...is like dancing about architectureI have written so many music-related posts over the years. They range from music recommendations, to gear reviews (these aren't directly music-related, but tangential), thoughts on music-adjacent films, gig recaps, and instrument talk. My knowledge may be limited, but that hasn't...

A (very) short history of trying things on for size and giving them upMore times than I'd care to count, I've tried to start a journaling habit. I've tried different methods to make it stick. It never did. I've bought various notebooks over the years and tried taking notes at work and in general in life. I would...

Thoughts on audiences, motivations, and finding a voiceTwo discussions I saw today in online communities I’m part of got me thinking: who is the audience for my blog? why do I write? What is the essence of my writing voice? The first question is perhaps the easiest to answer. I don’t assume anyone reads my blog. I...

I can't take compliments. Please don't compliment me.

Some minor website updates, and plans for a lot moreBetween my regular day-to-day routine and obligations, and writing a post a day for the last few weeks, I haven't had much time to tinker with the website. But I did manage to make some minor stylistic and content updates. Live now New pages I now have two pages...

Fine Wind, Clear Weather (Gaifū kaisei), also known as Red Fuji, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei). Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Hokusai, Hiroshige, and the Japanese art of Ukiyo-eWhenever I visit Manchester—and I do frequently—I stop by the...

The view from Wythenshawe ParkIt’s a sunny day in Manchester. A short but crowded tram ride has taken me to Wythenshawe Park at the edge of the city. Eager concert-goers have taken over the park today; I follow a great host of them through the gates and past the ushers into the open green. A shimmering guitar...

I didn't think I could write a post a day, until I did itWhen I first heard about Blaugust, an annual blogging challenge where participants post 31 times during the month of August, I thought, "I'm never going to be able to do that". I was intrigued, however. Not enough to sign up officially as a participant, but I...

Changing my writing setup, yet againAfter a short stint with my Git-based writing setup, I have returned to the familiar interface of Bear. The appeal of having a Git-based workflow was the central repository of posts I could access through my computers and my phone. However, SoloMD turned out to be erratic with the...

When you're fluent in more than one language, which one do you think in?Sinhala is my native language. For the first few years of my life, growing up in Sri Lanka, it's all I spoke. Ours was a monolingual household—my parents didn't speak any other languages. Starting in kindergarten, and all the way through school,...

Who would you rather be, The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?When it comes to music, I'm not quite adventurous. I love music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. The genres I listen to most are classic rock and the blues. I love a dirty guitar tone. I love a fast and tight rhythm section. I despise autotune. I'm quite...

Getting stronger and running longerI ran a little over 4.5 miles today (about 7.3 km). There was a cool breeze in the air. A light drizzle started soon after I left the house. I felt the tiny water droplets on my face as I ran. It felt refreshing. This is the longest continuous run I've done so far since I started...