Saying goodbye to 2017, with the help of three Progressive Rock classics. Happy New Year, everyone! 2018 is just 10 minutes away, where I am

Millennials Have Discovered 'Going Out' Sucks Young people are the new old people. Everywhere you go, millennials are pushing the boundaries of convention and defying the rules: Almost getting people elected, riding "hoverboards" that are actually basically just Segways, writing self-congratulatory thinkpieces about ourselves. It's a busy world out there, and millennials are taking charge. For instance, this is the first generation ever to admit that going out actually sucks. "They're the greatest generation—of couch potatoes," is how the New York Post, in one of the most amazing articles ever written, describes millennials. The case against us? We're streaming more television and spending more time on our phones than Gen X, declining to socialize in person, and maybe most damning of all, "More young people are choosing to spend a quiet evening at home." We're not even cool enough to get drunk: "A 2016 survey by Heineken found that when millennials do bother to venture outside, 75 percent drink in moderation." The Post suggests a few reasons for millennials' lameness, including a quote from a neurologist who says that cases of exhaustion among young people are on the rise and a note that going out, especially in big cities like New York, is expensive. But even those of us who aren't perpetually broke and tired are still not embracing traditional methods of socializing, like sitting in a dark bar doing shots until something happens. This has something to do with social media, maybe? Oh, and dating! Whatever happened to dating, right? "You know, the whole 'Netflix and chill,' whatever you think about it... it's kind of a trend," one millennial helpfully told the Post. You could point to various generational reasons for millennials' habit of staying in—it's not surprising that a cohort that came of age between 9/11 and the worldwide financial crisis would be a little more frugal and culturally cautious than their predecessors. Remember, the previous generation was so decadent and insulated from reality that "flannel" was a fashion trend and the most popular TV show was about six people hanging out in a coffee shop and periodically fucking one another. Millennials, in contrast to the depraved hedonists of Friends, who kept exotic animals like monkeys as pets, are a frugal, risk-averse sort, traits that don't lend themselves to turning Saturday nights into Sunday mornings. You could also note millennials' well-established money woes and conclude that there's no great mystery behind us not wanting to drop $100 on a night out that ends with you walking home shoeless and headache-y at dawn. Or maybe it's just that "millennials" is a category that now includes 30-somethings, and people old enough to know shit about 401(k)s aren't inclined to spend their weekends snorting whatever gets offered to them in unisex bathrooms, then either dancing or talking about the JFK assassination for seven hours straight. But really, what this completely real trend the Post has identified shows is that millennials have cracked the code. For most of human history, young people have spent a good chunk of their lives going "out," which mainly meant getting fucked up on mead or some mildly poisonous herb, then having sex with a stranger, waking up in a field, or both. Youths are always derided for this by the older generations, who claim that in their day the herbs were less poisonous and the outdoor coitus less brazen. Most of these kids, of course, settle down with one another and devote themselves to not being completely crushed by whatever economic system looms over them. Occasionally, they'll walk by a field and laugh fondly, knowing that their reckless phase has passed, and that what they really want to do is just hang out in front a fire with some of their closest friends and describe episodes of premium cable shows to one another. The wildest these nights ever get is when one of them cheekily brings some poisonous herbs to spice things up. But millennials—if you believe the Post, and why wouldn't you?—are skipping past all that bullshit, those late-20s nights where you don't even enjoy waking up in a field but feel obligated to by your fear that you will be washed up if you don't spend Saturday puking while texting your friends to remind you not to mix mead and herbs, then going to brunch. Fuck going out. Fuck "out." It's expensive, it's crowded, it smells bad, the bands are usually terrible, the clubs are usually worse. You know what's great? Sitting around and watching TV. Have you tried it? You get to wear comfortable clothes, summon whatever food you want via phone and eat it with your hands, go to bed when you choose—for most of the humans who have ever lived, this generation's typical night in represents an impossible pinnacle of luxury. People used to worry about stuff like drought, famine, and a new band of men with swords riding into town. Don't underestimate the simple luxuries of a glass of wine, a roof overhead, and a screen that can show you anything you can imagine. So stay in tonight. Get a decent bottle of red wine or one of those bourgeois-ass beers that's brewed with like, lemon peels. Watch an entire Prince concert or a shitload of Peep Show. Or, fuck it, go Full Old and read a book. Sleep when you're tired. Wake up feeling rested for once. Go to the park. You'd be surprised by all the places you can go when you're not going out, and how nice the people are once you're there. Source: https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/ppveam/millennials-have-discovered-going-out-sucks

As the old saying goes: "Nice Things for Nice People!" Edited to add: I hope you enjoy that book on Zep by Popoff. I bought his book on Rush and I absolutely loved it!

My last Rush CD purchase for the year 2017. I knew that I had to have this album, as part of my collection, when I listened to a live version of 'Force Ten', courtesy of the 'A Show of Hands' DVD. As an ardent fan of the band, I am aware that a major point of contention as far as 'Hold Your Fire' is concerned is the song 'Tai Shan'. As the old saying goes: 'You either love it or you hate it'. I gave it a listen for the first time today and I loved it! Honestly, it is like nothing the band has ever done before. The opening notes were stunningly beautiful. I even thought to myself : "Now, this has to be the most relaxing song on earth". It reinforced my love for the band. This song is truly a testament that Rush was never afraid to push boundaries and musically explore uncharted territory. To top it all, this song painted all sorts of glorious images in my mind's eye. I even pictured myself meditating up on a mountain! Sounds absolutely crazy but it's true! No other band has ever done that to me, with their music. Is it any wonder that this band is my favourite band of all time?! I was also pretty proud to learn that this album came out in the year of my birth!

Thanks, Sean! I have been meaning to get Bewitched on DVD for quite a while now but alas, time and time again, I could only find a box set that sold all seasons together as opposed to separate DVDs for each season and given how I feel about Dick Sargent, I was very particular that seasons 6, 7 and 8 are not part of the collection. Happily, lady luck smiled upon me, a couple of days before Christmas and I just had to place an order as soon as possible! My Christmas was very special as it was filled with Bewitched re-runs, coupled with classic Christmas related cartoon shorts! Life couldn't get any better!

Being the 'un-secret Santa' for two colleagues I really like

Since I cannot edit my original post any longer, I would like to mention another band which I really love: Fleetwood Mac (the original with Peter Green).

Ordered the DVD versions of the first 5 seasons of Bewitched! I made sure that the episodes on the DVDs for seasons 1 and 2 were in black and white (the way they are supposed to be! ). Hope to get these delivered in the next couple of days! So excited!

Primus and Tool, perhaps? Awww...shucks! You beat me to it!

Off the top of my head: Rush (my favourite band of all time), Queen, The Who, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Cream, Yes, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Doors, The Sonics, MC5, The Hellacopters, Graveyard, Witchcraft, Asteroid...to name a few.

Wow! Thank you so much! I guess this is from the Hemispheres tour. Hearing The Necromancer live has been a dream of mine. Now, if only some lovely person will unearth footage / sound recordings from the so-called Down The Tubes tour, I will be a happy camper!!!

Modern Day Warrior, Mean Mean Stride, Today's Tom Sawyer, Mean, Mean Pride! Thanks, Andy!

Thanks, Walter!!

Many thanks, Sean! Yeah, I got pretty drunk on some Scotch but it was a pleasant buzz!

Thank you so much, Esther! It certainly was!

Thank you! It was a fabulous day! Gotta love good old Spock!

Thanks so much!

Some Rush birthday loot!