My week was busy until it got supercharged with an ask from another office to drive almost 5 hours one way to emcee two different events, in two cities on the same day. I’m nervous, excited, and exhausted from having so much work already, but even though I was volun-told, this is what I signed up for. At least I had 4 days notice this time. I just wish I could travel with someone instead of alone.

My best friend’s birthday was this past week. He’s been gone for almost a year and a half now, and it’s still weird not being able to feel his energy.

And, the leader of a nation now has my cell phone number… but he asked nicely so I couldn’t deny the request. My boss said he would definitely call me, and I’m not sure how to feel about that.

It’s such a good time to be a New Yorker! This kind of no nonsense governance is a model for municipalities everywhere!

Related: According to my Dad, as of April 1, dollar stores are now one of the only places aside from Walmart that take food stamps/EBT for the state AND his health insurance programs.

What I hope to do here is spread awareness and encourage you to talk to people that use this social service. Tell them to submit complaints to the programs that dictate where they can get food if it’s this restrictive because you’re not getting fresh, nutritious produce from a dollar store, and those are often the only places around for rural folks.

Also you just know that these “partnered 3rd parties” are on that list because they get kickbacks, have lobbied, or know someone who is writing the policy.

Fuuuuuuck.

Hell yeah! So much respect.

I never presumed to introduce a raver to new music, rather this was a reminder list, so to speak!

Thank you again, seriously. Can’t stay awake much longer tonight so I’ll have to finish it tomorrow. That was incredible. And now for the few that I want to include that didn’t make the first list. Part deux:

1. https://soundcloud.com/x-trance-x/cosmic-gate-exploration-of

2. https://soundcloud.com/arminvanbuuren/in-and-out-of-love-extended-1

3. https://soundcloud.com/bt/mercury-solace-little-foot-1

Oh good God, when “We’re All We Need” came on, that was it for me! Thank you for this! Part 2 links coming soon after I finish this.

While I can’t help with another cat, may I drop some sick beats here for you?

I really enjoyed the ones you shared! (Also, since I haven’t forgotten about the Trance off, here are some of my favorites. Some liberties were taken as a number of these border on house, techno, or EDM):

1. https://soundcloud.com/aboveandbeyond/thing-called-love-above-beyond?in=aboveandbeyond%2Fsets%2Fthing-called-love-4 (you’re gonna see A&B a few times in any of my lists)

2. https://soundcloud.com/picschmitz1/kaskade-on-your-mind-pic-schmitz-remix

3. https://soundcloud.com/ferry-corsten/feel-you-1

4. https://soundcloud.com/meduzamusic/lose-control?in=latin-music-553710987%2Fsets%2Flose-control-meduza-becky-hill

5. https://soundcloud.com/aboveandbeyond/were-all-we-need-3

6. https://soundcloud.com/aboveandbeyond/above-beyond-pres-oceanlab-satellite-original-above-beyond-mix (and the other OceanLab song that I love:) https://soundcloud.com/aboveandbeyond/on-a-good-day-4

7. https://soundcloud.com/ikeaharov/atb-its-a-fine-day (lots more ATB I like that you’ve probably heard)

8. https://soundcloud.com/tiesto/walking-on-clouds (can’t get away from some of his songs, they’re too nostalgic)

9. https://soundcloud.com/morganpage/morgan-page-sultan-ned-shepard (a nod to many decent artists in one song)

10. https://soundcloud.com/avoure/aura (the bass just carries so graciously)

11. https://soundcloud.com/moonrushremixes/now-youre-gone-remix (I listened to Basshunter ironically at first and then came to really enjoy his music. This is a decent take on the original!)

12. https://soundcloud.com/muppen05/jadore-hardcore-limpanz-remix (I really like the original, and this one is good too, but it’s more hardcore than trance)

13. https://soundcloud.com/lautsprecher-music/omnibus-featuring-katie-2?in=lautsprecher-music%2Fsets%2Fomnibus (probably more techno than trance, but nonetheless, a classic that deserves another go)

14. https://soundcloud.com/koba-aus/above-beyond-feat-richard-bedford-sun-moon-koba-bootleg (I was going to share the original A&B track as a special favorite of mine but this one surprised me. I didn’t think anyone could dare tread upon the original. This is a fun take!)

15. https://soundcloud.com/coldplay/paradise-ti-sto-remix (always thought this was a weird combo but I keep coming back to it)

16. https://soundcloud.com/darude/feel-the-beat-original-mix (no way this was 26 years ago…?)

Bonus albums that are not trance but I’ve loved for a while: https://soundcloud.com/littlepeoplemusic/sets/mickey-mouse-operation ;

and this one – more people should know about Axel Thesleff. This one is usually on repeat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g-Kjep9eQI

Enjoy!

I’m on that Wingspan kick! Recently finished Hogwarts Legacy which was a treat, and Wingspan has been so fun it’s all I play lately. Helps to have a dedicated few friends who love it like I do, so we play asynchronous due to our schedules being crazy lately. Happy belated birthday!

Sending my best, and safe travels! And please have some chips and salsa for me (if that’s your thing) lol

Can relate. It sounds like the choice to visit family in Texas is not one you have much wiggle room to make (between seeing them or not, the answer seems obvious if you love/care for/miss them). Best you can do is support local business, aka Mom and Pop places that actually employ local folks and treat them humanely. It takes research but you can direct your energy that way as much as possible. Where we can, we’re able to be mindful of our choices to reduce the harm we know is present, without diminishing our lives and being separated from our loved ones. I’m open to other thoughts on this. I just haven’t found a good option in this situation either. Good luck, friend.

This was a fantastic read, and so fascinating to glimpse a life such as this! A strong takeaway for me was that no matter the circumstances or culture, we are greater and stronger when we cooperate with the ecosystem to mutual benefit.

Sound take. We do have to face harsh realities, but as so many have said before, the cost of inaction is far greater. We can’t do business as usual with fossil fuels because investing in a finite resource is economically insane. We have the technology; we mainly need the political will and investments to see it through.

Subscriptions are already creeping into those sectors regardless of any modality preference shift in the public, so why deny yourself and others of an experience that has been proven to improve human wellness and reduce pollution?

So I pose this: the less than half of your commute extra that you’d spend on a bike to get to your destination thing – if you’ve never tried it as a direct comparison to a car commute (with the big caveat that it should be a safe biking journey so that the comparison is fair), you really can’t say that it won’t work or it’s not convenient for work, even for vacations. Speaking from personal experience, it caused a massive improvement in my mental health. I would say please remain open to the idea, coming from someone who was skeptical and ended up in just a few months picking up a full grocery haul on the regular when I could on our cargo e bikes. You can kit them out like crazy for a fraction of the cost of car maintenance, and yes we went year round, rain and snow. The only thing that changed is we moved so we’re in a food desert and now need our one car for that.

I hear being with family is a priority, but bringing them on the bikes with you when you can means that you spend time together, get exercise, and have a completely different and more positive experience with a commute.

Now for the reality check - this is all predicated on having access to safe, separate biking infrastructure, of which is a local policy choice, not out of reach so long as there is public support. If we advocate for this change, those driving cars lose nothing, and we as a society stand to benefit in all ways.

I’m so down to solidarity skip all those things on the 23rd. Telling a friend!

One of my best friends (who is no longer with us) taught me how to do the Secure Shoelace Knot, and I’ve been using it for over 20 years. I’ve taught others how to use it cause it’s so amazing. Never looked back! This resource is wonderful, and there should be more resources like this that teach practical skills that we need in reality.

That’s the one! It’s a reliably decent playlist, and she’s a good study buddy.

I can’t wait to share a short list when I have the time! Life has been quite hectic (in a good way). I was able to listen to some of these without interruption and I’m into it/inspired to share some tracks when I can, especially since you invoked a Trance-off! Feels like I barely have time to listen to music for enjoyment. Lately I’m just pulling up a lo-fi hip hop radio station for ambience, but I miss being able to pay attention to and enjoy music without constant distractions.

Precisely, which will cut down on e-waste and consumer costs as well. If industry says that reduces profit bc people are still using their current models, then they need to be better and more creative as businesses to deliver what people want, and not shoving them toward a new purchase they don’t need/can’t afford.