brent evans

morning babble / Wednesday 12-21-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

Whew – I didn’t want to run today. I didn’t. My monkey mind was at work trying to keep me in bed just a little longer. “Come on, Brent. You ran yesterday and the day before. You’ll run tomorrow. Just a little bit longer in bed.” But – I did it. I ran. I had my running clothes all laid out from the night before. That is so key.

AND – since I did run, I can now have Tastykakes for breakfast and enjoy a Dunkin treat in the afternoon. I think that’s how the formula works.

11 days until EXIT PLAN

Welcome to the Shortest Day of the Year – it’s Winter Solstice (sal-stuhs) 2022

Solstice (sal-stuhs) is via Latin word: solstitium (sal-sti-tium) means “sun standing still”

Little snippet of fun that you’ll get from my newsletter

“Ho Ho Ho” by Sia

Click here for the Morning Babble Ho-Ho-Holiday Songs

Welcome to AMA Wednesday –

Via someone – “Did you hear about the aquarium in Berlin?”

Leave out a charcuterie board for Santa!

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.” – by Judy the Elf from The Santa Clause

morning babble / Tuesday 12-20-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

I ran. I have to run right now. Tis the season for all kinds of goodies and sweets in the house. Gearing up for my January 3-Day Fast. But – I have to run. Enjoying too much. I mean I had carrot cake for breakfast yesterday morning.

12 days until EXIT PLAN

By the way, that was Chris Cornell singing “Ave Maria” – to me, that is by far the best rendition of that song. (play clip again) You can find that on the A Very Special Christmas 3 album – the gold one. I’m just really familiar with the first one (red), the 2nd one (green) and then the 3rd one.

Click here for the Morning Babble Ho-Ho-Holiday Songs

Typical on a Tuesday – I talk about Podcast, but I stopped by my favorite record store yesterday – Rainbow Records located in Newark DE. So, how about Turntable Tuesday? Remembering radio days with “Double Shot” Tuesday – 2 songs in a row by the same artist.

Anyway – I went on the mission to get a Christmas album with Nat King Cole who growing up was always a favorite of my dad’s. I wanted to get that and then join him for coffee – playing the album. It was tough one and they didn’t have it. That’s cool. So, as my son drifted towards Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and the rest of the Hip Hop albums. There was a discounted Christmas album section.

Johnny Mathis

Engelbert Humperdinck

Leave out a charcuterie board for Santa!

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“I still believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and true love. Don’t even try to tell me different.” – by Dolly Parton

morning babble / Monday 12-19-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

Run DMC “Christmas in Hollis” – 1987 – I was 14. No YouTube to visit to watch that video over and over again. Only had MTV’s little countdown show around 7pm. I even think this was before TRL. ANYWAY – I would wait around anxiously awaiting watching and hearing that song – besides owning the cassette (at that time), this was the only way to guarantee getting your fix in on a certain song. That video did scare me a little – that elf – not sure what he was doing. (play clip) Looks a little like Pete Davidson. If they remake that video, call Pete up for the elf.

Anyway – I loved that whole album A Very Special Christmas

I had a cassette, CD, now a vinyl of that

Click here for the Morning Babble Ho-Ho-Holiday Songs

13 days until EXIT PLAN

Happy Monday! Some Christmas festivities have already begun. Hanukkah is underway too – that began last night and continues through next Monday.

GOAL SETTING MONDAY

I talked about finally beginning a Babble Newsletter and it’s coming, BUT – after Friday’s video, I was notified by several people that the “sign-up” on my website went MIA. It’s all fixed now. There’s a tab designated for signing up. Go do it. First newsletter is coming out during the “Taint Week” where it ain’t Christmas and ain’t New Year’s

Leave out a charcuterie board for Santa!

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.” – by George Carlin

morning babble / Friday 12-16-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

Yesterday, I spoke about Johnny Mathis being alive and still touring at age 87. Someone reached out to mention that Brenda Lee is still alive too. She’s a young 78. Remember, “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree” was recorded when she was 13. My son’s 13 – he’s got six more months of being 13, so he’s got time, but he’s got to get to work.

16 days until EXIT PLAN

I was thinking of changing things up for Santa this year – no more cookies & milk. How about some red wine and a Charcuterie Board?

Be sure to sign up for my Newsletter – I will get one out before the end of the year. It was a goal of mine to start and I will sneak one in there. That way, I can say since 2022

New Music Friday:

Click here for the Morning Babble Ho-Ho-Holiday Songs

I put together a Spotify playlist of the songs that I talked about and thought about today for New Music Friday. Click here for that!

• Avatar: The Way of Water is now in theatres basically everywhere. Also being heard in those very same theatres – a whole lot of The Weeknd. He did a song for the movie called “Nothing is Lost (You give me strength)” (play clip)

• Our Lady Peace released a live version of “Mountain Song” – which is a cover song from Jane’s Addiction. I tried to dig around to see if a whole live album was coming out or not. I’m even a part of their Discord community, but I didn’t see anything. This song was actually a video that came out on YouTube several weeks ago. (play clip)

• Back in 2019, we lost Juice WRLD, but that hasn’t stopped the new music. Today, we got his second posthumous (pas – choo muss) single of the year. It’s called “Face 2 Face”.

• Jason Kelce, Jordan Mailata, and Lane Johnson present the limited-edition vinyl of the year: a collection of Holiday tunes celebrating Philadelphia, friendship, and Christmas. It’s called A Philly Special Christmas. Proceeds from this record will benefit Children’s Crisis Treatment Center as well as other charities in Philadelphia. They have been slowly releasing songs out for the album – today we get the 4th one which is Silent Night. Next Friday – the whole album will stream. (play clip)

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put on some sunglasses” by Lady Gaga

morning babble / Thursday 12-15-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

HAPPY FRIDAY EVE!

I am all in the Christmas Music. Christmas music to me is happy music.

Something you never hear
Wham – last Christmas
Oh – turn it up

Kelly Clarkson did sing that one song called “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You)”

“You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch”

Johnny Mathis is still alive – he’s 87 and touring!

17 days until EXIT PLAN

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” – by Viktor Frankl – took it from Daily Stoic who just posted that quote yesterday

morning babble / Wednesday 12-14-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

18 days until EXIT PLAN

Doing this run again every day reminds me of last year and one of the things that I enjoyed the most was reviewing podcasts the night before and choosing what one I would listen to first up that following morning. Last night, I tapped into Tim Ferriss and the one that jumped out and made me stop the search was his recent interview with Steven Pressfield. I woke up today . . . so excited to simply hear that interview.

I wrote last night because of my daughter. She wanted to know when I was going to the office to work on my book. She wanted to do some things in the office too. So, I worked on my book.

Welcome to AMA Wednesday –

I think I’ve talked about me enough.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.” – by Steven Pressfield via The War of Art

morning babble / Tuesday 12-13-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

19 days until EXIT PLAN

PODCAST TUESDAY!

We Do Hard Things with Mark Drager Podcast – began it at the very end of 2020

“How To Afford a Life of Non-Stop Travel” – Rolf Potts

He wrote Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel

That book inspired Tim Ferriss to write The 4-Hour Workweek

I found my daily read for 2023

The Vagabond’s Way: 366 Meditations on Wanderlust, Discovery, and the Art of Travel

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“This is the most powerful point you can reach in sports or any other endeavor — when you are no longer thinking, you are in the moment.” – by Robert Greene – The Daily Laws

Make a daily practice to focus intensely on the present moment. / page 425

morning babble / Monday 12-12-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

20 days until EXIT PLAN

GOAL SETTING MONDAY & REVIEW –

Accomplishments –

I finally grilled up the Pumpkin Spice Chicken Wings – they were good – delicious! I just want to figure out a complimentary dipping sauce.

Week ahead –

No caffeine intake until 90 to 120 minutes after waking up.

Help to be more alert / Helps avoid the afternoon crash

Wake up – your adenosine (uh-den-o- seen) levels should be low, but remnants remain. Deliberately spike your cortisol – clears out the residual adenosine. Hydrate with water / Bright lights or Sunlight / And working out.

Caffeine – Blocking the effects of Adenosine.

Running a 5k every morning.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Nothing beats a failure but a try.” – by R.J. Smith

morning babble / Friday 12-09-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

Happy Friday! 3-Day Fast is officially over for myself. No pasta, No wonton soup, No egg rolls. Nope – we went out to Two Stones Pub located in Hockessin, so I could enjoy one of my favorite beer beverages that is called “Up Up & Away” and have some wings. Those wings – on the bone or “Bone in” – I got the Sesame Soy flavor as well as the sriracha aioli sauce.

Oooo – and tonight – we’re heading out to Philly. We’re going to the South Jazz Kitchen to see the holiday show from Emmaline. (play clip) That’s going to be difficult to look at. Not at all. My wife introduced me to her music. Such a talented artist – that sultry voice, she plays the violin, and a great band behind her. Emmaline – if you can’t get to a show, at least go listen to her or watch her on YouTube.

23 days until EXIT PLAN

New Music Friday:

I put together a Spotify playlist of the songs that I talked about and thought about today for today’s New Music Friday. Click here for that! Thank you to Pitchfork, Yahoo Entertainment, Rolling Stone, I know there’s more but thanking them for helping me out with all that I spout out.

• Alabama Shakes’ debut album – Boys And Girls – turns 10 this year. (play clip) So, today a deluxe version of it was released. Two-disc album with over an hour of music. It contains the album’s original 11 songs plus an additional 11 tracks from the band’s live performance on KCRW, which aired in the months leading up to the album’s release. I love Brittany Howard’s sound. Pitchfork actually describes it best, “Howard’s gale-force delivery, an instrument that could have blown Otis Redding back.” (play clip)

• Weezer has their final SZNZ’s album come out later this month on the 21st – the Winter edition. Today, they gave us one of those songs early – “I Want A Dog” (play clip) We still have our dog – Charlie. The ghost of Brodie is whispering into his ear (well, megaphoning) to do certain things in order to win the home. Trip them when they’re in the kitchen. Stare at the door and they’ll open. Make annoying licking sounds and they’ll get you fresh water. Anyway – Weezer – I have thoroughly enjoyed this musical journey throughout the year with their season’s albums. I enjoyed that we constantly got new Weezer. Unfortunately for them, I’m now anxious to see what’s in store for 2023.

• Gorillaz are back with their 8th studio album on February 24th, but they have slowly been feeding us some of the tunes from it. Today, we got another new song called “Skinny Ape.” (play clip) Also, they plan to debut the song live next week with a pair of augmented reality performances in London and New York City. That new album is called Cracker Island.

• Back in 2018, SZA (si zza) dropped her debut album. Along the way, we’ve got some singles here and there, but that’s it. Today though, we got a huge 2nd album – SOS – from her. 23 songs -over an hour of new music. It does include recent single releases “Good Days” and “Shirt” but otherwise a ton of goodies for fans and the online response so far is that it could be the album of the year. (play clip)

• Change the middle letter in SZA and we get Sia – couple years ago, she came out with Everyday is Christmas. Then, last year, it was released again as Everyday is Christmas (The Snowman Deluxe Edition). This year, it has been re-released with even more holiday songs from her. Here’s one with a favorite holiday phrase of mine: “Naughty or Nice” (play clip)

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Even if nobody cared, I’m still gonna make music.” by Brittany Howard

morning babble / Thursday 12-08-22

This is the scribble that leads to the babble. Sometimes, it gets tidied up; but other times, not so much. When all else fails: watch the video!

HAPPY FRIDAY EVE!

As Yukon Cornelius stated: “Nothing.” That’s what I’ve had since Monday night’s Burger King Bacon King Meal that was finished off with the draining of my Dr. Pepper at 5:12pm. Feeling good beginning Day 3 of the 3-Day Fast / I had my clothes laid out to wear for a run. BUT – I passed. Felt a little too lethargic. Once I got up, I probably could have done it, but there’s no real need to push it. “Can you work out and run during a fast?” Yes. All last year – I did it. Day 3 was always the tough one though.

24 days until EXIT PLAN

So, what am I going to eat to break the fast? It looks like it will be old faithful: Pasta, Spicy Sausage, and Red Wine. If the belly is feeling good, ice cream date late.

Although, driving around yesterday, I did smell Chinese food and I could go for some General Tso’s. Actually, you know what would be awesome – having Dave Chang order from the menu for me. What? One of his podcasts

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“You’ll always lose when you play someone else’s game” – by Allan Benton