ObscuraJournal 2/19/26

Beyond my expectations, I feel the mechanical keyboard is allowing me to type faster with less hand fatigue caused by carpal tunnel syndrome. Of course, that means more typos, but I'm able to correct them faster as well, so win win, I guess.

I think my buying spree of vinyl is coming to an end. I'll still be buying vinyl, no doubt, but most of what I felt was "must-haves" have been added to my collection. All of Opeth's prog albums, most of Pink Floyd, the first six Black Sabbath albums (Technical Ecstasy is okay, and with the exception of "Never Say Die" and "Junior's Eyes" the last album with Ozzy before 13 was probably more due to contractual obligation than anything else.), most of Rush's prog era prior to the radio friendly albums after Moving Pictures, as well as some odds and ends like Alice in Chains, NIN, The Mars Volta, David Bowie, AC/DC. Dio, etc. The area that needs more expansion is the jazz collection, but damn those old Miles Davis records are expensive as fuck.

Missing:

Blue Oyster Cult ... the good stuff is pricey.

Yes

Dio era Sabbath

I'm not just buying anything on vinyl. It must hold personal significance for me and also sound exceptionally well in that format. That's why I'm picking up jazz artists ... jazz sounds exquisite on vinyl. I do have The Epic by Kamasi Washington in route. That 3 LP box will hold me over for a while.

If you're into vinyl and a writer, try this as a sprint exercise: put on an album, write until you have to flip, then write again. Long sides rule the day. The more progressive, the longer the tracks, typically, and with jazz, sometimes it just sounds like one long track that shifts and morphs, ebbs and flows.

Still cranking away at the new idea, called The Fuse for now.

peace&love