I went to a WVU game at the Coliseum here in Morgantown on Wednesday January 26th. Anthony and I were in the top row with no one around us so I took my mask off. When I was moving through the building, I had my mask on of course.

Woke up on Thursday morning super dry and had myself convinced I caught Covid at the Coliseum. I then decided it was just the same thing that always happens to me after I go to an arena where I come out with a cough and some congestion.

We made the 8 hour road trip to Nashville, TN for Aaliyah’s gymnastics meet and I didn’t think about my symptoms anymore. For the most part, we were masked other than in restaurants after we were seated and a few times in the Gaylord Opryland Resort. The resort hosted the gymnastics meet on Friday morning and then we came back to join some of the other gymnastics parents for some swimming and hot tubbing. The hot tub was outside and it was snowing but once you got in, it wasn’t too bad.I went maskless in the pool area and a few times when I walked the 5 miles between the pool area and the nearest resort bar.

The next day, we stayed in the hotel until we went to the Adventure Science Center with some friends that had moved to Memphis, TN a while back. I stayed masked the whole time there. Then we went to the Wildhorse Saloon and I took my mask off a few times. Afterwards, we came back to our hotel for more swimming. Before the night ended, I sat at the bar in the connected restaurant the Rock’n Dough and had a beer while I waited for dessert for the kids. I didn’t wear a mask then either.

I woke up Sunday morning with a dry cough and I didn’t think too much of it until it persisted throughout the day, no matter how much water I drank. I definitely felt like I had at least a cold but I didn’t think it could be more than that. Plus, I’m double vaxxed and boosted, so I wasn’t too worried.

I woke up Monday morning still dry and feeling more crappy but I still felt like I had a cold. I decided to still go to work (and I had alerted HR to my coughing already just in case) but pretty much knew that I would want to cut out early to go get tested. Just to be sure. I left work a little after 9 and went to the Rec Center to get tested.

This was the 4th time I had tested and the 3rd time I tested at the Rec, so I knew the drill. Go home, relax, and I’d have my results the same day. So I did just that. I didn’t feel great so I ate some carbs in the form of popcorn and binge watched old Casey Neistat vlogs while our dogs Marley and Evie climbed all over me. Around 11-ish, I decided to go lay down because I had nearly fallen asleep a few times in the living room.

I looked for a few movies to fall asleep to but Knocked Up, This Is 40, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall weren’t available to stream for free, so I settled on Cruel Intentions. Sebastian and Kathryn were starting their manipulation of Ronald when felt like I was really hot all of a sudden. Mind you, I had made a faux hot toddy with rum and I was in the bedroom with the space heater cranking so that had to be why I was hot. Right?

I went and took my temperature (which was normal this morning). 100 in the right ear. 100.9 in the left ear.

Frick. I probably have Covid.

My temperature had shot up in November 2020 which prompted my first test and I was negative so there was some hope. Still, I packed up as much stuff as possible and headed down to my basement. Just in case.

I finished Cruel Intentions and started watching Bob’s Burgers. The lab got my sample at 10:20 and by 1:52 I had my answer.

Positive.

I updated my HR ticket and was told I’d be out the rest of this week. Since I don’t have enough PTO, most of the rest of this week will be unpaid. I let Angel know and I’m currently quarantining downstairs for at least the rest of the week. Her and Aaliyah don’t have any symptoms as of yet.

Day 1:

• Watched Bob’s Burgers. I started the show a few months ago when a friend recommended it to me and it’s pretty outstanding. I’m sure Angel didn’t love all my laughing while she was upstairs worried about me.
• The girls were planning to go to Columbus on Wednesday so Aaliyah could see her best friend Aria and go to her gymnastics meet there on Friday but all of that got canceled.
• I made fries in the air fryer before the girls got home and then they brought me some Arby’s. Low carb is definitely out the window for now.
• I watched a new Peter McKinnon video on YouTube and then I went to bed after the girls called me to say goodnight.

Day 2:

• Slept okay but I did wake up a few times during the night. Heard the girls get up around 6 so I was in and out until 7 something.
• I got up and took my medicine and some Robitussin. Went upstairs with a mask on and made sure to wipe down anything I touched with a disinfectant wipe.
• Played a little Detroit Become Human before watching the new episode of So Wassup? with DJ Premier.
• Let the dogs out at 10 something and 1 something.
• I’ve been watching Ed and Day in the ‘Burgh on the Very Local app.
• I’m moving all the Rasslecast videos to the Hyphen Universe channel because I don’t feel like running 2 YouTube channels.
• Listened to the second episode of the Palo Santo Podcast.
• I’m eating some Girl Scout Gorp Trail Mix because it was the easiest thing for me to grab that didn’t require extra work.
• Watching Ed and Day’s show made me hungry for tacos, so Angel brought me some.My temperature broke but now I’m stuffy from the spicy tacos.
• I ended up playing Detroit for a few more hours in between finishing moving the Rasslecast videos.
• Set the ffmpeg to make a new Rasslecast video and called it a night.

Day 3:

• Had the Rasslecast frame set up for the wrong step so I ended up rendering the video again this morning.
• Breakfast was chips and salsa from Mariachi Loco.
• Watched some highlights from the conference championship games and turned Detroit back on.
• Even though it’s been 4 years since I fell in love with this game watching it on YouTube, I’m still in awe of it.
• I have a small temperature and my right nostril still feels like it’s on fire sometimes.
• Video is done and now uploaded.
• Tried to eat some peanut butter and Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels… not a good combination.
• Waited 3 hours and 45 minutes for Vegas Pro 16 to render the last episode of Hyphen Nation… and the file size was only 24 kilobytes.
• Played more Detroit in between sending Matthew videos on Marco Polo.
•  Angel made some delicious alfredo and garlic bread for dinner (thank goodness I still have taste and smell).
• Feeling a little more tired today but that’s probably because I was up later.
• Spent the last hour or so laying on the floor watching Bob’s Burgers.
• I probably feel the worst that I have since Monday morning.
• This damn video still won’t render.

About to enter my third full day of quarantine. Even though I’m only in my basement and the girls are home at night, it’s easy to see why anyone who had to quarantine alone, especially in early 2020, was traumatized by the experience. I hate this. I just want to lay in my own bed, walk around my house, hell, I even want to be at work a little bit. Just a little bit though.

Day 4:

• My video worked so I uploaded it. Now to cut out the Green Goblin section for a smaller video.
• Ate some oatmeal for breakfast and debating on pizza later. My taste and smell are definitely still here.
• Also had the thought that I got a false positive and I’ve been quarantined for nothing. My fever says otherwise although it was back to normal this morning.
• Maybe I’ll get pizza and watch John Q this afternoon.
• This morning has been a wash due to me looking for the full CM Punk/MJF match unsuccessfully.
• About to let the dogs out and get a second cup of coffee.
• Made a few more videos and ordered pizza from Primanti’s. It did not agree with me.
• Almost done with John Q.
• Wanted to record the podcast but I just wasn’t up for it.

This has easily been the hardest day. I feel like my body is fighting it off like it would at the end of a normal cold but then I have periods where I just feel like utter crap. I don’t miss the nervous energy of the last 2 days but I also wish I could just relax.

• I felt really run down after the movie so I didn’t do much other than lay down and mess around on my phone.
• Aaliyah brought me a cupcake home from school.
• When the girls left for gymnastics practice (still no symptoms) I suddenly felt up for the podcast so I turned on my lights, hooked up my mics and pressed record. This was after I spent the first hour and a half they were gone trying to find last night’s AEW Dynamite episode and talking on Marco Polo. I didn’t make it more than 15 minutes when they were home from practice early due to there being a meet in Columbus, Ohio tomorrow (weather permitting). I went ahead and shut everything off as my momentum had been halted.
• Ended up turning Detroit Become Human back on and beating it tonight. I didn’t save Luther though. Poor Luther.

Day 5:

• Went to bed the latest I had all week so I woke up around 8 this morning.
• They canceled school here in anticipation of snow so the girls are home upstairs today (Angel also decided to scratch Aaliyah from her Columbus meet).
• Tried to mirror my PC to my Firestick and couldn’t so I settled on watching AEW on my PS4 which took a little doing but I’m finally watching Dynamite at least.
• I’ve just been taking it easy the last few hours.
• Ate some cinnamon buns and then pasta. In the morning and then at lunch, not together.
• Messed with a little video stuff. But since this is my (hopefully) last day down here, I’m really not trying to do too much.
• We ordered Mario’s Fishbowl for dinner and I got a fish sandwich and some chili. I still have my taste and smell but my nose is extra sensitive to cheese and I‘m extra sensitive to vinegars now?
• I recorded Rasslecast with Marcus, Errick, Kat, and her partner Greg. The laughs were much needed.
• Watched 2 more episodes of Bob’s before I went to bed.

Day 6:

• Slept in until almost 10.
• Woke up to coffee from Aaliyah and a Covid home test on the steps. While my test was positive, most of my symptoms are gone other than a cough. We decided I can be upstairs with a mask on until at least Thursday and I’d continue to sleep down here until then.

It should go without saying that I feel extremely lucky that my symptoms were so mild and that’s all thanks to my vaccines and my booster. Being separated from everyone was horrible (especially by Wednesday/Thursday) but it was a necessary annoyance to make sure the girls didn’t get exposed any more than they had to. I just hope I’m the only one in the house who has to deal with actually having Covid at all.

ITEM! I smartly edited this week’s Rasslecast on Saturday so come and see who we draft for our fantasy factions!

ITEM! And the full video for our episode where The Hockster took over is available now!

Song of the Moment: 2Pac – Fame

I had this hook stuck in my head a while ago and it finally came back to me today. Pretty sure Wes introduced me to this one.

I never knew a lot about Vincent Van Gogh. To be honest, I still don’t. He’s always been the artist who didn’t get enough credit for his work while he was alive and he cut off his earlobe. That’s where my knowledge starts and ends.

I first became aware of the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit when a friend went to see it in Pittsburgh. I was taken with the size and scale Van Gogh’s work was being presented in; a welcome change from staring at a piece in an art gallery. When Angel asked me if I had any interest in going, I immediately replied that I was.

The day after Christmas we drove up to Pittsburgh. Located at the Lighthouse Artspace Pittsburgh, I knew that they chose the right venue for the exhibit. Now, I say this as someone who has never gotten to experience some of these cool art spaces that decorate major cities but if you were to imagine a dimly lit, large space that looks like it was made for expensive cocktails and mindless small talk, then you know what Lighthouse Artspace Pittsburgh looks like.

It’s been over a month though so I’m not going to give a blog-like play-by-play of the exhibit and day (or the fact that I discovered Retro Bowl that weekend. I will definitely be writing about that at some point). What I experienced emotionally wasn’t something I was prepared for.

The actual immersive experience is a 35 minute video projected all around a room the size of a tennis court you might find at your local gym. There were few seats so the girls and I found a space on the floor around the middle. On all four walls the video is shown at the same time. It’s a beautiful blending of Van Gogh’s work that’s accompanied by a more than willing soundtrack.

I didn’t pull out my phone; I’ve really tried to be better about being in the moment instead of taking pictures to repost on social media. I just took it all in. Lo and behold, I found myself getting emotional.

If you’ve listened to my podcast, you know it doesn’t take much (I once broke down hard over a Dwyane Wade retirement commercial). Again, it’s something I’ve embraced over the years. I’m a firm believer in feeling your feelings when they happen so if I get teary eyed at a car commercial, what’s the big deal? Now the next step in my emotional process is to figure out what’s triggering me.

I was in a room with a bunch of strangers, my wife, and my daughter, so it had to be the video. So I ran through a checklist: the time and effort it took to make the video (nah), the time and effort Van Gogh put into his work (kinda), the music (nah), the fact that Van Gogh’s work was being appreciated still this long after his passing (kinda), etc.

But it really didn’t take me that long to figure it out though. I lifted this from his Wikipedia article:

Van Gogh was commercially unsuccessful during his lifetime, and he was considered a madman and a failure. As he became famous only after his suicide, he came to be seen as a misunderstood genius in the public imagination.

This man never knew he made it.

You can read Wikipedia, you can read books that were written about him but one thing is for sure: no one appreciated his work while he was alive, as he sold only one painting before his death. And while it’s reported the president of France did see his work before then, Vincent still passed relatively penniless.

After the show, as I looked through the gift shop where some of Van Gogh’s most famous works were printed on masks, clothing, and jewelry, it was a jarring knock back to the capitalist world we live in. Here in 2021, Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night can be on your dog bowl and your leggings! When he painted what he saw out his asylum’s window, never in a million years could he imagine this scenario.

And when I thought about how Van Gogh lacked recognition for his genius while he was alive, it made me think of my own struggles with getting my work recognized, whether it be musically or with podcasting.

I’m by no means comparing myself to a genius painter but this thought is why I’m writing this so stick with me.

Eventually, I had to come to the conclusion that I make music, I write, and I podcast ultimately for my own enjoyment. I’m not built to pretend that one day I’ll be recognized for any of those things. It took me a long time to get here but it’s an understanding I can live with.

Van Gogh, while also wanting to be successful, was deeply affected by his mental health in a time when there was no real help for his issues. So while it can seem like his suicide was prompted by his not being famous, there were larger things at play that led to his death.

Getting to experience his art that day the way I did was very cool but it was catered to the same people who flock to the movies to see a dragon in Shang Chi:

“Look at the cool effects and pretty colors!”

I’m as guilty as anyone for this (and Shang Chi was dope) but the exhibit left me with more questions than answers about how the paintings that were digitally recreated came to be in the first place. Sure, there were your typical paragraphs you could read about each one but the whole thing felt like those first few minutes with a fresh piece of gum: amazing flavor to start but then you’re left chewing a lifeless husk.

It’s good that I had more questions about him and his work after, so I suppose the exhibit did it’s job in that way. But the lack of education that was replaced with gigantic visuals and a gift shop left me feeling cold.

And it really made me grateful that Van Gogh couldn’t see his art on a mouse pad. I don’t think he ever wanted that kind of recognition.

Item! The Rasslecast team pulled off Handsome Bane’s idea for Segment-Mania on the latest episode!

Item! I discussed why the OG Green Goblin is Spider-Man’s greatest enemy on last week’s episode of Hyphen Nation!

So much for naming these after album titles.

I opened my browser on my phone and was recommended this article about a new album from The Game. I pretty much lost interest in the guy after his assault accusations came out a few years ago but this news wasn’t surprising.

Rappers don’t retire. Too $hort, Jay-Z, Master P, Mase (and supposedly Logic still is) all tried and failed. Game, who has craved respect his entire career, announcing another album should’ve been on all of our hip-hop bingo cards.

And naturally, right after Snoop played a snippet of new music with Hit-Boy on his IG, now Game is working with the California born beatsmith on his new album. I’m happy for Hit-Boy; he’s come a long way from the Jay-Z Interview days. And while working with the hottest producers isn’t new in rap, my expectations are lowered because none of their music will compare to Hit-Boy’s work with Nas.

Although The Game has had some high marks musically, he’s also made some of the most run-of-the-mill tracks in recent memory. His tendency to name drop is also a style that can alienate some listeners. While I didn’t listen to his last effort Born 2 Rap, I have listened to most of his discography. What follows is a quick rundown of each project I’ve heard and a summary of whether Game’s contributions over the years have been worthwhile.

The Documentary (2005) – 5 mics
While half of the album infamously was provided to him from 50 Cent and his G-Unit affiliation, Game took his mixtape buzz and delivered on his debut. It doesn’t matter if he had a little help from his friends.

Doctor’s Advocate (2006) – 4 mics
After all the turmoil of his beef with 50, G-Unot, and Dr. Dre declining to work with him, Game did not have a sophomore slump. While the “One Blood (Remix)” is stupid long, Game proved he had a great ear for beats and truly proved his songwriting skills weren’t all provided by 50.

LAX (2008) – 3.5 mics
At the time, I felt like a lot of the records that were leaking to the blogs were better than what made the actual LP. “Dope Boys” still gets me hype though.

The R.E.D. Album (2011) – 2.5 mics
I only remember loving Kendrick’s verse on “The City”. The rest of this was unmemorable.

Jesus Piece (2012) – 2 mics
“Celebration” was cool I guess?

Blood Moon: Year of the Wolf (2014) – N/A
I didn’t even know this came out until after The Documentary 2 was released.

EDIT: I listened to the first tracks “Bigger Than Me” and “F.U.N.”. The former has all that aggressive content I’m always a sucker for while the latter sounds like a 50 song.

The Documentary 2 (2015) – 5 mics
I think Jayceon didn’t know he dropped an album in 2014 because… wow. Even at 19 songs I loved every song on this album.

The Documentary 2.5 (2015) – 4.5 mics
I really enjoyed this album as well but at another 17 tracks it’s a little too ambitious. If you want to listen to a ton of The Game’s best projects though, these are the two albums to put together.

Streets Of Compton (2016) – N/A
I just found out this existed. It’s a soundtrack for a… wait for it… documentary series he did for A&E.

Block Wars (2016) – N/A
A mobile game soundtrack too?!

1992 (2016) – 3 mics
I had high hopes for this one after The Documentary 2 but nothing grabbed my attention here.

Born 2 Rap (2019) – N/A
Started listening to this one for the purposes of the piece. After Ed Sheeran greets us with the intro, “No Smoke” and “Five Hundred Dollar Candles” are fine but they don’t leave me with high hopes for the rest of the album, especially at 25 tracks.

At 12 projects and 10 proper albums, there’s no lack of content from Game (and that’s not including 14 mixtapes and 5 independent albums). He is, if anything, the true definition of a studio rat. From the very beginning of his career, he’s never shied away from wanting his name mentioned among the greats, whether that’s from the West Coast or the GOATs. 17 years later, I wouldn’t say he’s had a bad career. However, he’s defined more by incidents that have happened outside of music including his beef with 50 Cent and multiple legal cases.

To those younger than 30, he very well may be considered in the top 10 or top 5 of the greatest West Coast MCs just by his output alone. To those of us like me who have been fans of hip-hop for longer than that, he may come off as an obnoxious braggart who can churn out a decent song every now and then.

I fall in the middle. The Game’s lyricism, even with all the name drops, has always appealed to me. Anyone who can hold me captivated for 300 bars has to have some kind of talent. But I also wish he would sometimes fade from the spotlight long enough to make me want new music from him. While his assault case turned me off of him as a fan in a big way, it didn’t shock me that I enjoyed some of those albums I played to research this piece. I think he’s carved out his own place in the history of West Coast rap for sure, but if he really had stayed away after Born 2 Rap, I would’ve been okay with that too.

I was reminded by 2 different videos in the last 24 hours that sometimes the simple things in life can bring you a lot of joy. You could even call these little things guilty pleasures but as someone who proudly watched the entire series of Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce because of my crush I had on Lisa Edelstein from House, there’s no such thing as guilty pleasures on this side.

I’m still sticking with the favorite albums theme for titles as well. I thought The Documentary was fitting as this piece is capturing my life in this moment. No? Didn’t I just say this is a safe space?

Speaking of crushes, I’ve gained a lot of love for West Virginia’s own Jennifer Garner lately (born in Texas, raised in Charleston; just like I’m born in Virginia, raised in Capon Bridge). Maybe it was the divorce from Ben but I really started paying attention to those Capital One commercials she was in.

A while back, she took to IGTV (is that still a thing?) and began her #PretendCookingShow series. Pretend Cooking Show is just that, Garner in her kitchen making delicious food in a “neatly” edited 5 to 6 minutes, as she talks to the camera, makes mistakes, and makes no excuses for not following a recipe exactly.

Of course, the dishes that she puts on the videos come out wonderfully but there are no filters to be seen; I definitely get the feeling there’s been some food left on the cutting room floor due to something we all possess: human error. I took some time on my lunch today to watch her latest episode and as always, it brightened my day. I mean Jennifer Garner almost put flour in a recipe just like us! It’s the relatability I love.

The other reminder of the little things came from a friend on TikTok talking about how “Africa” by Toto made him feel guilty. I quickly jumped in to his comments and then I made sure to play “Africa” at high volume on my way to work and posted it on my own account.

You may have heard this before but certain songs make you feel good. Last week, I listened to “This Place Hotel” and “Shake Your Body Down to the Ground” and didn’t feel one ounce of guilt for wanting to listen to Michael Jackson vocals. My relationship and fandom may have dipped for the King of Pop in recent years but I can still enjoy his music.

I can never enjoy any R. Kelly music ever again though. And I’m alright with that.

Just because a group of white guys want to bless the rains in Africa doesn’t make it wrong; “Africa” is a jam that gets discovered by a new person every day and it’s been that way for almost 40 years. “Don’t Stop Believin’” survived its popularity surge from Glee to still be a dope song. And please find me the person who doesn’t enjoy “Hotel California” (don’t @ me, I know they exist). While in some circumstances, “Africa” may be a tad problematic, it’s not racist, and as it was said at the beginning of “Feels Good”, play the record once a day, as needed. That song makes me happy and it’s a little thing like that I’m thankful for.

I will no longer condone “Sweet Home Alabama” though. Bunch of jerks.

Addendum: I’d be quite remiss if I left out one of the greatest TikTok accounts ever created: Fritz and Donnybrook! Fritz lives in a cabin in the woods in upper upper Michigan with his dog Donnybrook. He didn’t get my attention by being funny or dancing; he simply likes to cook on an open fire or inside his cabin. His smooth intonation of “Well hello buddy” can put even the coldest heart at ease and his simple worldview brings relaxation and calm to his 4.7 million followers a few times a week.

The food looks great and he always tops every recipe off with a classic movie or video game and his preferred cold pop of choice, Vernors. His comments are full of people thanking him for the 60 seconds of bliss, with some going as far to tell him his content helped them cope with breakups and deaths of loved ones. Despite hanging out recently at the Winter Classic and being invited to the Lions first home game a few months ago, Fritz still keeps it simple. And while I’m sure the pressure to deliver perfection on every video can get to him, I for one hope he continues on this path for a long time. Hands down, this is the best account on TikTok.

ITEM: Posted the video of Hyphen Nation 190 on my YouTube channel for those of you who like see George and Marcus look outstanding while I look mediocre. Also, my camera quality was weird. I don’t know if it was Skype or me. 🤷🏾‍♂️

Note: You can subscribe to my free newsletter It’s Not Gonna Write Itself here. Bringing back the name because I had gotten back into writing semi-regularly under that title in 2019 only to discover my site had been hacked in early 2020. Instead of thinking with a level head to fix everything, I panicked and lost pretty much everything I had written the year prior. Here’s to fresh starts.

This is the third or fourth time this week I’ve opened a blank document hoping some inspiration would spill onto it. Since I’m still failing to truly grasp one idea, consider this a free write of sorts.

• Betty White passed away. A few days ago, she tweeted (her reps tweeted) about her 100th birthday coming up and how she was celebrating with People Magazine. While I loved Betty as much as the next person, I can’t really be too upset that she was able to hit the eject button after two of weirdest years the world has ever experienced. May you reunite with the other Golden Girls and immediately start filming for new sitcom starring you 4 in the great beyond. I can’t wait to see it someday.
• In more sad news, John Madden passed away as well this week. While I only knew him as the broadcaster and namesake of the Madden video games, I’ve found myself fascinated with his years as the Raiders coach. Despite my love of the Chicago Bulls, it’s always been clear to me that the Raiders were where my sports heart always would fall. The idea of the Raiders being successful and feared and being all the things that made my dad a fan is something that escapes me even as Las Vegas fights for a longshot playoff berth. I was sad Al Davis died when he passed in 2011 but Madden’s passing has really made me realize how synonymous he was with the Commitment to Excellence slogan that Al crafted.
• There are three reasons I don’t like the Pittsburgh Steelers. 1. The Raiders were constantly battling them in the 70s (and losing). 2. The Immaculate Not-A-Catch. And 3. Ben Roethlisberger. With a dash of the fact that most of the people in Morgantown have made the Steelers their team and they worship at his alter (something that made me despise the Washington Football Team and the Cowboys in the 90s. Being surrounded by fans of a successful team sucks). Reports say that he’s finally going to do me and the Steelers a huge favor and hang up those blasted cleats. If this is true… I’ll still have to deal with a rabid fanbase of a team with six Super Bowl victories but at least Ben won’t be the face of it any longer. Rest in piss.
• I just now decided I will name each of these posts after albums I love. If you haven’t listened to Pharrell’s 2006 album In My Mind, please do. Then, go find yourself a copy of Pharrell & Questlove’s Out Of My Mind. Matter of fact, I just did all the work for you. Enjoy.
• Finally, Antonio Brown walked out on the Buccaneers in the middle of their game against the Jets and Coach Bruce Arians has already said he was “no longer a Buc”. I’ve talked about AB’s theatrics after his brief stay with the Raiders so am I surprised? No. Do I think he needs help? Yes. I just hope he seeks that help before he makes headlines for something even more tragic and final.

I don’t think this is a sports newsletter? On to some recent work:

• ITEM: Hyphen Nation 190 landed in podcast land this past Thursday! I’m joined by Marcus Robinson and George Gerbo to put 2021 out of its misery with the yearly Numbers On The Board episode. Find out why you shouldn’t watch 2020’s Candyman and more!
• ITEM: I recorded a little something over Silk Sonic’s “Smokin Out The Window” in November. Felt great to really get to work on something that wasn’t just for TikTok. I have plans on making more music this year, so this is a large step in the right direction.

This brings us to the end of the first edition of It’s Not Gonna Write Itself. Looking forward to what the year brings and really getting back into the swing of putting my thoughts down on the keyboard. Tell a friend to tell a friend! Thanks y’all.