Films I Like (2021)
– Summer of Soul (Questlove)
– Dune (Denis Villeneuve)
– The Mitchell’s vs. The Machines (Michael Rianda)
– Nobody (Ilya Naishuller)
– Free Guy (Shawn Levy)
– No Time To Die (Cary Joji Fukunaga)
– Luca (Enrico Casarosa)
– Raya and the Last Dragon (Carlos López Estrada, Don Hall)
– The Sparks Brothers (Edgar Wright)
– Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Destin Daniel Cretton)

Albums I Like (2021)
– Chvrches: Screen Violence
– Gojira: Fortitude
– Finneas: Optimist
– Gretchen Parlato: Flor
– Rhye: Home
– Michael Wollny: XXXX
– Mon Laferte: Seis
– Madlib: Sound Ancestors
– Sons of Kemet: Black To The Future
– Bruno Mars, Anderson.Paak: An Evening w/ Silk Sonic
– B.D. Lenz: Sole Searching
– Kacey Musgraves: Star-Crossed

DW Fitness Friday:
“Top Ten Healthy Tips”
by Brendan Buckley

These are a few tips that might help you live a slightly healthier life. I like to read and study a lot about fitness and nutrition, and I find that many sources tend to contradict one another. The jury is still out on a lot of their recommendations.

1. Nutrition:

Avoid fried foods. Avoid sugar. Avoid cigarettes. Eat plants (fruits and veggies) with each meal. Proteins are probably better than carbs.
The Ten Superfoods. (salmon, almond, berries, garlic, spinach, green tea, olive oil, broccoli, red wine, ginger)

* Morning Smoothie
– Raspberries
– Blueberries
– Blackberries
– Strawberries
– Kefir Yogurt
– Cinnamon
– Collagen Powder

* Afternoon Smoothie
– Protein Powder
– Peanut/Almond Butter
– Banana
– Almond Milk
– Coconut pieces
– Cacao nibs

2. Intermittent Fasting:

Try not to eat after 8:00 pm (or, stop 8 to 12 hours prior to your breakfast time). Allow your body time to cleanse itself and rest.

3. Hydrate:

drink water first thing in the morning, and prior to sleeping

4. Exercise:

functional fitness: do exercises that help you live and perform better.
– cardio (jog, hike, jump rope, bike, rowing, explosive movements)
– resistance training (body weight, weight lifting, isometric holds, bands)
*include the 5 basic movements: pull, push, lift, carry, hinge
*do something every day

5. Hand Exercises:

stress ball, asian pool balls, squeezers
also, don’t ignore the feet.

6. Stretching/Flexibility:

deep squats, lengthen yourself
stretch on the drumset
*avoid static stretching

7. Posture:

aim for symmetry throughout the day (driving, sitting, standing)

8. Breathe:

prior to playing (whenever: nervous, angry, stressed, tight, tired, hyper)

9. Sleep:

6 to 10 hours.
stick to a schedule.
no caffeine after 5:00 pm

10. Moderation:

Late Night With Seth Meyers

I have had the opportunity on three occasions to fill in for drummer Fred Armisen on the tv show Late Night With Seth Meyers. The other members of the “8G Band” are: Eli Janney, Seth Jabour, Marnie Stern, and Syd Butler. It’s a total blast.

“I love all of it. The soreness, the carrot fingers, mat burn, the ego-destroying ass kickings, just when you think you’re getting somewhere. I’m hooked. I know I will never be young again. I am well aware that I’m only getting slower, more fragile over time. That I will probably never live to see black belt or win any competitions. But I’m pretty sure I will suck a little bit less every month. That while I will never master this skill, will at least, hopefully, get better and better at it. And every once in a great while, I will sweep some young upper belt, or maybe even catch one in a triangle. And that makes me happy.”

– Anthony Bourdain –

(speaking on his love of Brazilian Jiu Jistu)