music: “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” Olivia Dean
I’m pretty sure I wore shorts when we went out last weekend. Not this weekend! We went out yesterday and I was in jeans and a zip up hoodie because it was rainy with a nice chill. I didn’t mind at all. I’d like a few more days of sweater weather, please? It’s just a little startling when the weather switches like that.
WRITING
I started a story in late 2024 and have written about 57,000 words on it since. It’s not at its end (though I know how it ends) and I’ve decided to do a bit of a re-write. I don’t want to write a new story because I think this one deserves completion but it does need work. It’s crazy to think that it’s already taken me almost two years to write it.
I want to edit my November 2025 novel as well because I really do like that story. I had added an epilogue to it after November but that’s it. I started re-reading it the other day and I liked it. I want to add more to the characters and their inner workings. I’ve never written a story that had grief figure so prominently but this one does. Maybe it helped writing this story at that particular time.
And then there’s the Kiari story I started awhile back where Ares makes a cameo but it’s mean to be a Kiari and Thor adventure. I just don’t know why I added some kind of demon to the story. What demon, from what story? If I ever figure it out, maybe I can write the whole story…
MUSIC
Dandelion – Ella Langley’s sophomore album dropped on Friday and I’ve listened to it a couple of times already. There are more than a few songs that have already caught my ear – “Be Her,” “You & Me Time,” “Most Good Things Do,” “Bottom of Your Boots,” “Somethin’ Simple,” “Butterfly Season,” “I Gotta Quit.” And that’s not including “Choosin’ Texas,” which I LOVE. Ella is one of my blindspots, so I’m inclined to love her music, starting from that duet with Riley Green, “You Look Like You Love Me.” I’m giving Dandelion a big thumbs up.
The Art of Loving – I happened upon Olivia Dean’s song “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” and I just fell for it. I gave her album a listen and I love its vibe, so I clicked on “buy.” She has a lovely voice and her music is so good on the ears.
Oh, and while going through my IG feed, a post regarding Ryan Gosling and his music caught my eye. The post featured snippets of different Ryan songs. The usual culprits were there – songs from Dead Man’s Bones and La La Land. There was the early ’00s (?) song “Put Me in the Car” then two songs I’d never heard before! How have I gone all these years without hearing “Wake” and “You’re My Favourite Song”? I’ve spent decades listening to “Put Me in the Car” and now I have two more Ryan songs to add to my music library. Nice! 😉
We went out yesterday (Saturday) afternoon for drinks and eventually dinner. I had a very good Old-Fashioned at Crown and Crow, where one of favorites, Marilyn, just happened to be working. She only works maybe once or twice a month so it was nice to see her on one of her random days. She makes such a great Old-Fashioned. I was made sure to sip slow but I still felt the effects of it, especially since it was my second drink. (First one was a Jameson and ginger.) Our next stop was BCBC, where I had tea to go along with my chips and cheese. I knew better than to have a third drink. 😛
We ended up having dinner at Rubiano’s. I usually get pasta there and chose the spaghetti bolognese this time. It was delicious, as always. It was a late dinner but it was very good. Downtown felt a little subdued as we headed back to the car but it had rained throughout the day and maybe folks just didn’t want to chance being out on a cold night with the possibility of rain. I thought its was nicely crisp.
Yesterday, April 11, marked five months since Dad passed away. I started to listen to one of the songs he recorded of himself but had to stop because it just made me miss him so very much. I feel very lucky to have those recordings. And I’m glad that I’ve taken so many pictures throughout the years because I can find gems like the ones of Jeremiah’s first birthday party, which was a couple of blocks from my parents’ house in San Leandro at Bonaire Park. It was probably one of the only times I’d ever gone to there. I don’t remember going there when I was growing up which is a shame because it’s a decent sized park.
Dad always liked the babies and they always liked him because he’d carry them and talk to them and try to make them laugh. Why is it easier to look through pictures from days long ago than listening to Dad sing? I know it’s because hearing him sing is an echo of the moment of when he was still in this world. He is forever accessible in those songs. And it doesn’t even have to be him singing. If I remember him singing a song and I hear the original song, I think of him. I can hear him singing in my head.
TV
NCIS: Sydney – We are almost caught up on this show and I am very much enjoying it. A procedural in an Aussie setting? Heck yes! I’m getting used to Mackey and her dry manner. I love the dynamic between DeShawn and Evie, as well as Rosy and Bluebird. And I like Trigger! He’s interesting to me.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine – I like this show and we’re on our second watch of it. I haven’t seen all the episodes but I’ll eventually get there as it’s now become a sort of comfort show. Put it on and pay attention or just go about your business. I feel like I should pay a bit more attention to the later seasons even though that’s how we started watching it.
I came home on Friday and watched as the crew of Artemis II mission came back to Earth. SO COOL! Amaze! Amaze! Amaze! The suspense of the communications six minute blackout was real. I was so relieved when they were back online. WHEW!
I love that we’re living in OUR house and there isn’t a day so far where I don’t stop a second and think, “Oh, this is our house.” We rented for so long but all that time I wanted our own place again. I knew it would happen but I didn’t know how. And here we are!
I like being rooted. As much as I like visiting other places, I’m just happy being at home or somewhere around town. I like those little moments, those ordinary times. They bring comfort and calm. It seems so simple and yet it is also peaceful and a kind of perfection.
