I gotta talk about The New Pornographers

  Ok, it's been a minute.  It's always is with this thing, and with most other things in my life but let me rant about The New Pornographers for a bit.  

  Ruby and I went to go see The New Pornographers last Saturday night at the White Oak Music Hall.  It's a show that Ruby is sure NOT to skip.  The few times they book a show in Houston, she is sure to purchase tickets, without letting me know if she so chooses.  She doesn't have to as I love them as well.  The show was no disappointment at all either.  They bring it every night, that, I am sure of.  Also, I will say that going to a show these days that does not allow pictures or video recording at all was actually pretty damn nice.  There was a moment or two that my mind wished I could have gotten a picture of the band, but I didn't want to get kicked out of the show.  The White Oak Staff was all over it and jumped on a few folk with the quickness.  Good on them.  

  I don't remember how I got into The New Pornographers.  I do know it was "The Laws Have Changed," that hooked me.  I think that was their first big hit. I remember the video, but I doubt that MTV had anything to do with it.  How did one discover music in 2003?  I am not sure.  I did used to have an actuall magazine subscription to NME that featured indie artist that also included an actual, physical CD that had a mix of the bands featured in that month's issue.  Can you dig that?  Maybe the were featured in there?  In any event, I found them some how and purchase Electric Version in the year it was released.  Smart move.

  

  Not to take away from the rest of the musicians in the band at all, but Neko Case was the stand out.  The vocals just stick out so much.  I guess that the song writing is the thing that helps bring that out and just absolutely hook you in.  I think that I really have enjoyed every album that they have put out.  A solid catalog from top to bottom.  

  In 2005 we were lucky enough of to catch them while on a vacation trip to San Francisco at an awesome venue called Bimbo's 365.  If we were every going out of town, I would always scan to if we could potentially catch a show from a band we like if we could.  That was probably one of the smartest things I did that year.  I think Twin Cinema had just come out so I hadn't heard anything off of it yet, but we went and I bought the cd at the show.  I was also lucky that in 2005, Hotel Rooms sometimes had alarm clocks that had CD players in them.  The venue was like a 1940's ballroom.  It was fucking classy as shit.  It had giant as Chandelier and they, as a venue, also did not allow any photography at all.  As an added bonus, Destroyer opened the show and Dan Bejar also joined The New Pornographers as and played two sets that night.  I didn't know him at the time, but also became a fan that night.  

  During the Houston set, they ended with "The Bleeding Heart Show."  That might be a perfect song for them to end any one of their shows.  There was a moment during that particular song that I am not sure that I have ever felt at a live show.  I might have, but I don't recall off the top of my head.  During the Coda of the song (I am not sure if that is what it is called - AROUND THE 2:40 MARK IN THE SONG), I got fucking chills.  I mean straight up Goose Bumps.  It was an absolute amazing feeling, that just hit me.  I am not sure why.  I mean the song is amazing, but to actually get god damn Goose Bumps!?!?  Incredible.  Maybe it is because I am getting older, I was just in the moment and all these feelings hit me?  I am not sure, but it was like a runners high.  Exhilarating.  It was a great night to a great, professional, awesome sounding show.  I am glad that I felt the way I did and went to the show.  I could go on and on and I sure, but I will end it there.  I just wanted to make sure that I recorded this feeling down some how and glad that I did.  

  

  

Keeping It Going.....

 You know, I always have a bunch of things that I want to do.  Not necessarily goals, but you could say that.  When I actually get some things going, I find that I can't seem to stay consistent on one of them, something always seems to get left behind.  It's like I can't juggle doing more than two or three things for any amount of time.  I don't quite know why that is...duh, or else I woulds be doing them.  Running is dominating my time right now.  Not that it is super time consuming, but it does wear me down.  It think it is the getting up at 05:30 in the morning five times a week.  Not sure if this is the answer to the problem, I can't go to sleep early.  Try 05:30 in the morning, and running.  You might change your tune a little.

 I was doing really well with reading for about two years, but I fell off that horse and hard.  It first started when the post season started for the MLB.  I told the girls that as long as The Astros were in the postseason, normal life will come to a stop, and it did.  Once it ended, very successfully, the holidays were right behind that.  Since then, I can't seem to pick it back up.  I don't know why, I really love to get lost in a great story....I really do.  I am just having a hard time trying to get back to everyday reading.  I will try to schedule it in this week, but it hasn't worked yet.  

  The other thing that lingers around me is playing music.  I can't seem to keep that going either, strange to me in that I do want to.  Ugh, at least I think that I do.  Why is it that I can't seem to stay with it?!?!  I had a good little streak going with playing the bass a little.  At the time, I was hoping to jam with Raymond.  After a few weeks, it just faded.  It is something else that I am going to try add to my routine in the next week, or so.  

  Another thing I am trying to approve on is trying to keep the house clean.  Like I have been really putting in major effort into it.  The only thing that really happens with that is I get stuck in the kitchen.  It takes all of the damn time!!  I am still trying though.  There are other areas that I want to get to, again, something else I am going to effort to squeeze in the daily routine. 

   Spring Break is winding down.  It was fairly uneventful for the kids.  I think they are ok with it though.  Squeezed in one other movie, Memento, which they all liked.  Looking ahead at the calendar, there is just about two months left in the school year.  Shit.  I can be dangerous to look ahead.  Raymond will be done with 11th grade and the Girls will be in the 8th.  Where does the time go?  I don't know, but I do my best to try and make good memories with the kiddos.  I feel as if I have done a pretty good job with that.  Hopefully, they look back at me with happiness.  We need to get more time in with friends and family, the time will fly by and we will all wonder just what the hell happened?  

Mike, This is Your Fault...

Ok Mike, this is for you.  You planted that damn seed in my head.  I am basically doing this for you.  Ha! 

 

Well, let's see...where do I start?  Well, I have been on a successful streak on running.  I usually get up at 05:30 am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.  I started on this nice little streak in the first week of January with the intentions of weight loss, but things changed for me a little bit.  I followed my safe little "couch to 5K" training schedule that I have always followed and was so excited to get to the week where I finally get to 3 miles because it had been almost exactly two years when it came up.  Things didn't go well.  When I got to the day to run 3 miles, I couldn't do it.  It was a complete failure and such a let down.  I wanted to stop like after my first mile.  I was hurting and had to actually walk just about half of it.  What the hell happened?  What was the point in slowly building up to it and not be able to do it?!?  I think I hit the old wall that people talk about, so I took about a week off.  When I started up again, same thing.  It was very frustrating.  

 I started doing some digging online.  I found a good follow (for me) and I decided to change things up.  One thing I read was that running just three days a week isn't enough if you want to achieve distance goals, which I was starting to focus more on than weight loss.  Five days a week was suggested, but not only that, I had to mix it "easy runs".  Something that isn't strenuous.  So I gave it a shot, and decided to roll back on my distance.  It's working so far.  I feel a lot better.  I am going to take my time and just stay as consistent as I can.  I want to be able to eventually get to 3 miles and do it well.  Just like to master it and feel like a runner.  I think I am well on my way.  

 So now that it is March, I have been running for the majority of three months.  I have heard studies that it may take a season to really form a habit, unlike the two weeks that have be thought of in the past.  I am pretty much there.  I have no intention on stopping.  Let's see how long I can keep this up.

 

 

Moving on....We are over half way through with the kids Spring Break.  Of course Ruby and I had to work but we decided to try to watch a few movies in the evening.  A year or two ago we started having movie nights.  I wrote random movies on little pieces of paper and put them in a mason jar and we pick at random.  We started that again.  We have only watched "Signs" and "Can't Hardly Wait."  I think the kids liked them overall.  Well, I know Raymond enjoyed them.  Zoe and Lylah may be a bit harder to impress.  Lylah liked them, but I can't get a read on Zoe.  I hope they do at least appreciate that we actually do this together.  Hopefully it feels them with some good memories.  It won't always be this way.  I know I try to soak in the moments while we go through them.  

 As I mentioned to you before, I am going through The Cure's discography. It's pretty cool to hear the albums get better as you go on.  The early stuff is good, but they albums get better.  I will try to go through their entire studio albums....I'm currently on album five now?   Let's see...

- Three Imaginary Boys (done)

- Seventeen Seconds (done)

- Faith (done)

- Pornography (done)

- The Top (done)

- The Head on the Door (currently on)

I REALLY liked Faith and Pornography, which I have never really listened to before.  Can't wait to keep on going.  

Alright, I am done for the night.  Gotta hit the bed.  More later this week. 

COVID is fire like spreading....

 

   Covid continues to thrive and mess with everyday life, you don't need me to tell you that, but man it certainly seems like more people that I know have gotten it recently than any other wave.  It certainly feels that way, anyway.  I have been lucky enough to not have gotten Covid, that I am aware of.  I've had a couple of close calls, but so far, so good.  Add on top of that, I just recently received my booster shot (finally), so here's to hoping I continue to avoid any positive results.  I guess I will say it, I am so over this crap disrupting everyday life.  It does seem like we are adapting to it, but it still just isn't the normal life that we have all known pre-2020.  Will we ever really get there?  Who the hell knows, surely eventually.  Before moving on, I will report that my arm does hurt a bit from the booster shot, but hasn't really bothered me, or hindered me in doing my job of sometimes lifting 50-70 pound ice chests stuffed with soil/water samples and ice.  

   So far in 2022, I have pretty much accomplished preeeettttty much nothing at all.  I have gotten off to a fantastic start there.  Big.  Fat.  Zero.  I really need to change my mind set and get off my ass.  Ugh, it is so hard to get going.  It shouldn't be, but it is.  I think I am naturally lazy.  Ha!  I know there are the type of people that are always going, always doing something.  You know, people that can't sit still, they just have to be up doing something.  Nope, not me.  This has never been a problem for me at all.  I even know that I need to get up and do something, but I just don't.  I have to change this.  Sigh, more to come on this...hopefully.  

   A couple of quick hits on the way out...

      - Since that New Year, "time to get in shape declaration" that some of us make, I have GAINED two damn pounds...so there's that....

      - The new Scream movie is easily the second best in the franchise (Girls' LOVED it!)

      - It kind of sucks when you are at a job for several years and things start changing.  Why do things have to change? (I still like my job, but.....)

      - I am thinking of getting the Old Gamboa Test Kitchen going and trying some new recipes very soon.

   Apologies for the few weeks delay on this,  I really want to keep this going, but when I started this back up I was on a three week "break" from work due to COVID exposure for precaution.  I had a bit of time to kill, but once we got back to normal, it got a bit difficult to get back.  I think I am getting settled back into a normal life, just have to figure the schedule out and stay on it.  

   

The end of 2021....but what does that mean?

 

   As yet another year winds down, I will dust this thing off and reflect on the last year (or two) and start to map out the incoming new year...2022!!  Wow...that sounds weird.  

   We are wrapping up a two year stretch that has got to be one of the weirdest two years in human history. I am not sure if that is true exactly, but it certainly feels that way, doesn't it?  I have said for the last six months, that 2021 might be stranger than 2020.  I seem to think that COVID and everything that surrounds it has made it, and will continue to make it weirder, stranger, or whatever adjective you want to use.  I am also afraid to say, that I don't see any end to COVID in the foreseeable future.  Unless more people take it more seriously, it will remain to be the case.  I am not going to get in to all of that shit here.  I think we are probably all sick of rehashing the same things related to all things COVID.  I will remain to take all for the precautions needed to ensure that me and everyone around me, stays as clear from COVID as possible.  That is my choice....

   Of course as a new year rolls around, I always take some time to make resolutions.  Why not?  Resolutions are just goals,  and setting goals can be a good thing, whether reached or not.  I think the usual suspects will be on my lists.....reading, getting healthy, etc, etc....what are some of your goals for 2022?  I continue to read, but fell off a little the second half of this year.  I hope to get back on it this year, I need to continue to try and finish all of the Stephen King books (yeah, right!!)

   Running is something else that I very much try to do and get better at.  I hope to start back on that horse the first week of the New Year.  I need to get healthy.  It ain't going get any easier the older I get, and time is definitely marching on.  Not to mention, that I have pretty much picked up the twenty pounds that I lost in 2017-2018.  That was something that I should have never let happen because I really feel the extra weight, and I feel terrible.  

   There is so much more that I can type up here and make this post go on and on and on, but I will wrap it up here.  I just wanted to get something in the books.   I have thought about blogging and journalling a lot the end of this year so wanted to act on that.  I am not sure what 2022 will bring, but I think things are going to change, and I'm sure things aren't going to get any easier for anyone in the future.  Having said that, I do think that making some goals/resolutions and trying to chip away at them one day at a time will help get these goals (for me or for anyone) accomplished as we try to make the absolute best of what will be handed to us in 2022.  I wish nothing for the best for everyone and for myself as I try to get focused and to continue on as best as I can.  Won't you all join in with me?  Let's do this!  

Sunday - 7/29/18

Ah Sunday!  Here we go again.  A new week is upon us as the weekend winds down.  Sunday nights we find ourselves almost at our busiest time of the weekend.  We try to tie up loose ends around the house and Ruby furiously meal preps for the coming week.  She has done a great job of it the last three or four Sunday nights.  At times you can see the exhaustion on her face while working on the menu for the next two to four days.  I feel bad.

I really don't have any particular direction for this post, so I leave with a couple of random thoughts....

- be careful what you wish for sometimes.  We are doing some work to the house, and knowing that in the long run it will be well worth it, the journey to getting there can be a bit frustrating.  Wish we would just get to the end of it...not so fast though....

- Ruby purchased a couple of Stephen King audio books for me.  I've never dabbled in his books before, although I have read The Shining and Stand by Me so never mind.  I will add this to the growing number of "books to read," although audio books can be a little easier since I can listen while I drive around the greater Houston area for work. 

- August is pretty much here.  I keep reminding the kids that summer is almost done, just so it doesn't catch them off guard.  Gotta try to make the most of what little summer that is left for them...time, where does it go?!? 

- I hate yard work.  I've put mine off well enough to punish myself once I finally get to it. 

- I have thought about getting into mediation here and there, but am thinking more about it lately.  I don't know why? 

I guess I will leave it at that for now.....will try to post in the next week or two....(maybe)...

What Motivates You?

Here we are again, yet another blog post about trying to pick things back up.  We are six months into the year and thought it might be good to look at what goals I set out to do at the beginning of the year and see how well, or how shitty I have done.  After evaluating that,  I would probably reset or refocus on said goals.  The only problem is why?  Why does one stop doing something that they really want to do?  What is it that makes maintaining, say a work out program, or eating better throughout the year?  One of the great mysteries of my life.

I remember someone said that if you need motivation to get started or to do something, then you probably don't want to do it, or shouldn't.  I can see the point in that, but surely this isn't the case for everyone.  If memory serves, it was Trent Reznor that said that on a Rockline interview many moons ago.  That is easy for him to say.  He may be wired a certain way than I might be (very clearly).  Let's say that he is musically gifted and working on music isn't as hard to him, and he probably has the means to do so as well.  Different circumstances for everyone.

I do certainly understand what he meant by that.  If you want to do something, then just fucking do it, right?!  Bam!  Simple as that.  It certainly makse a ton of sense, but it just isn't as easy as that for some...hell, for most, I imagine. Having said all of that, I am starting to just do things.  It's a slow process, but I am crawling my way into starting things, and keeping them going.  There's a lot to do.

The big thing is maintaining it  I should be so much better at running, but I always stop.  It's never easy.  There a lot of reasons to stopping, but in the end you might think that are excuses.  You can say that, for sure, but they are legitimate.  Having a family, having a full time job, and even owning a house.  None of it is easy.  It is easy, however, stopping.  Way too easy.  Ugh.  I am really going to try. I've had a successful week, now just to grow in it.  Improve.  I have to.  It is my goal.  I am going to try the just fucking do it thing.  So far, one week in, I've done it.  One week...no big whoop, right?!!  No.  Maybe not, but it's a start, and I go from here.