Latest Listening Pleasure 36 - Poppy

Not normally what I listen to, but there hasn't really seemed to be a 'normal' for me in quite some time.  And that's really pretty good, actually.  Poppy's made the music news the last few months, which initially got my attention, and now I'm really liking her new album, I Disagree.  This is her third album, and while the first two are, well, pop-py, this album has a distinct heavier edge that still fits nicely with her character.

Poppy - I Disagree


Yes, Poppy is a character, her real name is Moriah Pereira.  As I understand it, she started making videos for YouTube and it just grew from there.  She makes very interesting and somewhat eccentric or odd videos, which is part of the appeal for me.  Her character is just off the wall cutesy, soft and odd.  The "Kids React" channel on YouTube has featured her several times and the kid's reactions to her are just priceless.  There's a playlist of those episodes here.

There's also been a lot of talk of her and her creative partner separating before this album.  That sounds like a messed up relationship, with him having a history of controlling and abusive behavior.  I won't go into it here, you can look it up if you like.  But it may explain a few things...

Poppy - Sit/Stay


And though her music videos can be elaborate I've watched a few concerts of hers from earlier this year before everything was cancelled and enjoyed the live show as well.  Enough so that if she did play in town here sometime I would definitely make an effort to be at that show.

Previous LLP Posts:
LLP 1 - Pain
LLP 2 - Nightwish
LLP 3 - Die Antwoord
LLP 4 - Pain part 2
LLP 5 - Andrew Bird LIVE
LLP 6 - Nightwish part 2
LLP 7 - Paramore
LLP 8 - Newsted
LLP 9 - U.D.O. LIVE
LLP 10 - Nightwish Imaginaerum Movie
LLP 11 - Kiss
LLP 12 - Rick Springfield
LLP 13 - Hyrax
LLP 14 - In This Moment
LLP 15 - Faster Pussycat LIVE
LLP 16 - Sebastian Bach
LLP 17 - Cradle Of Thorns
LLP 18 - Amaranthe
LLP 19 - Lindemann
LLP 20 - Halestorm
LLP 21 - Garbage LIVE
LLP 22 - Arcade
LLP 23 - Nightwish LIVE
LLP 24 - Ace Frehley
LLP 25 - Darkc3ll
LLP 26 - Dementia
LLP 27 - Rammstein
LLP 28 - Marilyn Manson LIVE
LLP 29 - The Harp Twins LIVE
LLP 30 - Diamante
LLP 31 - Steel Panther LIVE
LLP 32 - Scum Of The Earth
LLP 33 - Marty Friedman LIVE
LLP 34 - Buckethead LIVE
LLP 35 - Alice Cooper LIVE
LLP 36 - Poppy

Spring Fire

Last night, before the rain came.  50ºF, overcast and perfect.  It had been a long time coming and was a nice couple of hours.

Local Updates, More

Madison is in Dane County

It's been over a week since I last posted and it's still going to get worse before it gets better.  Since that time, schools have closed, retail has closed, restaurants are carryout or delivery only and gatherings of over 10 people is barred.  Now, as of tomorrow, all non-essential businesses in the state are to be closed.  Still not sure if that would only leave grocery stores open or what else.  We're one step away from a stay-at-home order.

The good news is we were finally able to get a grocery order in on Thursday, for Saturday morning delivery, and the toilet paper actually came.  Truthfully, we were still probably a week away from being out, but it was on our minds due to all the hoarding.  We're pretty set for food, if need be.  With the full freezer we could probably eat for months, but that's normal for us.

I forgot one key thing I needed for Friday to work at home so I had to go into work.  Today I went in for a little more than an hour then came home and worked the rest of the day - and made sure not to forget anything this time.  This was the first time I worked from home.  Tomorrow I'll have to go in again at least for a little bit to get others up to speed in the change of our procedures due to everyone working at home and not being able to print or scan anything.  (This is due to the nature of the work, not printing or scanning capabilities from home.)  Like today, I hope to be there for only a little while but it may turn into a half or all day as I know there are some things that need to be done that can't be done at home.  The good news is it's even more of a ghost town at work so at least there's much fewer people to come into contact with.

That's the state of things now and, like I said, it's going to get worse before it gets better.  Screenshots are from the site everyone has likely seen by now, CSSE/JHU.

On a different subject, I considered a fire on Friday and again on Saturday evening.  Friday was too breezy and Saturday was pretty cold.  Plus, the grass has not started growing yet and even though we got an inch or so of rain since my last post the rabbit pellets in the back yard are intact.  I think my only hope is for the grass to grow and hide the pellets until they can break down.  I've been yearning for good weather and a good fire but I think I need to put that hope back on the shelf until it is actually a more realistic time.

Overall it was a pretty cold weekend with highs just over freezing, but the extended forecast looks much better, thankfully.  Last night it snowed some, so I woke early to a light dusting still showing on cars and in grassy areas.  It may officially be spring but, indeed, winter has not left the building.  And neither should you, if you can help it.  Stay well, everyone.

Pandemic Panic?

The sudden burst of evening sunlight that comes with daylight saving time has been nice.  The mornings are still dark when I get to work, and once there I'm too busy to note when the sun rises, even with plenty of windows in view.  In fact, I shouldn't say I don't notice because I remember noticing a few times this last week. It was the orange reflecting off the next building's windows.  If not for that glare, though, it's no matter to me.

The warmer temperatures have been very welcome lately.  Almost all the snow has melted so now we are in the time of dirty grays and browns, waiting for the green to burst forth.  While it was above freezing yesterday evening the breeze was a bit much to have a fire.  The dirty brown lawn was also still pretty soft for lawn chairs and still covered in rabbit poop.  We need a couple good rains to wash away the remnants of winter and encourage growth and greenness.

Everything seems to be just about on track this spring, so why not drop everything and panic?

Okay, maybe not everyone is panicking, but many people seem to be.  And I saw it come to a head on Thursday, when seemingly every sporting event, concert tour and other events were canceled.  I've heard the stories of hoarding toilet paper and other toiletries, empty shelves and limits on items, and now we're advised not to go out to eat or order food in.  I even heard a bunch of people were lined up outside a local grocery store this morning waiting for it to open.

Also on Thursday, everyone at work who had the capability of working from home was required to stay home.  A friend at work was going to fly to Texas soon for vacation, he was told if he did he would have to self-quarantine for two weeks when he got back before they'd let him come back to the office.  It was a little odd at work on Friday as only about half the people were there that would normally be in the office.  I'm not set up to work from home, and there's much of my job that I can't do from home, so it looks like I'll be going to work as normal.  It was certainly the topic of discussion on Friday, and many jokes were made, but I guess if you don't laugh you'll cry.  "Social distancing" was discussed, and while I normally wash my hands several times a day I found myself using a big bottle of hand sanitizer a whole lot more.  This huge bottle was bought for my 50th birthday party and sat in a closet for a while and has now been on my desk at work for a year.  I had to hide it now so it won't get stolen.  Seriously.

Locally speaking, we had only one case in the area several weeks ago until another one was confirmed about a week ago, and now I hear several more in the last week.  Sorry, I don't know many details as I tend to not watch a lot of news.  I seem to get a lot from hearsay, the newspaper a couple times a week, or my wife who is much better at keeping up on things than I.

How else has it changed our life?  Well, normally my wife and I like to go out for food and drinks on the weekend, but we will most likely stay in this time.  And any stops at the local bar and grill any time of the week may end for the time being.  Otherwise, not a whole lot.  I can be content at home, home is my favorite place to be anyway.  At least I don't work in the service industry - what will all those people do?  They don't have a choice but to mingle with the great unwashed and take their chances.

Stay in if you can, wash your hands and don't touch your face.  Not a whole lot else to do - but panic!

Spring Poop, And More*

We're getting there!  It got up to 62ºF on Sunday, and this week is quite mild with only high temperatures in the 40's for the foreseeable forecast.  But that's above freezing and I'll take it!

The snow is slowly disappearing and while there's still time for more I'm hoping not.  The area around and in the firepit is melting away, fallen branches from neighbor Dave's trees have appeared on my woodpile, and there are starting to be signs of plant life.  Daffodils, one of the first plants we see each spring, are starting to come up in a couple areas.  Sunday evening we even got the grill out and had the first grilled hamburgers of the season.  This all spells spring to me, and I couldn't be happier about it.

Poop.  Everywhere.

Not poop.  Daffodils!

My only real issue at the moment is the rabbit poop.  I know I've complained about all the rabbits before, there don't seem to be any predators in the area so the rabbit population has seemingly exploded and they've been running amok for quite some time.  I could actually accept that, and keep them out of the garden and flowers, but the poop left behind after the snow melt is just unreal.  You can't take a step anywhere in the back yard without stepping on several of the little brown pellets.  Look close at the picture, each little brown dot is poop!

Thursday is the Spring Equinox here in Madison - 10:49 p.m. to be precise.  I'm hoping to have an equinox firepit on Friday night.  Sounds like as good an excuse as any, right?

*Update, 3/12.  I'm wrong!  The equinox is next Thursday, the 19th.  I've pointed myself to that moment for so long now I guess I want it sooner than later.  And windy conditions may halt firepit plans tomorrow night, unfortunately.  If we all even live until then.  COVID-19 post coming soon.  Maybe...