This news about Anthony Kennedy's retirement from SCOTUS is huge–probably the biggest news since election day 2016. Not only that, it's EXACTLY the thing that concerned me the most about the idea of a Trump presidency... (I even wrote about it in the days following the election). As of the day that Kennedy's spot is filled, it's a virtual certainty that my life as a minority (and the lives of essentially all other minorities) will be impacted for GENERATIONS to come. Literally decades. I'll probably be close to retirement before there's any chance of what's about to happen being undone.

This article from Ari Ezra Waldman at Towleroad pretty much sums up my feelings of anger, fear, and despair that I've felt since November 2016. When living with any kind of static pain for an extended period, I feel like it's normal for that pain to become kind dull and fuzzy after enough time. It kind of fades into a mild depression – though, maybe that's just speaking for myself. But Kennedy's retirement is quickly bringing it back into sharp relief.

After he is replaced (assuming a Trump nominee makes it through), every branch of government will be actively hostile against anyone who isn't a straight, white, Christian male. That's not hyperbole, either, and it's not an exaggeration for the sake of colorful argument. It's 100% fact. That hostility might vary in intensity depending upon which minority group you compare, but it's still truth.

Cynical congratulations.

So I guess the cynic in me admits that some congratulations might be in order. To all you straight white christians who can't stand losing the complete control you've historically had over this country:

Congrats. You did it. You fucked up the lives of those less fortunate than you. You even made it so no one can undo it for generations to come! Well done. Your selfish, archaic, and unwaveringly small worldview has prevailed over the progressive agenda. Once again, your privilege and power is safely secure for the foreseeable future.

How about the rest of you?

To the rest of you, how do you feel about this? Are you upset by the news? Are you at all moved (or affected) by the context I've laid out here? Do you wish you could do something to make a difference?

Well there are definitely things you can do. Firstly, I'm running a Facebook donation campaign for The Trevor Project until July 31, 2018. A donation won't change the outcome of the SCOTUS situation, but it might save some lives of young kids who are struggling to find acceptance in this turbulent world.

As I write this, in a heartwarming and unexpected turn of events, this fundraising campaign quickly broke my initial $200 goal (within three hours, actually)! Being there's still a full five weeks left before the end of the campaign, I've raised the goal a bit. This money is going to a legitimately lifesaving cause, so don't let the fact that an arbitrary goal was met dissuade you from considering a donation. :)

If you're reading this after July 31, a donation directly to The Trevor Project is never a bad thing!

Long-term, though, the most effective thing we can do is VOTE. Please vote with the courts in mind. Policy decisions can be short-lived. Supreme Court decisions, can be lifelong.

November 6, 2018: Get to the polls!

[The asteroid named] 'Oumuamua ["oh MOO-uh MOO-uh"] formed around another star, [and] scientists think it could have been wandering through the Milky Way, unattached to any star system, for hundreds of millions of years before its chance encounter with our Solar System. –BBC: Bizarre shape of interstellar asteroid

Damn, the universe is:

When was the last time that you remember the nation being completely abuzz by scientific research or discovery? Every once and a while, a stray headline will make its way to the news, but I don't think I've ever seen anything spark any real buzz with the majority of folks longer than a couple of news cycles.

It was before my time, but I think that the space race to the moon may have been the last time the country really experienced a homogenous excitement for scientific discovery. From what I hear, it was something that the entire nation followed, and when it came to the day of touchdown, everyone stopped to tune in whatever way they could.

One of the closest things that I can think of from my lifetime is the landing of the Spirit rover. I recall dropping everything to tune in to the "live stream" online to find out if the first ½ of the $820 million project would survive its bouncy entrance¹ to the red planet. It was thrilling to feel a part of that dramatic series of events! It definitely wasn't a nation-wide phenomenon like the moon landing, but from my tiny worldview in 2004, it seemed like a huge deal!

So naturally, the Curiosity landing in 2012 is also on that list. Especially because it was using an entirely new and previously-untested landing system² to get the two-ton piece of scientific equipment to the Mars surface. Thanks to the improved live-stream abilities the Internet gained in the years since Spirit (and Opportunity), it was all a much more news-friendly event. In fact, I distinctly remember that mohawk guy³ from the NASA control room becoming somewhat of a minor celebrity in the weeks after.

The most recent that I can think of is the New Horizons probe which hit the news headlines hard in 2015 when it made its flyby past Pluto. But despite pictures and data being received from the craft for over a year, the news outlets seemed to quickly become bored with subject. Even now, the probe has been repositioned for an extended mission towards the Kuiper belt in 2019, but I've only seen strictly science or "nerd" news sites post anything about it.

When you look at those dates, it's easy to recognize the huge gaps in time that pass between each of those events. Also, they all happen to be space-related. Certainly there were countless of other scientific endeavors that existed in those "gaps" (and most of them probably not at all related to space exploration). But if any of them make it to the news, they are largely drowned out by the other more fashionable headlines of the day/week.

What we end up with is a news culture focused on celebrities, politics, scandals, and tragedies. Without making the conscious decision or realization, we've kinda been trained to consider science news as mostly unworthy of attention. It's something that certainly is not helping the scientific illiteracy and apathy that seems to be dominating the country right now.

I recently stumbled upon a video in which Neil deGrasse Tyson offers up a perspective on the kind of impact a more visible presence of scientific progress in our news culture could have. In short, it could reignite a passion in science. As he usually does, he emphatically elaborates on the idea, but it mostly sums up to:

All of a sudden, the community becomes a participant on the exploratory frontier...

If this becomes the new culture, the secondary effect is everyone is engaged in some way in the STEM fields...

Rather than forcing programs on people to get them interested in science, do something interesting in science. And then the interest follows like day follows night.

It's an interesting thought! I have the segment queued up in the video below. His thoughts on this subject are only a couple of minutes long (but the entire video is as interesting as any of NdGT's ramblings).

I'm curious to hear about other scientific progress that made substantial buzz in the recent past not mentioned here. I'm also curious to hear about your thoughts on NdGT's perspective on how effective this sort of "culture" would have on scientific interest. The comment section below is always open!

Wow.

I almost can't believe it's been five years since my first Coming Out Day essay! (And basically 5 years since my coming out, in general). What a five years it's been...

Rereading that original essay I wrote is a really fascinating snapshot into my state of mind at the time. It's a strange feeling to think back and remember my thoughts and feelings that first semester, senior year of college. I was desperately hopeful for the future and for our society in general, and I think that perspective is palpable in the essay.

What's interesting, in hindsight, is how little grasp I had on LGBT+ history. In all fairness, I don't think much more could have been expected of someone like me at that time in my life. I grew up in small town rural Minnesota with virtually no positive exposure to non-cis and non-straight identities – if any exposure at all. So I had to discover it all on my own, and not only that, I had to discover it from within the covert ops of the proverbial Closet.

Not only that, but I was on this critical part of my journey of self-discovery during what we might as well call the "golden age of social progress." Things certainly weren't awesome, but holy crap! When you look from a historical perspective, things sure weren't bad! Thanks to a failed education system, I had no idea how many shoulders I was standing on at that time in my life; the shoulders of countless brave people who devoted their lives to allow someone like me to flaunt my privilege and proclaim that:

To put it plainly, I just don't think it should be necessary that there should be a day so publicly recognized for the declaration of someone's sexuality.¹

States across the country were beginning to vote on (and pass) marriage equality – including Minnesota, who would vote down a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriages shortly after I posted my essay. One domino was quickly falling after another, and it seemed like there was no stopping the wonderful progress playing out before our eyes. And that sentiment continued to be validated in the immediate years following. Before we all knew it, marriage equality was declared law of the land for the entire nation! The age of enlightenment was upon us! Or so it seemed.

I will say that, as a general philosophical idea, I do still agree/wish that the act of making a coming out announcement was something that didn't have to exist anymore as a part of our culture. To not need to memorialize that stressful, often painful moment in so many people's lives as a "national holiday" of sorts is certainly an attractive pie in the sky. As I outlined in my essay, we are all human, after all. And labels, by nature, end up defining an "us" and "them". It's easy to get caught up in the idea that they are inherently divisive, and from my safe little bubble on campus, doing away with those labels altogether felt like the next logical step.

But with all the social progress that I thought and felt we had made, I would have never imagined the events that were to come to pass as President Obama's second term was coming to a close. I witnessed a nation of hate and anger come into clear focus. People who I thought were isolated to the remote swamps of the Deep South (and the comfy confines of the Palin residence) turned out to be prevalent across the entire nation. Types of people who I would have considered young, well-educated, and enlightened turned out to be raging homophobes, xenophobes, and theocrats – whether they consciously realized it or not. Even members of my own family showed up to proudly rant and rave about the Demonic Democrats and the Savior-Incarnate Donald Trump.

During that election, the foundation of my worldview completely crumbled beneath my feet. The desperate hope that consumed me only a couple years earlier, melted away almost entirely. It was a humbling revelation.

Above all, it forced me to realize that wishing away any idea of "labels" was basically the same as wishing for invisibility. And when you think about it from the perspective of someone only just coming out of the closet, it might actually make sense that I was still hoping for some invisibility. Looking at the talking points outlined in my essay, it was pretty clear that I wanted the whole thing to be downplayed as much as possible. It all had a very apologetic spin to it. I explicitly said that I didn't want to invoke politics or religion. I denounced the general idea of a "National Coming Out Day." I also explicitly denounced the idea of "going around wearing a giant rainbow flag and shouting through a megaphone 'I'M GAY!'" as if to imply that doing so was such an awful/shameful thing. I even stated that I would likely never again bring up the subject. Despite having finally worked up the self-confidence to publicly admit that I wasn't a straight man and despite my desperate hope in humanity, I was apparently still largely ashamed of who I was.

Admittedly, I'm still far from completely comfortable with it all. I'm not sure that I'll ever be OK with anything but the most innocent forms of PDA. I often still feel like I'm walking on eggshells at work when the conversation switches to our personal lives. As I've discussed in past blogs, the past couple of years has revealed to me that the world isn't as kind as I had once assumed. It's not that I am actively trying to hide it ... I've just become so used to hiding it that it remains a integral part of how I live my life.

But I am no longer ashamed. At least not in the same way as I was in 2012. If anything, what I am now ashamed about is how ignorant I was then. Ashamed that I took for granted all those who came before me and devoted their lives to fighting for social acceptance. Some of them gave their lives for it. Ashamed that I felt like I had to apologize for who I am. Ashamed that I felt I had to make others feel comfortable about it. Ashamed that I decided to take a politically and religiously neutral stance on the subject. Ashamed that I saw PRIDE as something unworthy of screaming at the top of my lungs.

After five years (and a presidential election that, at its heart, threatened everything that might offer us LGBT+ folks a semblance of a normal life), I now more fully appreciate the importance of National Coming Out Day. I have read about enough hate crimes and LGBT+ youth suicides to understand that invisibility is NOT an option. Everyone must continue to announce their "labels" to protect all the progress we've made, and to tell all the young folks out there that, despite what you see on TV or hear from your Alt-Right relatives, you are not alone! You are not wrong or broken or sick. Life is still better now for us than it was even a generation ago, and as they say, it continues to get better.

But I implore you: Don't take it for granted like I did; like so many of my generation did. Take time to learn about our history. Don't let yourself believe that PRIDE is unnecessary or that fading into the background noise is acceptable or desirable. We've gained so much, but the risks of losing it all are real. Don't be afraid to come out and be proud. Our future, as a LGBT+ community, depends on it!

For all who need it, and for all who deserve it: Happy National Coming Out Day.

When I woke up this morning and started reading through the headlines and articles beginning to outline the unbelievable news unfolding in Las Vegas overnight, I had an unfortunate realization. I realized that I was not reacting at all. I was emotionless.

It's finally happened: I've become completely numb.

Before today, the deadliest mass shooting in our nation's modern history took place on June 12, 2016. This was the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. For me, that following day was maybe the most traumatic day of my entire life. I was distraught. Heartbroken. Speechless. I nearly called in to work sick because I was so shaken by what I was reading, seeing, and hearing. Following that morning, my life felt like a fuzzy, surreal dream, and I recall literally floating through my waking hours with that feeling for days.

Whether it's a good thing or not, I had previously done a relatively effective job at separating myself from the atrocities happening around the world. I'd try to pay attention to what was happening, but also I tried to not become too emotionally involved to protect myself from a breakdown. Instead, I thought I could best use my awareness of what's going on to inform my opinions on the upcoming election – and then hope that my contribution to the election would result in a positive influence on all of the negativity.

But I was not prepared for how the events at the Pulse nightclub would affect me. It was an attack that, at the time, seemed to be targeting LGBT+ people specifically. It hit home. I could not control the distressed helplessness that overwhelmed my brain-space for quite some time.

In truth, it took months before I started feeling something like "normal" again. All that time, though, we were still enduring the longest, most exhausting, and divisive election campaigns in our lifetime. So it would be entirely unfair to suggest that I had emotionally recovered.

On the night of Election Day, I was again unprepared for what was about to unfold. The election having been won (both in the executive and legislative branches) by a party owning all negative rhetoric against the LGBT+ population, my hysterical emotions brewed back on that fateful June day came rushing back. Again, I was distraught, heartbroken, and speechless. And again, I nearly called in sick because of it.

I have endured over a year of a variably-constant level of panic, anxiety, and depression.

Then the Trump Administration moved in to the White House, and it's been an almost-daily barrage of one insane, surreal news story after another. We thought we'd seen it all and knew what to expect after the campaign, but amazingly we still had the emotional energy to be shocked and outraged by the day's latest scandal from the WH. However, deep down I always knew that this was not a sustainable course; eventually, we were going to burn out and become numb to the surreal.

I guess for me, that day has finally come.

As today has progressed, the reality of what's happened is slowly starting to sink in. I still just don't have the energy to be angry about what's happened... I don't have the energy to be particularly passionate at all about it... But I am heartbroken. My thoughts and love go out to everyone affected by today's evil.

For all of you that still have the emotional fuel to be politically passionate about this issue: Just remember that we don't always need to be at odds with each other. Don't give up the good fight; unfortunately, you have to pick up the slack for those of us that have burned out... But we can't forget to take the rare opportunities to agree when we can.

photo credit: David Baker, Getty Images

This is potentially the least-inspired offering from the band to date?

Despite the relatively large hype, I frankly had zero expectations of this track. Their latest full-length release, Drones, had me feeling the most polarized. The music felt like it was trying to channel the "look and feel" that made the band so awesome in the first half of their career. And it even succeeded at times (particularly with "Reapers"). But lyrically, it was a bomb of an album. The concept wasn't bad; it was just lazily executed.

With "Dig Down," it sounds like they've given up on actually being creative at all. There's an obvious "Madness" vibe here, which by itself isn't a bad thing. The difference is, though, that "Dig Down" is lacking any real hook or any climax to make the song interesting. (And no, that long "dowwwwwn" note doesn't count as a climax). It's flat the entire trip – even the guitar solo sounds like a small (boring) collection of riffs from a few of Matt's other solos roughly pinned together.

Once upon a time, the band's percussion and bass contributions were, at times, my favorite parts of their music. Remember this one?

It's actually nothing all that technically difficult, but the groove that the rhythm section has during these earlier years is a good chunk of what made the band's music so damn appealing! It's like Dom and Chirs have gotten just as lazy as Matt's lyrics (either that, or the material that Matt is giving them to work with is just that creatively restrictive)... In fact, I'm not even convinced they contributed anything to this track. If you told me that the drums and bass tracks were just looped samples created by a computer, I would believe you without hesitation.

I've seen mention in a couple places that this single will not be appearing on their upcoming album. (Truthfully, I haven't cared enough to check the validity). I'm not sure if that's much consolation, though, if this is indicative of the direction the band is headed.

That said, I will still listen to the new album with an open mind – as I always do. Some of my favorite music of all time is in Muse's catalogue, so I can't simply write them off. Here's to hoping, though, that "Dig Down" was just a little ditty Matt came up with in response to Trump getting elected and nothing more than that...

As a parting thought, I will leave you with a reminder of where Muse started. "Cave" is a track from their first full-length release Showbiz, and it's one of my favorite rock songs in existence. It has a sort of "guts" to it. It's gritty, it's emotional, it has a flow with a musical story and a proper climax that is super satisfying. Not that I'm saying all music needs to sound exactly this way; it's just in utter stark contrast when you listen to it right next to this "Dig Down" single.

I totally agree that bands have every right to grow and evolve their "sound." But I wouldn't consider "clearly lacking inspiration" at all equivalent to "evolution."

2016 is finally over. To use the already nearly-cliche description: it was an utter dumpster fire, from many perspectives. We endured the end of one of the longest, most ridiculous, and exhausting presidential election seasons of recent history. We lost seemingly countless inspiring and progressive celebrities – falling like dominoes. We mourned over heinous massacres and tragedies like Orlando, Paris, and Aleppo (some of which are still ongoing). I know I am not the only one who is completely emotionally drained at the turn of this new year.

Fortunately, I did have some personal high points to offer a reprieve from everything else. Highest on the list would have to be 1) purchasing a house with my boyfriend Anthony, and 2) earning a promotion at work. So, at least in my personal life, it really has been a "glass half full" sort of year. It's just when I start considering the nation-/world-wide events that the glass really starts looking more on the empty side...

I've never been blind to the fact that the marginalization of minorities is alive and well in this country. But with the swift progress we've made in the past decade, I've always had hope that the progress would always win in the end, and my little liberal bubble reinforced that. But thanks to the outcome of this presidential election, I have come to realize that I severely underestimated the size of the "deplorable" population in this country. It was quite a sobering realization, and I outlined a bit more of my reaction to that in my previous blog post.

I hate to be such a party pooper, but frankly, nothing I have seen since the weeks leading up to the new year has given me any reason to be optimistic for the year to come. (You probably guessed based on my less-than-enthusiastic title to this post). Our President-Elect has been behaving as consistent as ever (obviously not a good thing), and the deplorables he has emboldened to speak and act out over the past year have only gotten louder, more irrational, and more bold. I'm sure that trend will continue into this new year. Best case, this will mean more bullying of minorities (such as any non-white, non-Christian, or my fellow LGBT+ citizens). Worst case, this will mean even more deliberate violence against these minorities – running the gamut of physical, emotional, and psychological in nature. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, all I see is an increase in pain, suffering, and death for those groups that deserve it the least.

The only thing I really plan to focus on this new year is to continue researching the most effective and meaningful way that I can fight this new dark political landscape.

If you're struggling to see how/why things are so "dark" from my perspective, I challenge you to reach out to me (or someone like me) and initiate a dialog (with an honest and open mind).

If you are also feeling similarly hopeless or helpless or frustrated, please also feel free to reach out to me! Let's chat about it, provide each other some emotional support, and maybe join our activism efforts (whether thats finding a charity, volunteering time, or something else). I think it would do us a lot of good to channel some energy outward. I'd love to hear from you.

Otherwise, as I've kinda said in the past, I just ask that everyone to fight discrimination and marginalization everywhere you go. If you're not in one of the marginalized groups, but consider yourself as a supporter of those groups, I ask that you don't just "let it slide" when you hear or see people normalizing, sustaining, or promoting inequality. Continue doing your part to help your neighbor – we really do appreciate it! I, for one, thank you with all my heart.

For the new year, I wish you all the best. I can only hope that we all feel better than this when we get to this time next year.

For over 4 months, I have been 100% Facebook-free. Some of you may have seen my explanation, which I posted for a few days before completely deactivating my account. Others may not have seen it but wondered why my account suddenly disappeared from the site. Most, I'm sure, didn't even notice. But regardless, I ended up learning quite a bit about myself and the world around me. What I learned convinced me to return.

The short version of this story is that all of the positive and negative things that I hoped and worried would happen, did.

For example, without a doubt, leaving the mindless political battlefield (ie: Facebook) drastically improved my mental well-being. Within the first two days I noticed significant improvements in my mood and mental state. It was freeing. And at first, it almost felt enlightening. To not feel the impulse to habitually open up Facebook during every free second or two that I had throughout the day was, for lack of a better word, amazing. Not only was I able to completely avoid the daily bigotry of some of my friends and family, I no longer felt like I might be wasting my day away with my face in my phone. I felt empowered to be in-the-moment, to be "here". It really felt like the perfect solution for me.

But then November 8 happened.

I know this is incredibly cliché to say, but when I woke up the morning of the 9th, it literally felt as though I was in a dream. Everything felt unreal. I went to work that day, but I honestly didn't get a thing done. It's accurate to say that I was shocked like most people – I don't think that even the majority of Trump's supporters really believed that his successful election to office was possible. (Of course, we could get into the analysis of how many people actually voted and for whom, but that's a discussion for another time).

But that isn't what truly bothered me. What I have been trying to come to terms with is the fact that people like Mike Pence will now soon be in the White House. Additionally, Conservatives have taken majorities in Congress, and Trump has already sworn to appoint socially conservative Justices to the Supreme Court.

This obviously seems like good news for Republicans. And for most Democrats, this might just be a setback that we can start addressing in 2 to 4 years. However, for me this is personal. People like Pence are on record for wanting to marginalize those of us in the LGBT community (and frankly anyone else who does not consider themselves "Christian").

In recent years, we have been making fast and significant progress towards true equality. We were on a train barreling straight towards a future in which I (and other LGB¹ people) could live basically normal adulthoods. "Normal" here meaning "not having to worry about fighting for our equality or feeling scared to walk down the street."

However, a Trump/Pence Administration will put all of that at risk for me and all LGBT people. That train towards progress has unceremoniously lurched to a halt, and we've all been kicked off and told to walk the rest of the way. If Trump/Pence follow through with what they've been promising over the years, then there is little hope that LGBT folks of my generation will ever get to live a "normal" adult life.

I admit, that was something I took for granted. I came out in a very accepting environment (aka: "college"), and with all the progress we'd made since I came out (in 2012), I apparently took for granted the fact that that progress might never slow down (or, god forbid, reverse). It was a future that I selfishly wish could honestly be mine. But over the past week or so since the election results, I have come to terms with the fact that that future is unlikely to ever be mine.

My generation now must give up the idea of that future and instead commit to return to the fight for our rights. Please stop and take a moment to consider that. That is now my future. It has to be! It's the only way we can ensure that the next generation might have that "normal" adulthood that I assumed would be mine.

Not only do we have to fight against the legal/political system, though, we also have to fight all the "deplorable" members of our society who are now empowered by Trump's victory. It doesn't take any time at all to find dozens upon dozens of heartbreaking cases of murder, violence, and all other sorts of abuse against LGBT people explicitly in the name of Trump. And it's not like the people responsible are new to the country; they've been here the whole time.

So what I've realized is, I can no longer selfishly put my psychological comfort first. Keeping myself willfully ignorant is a convenience that I (and future LGBT generations) can't actually afford.

So one of the main reasons I am coming back to Facebook is to ensure that I pop my peacefully ignorant bubble. I need to see the shit that goes on amongst my friends and family. And I need to take all appropriate opportunities to attempt to educate those that need it. (I don't plan on stopping there, either. There are countless opportunities for me to volunteer and make a difference, and I plan to seek those out as well – as soon as I decide how best to volunteer my time). This might upset and/or annoy some of you – and if I loose relationships because of it, the so be it. I have realized a purpose bigger than you or me alone.

Politics aside, there is one more reason that I want to come back to Facebook: I miss my friends. Turns out that life in general keeps me quite busy, and because of that, I've almost always had to turn down offers from my friends to hang out. And honestly, it breaks my heart. To my friends who have read this far: I do miss you guys with all my heart. I hope you guys haven't completely given up on me... Unfortunately, we are in the holiday season now, so getting schedules to line up probably won't be any easier than usual, but after the holidays wind down, I fully intend to try and rekindle what I've missed out on all these months/years. I hope we can work something out!

In the meantime, hopefully we can start to reconnect again virtually. This is what Facebook is really supposed to be about anyway, right? I look forward to it!

So there you have it. I broke my word – here I am, back on Facebook! But given how things have worked out, I just don't see how I can let myself stay away. I won't rule out any future need for me to take periodic breaks every once and a while. My mental health does need to come first on occasion... But at least for now, I don't see how that can be a permanent arrangement.

If anyone feels like chatting about it, please send me a message or post a comment below! I'm happy to talk about it!

For me, this has been a great summer for discovering new music that I just can't stop listening to! Below, I've picked out my most-played tracks this summer from brand new records released this year. Basically all of the albums from which these tracks originate are quite good, so I couldn't help but include some honorable mentions here and there.

Take a listen, and let me know if you've heard of any of these as well!

Note: The numbers next to the track names aren't any sort of rating or scale. They are simply the the tracks' placement within their respective albums.

"I Know"

Shovels & Rope

I Know (single)

As is common, I have The Current to thank for this first track. I get a bit of radio time in on my short drive to work, and that's when I happened to hear this fun, gritty jam. It takes me back to the days I was in a band, and it reminds me that the simplest of rock ensembles can have the most fun. (Hats off to my fellow Hard Ticket guys!)

2. "Love Me"

The 1975

I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it

Here's an album takes the "Longest Title" award. I don't remember which track I heard on the radio first (I believe it was "Change of Heart") which prompted me to look up the whole shebang. Turns out that "Love Me" is a serious contender for my top song of the summer. Some days, I can't stop listening to it — it has a heavy groove that really resonates with me for some reason. And while the album in its entirety is quite hit-and-miss, the hits really shine through.

Some other favorites from the record:
4. "Change of Heart"
6. "If I Believe You"
7. "Please Be Naked"

10. "A Distant Call"

Will Van De Crommert

Melódica

I have the honor to say that this next artist I knew personally while attending Saint Johns University. I've always respected his impressive musical chops, and I have been keeping a close eye out for his work in his post-academic life. He never disappoints, but this particular piece is a definitive favorite of mine. It channels some epic brass that for some reason reminds me of "The Enterprise" theme from Star Trek: The (Original) Motion Picture Soundtrack circa 1979. (Don't let that be a deterrent for you—I realize that Star Trek isn't for everyone! But the soundtrack is one of my favorites, so I promise that being likened to it is a compliment!) Will's entire Melódica collection is quite good, but the closing track is a certainly a standout.

1. Trouble

Jonathon Robins

Trouble EP

Jonathon is an artist I randomly stumbled across on YouTube, where he had flawlessly covered a couple tracks form Adele's new album. He has dozens of other covers that range from great to stellar (and many of them are reworked in unique ways that is kinda refreshing and cool). For some reason, I was so impressed by his voice that I found myself going back and listening to his covers on a regular basis. (Also, he's very easy on the eyes, so that's certainly not going against him ;D). However, he just recently released a new EP of original work, and I continued to be impressed. The title track is far and away my favorite. It has a super catchy hook that is performed nicely, and the lyrics are incredibly introspective and honest without being cheesy or contrived. I look forward to hearing what he creates in the future!

4. "Weathered"

Jack Garratt

Phase

Before hearing this track (again, thanks to The Current radio), I was never fully convinced that hyper-produced, electronic music could sound completely organic and emotive. Don't get me wrong, I have some favorites that were produced completely behind the keyboard of a laptop, and they are great! However, Jack Garratt easily convinced me (and completely caught me off guard) that my understanding of electronic music was far from complete. I don't know what else to say except listen to this track ASAP, and don't be surprised if you're surprised!

Some other favorites from the record:
1. "Coalesce (Synesthesia Pt. II)"
7. "I Know All What I Do"
8. "Surprise Yourself"

2. "Feeling Electric"

Parade of Lights

Feeling Electric

Ok. I realize this isn't technically "new" ... In fact, it's not even close! Some of the tracks were released as singles back in 2013, but the album itself was released mid-2015. Somehow, I'd never heard of this group before. So when I heard them on the radio a few weeks back, I was shocked to realize that it wasn't brand new. Needless to say, I've been hooked, and it's been on regular rotation on my playlist this summer.

Some other favorites from the record:
3. "Wake Up"
7. "Can't Have You"
9. "The Island"

3. "Walkway Blues" (feat. Jordan Lawlor)

M85

Junk

Somehow, M85 is another group that I hadn't heard of before this summer. "Go!" was the first track I heard on the radio, and I instantly got some heavy Random Access Memory vibes (which was one of my favorite records from 2013). I was happy to discover that the rest of the album didn't disappoint in the least! And while I like "Go!" quite a bit, "Walkway Blues" turned out to be my favorite. I may have even put it on repeat while driving between home and work on more than one occasion... It starts a bit slow, but it some serious groove once the chorus kicks in!

Some other favorites from the record:
1. "Do It, Try It"
2. "Go!" (feat. Mai Lan)
7. "Solitude"
12. "Atlantique Sud" (feat Mai Lan)

"Can't Stop the Feeling!"

Justin Timberlake

(Single from DreamWorks Animation's TROLLS)

If I were to pick out one completely inescapable song of the summer, it would certainly be this one. Under any other normal circumstances, I probably wouldn't have much nice to say about a song that's been overplayed as much as "Can't Stop the Feeling!" has, but for some reason, I just can't get sick of it! Conceptually, it's virtually identical to Pharrell's "Happy" from 2013. The main difference is, though, that JT's song doesn't make my ears bleed or give me an urge to repeatedly bang my head against a brick wall. JT's nailed the feel-good sound of the summer without sacrificing some musical integrity (even if the song isn't all that original). Regardless, I love it, and I couldn't construct this playlist without mentioning it.

1. "Cake By The Ocean"

DNCE

SWAAY

If I got to pick a second track that was inescapable this summer, "Cake By The Ocean" would be it. I first heard this one having no idea of its ties to the JoBros—and honestly, I'm thankful for that. I'm sure that if I knew that ahead of time, I would have judged it (negatively) and might not have let myself like it. (That's dumb, I know. But as they say: First impressions are everything!) I've finally listened to the entire EP (all of 4 tracks), and I'm certainly intrigued! DNCE has a very fun, light-hearted style with catchy hooks and some fresh lyric choices on usually stale subject matter.

Another favorite from the EP:
3. "Toothbrush"

Weezer

Weezer ("The White Album")

I could not make this list without mentioning the latest work from Weezer. They do a great job of messing the emotions of their fans. It's almost too nice to say that some of their later efforts have been hit-and-miss. However, I feel that this is finally a true return to form for the band. So much so, that I could not pick any single track out. "California Kids" or "King of the World" are probably of my favorites. But whenever "California Kids" starts playing, I can't help but let it go to the next track. And then the next. And before I know it, the entire album is over. It's all one big piece, in my mind—just like their "Blue Album." It's hard to listen to just one track without the others!

"Hands"

Various Artists

A Song For Orlando

For those of you who don't know what this song is about: It's a tribute for all those affected by the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It was an event that had a profound effect on me, and I honestly haven't been the same since. Because of that, this song has particularly strong meaning for me, and I find myself listening to it about once a week, at least.

"If a million hands can build a wall, a million hands can break it down."

"No Hell"

Cloud Cult

The Seeker

Finally, my name wouldn't be "Isaiah Schultz" if I didn't have a callout to what might be my favorite band of all time: Cloud Cult. They had a new record this year that was released along side a motion picture also written by the band. While I have yet had an opportunity to watch the film, I have listened to the album dozens of times. I am happy to report that it channels the same sound and feel of Light Chasers, my all-time favorite album in their repertoire. And while the entire thing is a pleasure to listen to as a single piece, "No Hell" has stood out to me since it was released as a single. The arrangement and performance is fantastic, and the lyrics particularly resonate with me for some reason. So it was easy for me to put it as the closer to this list.

Some other favorites from the record:
1. "Living in Awe"
2. "To the Great Unknown"
5. "Come Home"
13. "Through the Ages"

Ok, so maybe not actually. But still, her speech during the primetime segment of the DNC's opening night was killer. It was literally the best piece of writing/delivery that I've heard this entire political season (maybe any political season that I've been alive to experience?), and it was everything that it needed to be following up the wildly, mindlessly, and shockingly irate RNC last week.

If you haven't yet, please watch her speech—regardless of your party affiliation. It's what all campaigns should look like.

Bravo.

[Transcript:]

Thank you so much. You know, it's hard to believe that it has been eight years since I first came to this convention to talk with you about why I thought my husband should be President. Remember how I told you about his character and conviction, his decency and his grace — the traits that we've seen every day that he's served our country in the White House.

I also told you about our daughters — how they are the heart of our hearts, the center of our world. And during our time in the White House, we've had the joy of watching them grow from bubbly little girls into poised young women — a journey that started soon after we arrived in Washington, when they set off for their first day at their new school.

I will never forget that winter morning as I watched our girls, just seven and ten years old, pile into those black SUVs with all those big men with guns. And I saw their little faces pressed up against the window, and the only thing I could think was, "What have we done?" See, because at that moment, I realized that our time in the White House would form the foundation for who they would become, and how well we managed this experience could truly make or break them.

That is what Barack and I think about every day as we try to guide and protect our girls through the challenges of this unusual life in the spotlight — how we urge them to ignore those who question their father's citizenship or faith. How we insist that the hateful language they hear from public figures on TV does not represent the true spirit of this country. How we explain that when someone is cruel, or acts like a bully, you don't stoop to their level — no, our motto is, when they go low, we go high.

With every word we utter, with every action we take, we know our kids are watching us. We as parents are their most important role models. And let me tell you, Barack and I take that same approach to our jobs as President and First Lady, because we know that our words and actions matter not just to our girls, but to children across this country — kids who tell us, "I saw you on TV, I wrote a report on you for school." Kids like the little black boy who looked up at my husband, his eyes wide with hope, and he wondered, "Is my hair like yours?"

And make no mistake about it, this November, when we go to the polls, that is what we're deciding — not Democrat or Republican, not left or right. No, this election, and every election, is about who will have the power to shape our children for the next four or eight years of their lives. And I am here tonight because in this election, there is only one person who I trust with that responsibility, only one person who I believe is truly qualified to be President of the United States, and that is our friend, Hillary Clinton.

See, I trust Hillary to lead this country because I've seen her lifelong devotion to our nation's children — not just her own daughter, who she has raised to perfection — but every child who needs a champion: Kids who take the long way to school to avoid the gangs. Kids who wonder how they'll ever afford college. Kids whose parents don't speak a word of English but dream of a better life. Kids who look to us to determine who and what they can be.

You see, Hillary has spent decades doing the relentless, thankless work to actually make a difference in their lives — advocating for kids with disabilities as a young lawyer. Fighting for children's health care as First Lady and for quality child care in the Senate. And when she didn't win the nomination eight years ago, she didn't get angry or disillusioned. Hillary did not pack up and go home. Because as a true public servant, Hillary knows that this is so much bigger than her own desires and disappointments. So she proudly stepped up to serve our country once again as Secretary of State, traveling the globe to keep our kids safe.

And look, there were plenty of moments when Hillary could have decided that this work was too hard, that the price of public service was too high, that she was tired of being picked apart for how she looks or how she talks or even how she laughs. But here's the thing — what I admire most about Hillary is that she never buckles under pressure. She never takes the easy way out. And Hillary Clinton has never quit on anything in her life.

And when I think about the kind of President that I want for my girls and all our children, that's what I want. I want someone with the proven strength to persevere. Someone who knows this job and takes it seriously. Someone who understands that the issues a President faces are not black and white and cannot be boiled down to 140 characters. Because when you have the nuclear codes at your fingertips and the military in your command, you can't make snap decisions. You can't have a thin skin or a tendency to lash out. You need to be steady, and measured, and well-informed.

I want a President with a record of public service, someone whose life's work shows our children that we don't chase fame and fortune for ourselves, we fight to give everyone a chance to succeed — and we give back, even when we're struggling ourselves, because we know that there is always someone worse off, and there but for the grace of God go I.

I want a President who will teach our children that everyone in this country matters — a President who truly believes in the vision that our founders put forth all those years ago: That we are all created equal, each a beloved part of the great American story. And when crisis hits, we don't turn against each other — no, we listen to each other. We lean on each other. Because we are always stronger together.

And I am here tonight because I know that that is the kind of president that Hillary Clinton will be. And that's why, in this election, I'm with her.

You see, Hillary understands that the President is about one thing and one thing only — it's about leaving something better for our kids. That's how we've always moved this country forward — by all of us coming together on behalf of our children — folks who volunteer to coach that team, to teach that Sunday school class because they know it takes a village. Heroes of every color and creed who wear the uniform and risk their lives to keep passing down those blessings of liberty.

Police officers and protesters in Dallas who all desperately want to keep our children safe. People who lined up in Orlando to donate blood because it could have been their son, their daughter in that club. Leaders like Tim Kaine — who show our kids what decency and devotion look like. Leaders like Hillary Clinton, who has the guts and the grace to keep coming back and putting those cracks in that highest and hardest glass ceiling until she finally breaks through, lifting all of us along with her.

That is the story of this country, the story that has brought me to this stage tonight, the story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation, but who kept on striving and hoping and doing what needed to be done so that today, I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves — and I watch my daughters — two beautiful, intelligent, black young women — playing with their dogs on the White House lawn. And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters — and all our sons and daughters — now take for granted that a woman can be President of the United States.

So don't let anyone ever tell you that this country isn't great, that somehow we need to make it great again. Because this, right now, is the greatest country on earth. And as my daughters prepare to set out into the world, I want a leader who is worthy of that truth, a leader who is worthy of my girls' promise and all our kids' promise, a leader who will be guided every day by the love and hope and impossibly big dreams that we all have for our children.

So in this election, we cannot sit back and hope that everything works out for the best. We cannot afford to be tired, or frustrated, or cynical. No, hear me — between now and November, we need to do what we did eight years ago and four years ago: We need to knock on every door. We need to get out every vote. We need to pour every last ounce of our passion and our strength and our love for this country into electing Hillary Clinton as President of the United States of America.

Let's get to work. Thank you all, and God bless.

photo credit: Joe Raedle, Getty Images