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We are now officially half way through 2021.... what is this year? A transitional year, a calm before more storms - it is hard to say for sure... But, we are just moving forward in courage and in fear.
The world can be a harsh, hard, brutal, and cold place. Driving - to me - brings out the worst in people (including myself sometimes) pettiness, cruelty, impatience, anger, fear....
The pandemic also seemed to bring out the worst - selfishness especially.
But, and it is a big "but", goodness and kindness are out there. To the extent possible - surround yourself with kind people.
As divided as we are - I think it is possible to co-exist in this country and on this planet. Too often, though, the portrayal is that "the other side" is by nature cruel or selfish or unkind. But taken to a more refined level - there are people who believe differently than I do who I know to be good and kind people. We may disagree vehemently on things that are very important to each of us - but these are not fundamentally cruel or heartless people. So, maybe don't let a social media persona define a person and don't let the bad behavior color your opinion of someone who shares a similar opinion as the bad actor.
It is - I think okay to see and recognize trends in public opinion. But, I see danger in personifying a group of people and then assigning people to that group and by default judging an individual on the behavior of the group. (i.e. "woke" Twitter or conservatives or liberals).
Just my thoughts as we head into the second half of this strange new year...
We wrap up this week's super-long Featured Friday Playlist with two final posts...
Featured Friday Playlist recap (part 8) (songs 53-59):
53. "San pedro - Toulon" by Hifiklub
We finish up this twenty minute plus instrumental that ended yesterday's post - an international collaboration from France and San Pedro, California. Featuring Mike Watt & the Secondmen
54. "Nymphea" by Lightman Jarvis Ecstatic Band
From the just released Banned album by this experimental band from Montreal, Canada.
55. "Longest Day of the Year" by Paul Cafcae
Singer-songwriter Paul Cafcae returns to the Playlist with his latest single. Great stuff.
56. "The Grape Prophet Speaks" by L.S. Underground
Next up, we have a track from the just reissued The Grape Prophet album which had been out of print for nearly 30 years.
57. "Chelsea Is a Mermaid and She's Soaking In" by Light by the Sea
Next up, the third and most recent single from this Dutch duo that formed during the quarantine. Great stuff.
58. "Play" by Brent Seavers
Next up, we have a track from the solo debut from Brent Seavers of the Sacremento band The Decibels. This solo project came about when Covid derailed plans for a new album from the band.
59 .New Era" by Ender Bender
And, we close this penultimate segment of the playlist recap with the title track from the sophomore EP by this indie-pop artist who is based in Rome after years spend in L.A. Yet another example of COVID spurring creativity. A great tune to take us into our final segment of music for this week's playlist which you can catch after the jump.
Featured Friday Playlist
