1. “My Good Gal”–Old Crow Medicine Show
2. “Delia’s Gone”–Johnny Cash
3. “Murder My Baby”–Cedell Davis
4. “Killing Him”–Amy LaVere
5. “Hey Joe”–Jimi Hendrix
6. “Sweet Blood Call” Louisiana Red
7. “Love & Mumbly Peg”–Samuel James
8. “Blood on the Bible”–Fat Man Squeeze
9. “’97 Bonnie & Clyde”–Tori Amos
10. “Pretty Little One” Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell
-K-
February has arrived with its vast array of candies, roses, teddy bears, and other romantic gestures in various shades of pink. Whether you are in a relationship, seeking a relationship, or are advocate of the anti-relationship you can’t approach this month without a plan. Now is the time to prepare yourself for Cupid’s arrival.
You may believe in love or you may not, but February is dedicated to love and relationships. What better way to address all those physical manifestations of love crowding the shelves of the local big box than by making something of your own? You can call it a shrine or an altar. You may decide to carry a talisman or a charm. You may make it as an offering for love or as a plea to keep love at bay. The important thing is that you are prepared.
February, the month of love, is here. Are you prepared to welcome Cupid’s arrow (or maybe you’re planning on shooting the sum bitch first)? Remember, this is a leap year so you have an extra day to wonder and worry about relationships.
-K-
January is about to make its last call. How about one more round before they close up the first month of 2020? I hope that you got off to a solid start this year. I mentioned setting realistic goals earlier this month. I’m moving toward mine, how about you?
I discussed the importance of place and having a point to your drinking this month. I stopped off at one of my favorite diners tonight, and I picked up a six pack of Abita at the corner package store. A good meal and a few Louisiana beers always go well with a Walker Percy novel. I hope you have a “clean, well-lighted place” of your own to frequent this year. If you decide to have one more round or two this month I hope you do it with point and purpose in mind. Place, point, and purpose can all help you achieve your goals.
Well, it’s last call for me (I just popped the top of my last Abita). If you are out there with a glass or bottle of your own, cheers. Keep moving toward your goals and don’t be too critical of yourself if you stumble from time to time.
-K-
New Year’s Eve is often a time of reflections and resolutions. I am a proponent of self-reflection and self-improvement, but too critical a view of one’s self and unrealistic goals are unhealthy. It’s important to take a long view of the year passes without being too critical of yourself and to set realistic goals for the New Year. I like to spend a moment on New Year’s Eve reviewing my year of beer. Digging through the stratum of bottle caps provides me with a picture of what the previous year was like (it’s a mini archeological dig into my own life).
There were days of cheap beer when the check lacked overtime. There were many days of quality craft beers when OT was flush, or maybe I just wanted to reward myself for a Wednesday well done. Some of the caps are from gifts and others are from beers brought back from microbrewery trips. Some of the caps are reminders of special events that called for good beer, like watching Episode One of The Mandalorian with my bruva, -J-. The caps reflect the seasons. There are the golden ales of spring and summer and the stouts of fall and winter. Prufrock may have measured his life in teaspoons, my days are measured with beer caps (and assorted empty whiskey bottles but that’s a different post),
So here’s to the 2019’s year of beer and to another round for 2020. I hope you weren’t too critical of yourself in 2019 and that you have reasonable goals for 2020. There was no better way for me to start 2020 than with “The Champagne of Beers.” Yes, I could have bought a more expensive beer to crack open at midnight (I’ve been banking the OT) but there is no beer that better reflects where I come from, who I am, and what I want for 2020 more than “The High Life.”
-K-
When you can’t see the end of the road.
