

I found a recipe for salmon loaf on the InterWebs and modified it a little. It's pretty easy to make, but you need to create some kind of dill- or lemon-based sauce to put over it. 

Ingredients

• 1 can of canned salmon, drained and flaked
• 1 cup of dried breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup of diced onion
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Juice of half of a lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Couple of dashes of liquid smoke (you could substitute smoked paprika)
• Smidge of Old Bay seasoning

Process

After draining the salmon and flaking it, cook down onions in a little bit of oil. In a big mixing bowl, add the everything and mix well. 

Grease down a sheet pan and with your hands mold the mixture into a loaf. 

Put it into a 375-degree oven on the middle rack and bake for approximately 40-50 minutes. The loaf should have at least an internal temp of 165 degrees. 

Music Friday: "Use Me"

This week I've been listening to this album quite often. It's Lean on Me: The Best of Bill Withers. 

Enjoy.