Titus Kaphar

Random Mixola

Sundown - Gordon Lightfoot

Fanfare for the Common Man - Michael Tilson Thomas

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - The Band

Up, Up and Away - Johnny Mathis 

Living a Boy's Adventure Tale - a-ha

Safe - Gabriel-Kane feat Pixie Lott

Loving Loving - Vera Sola

BLUE - Troye Sivan

Where Am I Going? - Barbra Streisand

Les Indes Galantes - Le Concert d'Astrée

Rain On Me - Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande

Locked Out of Heaven - Bruno Mars

The Shady Dame From Seville - Julie Andrews

- late Summer 2021

Dolly

Yesterday the world lost one of the greatest ladies to grace this earth. She was 100% genuine and pure and radiated absolute love. Dolly Parton possessed a singular voice, both vocally and her voice as a songwriter and musician. For Christmas 1994 I got her memoir as a gift and it was what lead me to become obsessed with celebrity autobiographies. Dolly was a helluva woman and someone whose goodness and compassion should be studied. She was the real deal and she will be so missed from this corner of the universe.

(photos from Dolly: fave school photo c/o Dolly Parton Enterprises - w/pup by Dennis Carney - at fifteen "a hillbilly hood ornament" by Georgia Justus Campbell & Dolly in fab bell bottoms by Hope Powell)

(Photo Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

If this body...

I'm sure I saw this on Insta earlier this year, but I can't really be sure. It made me pause and really think. I genuinely love my body, although it is actively decaying and there's way too much of it at the moment. I appreciate that I can still walk, though not run, and my knees do still creak and click, and I often wake up in discomfort, but rarely in pain, and how after fifty years, this body still manages to keep me alive. If I saw me walking down the street, I'm sure I wouldn't even notice me, but if I were on a park bench in lovely St. Stephen's Green, on a grey Irish afternoon, people-watching, and I saw my current body walk past, would I still see everything that's wrong? The big belly, the baggy jeans that make me look blobbier, oversized button down shirt in dull colours so no one notices me, a face with splotchy skin and giant Eraserhead grey hair, dark circles under my eyes, too many chins, and tobacco stained teeth. What would I think? Honestly, I'm really not sure. I don't have a body that anyone would envy or covet as their own, but I wouldn't hate it because as much as I'd like to change and improve this body, I really do love it. I love it for all the good things it's done for me and continues to do for me. So, I wouldn't hate it, but I don't think I'd be all that impressed by it. 

My Favourite Drummer

I am so loving all the time I've gotten to spend with Jax this Summer - eight days in August already! Today I picked him up at his friends' house, where he spent the night and early morning practicing with them and additional pals that have formed a Rush cover band. I arrived and we packed Phineas to the proverbial gills with his drum kit and took it back home. Then we went for dessert at Lena's Water Ice, Lowe's to pick out paint samples (he was such a big help!!), and then dinner at Greens & Grains. As always, Jackson played DJ in the car and he switched my Ozzy playlist off and put on Rush. I never thought I'd like their music - love the fellas of Rush, but could never get into their songs - but Jax has broken me down and now I actually like them for real. I'm so lucky to have had this kid as one of my besties since he was a wee lil' babe.

Widow's Bay

Finally got around to watching this series and holy macaroni - it is so good! I've always liked Matthew Rhys and he's never been better than as the mayor of this creepy-as-hell island. One minute I'm in a full blown anxiety attack and grabbing for the remote to hit pause until I recover and the net I'm busting out laughing. I'm definitely re-watching this in October.

Keep On Dreamin'

In my ideal life, which hopefully exists on another plane of reality, I'd have this for my engagement ring and this cake from Vegan Treats at the wedding with my perfect guy. I think it's sophisticated, but also charming and sweet, feminine, but not overly so. It's stunning.

(post scriptie: this cake was most certainly inspired by Taylor and Travis' engagement bc Tay was wearing a striped dress when he proposed and the flowers match the ones that Trav set up in the back garden. That and it's already known that the peeps at VT are Swifties.)