Family | Piss and Moan

Music and explicit lyrics

Posted on January 8, 2019 by backuphill

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What is the deal with music and explicit lyrics these days? It seems as though, as a listener, it is becoming harder and harder to avoid. If you look at the top 50 on iTunes and on Amazon (“Best of What’s New to Prime”), at least 30% of the music has the [Explicit] tag with the title. So what gives?

Why does an artist feel the need to express themselves this way? Yes, I know about the whole Freedom of Speech thing, but that isn’t really the issue. The issue is the fact that the explicit lyrics aren’t necessary. It doesn’t improve the song. It doesn’t make the message of the song more meaningful. Music sold without the inclusion of such language in the past and music did well without it.

Perhaps it is just a genre thing? Maybe. I looked at the “50 Great Modern Country Songs” on Amazon music and there was only ONE with explicit language in it. Interesting.

All I know is that it is irritating to me. It perhaps should be irritating to you as well.

When is it enough?

Posted on January 2, 2019 by backuphill

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Question of the day: When is it enough?

Let’s put some context into the question…

When is it enough charity? Gifting? Generosity? Especially, when it comes to adults who should, by now, be able to fend for themselves and stop making choices in life that keep them from being able to do it? Thus, requiring additional help (on a seemingly regular basis).

Does the answer of “enough” matter if they are a stranger? An acquaintance? A good friend? Family…children, grandchildren, parents, siblings? Sure, I understand every circumstance is different and have their own complexities, but there has to be a line, right?

Where does the line get drawn and how do you draw it? Do you just continually allow it to happen?

Happy New Year, blah blah blah

Posted on January 1, 2019 by backuphill

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The new year has begun and for some reason everyone is back to being cheerful again.

I don’t get it.

Did they get a reset button somewhere that magically made their lives better over night? Did they get a reset that changed the daily reality? Or, did they see into the future and have no problems? Me thinks not.

So why all the cheer? What makes today different than any other day?

Happy New Year, blah blah blah.

Wait, the end?

Posted on December 31, 2018 by backuphill

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I see lots of people paying their last respects to 2018.

There’s no reason to do that. Yeah, it is over, but it’s kind of a waste of time I think. You see, life goes on. There is no reason to look back but there is a good reason to look forward.

There is no reason to look back and recount the failures and there is no reason to recount the success. It was just another year. The only thing to do with 2018 is be thankful.

I know this doesn’t sound like the usual Piss and Moan way, but I am thankful. For another year. For more time. That was 2018 wasn’t horrible. I am thankful. Today.

You should be too. The last day of the year is not a dead end. It leads to the first day of a new year. That is all.

Can I just stay in bed?

Posted on December 28, 2018 by backuphill

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It’s cold out.

It’s dark out.

It’s raining….still.

It’s Friday.

It’s the last day of a short week and the day before a four day weekend.

Can I just stay in bed and call it a day? OK, I’ll get up and go pee have some coffee just so I can say I got up today BUT really, can I just stay in bed and call it a day?

I’ll phone it in.

I’ll telecommute (as long as I can stay in bed).

How about we just pack it up and quit.

I’ll start again next year. (LOL, like that joke isn’t as old as the ages).

Today, well, today is just dumb.

No one should have to work today.

I hereby grant all of you a day off. Congrats! NO go home and do no work.

Unwrapping the aftermath

Posted on December 26, 2018 by backuphill

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Well, folks, the stockings are down and the presents opened. It was chaos from the start and there is a ton to do now that all are gone.

Not sure about your family, but mine appears to just swoop in to open presents and consume food before jetting off to other places and people to visit, which leaves a tornado of debris scattered about the house and hours of cleaning after the fact. That isn’t to say that there weren’t also hours of prep before everyone even showed up…so when taken all into account there were probably four times as many hours preparing for and cleaning after than there was actual time spent with family.

Don’t get me wrong, time spent with family was great and the joy did finally come as the smiles and laughter filled the room. It did finally come. BUT, it was soon lost in the time spend cleaning floors, dishes, the fridge, taking out the extra 100 pounds of garbage, and putting the furniture back where it belongs.

Does anyone else have that feeling after Christmas where the “What did we just do?” dread of having to put life back to normal appears that it will take an inordinate amount of time? Like maybe you’re the only one that will be working into the wee hours of the night just so there will be some resemblance of normalcy the day after?

The Grinch

Posted on December 25, 2018 by backuphill

I’ll just sit over here and try not to ruin anyone else’s Christmas…

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From the greatest joy thief of all, Merry Christmas.

Oh, and maybe his heart did grow two sizes after all.

Bah humbug

Posted on December 24, 2018 by backuphill

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The eve of Christmas has come and I am not sure how I feel about it this year. I seem to have gotten a case of the “Bah Humbug”s and the joy of the season (though I know the Reason) just hasn’t come through yet for me.

I am beginning to wonder if it even will.

This year, more than any in the past, just seems lost. There is no joy in receiving, we all know that. But this year there also seems to be no joy in giving either. I feel as though the just isn’t joy in anything.

Perhaps I have been to busy to notice. Perhaps I have been just going through the motions. Perhaps I just don’t care enough. Or maybe I care too much, because the stresses of life are all getting in the way.

So today I will go through the motions, in the hopes that it generates something inside, of wishing you a Merry Christmas Eve.

Consider yourself wished.

Fill ‘er up!

Posted on December 21, 2018 by backuphill

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You know how you have a day coming up that you’re gonna have off work?

How you look forward to that day because you get to sleep in, relax, enjoy your coffee, leisurely read the news or a book, watch a movie or tv show, or just take things slow and enjoy a different pace than a normal day?

Yeah, well, that day off can completely go in the other direction too, right?

How about the day of you look forward to gets all filled up with things that have to be done before the holiday comes and people come over and etc., etc., etc.? That it fills up so fast it hardly feels like a day off? Dashing from here to there, frantically trying to fit more things in on your list because you forgot this and that, and it all needs to be done!

Isn’t it amazing how life just kind of takes over even when you think you’re gonna get a break?

Well, today is that day for me. My to do list seems to be a mile long and all I wanna do is just it. Relax. Enjoy some quiet. Savor the change in routine….but not today!

What’s on your list that just HAS to be done today?

Yep, I’m THAT dad

Posted on December 19, 2018 by backuphill

blue and gray concrete house with attic during twilight

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Temperature is an important thing. It can’t be too hot and and it can’t be too cold. That is why I commissioned as scientific study (not really) of the atmosphere in the house and I have set the thermostat to the perfect temp for every occasion and every moment of the day.

So, SO HELP ME if someone touches the freaking thermostat! Period. It was perfect where it was at both in temperature but also on energy consumption. Leave it alone!

I swear the next person I see touch the thermostat…IMA BOUT TO COME UNCORKED!! I’m gonna break their fingers, and the next person after that (since they didn’t learn from the previous example) will get their fingers cut off and feed to the dog (ok not really, but it sounds good)!

Just. Leave. It. Alone.

If you’re hot, wear less clothing. If you’re cold, wear more clothing. Just don’t touch the thermostat.

Anyone else have to deal with this? Am I insane? It is really that hard to just not touch?