Quote of the Week
“I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” — Henry David Thoreau
Dixieland Jazz
So, this week I thought I’d try out some Dixieland Jazz. I was never a big fan of it in the past, but as with all things, time—and tastes—change, and so, I dug in. Well, much to my surprise, it was a great time! As a former trumpet player, I understand how difficult improvisation can be, especially with different and varied instrumentation. What I listened to was masterful and honestly—a lot of fun! I’m not sure anyone can be upset or sad listening to Dixieland Jazz. Now, I don’t think I can make a steady diet of it, but on those particular days when you want something different, Dixieland might be the way to go.
Give it a try.
Long Way Home
About 10 years ago, I found a television show called Long Way Round. It was about Ewan McGregor, the actor, and his friend, Charlie Boorman, son of the legendary director, who decided to take a motorcycle trip quite literally around the world. They began in London and went—east—as far as east could go, even to places with no roads…through Mongolia, Russia, and eventually crossing the Bering Strait into Alaska, on down to LA, across the U.S. all the way to NY, crossed the Atlantic, and ended exactly where they started. It was a fascinating show, and I was hooked from the first episode.
Then, they did a second show called Long Way Down where they began in Scotland and went—down—all the way to Cape Town, South Africa.
Then, a third entitled Long Way Up where they went, on electric motorcycles (proving something we all knew), from the tip of South America “up” to L.A.
This latest iteration—Long Way Home— is where they ride Europe, their homeland. It’s a truly wonderful show—all of them—showcasing some of the most interesting and personal things one might ever see on the back of a motorcycle. There are significant problems of logistics they overcome as well as simply wonderful moments one can only have on the back of a motorcycle. It’s funny, interesting, fascinating, and just plain good.
If you’re looking for something different; not a cop show, a murder mystery, a fantasy sci-fi, or some really no-that-funny comedy, try any of the Long Way shows. They’re truly excellent.
Conflicting News
This past week in news, both political and otherwise, has been a busy week. Everything from a certain belief that World War III was beginning to the economy collapsing and every other manner of tragedy, both national and local, befalling us. We have politicians who don’t know how the Constitution works, news pundits who are spewing nonsense from both sides, and a public willingly eating up whatever their “side” puts forth as a meal.
As one who observes more than anything, it was interesting to see how rabid so many were to lap up half-truths, outright lies, and propaganda as long as such propaganda supported their point of view. Even the “news” media understands this and works to feed “their side,” the truth becoming lost in the shuffle. I watched all the major cable news outlets report the same story completely differently, skewing their audience along the way. As it happens, I know something about the Constitution, the War Powers Act, and what the limits are on presidential power when committing forced, both currently and in the past. Watching the news and how it was reported made me have to go back and fact-check my own knowledge, which, by the way, was not wrong. In the starkest possible sense, it was made clear to me why we’re so divided in this nation, with that divide widening with, in my view, little hope for repair.
People are being fed garbage news—inaccurate and curated—tailored to their audience alone—truth be damned. I always knew it was bad—yellow journalism has been around for a long time—but I had no idea how bad it’s gotten.
It’s one thing to have an opinion, but quite another to foster that opinion as factual using distorted information designed to gaslight people.
I find it quite pathetic and sad.
Here Comes…The Heat
It’s now officially summer—and that means there will be heat, especially in the South where that heat is often accompanied by stifling humidity. I mean, what does anyone expect—it’s summer!
The biggest issue I have with it all is the weeds. It’s like the summer heat jet fuels their growth and keeping them at bay is practically a full-time job. I have industrial weed killer I purchase from the local farm co-op, and it does the job quite well, but those weeds, insidious as they are, fight back and find a new crack, a new crevasse, or somewhere else with the tiniest opening, to grow.
So, the battle of the weeds is underway and in full swing. What I find amazing is just how those weeds find an opening. It’s interesting.
Life—it does find a way.
Oh, and the baby deer are out and about with their moms, hanging out on the property and enjoying life. I see them every morning prancing about…it’s very cool.
Bloodlines: A Story of Memory, Silence, and Family
My new novel is complete and in “beta” right now. For those unaware, beta readers are those who read one’s completed novel after an initial edit, to give feedback, find plot holes, errors another set of eyes can find, and the like. They, then, give feedback to me, the author, and I weigh that feedback, fixing errors or covering up plot holes. They’ll also tell me if the book is any good at all and either why or why not. I had one beta reader upon the initial writing of this book (a different title and different direction for the story) tell me “this is not working and here’s why.” She was absolutely right, so after looking at it again myself, I ditched the entire project, all 26 chapters, and started anew, culling what I liked from that book…about 1/3, and using it for this one.
The result is a much more coherent book with a theme and plot that resonates. It’s classified as literary fiction, and I think for good reason. I hope you’ll make room on your bookshelf or in your electronic reader for this one. I do think you’ll remember it long after you’ve read it.
I wrote this book primarily because I never knew my paternal grandfather, a man whose stories were something of legend in my family. The character is not based on my grandfather, but the wish to know him, and the desire to find out more about him is what formed the basis of this book.
Anyway, it will be out in a few weeks, so please consider it for your bookshelf.
Here’s a short excerpt: “I wasn’t supposed to be in the basement. I definitely wasn’t supposed to pick the lock to my father’s old office. But something was down there—something waiting to be remembered.”
Welp, that’s it for this week’s Mid-Week Musings. Remember, it’s all downhill from here!
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Michael DiMatteo
Somewhere in Time
Triple Option Publishing
2025