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Wuhoo! We're 75% of the way there on fundraising with a little over two weeks to go.

This one will be hard to write, not because anything bad happened, only because change is hard. TL/DR - Nate is sad because Lily is in college. Longer, rambling version. Today we helped Lily move into college. She decided that she wanted to go to UNH in the spring time, so that's where we headed today. On top of the usual angst/sadness associated with dropping your first kid off at school it was a bit of an emotionally-charged day because that's where I went to school, met Maura, and lived for a few years even after graduation while Maura pursued her graduate degree. And in a simple twist of fate, the dorm that we lived in while Maura was a hall director is where Lily ended up as a Freshman. So it was a day of wildly swinging emotions. I'm confident that she'll do great there. The program that she's in (Occupational Therapy) is as good or better than any other in New England and it's very much right up her alley. So we know where she'll be for the next 5 years - it's a 4+1 masters program. What I can't figure out is why it very much feels like I have a broken heart? I mean I get it in lots of ways. As I explained to Andrew on the way home (he and I left first to get him to soccer practice), for every day in the last 18+ years I've known exactly where and when I'd see Lily next. Now, not so much. I expect it'll be at least a few weeks, if not longer before we see her. That's probably most of the pain I feel. But there's also a piece of me that feels a little, well, lost without her in the house. So we'll see how these next several weeks go with only one kid to day-to-day worry about. I'm not sure Andrew wants the additional attention coming his way. 😂

I just found this funny...

One of the hardest things to face IMO. And all those coincidences!! The only saving grace (for me) was that Andrew was becoming the person he was meant to be. He had some amazing growth in college, found some great people, and set the stage for what he is now, and that is amazing to me. His senior year, when I helped him move in the last semester, I was on my way home and Cat Stevens' "Father and Son" came on my playlist. I almost had to pull over I was tearing up so much. Good luck to Lily, you, Maura, and your Andrew!

After a nice crabmeat sandwich lunch, got my Flu and (first) Shingles shots. Vaccines for the MFW!

Everyone is going to have their favorites. Here are mine.

I've never used the F1, but my pal ChatGPT says it's a good price for the condition. This weekend went up to San Francisco or back to San Francisco. Way back. Fun time and with the M Monochrom (M9M) and the LLL 50mm f/1.5 Z21 (focus mid-frame and wider a challenge)

Likely the last long training ride was accomplished today. I didn't start out intending to ride this far, but it happened and felt good.

So returning to physical media I've bought a few used box sets. My favorite silly purchase is The Complete Bill Evans on Verve, which I'm now starting the first of the 18 CDs. Note future box set designers: if you're tempted to create an untreated metal box that "naturally rusts" don't. "The design of the box is reminiscent of that of a block of apartment houses I saw in Bratislava shortly after the Communist regime collapsed in Eastern Europe." Ex.

The Castro Theater in San Francisco

No masterpiece here, just my first roll of film with the AE1p, some examples testing the camera/Gold 200.

Here's my Dolly story. During the first Gulf War the Navy flew me and about 30 others to Bahrain on a 21 hour flight to meet our ships. They evidently only had three movies to play on the plane's big screen for either a calming influence before whatever was next, or a reminder of everything great about America. Thus a The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, 9 to 5, and [Lori Anderson as a poor man's Dolly] Stroker Ace marathon loop. Over and over. RIP Dolly.

A beautiful person inside and out, a talented musician, and an outright ICON. RIP Dolly! The world needs a LOT more people like her! EDIT: my favorite....Whitney was great but has nothing on Dolly for this....

It's tough to drop off your eldest to start their life away from you. It sucks even. But you have it relatively easy in that we dropped Sophie off in Poughkeepsie and went back to SF, whereas you can take a short drive to see Lily or rescue her or congratulate her. No doubt change is still hard and you can't be swooping in every minute even if she is relatively close. Hang in there and make Andrew's life miserable while you adjust.

From my IG feed.

Promotional stress reliever from a company that makes ear plugs.

A couple more donations rolled in over the past few days so I'm over the $2k hump and running down the last 20%. I needed to run into the office today so I decided to treat it like a shakedown ride for the Cervelo that my friend Paul (flying in from MN) will ride again this year. It was a good double-session despite somehow having a headwind both ways. And the bike is at least looking good.

Trigger by Sharon Mansur (2025) https://open.qobuz.com/album/qpt5r10bpmoua Example: Found down in my queue a bit. Released last year, most likely added based on Dusty post. I like her flow, and the trio plays well together. Nice variety of styles.

Indeed, he was a painter, not a famous one but a good one. Father of three, grand father of other three. Very fun and vital I keep very good memories from my childhood with him and my cousins.

Legend. 😔 I think what I loved about her so much is that she had a very self-aware yet positive outlook on life. This is such a lovely window into how she views and portrays herself:

Void cat is checking out appreciating the heat radiating from a vintage Harman Kardon Citation V.

Having a little trashy fun.....one of my favorite bands to see live back in the day, along with a band I WILL see live for the first time in September. The Cramps - Gravest Gravy - bit bootleg sounding, but a compilation of early recordings. And Messer Chups - The Incredible Crocotiger; a fun Russian Surf-Rock-Horror-Exotica band.....they'll open for Reverend Horton Heat, another I haven't seen.

Speaking of more piano. For Elvira by Francesca Tandoi Trio (2014) https://open.qobuz.com/album/a7s0cd5mvszhc Example: More on the traditional side of jazzy jazz. Nice set.

I wonder if I had a biscuit if it would help with the big, beautiful obituary... RIP to the greats Dolly and Tim.

13 years ago. I missed it. It's still great. That's the great thing about music?

I don't have kids, so have no idea what you're going through, but...DAMN, she's in COLLEGE ALREADY?!?!? Fugaces labuntur anni...or as another great man once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Me: Went to a new patient appointment with my new GP. Also got vaccinated against pneumonia, diphtheria tetanus pertussis. Afterwards, I got my local AI working again. (It would keep crapping out. Found out it was because there aren't a lot of good models set up for two GPUs that don't talk to each other via NVLink.) That's good, because I definitely believe I have a couple legitimate research topics that will get pretty complex, so I need to be able to have long-running conversations.

Curiously, the Romans actually mainly spoke Greek. But who can forget "He's not the Messiah, he a very naughty boy!" And:

Needed something clean and plinky to listen to, so sat down with Rick Wakeman's Melancholia. This is easily the best of his solo piano albums, by far. Will be a repeat listen.

Basia - the background instruments sound like something out of a Sega Genesis game... maybe Streets of Rage or Shinobi (I mean that in a good way):

Ha -- Max out the Mini... or Studio... Bye bye money...

🥺

Needs Banana for scale.

In the cat's defense, there was no more practical way to get on top of the speaker.

"I'm gonna scratch the shit out of those speaker grills."

Saw Kaki King last night, small venue in Southern Maine about 1.5 miles from my condo. She is so good! I described it on FB as feeling like being by a lake with gentle waves lapping onto the shore - at least her mellower songs. Then she would break out into her frenetic playing with body hits for rhythm, and fast finger moving and fret-playing. She even got pretty talkative with the audience. I guess it was her 3rd time playing the place; maybe 50 people there, but they were true fans.

Hey we are back!!! Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson by Ben Webster (1959) https://open.qobuz.com/album/0060253773074 Example: Friday coolness.

Miles Davis, The Complete Birth of the Cool Music on TIDALMiles Davis - The Complete Birth Of The CoolListen to The Complete Birth Of The Cool on TIDAL

I'm attempting to get started with fundraising a little earlier this year for the annual Kelly Brush Ride that I will once again be participating in this year. It's the same group of friends this year, likely minus one who unfortunately can't make it due to work reasons, but we're trying something a little different as a group this year. My friend Tom, who goes us all drawn into this madness, knows Kelly very well and the organization is trying to encourage folks to participate in the ride remotely. They've kind of reached critical mass in Middlebury, VT, with more than 800 riders participating so they can't really grow unless they change something. So our group sort of volunteered to be the pilot and we're headed to the coast of Maine to ride by a bunch of lighthouses and hopefully have some fun while suffering. Why am I explaining all this? Well, we want to show that remote folks can still effectively fundraise and participate. So we're going all-in and getting custom jerseys made to commemorate the ride. So all that said, I'm once again asking this group to be like no other forum. I'd very much appreciate any support that you can offer. The foundation is aiming to raise $1.2M to support individuals with spinal chord injuries to regain an active lifestyle. My personal goal is to raise $2,500. This organization and cause remains something near and dear to me as someone who takes the simple ability to get outdoors and do whatever I like, when I like, somewhat for granted. Every year I participate I find it helps refocus and recenter my appreciation for those that chose to not be limited by life-altering injuries, illness, etc. The foundation helps people discover adaptive sports and recreation, hosts camps to immerse people in sports and community, and most importantly, provides hundreds of grants per year to people that just want to return to the activities they love. Anyway, if you're able here's the link to donate to support me: Nate's KBF Fundraising Page And just for fun here's us with Kelly at the starting line last year. I'm hoping for much better weather this year so we can pound social media with pics and vids of our remote ride.

Sorry I missed this. My sincere condolences to you, Antonio. In my defense, I got distracted by the thought of Jaye P. Morgan's breasts.

Antonio, my condolences to you and your family. RIP Uncle José Luis.

I agree it is a good album. I am still partial to the solo piano work from Country Aires myself. But being Rick Wakeman, there's like five or six solo piano albums that I listen to on the regular.

Need a mortgage for that Mac Studio... on the other hand, you might cure cancer.

new drop

Wasn't today, but my nephew returned from the ISS last week....! Long read, but pretty cool.... NASA Astronaut Chris Williams Closes Out Space Station Mission - NASA