Jonny Numb

…because when so much is wrong and seems insurmountable and the muddy pit you’re in just causes you to backslide, backslide, backslide…the little things become even more important.

I sincerely hope you all have your little things to latch onto during these turbulent times.

Don’t let anyone tell you the little things you’re using to literally survive are stupid or unimportant. Kick their ass into the sun if they do.

Little things, like:

Watching my S.O. get her hair cut and enjoying the result of her stylist’s efforts.

When a glitch in the matrix prevents your updated work password from syncing across all devices, but it works itself out a few weeks later, preventing a tedious call to I.T.

Listening to our cat Miya make chirping/chittering noises when watching the birds outside.

Ditto: having Miya curl up on my lap while I marathon early-season episodes of The Simpsons on DVD as a form of therapy and escapism.

Ditto ditto: our once-skittish tuxie-cat Zoey now allowing me to pet her (on her terms, of course).

Or how about a “friends like family” reunion at the Baltimore Gary Numan show on March 14? Good times.

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Even slogging through 30 sweat-soaked minutes – with 5-minute cool down – on the stairclimber at the gym is worthwhile when, after a deluge of mostly lousy ‘90s rap on the satellite TV, concludes with Public Enemy’s ‘Bring Tha Noise’ as I’m wiping the machine down.

To that end: sometimes satellite TV offers selections beyond the popular and generic.

Recently, I discovered this little ditty from (Crosses), and was immediately hooked:

I was vaguely aware of (Crosses) as Chino from the Deftones’ side project, but never gave it much serious thought. I never really warmed to the Deftones, even though I own a copy of White Pony. But this song – and type of sound – was squarely in my synth-happy wheelhouse.

I picked up the album proper with some leftover credit from an Amazon refund, and have listened to it several times since receiving it last week. Good stuff!

In some ways, (Crosses) reminds me of Blaqk Audio, Davey Havok’s electronics-infused AFI side project. I respect artists who have enough creative juice to branch out from their main band/brand.

Sometimes, the gym TV also provides a surprise from a band you’ve written off for years (“it’s not you, it’s me” sort of thing) by playing a song that makes you understand their maximal potential and gives cause to respect their craft for a couple minutes.

Such was the case when the video for Metallica’s ‘Hardwired’ played:

The song impressed me enough that I actively sought the album it heralds from (Hardwired…to Self-Destruct) during a recent visit to a local record store. Unfortunately, my search was unfruitful.

Still, it’s the type of thing that will stick in my head for some time, as the type of prove-me-wrong impression leaves a lasting effect. See also: my recent-ish experience watching the prescient Eddington after being generally nonplussed by Ari Aster’s horror efforts Hereditary and Midsommar.

Basically, be sure to savor the little things, since they’re all we have until the big things come around…and big things aren’t always good things.