Whether weekday or weekend, my mornings unfold pretty much the same. They begin in the kitchen, where I make coffee while peering out the windows in search of deer friends, and end here, at my decades-old desk in the guest bedroom/office. I check email, Facebook and other “social” sites, and click play on something/anything—usually an upcoming or recent release, but sometimes an old favorite (though, oddly, rarely Todd Rundgren).
Today, however, I clicked on Apple Music’s New Music Mix, which uses past plays to predict potential new likes. Last month, it surprised me by packing in a slew of cool new tracks, but since it’s reverted to (disappointing) form. That’s okay, though, as it led me to think of up-and-coming singer-songwriter Violette Rain, whose “Starshine” lit up that earlier edition and whose “Courtly Love” caught my ear a month before that. Earlier this week, as I just discovered, she shared a 35-minute video to YouTube that features live renditions of her recent singles as well as several songs she plans to release later this year. It’s a remarkable performance, with her glorious voice flying high one moment and swooping to Earth the next.
Which leads to today’s Daily Prompt question. The initial Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of “thing” is as strict as it is succinct, specifically referencing inanimate objects. The further down one scrolls on the page, however, the definition expands to include individuals, ideas and more ethereal matters. (As the song lyric goes, “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.”) As a result, I can rule in my wife, Diane. Also: our house, the neighborhood deer, music, and writing.
The Old Grey Cat 
Scenic
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