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As promised Chapter 2. See you Friday. Also thank you all for the positive reinforcement and being generally encouraging, that is a fresh change of breathe I did not expect.
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Memory Transcription: Captain Neil Campbell, United Nations ‘Black Watch’ Company #4
Date [standardized human time]: December 3, 2136
Air raid sirens went out and announcements blared with a recorded message from Mayor Zim, “Everyone, please remain calm. The UN forces are here and escorting us to shelter. I repeat, remain calm. Captain Neil has requested all those who can fight, please see him.”
The military shuttle that was supposed to contain the 180 black watch members was lifting off, packed to beyond the safety limits with those who had drawn the short straws, most giving up their place on the ship for their children instead. Very few adults were on board, just enough to cover keeping the children calm and policed.
When none of his men had volunteered, Neil had forcefully selected one. Corporal MacTavish, called Soap as a callsign. “MacTavish, you’ve got one mission, keep them calm, get them to the fleet, and then get them out of the system. They may be the last Tilfish alive. Also tell them where we are and we have the town's civilians with us.” He passed MacTavish a dozen data discs and flash drives. “I am holding you personally responsible for them. You are to ensure this gets up there too. It’s the entire Tilfish public library and all the government documents we could download. At least some of their culture will survive as well. Make sure those children know who they are.”
MacTavish saluted Neil as he turned to get onto the ship last, passing Neil his longarm and every bit of ammunition, grenades, and supplies he had down to his side arm and two magazines he kept for it. “You’ll need these sir.” Neil nodded and passed them to the nearest trooper escorting him.
Moments later, Neil was riding in a recon rover, packed with 4 of his black watch, Zim, and several Tilfish who were either elderly or children. The vehicle’s loud speakers continued to repeat automatically as Neil’s soldier lined the road, directing people forward. They urged them to move quickly but calmly while the vehicle sped for the caldera. “Save your energy, you will need it. Your lives are more valuable than your possessions. Move quickly and stay quiet, every second counts now.”
His troopers offered snacks they had packed, some took them. Trail mix bars, chocolate bars, coffee, water, whatever they happen to have on their person. The point was to prove that the Tilfish were not cattle and that the soldiers had no intention to harm them. Every little bit helped keep them calm and prevent a stampede.
When they arrived at their outpost, Neil stepped into his command tent which was being rapidly torn down now. Only four Tilfish came to Neil to Neil’s call, less than he’d hoped. Four of Four Thousand, they are the bravest four I will ever know. He smiled at that thought.
They were cowering to stand before him as he sized each one up. His glare was hardened from years in the Watch. Ages of fighting simulations and actually being present on The Cradle, earth, and a couple of human brush wars before that.
“I need you four to act as guides for my soldiers, they will protect you with their lives. You will be armed and expected to assist in the defense as well.” He explained firmly after nearly a minute of uncomfortable glares.
“We…we… what are we holding against? Our own people?” one of the Tilfish asked hesitantly and looking terrified at the predator.
“No, I’m not going to sugar coat it. The Arxur are coming, likely will be here within the hour. That transport was the last leaving the spaceport without being intercepted. Our only option is to shelter in place.” He spoke with a kind of hopeless certainty.
The Tilfish all cowered before him as Mayor Zim started to quake standing besides Neil, but Neil was unflinching. “I am asking you to help us make sure as many Tilfish get into the depths of the mountains as we can. I will not lie, our survival is not expected but those tunnels are deep enough that they might just survive until rescue can be sent.”
He looked at the herd walking towards the mountains at a brisk pace, the legs of the insectoids going quickly. “Now listen, I’m going to be sending out aggravation squads to delay incoming Arxur. You two going to be send with them. Our engineers are booby trapping as well as reinforcing the cave depths. Every little bit to assist in making sure the Arxur do not get into the tunnel and that those tunnels survive an orbital bombardment hit.”
One of the Tilfish shook his head, and has an expression of distress with his thorax and legs shifting, "No, nothing survives anti-matter bombs, it's hopeless."
Neil shook his head, "We have several bunker shelters survive near misses and a few survive direct hits on earth and they were barely a few hundred meters below the surface. Those tunnels lead nearly four kilometers down. I sent three engineers with every bit of quick-crete we have and the longer we buy time, the better odds the rest of your down get."
He leaned down onto the electronic display and pointed at the map, eager to change their focus and give them something to not fear. “I presume because you only live a few dozen kilometers from here you know the terrain and know it well?”
The Tilfish were hesitate to move or speak, shaking as if children about to piss themselves because the boogieman was coming out of the closet.
Neil nodded to himself, They’re raw recruits, rookies at best and terrified draftee’s would be in better shape than them. Time to make this clear to them and force them to fight those instincts. He exhaled a breath and deflated himself, letting his intensity wear off for a moment. “What are you names?”
“Jerlio.” The first smaller Tilfish spoke, he was barely taller than Neil’s waist and stood eye level with his belly button.
The second one, larger than the first coming up to Neil’s lower ribs, “H…h….h…Herci.” His speaking is uneasy and shows terror.
The third looked like twins with their spots and faces, if there was a difference Neil couldn’t make it out. “This is Hazeinia and I’m Tia.” They the one on the left spoke. Neil had started to recognize the two sexes of the Tilfish, he wasn’t sure if they had genders but that didn't matter now.
Their movements had them shuffling as if looking for an escape from their situation. Neil knew that for their people just to be standing here before him, meeting his gaze was a lot. He had to take measures into his own hands right now.
“Stand to!” He barked, his voice wasn’t shouting but it was harsh; undeniable, and made all five Tilfish in the room freeze in place. “Listen and listen well, dig this into your minds right now. The four of you have shown uncharacteristic courage just to step up for your people. Now I need you to show courage in spite of your fear. You fight not for your own lives anymore, you fight for those who cannot, those who we are desperately trying to save.”
He took a step forward, and gazed down upon both them, then knelt down to one knee, meeting them at eye level. The Tilfish started to shy away when he reached out a hand and grasped gently but firmly upon two of their feelers. The insectoid fur tickled him while the texture of the carapace was foreign and creepy to him. He steeled himself and brought the most calm he could forward.and his gaze relaxed slightly. “Let me explain something to you, all of you.”
“Humans are not fearless,” His eyes had tears in it, he knew his men would be dying soon and there was little he could do about it. “Every moment we are facing combat; we are terrified. We are scared that we will not take another breath, we fear deeply.” he looked at each of them. “Even if your stomach is tied in knots, you smell the blood and gunpowder, you want to run to save yourself.” He turned to the two he was holding the feelers of. “You can feel the clamminess on my hands, I know your antennae can detect the heightening of my heart rate, and you can see the corners of my eyes as I force the tears back and gain focus.” He took a moment to push through and made a show of gulping in a way to swallow down his fear.
“The difference is that I am asking for you to gather your courage.” His hand got tighter around their feelers not so it hurt but to show a change in demeanor. “It is easy to be brave when you are surrounded by friends, when you outnumber your foes, when you are bigger than them. No, I ask you five to do this, not because it is easy but because it is hard. I need any man, woman, and bug on that line. Nearly four thousand of you have run into those tunnels with forty of my men to keep them calm and moving deeper and deeper.”
He guided the four outside of the command tent into the forested caldera and motioned around to the positions on the reverse slope of the mountain sides, “40 more are under manning Air to Ground missiles, the new interceptor systems, manual fire close in 40mm chainguns, and the three Orbital firing cannons we have. Yet despite the difficulty they have made 40 seem like 400 with how many guns we have working and running.”
“The remaining ninety-nine of my troopers are rigging mines, camouflage firing positions with overlapping fire, explosives, and every other conceivable defense we have. They will be finished soon but we need to delay the enemy just to get our defenses exactly right.”
He turned to them, “Two of you will serve as guides for my soldiers. I’m going to send out a ten size squad. They are going to recon for the Arxur, setup ambushes and make them pay. Once they are spent, they will send you back to report.”
He turned to Jerlio and placed a hand on what he believed to be his shoulder, “I need soldiers and of the Ten Thousand Tilfish we had, the five bravest I’ve ever known are here. We fight back to back, to the end. Not for ourselves but for those Four Thousand in the caves, understood?” He turned to Herci as he spoke.
Each of the Tilfish nodded in turn except for Zim, “What of me? What am I do to?”
“Zim you have the greatest job of all. I need a radio director not only to coordinate our men and relay messages but to broadcast to the fleet for as long as possible. You’ve got 2 hours to study and learn our code book, if you make mistakes it’s okay, repeat it in plain language if needed.” He motioned to the entrance to the cave his people had run into. “The radio is there, work it until it stops functioning, if the Arxur are upon you, there is a pistol on the table and an explosive under it. Detonate the explosive as your last action.”
Zim recoiled, “I… I did not volunteer for a last stand, I don’t understand?”
Neil looked at him hardened and took a step towards Zim, “You voted for our annihilation, and yet here we are, allies. Now you are going to prove those people, your people, who put their faith in you, were right to do so. I’m going to station a trooper there with you if I have to with orders to shoot you if you flee; am I understood!”
It wasn’t a question, Neil had gone from gentle to absolute terrifying fury in merely a few moments. With a slow nod, Zim in agreement. Neil shook his head, “Say it, say Yes Sir to me, Private Zim.”
Zim suddenly straightened as Neil leaned in to look into his eyes, so close that they could feel each other’s breath. Zim was terrified, under the glare of a predator it took several seconds to find his courage. “Yes…. sir…”
Neil snarled, barring his teeth, he would put the fear of the divine into this Tilfish politician, “I can’t hear you, say it, like you mean it.”
Zim nodded and hesitated then realized the ritual he had seen from the humans earlier when Neil was disappointed in one of them. He turned his mandibles to be the best approximation of a salute. “Yes sir!”
“You’re in the Watch now, the Black Watch. Our motto is Nemo me impune lacessit. It means, No One Provokes Me with Impunity. Now get moving, there is an equipment sergeant nearby and once I’ve selected my troopers you will go with them. Zim get to that radio and start studying that code book until you are certain you can reference it. Every one of our lives and the lives of those ten thousand depend upon it.”
He looked from one of them to the other, giving each Tilfish a confident grin, ensuring he did not show his teeth but only curling up his lips. “Dismissed!”
The Tilfish scrambled towards their ordered positions where troopers went to meet them. Neil picked up his radio and tuned it to, he had one final duty to perform before the battle was to begin. “All Black Watch members, stop for a moment and listen. I’ll give you a moment to finish your tasks.” Neil took a moment as he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, he didn’t actually smoke but carried them to share with those that did. At this point however, what was one more bad habit. He lit it and took a puff similar to how he did on a joint in college. He exhaled and pushed the radio button again. “What I am about to ask you all to do should be considered unconscionable just two days ago. We are disobeying our orders, we were supposed to be on that transport. I understand this may upset some of you but we have a duty." Neil took a breath as he wasn't completely sure if all of his troopers would obey him and go with this idea or not. He spoke his next words slowly and with gravity. "Four Thousand civilians; they are in those tunnels along with 40 of your brothers and sisters. We are their only hope.”
He paused to take another draw of the cigarette, he could understand now why some soldiers had this habit, really calmed his nerves for the next part. “If any man or woman doesn’t feel this is right, there is room for you in those tunnels, speak up and you will be relieved and sent. No questions asked; no shame given, I understand not wanting to die for a species that a week ago was trying to annihilate our existence.”
He waited and when no one spoke up, he pushed the radio again. “Anyone? Sergeants, report in.”
“Platoon A, no one is moving sir.”
“Platoon B, we’re here and we’re staying, all of us apparently.”
“Platoon C, guns are manned and ready, this is where they die and we stand.”
Platoon D didn’t report in, they must be too deep underground now for radio transmissions. That was good enough for him, at least they would survive if the first bomb got through. The follow ups they would need to keep going down. He hoped their air would hold out.
“Alright, the enemy is coming. The fleet cannot hold and is working to withdraw. We will have no artillery, air, armor, or naval support. We are on our own. What I am asking you to do is going to get you all killed. Make peace with any deity you believe in. Get any addiction you need satisfied, eat something, drink some water, and finish your preparations. Schmidt is coming with James, they are going to lead Platoon B squad 3 and Platoon A squad 4 on a little recon in force mission. They have their orders, and you have your’s.” He took another draw of his cigarette. “I will see you on the other side. Nemo Me Impune Lacessit.”
The radio resounded for the next several moments with all of his 139 remaining soldiers sounding off the Black Watch motto.
The Captain stepped out of his tent, he picked up a rifle, the one MacTavoish handed him. He checked the magazine, breech, and sights then chambered a round and turned off his safety. Slowly he walked towards his own position.
A shuttle was coming down, damaged badly but this wasn't a civilian shuttle or an escape shutttle. It was an armored assault shuttle. "What Now?"

I have been with the same company for nearly 25 years. For obvious reasons, the name will go unmentioned, but I'd be surprised if it didn't ring a bell.
The first round of layoffs I experienced was early in my career. It was political, and an easy way for lazy supervisors to fire people who really had no business being employed, without actually doing the job of a supervisor, with coaching and documentation. It was roughly 15 years until the next time I was impacted by a layoff.
At first, the layoffs were somewhat understandable. They were still housekeeping activities, but rarely were heard the words "They laid HEHIM off?!". More often than not, the sentiment was "They had a good ride, but it was just a matter of time", or an unspoken understanding of "last hired, first fired". Since then, I would guess there have been half a dozen lay-offs, and we just experienced another. This one was brutal. People with 30 years were laid-off, while people on their team with fewer than 2 years are still employed. As an example of the breathtaking, stomach-wrenching brutality, someone I have worked around for the better part of my career, was laid-off, 4 months shy of their being able to collect retirement benefits. For those who were culled, their last day was Friday. Today was the first day for those who remained.
Last week, I learned that a senior leader sees no value in my role. His opinion is that we are "pencil pushers" and "box checkers". Yes. Those are direct quotes. This individual has openly shared that he intends to eliminate the role I and my peers hold, that he's been planning to do it for months, and intentionally waited until after the layoff to announce it. If this proceeds the way he has planned, people in my role, including me, will not be entitled to severance, or retirement benefits, if we qualify. Per company policy, my severance, if laid-off, would be around $70K. This knowledge occupied a large part of my consciousness all weekend. This morning, I woke with a migraine and sour stomach, in anticipation of what new fresh hell would be unleashed. There was an early, somewhat somber, meeting with my local leadership. Then one of the board members sent a sunny email, about how much he appreciates everything we do, and he declared this to be Employee Appreciation Week, including a ridiculous 12 minute video produced by a corporate motivational speaker. His eyes bright. His words charged with breathy exultation. Appreciate each other! We're worthy! When someone shows appreciation, say "thank you" AND MEAN IT!
It's been a very long time since this company made me cry. It came out of left field and I was reduced to a slobbering, sobbing, hiccupping mess. The behavior of the decision makers at this company is nothing short of emotional warfare. When the layoff was originally announced (mid-December), it was done via the typical method. We all join a call. It takes about 10 minutes. A stuffed shirt says that it's never an easy decision, but that we are in a group of people who will be impacted by lay-off. It knocks the wind out of you. It monopolizes every waking thought. Then we're told that we can't let it have a negative impact on our productivity. It's the way it's always conducted. Except this time, as salve for our frayed nerves, especially with this being announced right before Christmas, our fearless leader held a public earnings report, stating that our results are fantastic, we walk on water, he's proud of the employees…
Raise your hand if you remember the movie Enough. I am not proud to say I actually sat through the entire thing, but that's a different topic for a different time. She was married to a narcissist, who could go from zero to nuclear in the span of a few seconds, and then boomerang back to the role of wonderful spouse a second later. I am beginning to feel like my career is a real-life version of Enough. From one moment to the next, I never know what new lunacy to expect, and I'm constantly in a state of Fight or Flight. Coming out of the pandemic, I have been learning how to heal my mental health, but something occurred to me, last week. The one facet of my life with the greatest negative impact on my mental health is my employer. When we go through lay-offs, it's a natural desire to retain my job. But, this means that I am essentially begging to stay in an abusive relationship. If my employer was a living being, it would be the poster child for narcissistic abuse. And yes, the easy answer is "then quit", to which I am giving serious consideration, but if we look at it like an abusive relationship, how is it acceptable to allow the perpetrator to continue with the toxic behavior, while expecting the recipient (I will NEVER use the word VICTIM) to completely overhaul their life? Why isn't the perpetrator held accountable for unacceptable behavior?
And then today was bonus day. I'm tolerating abhorrent behavior, and being paid extra because I allow it? I believe there's a term for that, and as a woman, I have heard it far too many times. It should be stricken from the English language. I won't use it here.
Thanks for listening, and I beg of you. I have had a rough day. If you need to be mean, please wait until tomorrow.

Hey all!
I'm currently having a discussion with an Anglican minister who is putting forth the following argument - I lack the knowledge of the early church to really get deeply into this - hoping someone that has it can help me out:
Here's the argument:
TL/DR version: 1. The Church exists ONLY because of the resurrection 2. Therefore the Resurrection happened 3. The Resurrection is proof of God's power and hence proof of God 4. All objections are then debunked (unless you can think of another?) 5. Question. If the Resurrection didn't happen, what kickstarted the Church instead, that fits the evidence.
The long, wordy, preachy, sneering version:
You can ridiculously deny God exists, even that Jesus existed, but you CANNOT deny that the Church exists, because there is a church building on every street corner, housing a congregation that has proclaimed the SAME GOSPEL message since day one.
Yes, different denominations have different peripheral traditions today, but the core doctrines are still the same whatever the denomination, whether Catholic or Orthodox, Baptist or Methodist, Anglican or Reformed.
Wherever any first century church congregation was sited, it proclaimed the SAME gospel. The Church congregation in Spain, founded by James, independent from any scripture, proclaimed the same gospel, independently of the Christian Church congregation in Rome. They independently proclaimed the same gospel as the congregation in India, founded by Thomas in 50AD, before the New Testament was even written. That church proclaimed the same gospel as the congregation in Jerusalem, or the church congregations in Galatia, Ephesus, Colossae, Hierapolis, Corinth, Philippi, Thessaloniki, and dozens of other places. All the SAME gospel, ALL proclaimed independently, and ALL proclaiming the same CHRIST and what happened to him.
And that same Church in its entirety, collectively, whatever the denomination, can trace its roots in an UNBROKEN line, to the Christian Church's beginning around 33AD after ONE event. Before that one event, the church did not exist. After it, it did.
The Christian Church HAD to start at a point in time, because it exists today, it has existed for 2000 years, but there was a day when it didn't. And the next it did, and spread like wildfire. In 33AD there was no church. By 35AD, without main roads, rail, air, email, Twitter or Facebook, it had spread across the Roman Empire and beyond, and every one of those Churches proclaimed the same gospel.
So what was this church founded on?
The Church was not founded on Jesus' teaching. There were many rabbis at that time, including John the Baptist, none of whom founded a church.
Nor was it founded on any "martyrdom" on the Cross or anywhere else. John the Baptist was executed, martyred, yet a church never grew up round him. Nor James (beheaded by the Romans), nor any of the other Apostles.
It was not founded on Jesus' miracles, nor on Judaism, nor on the death of Jesus. It was not founded by Paul either, who was still a Pharisee PERSECUTING Christians when the Church began, and did not start writing his letters to individual congregations until around 50AD, congregations that had already existed, proclaiming the Gospel, for over a decade.
It was not founded by Constantine either (LOL) because he did not live until the 4th century, hundreds of years after Christianity and the Christian gospel had already spread from Spain to India, from Northern Europe to Africa.
It was not founded on Jesus' words. It was not founded by the disciples. It was certainly not founded on the Bible because the Church began around 33AD and the first New Testament book was not written until 50AD or later.
It was founded on ONE event and one only.
Before that one event, the disciples were a motley crew hiding behind locked doors, for fear it was their turn on the Cross next. After that one event, they were immediately transformed into the most dynamic evangelistic force the world has ever known. Overnight. They left their locked doors behind and fearlessly went out into the streets, even in the same city where Jesus was put to death days before, proclaiming the reason for WHY they proclaimed the gospel of Christ. And proclaiming that event not to obscure goatherds in the local fields, but to the VERY people who condemned Jesus and murdered him.
The disciples were ridiculed, beaten, tortured, imprisoned and most were eventually killed. The execution of Stephen, as an example, is recorded in gruesome detail in Acts 8. His site of execution is STILL preserved in Jerusalem in the Kidron Valley. His remains were scattered across the Roman Empire. Part of his arm bone still rests in St Sergius Church in Russia. Martyrdoms of the earliest Christians are well attested. James' execution, for example, was attested by Josephus, in part of his work that has NEVER been questioned by absurd, babyish atheists like you.
The Disciples and other followers suffered brutally, yet continued to evangelise, because of one event only.
And that one event that began the Church was the Resurrection of Christ. The disciples didn't just preach it in some backwater. They proclaimed it from the rooftops, they proclaimed it in the market place, in the synagogues, even in the Temple itself, in the VERY city where Jesus was executed just days before, in front of those who executed him. They were arrested, tortured, even ridiculed by people like you, but they refused to back down, even under persecution, for something they KNEW to be true.
The fact is that the disciples knew Jesus well. They had spent three years with him 24/7. They saw him crucified, and knew he was dead. Yet a couple of days later they were utterly, utterly convinced that they saw him alive - not just a weak, resuscitated zombie, but more alive than ever, glorified, and vibrant.
Did they make it up?
Well, people sometimes give their lives for something they believe to be true - even suicide bombers. But NO ONE gives up their lives for something that they KNOW to be a LIE.
So no. The disciples "making it up" makes, NO sense.
The simple fact is that the disciples and other followers saw Jesus publicly executed. He was dead. Romans didn't make mistakes. If a crucifixion was botched the punishment was that the Roman executioners were executed in the place of the victim, and the victim despatched properly afterwards. Jesus was dead, period. Crucifixion and a spear thrust into his heart ensured that.
And this was attested not only in the independent gospels, not only by witnesses like John who clearly attested it, not only in the extra-canonical documents, but even in Roman and Jewish histories (Tacitus, Suetonius, Josephus, Pliny, etc) the oral traditions of the Church congregations before scripture was even written, as well as archaeology such as the Alexamenos Grafitto. He was dead, period.
That was on the Friday. And yet on the Sunday after the death of Jesus, the disciples were utterly, utterly convinced that they had not only met the risen, glorified Christ, but they had walked with him, talked with him, touched him and even eaten with him.
Nor were they the only witnesses to the Resurrection.
This Resurrection was experienced by hundreds in the first few weeks with the new "Christians" seeing Christ alive, not as some half dead zombie, or a ghost, but in a vibrant new state of being.
Resurrection does NOT mean the resuscitation of a corpse! It is the raising to a new life, a new, glorified and immortal state of being, just as Jesus promised would happen. The Resurrection was predicted by Jesus many times in his ministry, first off as a unique event by Jesus but also as a forerunner to the final Resurrection of all who follow Jesus. And he kept his promise.
Only after the Holy Spirit anointed the followers and they received Christ's Spirit, did the appearances of the risen Christ stop. But because the Holy Spirit was poured out on all those who trusted in him, that same Spirit has anointed the Church ever since. Many attempted to quash the gospel. People like you still try to do it today. But the Christian Church is alive and thriving, growing phenomenally across most of the world. That same Church you see on your street corner has proclaimed the Resurrection ever since it happened, and STILL proclaims it today.
We have a full, unbroken record of the Resurrection gospel going right back to the day it happened. The Resurrection was the event that started the Church. And without it the Church would never have existed.
Think about that for a moment.
Put simply, The mere existence of the CHURCH today is, itself, proof of its founding and therefore proof of the Resurrection event that founded it. The Resurrection is, itself, proof of the power of God. The power of God is proof of God.
Many ridiculous theories have been put forward by absurd atheists like you who, when confronted with the Resurrection (and hence its proof of God) desperately try to make excuses about it.
And I'll tell you this for free. I've heard all the excuses, so don't bother. And like everything else here, I can wipe the floor with all of them:-
"The whole story of the crucifixion and Resurrection was made up" Why? To bring fame and fortune to the disciples? The same disciples whose "reward" was persecution and death?
"Jesus didn't really die on the Cross but just fainted, and came round in the tomb" Yeah, right. Lol That shows the level of understanding of Roman culture as reflected in the intellect of a flat earther.
" The body was stolen by the Jews/disciples/Romans/Aliens/Donald Trump So why did they not produce it to stop the rumours of the Resurrection, an event that threatened to destabilise the Greco/Roman/Jewish world?
" The women went to the "wrong" tomb" You mean the only tomb in the area where they saw Jesus buried just a short time before?
" it was all a" plot" or "hoax" by the Jews/Romans/disciples/Republicans/the pope" Why? The last thing the Jews etc wanted was a rumour of a Resurrection!!
" The disciples were hallucinating, ... despite hallucinations being PERSONAL experiences not corporate.
" Jesus still lies dead in a tomb somewhere" Does he? Then why is it not a shrine?
"Resurrections don't happen" LOL and, according to some, people could not travel to the moon in the 1960s/70s
"Jesus' 'twin brother' (WHO???) or someone else, died in his place What evidence is there he had a twin brother? Talk about scraping the barrel fir excuses!
" the independent Bible accounts do not agree" er... yes they do...
Etc etc
Perhaps you can think of one of your own. But, like these, I guarantee I will destroy it as I have irrefutably destroyed these in the past.
As I said above,
The existence of the Church is, itself, proof of the Resurrection. The Resurrection is, itself, proof of the power of God. The power of God is proof of God.
In addition there are other pieces of evidence worth mentioning. First, women in those days were deemed unreliable witnesses. They were not allowed to testify in court. If the Resurrection was made up, then no sane person would have the records of it confirming that women (eg Mary) proclaimed it to the disciples. Yet they did report this, for the only reason that it must have happened.
The site of the Resurrection was immediately recognised and proclaimed, BUT IT WAS NEVER REGARDED AS A SHRINE, as were the burial tombs of the Apostles. Instead it was well documented and preserved as the site of the RESURRECTION until 70AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and buried the tomb. But the site was remembered and its location passed down through the church. In the 4th century, the tomb was excavated, and a church built over it. Since then that same empty tomb has still been recognised as the site of the Resurrection. Though replacement churches have been built over the tomb over the years, the current Church of the Holy Sepulchre can still be visited in Jerusalem as well as the tomb still inside it, where the Resurrection took place, constituting real, physical, archaeological evidence of an event that has an unbroken chain of witness going right back to the Resurrection itself. Few other sites of the ancient world, if any, have such provenance.
Finally, there are a huge wealth of writings affirming the Resurrection, even from some hostile sources not only the Bible, including many first century writings that are also not in the Bible, including the 1st century Didache, the 1st century works of Justin, Ignatius, Clement and others. Paul proclaimed the Resurrection to the Churches in around 55AD, just 20 years or so after it happened, to the same churches that had already proclaimed it for decades, while people who had witnessed it were still alive. Remember that those Churches had proclaimed the Resurrection for decades before Paul wrote to them. In other words they proclaimed the Resurrection from day one. The Church in Spain proclaimed it, as did that in Ephesus, as did that, founded by Thomas in India in 40AD. EVERY church proclaimed it, because it was the sole reason for their existence.
Moreover, there is not ONE ancient source, even written by those hostile to Christianity, like the Romans, Greeks or Jews, that has EVER debunked, questioned, disproved, or even negatively mentioned the Resurrection, despite their annoyance and chagrin at the explosion in the church based solely on this ONE event.
If you can give me one, then name it.
A classic book called "Who Moved the Stone" was written by Albert Henry Ross using the pseudonym Frank Morrison. He was a militant atheist who wrote it as a means of disproving the Resurrection, by actually examining the evidence as in a court case. However the upshot was that he changed his mind, realised that the Resurrection was fact, and became a Christian based on his findings.
I could go on. But that gives you enough to consider for the moment.
Now, prove me wrong. If you disagree with this:-
***TELL me what began the church instead. ***
You obviously did not know what started the Church. Now you do. And if you disagree, then you need to explain why, WITH EVIDENCE. Tell me what started the Church instead. I'm looking forward to systematically taking it apart.
I won't accept nonsense like "this isn't proof of the Resurrection". The fact is that the Church's very existence is because of the Resurrection. Without it, there would be no Church. If the Resurrection did not happen and the Church began some other way, then... tell... me... what... it.... was.
I also won't accept "we don't know" because we DO know. It was the Resurrection. That is the accepted reason that the WHOLE Christian Church proclaims, whatever the denomination, for it is its sole raison d'etre.
You won't accept this, I know. So you need to tell me what kick started the Church instead that fits with the evidence. As you won't accept the resurrection and its proof of God. you need to tell me why you believe the disciples, the writers in the first and subsequent centuries, the sum total of the Christian Church over 2000 years, and even those 1st century people hostile to Christianity who couldn't provide an alternative, are all liars, and you're the only one here telling the truth.

Alright, I got a new job that is running me ragged! I am now an animal care tech at LifeLine! I mainly deal with the dogs and get my brain picked when we get a reptile in (most recently, an Argentine Black and White Tegu! MY DREAM LIZARD!!!!!)
For the penpals that got to hear about Noble, I saw him the Friday I was being interviewed at LifeLine, and the following Monday, when I started work, the good boy was adopted! He was still healing when I saw him, but he could stand and walk without pain. He gave me so many kisses on the last day I saw him.
I may try to get pictures of some of our long-time residents and make postcards of them to send out to this community. If I get the okay from my boss, I will place an offer as soon as I get some cards made.
On top of this all, our offer on the house has been accepted, and we'll be moving this month! My PO Box will remain the same.
On to the thank you list!
u/OneOstrich I love the Critical Role postcards! I will have to buy more soon. I must admit I can't seem to settle into Campaign 2. I was watching the Bell's Hells sessions live, but I have fallen behind since the new work schedule. I have also fallen behind on Dork Tales' games. Jack, Chris, and I have watched all of the new Legends of Vox Machina episodes together, it's fun watching Chris's reactions because she's never seen any of Campaign 1. However, it is hard not to blurt out things when she speculates.
Also, don't worry about replying by mail "in a timely manner." Life is crazy sometimes, and I completely understand. The past month has run me ragged.
u/BlueDecemberArt x3 See above about the cards and my D&D media consumption. I am glad you are recovering! After a month at my new job, I may have to cancel my gym membership. The dogs keep me active all day, and my muscles are sore over the weekend. I am trying so hard not to take everyone home!
u/LXAXS Thank you for the Matilija Poppy postcard! I hope you are recovering/have recovered! I haven't set any New Year's resolutions, but I plan to make 2023 a year of focusing on progress. Sometimes I get stuck on the past and just let it replay on a loop in my head, so I am focused on celebrating every step forward.
u/AppleCritter723 x5 Thanks for all the cards! The cat postcards are what I want to do for my babies in the shelter. I planned on going to the Pen Show in 2020, but that got canceled... I have yet to try since. I love my cheaper fountain pens but daydream about a fancy Sailor pen. I hope Greebo has a great home with you or another awesome human.
u/GreetingCardShark x2 Thanks! I am sure I can convince my family that we need more plants! ;)
u/Peonynote Hermes says, "Heck! Oh, hi!" I love the job, and everyone (human-wise) has been great in helping me get my feet under me as I settle in. One dog, Black, is a bit of a bully and likes to push people around to get his way. One of my coworkers was amazed that when Black shoved me, I just pushed back. He said I'll be running the shelter soon with my fearlessness and skills. Black is a mastiff about my weight and taller than me on two legs. He was so confused when I didn't just let him run the show. He's sweet once you set your boundaries with him.
u/cake-at-midnight x2 Thanks for the excellent calligraphy of Apricity and the shark Valintine!
u/PinkPengin x3 You're in a Zoom play! That is so cool! I will have to send you pictures of the cats at the shelter. They are so cute. We're treating one sick feral; he's terrified of us, but his colony's caretaker can get him out of his shell. Once he's well, he will rejoin his family and friends.
I am so sorry that I ended up not having time to play the bingo, but I hope everyone had fun! I loved all the goodies you sent.
u/lonelytwatwaffle Thanks for the Valentine's card! Jack and I celebrated on the weekend and enjoyed a hike with our pups. I hope Jackson Klein will soon adjust to the house soon! We'll see how the dogs and the cat adjust to our new place at the end of the month. I am sure the snake will be fine.
Sorry Flair Mods!

Welcome to the 2023 MLB Season! We are so glad you are here. Don't let the length of this post scare you, we just wanted to consolidate all the relevant information that people have questions about into one place to start the season off. This is your survival guide for the 2023 season, it should have all the pertinent information to answer most of your questions! (And if you have any more, feel free to ask them in the comments section!)
If you are a brand new fan I'd recommend going through most of it, if you're a veteran you'll know which sections you'll want to read by their headings. My goal here is that both new and returning fans can learn how to better enjoy the season and know what's going on on Baseball this year. Okay, take some time and read through what you want to read through below!
This is the seventh year of doing this. Every year I go through the previous years comments to find things that should be added or corrected for the next edition, so if you have any great resources or information that you think would be beneficial to add, please comment it below!
Sections:

• Introduction for new and renewed interest fans.
• World Baseball Classic
• Rule changes for 2023
• Finding a Team
• Knowing Where Different Teams Stand
• Baseball
• Your Team's Sub
• Twitter, Podcasts, and YouTube Channels
• The Statistical Titans: Baseball Reference and Fangraphs
• Advanced Stat Tracking... aka the Stat Junkies' Crack
• Where to watch? Your TV and Streaming Guide
• MLB.tv
• MLB At Bat
• How to watch baseball.
• Where to watch highlights and game recaps.
• TL;DR: Find a way to enjoy the game.

Introduction for new and renewed interest fans.

Baseball has a long season. I don't just mean that in terms of time between opening day and the World Series (which can be considered long as it is), but also the 162 games played in 183 days, 13 times against the same 4 teams each. It can be daunting, and many people lose interest by "the dog days" of June and July.
This guide is meant to help you if you wish to avoid being one of those who feels overwhelmed and loses interest a couple weeks after Opening Day.
First and foremost if you are a new fan or newly returning, you must remember one thing: you do not need to watch every game. Many football fans, and even some basketball and hockey fans, find this difficult, they're used to setting aside a few nights a week to watch their team, and they can watch all the games. Baseball isn't like that. For the next six months, your team will only have 23 days where they won't be playing a game. And some of the games they play will start as early as 9:20am (Pacific Time), others will end after 1am (Eastern Time). If you miss a game it's okay, odds are there's another one tomorrow. If you miss a week, no big deal, hell if you get busy for a few months and aren't able to watch you team, that's not an issue, because you can still follow your team.
Baseball is a game to be followed. In the old days it meant picking up the morning paper and checking the box scores. Now it means being able to have a final score texted/tweeted/messaged/emailed/what-evered to you the minute the game ends, or rolling over in bed when you can't sleep and grabbing your phone to check the West Coast scores. It means being able to check reddit in the morning to see any breaking news from across the league, or catch a story you missed. We live in a time where you can go to MLB.com and get a recap of every game from last night in less than 10 minutes. Honestly, baseball was made to be consumed, and the technology age makes it easier than ever, whether you want to spend hours every day pouring over stats and analysis, or 15 seconds to see how your team and their playoff rivals did today.
The rest of this guide is mostly dedicated to ways that you can help yourself follow your team, and if you have time follow the entirety of MLB.
If you have any questions about terminology, aagpeng wrote a very useful guide!

World Baseball Classic

If you are new to the sport, you may not have even known that there is a worldwide competition (ostensibly) every four years that pit country against country to crown a World Champion. Part of that is the fact that we haven't had one since 2017 as the covid pandemic disrupted the qualification process for the 2021 edition scheduled to take place in 2020, and global travel restrictions prevented rescheduling until this year. But IT IS BACK! And we won't have to wait four yours for the next edition as they plan on the next classic to be held in 2026, on opposite even years from the Olympics in case baseball is re-added as a sport so there won't be any overlap in qualification and competition cycles between the two events.
This years format involves 20 teams split into 4 groups. Each group will play a round robin group stage, with the top two teams from each group advancing to an eight team single elimination tournament. The tournament kicks off on March 7th at 11pm EST with Cuba playing against the Netherlands in Taichung, Taiwan (officially Chinese Taipei because politics) and finishing March 21st at 7pm EDT in Miami. Games will be played every day in between with pools staggering starts to ensure play continues while other teams travel.
Games will be broadcast mostly on FS1 and FS2, with select US based games on FOX and two Taichung pool games will be on Tubi. International broadcast guide can be found here.
For more information you can check out the World Baseball Classic website or, just as helpful, the 2023 tournament wikipedia page.
A full list of rules and restrictions are here.

Rule Changes for MLB 2023

The following changes will not be in place for the World Baseball Classic but will for MLB.
Updates from 2022 One Year Changes

• REMOVED: Rosters will be expanded from 26 to 28 players in April with no limit on pitchers due to shortened spring training.
• MADE PERMANANT: In extra innings the person in the batting order immediately before the lead off hitter will start on second base. This rule does not apply in the postseason.

Permanent Changes for 2023:

• Pitch clock of 15 seconds with bases empty, 20 seconds with runners on, beginning when the pitcher receives the ball. Pitchers failing to begin their motion when the pitch clock expires will be penalized with an automatic ball.
• Batters must be in the box ready with at least 8 seconds remaining. Penalty: Automatic Strike
• Batters allowed one time out per plate appearance.
• Pitchers may call pitches using pitch com.
• Pitchers are allowed two free pick offs attempts or step offs per plate appearance. On subsequent pick off attempts either an out must be made, or the runners advance one base for free. If runners advance, the free pick off/step offs reset.
• Ban on certain shifts: teams must have two players on the left and right sides of second base on the infield, all four must have feet on infield dirt.
• Bases have been enlarged from 15 inches on each side to 18 inches on each side.
• Position players are only allowed to pitch when:
  • Their team is down by 8+ runs
  • Their team is up by 10 runs in the 9th
  • Anytime in extra innings

Potential future changes being testes in the minors:

• Automatic ball/strike calling.
  • Fully automated strike zone
  • Umps calling strikes, but teams having 3 challenges to a ball/strike call.

Rule Emphasis

• Balks for pitchers who do not come fully set before delivering a pitch will be called more often.

Finding a Team

I always recommend following the local team since you'll have more access to news about them in the local media and should be able to get their radio broadcast, as well as TV broadcasts of them if you have cable/satellite/streaming, and depending on where you're at the occasional over the air game, but if you don't live by a team or don't want to follow the local team, or are just looking for a second team to follow, I wrote this in depth guide to picking a team that's the right fit for you.

Knowing Where Different Teams Stand

Every year ESPN, Sports Illustrated, FOX, NBC, and every other sports related site puts out their season previews. These are great for getting a basic rundown of what is going on with each team, and a simple google search will bring up a plethora of possible articles to read.
For a succinct snapshot of team expectations, you can look at the fangraphs projected standings and projected playoff odds or for a slightly different model you can check the PECOTA projected standings and playoff odds. While these aren't as in depth as team previews, looking at both can show which teams are consensus favorites, and which ones are more wild cards in how they're expected to perform.
If what you really want is a fans perspective on what each team's expectations condensed into a few short comments, I'd highly recommend going through each teams day from our annual "Why will X team exceed expectations?" series which is currently running every weekday and stickied.

Baseball

Alright, so plugging baseball on baseball seems a bit redundant, but I think it's a good reminder that this is a great hub for all your MLB news throughout the season while still letting you see the occasional amazing college/minor league/foreign league performance.
During the season there are a number of features to keep you informed of all the goings on around baseball.
Every day of the season (and a portion of the offseason) there are General Discussion threads called Around the Horn. These are great places to ask questions and discuss anything that you want to know about baseball but don't feel like it deserves it's own post. In the Around the Horn post you'll be able to see a full schedule of what is going on around Baseball every week.
During the week the subreddit runs a number of features. *Please note that the mods are still unsure of exactly what features they will be running this year.:
Daily: Nightly Pick'Em - A nine year running contest to pick the result of one game every day. Here's last year's introduction thread where you can find details.
Monday: Power Rankings - A team of 30 fans from every team in baseball, led by masochist fearless leader kasutori_jack, releases their composite power rankings of the 30 teams. This leads to well thought out discussions and some in depth analysis, as well as salty fans crying about how their team is underrated (there may be more of the latter than the former, but it's still a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of how every team is doing).
Monday: State of the Subreddits - double_dose_larry took over posting a State of the Subreddits post that gives the top post from each team's subreddit from the last week. This is a great roundup post for staying up to date on what all the different team fandoms are feeling, and helps you catch any milestones you might have otherwise missed.
Tuesday: Weekly Awards - Led by lemcoe9 a different team of a fan from every team releases the results of their weekly (and monthly) voting for who the best position player and pitcher was since the last vote was taken. Once again, a great way to keep track of which players are on hot streaks, and who's dominating the league.
Wednesday: Wild Card Wednesday - Each week a new contest, trivia game, or just out of the box fun thread will be stickied! Got an idea? Let the mods know!
Thursdays: Division Discussions - Rotating between the Easts, Centrals, and Wests to do some more in depth talk about where the playoff races and teams stand. If you only have time for one baseball thread every week and want to keep up with the league, this is the thread to set aside time for.
Friday: Trash Talk/Compliment/Complaint - FRIDAYS ARE FUN DAYS, ROTATING BETWEEN TRASH TALK, COMPLIMENT, TRASH TALK, AND COMPLAINT THREADS! TRADITION STATES ALL COMMENTS BE IN ALL CAPS AND ENDING IN EXCLAMATION POINTS! ROTATION IS USED RATHER THAN HAVE A SET DAY FOR EACH ALL SEASON BECAUSE IT'S A LONG SEASON AND ANY ONE OF THE THREE THREADS CAN GET STALE FAST IF YOU DON'T LEAVE TIME FOR MORE AMMUNITION!
Saturday: Saturday is when the mods usually plug in occasional things that don't necessarily deserve weekly attention. Things like in depth stat discussions, memorabilia sharing, craft projects, etc.
Sunday: Game of the Week - Sunday is the one day a week where we get together as a subreddit to watch a baseball game together, since it's the one time every week where there's only one game going on and there's guaranteed to be a game. The Sunday Night Baseball game thread is usually posted a couple hours before the first pitch.
In addition the playoffs, and select premier match-ups (mostly at the very end of the season where there is a lot riding on a regular season game, as well as opening day) there are game threads for all baseball users. These are neutral thread, for more info on less neutral ones skip to the next section. This has gone back and forth the last few years with people asking for more game threads, then many of said game threads being empty because everyone is in their own team's sub discussing the game. If you have ideas for what sort of games deserve baseball game threads, leave them in the comments.
In addition to all these features, it really is a great place to keep up with breaking news and highlights. It'll be posted here minutes after someone tweets it, and long before it's on MLB.com. Team beat writers get the stories first, and it's easier to check in here a couple times a day than follow every one of them.
Another note - for the best Baseball experience, you should use Old Reddit, which you can access by visiting old.reddit.com/baseball. Old reddit includes a fun sidebar with a full scoreboard of the day's action as well as the current league standings (with little flags that tell you who's in wild card position).

Your Team's Subreddit (And other team subs as well)

The mods at baseball have one goal - help you have the best possible reddit baseball experience, and a LOT of that is helping you get connected to other fans of your team (which feels a little like a cop-out because it means less work for us if you're doing more on your team's sub, but your team's mods aren't complaining.)
One of the main draws of team subs (other than in depth discussion with like-fan-minded users, getting breaking news and analysis on your team, team-memes, and other reddit discussions that come up from a group of individuals who can agree on one thing) are game threads. At this time (to the best of my knowledge) every team sub hosts game threads for their team's games, and you can easily access them in the sidebar during the season by clicking on the team's logo in the schedule. We like to keep the game threads in team subs for a few reasons, one of which is we want to support the team subs and send them relevant traffic when we can because they really do an amazing job, another is because with 15 games a day this place would look like crap if we had game threads for every game or let users post them as they please (we've tried it, it blots out news, discussion, and highlights and looks like crap, baseball doesn't have only a couple days set aside for games or focus on marquee match ups like many other sports, it's 2430 games played in 183 days and is better when it's spread out.)
Even if you're not a game thread person though, getting connected with a good team sub can make disappointing seasons more bearable, and great seasons more exciting, and I know plenty of users that said that their team's sub basically keeps them fans. Team subs are also a great place to get connected to...

Twitter, Podcasts, and YouTube Channels

The best way to find the people to follow/sites to visit that interest you the most are to hang around your team's sub and note which Tweets/Sites that are linked to that most often peak your interest. Your list of favorite baseball writers is going to be different than my favorite list, and finding the right twitter personalities, podcasts hosts, and YouTubers can make game analysis more interesting for you even if your team is playing like crap and it's the middle of July.
Here are some common suggestions for some baseball twitter accounts, podcasts, and YouTube Channels that are often recommended by those around the subreddit to get you started, but like I said, find what you like and follow those:
Twitter

Account	Account	Account
@MLB	@Ken_Rosenthal	@Buster_ESPN
@jonmorosi	@mlbtraderumors	@MiLB
@JeffPassan	@MLBInjuryNews	@keithlaw
@foolishbaseball	@BaseballAmerica	@brooksbaseball
@BenLindbergh	@ChrisCotillo	@mike_petriello
@MJ_Baumann	@FanRagSports	@TheAthleticMLB
@fangraphs	@baseballprospectus	@baseball_ref
@daynperry	@CBSSportsMLB	@CespedesBBQ
@GrantBrisbee	@JonHeyman	@cantpitch
@MLBRosterMoves	@darenw	@extrabaggs
@PitchingNinja	@CKampa	@MLBRandomStats
@Jomboy_	@DSzymborski	@IT_MLB
@theaceofspaeder	@based_ball	@ BaseballBrit
@OTBaseballPhoto	@MLBcathedrals	@baseballhall

Podcasts

Podcast	Podcast	Podcast
Rain Delay Radio	Effectively Wild	Baseball Tonight
MLB Pipeline	Fangraphs Audio	Talkin' Baseball

YouTube Channels

Channel	Channel	Channel
MLB	Trevor May Baseball	MLB Network
Foolish Baseball	Baseball Doesn't Exist	JomBoy Media
Giraffe Neck Marc	Fuzzy	Andrew Vargha
Stark Raving Sports	Sadman Baseball	Made the Cut

*Self promo disclaimer - Rain Delay Radio is a podcast that I have produced for the last two years, previously as the official subreddit podcast Baseball Weekly. While we decided to branch away from being the official subreddit podcast, we still love getting feedback so if you have comments/suggestions send them my way. If you're interested in the WBC, ep. 112 has a great interview.

The Statistical Titans: Baseball Reference and Fangraphs

Literally every day you will find a link or to BaseballReference.com or Fangraphs.com here, it's a given, and it's because these are the two most extensive free baseball databases that are easy to navigate. If you want to look up anything about baseball history, check Baseball Reference, if you want to look up how players stack up with non-proprietary advanced metrics or read an insightful blog post about why someone is overrated/underrated or overperforming/underperforming, check Fangraphs. With these two sites you have all the stats and figures you need to make a competent argument for basically anything you want with a little cherry picking.
A large part of the modern baseball world is statistics and you're going to find yourself getting more immersed in discussing the game if you can get a handle on all the terms getting thrown around. If you are brand new to baseball, take a little while to get to know the game before diving into these sites, but if you have a handle on the basics and are ready to know what this WAR everyone is talking about is, dive into the glossaries and find the statistics.
When you get the basics, creating your own analysis doesn't seem as daunting, and one of the reasons I love baseball is that I can deconstruct pretty much every play and find some meaning behind it. If you are like that and enjoy numbers, theoretical projections, and breaking things down into simple figures before reconstructing them into something long and beautiful, then learning the basics of sabrmetrics will make you a baseball fan for life. If, on the other hand, you just want to enjoy the game for the beautiful pastime that it is by watching, then we've got a little bit to go through...

Advanced Stat Tracking... aka the Stat Junkies' Crack

Fangraphs and Baseball Reference contain almost all the stats you'd need for a lifetime, but sometimes you just need something different, and there are some very helpful places on the internet to find some other, more specific or advanced data.
If you are looking for Pitch f/x data, strikezone plots, and/or a breakdown of a pitcher's pitches, check out BrookesBaseball.net. You can quickly find specific at bats in games, or entire games scatter plots to ruthlessly ridicule and rant about an umpire see why that last pitch was called a strike.
If you want to look up certain statcast data, like which pitchers are throwing the hardest, which fielders are having the fastest sprint speeds, who's hitting the ball the furthest, etc., you should check out BaseballSavant. Look at the "Statistics" and "Leaderboards" sections for more information.
If you are into looking up really specific historical queries, or just want pretty much every baseball stat ever, you can usually find it in the Lahman Database.
If you are looking for MLB API for your next coding project, you can find that information here. And if you're really into statistical analysis and want to test out your R skills, baseballr is the package of choice.

Where to Watch? - Your TV and Streaming Guide

So a big part of baseball is, you know, actually being able to watch the games (though as I talk about at the end, it might not necessarily be the case for you, and that doesn't mean you can't enjoy baseball, skip down and see what I'm talking about in the final section).
TV Networks
Fox/FS1- "Baseball Night in America": exclusive regional coverage of 2 or 3 Saturday night games on the broadcast network starting Memorial Day weekend. Non-exclusive games on the cable network, usually Saturday afternoon with some irregularly scheduled weeknight games as well. Also includes the All-Star Game, both division series and the league championship series for one league (AL in 2023) which are split between OTA and cable channels, and the entire World Series on the broadcast network.
ESPN - Exclusive Sunday Night Baseball game. Usually on ESPN proper, but may get bumped to ESPN2 in the early part of the season because of the NBA and NHL playoffs. None are currently planned, but can also go to ABC as well. Also includes opening night, the Little League Weekend game (which is on a Sunday anyway), the Home Run Derby, a few extra late-season games, and the entire Wild Card round of the playoffs (with some overflow to ABC and ESPN2).
TBS - Non-exclusive Tuesday night game all season. Also includes the other league's division series and league championship series (NL for 2023). Overflow is handled on TNT for the division series.
MLB Network - Simulcasts local home team broadcasts daily; many days they'll have multiple games. About once a week (though irregular as to which day) they have he non-exclusive MLB Network Showcase, which is produced in-house. Simulcasts and the Showcase are subject to blackout in home markets, and another simulcast will be substituted instead.
Streaming
Apple TV+ - Two exclusive Friday Night Baseball games produced in conjunction with MLB Network.
Peacock/NBC - MLB Sunday Leadoff, an exclusive early Sunday game (first few games start at 11:30 am ET, the rest at noon) will air 19 of 20 weeks on Peacock. The May 7th game will be simulcast on NBC.
YouTube - Game of the Week Live on YouTube, an exclusive free stream on the MLB YouTube page. It's usually a Wednesday afternoon game, but day and time may vary. No purchase necessary!
MLB.tv - Subscriber package for watching out-of-town local broadcasts. One game a day is always given as a free sample. Blacked out in the teams' home markets (due to deals between teams and sports networks - it has nothing to do with trying to get you to the ballpark) and for some national broadcasts. See section below for more details.
ESPN+ - One local broadcast a day (not the same game as the freebie on MLB.tv) is simulcast live on ESPN+ in addition to being on MLB.tv. Also on Sundays it simulcasts the Sunday Night Baseball game. More of a throw-in than anything, but if you already have an ESPN+ subscription it's already paid for.
There are also streaming services that grant access to most of the previously mentioned channels:

• Sling TV Orange package gets you ESPN, ESPN 2, and TBS.
• Sling TV Blue package gets you FOX, FS1, TBS.
• Youtube TV gets you FOX, ESPN, ESPN 2, FS1, TBS, and some regional sports networks.
• HULU Live gets you FOX, ESPN, ESPN 2, FS1, FS2, TBS, and some regional sports networks.
• AT&T TV Now Live a Little gets you FOX, ESPN, ESPN 2, FS1, and TBS and your regional sports networks.
• AT&T TV Now Just Right adds MLB Network to the Live a Little channels.
• AT&T TV Now Go Big adds FS2 to the Just Right channels.
• FUBO Premier gets you FOX, FS1, FS2, ESPN, ESPN 2, and some of your regional sports networks
• FUBO Extra adds MLB Network

NOTE - With Bally filing bankruptcy there is an air of unease on what the future of regional sports networks versus direct from MLB streaming is going to look like. Stay tuned around here as news of this kind will be posted and discussed quickly.

MLB.TV - the Ultimate Fan Investment

Alright, so a few things to cover with this, first of all YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LEGALLY STREAM IN MARKET GAMES IF YOU LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA. MLB.tv uses your IP address to see where you are located, and if it pings back that you are in a team's home market it will not let you watch the game LIVE. Here is where you can find what games MLB.tv will black you out from. National broadcasts on ESPN, FOX, and TBS are also subject to blackouts within the United States (MLB Network games are not). Before you ask, yes there are less than legal ways to get around this (spoofing your IP address, subreddit dedicated to mlb streams, etc.), but I won't be talking about those in detail here.
International fans, the only potential games you will be blacked out of are the Apple TV games and postseason games if your country has a network that paid for postseason broadcasting rights.
Even if you are blacked out, you will be able to watch the game 90 minutes after it finishes, so if you work a late shift or stay up late it might be worth it for you anyways even if you only want to follow one team.
Pricing tip - if you donate $25 to become a MLB Players Alumni Association Fan Member you get 50% off MLB.tv.
Military members and college students, don't forget to apply your 35% discount! T-Mobile Customers, you can get MLB.tv FOR FREE using the T-Mobile Tuesdays App - it has been confirmed that this is back this year but I have not heard an official date yet.
"But I don't want to watch EVERY out of market game, I just want to watch MY team!" Cool, for $20 less there's a single team option that will allow you to watch all your team's non-blacked out games! Personally, I'd pay the extra $20 for the opportunity to watch every deGrom, Cole, and Scherzer start, or put the Cubs on in the background while working on a Friday afternoon, but to each their own.
"But I don't want to commit for a full year!" That's okay, there's a monthly option as well in case you know there are months where you can't watch as much.
Some of the fun features of MLB.tv include the ability to watch four games at once and quickly swap your audio from one to another (seriously, I'm never on commercial break when I'm watching baseball, unless there's only one game on I'm able to watch it all, and in September that's huge) and condensed games. What are condensed games? They go through and cut out all the time between pitches and innings, meaning if you want to watch a whole game in less than a half hour (or are searching desperately for a play to make a .gif or streamable out of that for some reason isn't considered a highlight) it's really easy. If you're someone who really wants to get into the game but can't figure out how to grind through watching a full game, Condensed Games are great for keeping up with a team while you learn the little details between pitches that somehow make watching the catcher twiddle his fingers exciting for some fans.
Newly included this year, the previously separate MiLB.tv has been rolled in to the MLB.tv subscription, giving you access to watch minor league games from across the country! No more debating whether to pay $20 more to watch that one prospect for a week then forget you have the subscription because there are always MLB games on at the same time - access to watching any minor league games is now included! All triple A and double A teams will have their games streamed, and select lower level clubs will as well.
Also, MLB has added some great baseball documentaries to your MLB.tv subscription, giving you access to more than just games. They also have "Baseball Zen" videos that are great for relaxing to.
In addition, there is a great resource to enhance your total immersion into baseball if there are multiple games going on. Please note you must already be logged into MLB.tv to make them work. Baseball Reference has Stream Finder which lets you customize your preferences so MLB.tv will always switch to the game that is most relevant to you. This is great if you play fantasy and want to keep up with your players, are waiting for someone to hit a milestone, or if you want to make sure your action is broken into to follow a no-hitter in progress.
MLB.tv also gives you a free subscription to...

MLB At Bat - The Most Underrated Way to Stay Connected to Baseball

An MLB At Bat subscription gives you access to every team's radio stream for every game during the season and postseason completely blackout free across devices. If there's a day game, you can bet I'm listening to it at work, if I'm mowing the lawn on a Saturday I'm listening to a game, when I can't sleep at night, on comes a West Coast game.
Baseball was made to be on the radio, it's a sport that is very easy to follow the action with the right announcer. At work (or school) it's great because you can half listen, and when the announcer gets excited you can instantly tune back in to hear what's going on. This is the most underrated way to stay connected to your team throughout the year. Before I could afford MLB.tv, this was the way to go, and it honestly makes me question every year whether getting the MLB.tv package is worth is when I can get 80% of the entertainment value from listening to the games (and every year I manage to "forget" to unsubscribe, for many reasons listed above).
Also, as a nice bonus this year, that MiLB.tv subscription that got rolled into MLB.tv was included in MLB At Bat as well! So if you decide you want to watch some games but don't want to commit to an entire year of MLB.tv, you can catch some upcoming prospects playing in the minors without spending the big bucks.

How to watch baseball?

So this is a question that we get from many new fans who are just trying to figure out what the hell is going on and why people find this game so fascinating. I'll get the elephant in the room out of the way, yes there are some "boring" parts of watching baseball on TV. The camera fans to a batter spitting and adjusting his gloves, the pitcher adjusts his crotch then licks his fingers, random shots of a bored looking manager, etc. When you are actually at the ballpark you can be watching where the catcher and fielders set up to try to predict the pitch that is coming (read The Hidden Language of Baseball by Paul Dickson for some great insight into how to interpret this), but on TV it's not usually the case. This is where I have some suggestions for new fans trying to get into it.
First off, if you are looking for just a relaxing day, embrace the slow pace with a beer and veg out on the couch while watching. It's meant to be slow and relaxing (until it gets tense and exciting, usually with runners on). Seriously, when was the last time you just sat and did nothing? Mid July afternoon games are a perfect way to reach that zen of half-consciousness, until something happens to get you sucked into the action.
Another option to stay engaged is keeping score. I find keeping score relaxing and looking back through a scorebook can be fun to see what you were doing a few years ago (except for that damn unfinished scorecard from 2015 where A-Rod hit the most predictable home run in Twins-Yankees history and I sent my scorecard flying to the other side of the room). As NPR once put it, keeping score is a knowledge making activity, and if you have the time and patience for it it is a great way to learn the game. There are a couple different guides to keeping score, and most scorebooks/cards will have a brief example of how to do so. If you have any questions, the Around the Horn thread is a great place to ask!
Gamethreads are another way to get together with other baseball fans and pass the time between pitches, especially in team subs you get to know the regulars and conversations start to wonder away from baseball at times throughout the game, and that's fine. Baseball is an excuse to enjoy a summer day.
For those that want to actually understand what is going on during that time, though, there are some options. Watching Baseball Smarter by Zack Hample (who despite his reputation on this subreddit knows some stuff and actually pops in from time to time to comment on different things) is a good starting place for new fans. Baseball for Dummies and The Complete Idiots Guide to Baseball are also good starting points for those willing to sit and read for a little bit.
If it helps, I wrote two posts on /minnesotatwins to help newcomers understand some of the nuances of the game:

• Watching the Count
• Bullpen Management

Where to watch highlights and game recaps.

There are many many places to see highlights and game recaps, this is not an exhaustive list, but is a good start.
For highlights, bigger highlights will often be posed here on baseball a few minutes after they occur, if you wish to post them please familiarize yourself with the subreddit rules. They also appear relatively quickly on MLB.com in each games Gameday area. For a pretty slick collection of highlights from across MLB, https://baseball.theate is a great place to exclusively watch highlights.
There are a few ways to get great game recaps. If you have MLB Network, every day Quick Pitch is an hour-long show that recaps every game from the previous day. It usually starts after MLB Tonight (about 10pm EDT) or whatever game MLB Network is showing finishes up, and runs until 10am EDT the next day. MLB.com also puts out recaps of every game by the next morning, usually a 2-5 minutes quick rundown of highlights that can be found on the game recap. It also puts out Fastcast videos on youtube and their website every morning which has a brief rundown of all the games from the previous day. Here's an example of a Fastcast from two seasons ago.
If you want one concise place to see most of these, efitz11 has been amazing the last few seasons and posted video links to every game recap and fastcast in the daily Around the Horn thread. Here's an example. I am unsure if they plan to continue it this year, but it would be surely appreciated!

TL;DR Finding what you enjoy about the game.

When it boils down to it, baseball is about finding entertainment and enjoyment, and don't let anyone try to tell you how to enjoy baseball. If you want nothing to do with statistical analysis and just want to enjoy what's going on on the field, don't let anyone tell you you aren't enough of a fan, and if you want to dissect a player into their strengths and components using statcast and advanced metrics don't let anyone tell you you're reading into the game too much. You can follow one team, and only one team, or you can follow multiple teams, don't let anyone tell you you're not a true fan for wearing another team's gear or enjoying their games. You might enjoy bat flips and flamboyance, or reserved speedy home run trots. You might not even enjoy physically watching a game (especially not if your team isn't playing), but find yourself loving keeping track of your team through the season and tracking your players or maybe just the thrill of the standings race and scoreboard watching or maybe you just love all the numbers that get thrown around and arguing about their relevancy. That's okay, eventually I believe enjoyment of the game itself will come, but even if it doesn't, the long baseball season is still creating a place of enjoyment for you, and that's what matters. If you have any questions, once again, feel free to ask them in our daily Around the Horn thread, or below in the comments, or if you really want to feel free to PM with questions and I'd be happy to answer.
So watch games this week and join in the discussion here, you'll naturally find yourself gravitating towards certain players or teams and enjoying different aspects of the game. Baseball is a long season, find what you enjoy, stick to it, dwell on it, and enjoy it.
TL;DR for the TL;DR - Baseball is fun

Link

The US military has twice lost the file of Paris Davis, one of the first black officers in US special forces, the “green berets”.

Paris Davis and Joe Biden, March 3, 2023, in Washington in the United States.
A story that is also a concentrate of America: Joe Biden on Friday awarded the highest American military honor to Paris Davis, 83, an African-American officer whose feats of arms in Vietnam were forgotten by the military hierarchy for decades.
“We are celebrating a true hero of our nation,” said the American president, presenting the veteran with the “Medal of Honor”, ​​recalling that the latter had grown up in America of racial segregation.
“In the eyes of the law he was less than a person,” he said, pointing out Paris Davis had nevertheless chosen to commit “to serve a country which, in many places, refused to serve people like him.”

One of the first black special forces officers

Became one of the first black officers of the American special forces, the “green berets”, Paris Davis was, according to the White House, distinguished by his “bravery” and his “fearlessness” on June 17 and 18, 1965 in the region of Bong Son, in eastern Vietnam.
Also read: Biden calls for calm after fatal arrest of African American
Joe Biden gave an almost cinematic account of the exploits of the young officer, telling how he led the assault at the head of a group of South Vietnamese fighters, in the heart of the jungle, fighting hand-to-hand.
Then recounting the heroic rescue of his American teammates hit by enemy fire in the middle of the rice field, which he carried on his back until they were safe, refusing to be evacuated himself, although injured.
Joe Biden stressed that “unfortunately”, these feats of arms did not immediately earn him the “Medal of Honor” which seemed promised to him, even if he received other distinctions.

A file lost twice

The US military has in fact misplaced the relevant file twice. Referring to the very long delay between these feats of arms and the decoration, one of his teammates wondered, in an interview with New York Timesif Paris Davis had not been the victim of racial discrimination.
Read more
The main interested party for his part told CNN on Thursday that he was “not going to spend fifty years thinking” about this medal which did not arrive anyway, refusing to be called a “pioneer” and saying that the country “had been damn good to (him)”.
After leaving the army in 1985, Paris Davis started publishing a small newspaper in Virginia, a state located south of the American capital Washington.
Original article published on BFMTV.com
VIDEO – Steven Seagal: the American actor decorated by Vladimir Putin
Source
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Welcome to This Year in KPOP; a super-sized collection of everything you may have missed during the past year on kpop.

January 1 – December 31, 2022

TOP SUBMISSIONS

TOP 25 STORIES

#	Votes	Thread	Comments
1	(+12527)	Dreamcatcher have earned their first ever music show win with "MAISON" on MBC M Show Champion (220420)	1247 comments
2	(+8510)	All 9 members of TWICE have renewed contracts with JYP Entertainment	552 comments
3	(+7572)	JTBC reports that all LOONA members excluding Hyunjin and Vivi have suspended their exclusive contract with Blockberry Creative, citing mutual trust being broken + An application for injuction was also filed	603 comments
4	(+6809)	Kris Wu sentenced to 13 years in jail	852 comments
5	(+6538)	Hyuna posts on instagram her engagement to Dawn!	311 comments
6	(+6480)	2NE1 reunites at 88rising HEAD IN THE CLOUDS FOREVER at Coachella	482 comments
7	(+6386)	BigHit Music has officially announced that BTS Jin will enlist by the end of this month. The other members will enlist sequentially afterwards according to plans	679 comments
8	(+5405)	LE SSERAFIM to continue as 5 members, exclusive contract with Kim Garam terminated	1098 comments
9	(+5090)	BTS Announce They Will Take A Hiatus From Group Activities But Will Explore Solo Ventures	536 comments
10	(+4720)	Blockberry Creative kicks Chuu from LOONA	633 comments
11	(+4709)	NMIXX Jinni has left the group & JYP Entertainment due to personal reasons; the group will continue as 6 members	1188 comments
12	(+4639)	BTS to Join President Biden at the White House to Discuss Anti-Asian Hate Crimes and Celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month	476 comments
13	(+4490)	Alleged Victim Of Kim Garam’s Bullying Steps Forward, Sharing The Trauma She Experienced	951 comments
14	(+4416)	All 6 members of iKON have decided to not renew their contracts with YG Entertainment, but they will remain as a group together	409 comments
15	(+4398)	Red Velvet's Seulgi to debut as a solo artist	186 comments
16	(+4332)	SHINee Taemin has been getting treatment for depression & panic disorder symptoms while enlisting in the military band, and as symptoms got worse he will be serving as a social service worker instead starting January 14th	358 comments
17	(+4243)	All 7 members of DREAMCATCHER have renewed their contracts with Dreamcatcher Company	209 comments
18	(+4178)	HyunA Announces Breakup With DAWN	595 comments
19	(+4139)	BIGBANG to make their first comeback as 4 this spring + T.O.P leaves YG Entertainment but will still participate	384 comments
20	(+4047)	AleXa has been crowned the winner of American Song Contest 2022	248 comments
21	(+4031)	Bang Si-Hyuk, HYBE’s ex-CEO welcomes Ex-IZ*ONE members Sakura and Chaewon as Source Music x HYBE’s first girl group members.	352 comments
22	(+4023)	Happy 6th Anniversary to BLACKPINK!	193 comments
23	(+4013)	K-pop group LOONA star Kim Lip allegedly walks off stage in tears due to rude fans	440 comments
24	(+3715)	Red Velvet to make a comeback in March	237 comments
25	(+3657)	'MISAMO' has been trademarked by JYPE. Fans are speculating that this could a unit for TWICE's Mina, Sana, and Momo	182 comments

TOP 25 PERFORMANCES

#	Votes	Thread	Comments
1	(+2501)	[Performance] GOT the beat - Step Back (Stage Video)	816 comments
2	(+2392)	[Live] Comeback Stage: Girls' Generation (SNSD) - FOREVER 1 @ KBS Music Bank (220819)	207 comments
3	(+2100)	[Dance Cover] ITZY Yeji & Ryujin - Break My Heart Myself (orig. Bebe Rexha feat. Travis Barker) (Studio CHOOM - MIX & MAX)	118 comments
4	(+1867)	[Performance] Red Velvet - Feel My Rhythm (Performance Video)	194 comments
5	(+1837)	[Song Cover] LOONA - SHAKE IT (orig. SISTAR) @ Mnet Queendom 2 Episode 3 (220414)	154 comments
6	(+1577)	[Performance] TWICE - Queen of Hearts (Live Clip)	110 comments
7	(+1540)	[Song Cover] Hyolyn - So What (orig. LOONA) @ Mnet Queendom 2 Episode 4 (220421)	216 comments
8	(+1498)	[Live] Solo Debut Stage: Red Velvet Seulgi - 28 Reasons @ Mnet M Countdown (221006)	60 comments
9	(+1409)	[Live] SMTOWN LIVE 2022 : SMCU EXPRESS @KWANGYA (with Kangta, BoA, TVXQ!, Super Junior, Girls' Generation (SNSD) Taeyeon & Hyoyeon, SHINee (Onew, Key, Minho), EXO Kai, Red Velvet, NCT, aespa, GOT the beat, Raiden, J.E.B, GINJO, MINIMONSTER, IMLAY, Mar Vista, Hitchhiker) - Live Discussion Thread (220101)	5080 comments
10	(+1386)	[Dance Practice] TWICE - Talk that Talk (Choreography Video)	50 comments
11	(+1306)	[Performance] BLACKPINK - Shut Down (Dance Performance Video)	155 comments
12	(+1274)	[Dance Practice] BLACKPINK - Pink Venom (Dance Practice)	221 comments
13	(+1258)	[Performance] LOONA - Opening Show (Satellite) @ Mnet Queendom 2 (220322)	85 comments
14	(+1234)	[Song Cover] (G)I-DLE Yuqi - Beggin' (Måneskin Ver.)	74 comments
15	(+1227)	[Performance] Twice - The Feels @ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (220519)	103 comments
16	(+1211)	[Live] I'm The Queen (LOONA Heejin, Yves, Choerry, Olivia Hye & Brave Girls Eunji) - Tell Me Now (탐이 나) @ Mnet Queendom 2 Episode 7 (220512)	119 comments
17	(+1217)	[Song Cover] IVE, Kep1er, NMIXX, LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans - Cheer Up (orig. TWICE) @ 2022 Mnet Asian Music Awards (2022 MAMA) Day 1 (221129)	121 comments
18	(+1200)	[Performance] BLACKPINK - Pink Venom @ 2022 MTV Video Music Awards (220829)	222 comments
19	(+1157)	[Performance] Kep1er Huening Bahiyyih & TXT Hueningkai - WA DA DA (Dance Challenge)	68 comments
20	(+1147)	[Live] LE SSERAFIM - INTRO X Carmen - Habanera + FEARLESS @ 2022 SBS Gayo Daejeon (221224)	118 comments
21	(+1143)	[Performance] Girls' Generation (SNSD) Taeyeon - I, Rain, 11:11, Blue, Time Lapse, Happy, Weekend, Spark, What Do I Call You, All About You, If, Four Seasons, INVU, U R, Drawing Our Moments @ Dingo Music Killing Voice (220222)	126 comments
22	(+1137)	[Dance Practice] BTS - 달려라 방탄 (Run BTS) (Dance Practice)	98 comments
23	(+1092)	[Dance Cover] TWICE Momo, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu X Kiel Tutin - bloodline (orig. Ariana Grande) (Dance Video)	56 comments
24	(+1082)	[Performance] TWICE - Talk that Talk @ MTV Fresh Out (220827)	29 comments
25	(+1073)	[Live] (G)I-DLE - POP/STARS (orig. K/DA) @ Myongji University Festival (Official Stage Cam) (221005)	71 comments

TOP 25 DISCUSSIONS

#	Votes	Thread	Comments
1	(+1405)	what did kpop reddit think of popular group's debuts? (a journey through the past)	203 comments
2	(+1053)	Kpop Myth Busting: "Music Core banned lip-syncing." No, they did not.	210 comments
3	(+1053)	What are some of the most absurd things that have happened in KPOP that no one remembers?	663 comments
4	(+852)	Any other millennial Kpop fans struggling to keep up?	334 comments
5	(+754)	List some idol's birth names that can never be re-used in the industry	360 comments
6	(+720)	What's something they used to do in Kpop that you sometimes wish they'd go back to?	436 comments
7	(+600)	the most comprehensive history of kpop, possibly ever (part 1: 1989-2006)	45 comments
8	(+547)	What is a currently active group you wish you could save from nugudom?	496 comments
9	(+502)	the most comprehensive history of kpop, possibly ever (part 2: 2007-2021)	154 comments
10	(+493)	Are there any Kpop memes that went mainstream?	264 comments
11	(+464)	Where Are They Now [The 5 Year Edition] - Produce 101 (Season 2): A Status Update on the Participants of PD101 (Season 2)	60 comments
12	(+399)	The official 2023 K-Pop Prediction Thread!	323 comments
13	(+383)	Girl groups achievement stats [1-YEAR UPDATE]	32 comments
14	(+368)	Spotlight - GFRIEND (2021 Update)	15 comments
16	(+345)	A look back at the 2022 Prediction Thread	58 comments
17	(+251)	What are your favorite choreographies of the year?	98 comments
18	(+248)	What is your personal song of the year so far?	217 comments
19	(+231)	What is something you like about K-pop that is new to the current gen of idols?	121 comments
20	(+217)	Yerin Baek North American Tour - Appreciation & Love	43 comments
21	(+199)	Who should we invite for an AMA on kpop?	235 comments
22	(+203)	What do you think is the ideal age to start being a kpop idol?	175 comments
23	(+178)	What are some of the most impressive K-Pop performances?	175 comments
24	(+175)	Who is your favorite nugu group?	248 comments
25	(+172)	2022 Spotify Wrapped	260 comments

TOP 25 RELEASES

#	Votes	Thread	Comments
1	(+5620)	TWICE - Talk that Talk	690 comments
2	(+5142)	Girls' Generation (SNSD) - FOREVER 1	656 comments
3	(+4572)	BLACKPINK - Pink Venom	3401 comments
4	(+4323)	Red Velvet - Feel My Rhythm	755 comments
5	(+4013)	PSY - That That (prod. & ft. & starring SUGA of BTS)	437 comments
6	(+3937)	NAYEON - POP!	400 comments
7	(+3709)	BIGBANG - 봄여름가을겨울 (Still Life)	611 comments
8	(+3671)	LE SSERAFIM - ANTIFRAGILE	681 comments
9	(+3613)	BLACKPINK - Shut Down	1113 comments
10	(+3585)	IVE - After LIKE	707 comments
11	(+3339)	Red Velvet Seulgi - 28 Reasons	313 comments
12	(+3127)	Girls' Generation (SNSD) Taeyeon - INVU	296 comments
13	(+3099)	LE SSERAFIM - FEARLESS	1250 comments
14	(+3016)	aespa - Girls	710 comments
15	(+2937)	(G)I-DLE - Nxde	585 comments
16	(+2922)	NewJeans - Ditto (Side A)	541 comments
17	(+2908)	Red Velvet - WILDSIDE	282 comments
18	(+2605)	Dreamcatcher - MAISON	327 comments
19	(+2586)	STAYC - RUN2U	438 comments
20	(+2576)	IVE - LOVE DIVE	506 comments
21	(+2492)	Red Velvet - Birthday	338 comments
22	(+2434)	Dreamcatcher - VISION	235 comments
23	(+2401)	(G)I-DLE - TOMBOY	612 comments
24	(+2394)	VIVIZ - BOP BOP!	210 comments
25	(+2285)	fromis_9 - DM	255 comments

TOP 25 ALBUM DISCUSSIONS

#	Votes	Thread	Comments
1	(+1642)	BLACKPINK - BORN PINK (2nd Full Album)	752 comments
2	(+1512)	Girls' Generation (SNSD) - FOREVER 1 (The 7th Album)	244 comments
3	(+1475)	TWICE - BETWEEN 1&2 (11th Mini Album)	252 comments
4	(+1272)	Red Velvet - The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm (The 7th Mini Album)	233 comments
5	(+1257)	RM (BTS) - Indigo (1st Solo Album)	156 comments
6	(+1245)	TWICE Nayeon - IM NAYEON (The 1st Mini Album)	180 comments
7	(+1237)	Red Velvet Seulgi - 28 Reasons (The 1st Mini Album)	169 comments
8	(+1047)	LE SSERAFIM - ANTIFRAGILE (The 2nd Mini Album)	173 comments
9	(+913)	BTS - Proof (Anthology Album)	214 comments
10	(+837)	Dreamcatcher - Apocalypse : Save us (The 2nd Album)	112 comments
11	(+771)	aespa - Girls (The 2nd Mini Album)	192 comments
12	(+734)	Red Velvet - The ReVe Festival 2022 - Birthday (The 8th Mini Album)	186 comments
13	(+723)	Girls' Generation (SNSD) Taeyeon - INVU (The 3rd Album)	94 comments
14	(+714)	NewJeans - New Jeans (The 1st EP)	189 comments
15	(+700)	LE SSERAFIM - FEARLESS (The 1st Mini Album)	187 comments
16	(+691)	(G)I-DLE - I love (The 5th Mini Album)	100 comments
17	(+682)	STAYC - YOUNG-LUV.COM (The 2nd Mini Album)	126 comments
18	(+674)	(G)I-DLE - I NEVER DIE (The 1st Full Album)	148 comments
19	(+660)	j-hope (BTS) - Jack In The Box (Solo Album)	137 comments
20	(+632)	MAMAMOO Solar & Moonbyul, (G)I-DLE Soyeon, ITZY - Street Dance Girls Fighter (SGF) Special (Special Album)	49 comments
21	(+602)	Dreamcatcher - Apocalypse : Follow us (The 7th Mini Album)	79 comments
22	(+587)	VIVIZ - Beam Of Prism (The 1st Mini Album)	53 comments
23	(+567)	LOONA - Flip That (Summer Special Mini Album)	60 comments
24	(+565)	Mnet Queendom 2 (Hyolyn, VIVIZ, Brave Girls, WJSN, LOONA, Kep1er) - Final	259 comments
25	(+543)	TWICE - Celebrate (Japan 4th Album)	52 comments

META STATS

Link to This Year In KPOP - 2021

MODERATION

Posts Removed☨: 11,953 (2021: 13,941 (-14%))
Comments Removed☨: 19,690 (2021: 16,593 (+18%))
Users Banned: 749 (2021: 1,417 (-47%))
Total Human Mod Actions: 114,230 (2021: 103,989 (+9.8%))
☨ Includes AutoModerator actions

SUBREDDIT TRAFFIC

Month	Uniques	Pageviews
December	787,867	12,658,670
November	936,186	12,218,891
October	852,773	11,932,310
September	687,934	10,849,999
August	871,717	14,513,525
July	724,132	13,914,216
June	750,838	12,695,523
May	997,835	16,850,209
April	864,073	16,510,825
March	640,154	14,677,806
February	520,442	10,396,717
January	651,744	14,379,114

AMAs

Date	Name	AMA Thread
221214	P1Harmony	Hi, we are P1Harmony and we are back with our 3rd AMA!!!!!
221114	KPOP Broadway	Hi! We're the Cast & Playwright of #KPOPBroadway... AMA!
221027	WEi	Hello, We Are WEi! Ask Us Anything!
220926	ADORA	It's a "Magical" night! Hello, I'm ADORA and this is my first AMA!
220921	JAMIE	Hi, this is JAMIE! Ask me Anything!
220909	VERIVERY	Hello kpop! We're back for our 3rd AMA! Ask us anything before we head out on tour!
220811	TRI.BE	Hi TRUE!! TRI.BE is back with KISS so come and join our 3rd AMA 💋
220805	JUNNY	Hi This is JUNNY! Ask me anything!
220727	Charli Taft	Hi :) This is AMA with Charli Taft
220724	Rolling Quartz	Hello, we're Rolling Quartz! Welcome to our first AMA!
220720	ILY:1	Hello! We are ILY:1! Let’s do AMA with us!
220712	VIVIZ	Hello eveyone! It's VIVIZ! Let's do AMA :)
220426	AleXa	WHAT’S UP REDDIT 🔥 I'm AleXa, and I'm currently promoting my new song "Wonderland" on NBC's American Song Contest – come Ask Me Anything!
220314	Billlie	Hi, we are Billlie! Ask Us Anything!
220311	DRIPPIN	Hello we're DRIPPIN! Welcome to our AMA!😈
220223	SHAUN	Hi, this is SHAUN! Ask me Anything!
220207	ONEUS	ONEUS! Hello, we're ONEUS and we're back for an AMA before we go on tour to the U.S.!

Thank You!

two months later...
Last year we thought of this post as delayed because it was posted one day late on January 2nd. Oh dear. This year, 'delay' is hilariously inadequate. We pull a bunch of our stats for these posts with a Python script. Said script failed to function. We took too long trying to get it to work, then got distracted by other projects like the Annual Awards, and still made no progress coming back to it. So we'll finally just get this out of the way with a few sections missing so we can move forward with other priorities and try to be better prepared for next year.
At the end of 2021, a COVID surge was on the way. Through 2022 we watched the virus impact the industry and many of our favorite performers more heavily, but also got to see those numbers taper off. So much so that programs, concerts, and tours got back into motion. There were stumbles, but by the end of the year we had more than a few months of relatively normal functioning with more traveling, more events, and a more positive outlook.
As a community, kpop got to unify to put our pixelated stamp on place (long live Girl Group Alley!) and experience a rare collective celebration of Dreamcatcher's 1st win. We tried out Reddit's ability to hold prediction tournaments to coincide with with the airing of Queendom's second season. We had lots of fun AMAs and gained almost a million subscribers over the course of the year. Our community members continued to sacrifice their time and energy to weekly projects and updating the wiki pages, for which we are forever grateful. The mod team grew a little while working through some tricky learning-curve situations, but are heading into 2023 with more focus towards getting back on track with Town Halls and subreddit improvements.
We're looking forward to growing with you and wish you all a peaceful 2023!
-- The Mod Team

Check out our full Durham events calendar.
If you'd like to add an event to our calendar, submit an event here. Please check with the event owners to see if events change due to weather. Have a great weekend!

March Featured Event: Hayti Heritage Film Festival

Hayti Heritage Film Festival at the Hayti Heritage Center

• A journey of African diasporadic film and content, with particular emphasis on the South.
• More than 25 films and work shops from March 6-11.
• All access pass - $75 Day passes Mon-Wed - $15 Day passes Thu-Sat - $20

Multi-Day Events

Jagged Little Pill at DPAC
Joy, love, heartache, strength, wisdom, catharsis, LIFE — everything we’ve been waiting to see in a Broadway show — is here in the exhilarating, fearless new musical based on Alanis Morissette’s world-changing music.

• Thu, Mar 2 at 7:30 p.m.
• Fri, Mar 3 at 8:00 p.m.
• Sat, Mar 4 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
• Sun, Mar 5 at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
• $30+

Switchyard Theatre Company presents: "Present Laughter" at PSI Theatre at the Durham Arts Council

• Garry Essendine, world renowned actor, is preparing for a theatrical tour to Africa to distract himself from impending middle age. But in the weeks before the tour is to begin, he is beset by a series of fans and admirers – an unhinged young playwright, a besotted society starlet, and his manager’s wife who is determined to seduce him – who are determined to take his spotlight.
• Thu, Mar 2 at 7:30 p.m.
• Fri, Mar 3 at 7:30 p.m.
• Sat, Mar 4 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Sun, Mar 5 at 2:00 p.m.
• Adults - $25 Seniors (65+) - $20 Students - $10

"Red" by John Logan at Durham Bottling Co.

• There comes a moment when you must choose to stand your ground, take the next step, throw in the towel, or pass the torch. Under the critical eye of his young assistant, iconic abstract painter Mark Rothko wrestles with the process of creating his now-famous Seagrams murals. Join us for this powerfully intimate exploration of integrity, mortality, and artistic legacy.
• Sat, Mar 4 at 7:30 p.m. Sun, Mar 5 at 2:30 p.m.
• $20

2023 Oscar Shorts at The Carolina Theatre

• With all three categories offered — Animated, Live Action and Documentary — this is your annual chance to predict the winners (and have the edge in your Oscar pool)!
• Thu, Mar 2 at 7:00 p.m.
• Sat, Mar 4 at 11:40 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4:10 p.m., and 7:10 p.m.
• Sun, Mar 5 at 2:00 p.m.
• $9-11

Live Music at Blue Note Grill

• Thur, Mar 2 at 7:00 p.m. - Eliza Neals / Jason Damico
• Fri, Mar 3 at 6:00 p.m. - The Duke Street Dogs
• Fri, Mar 3 at 9:15 p.m. - Mysti Mayhem Trio
• Sat, Mar 4 at 7:30 p.m. - SouLe & the Superband

Events at Arcana

• Thu, Mar 2 - Ann Arader and Tarot with Rene
• Fri, Mar 3 - Daniel DeLorenzo and Tarot with Emily
• Sat, Mar 4 - Bardo Bloom and Tarot with Kathleen
• Sun, Mar 5 - Slow Teeth w/ Megabitch and Tarot with Emily

Improv Comedy at Mettlesome

• Fri, Mar 3 at 9:00 p.m. Hush Hush - Improv inspired by anonymous secrets from the audience.
• Sat, Mar 4 at 9:00 p.m. House Party - A mix of short-form (similar to Who's Line is it Anyway?) and long-form inspired by an audience interview.
• All shows $8

Thursday, Mar 2

Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works

• Enjoy fresh vibes on the patio with DJ Deckades. Bring your own vinyl to share or just listen to what the DJ is spinning.
• 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• Free admission

Boulders & Brews Meetup at Triangle Rock Club - Durham

• Show up and climb at TRC Durham, then head over to Hi-Wire for some brews. Don't worry if it's your first time or haven't bouldered before; everyone's welcome.
• Your first visit to the gym with the Meetup includes free admission and gear rental, and subsequent visits with the meetup are $15 and include harness rental (outside of meetups, day pass rates of $19 apply and do not include rentals).
• 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Film Screening: "Law and Order" at the Rubenstein Arts Center Film Theater

• In the wake of the riots of 1968, Frederick Wiseman trains his quiet, unobtrusive cameras on the Kansas City police department throughout their everyday routines as they work. The film surveys the wide range of work the police are asked to perform: enforcing the law, maintaining order, and providing general social services. The incidents shown illustrate how training, community expectations, socio-economic status of the subject, the threat of violence, and discretion affect police behavior.
• 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• Free admission

Live Music in the Taproom at The Glass Jug Beer Lab - Downtown Durham

• Glass Jug offers local live music EVERY Thursday in their Downtown Durham taproom.
• 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
• Free admission

Trivia Night w/Big Slow Tom at Clouds Brewing Brightleaf Square

• Join Clouds Durham for Big Slow Tom's Trivia Night, every Thursday. Win some prizes, drink some beer, and show your smarts.
• Enjoy $4 select draft and $5 rotating bartender's choice all night.
• 7:30 p.m.
• Free admission

Beaty Kitty x Mr Jennings Maximum Bounce Tour at The Fruit

• “Beat Kitty is a Brooklyn bass producer & artist with a penchant for taking crowds on epics journeys through all the flavors and feels of bass music. This full spectrum selectress has been known to melt brains and literally light fires on dancefloors.” - Worst Behavior Recs
• Mr Jennings provides spicy bass music for cool cats.
• 8:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
• $20

Friday, Mar 3

Tasting at Ten at Counter Culture Coffee

• Every Friday morning at 10 am, Counter Culture Coffee opens their Training Centers to coffee lovers who want to learn more about Counter Culture Coffee’s high-quality, sustainably sourced menu.
• 10 a.m.
• Free, but donations accepted

Nikki Glaser: The Good Girl Tour at The Carolina Theatre

• Nikki Glaser is one of the funniest female voices in comedy today. For over a decade at clubs and theaters across the country, and as the host of three hit podcasts, she has been honing her shockingly-honest, no-holds barred style of comedy.
• 7:00 p.m.
• $37.25+

Live Music at Sharp 9 Gallery

• Ryan Hanseler Trio with Gabrielle Cavassa
• 8 p.m.
• $30

GRL PWR 2 at Motorco Music Hall

• A dance party dedicated to the women of alternative music.
• 8:30 p.m.
• $20 at the door, $15 advance

Open Mic Stand-Up Comedy at Durty Bull Brewing Company

• This weekly event takes place indoors in the Barrel Room, with seating available for nearly 100 people. There's no better way to unwind after a long week than a night of laughter with Ashley & Ebony. Interested in performing? Please contact Ashley and Ebony.
• 8 p.m. - 11 p.m.
• 21+
• Free admission

Mamis & The Papis and Party Illegal Present: Moodboard at Rubies on Five Points

• Prepare for the First Friday party of your dreams, with DJs from Mamis & the Papis and Party Illegal crews plus special guests.
• Doors at 9:00 p.m. Show at 10 p.m.
• $5

Saturday, Mar 4

parkrun Durham at Southern Boundaries Park

• A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer, or spectate. It's up to you!
• 8:00 a.m.
• Free admission

Moving Units: a Record Fair at Shadowbox Studio

• A baker’s dozen or so local folks selling records, CDs, and related. Come dig through the crates of local music obsessives.
• 11:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Free admission

Art-n-Soul Market at Mystic Farm & Distillery

• Come shop handmade in this special setting. Mystic Farm & Distillery in Durham offers a unique place to gather and enjoy local spirits. The Art-n-Soul Market brings local artisans, food trucks, and live music out to the farm for bourbon tastings, craft cocktails, food trucks, and distinctive gifts. Dogs welcome.
• 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Free admission

Doggie Photos with the Easter Bunny at Hi-Wire Brewing

• Photos with the Easter bunny. Open to all dogs and families.
• 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• $5 donation

Outrageous: A Burlesque and Variety Show for Abortion Rights at The Pinhook

• This may be the debut production of GiGi & Alvara – but they’ve been at it for awhile now. Come hang and watch these seasoned burlesque and otherwise performers and have a great time benefiting the Carolina Abortion Fund!
• 7:00 p.m.
• $15

Jay Renee at Beyú Caffè

• A Durham, NC, Jay Renee graduated from NCCU with a degree in Music Education, with a concentration in voice. Upon graduation, she quickly became a “go-to” choice wherever a strong, passionate female voice is needed.
• Attendance requires a $20 minimum food and/or beverage minimum purchase per ticket.
• Shows at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
• $12 standing $25 seated

Felipe Esparza: Big Foo Tour at The Carolina Theatre

• From being raised in the projects in a family of nine living in the most gang‐infested neighborhood in the country to winning NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” to selling out live comedy shows all over the country and being able to act in TV shows and movies, Felipe’s life has been anything but boring.
• 8:00 p.m.
• $33

Sunday, Mar 5

Durham Community Day at Museum of Life and Science

• Durham County residents get in free with current proof of residence. All adults must have Durham residency to get in free; each adult can bring up to five children. Guests without current proof of residency will need to pay for tickets at check-in.
• 10:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Al Strong Presents Jazz Brunch Sundays at Alley Twenty Six

• Al Strong, the Grammy-nominated jazz trumpeter, composer and recording artist, will bring a rotating lineup of musicians to perform during Sunday brunch at Durham's Alley Twenty Six.
• Brunch is served from 10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Music will be from 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Public Tour at Duke University Chapel

• Learn about the history, architecture, and life of Duke Chapel in this tour. The tour begins at 12:15 p.m., or immediately following the conclusion of the Sunday morning service, and lasts approximately 45 minutes. No reservation is required but if you plan to bring a large group please contact [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). Meet the docent on the front steps of the Chapel.
• 12:15 p.m.
• Free admission

Crape Myrtle Festival Drag Brunch at Clouds Brewing

• The Crape Myrtle Festival Mission: To encourage and promote the development of services for persons living with HIV, additionally, to raise money to provide financial assistance, outreach and education to realized needs within the local LGBTQ+ community.
• 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• $35

Fruit Flea Market at The Fruit

• Come one come all to the Fruit Flea Market. Here you will find everything your grungy little heart desires. Come support Durham’s creative community by buying and selling awesome clothes, a/v stuff, art materials, tchotchkes, vintage goods and much more!
• 12:00 p.m. - 6 p.m.
• $5 entry fee $20 vendor fee

Winter Seafood Jubilee at Durham Central Park

• Locals Seafood is bringing its ninth annual Winter Seafood Jubilee to Durham Central Park. The event will celebrate NC seafood by serving North Carolina oysters, catfish, shrimp, and more.
• 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Free admission

Trivia at Navigator Beverage Co.

• Hosted by the Triangle’s Trivia team, Hammered Trivia, gather your team and post up to compete for prizes and enjoy an afternoon of great drinks, great friends, and great games.
• 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Free admission

Comedy and Music Open Mic at Moon Dog Meadery

• Presented with ComedyDurham. Sign ups begin at 6:30 p.m.
• Comedy, music, poetry, any artistic performance you'd like to share are welcome.
• 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
• Free admission

Running Art Exhibits

Beverly McIver’s PASSAGE: Paintings 1983-2022 at Craven Allen Gallery

• Beverly McIver is among North Carolina’s most noted artists, with work in major public and private collections. Following McIver through the most pivotal moments in her life, the exhibition reflects the passage of time and its effects on Beverly as an artist, a sister, a daughter, and a friend.
• Mon–Fri from 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sat from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Runs through Mar 4
• Free admission

Selections from the Archive: Bill Seaman Print Retrospective at the Rubenstein Arts Center At Duke University

• A print retrospective of the work of media artist, researcher, and Duke faculty member Bill Seaman.
• Runs through Mar 12
• Mon-Fri from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Sat-Sun from 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Free admission

Corrientes Latinas / Latin Currents at The Durham Arts Council

• Corrientes Latinas / Latin Currents, highlights the work of artists belonging to the Inter-Latin American Artist Collective (ILAAC), a group of professional artists working in the Triangle Area: Cornelio Campos, Luis MacKinney, Lety Álvarez, Pepe Caudillo, José Manuel Cruz, Antonio Alanís and Peter Marín.
• Runs through Mar 10
• Mon-Sat from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Sun from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Free admission

Art Exhibition: 'Marc Chagall and the Bible' at Duke Chapel

• In partnership with Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts (DITA), the Chapel is presenting an exhibition of prints of works by the distinguished, modernist artist Marc Chagall. Curated by the art collector Sandra Bowden, the exhibition, Marc Chagall and the Bible, features etchings and lithographs with biblical themes.
• The Chapel is open daily from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. but is sometimes closed to the public for private ceremonies
• Runs through March 30
• No tickets or reservations required.

The Textile Art of Debbie Secan in the Great Hall of the Golden Belt Campus

• Debbie Secan fell in love with weaving as a teenager and has worked with woven structures ever since, in the textile industry and as a fine artist. The materials in her work are repurposed for environmental reasons and to exploit the breadth of resources we discard.
• Runs through Mar 31
• Mon-Sat from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sun from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Free admission

The Art of Nicholas Edward at the Building 2 Gallery at Golden Belt Campus

• Derrick Nicholas is the artist behind Nicholas Edward. Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, he moved to Raleigh in 1995 and has been a Triangle resident ever since. A North Carolina A&T University class of 2008 graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design, art has been Nicholas’ passion since the age of 6. He loves to express and create through various mediums including pencil, digital, and paint, and finds that each provides a unique and therapeutic satisfaction.
• Runs through Mar 31
• Mon-Sat from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sun from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Free admission

The Mind’s Eye: Gallery Members Exhibition at 5 Points Gallery

• 5 Points Gallery celebrates cleverness in the Year of the Rabbit with their new exhibit called “The Mind’s Eye”.
• Runs through Apr 15
• Free admission

Beyond the Surface: Collage, Mixed Media and Textile Works from the Collection at the Nasher

• This exhibition includes approximately 40 works, primarily from the Nasher Museum’s collection. With a focus on collage, mixed media and textile works, Beyond the Surface explores how artists bring together disparate materials and ideas to create artworks that engage with all audiences.
• Tue-Fri from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Runs through May 14
• Free admission

Patrimonio Heritage at John Hope Franklin Center Gallery

• A series of drawing interventions on “Llanchama” (Amazonian tree bark) by Peruvian/American artist Renzo Ortega.
• Mon-Fri from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Runs through May 18
• Free admission

Exhibits at 21c Museum Hotel

• Whitney Stanley: We Just Be in the Vault Gallery
• This We Believe in the Main Gallery
• Runs through May 2023
• Open 24 hours
• Free admission

Spirit in the Land at the Nasher

• Spirit in the Land is a contemporary art exhibition that examines today’s urgent ecological concerns from a cultural perspective, demonstrating how intricately our identities and natural environments are intertwined. Through their artwork, 30 artists show us how rooted in the earth our most cherished cultural traditions are, how our relationship to land and water shapes us as individuals and communities
• Tue-Fri from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Runs through Jul 9
• Free admission

Art of Peru at the Nasher

• This gallery features ceramics, textiles, metalwork and carvings produced by ancient cultures across what is known as present-day Peru.
• Tue-Fri from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Runs through Dec 2
• Free admission

ASSETS & DEBTS:

ASSETS AND DEBTS
We own no home. Our son (S) is almost two. Our child’s account is a mix of bonds, 529 contributions, UGMAs. I don’t count cars as part of our net worth. TSP is the government equivalent of a 401k.
My husband (H) and I both have pensions. With our pensions and social security, we will be at between 60% to 70% of our full time working income, the number depending on if social security exists in the future. The other spouse will collect half of the deceased spouse’s pension in the case of death, until death of both spouses. I plan to eventually shift our retirement contributions to brokerage accounts so that there is a step-up in basis upon death. We will hopefully not need to touch our actual retirement accounts and they too will essentially become inheritances.
We spent about $40,000 a couple years ago on fertility treatments (IVF). This resulted in our son. We have frozen embryos, that will be donated after my daughter is born (I'm currently pregnant).
TOTAL NET WORTH (SANS CHILD ACCOUNT AND CARS): $248,000

INCOME:

INCOME
My husband and I make almost the same amount, $101,000 each. We are topped out for earning potential in our respective positions, unless we make the move to management. It is not something we are planning to do soon. My husband would like to get a graduate degree first. My husband began working last year, and he works from home most of the time as a data scientist. Before, he was finishing his undergraduate degree and taking care of our newborn. He worked before he went back to school, which is where his IRA is from.
Our income is low relative to our peers, but we have amazing pensions, amazing benefits, and amazing work-life balance and job stability. The reason we can both take the easier jobs with lower pay is because we live with my parents. Otherwise, on our salary, we could not afford to live in this area.
We have no side jobs or income.

EXPENSES (MONTHLY):

EXPENSES
Not included is the $500 a month I transfer to my son’s various accounts. I make contributions to my IRAs from my personal account. Donations are to Save The Children and the local NPR station. My husband and I both volunteer as well (poll volunteering, at our local food bank).
No rent or childcare costs now. We will be moving out in about two years to a condo my parents own, and paying for the mortgage ($3,500 a month including HOA fees). Our son will start at a bilingual preschool later this year ($2,000 a month). Our daughter will be taken care of by my parents until about two years old; we will enroll her in the same preschool.
Edit: the condo has a mortgage of around $400,000. My parents locked in a low interest rate of sub 3%, a 15 year loan. Comparatively, my friends that just bought a condo/apartment with a loan of around $400,000 have a $4,000/month mortgage payment with a 30 year loan.
My husband’s brother shares Disney+ and Spotify with us. We share HBO+ with them.
I did not include WaPo on my list, but it’s free with my government email.
Student loan repayments are on pause.

BACKGROUND:

My husband and I are children of immigrants. My parents came from a war torn and impoverished country. They worked hard, were frugal, got lucky, and my husband and I grew up middle class (then upper middle class). My mom initially worked in a garment factory and my dad waited tables. My mom eventually got a blue collar government job and my dad learned to program.

Childhood:

My parents told me we were poor. I believed them. We were not poor. We always had food, housing. A lot of my classmates had new Benz and BMWs; my parents bought secondhand Toyotas/Hondas. I really didn’t realize how well-off I was; relatively, my family was not as “rich” as most people in our city. My parents struggled in the beginning but over the years we were upper middle class by the time I went off to college. Both my husband and I were raised in heavily Asian areas with great public school systems. I lived in a bubble and had no idea how lucky I was. Not to sound too self-deprecating, but I’m not that perceptive/smart and this was/is one of my blind spots.

College:

It was assumed I would go. Every single one of my high school friends went. The majority have at least one graduate/professional degree (quite a few have multiples), and are MDs, JDs, engineers, financial analysts, etc.
When I was young, I told my dad I wanted to go to Yale, but he laughed at me. I went to an in-state public university. My parents paid for my entire undergraduate degree, including housing and food (I estimate everything probably cost $80,000 total). I started off as a bio major but ended up in English after I couldn’t cut it in the weeder courses. I spent way too much time in college gaming, partying, and not going to class. If I could go back in time, I would have taken college seriously (and majored in accounting).
I funded my graduate degree (accounting, in-state public university, around $30,000 for two years) through egg donations and loans, the latter which I paid off after I got a job. I lived at home rent-free. My husband has a similar experience, except he dropped out of undergrad (that his parents were paying for). A decade later, he went back to school after we married and came out with about $7,000 of loans.
Getting an English degree was a terrible idea financially, and the only reason things worked out for me is because my parents paid for it. With my English degree, I hit the ceiling for what I could do professionally very early on, which spurred me to pursue my graduate degree.

Relationships:

I handle almost all the finances. My husband has a 401k-type plan through work that he manages himself. I do the rest. Each month, $200 per person is transferred from our joint account where our paychecks are deposited into our personal bank accounts. My husband didn’t think it was necessary when I set it up, but I insisted we begin this because he quit his job when we married, and I wanted him to have his own account and his own money. Historically, I think it’s really important that women that stay at home do this (because you never know what could/can happen), and even though I wasn’t planning on abusing my husband or trapping him in a situation he couldn’t escape, the ethics remain.
My son lives an incredibly comfortable, pampered life and as long as things continue the way they do, he will be financially in a better position than us. I have no idea how to teach him to be truly grateful, because words are just words and I don’t think he’ll ever actually experience true financial struggle.

Inheritance:

I am the executor of my parents’ estate. I do not know exactly how much I am receiving, though I can guess. Their wealth is in real estate, so I think I will be inheriting two homes (the one we live in with them and the condo they own, aggregated worth around $2 million currently, a huge increase thanks to the recent housing boom). I hope I do not find out for a long, long time. I do not know what my husband will get, though from what I understand his parents will not be leaving him with much as they need it for their own retirement. I also hope we do not find out for a long, long time.
Our inheritances factor into our housing situation. That is to say, the only way we will ever own a home here is if we inherit one from my parents. If we inherit any cash, I will put it into a trust for my children.
Although we are East Asian and traditionally are our parents’ retirement plans, both my husband and I come from parents that very much did not want to do that to us. So, we are not expected to support our parents in their old age. I consider us even luckier than many.

MONEY DIARY:

SATURDAY:
☕ 7:30am: Son (S) wakes up. Husband (H) and I go in to get him ready. He peed through his diaper today. I make a latte for myself (splurged on a fancy espresso machine) while our son plays and my husband makes breakfast - pancakes with fresh blueberries and a side of fruit (strawberries and blackberries). I go through my Booksy list for the day. Plug - they comb through all the free books available on Kindle and email a list each morning. I usually end up with five to ten books a day. My Kindle backlog is more unmanageable than my Steam backlog, but I tell myself I’ll read books during maternity leave, which I’ll be taking in three months when my daughter is born.
👶 9:30am: After breakfast, we get ready to go to a regional park with another family (parents with a child our son’s age). Since it’s almost Valentine’s Day, I prepared a small gift bag for their son - some stickers and a children’s book. At the park, we all go on a train ride (free since I bought tickets months ago) and our kids ride ponies (first time!). I take plenty of pictures and videos for the grandparents. The ride costs us $8.00.
🍟 12:00pm: We head home. Since we’re at the park later than planned, we stop by Habit for supplemental lunch items ($15.91) in addition to leftovers from the prior day. My husband gets a burger and fries. S has french fries while my husband prepares our lunch. Our son has never had fries and ketchup before, and he is absolutely fascinated by the concept of ketchup, exclaiming “dip dip” with each motion. I eat my lunch (steamed rice with raw uni and ikura) and make S little handrolls. He keeps demanding more. We finish up with some fruit, clean our son off, and put him down for his nap.
💤 2:00pm: During my son’s nap, I also sleep (pregnancy). My husband goes grocery shopping. H does all the cooking and grocery shopping in our house. Normally I don’t keep track of how much he spends but for this money diary I do. He goes to a couple places. ($67.61 and $50.76).
👶 3:30pm: S is awake. I loved when he switched over to one nap last year; it’s much easier to plan around him. We change his diaper (when I say we change, really, my husband changes his diaper and I hold his arms and distract him with singing) and my husband takes him to the park while I wash the dishes. Since we live with my parents, we don’t have a working dishwasher. I also clean the kitchen.
🍲5:30pm: H and S are back from the park. S goes to his playpen and watches some TV (we love Miss Rachel), H cooks dinner. We chat about what happened at the park, I get updates on the local families. I check in with my friends that are coming over tomorrow. My husband makes mashed potato with creme fraiche, parsley, and green onion. He roasts broccoli and chicken. We eat - tonight, S decides broccoli is his jam and has an entire bowl. As usual, we have fruit for dinner. I’m a sugar fiend, but my husband is very anti-sugar with our son. At the end, we ask S to wipe his tray while we wipe his hands and face - this is standard for each meal.
🐰8:00pm: I read some books to S - he finds the phrase "neutral networks" hilarious and giggles maniacally for five minutes while I repeat it. I sing his favorite songs to him while my husband prepares the bath. After, we brush his teeth (and by brush I mean my husband holds him down and I brush his teeth for two minutes). It’s been months, but my son STILL hates getting his teeth brushed no matter how many songs we sing or videos we watch on this. Even though we’re teaching S bodily consent, toothbrushing is the one exception. I’m told that we should be brushing his teeth until six years of age. At the end, we offer the toothbrush to our son (“do you want a turn?”). He grabs it happily and “brushes” his teeth, then brushes the teeth of his stuffed animals. My husband gives him a bath and we go through our normal bedtime routine with him (change his diaper, apply lotion, put on pajamas, read a bedtime book, and turn off the lights). My son sleeps on a mattress on the floor in his room.
Tonight, after he gets kisses and hugs from me, he happily says “bye bye” and waves me out of the room. My husband asks if my husband can leave; my son says “nope!” My husband stays behind and I leave the room. My husband exists a few minutes later after my son waves him off. Our bedtime/nap routine sounds like bliss, but what people don’t see is that we started sleep training at four months and it took well over half a year before we started seeing any results. However, a year later, I’m grateful we stuck to it because my son happily sleeps through the night by himself.
📈 9:00pm: I clean our bedroom and our bathroom while my husband cleans up downstairs. My friend confirms plans tomorrow for breakfast at my place. I talk about investing with friends- I reiterate time in the market is better than timing the market. I point out that historically no one beats the general market. We talk about different funds (ETFs, expense ratios, performance). I check all our bank accounts and brokerages and do our taxes. My husband comes in to review and sign the tax return. I pay for our state taxes ($14.99). Our refund is large every year because I purposely withhold at a greater amount since we’re both spenders and this way I can make sure we save. He lets me know his parents would like me to do their taxes and will send over the information later this week. After, my husband reads to my belly (our daughter) for half an hour. We snuggle together in bed and talk, and I order two maternity dresses from Target for work. I’m not charged yet for them.
🛌 12:30am: I take my medication (anti nausea, prenatals), brush my teeth, wash my face, and read a little in bed (Captured on Camera, a cozy murder mystery). My husband and I sleep separately because he has sleep apnea and snores terribly and doesn’t use his CPAP machine. I do occasionally remind him I want him to live a long, healthy life (with me!) but he doesn’t seem motivated enough most of the time and he’s a grown ass adult so I let him make his own decisions about his health.

💲DAY’S TOTAL: 157.33

SUNDAY:
☕ 7:30am: Toddler is up. My husband and I go in, do the usual morning routine, and then I am off at 8:00AM to the lab for my one hour glucose test. There is a $10 copay. While I wait, I finish the mystery from last night. After the blood draw, I head to the bakery and pick up strawberry croissants for my friends ($33.40). I get a notification the maternity items I ordered are out of stock. I panic since I have no professional maternity clothes, so I order a black pencil skirt from Amazon that will be here tomorrow ($26.93). My husband goes out to pick up some bagels before my friends arrive ($11.39).
👶 10:30am: My friends show up with their kid. The dad and I have been friends since elementary school, and they had a baby six months after we did. Our kids play together in the playroom while we all eat breakfast (they brought breakfast items). The couple recently bought a house and had some questions about the financial/tax impact. I give them advice (as friends only), my husband makes them peach mimosas, and they stay until it’s nap time for our kids. Since we’ve been brunching all morning, our son doesn’t eat a proper sit down lunch before his nap. I offer S a strawberry croissant with cream but S picks out the strawberries and throws the rest on the ground.
💤 1:00pm: I play a videogame (Hogwarts Legacy) after I finish washing all the dishes. Initially, I almost put off buying the game due to JKR’s views. But, my husband said I should get it and in all honesty I wanted the game so badly it didn’t take much convincing. I receive an email from my doctor- I failed the one hour glucose test and need to do the three hour test. This happened with my first pregnancy - failed the one hour, passed the three hour. I plan to go in the next weekend for the test as I will need to spend over three hours at the hospital.
👶 3:30pm: Child wakes up, we get him ready, and we all go to the local park. Our son plays (runs around) and we mostly follow him to prevent him from doing anything spectacularly stupid. S loves collecting pine cones, sticks, and rocks. I explain we can not take them home and ask him to put them down gently. He half-listens (he does not take them home and puts most everything down without a fuss, but he throws a few of the pinecones in the bushes).
🍲5:30pm: My husband prepares leftovers (last night’s dinner and assorted leftovers from this morning). After dinner, we go upstairs and do the bedtime routine. Tonight is not any easier for tooth brushing.
🛌 12:00am: Son has been sleeping for awhile and I browse Reddit and chatting on Discord between a load of laundry. Tomorrow I work from home and have nothing to prepare for the day. I end up going to bed around midnight after taking all my medications. I do not have a nighttime skin routine anymore; after having our son, that all went out the window. All I do is brush my teeth and wash my face. I know it’s not ideal (I used to have a fourteen step facial routine), but I also just can’t find the energy to care most nights.

💲 DAY’S TOTAL: 81.72

MONDAY
☕ 7:00am: I work at the office today so I take a shower, go get my son ready, make a latte, grab lunch that my husband packed, and head to work.
📑 8:30am: There’s a lot of emails to comb through. I read a few interesting articles relevant to my field, update my calendar, and make the weekly to-do list. Most of my morning is spent reviewing documents for a case, which includes combing through bank records, researching case law, and recording my findings.
🌿 1:00pm: Lunch. No one is in the office, so I eat at my desk (today it’s an arugula salad with brie, cranberries, almonds, and chicken). I also have a bit of chocolate from my snack drawer, Recchiuti’s dark milk bar. Do I eat a single square? No, but I don’t quite finish the bar.
📞 3:30pm: I field a couple of angry emails and calls from a particular Power of Attorney (a representative for a case), but truthfully they’ve been dragging me around for months and I’ve run out of patience for their games. I rope my manager into the conversation and arrange a phone conference for next week. I give a lot of chances, more than what my manager would (she always tells me I’m a little too nice), but even I have my limits.
🕧 5:00pm: Out the door. I love my hours. I used to work at a public accounting firm, and during this time of year I would normally have been in the office until well past 9:00pm or 10:00pm, but government hours are amazing. I use this word a lot to describe my job, which is truly amazing for everything, though admittedly I love tax. I really like learning about new fields and enjoy researching case law and tax codes relevant to case issues.
📙 5:30pm: I get home and play with S while H cooks. We read books, I sing songs, and we hang out until the food is ready.
🍠7:00pm: Dinner! My husband made some sort of herb-crusted roast pork with compound butter (shallots, parsley, lemon) and mac and cheese. We also have broccoli. Today S wants his teddy bear with him for dinner and proceeds to very cutely feed the bear from his own fork with lots of “om!” sounds.
💓9:30pm: After the bedtime routine, S goes to sleep and my husband and I spend time together. Because we sleep in separate spaces, we try to spend a couple hours together each night snuggled up. This was something we did before S, but now after S, most of our conversations are about our kid(s), though H has always been a very stoic person that never needed very much emotional intimacy. Still, I make an effort to keep the romance alive (it’s always been like that in our relationship - we would both agree that I have always carried the majority of “us”).
🛌11:30pm: Tomorrow is a big day for me, I take my medications early, brush my teeth, and go to bed.

💲 DAY’S TOTAL: 0.00

TUESDAY
💎 7:00am: I wake up and take a shower. Today is my first field appointment in, I am not kidding, years. I relish the opportunity to dress professionally. This means a lovely silk blouse (secondhand from Eileen Fisher), a blazer (also secondhand from Eileen Fisher) that I had tailored, the aforementioned pregnancy pencil skirt, leather shoes, fine jewelry (in this case, an 18k gold & diamond necklace from a luxury house), full makeup (foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip tint), perfume (Cartier), and leave-in hair conditioner. I make a latte for myself and am out the door at 8:00am, before my son is up. My husband and my parents know about my audit so they will handle him this morning.
💼 9:45am: I arrive at my audit location. In the parking lot, I open my laptop and do a quick review of all the information I need to know. I also scan the building for all bathroom locations. Being pregnant means you have to pee all the time, at the most inconvenient times, and often without notice (if the baby rolls on your bladder, even if you used the restroom twenty minutes ago, you will need to use it again).
The front desk rings me in and I meet the taxpayer. I run through mandatory questions. I’m nervous because this is the first kind of audit I’ve worked on (I volunteered for this particular assignment). Usually, I deal with a completely different sort of audit. I leave the parking lot and pay the toll with my credit card ($12.25), but it’s reimbursed at the end of the month by the government so I do not count this expense.
🍩 Before lunch, I stop for a half a dozen donuts (for the household) and a matcha latte ($40.14). The latte is awful. For lunch, I go to my favorite sushi chain in LA. They don’t accept tips there, so my total is $38.11, which is a ridiculously good price for the quality of service and food. While raw fish is a risk during pregnancy, and I usually eat at higher end sushi places in general, Sugarfish is the one affordable chain I trust for raw fish. As I eat, I read an interesting article on the NYT about Ghibli’s theme park and forward it to my Ghibli-obsessed friends and my husband.
💻 2:00pm: I’m back at the office! I finish working the audit from this morning. Generally, I work in the field, usually at the place of business, and my audits span months (sometimes years). However, this particular audit is supposed to be short and done quickly. I manage to finish the entire case and writeup timely. I exit the office at precisely 4:30pm, extremely satisfied with myself. I was dx’ed with ADHD as a child and was never medicated, so work (and life) can be a struggle for me with regards to timeliness. Today is one of those days when I managed to do everything I needed to do within the hours set, which does not happen as often as I’d like.
🎈 5:30pm: I arrive, not home, but at Mitsuwa, to pickup Valentine’s Day dinner. I was craving grilled beef tongue and I order two bento boxes with an extra side of tongue (S and I will split our meal). This place has always been expensive ($84.05), but there’s nowhere else that does beef tongue as well. While waiting for the food, I contemplate getting a bowl of udon for S in case he doesn’t like beef tongue, but eventually decide that we can just boil pasta at home.
🎵 6:00pm: I am finally home. S is uncharacteristically thrilled to see me (he’s always preferred my husband), and dashes into my arms screaming “mama, mama” happily. I’m bowled over by the force of his hug. My husband unloads and preps food as S has taken me hostage by lugging over his favorite book and demanding I read to him. I do my best to read to him and teach him when I can, though every day I struggle with the guilt of feeling that I don’t do enough to enrich him and that he would be more ahead if I spent more of our time together reading because some nights I just don’t have the energy. Because of this, I probably overly praise him for every little thing. Tonight, he counts with me and we go over the alphabet. He claps for himself after every number and letter he identifies (as do I). At least he won’t have any self-esteem issues.
🍚 7:00pm: We sit down to eat dinner. S eats a surprising amount of beef tongue, though he keeps calling it “steak” when he demands more. We have rice, beef tongue, shiozuke, and a bit of wasabi dressing. At the end of dinner, we offer S fruit as usual, and then, very unusually, we allow him to eat a third of a donut (salted butter). It is a LOT of sugar but S has a surgical procedure tomorrow and I’m indulgent. S loves the donut. When he’s finish with his piece, we tell him there’s no more donut and we’re all done. He eyes the cardboard box suspiciously (there's still a whole doughnut left that he can’t see but maybe can smell), but does not protest.
🛌 8:30pm: Same as usual. Baby’s bedtime routine, but we let him drink milk throughout since he can’t eat tomorrow morning because of the anesthesia. I brush his teeth very, very thoroughly after he’s lotioned up and in his pajamas.
📆 10:00pm: S is sleeping, and H and I go over tomorrow. I’ve taken half the day off and will be working from home. We review the guidelines that the hospital provided us, and I pack S’s bag with clothes and books while H goes downstairs to roast bones and make chicken stock. He then goes out to pick up some groceries ($28.85) and boba ($22.38). He gets us both a drink, and an extra one for me for tomorrow
💟 12:00am: We finally finish up with preparations. We celebrate Valentine’s evening (even though my husband remarks it’s a commercialized, made-up day that doesn’t have any significance) and I head to bed after washing my face, taking my vitamins, and brushing my teeth.

💲 DAY'S TOTAL: $213.53

WEDNESDAY
🌞 6:00am: I’m up early since we have to be at the hospital in an hour and we need to get our son ready earlier than usual. I take a quick shower, get dressed, make myself a latte, and then head in with my husband to wake up S. We’re able to change him without much fuss and we head out to the hospital.
🏥7:30am: There’s a $200 copay for surgery. Surprise! I wasn’t expecting the expense this year and did not fund my FSA accordingly, so this will be out of pocket. We pay and settle down to wait after filling out forms. Since S is so young, he needs to go under full anesthesia for a relatively minor eye procedure (clogged duct). The pediatrician suggested surgery at a year old if it didn’t clear; we decided to wait for almost two years hoping that it would resolve, but it did not so here we are.
💊 9:30am: After two hours of waiting and various attempts at entertaining my toddler screen free (which includes a lot of songs and a couple books), we finally let him watch Miss Rachel. The nurses come by with oral medication (Tylenol and Xanax), but it takes four adults (including my husband) to administer the medicine as S is very stubborn and does NOT want to take oral medication. Even at home, we use children’s suppositories for fever because S has thrown up every time I tried to give him oral medication. The nurses are miracle workers. I watch their technique and make a note to try it their way next time. We meet with the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and the surgical nurse. Our child is wheeled away. His procedure begins at 10:05am (we get text updates). While waiting, I start reading The Accidental Lawyer.
⌛ 12:00pm: The procedure was done within fifteen minutes but the anesthesia is still wearing off, so the surgeon pulls us in for a post-op discussion. We’re allowed back to the recovery room. When S sees my husband, he cries hysterically and is completely inconsolable. The nurses assure me this is normal and it’s the anesthesia. However, that is of little comfort to us. The IV in his foot is bothering him, but we can’t remove it yet so S screams the whole time. The nurse initially says nothing to drink for an hour, and nothing to eat for the day (only clear liquids for twenty-four hours), but relents and says we can give him some milk. We’re supposed to be there another hour for observation but she tells us we can go sooner than the hour is up. I suppose the screaming is getting to her, too. S calms down a bit after the IV is removed but is sobbing. Blood is running out of one of his eyes, and even though we were told by the surgeon it is normal, it is unnerving.
Once S is buckled in his car seat, I offer him a peanut butter puff. He immediately quiets, then demands more. I suspect part of his crankiness was hunger. We’ve packed fresh blackberries for him as well, so I offer those. The surgeon and all the other doctors we had pre-op appointments with said that S could eat right away as long as he could keep food down, and the discharging nurse seemed baffled that our almost two year old was eating solid foods at all (she seemed to think he was still primarily on breast milk???), so I go against her instructions about the solid food. S eats all the blackberries and puffs and drinks most of his milk. We normally don’t allow S to eat while driving in case he chokes, but today I take the risk as S hasn’t eaten anything in over sixteen hours at this point.
🍜 We get home; H boils water for noodles while my parents fuss over S. We give S a quick lunch of plain noodles and chicken broth and put him down for his nap around 1:30pm. My husband stops by a Korean supermarket ($51.58).
😴 3:45pm: S is still sleeping! I want to let him sleep but H insists we should wake him up. S is in a surprisingly good mood and demands snacks while bouncing all around. He has fully recovered. Since he had surgery earlier, we don’t take him outside (I don’t want to introduce avoidable bacteria near his eyes and toddlers are not the cleanest) and instead play and read with him. He gets more television. Today, he wants to watch alphabet songs.
🍲 7:00pm: Dinner is chicken ginger soup with noodles and tofu, galbi with green onion and ginger dressing, and stir fried soybean sprouts. We have strawberries and blackberries for dessert. The surgeon calls to check up on our son. I’m shocked he works so late; I thought our hospital system has great hours for the doctors, but my husband says maybe the surgeon works 3 x 12 shifts. Luckily for us, this particular system is especially robust in our area and the doctors and surgeons I’ve met are excellent. I have a couple friends that are doctors that work for this HMO and they told me that it’s very competitive to get into the clinics and hospitals here because of how well paid and relatively relaxing it is, so our HMO system has their pick of the best of the best. It shows. Unlike a lot of Americans that have poor experiences with their healthcare system, ours works out incredibly well for us. No phone calls to fight claims, no issues with providers dropping the ball, no scrambling around to get charts transferred, no confusion with the pharmacy.
📌 9:00pm: After the bedtime routine, S is in bed. H and I both have some work to catch up on so we head to our respective laptops. I put on Suits in the background and have my milk tea from the night before.
🛌 12:30am: I eat my prenatals, brush my teeth, and go to bed.

💲 DAY’S TOTAL: 251.58

THURSDAY
📊 7:30am: Up for the day. I’m going in office, but since our POD has adapted to business casual (and really, just plain out casual after most people decided to go almost full WFH), I put on jeans and a sweatshirt. After H and I wake up S for the day (today it’s a twenty minute struggle to get him to hold still long enough to get dressed and have his diaper changed), I make a latte, take my lunch that my husband packed last night, and head off to work.
💻 8:30am: At work. I have two training sessions today. Our agency is slowly transitioning to a paperless system, and it’s been a very slow and tedious process filled with bureaucracy and heavy resistance from some employees. Both trainings today revolve around how to properly assemble paperless files for closures, which boxes to check (literally), etc.
🍇12:00pm: I take a break to heat up my lunch. My husband has packed leftover galbi, rice, and fruit. After lunch, I get ready for another field audit tomorrow. This involves reviewing all the financial statements I have, reviewing the list of questions tailored to the case, and making sure I confirm the location and time of the appointment. Some agents are so seasoned they don’t need to do so many of these things and know all the questions to ask by heart, but I tend to be forgetful so I prefer to have everything ready in Word ahead of time.
💵3:00pm: The group secretary comes by and asks me about donating for a coworker’s sympathy gift. I Zelle $20 to the secretary.
📂5:00pm: I’m done for the day, and feeling prepared for tomorrow. At exactly 5:00pm I leave my cubicle and head home.
🐤6:00pm: Once I’m home, I play with my son while my husband makes dinner. A stuffed duck I ordered arrived today, so after I clean it, I give it to S. He’s absolutely thrilled since he’s in a phase of really enjoying ducks (listening to songs about ducks and seeing ducks at the park). He’s even more excited when we show him that there’s five little ducks hidden in the larger animal’s inner compartment
🍝 7:00pm: We sit down for dinner. It’s pasta (husband makes the sauce from scratch) and sauteed mustard greens, a tedious affair of reminding my son that food belongs in his mouth and not on the ground. To be fair, most meals are like this. S also attempts to overturn his milk six times within half an hour. After S tells us he’s done, we let him down from his high chair to terrorize his grandparents and I finish dinner. My husband tells me that their union scheduled him for an interview to join the negotiation team for the new contract. I’m very happy for him as I worship him and believe he’s an incredible asset to any team lucky enough to have him. I’m especially excited he’ll be utilizing his talents for good (I believe very strongly in collective bargaining and workers’ rights). My husband is pleased because this is a resume-boosting opportunity (my husband isn’t motivated by social good).
🍦9:30pm: After the bedtime routine, my husband goes to get gas ($40.52) and picks up ice cream for us at Honeymee ($13.86). I tuck away into bed with my ice cream to finish reading the rest of Accidental Lawyer. It’s a good read, but a bit dark as it occurs within the TX prison system and the characters experience infertility struggles.
🛌12:00am: I wash the dishes, brush my teeth, and go to sleep.

💲 DAY’S TOTAL: 74.38

FRIDAY
📅 7:00am: Another field audit. Similar to the one earlier this week, it is out of scope for my normal position. I get to dress professionally, make a latte, and am out the door after kissing S and H goodbye. My mom went this morning to get S ready, so S is in his high chair eating breakfast when I leave.
📟9:00am: I arrive on site. Unlike the earlier visit, which was to a fancy swanky downtown building with a guard and paid parking, this is to a small strip plaza in a very sketchy neighborhood. The doors are locked and the front desk lets me in with an apologetic “we keep this locked at all time because you never know who might wander in around this area.”
Part of what I do enjoy about my job is how different my experiences are. My mom worries a lot, since the nature of my work can be adversarial and not all my work is done at professional office suites (I go to people’s homes, back alley warehouses, etc.), but during orientation they assured us no one has been killed on the job before so I figure I’m safe.
For this particular audit, I have a lot of sympathy since it’s a one-person outfit and they are clearly trying their best. I answer all their questions, make suggestions, and navigate them to the official government website for additional resources. However, since impartiality is something that is important in my line of work, I dutifully and accurately document my findings.
🍵 12:00pm: The interview is over. Since I’m near an area that’s well known for its Japanese population, I stop by locally-acclaimed spots for lunch. I pick up the greenest iced matcha (4oz for $4.25) I’ve ever seen, and food from a Hawaiian place. I order an extra couple entrees for dinner ($61.04).
📃 1:30pm: Back at the office, I work on my report and submit it to the coordinator. There is a section for “personal opinion/observations,” and I write that I did not feel sanctions were warranted. Although that is my recommendation, there is no guarantee that the unit ultimately responsible will let it go, but it is out of my hands.
❗ 5:00pm: I’m supposed to be out of work half an hour earlier, but was sidetracked by a conversation on Discord so I don’t finish my work at 4:30 and stay the extra half hour.
🍥6:30pm: We eat dinner together! My son is fascinated with the fried rice I ordered, as am I. It’s one of the most unique takes on fried rice I’ve had, a Hawaiian style rice with obvious Japanese influence. My husband tastes bonito/dashi, and there’s kamaboko and pork sprinkled throughout. Unlike traditional Chinese fried rice, this fried rice is stickier, but it works really well with the dish. H makes a note to try recreating it the upcoming weekend.
👪8:00pm: H and S engage in a fierce game of roughhousing, though mostly it’s H letting S tackle him over and over. S gets very excited and ends up literally launching himself headfirst off and around his bed. My son is absolutely fearless, a trait that worries me as he’s inherited both my impulsiveness and my husband’s proclivity to leap without looking.
🎮 9:30pm: After S’s bedtime routine, I wash the dishes, fold S’s laundry, and play Hogwarts (with Suits on the other screen) until it’s time for bed. When I was younger, I was a ferocious gamer, but age and motherhood has tempered me. No longer do I play games for five, six hours until the early morning.
🛌12:30am: I shut the game off after a couple hours, brush my teeth, wash my face (double cleanse since I wore makeup today), and head to bed.

💲 DAY’S TOTAL: 65.29

💲 WEEK TOTAL: $843.83

Food & Drink	Home & Health	Fun & Entertainment
$523.39	$210.00	$8.00
Clothes & Beauty	Transport	Other
$26.93	$40.52	$34.99

Whew, if you read all that, props to you.
This is a financially normal week for us. The $200 health copay is unusual, but I would say we often end up spending about this amount when I factor in clothes, shopping, household items. We spend a lot on food, which is our primary expense and indulgence. Tracking our meals, I am actually struck how we really should eat more vegetables. While we have plenty of fresh fruit, we could always do better.
As I noted before, we live a really comfortable life, partially because of my parents. I’m lucky that my parents are so chill despite us having so many radically different views (I keep in mind that no matter what happened, my parents only ever made the decisions they made with their children as their number one priority and always sacrificed for us), and that my husband and parents don’t have any fights. I’m completely satisfied with how my life turned out. I feel I have it all - creature comforts, a husband I love with the same intensity as the day we met that also pulls his weight as both a father and domestic partner, a healthy child, financial/career security & stability, wonderful friends, and health (mental and physical). I think I’m a good example of how generational wealth (not just financial, but emotional and cultural as well) can make such a significant impact for quality of life, and how great married life and kids can be for women if their male partners step up (which sadly isn't as ubiquitous as it should be).

Edit: Never mind! I let them have a supervised play session one more time. My older cat (Merlin) finally seemed to understand that the younger cat (Oz) isn't a threat. Now they are sniffing each other following each other around. I can see Merlin starting to relax. I guess I just needed to be patient!
​
Hello. I am just introducing a 6 month old cat (Oz) to my 4 year old (Merlin). Both are neutered. We got Merlin at 5 months and he is very spoiled, but has a lot of energy that we thought getting another cat around the house might be good for him. He is fearless, generally friendly to people, but can nip at times and sometimes play-bite. Oz (so far) is a bit more scared of loud noises, but just as affectionate as Merlin. He came from a foster where he was with another cat. Unknown about Merlin.
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We got Oz on Thursday. We isolated him immediately in the bedroom (where he is very comfortable). On day 1, Merlin hissed at me and hissed at anything even remotely carrying Oz's scent. Then, we scent swapped on Friday and fed them both at the same time near the door. Some hissing on Merlin's part when he'd see or smell Oz by the door, but this has died down today. Today, I fed them both next to each other with a cracked door between them. They both ate just fine without issues and peeked at each other every now and then.
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I am just at a loss as to where to go from here. When I put them in the same room, Merlin stares at Oz and hisses at him. Oz came over and touched noses with him. Merlin hissed and ran off. No swatting or biting. Do I continue to let them play in the same room? I play with Oz and he seems perfectly distracted. Merlin is harder to distract even with treats and his favorite toy. Do I just let them be around each other a few times a day until Merlin stops hissing and gets over it? Or do I just let them be by the door without being around each other again?

From 2022-11-19 to 2023-02-24

Here are the new singles & albums for Friday February 24th 2023.
Singles :

• Aaron Goodvin & Ryan Kinder - The Longer I Live
• Aaron Raitiere - I'll Never Love Again
• Abby Anderson & The 615 House - Circles
• Abe Partridge - Alabama Astronauts
• Abe Partridge - Young Love (alabama Skies)
• Adam Brand & Matt Cornell - Our Church
• Adam Hood - You Love Me Like That
• Alana Springsteen - you don't deserve a country song
• Alana Springsteen & BRELAND - For What It's Worth (feat. Alana Springsteen)
• Alec MacGillivray - Pick Up
• Alee - Love Songs
• Alex Smith - Crocodile Tears
• Alexandra Kay - Dammit
• Alison Krauss & High Valley - Do This Life
• Allie Colleen - Honest Man
• Allison Mahal - Adriene
• Allison Mahal - Jesus Christ
• Allison Ponthier - Character Development
• Amy Sheppard - Couple Goals
• Andy Grammer - These Tears
• Andy Velo - Boxed Wine
• Angie Stone - Kiss You
• Anna Vaus & Charlie Brennan - Over the Weekend
• Anne Wilson - Living Water
• Anslee Davidson - Forget Me Not
• Ashley Campbell - (I'll Do The) Remembering [Larry's Country Diner Season 16]
• Ashley Campbell - Arkansas Farmboy (Larry's Country Diner Season 16)
• Ashley Campbell - Highwayman (Larry's Country Diner Season 16)
• Ashley Campbell - Pancho & Lefty (Larry's Country Diner Season 16)
• Ashley McBryde - Light On In The Kitchen
• Ashley McBryde & Carly Pearce - Never Wanted To Be That Girl (Live From Music City)
• Austin Plaine - Turn It Around
• Bailey Bryan - RIP
• Bailey Zimmerman - Fix'n To Break
• Bailey Zimmerman - Get to Gettin' Gone
• Bear Bailey - The Way You Say My Name
• Becca Bowen - Son of a Gun
• Bella White - Break My Heart
• Ben Chapman & Ben Chapman & Co. - Georgia Dreamin'
• Ben Kweller - I Have the Power
• Blane Rudd - Nothing Is The Same
• Blessing Offor - Rollin'
• Bo DePeña - Long Road to Denver (Live)
• Bo DePeña - New Year's Day
• Brad Cox - Acres
• Brad Cox - Old Skoolin'
• Brad Paisley - Same Here (Feat. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy)
• Brandon Davis - Fell For You
• Brandon Davis - One of Those
• Brandon Davis - See You In It
• Brandon Lay - Bulletproof
• Brett Eldredge - Hideaway (Studio Version)
• Brett Kissel - Never Have I Ever
• Brett Young & Ashley Cooke - Never Til Now - Wedding Version
• Brian Callihan - On Top Of The World
• Brit Taylor - Ain't a Hard Livin'
• Brittany Kennell - House and a Dog
• Brody Caster - Borrowed Guitar (Acoustic)
• Brody Caster - Gettin' You Home (Acoustic)
• Brody Caster - Once I Meet Her (Acoustic)
• Bryan Martin - Wolves Cry
• Caitlyn Smith - Lately
• Caitlyn Smith - The Great Pretender
• Cam Noble & ACTS of Nature & Calming Sounds of Nature - In The Rain
• Canaan Cox - Hate Me More
• Carly Pearce - What He Didn't Do (Live From Music City)
• Carolina Story - Animal
• Carolina Story - Magic
• Caroline Jones - Keep It Safe (feat. Alyssa Bonagura)
• Caroline Spence - Mary Oliver (Acoustic)
• Caroline Spence - There's Always Room (Alternate Version)
• Carter Lybrand - All Your Fault
• Carter Winter - The Cold West, Pt.1
• Casey Barnes - Summer Nights
• Casey Daniels Band - Carolina Blue
• Casey Penn - We Go Together Like a Guitar and a Fiddle
• Cat Clyde - I Feel It
• Cat Clyde - Papa Took My Totems
• Caylee Hammack - All Or Nothing
• Chad Bushnell - Whiskey to Work
• Chandler Ray - Out Of This Town (Acoustic)
• Chandler Ray - Summer Of '18 (Acoustic Version)
• Chandler Ray - You've Got The Key (Acoustic)
• Chandler Stephens - Days I Cry
• Channing Wilson - Gettin' Outta My Mind
• Channing Wilson - Sunday Morning Blues
• Chapel Hart - Glory Days
• Chapel Hart & Don Bartholomew - Tailgate Trophy (Remix)
• Charles Kelley - As Far As You Could
• Charles Wesley Godwin - Live from the Church
• Charles Wesley Godwin - The Jealous Kind (Live from the Church)
• Charlie Farley - Bellah Mine Road
• Charlie Farley - Once in a Blue Moon
• Chris Buck Band - She Gone
• Chris Hennessee - Me Missin You
• Chris Hennessee - Me Missin You (Acoustic Version)
• Chris Janson - All I Need Is You
• Chris Moreno - Take Me With You
• Chris Shiflett - Black Top White Lines
• Chris Young - Looking for You + All Dogs Go to Heaven
• Christie Huff - Breakup More Often
• Christine Kindred - Miss Patsy
• Clara Mae - When You're Young
• Clare Dunn - Flatbed Sessions (Acoustic)
• Clayton Mullen - Whiskey On It
• Cody Canada & Jesse Jeffers - Treasure Chest
• Cody Fry - I Hear a Symphony
• Cody Fry - Photograph
• Cody Hibbard - Looking Back Now
• Cody Webb - Crazy On Me
• Coffey Anderson & Station Little - Work Real Hard
• Colby Acuff - Western White Pines
• Cole Hartley - What You Mean To Me
• Cole Swindell - Drinkaby
• Colton Venner - Honey Slow (Acoustic)
• Conner Smith - Creek Will Rise
• Cooper Alan - Shoes Under My Bed
• Cooper Alan & The 615 House & Trey Lewis - Mexican Jail (feat. Thomas Mac, Trey Lewis & Cooper Alan)
• Corey Kent - '22 Tapes
• Corey Kent - Better Now
• Corey Kent - Man of the House
• Corey Smith - Still in the Running
• Cort Carpenter - Takes Its Time
• Courtney Patton - Telephone Line
• Craig Campbell - Tractor Songs
• Craig Wayne Boyd - ONE LINE AWAY
• Curtis Grimes - Fine By Me
• Curtis Grimes - Friends
• Curtis Grimes - Noah Built A Boat
• Cymple Man - Blackshear Bennett
• Cyndi Lauper & Dolly Parton & Belinda Carlisle - Gonna Be You (feat. Gloria Estefan and Debbie Harry)
• Dallas Smith - Singing In A Beer
• Dalton Dover - Giving Up On That
• Dan Lawrence - Go Ahead, Break My Heart
• Danno Simpson - Old Town Saturday Night
• Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass - What Crosses Your Mind
• Darius Rucker - Lift Me Up
• Dave Fenley - Stand by Me
• Dave Fenley & The Hello Darlins - Better Days (feat. Dave Fenley)
• David Adam Byrnes - One Two Step Away
• David Adam Byrnes - She Don't
• David James - Cars, Girls, And The Radio (Stripped)
• David Pugh - Damaged Ends
• David Pugh - Down the Stairwell - Side A
• David Tribble - Valentines Day (Live & Intimate)
• David Tribble & Tribe & King - Free Fallin'
• Davisson Brothers Band - Cross My Heart
• Dean Miller - What Are We Doing in Love?
• Devon Gilfillian - All I Really Wanna Do
• Dierks Bentley - Cowboy Boots
• Dierks Bentley - Same Ol' Me
• Dolly Parton - Don't Make Me Have To Come Down There
• Dolly Parton - The Last Thing on My Mind
• Dolly Parton & Cheat Codes - Bets On Us
• Dolly Parton & Dionne Warwick - Peace Like A River
• Dolly Parton & Olivia Newton-John - Jolene (feat. Dolly Parton)
• Donny Van Slee - Country Girl in You
• Drayton Farley - Above My Head
• Drayton Farley - Norfolk Blues
• Drew Dixon - Crooked Past
• Drew Gregory - Stuck
• Drew Holcomb & Ellie Holcomb - Bones
• Drew Parker - At The End Of The Dirt Road
• Dropkick Murphys - Cadillac, Cadillac (feat. Sammy Amara of Broilers)
• Dusty Moats - Honky Tonk Ways
• Dylan Marlowe - Record High
• Easton Chambers - Heartbreak Bender
• El Dorodo - Bed of Roses
• Eli Howard & The Greater Good - Low & Slow (Chapter 1)
• Elijah Ocean - Heart Replacement
• Elijah Ocean - Middle of a King-Size Bed
• Elle King - Tulsa
• Elle King - Worth A Shot (Live Version)
• Elvie Shane - Sympathy for the Devil
• Emily McGill - Better When I'm Drinking
• Emily McGill - I'm Done
• Emily Scott Robinson & OurVinyl - Emily Scott Robinson OurVinyl Sessions
• Emma White - The Only Girl in This Town
• Erika Baier - Snowy The Snowman
• Erin Enderlin - Weddings, Funerals, & Empty Hotel Bars
• Erin Enderlin - White Wine Fever
• Erin Kinsey - Boys In Boots
• Erin Kinsey - Handful / Already Broke Up
• Ethan Willis - I Can't Call It
• Frank Foster - Little More Nowhere
• Frank Vieira - Holy Smoke
• Gabby Barrett & Colton Dixon - Build a Boat (feat. Gabby Barrett)
• Gable Bradley - Heartbreaker
• Gavin Adcock - DEEP END
• Gavin Adcock - I Know A Good Time
• Gavin Adcock - I've Been A Stranger
• Gene Watson - Build My Mansion (Larry's Country Diner Season 19)
• Gene Watson - Don't Waste It On the Blues (Larry's Country Diner Season 19)
• Gene Watson - No Goodbyes (Larry's Country Diner Season 19)
• Gene Watson - The Good Ol' Days Are Right Now (Larry's Country Diner Season 19)
• Genevieve Fisher - Thank You Music
• George Birge - Cowboys Talkin'
• George Shingleton - Shot or Two
• Gord Bamford - One Heartbeat From Heaven
• Granger Smith & Matthew West - Greatest Hits
• Grant Gilbert & Josh Abbott Band - Six Pack State of Mind
• Greylan James - 2 Years Back
• Greylan James - My Future
• Haley Mae Campbell - Didn't Have to Drink (Piano Version)
• Haley Mae Campbell - Flowers (Country Version)
• Haley Mae Campbell & Presley & Taylor - Never Not a Good Time
• Hannah Blaylock - Catch the Wind
• Hannah Blaylock & Cody Belew - Married Alone
• Hannah Ellis - Someone Else's Heartbreak
• Hayden Baker - Just Talkin'
• Hippies And Cowboys - Bing Bang Boom
• Hippies And Cowboys - Moving On
• Home Free - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
• Houston Bernard - Ditch This Town
• Hunter Hayes - Sober
• Hunter Thomas Mounce - Angel's Share
• Ian Munsick - Dig
• Ian Munsick - Long Live Cowgirls (Me and a Fiddle)
• Ian Munsick - River Run
• Ingrid Andress - Treated Me Good
• Iris DeMent - The Sacred Now / How Long
• Iris DeMent - Workin' On A World / Goin' Down To Sing In Texas
• Jack Johnson & Lee "Scratch" Perry - Traffic In The Sky (Lee "Scratch" Perry x Subatomic Sound System Dub)
• Jackson Dean - Fearless (The Echo)
• Jacob Bryant & Chris Weaver Band - Circus
• Jaden Hamilton - Ruidoso
• Jake Dodds - Little Red Dress
• Jake Hoot - Endless
• Jake Owen - My Boots Miss Yours
• James Barker Band - Meet Your Mama
• Jameson Rodgers - Goin' Crazy + Holding Me Back
• Jason Benoit - VHS
• Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Death Wish
• Jason Michael Carroll - Pass It On Around
• JD Clayton & Jam in the Van - Jam in the Van - JD Clayton (Live Session, Nashville, TN, 2022)
• Jeb Gipson - Ain't Got the Heart
• Jeb Gipson - House in Heaven
• Jeff Canada - Blame It On Me
• Jenna DeVries - Unholy
• Jenna Paulette - You Ain't No Cowboy
• Jess Moskaluke - Not What Ya Think
• Jesse Slack - Oughta Be Outlawed
• Jessie Early & Women Who Worship & Worship Together - Great Mystery (Live)
• Jillian Cardarelli - Country Side
• Jillian Steele - Forget About Forgetting Me
• Jillian Steele - Sk8er Boi
• JJ Lawhorn - Heavy Hitter
• Joe Peters - That Ain't No Way To Go
• Joey Greer - She Gets Me
• Joey Hyde - Drunk Plans
• John 5 - Strung Out
• John Ashburn - Ride in a Truck
• John Fogerty - Joy Of My Life (Live)
• John King - Grow Up Grow Old
• Johnny and Heidi - The One Before the One
• Johnny Dailey - Over a Girl
• Jon Langston - Howdy Howdy Howdy
• Jonathan Terrell - Falling Snow in Santa Fe
• Jordan Allen & the Bellwethers - My Twenties
• Jordan Davis - Money Isn't Real
• Jordan Davis - No Time Soon
• Jordyn Delzer - Turquoise and Feathers EP
• Josh Abbott Band - Josh Abbott Band and Friends: , Vol. 2
• Josh Abbott Band - The Galway Girl
• Josh Gracin - You're On Fire
• Josh Logan - Good Life
• Josh Melton - Old
• Josh Mirenda - Wind Up
• Joshua Hedley - Counting All My Tears (Larry's Country Diner Season 19)
• Joshua Hedley - Let Them Talk (Larry's Country Diner Season 19)
• Joshua Hedley - Let's Take A Vacation (Larry's Country Diner Season 19)
• Joshua Hedley - Mr. Jukebox (Larry's Country Diner Season 19)
• Joshua Quimby - Do-Nothin' Deadbeat
• Josiah and the Bonnevilles - Jersey Giant
• Josiah and the Bonnevilles - Skinny Love (Country Version)
• Joy Oladokun - Changes
• Julia Cole - Be The Whiskey (Acoustic)
• Julia Cole - Better Liar
• Julia Cole - Forever and Ever, Amen
• July Turner - To Georgia
• Justin Dukes - Ring for Sale
• Justin Moore - Stray Dogs
• Kailey Nicole - Good Years
• Kalsey Kulyk - Ain't Enough Whiskey
• Kameron Marlowe - Take Me Home (Voice Memo)
• Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown - Thank God (Spring Symphony)
• Karen Fairchild - Paramount
• Karen Jonas - Lay Me Down
• Karen Jonas - Paris Breeze
• Karen Jonas - Rock the Boat
• Karen O & Adanowsky - When The Angel Comes
• Karley Scott Collins - Petty in the 80s
• Kasey Tyndall & Dylan Marlowe - Place for Me
• Kassi Ashton - Drive You Out Of My Mind
• Kate Ellis - Other Side Of The Street (Radio Edit)
• Katie Cole - Maybe Memphis
• Katie Noel - Southern
• Katie Noel & Johnny Rich & Yesiwill - Tennessee Tilt
• Kaylee Bell - BOOTS 'N ALL
• Kaylee Rose - Stay Single
• Kaylin Roberson - Die First
• Kelsea Ballerini - Rolling Up the Welcome Mat
• Khalid & Dove Cameron - We Go Down Together (with Khalid)
• Kimmie Rhodes & Willie Nelson - Picture In a Frame (Side B)
• Kip Moore - Damn Love
• Kristen Kelly - The Devil
• Kristian Bush - Already Yours
• Kyle McKearney - Whispering Pines
• Kylie Morgan - Don't Stay Gone Too Long
• La Maquinaria Norteña - Eres Ese Algo (Remix)
• La Maquinaria Norteña - Yo Si La Cuidé
• La Maquinaria Norteña & La Furia del Bravo - Mi Persona Favorita
• Lainey Wilson - Spotify Singles
• Lainey Wilson - You Can't Always Get What You Want
• Lance Carpenter - Better Than Me
• Landon Heights - Do What You Gotta Do
• Larry Fleet - Daddy Don't Drink // Try Texas
• Lathan Bryant - Carolina Queen (Nashville Sessions)
• Lazy Wayne Band - Didn't Matter Anyway
• Leah Marie Mason - Holy Water
• Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra - Think I'm Coming Down
• Lera Lynn - The Garden (From Endless Dungeon)
• Levi Hummon - Rent Free
• Levi Jameson - Spending My Nights Alone
• Lexie Hayden - Might Be You
• LOCASH - Three Favorite Colors
• Logan Halstead - Good Ol' Boys with Bad Names
• Logan McKeighen - Indiana and Me
• Logan Michael - Another Go
• Logan Michael - Whiskey Serenade
• Logan Tucker - That's How It's Done
• Lori McKenna & Luke Laird & Barry Dean - Diamond Rings and Old Barstools
• Lost Hollow - Dear Dear Miss Lee
• Lucas Hoge - Nowhere
• Lucero - Macon If We Make It
• Lucie Tiger - Home Is Where The Heart Is
• Lukas Graham & Mickey Guyton - Home Movies
• Lukas Nelson & Norah Jones - Set Me Down On A Cloud (with Lukas Nelson) (From "Norah Jones is Playing Along" Podcast)
• Luke Combs - Growin' Up and Gettin' Old
• Luke Combs - Joe
• Luke Combs - Love You Anyway
• Luke Grimes - No Horse To Ride (demo version)
• Lzzy Hale & Daughtry - Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
• Mac Powell - New Creation
• Mackenzie Carpenter - Don't Mess With Exes
• Mackenzie Carpenter - Jesus, I'm Jealous (Acoustic)
• Mae Estes - Before the Record
• Mae Estes - Run
• Maggie Baugh - I Met You
• Mandi Sagal - One Less Broken Heart
• Margo Price - Shotgun Willie
• Mario Flores - I Can't Drink 'Em Like I Used To
• Martin McDaniel - Boys Back Home
• Marty Stuart & Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives - Altitude
• Mason & the Gin Line - Leaves of Fall
• Mason Lively - Someone Else
• Matt Gatewood - So Do We
• Matt Jordan - Love Was Enough
• Matt Schuster - If I Was A Cowboy (Stripped)
• Matt Schuster - Wasted Prayers
• Matt Stell - One Of Us
• Matthew Mayfield - Ring of Fire
• Matthew Wayne - Reckless
• Matthew Wayne - Wrong Side of the Bed
• Meg McRee - Tried & True
• Megan & Liz - Taught Me to Love (From The Vault)
• Megan Davies - What's up?
• Megan McKenna - Auld Lang Syne
• Megan McKenna - Silent Night
• Megan Moroney - I'm Not Pretty
• Meghan Patrick - She's No Good for Me
• Michael Shynes - Little Lilly
• Michael Shynes & Almost Weekend & Konn - Nice Face (Konn Remix)
• Michael Shynes & Swell Scenic - Can't Help Falling in Love
• Michael Shynes & Swell Scenic - Go Easy On Me
• Mitchell Tenpenny & Cheat Codes - What's It Gonna Take
• Mitchell Tenpenny & Steven Curtis Chapman - Don't Lose Heart
• Mo Pitney & CLINE - Worthy One
• Moe Bandy - Bandy The Rodeo Clown (Larry's Country Diner Season 16)
• Moe Bandy - Beautiful You, Lucky Me (Larry's Country Diner Season 16)
• Moe Bandy - It's A Cheatin' Situation (Larry's Country Diner Season 16)
• Moe Bandy - Too Old To Die Young (Larry's Country Diner Season 16)
• Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway & Molly Tuttle - good 4 u / Dooley's Farm (Spotify Singles)
• Morgan Johnston - Like It's His Job
• Morgan Wade - The Night: The Collection
• Morgan Wallen - 3 Songs At A Time Sampler
• Murphy Elmore - If It's Over It's On
• Muscadine Bloodline - Inconvenience Store
• Muscadine Bloodline - Teenage Dixie
• Music Travel Love - Sweet Child O' Mine
• Music Travel Love - Truly Madly Deeply
• Nate Fredrick - Daydream
• Nate Fredrick - Paint the Town
• Nate Fredrick - Shortcut To Waco
• Nate Smith - Better Boy + Oil Spot
• Nate Smith & MOTi - Whiskey On You (MOTi Remix)
• Nefesh Mountain - Revival
• Niall Horan - Heaven
• Niall Horan - Hidden Gems
• Nicholas Jamerson - Holler Child
• Nicholas Jamerson - Watching the Fire Burn
• Nick Norman - Wildflowers in Whiskey Bottles
• Nick Wayne - I Don't Get Out Much
• Nikita Karmen - Deep Cuts
• Noah Hicks - I Can Tell You're Small Town (The Back Home Version)
• Noah Hicks - Making Up My Mind (The Back Home Version)
• October Rose - Heat Wave
• October Rose - Hits Home
• Old Dominion - Memory Lane
• Old Dominion - Memory Lane (Sampler)
• OurVinyl & Tami Neilson - Tami Neilson OurVinyl Sessions
• P!nk - TRUSTFALL
• P!nk - When I Get There
• Palmer Anthony - Sleep, My Mind & You
• Parker McCollum - I Ain't Going Nowhere
• Patrick B Ray - Pancho and Lefty
• Payton Howie - Crazy 'Bout Her
• Payton Smith - Missed the Boat
• PJ North - Keep The Car Running
• PJ North - WYDRN?
• Priscilla Block - Me Pt. 2
• RaeLynn - It's Happening Right Here (Music from the Original Documentary)
• Ragland - You've Got a Friend in Me
• Raleigh Keegan - I Hate Country Music
• Raleigh Keegan - Where We Are
• Randy Carson - Daddy's Song
• Raul Malo & Kelley Mickwee - Tennessee Valentine
• Ray Scott - In Pictures
• Reyna Roberts - Another Round
• Reyna Roberts - Another Round (feat. Tayler Holder)
• Ri Wolf - Deliver Me
• Ri Wolf - Hummingbird
• Riley Green & Thomas Rhett - Half Of Me (Acoustic)
• River Town Saints - Breaking Up
• River Town Saints - Goodbye Ain't a Game
• RMR & Johan Lenox - No One Gets Me (Chamber Version)
• Rob Baird - Maybe Tonight (Memphis Sessions)
• Rob Baird - Memphis Sessions
• Rob Mayes - humble pie
• Rob Mayes - no other
• Robby Johnson - Love You Kinda Wine
• Rodell Duff - Something To Do With You
• Ron Pope - A Drop in the Ocean (Sped Up Version)
• Ruston Kelly - Mending Song
• Ruston Kelly - The Weakness
• Rusty Truck - Be On My Side
• Rusty Truck - Find My Way
• Ry Bradley - Miss Treat Me Right
• Ryan Follese & Kjersti Long - IDC (Ask Me If I Care)
• Ryan Kinder & Aaron Goodvin - The Longer I Live
• Ryan Laird - Legacy
• Ryan Waters Band - Stayin' Quit
• Sacha & Tyler Shaw - Confident
• Sam Hunt - Walmart
• Sam Munsick - 1922
• Sam Munsick - I-80 Lady
• Sam Munsick - Old Montana
• Sandra McCracken & Anchor Hymns & Village Lights - Ancient of Days
• Sandra McCracken & Matt Papa & Laura Story - Once In Royal David's City
• Sara Berki - Heartline
• Sarah Allison Turner - Lemonade
• Sarah Hobbs - Roof over My Head
• Sarah Lake - Killing Me Softly with His Song (Cover)
• Savannah Rae - 'Til I Can Make It On My Own
• Scott Ballew - Middle Age Crazy
• Sean Stemaly - Man Down
• Seth Ward - Since You've Been Gone
• Seth Ward - Valentine
• Shaker Hymns - Love in a Bottle
• Shania Twain - Giddy Up!
• Shawn David - Been Better
• Shawn David - Been Better (Extended)
• Shaylen - Do It Right The First Time
• Shefton Kash - Forever's Not As Long As It Used To Be
• Shelby Darrall - Happy First (live one take)
• Shenandoah - Revival
• Sierra Ferrell - In Dreams (Sped Up)
• SJ McDonald - Rosemary
• Smithfield - Hope You're Happy
• Smithfield - Hope You're Happy (Acoustic)
• Sophia Scott - Her
• Sophia Scott - Her (undone)
• Sophia Scott - Red Dress
• Southbound 75 - That Summer
• Steven Lee Olsen - Outta Yours
• Stevenson Everett - Shade of Red
• Struggle Jennings - Hard to Hate
• Styles Haury - Small Town Everytime
• Tanner Usrey - Take Me Home
• Taylor Acorn - I Think I'm in Love
• Taylor Acorn & NOTHING MORE - YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT LOVE MEANS (feat. Taylor Acorn) [Piano Version]
• Taylor Edwards - Petty
• Taylor Hicks - Porch Swing
• Taylor Swift & Felix Jaehn - Lavender Haze (Felix Jaehn Remix)
• Teague Brothers Band - Buckskin Gelding (The Truer Tale)
• Tebey - Country Music Kinda Night
• Teddy Robb - Stay Single
• Tenille Arts - Last Time Last
• Tenille Townes - Live Sessions
• Tenille Townes & Bryan Adams - The Thing That Wrecks You
• The Band Of Heathens - Don't Let the Darkness
• The Band Of Heathens - Heartless Year
• The Band Of Heathens - Stormy Weather
• The Cadillac Three & Ketch Secor - Hillbilly (featuring Elvie Shane and Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show)
• The Chainsmokers & Cheyenne Giles - Make Me Feel
• The Fisk Jubilee Singers & Wyn Starks - At The End Of The River
• The Fisk Jubilee Singers & Wyn Starks - Circles
• The Fisk Jubilee Singers & Wyn Starks - Dancing My Way
• The Infamous Stringdusters - I'd Rather Be Alone
• The Lacs & Murphy Elmore - Hellraisers in Heaven
• The Last Bandoleros - Let It Show
• The Lone Bellow - Honey (Piano Version)
• The Milk Carton Kids - All of the Time in the World to Kill
• The Mother Hips - Room Four
• The Panhandlers - Valentine, For Valentines
• The Prairie States - Waiting On You (Acoustic)
• The Red Iron Push - Damn It All
• The Red Iron Push - Leanne
• The Red Iron Push - Three or Four (Live)
• The Shootouts - I'll Never Need Anyone More (feat. Raul Malo)
• The Shootouts - One Step Forward (feat. Ray Benson & Asleep at the Wheel)
• The Swon Brothers - Cowboy Amen
• The Tuten Brothers - Downer
• The Vegabonds & Womz - Kids
• The War and Treaty - Ain't No Harmin' Me
• The Wood Brothers - Pilgrim
• Thomas Rhett - Angels (Don't Always Have Wings)
• Thomm Jutz & Tim Stafford - The Blue Grays
• Tigirlily Gold - Shoot Tequila
• Tim Hill - The Irish Sea
• Todd Cameron - Again
• Tom Morello & Måneskin - GOSSIP (feat. Tom Morello)
• Tony Evans Jr. - Need Somebody
• Tori Darke - Dodged a Bullet
• Travis Feutz - Cowboy Songs
• Travis Feutz - George Jones
• Trea Landon - Whatcha Know Good
• Trevor Martin - Can't Call You Beautiful
• Troy Cartwright - Unlove You
• Tucker Beathard - Who I Am With You
• Ty March. - ONLY 1
• Ty March. & Jgriff & DatKidEli - Caught Up
• Tyler Booth - Real Real Country
• Tyler Braden - Neon Grave
• Tyler Cain - Dark Side Of Dreaming
• Tyler Dial - Sad That I'm Happy
• Tyler Farr - Country As Shit (feat. Jelly Roll)
• Tyler Hubbard - Me For Me
• Upchurch - Heavier Rain
• Vincent Mason - A Little Too Good
• Vincent Neil Emerson - Bloody Mary Morning
• Walker County - Mirror Mirror
• Walker County - No Smoke and Mirrors
• Ward Thomas - All Over Again
• Ward Thomas - Loved By You
• Ward Thomas - Next To You
• Warren Zeiders - West Texas Weather
• Wayland - We Were Here
• Wes Mack - Lookin for You
• Willie Nelson - Streets Of Baltimore
• Willie Nelson - Tiger By The Tail
• Willie Shaw - Fairytale
• Willie Shaw - Roll the Dice
• Wyatt Flores - Break My Bones
• Wyatt Flores - Losing Sleep (Revisited)
• Zach Bryan & Maggie Rogers - Dawns (feat. Maggie Rogers)
• Zach Top - Busy Doin' Nothin'
• Zachary Lucky - Zachary Lucky sings Copper Kettle and Dublin Blues
• ZG Smith - Nighttime Animal
• ZG Smith - Sure Thing
• Zoë Nutt - Say What You Wanna Say

Albums :

• Aidan Canfield - We're Young, Alright
• Ariel Posen - Mile End ll
• Ben Chapman & Ben Chapman & Co. - Amber Sound, Vol. 1
• Ben Gallaher - Country in the House
• Blessing Offor - My Tribe
• Brandon Ratcliff - Tale Of Two Towns
• Brett Kissel - The Compass Project - South Album
• Brit Taylor - Kentucky Blue
• Bryan Adams - Cuts Like A Knife - 40th Anniversary, Live From The Royal Albert Hall
• Callista Clark - Real To Me: The Way I Feel (Deluxe Edition)
• Casey Penn - One Step Away
• Cat Clyde - Down Rounder
• Channing Wilson - Dead Man
• Chase Rice - I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell
• Cort Carpenter - All In
• Craig Campbell - The Lost Files: Exhibit A
• Dierks Bentley - Gravel & Gold
• Don Louis - This Is for You
• Dropkick Murphys - This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Expanded Edition)
• Easton Corbin - Let's Do Country Right
• El Dorodo - Unincorporated
• Elle King - Come Get Your Wife
• ERNEST - FLOWER SHOPS (THE ALBUM): Two Dozen Roses
• Filmore - Mean Something
• Gene Watson - A Way To Survive (Original Step One Records Recordings)
• Gene Watson - The Good Ole Days (Original Step One Records Recordings)
• Greensky Bluegrass - Courage For The Road: Fall 2021 (Live)
• HARDY - the mockingbird & THE CROW
• Hunter Hayes - Normal
• Inigo Pascual - Lockdown Sessions
• Iris DeMent - Workin' On A World
• James Reed - Songs from Momma's Pen
• James Reed - The Future Ain't What It Used To Be
• Jason Evans - Airport Lounges, Vol. 3: the Serenity Terminal
• JD Clayton - Long Way From Home
• Joey Hyde - I Made a Record
• John Hampson - Demo Dump 2006-2011
• Jordan Davis - Bluebird Days
• Josiah and the Bonnevilles - 2022 (Commentary)
• Josiah and the Bonnevilles - Country Covers
• Kimmie Rhodes & Willie Nelson - Picture In a Frame (Deluxe Edition)
• La Maquinaria Norteña - Al Derecho Y Al Reverso (Deluxe)
• Larry Sparks - New Highway (Remastered)
• Lucas Sousa - Aces & Eights
• Lucero - Should've Learned by Now
• Lukas Graham - 4 (The Pink Album)
• Margo Price - Strays
• Matt Jordan - The Gamble (Deluxe Edition)
• Michael Shynes - Fly Over Country
• Moe Bandy - Thank You Lord
• Muscadine Bloodline - Teenage Dixie
• Neal McCoy - The Warner Years
• P!nk - TRUSTFALL
• Peyton Parrish - The Most Magical Album On Earth
• Pony Bradshaw - North Georgia Rounder
• Priscilla Block - Welcome To The Block Party (Deluxe)
• Randy Carson - Life is Good
• Ri Wolf - Randall County Reverb
• Rob Mayes - Ain't Nothin' To See Here
• Rusty Truck - Rusty Truck
• Sammy Arriaga - PIXELATED
• Shakey Graves - Deadstock - A Shakey Graves Day Anthology
• Shania Twain - Queen Of Me
• Steve Earle - The Complete Warner Years
• Sundy Best - Feel Good Country
• The Mother Hips - When We Disappear
• The Shootouts - Stampede
• The Tuten Brothers - So Far So Good
• Thomm Jutz & Tim Stafford - Lost Voices
• Tim Hill - Giant
• Tyler Hubbard - Tyler Hubbard
• Whitehorse - I'm Not Crying, You're Crying
• Zach Bryan - All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster (Live from Red Rocks)

Spotify Playlist
As always, if there are any missing, feel free to reply to this post.
Don't forget to up-vote & say thanks!
Have a nice weekend! :)

** Fri 2/24 *\*
Fri 5 - 10 PM Gin & Jazz: New Orleans Edition Tractor Brewing - Wells Park, 1800 4th St. NW We've got a special edition of Gin and Jazz celebrating America's greatest Jazz city, New Orleans! The evening starts at 5 pm with Flambeaux playing some New Orleans style Jazz only to be followed by the super talented Burque Jazz Bandits at 8pm! Get out your best Jazz outfit and spend your Friday with us!
Fri 5:30 - 9 PM 2nd Annual Black History Month Meet & Greet Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Rd. NW We will gather together to celebrate Black History Month and hear the latest updates from the City of Albuquerque's Office of Black Community Engagement. Enjoy libations, food and fellowship with friends. Event is free, but please rsvp here
Fri 6 - 9 PM Variety Dance CSP Dance Studios, 1624 Eubank Blvd. NE Welcome to the city's biggest variety dance! We'll be playing all kinds of music: ballroom, latin, country, swing, you name it! $10 at the door. Welcome lesson from 6:00-6:30pm
Fri 6 - 9 PM The High Desert Playboys Return Poki Poki Cevicheria, 3517 Wyoming Blvd. NE Come on out for an evening of original americana, bluegrass, cajun/zydeco and classic country music!
Fri 6 - 11 PM Great Gatsby Night w/ DJ Fishbowl Tractor Brewing Company - Westside, 5720 McMahon Blvd., Bldg 5, Ste A We're getting fancy on the Westside with Great Gatsby Night! We'll have high class drinks specials and the incomparable DJ Fishbowl will be spinning old Jazz, Swing, with some remixes to get you dancing! Come dressed in your best suit or dress or say password: "getplowed" to get dollar off beers all night long!
Fri 6:30 - 10:30 PM EXPLORA Adult Night: Science of Wine Explora!, 1701 Mountain Rd. NW Sip Original NM Wines: Sheehan, Noisy Water, Gruet and Jaramillo Vineyards! Learn from Wine Experts with engaging talks, Unique and fun wine-themed activities, Charcuterie boards for sale from M'Tucci Restaurant, Live music; food and cash bars, All of Explora at your fingertips! (tickets)
Fri 7 - 11 PM Celestial Bodies Sister, 407 Central Ave NW Join us for a dance party extravaganza! Celestial Bodies is an event hosted by local angels Thot Daughter, DJ Maxx, and Thumper. Guaranteed to be an excellent time, you can expect an array of dj styles including but not limited to house, techno, breakcore, and jungle. Think if the 5th element and a boiler room set cam together for the most fanatical night. Come in your best space gear. Houston, it's gonna be a blast! Doors at 8pm. $5 at the door
Fri 8 PM Zeds Dead Revel ABQ, 4720 Alexander Blvd. NE @ zedsdead is taking over Revel with Nurko & Smoakland. Doors 6pm, show 7pm (tickets)
Fri 7:30 PM February Public Meeting Rainbow Park Observatory, 301 Southern Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho The Rio Rancho Astronomical Society will host its monthly meeting behind Rainbow Pool. The meeting is open to the public. Special guest speakers will be students who participated in Rio Rancho Public School's recent Science EXPO and won the club's Excellence in Astronomy and Space Science award. Several of them are headed to the Regional Competition in March. Come support the future and learn things too! Telescopes will be open after the meeting for public stargazing, weather permitting
Fri 8 PM THE DEAL - Grateful Dead Tribute Band - Live Historic Lobo Theater, 3013 Central Ave NE THE DEAL will be performing the historic Grateful Dead show from 2/26/77 - Swing Auditorium - This is a monster of a show with an EPIC setlist! Get ready to shake your bones ALL NIGHT LONG! (tickets)
Fri 8 - 11 PM Soul & Rocksteady All Vinyl Night Tractor Brewing Company, 118 Tulane Dr. SE Barrio Hi-Fi presents an evening of Soul and Rocksteady Vinyl Night!
Fri 9 PM - 2 AM Rooftop Bass Session with Wyatt Lawson Effex, 420 Central Ave We're switching it up with Friday Night Rooftop Bass Session with very solid hometown line-up. Wyatt Lawson headlining the night and DJ Üs + TrillBot will be joining him to deliver that quality bass selections all night! Doors at 9PM. 21+ with Valid ID. Cover Charge at the Door
Fri 10:30 PM The Great Under-Rated 1988 Sci/Fi Horror Flick THE BLOB Hosted By Its SPFX Artist Nick Benson! The Guild Cinema, 3405 Central Ave NE Nick Benson will be hosting a Q&A and will be available to sign your movie memorabilia and will have stuff available to purchase (tickets $8)
** Sat 2/25 *\*
Sat 7 AM Frosty 5K Mariposa Basin Park, 6401 Taylor Ranch Rd. NW Come out for a Frosty 5K on what we hope will be a frosty morning. Race start time will be at 8:30 AM and we'll be starting & finishing at Mariposa Basin Park. If you can't make it race morning, we've got a virtual option available too(within the continental US)! Virtual package will be shipped out 2/26/23. All participants will get a long sleeve race shirt with the option to upgrade to a traditional cotton hoodie, and a shot at Overall & Age Group Awards (sign up here)
Sat 8 AM 2nd Annual Hawk SqWalk and Run Bosque Conference and Retreat Center, 6400 Coors Blvd. SW Second Annual Hawk SqWALK and RUN in support of the Volcano Vista Hawk Band! This event offers a great opportunity for everyone! Half Marathon (13.1) run/ walk, 10K run/walk, 5K run/walk, 2 mile run/walk, and kids 1 mile run/walk. Proceeds from this run will help our 501C3 Non-Profit Band Booster Organization enhance student education by providing professional clinicians, aiding in out of city/state travel, and even supporting our scholarship fund for Hawk Families in need. We are grateful for your support and hope that we can provide you with one of THE best races in the Albuquerque Metro Area! Go Hawks! (sign up here)
Sat 8:30 AM Pacific Rim Cars and Coffee Presented by Dub Motorwerks Pacific Rim Food Park, 6901-B San Antonio Dr. NE Our Second Gathering of a New Once Per Month Gathering for individuals and their families to come out and enjoy some cars along with some delicious drinks from Dawn Patrol Coffee Shack and other vendors as the park grows! This is intended on being a Drama/Judging Free Gathering that is simply about enjoying your time and having a good time. We ask for propesafe arrival and departure to and from the location to respect the ownership for giving us this opportunity, also no excessive reving, crazy driving ect in the lot. If you have to question what level is excessive then maybe you should tag a ride if you want to come enjoy. Roll in starts at 8:30am and ends kinda whenever as the later you stay more food option open up. We plan on hosting this every 3rd-4th Saturday of the month with the possibility of it becoming more regular. All Makes, Models, 2 wheels, 4 wheels welcome! We just want to bring back old school quality car gatherings back for those who enjoy the world as much as we do!
Sat 9 - 10 AM Tingley Beach Clean Up! Tingley Beach, 1800 Tingley Dr. SW Albuquerque is worth the work to keep beautiful! Please join me fellow Burqueños at the Tingley Beach litter clean up! Trash bags and gloves will be provided to you at the 9AM check-in; please meet at the parking lot closest to Central. There will also be 4 extra litter pick up sticks to loan for the hour so be there early to grab yours! Please remind your family and friends not to litter!
Sat 11 AM - 1 PM Bubbles & Barre Gruet Winery, 8400 Pan American Fwy NE Belly up to the Barre! Join us for bubbles and barre to get a jump start—or maybe more of a plié start—to your weekend! Afterwards, enjoy a complimentary glass of Sauvage, a calorie and carb conscious wine, and a 10% discount off all additional glass and bottle purchases for participants. Tickets are $25/person. Advanced ticket purchase not required
Sat 12 - 2 PM Flix Junior: Minions Flix Brewhouse, 3236 La Orilla Rd. NW Stuart, Kevin, and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a supervillain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world. Experience the Minions before Gru at this family-friendly movie outing! All ages are welcome to our Flix Junior showings. Expect lower volume levels for sensitive ears (this is also on Sun 2/26)
Sat 12 - 4 PM Community Day for the Exhibition "The Nature of Glass" New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 W. Palace Ave, Santa Fe (it's not ABQ, but it's FREE) Join us for the opening weekend of the exhibition The Nature of Glass. There will be art activities, music from the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association, and two fantastic new exhibitions to view and enjoy. Also opening that day is An American in Paris: Donald Beauregard. Admission to the Museum will be free all day
Sat 12 - 4 PM Alessi Hartigan Open Casting Call Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown, 2600 Louisiana Blvd. NE The Casting Directors of Pirates of the Caribbean, Shang-Chi, Black Adam, Babylon, King Kong, and hundreds of other projects are hosting an open casting call for background actors! We encourage all types of people to come. No experience required. Seeking Native Americans, Models, Military Types, Basketball Players, and more! RSVP HERE
Sat 1 PM Screening of Dance Me Outside The Guild Cinema, 3405 Central Ave NE Meet a couple of the actors & join in a Q & A following the screening!
Sat 1 - 3 PM Beginner Beer Brewing Class Southwest Grape and Grain, 3401 Candelaria Blvd. NE Our Beginner Brewing class is the perfect place for anyone interested in learning how to brew their own beer at home. Always wanted to learn how to brew beer? Don’t know where to start? This is the class for you! We'll teach you the basic brewing terminology, the ingredients that make up beer, all the equipment you will need to get started, and the step by step of how to brew your first batch of beer! Brewing is fun and shouldn't be overwhelming. This class will answer all your questions and start you on the path to being a master home brewer!
Sat 1 - 5 PM Los Ranchos Matanza - 2nd Annual 4920 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Los Ranchos Come celebrate with us at our Matanza community event! We'd like to bring this centuries old tradition back to the North Valley. The main dish will be pig, turkey, and lamb, slow-roasted in a coal pit. The food will be prepared by Chef Jon Young, a NM Taste the Tradition Chef Ambassador. Beer and wine available for purchase from Hops Brewery and Kelly Jo's Design by Wine. We hope you'll enjoy the live music and games for entertainment! We will have indoor and outdoor seating options, but remember to dress warmly! Online registration is required. Tickets will not be sold the day of the event. Please have your digital ticket ready when you pull into the parking lot
Sat 2 - 5 PM Band Bake Sale Tractor Brewing - Wells Park, 1800 4th St. NW Dust City Opera is going on tour and we need help raising funds for food, gas, lodging, and probably some beer tbh. Come out to enjoy delicious, mouth-watering baked goods! Want to snag something before it sells out? You can place pre-orders now through 2/20 at the "ticket" link
Sat 2 - 5 PM Mesa Club Spaghetti Dinner 3301 Southern Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho Come join us for our annual Spaghetti Dinner. $5 per person. We will have spaghetti, salad, beverages, something sweet and lots of fun! We will be doing our 100 squares raffle drawings as well as selling tickets for our April Fools Raffle! (The Mesa Club provides a safe, healthy environment in which people can seek recovery support from various addictions through 12-step principles)
Sat 4 - 8 PM 7th Annual TEAM Tennis Fundraiser Lobo Tennis Club, 1720 University Blvd. SE Save the date for our 7th Annual TEAM Tennis Fundraiser benefitting The Grief Center of New Mexico! There are 2 sessions, 4:00-5:30pm and 6:00-7:30pm. If you want to participate in both sessions, you need to register for each one separately. Format for tennis is 20 minute rounds, changing partner after each round. Please check in no later than 15 minutes prior to your session Registration fee includes tennis, pizza, snacks, and soft drinks. Raffle tickets are available here and are also on sale the day of the event. Grief Center Presentation will be at 5:30pm. The Grief Center of New Mexico's mission is to provide compassionate and safe support, understanding, healing, and hope to the grieving community. Our vision is that all grieving people will receive the support needed to foster hope for the future. This is accomplished through free grief support groups for children, their caregivers, and adults as well as workshops on grief and a public grief resource library. (tickets)
Sat 5 PM 16th Annual Ten-82 Texas Hold em’ Poker Tournament Italian American Association,1565 Stephanie Rd. SE, Rio Rancho Doors open at 5, dinner provided. Cash/Credit full bar. Poker session 1 starts at 6. Session 2 starts at 8:30. A fun event for the the first time poker player or the experienced card shark. All prizes will be randomly raffled with your entry ticket. Ticket price is a suggested $50 donation
Sat 5 - 10 PM Comedy for a Cause! The Historic Lobo Theater, 3013 Central Ave NE RPP Productions Presents Comedy for a Cause, benefiting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Mandy's Farm. Roger Peterson "Rodney Dangerfield," Headliner ABQ's #1 Comic Zach Abeyta, Emcee: John Cuellar. 5 PM - Doors open, Bar and Restaurant open, 5-6 PM Photo Op with Mandy's Farm goat or horse, 6:30 PM Show starts, 8:30 PM After party in the Lobby Bar. $25 lower level, $20 upper level. 21+ to attend. May contain adult language (tickets)
Sat 6 - 9 PM Saturday Drag Show 505 Spirits, 105 Harvard Dr. SE Get ready for Haus of Attack Takeover! You definitely won’t wanna miss this show! We will have some truly amazing performers. Featuring Mr and Miss New Mexico Pride 2023 and the lovely ladies of the Haus of Attack. ViLette Stratton, Noah Otero (Assma Attack) and Jessica K Daniels! Free entry great food and exclusively made drinks!
Sat 7 - 10 PM Alt Rock & Student-Loan Core Echoes Brewery, 313 Gold Ave SW Almost Always Never, Pee Pee Heart (aka. Youngsville) and The Go Get 'Ems share the stage over at Albuquerque's newest original rock venue: Echoes Brewery. Free Show!
Sat 8 PM - 1 AM New Mexi Vibes Reggae Fest Launchpad, 618 Central Ave SW (New Mexi Vibes) Presents the first annual reggae fest featuring, Innastate, Boomroots, Vibestrong, Elovated Roots & Djembe! Come on out and support New Mexico‘s finest reggae bands, quality feel good music. Doors open at 8 PM, $10 cover, 21+
** Sun 2/26*\*
Sun 10 AM - 1 PM Latino Outdoors New Mexico Snowshoeing Sunday Sandia Crest Scenic Highway, Cedar Crest Join us to enjoy beautiful views of the Sandias on our Sunday Snowshoe adventure! Snowshoes will be provided by REI! Please arrive on time! WHERE: 10k Trailhead, Sandia Crest Scenic Hwy, Cedar Crest, NM 87008 . The hike will be between 3-6 miles roundtrip. Contact [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) if you need transportation assistance, we might be able to arrange a group ride! WHAT TO BRING: -warm layers -warm hat/gloves -sunscreen -hiking boots (recommended but not required) -water + snacks (we will also provide some snacks!) -willingness to learn and have a good time! This is a FREE event and REI will be providing snowshoes! No experience is required to join, we are here to learn 🙂. Please email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) if you have any questions. CUANDO: 26 de Febrero, 10am-1pm, porfavor esten a tiempo! DONDE: 10k Trailhead, Sandia Crest Scenic Hwy, Cedar Crest, NM 87008. El hike será un total de 3-6 millas. Contacta a [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) si necesitas ayuda con transportación, quizas podremos coordinar transportación grupal! QUE NECESITAN TRAER: -Ropa para mantenerse caliente -Guantes -Protector solar -Botas para hiking (recomendadas pero no necesarias) -Agua y snacks (tambien tendremos snacks!) -Estar dispuestos a aprender y disfrutar! Este evento es GRATIS y REI nos donar á las requetas de nieve! No necesitan experiencia prevía para unirse, estamos aquí para aprender! Contacta a [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) si tienes alguna pregunta
Sun 11 AM - 4 PM Shop Small Sunday Sunday Service Motor Co, 2701 4th St. NW Join us to shop small and support local vendors! We will have food by Stuffed Lust and live music by Josue Urruita from Los Domingueros Band in addition to our normal coffee and beer offerings!
Sun 12 - 1:30 PM Essentially Well - Essential Oil Make and Take Class 1709 Girard Blvd. NE Many people are turning to effective natural solutions to take back control of their health. Join us and learn how Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils can help support your body to maintain healthy muscles, joints, sleep, skin, and ease stress and so much more. In this class we will share these amazing gifts of the earth and create customized blends. $6 supplies fee for 1 individual rollerball blend (or 4 for $20): includes handouts, recipes and all supplies. Recipes were developed with a Certified Reflexologist & Aromatherapist. “Designed to Keep you Rolling!" We will be offering free personalized health assessments (valued at $40) starting at 11:30am. Please email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) to reserve your spot for your assessment ahead of time (time slots are very limited) and our class will start at 12pm. RSVP with a FREE ticket to save your seat and one for a friend too!
Sun 12 - 2 PM Flix Junior: Minions Flix Brewhouse, 3236 La Orilla Rd. NW Stuart, Kevin, and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a supervillain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world. Experience the Minions before Gru at this family-friendly movie outing! All ages are welcome to our Flix Junior showings. Expect lower volume levels for sensitive ears (this is also on Sat 2/25)
Sun 2 - 5 PM PHENOMENON - A Dance Showcase CSP Dance Studios, 1624 Eubank Blvd. NE Ladies and gentlemen, come one, come all! Get ready to be blown away by the incredible talent of our student dancers as they showcase their skills in ballroom, latin, country, and more! The energy, passion, and dedication of these dancers of all ages will leave you on the edge of your seat. Don't miss out on this unforgettable afternoon of entertainment, filled with stunning choreography, beautiful costumes and mesmerizing performances that will take your breath away. The show promises to be an unforgettable experience that will leave you uplifted, inspired and wanting more. Space is limited! Call now for presale pricing ($10). 505-883-9521. Entry is $15 at the door
Sun 2:30 - 3:30 PM Games With Seniors The Suites Rio Vista, 2410 19th St. SE, Rio Rancho Join our amazing Who I Am Foundation volunteers who will be going to play games with the residents of The Suites Rio Vista! Children are welcome and encouraged to participate! *If your child shows any symptoms of a cold or illness they will not be permitted inside for the safety of the residents. Check-In and Temperature Check will begin at 1:50 pm. MASKS ARE REQUIRED! Whether young or old, games connect us with those around us in an entertaining and meaningful way. Playing games is not just for children. It’s a fun, engaging, and stress relieving activity that should be practiced by all of us, even in old age. Seniors can experience a number of benefits depending on the type of game being played. The advantages can range anywhere from a sharper memory to better fine motor skills. Playing games also encourages interaction with others, exercise the brain, reduces the risk of cognitive decline, and creates more happiness. The consistency of seeing other people prevents isolation and loneliness, which are both so common among the elderly population
Sun 3 PM Ray On My Mind - Tribute To Ray Charles Popejoy Hall, 203 Cornelle Dr. NE Ray On My Mind pays tribute to the legendary Ray Charles. Portraying Ray, master pianist and vocalist Kenny Brawner leads an 11-piece orchestra and three accompanying vocalists performing hits including “What’d I Say?,” “I Got A Woman,” “Mess Around,” and “Georgia On My Mind.” Tucked into the evening are monologues about the influences on Ray’s style and the personal struggles he endured throughout his career (tickets)
Sun 3 PM Apollo5 in Concert! St. John's United Methodist Church, 2626 Arizona St. NE St. John's United Methodist Church presents Apollo5, for their third appearance on "Music at St. John's." The internationally award-winning British vocal ensemble delights audiences with versatile and engaging performances on the concert platform, singing repertoire ranging from renaissance, classical and contemporary choral music to folk, jazz and pop. LIVE and LIVESTREAM tickets are available at musicatstjohns.org!
Sun 4 PM Burque Taco Club February Event La Catrina Taco Truck, Corner of Juan Tabo Blvd. NE and Lomas Blvd. NE It’s TACO TIME, Burque Taco Club! Fundraising starts at 4pm and social hour starts at 4pm. This is a special taco tailgate event – BYOS (bring your own seat) or BYOT (bring your own tailgate) and join us in supporting Susan's Legacy. Don't forget to mention you're with the Taco Club!
Sun 4 - 6 PM 2023 Guitar New Mexico Fundraiser Albuquerque Country Club, 601 Laguna Blvd. SW Guitar New Mexico cordially invites you to a special fundraising event, featuring exceptional guitar performances by three of New Mexico's finest talents. Hors d'oeuvres and soft drinks will be served, and a cash bar will be available. Your tickets and donations will help Guitar New Mexico continue to support the study and appreciation of guitar artistry and guitar education across the state. In addition to our annual festival, Guitar New Mexico programs provide educational opportunities and support to guitar students and teachers, performance ensembles, community concerts, and performances by world-class musicians. We provide instruments, educational outreach, and teaching workshops, and offer scholarships to both our annual festival and our youth orchestra. We would like to continue to offer this support but need your help to make it happen. Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased in advance at the link below or at the door. (If purchasing at the door, please RSVP by February 19, 2023, to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])). Additional donations may be made electronically at our website, support/GuitarNewMexico.org; by check payable to Guitar New Mexico and mailed to 3019 Conchas Street NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111; or by cash, check, or credit card at the event. Our Performers: Genevieve Leitner: a native of Chimayo, New Mexico, plays music from around the world and across time periods. She lived in Santiago, Chile for six years before returning to the Land of Enchantment in 2016 to join the performing arts faculty of Albuquerque Academy. Eduardo Trujillo: born in Taos, New Mexico into a musical family, Eduardo Trujillo’s passion for music developed at a very early age. He began his career as a music educator teaching guitar at Cibola High School in Albuquerque. As well as a member of the Guitar New Mexico Youth Ensemble (tickets)
Sun 4 - 7 PM Music on the Patio: Le Chat Lunatique Canteen Brewhouse, 2381 Aztec Rd. NE As unpredictable, fearless, and entertaining as their namesake, Le Chat Lunatique purveys an addictive genre they call “filthy, mangy jazz,” a signature sound that makes you want to smoke and drink too much—if only you could get off the dance floor. They navigate through a wide range of genres, blending Western swing, classical, reggae, d00-wop, and “anything else we damn well please” into strikingly original compositions and audaciously reworked standards alike
Sun 7 PM DYSTOPIA Industrial Dance Party (Int. EBM Day Celebration) Juno, 1501 1st St. NW This month's DYSTOPIA will celebrate International EBM Day! Join us on the dance floor and stomp out that aggression. Music starts at 7. 21+ / No cover. We're living a in a dystopia, dress and dance accordingly