That new old theme did not last for long, did it? Its release coincided with my 2½ hour yardwork session, an event that strips me of my eyesight prowess. Sure, I wear safety eyewear, but nevertheless, grass slaps me silly. My astigmatism changes and now, everything two feet in front of me is a hazy, illegible dream.

I'll edge and then mow it, but it makes me wonder what societal convention am I following here? Isn't it strange how we have all agreed to do this, all of these tiny squares of grass, meticulously maintained. Yes, I shape and form these weeds to stand in formation! "Bow before me! I am your king, the venerable Grasslord!"

My spirit remains headed toward the retrowave sun, but my site design? Driving toward clean and optimized, the same way I want to live with all these...materials...around me. As I traverse life, the less things I want.

Lately, I've been catching the Michael Landon series from 1974, Little House on the Prarie. It is a romantic notion, isn't it? No telecommunications—no electricity even! Just hard work with your own two hands.

Admittedly, I am drawn to that world. Of course, my father's world before Uncle Sam and 1953 was one of a single light bulb and an outhouse. Undeniably, it has been in our blood for a long time.

Now, how did I have all of this tech abomination in my life—how bizarre! Yes, your president of a high school's computer club and Who's Who of Computer Science. What nonsense. Yes, in this Instagram world, it does not seem so extreme. But, in that early-to-mid 90s era? Life was basically Pong in comparison and far more enriching! This, I remember.

After 7 years, as old as this domain name, my Google account is G-O-N-E. Like Already Gone! Yesterday, I attempted to recover it because I thought spreadsheet sharing might come in handy. As I tried, my response was...relief. I believe my first reference of leaving came way back on June 16, 2018's GOOG Cutting. It was a long time coming. And 2024 was the year I did it, the same year I weighed in at 163 and....

Let the cowboys ride
Against the wind

-Bob Seger, Against the Wind (1980)

Some desert island off Morocco
We had a love so hard to find
Oh so full of life, so free and easy
Another place, another time

-Van Halen, Take Me Back (Deja Vu) (1995)

Close your eyes, and take a look at your life
Do you like what you see?
My eyes are open, but I feel like I'm blind
It's all returning to me
I want to know, does a frozen river flow?
Things you said fill my head

-KISS, Dreamin' (1998)

"Toss me a cigarette, I think there's one in my raincoat"
"We smoked the last one an hour ago"
So I looked at the scenery, she read her magazine
And the moon rose over an open field...

-Simon & Garfunkel, America (1968)