"Play Music I Like"

That's my favorite command for Alexa. Usually while I'm cooking, the biggest lost cause of my life, and the songs allow me to at least pretend not to be homicidal while I'm attempting to produce food that isn't poisonous.

When Her is in the kitchen, seek high ground.

So, Alexa, a little Ryan Adams because you accept that I continue to love his music in spite of his wrongdoing,

INXS because Firefly Lane used "Never Tear Us Apart" to such stirring effect,

Radiohead because birds and a gun and a pack of sandwiches,

and AH YES! Neil Diamond, "Sweet Caroline," staple of joy at events,

and at those events, I get to photograph that joy (polar opposite of me in the kitchen).

At events, I get to watch and catch people at their happiest, dancing and singing

and laughing.

I get to capture the colors of music

And the words of love: "I got me a WIFE, yo!"

And I stand there every time and blink back the tears as I do it.

Gotta get back there soon, folks, let's do this, please, 'k?