Tunes. Gotta have some tunes.

Like many males, I enjoy kicking back listening to music - preferably in a darkened room while the audio stack provides that dim but essential mood lighting guys prefer. Moving back to Wisconsin meant that one house had to accommodate both my father's stereo system and my audio stack since we were both stubborn audiophiles that would never part ways with our toys.  Consequently I was tasked with designing a media center to host our equipment in a tidy manner.

Previously I had been using Fusion 360 to design models for my Zulu software library. Now I had to learn to adapt drafting skills not used since high school to a modern CAD/CAM system. Thoughts became a concept, a strawman was shared with my dad for his approval, and eventually some working drawings were generated. The cabinet maker did a marvelous job of converting those drawing into a real piece of white oak furniture.

Shortly after the initial racking up of the components - including my VMPS 18" subwoofer.

The finished piece uses LEDs to throw curtains of light down over the panels, giving just the right effect for late-night listening.

The associated collection of vinyl and CD is naturally extensive. My father gravitated towards big band from the 30s through the 50s as well as quite a few classical symphonic works. My tastes are eclectic, ranging from Mahler to Rammstein, Kitaro to Gilmore.

So what is appropriate at this moment? The news has been more of a circus than usual with legislators refusing to do anything that would show cooperation with the executive branch. Instead they're spending all their time in televised hearings with so little devotion to finding the truth that the ghost of Joe McCarthy must be stunned in amazement. Similarly, city governments have turned to protecting those that have broken into homes in lieu of homeowners paying all the taxes. Now typhus is spreading throughout the city.

What kind of tune would be appropriate? Should we play something full of dark anger, a growling piece like Rammstein's Deutschland?  Sadly wistful like Clapton's Change the World or Pink Floyd's High Hopes?

No. The world is descending into a new Dark Age. Already there is suppression of speech on campus and in the street - soon books will begin to burn. I cannot allow myself to fall into a rage or become depressed by these events because either would become a trap with little hope of escape.

Instead - this piece is being played tonight.

Good night folks, sleep well.