DD Prepping

Hi Readers!

What a phenomenal Saturday it is, eh? Especially if you are the kind of person who leveraged the Bad Karma Day holiday this past Thursday into a four-day weekend. And if you are not that kind of person...my sympathies.

Since this blog theoretically (aka, "on paper") doubles as a music blog (as well as a recreational blog), I should probably talk about something musical. The first thing that comes to my mind is that this blog has been nominated for a 2025 Madison Area Music Association (MAMA) award AND a 2025 Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) award. No one actually knows why...but I suspect it is because, at a meta level, this blog is a frequent go to for musicians in need of self care and "mojo" (the mysterious ethereal force that gives musicians and the music they perform a supranatural quality - "a whole other level above supernatural..."). In fact, clinical studies have shown that after reading a few posts on this blog, musicians nearly triple their songwriting and live performance power. In reality though, a more pragmatic explanation is that I'm a licensed therapist and life coach, trained in Leisure Science and the Art of Rock Fu. So, this blog helps musicians "declutter" so that they can focus on making awesome rock-n-roll. But again...no one is really sure.

How will you be spending today? Leave a COMMENT below if you want to share. I'll be kicking off the day with some Rock Fu, in the form of a Peloton workout. Sometime this afternoon, Best Buy is delivering and installing a standalone freezer in our basement. The "on paper" reason for this is that my wife Deborah thinks the freezer in our refrigerator is too full and she wants to have an overflow freezer, so that the fridge freezer is less cluttered (again, with the decluttering...see what I mean?). In practice, however, I think we are passively Doomsday Prepping, for reasons beyond the scope of this post.

Well, I feel like that's enough free writing for today. If you've read this far, my sympathies. It's no secret that most of the posts on this blog are just stream of consciousness free association. But, if you're here, then I'm hopeful you got something out of the lengthy diatribe. This blog is one of the few remaining "old school" blogs, still honoring the written word, as opposed to all the audiovisual clutter out there on the Interwebs. Take care of yourselves!

Fin.

Another Superb Day

Hi Readers!

I had another fantastic night of sleep last night, despite waking up a couple times due to distractions (both my wife Deborah and our dog Ziggy were unusually restless, for some reason). My mood is more like 8/10 today (10 = ideal mood). If you recall, I was a 9/10 yesterday, a record mood score and the highest it has been in quite some time, despite recent sociopolitical setbacks (many of which I am blissfully unaware of for reasons that will soon become apparent). The one point drop in mood score today is probably attributable to a jam packed weekend ahead. It's jam packed with awesomeness - let there be no doubt about that - but I still have to thread the needle carefully to make sure everything (itemized at the end of this post for my own benefit and so as not to bore you with it now) gets done. And yes, that "thread the needle" simile is intentionally Biblical (if you know...you know!).

In general, the major contributor to my positive mood of late is abstinence from toxic social and mainstream media (SMSM). It's poison to one's mind and soul, but one does not often recognize or realize this fact until one removes SMSM from one's life. I have replaced SMSM with much more productive pastimes, such as reading library books and listening to music (I am listening to System of a Down songs right now, but I have found Gregorian Chant to be quite soothing and relaxing lately). The powers that be (aka, THEY, or in certain parlances, THE MAN) hate this. Fasting from SMSM gives me absolute immunity (to lift a phrase -so I am told - from the pop culture) from fake news and divisive grievance mongering...the diabolical forces THEY regularly use to demoralize and disempower people. I can understand why abstinence from SMSM is one of the three Holy Tenets of the Church of Bike With Joe* (the organization for which I am the reluctant, albeit wholehearted, spiritual leader). I can also understand why THEY work so hard to make SMSM more addictive than heroin and nicotine.

Speaking of positive mood and spirituality, let me remind my readers of the other two Holy Tenets of the Church of Bike With Joe: Adherence to a (mostly) whole food and (entirely) plant based diet AND daily aerobic exercise. These two spiritual practices alone can bring you to blissful physical and mental positivity and happiness (as the long-lived and happy 7th Day Adventists well know). However, complete enlightenment (as the Buddhists call it) requires removal of obstacles (toxic people and places, including SMSM) to Zen-like peace of mind and tranquility of soul.

This blog post now constitutes a "spiritual reading" of the Church of Bike With Joe, should I ever make the effort to get the Church officially established as a tax-free, non-profit. There's no rush on that, and people are free to join the Church of Bike With Joe immediately, if they so wish. There are no obstacles and no rules other than choosing to follow the Tenets. If you do and you happen to want to let me know, leave a comment on this post. The only caveat to all of this is that if you want to become an ordained minister or spiritual leader in the Church of Bike With Joe, you must practice the martial art of ROCK FU, which I can elaborate on at a later time. 

WEEKEND AGENDA:

Willy Street Coop and CostCo grocery runs. We need bulk dry garbanzo beans from Willy, so I can continue to make one of the Sacramental Foods of the Church of Bike With Joe - FALAFEL. We also "need" a new TV, according to Deborah, and she has her eye on a particular one at CostCo.

I will see a few marriage and family therapy clients on Saturday, followed by a meeting of the Systems Consult Group of which I am a part. This will obliterate most of the day on Saturday. Deborah and I will probably do something fun in the evening. And by fun, I mean chillax and do next to nothing, which is awesome.

I may attend the last Bombay Bicycle Club ride of the 2024 outdoor cycling season on Sunday morning, weather permitting. On Sunday night, I'll practice a bit of ROCK FU with my buddy Stefan, as we are getting together to rehearse songs for the reboot of the GUPPY EFFECT semi-acoustic duo.

I also need to whip up a week's worth of smoothies for Deborah. I am probably going to knock that out this morning yet, before seeing my first psychotherapy client at 9 AM.

Alright, that's my post and I am sticking to it.

Fin.

*NOTE: The Church of Bike With Joe is an offshoot of Dudeism, of which I am an ordained minister, should you need...like...a wedding officiated or something.