Last updated September 1, 2026
September is a particularly good month to listen to September by Earth, Wind & Fire.
I recently bought an Audio-Technica AT-LP70X turntable and a Marshall Woburn III. I am only starting to choose my first records, so there is no collection yet. For now, I am looking forward to finding out what deserves to become the first few.
Eventually, the turntable, speaker, and records will all have their own place in the living room.
Since Jimmy passed away, the home has slowly started to change. The arrangement of the rooms is no longer quite what it was when he was here.
I recently bought a reproduction cabinet in the style of Pierre Jeanneret. It feels better than I expected, and it will become the place for the turntable, the Woburn III, and whatever record collection grows from here. It is a small change, but it gives the music a physical place in the room.
I also want to bring more plants indoors.
The one I like most is the olive tree (Olea europaea), but I am a little worried about pests and do not yet understand how to prevent or manage them properly. I would rather learn first than bring one home and figure it out too late.
So I started with a few corkscrew willow (Salix matsudana ‘Tortuosa’) branches and am keeping them in water. Once I understand plant care and pest control better, I will look at olive trees again. For now, the willow is enough to make the room feel a little more alive.
Work has taken up most of the time left over lately. On most nights, I am still at my desk around midnight.
It has also been a productive stretch. We have finished many of our goals ahead of schedule, and I am proud of that. I just do not want midnight to become the normal shape of every month.
I want to settle the new music corner, choose the first few records, and learn enough about indoor plants to decide whether an olive tree can work here.
I also hope work becomes a little less intense before midnight starts to feel normal.
The home is not going back to what it was. For now, I am trying to make the version after Jimmy feel a little more alive.