Happy Holiday Season!

[Memorex]

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy belated Thanksgiving, for those in the US. It's been a year, hasn't it?

Some things happened within my family throughout the year and with me personally that has fundamentally changed me as a person. In a year that saw such difficulty, plus personal challenges that seemed unbearable at times, I have actually had probably what will end up being the best year of my life to date. That's not to say I don't recognize all the challenges for us all.

Anyway, just wanted to write a short note that I hope you are all doing well. I have not been keeping up with news or posts here, as I focus on various other things. I will say I have enjoyed Steve's new versions of songs, finding them to make more sense with these mixes than the originals. The way i would explain it is that somehow they just fit better. Similarly I am enjoying Neal's frequent tweets with his playing and Steve Smith's videos from the practice room. Why Neal doesn't have a weekly or monthly broadcast with a few players doing songs like many other artists are doing now is beyond me. It seems like such an obvious thing.

To me, Cavo is still putting out the best music of the year. Andrew should feature them prominently. Not a bad song in the five they have released this year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lt45QsZc_Q&list=RD0Lt45QsZc_Q&start_radio=1

I've said in the past that this place (and places past) and the people here (and people that used to be here) have always been a big part of my life. I recognize that still and will continue to appreciate it all. Two or three people may wonder where I have been in the Trump thread. I have not opened it since my last post and will not be opening it again. It got too toxic, particularly in light of other things in my life. I had a pretty sudden awareness all at once that it was causing me to dislike people I have liked, and probably should like, if politics wasn't part of the conversation. I don't really have place in my heart and mind for that kind of thing anymore. I have not changed my views, which is kind of the point - a lot of anger and rudeness when no one is going to ever change their mind. I just decided it wasn't worth what I was feeling towards some. I'm one of those that believe you should treat people online, especially those you have "known" for decades, the same as you would treat them at your dinner table.

I wish everyone here a happy holiday season. Hopefully it's a great finish to a very odd year.