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Remembering Jimmy Cliff

He was the soundtrack to everything I did with my dad.  That's the greatest compliment and most direct reason for my love and appreciation for Jimmy Cliff. His music is beautiful, his lyrics evoke art, poetry, humanity, and justice, and his impact on the sound of reggae was groundbreaking. Jimmy Cliff will always be a memorable sound on the radio in the car, at home, or simply from what I can only hear - the humming voice of my dad.  Until his very last day on earth, my dad loved Cliff's Cliff Hanger album from 1985. It was one of his favorites. For many years, from a young kid well into my teen years, I listened to that album (among others), memorably through that single cassette tape he owned of that album, and the occasional skips and hiccups it had from its overuse.  Many times, Jimmy Cliff's tunes and soothing voice reigned supreme from the speakers of his 1975 Chevrolet Nova. Our trips to JFK airport in NYC are forever memorable - a core memory, if you will, as we ...
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Recent posts

Quick Ponder: Earned Stress

Yesterday's desire, become today's responsibility, for  tomorrow's privilege.  
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Quick Ponder: Breathing Gratitude

Through my deep exhaustion breathes my gratitude.
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AEW Full Gear 2025 Review: "I like AEW, but it's not for me. And that's okay!"

 I'm sure to ruffle some feathers with this post and review.  AEW sickos, you've been warned.  I attended AEW Full Gear 2025 at the Prudential Center (I also attended last year ), and while I enjoyed the event, I found myself wrestling (pun intended) with my own fandom toward AEW. More so, cultivating and shaping my interests and "style" within the world of pro wrestling.  What I walked away with that night, as I exited the Prudential Center and into the crisp cold air of Newark, NJ, well before the show was over, was this - I like AEW, but it's not for me. And that's okay! That's the bottom line. And Stone Cold would say so!  The younger version of me would have been all about AEW. The older father version of myself, who now shares his wrestling experience with his son, doesn't find it all that appealing.  I'm not looking to contribute to tribalism within the fandom - there is so much wrestling available, everyone can like what they want. I enjoy ...
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Would You Rather Questions: 211-220

211. Would you rather have a pause or a rewind button in your life? A rewind button would imply the ability to do things over, or again. While that would be great, it does take the essence out of life. You win some, you lose some, and ultimately, you learn.  It would be nice to pause in specific moments to make them last longer, or to simply slow the decision-making process down. We've all been there in becoming overwhelmed in a moment, and either not understanding it fully or missing out.  212. Would you rather always have a full phone battery or a full gas tank? I understand the (over) reliance on our phones in today's world. But I'm going with gas as plugging in a phone is more convenient (and maybe cheaper?).  213. Would you rather lose all of your teeth or lose a day of your life every time you kissed someone? This is...weird?  Give me eventual vaneers. No way, I'm kissing my wife.  214. Would you rather oversleep every day for a week or not get any sl...
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Quick Ponder: A Dad's Intuition

A dad's intuition is real. It may not be recognized, commercialized, or socialized, but, it is real. and, it is rare. 
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Quick Ponder: The Power You Give

With age, I understand the power I gave others who may have deserved it, but didn't earn it.
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Dome Pondering Movie Review: I Used to Be Funny (2023)

What is it about?  A former stand-up comedian struggles with PTSD as she struggles to reclaim her life and to look for the missing girl she used to nanny.  Who is in it? Rachel Sennott - Sam Cowell  Olga Petsa - Brooke Renner Favorite Scene:  [spoiler alert]  As the plot comes together (going back and forth from present and past PTSD trauma), we see Sam go back to the house she served as a Nanny, tying the film together.  Favorite Quote:  "Are you going to ask me what I was wearing next?" Review:  After finishing I Use to Be Funny, I struggle to place this film in a box. Comedy?? Not sure why it is labeled as that on Netflix...while it has tremendous humor and one liners, a natural as Sam is a comedian, the deeper story arc surrounds deeper tones of sexual assault, parental death, awful parents, and tons of collateral damage by way of a horrific event.  It's complex to say the least, but it doesn't take away from the film. You're invested in...
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Understanding Mamdani Madness

As expected, Zohran Mamdani was elected as the next Mayor of New York City.  Regardless of the inevitability, Mamdani remains a lightning bolt of controversy.  He's a game changer! He's a socialist!  There goes New York City! The city needs change!  I've found myself neutral on the topic of Zohran Mamdani and all of the madness surrounding him. For starters, politics can't be nuanced anymore - but we already know and live this. Second, while this native New Yorker now lives on the other side of the Hudson River and has other local issues in New Jersey to worry about, I still work in the City, and my mother remains in the greatest place on Earth  Brooklyn. Lastly, politics has become about noise - I'm trying to be better at having more moments of silence to take my own temperature.  So yeah, I've been on the outside. However, it was Mamdani's victory speech that really pulled me in - on both sides of the Mamdani Madness. Here are some quick thoughts: Overall...
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Quick Ponder: Comments Section, Disabled

I have no interest living life like, and for, a comments section.
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