Yinzer Checkpoint: How many syllables are in “Tower of Power”?

All semblance of “normal life” is gone…keyboards and horns just laying everywhere; this is what it comes down to in central PA for the few of us professional musicians “holding down the fort.” @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social @kobayashimarooh.bsky.social

For mini-MIDI controllers, I’ve been #arturia w/Microlab and Minilab mk3 for a couple years, but I’m trying out #akai mpk mini4 on the advice of @kobayashimarooh.bsky.social It’s more compact in all 3 dimensions; hoping this saves some plane backpack space when I fly over to San Diego for a week.

I Went to See the Melania Movie. Now I Know Who’s Buying All Those Tickets. - Slate What a good opening paragraph, LOL 😂

Not my product

“Didja get me m’cheez whiz, boy?” GO #PittsburghSteelers Where’s the quote from? #herewego #extremelyobscurefilmquotes

“We’d like to thank our producer, our camera crew, the guys in the tru—“ “Uh, Bob? It’s still the first half. We can’t do that quite yet.” #Indianacontraption #beatdown #atlasshrugged #cignettisneered @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social

I feel like that missed Oregon field goal at the end of the first half is going to end up being the difference in this game. #closegame @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social @opg.bsky.social

Strawberry Lemon Drop Cocktail Recipe @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social

An ice cold Monday w/incoming temperature dips to mid-teens calls for a Germanic-type meal: Keilbasa, peppers, maple-herb brussels-sprouts, and keilbasa!

Oh, #redbaron, you’re the best. No need to leave the house when it’s cold, rainy, and storming. #safeathome #postrehearsalpizza

How close friends say “I care” in central Pennsylvania…in the middle of an 18-hour day. #Middleswarth #RedBull @kobayashimarooh.bsky.social

It’s a bye-week for Friday night lights…hoagies, a #duquesneuniversityinpired #HellTownBrewing Bluff 78, and a hot tub. Support your friendly neighborhood brass coach!

This is a massive mistake. Why do I do this to myself? If I’m ever being tortured by a Russian operative, I’d cave under this pressure: “Vee heff vaze uff making you tok” — brings out box of crackers and eats them in front of me. #bestjunkfoodever

When you’re a grumpy music director because no one commented that your shirt matches your bell…#naturalhorn #brass #band #musiceducationmatters

The clock strikes 1am as I put the last note on the latest #altoonabrasscollective arrangement. Me: Looks at a nice bottle of rosé in the fridge…”nah…I’d regret that real soon…” Too bed I go with a glass of water. #composerproblems #brainonturbo

Ah, tech week…when the morning “shower coffee” gets shamelessly joined by “shower bacon toast.” For non-musical theatre folks, that’s a long series of 18-hour days….

I miss the ‘70s, and I was only there for a couple of years….

@thesoulfulwit.bsky.social @soletssay.bsky.social @escalante.bsky.social @opg.bsky.social Not sure if anyone outside PA/Philly-area even knows what a “Tomato Pie” is, but here’s a full-on rebirth as a potato chip. Better than the lemonade chips from several months ago.

Happy “Fourth of July!” What could be more American than homemade Big Macs™️ and a Miller Lite™️?! ‘Murica! #IndependenceDay2025

It’s good to get away, but great to come back to one’s small-hometown mom-n-pop pizza. #d’ottaviositalianhouse Also…5am shouldn’t exist. Like, no one should ever wake up at this hour.

Bliss. The first real day I’ve been able to take a break. #summersolstice #favoritemonthoftheyear #foreverjune

Trump’s Smartphone Can’t Be Made in America for $499 by August - The Wall Street Journal This is the dumbest damned thing I’ve ever seen.

www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/... @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social

New gear smell is the best…#airturnBT500 replaces a darned-near decade old #airturnBT105. #pitlife #ipadformusic

@soletssay.bsky.social Thinking of you, and sending good thoughts/vibes. It’s a damn shame you’re so far away geographically! Hang in there, man!

Opinion | Trump Wants to Be Impeached Again - The Wall Street Journal OUCH. And from the WSJ, no less, which can be dependably counted about to skew center-right 80% of the time.

She’s giving me the “come hither” sultry eyes, but he’s just desperate to play: “Why haven’t you visited in a while?” #godcats #catsitting

#pittsburgh will always be home to me in so many ways.

‘Getting out of hand’ -Steph Curry’s stunned reaction to Ja Morant gun gesture goes viral as fans call for suspension @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social

apple.news/Ad7JYtb50QJi... @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social I’m curious as your take on this viewpoint.

apple.news/AkZOk3UtWSiW... @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social

@thesoulfulwit.bsky.social How Jinx sees himself…”everyone worship me, yes? Be friends?” #qat

It smells Iike Ron DeSantis down here…the place needs to be aired out. #florida #Disney2025

Opinion | Snap Out of It, Democrats - The Wall Street Journal @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social A remarkably accurate pure center-swath article from WSJ, which usually bats center-right.

flip.it/CoFMA7 @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social

Apple’s News app is getting a recipes section - The Verge @thesoulfulwit.bsky.social

Blue toilet water is wonderful, because it’s a sign this toilet has never been with anyone else; it’s truly a “virgin toilet.” #toilet #commode #johncrapper

Remember, folks, to get your iPhones/iPads/Macs/tech quickly…the Trump tariffs are coming, and the orange man is going to add hundreds of dollars to the prices of our tech. #newphonemas #iphone16promax

It’s “Manhattan” time! With MLK day (Monday), two “remote” days (Tuesday and Wednesday), and Friday off, it feels very reminiscent of #covidtimes just going to the physical workspace on Thursday this week! #manhattan #remotework #subzerotemperatures

Sam Moore, the tenor half of the scorching soul duo Sam & Dave — known for indelible hits like “Soul Man” — has died at 89.

There needs to be a term for those of us who get along/work well with everyone in the workplace, while simultaneously dealing with the fact that all these coworkers don’t like one another. It’s exhausting.

I can’t be put in an easily-classified category. On one hand, I’m sipping Macallan 25…and on the other, I’m a Red Baron aficionado. 🤷‍♂️ #pizza #redbaron #singlemaltscotch #macallan25

Might be time to move over here permanently…X is smoldering red wasteland now.

Rod Blagojevich’s Tips for Prison Survival, Just in Time for Trump - The New Yorker Hopefully Trump can read this in prison for helpful hints.

Drinking Sam Addams Boston Lager at 6.50$/bottle from a straw in a glass with ice in a hotel lobby snack bar…. #winningatlife? #epicfail? #tuneinnextepisode?

apple.news/AOMy_Skf4RVm... Lets pray the citizenry doesn’t put this idiot back in power for four more years. The county won’t survive it.