Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s)

I think there are actually two amazing things here:

1) “[Y]ou somehow have managed to avoid the calcification of musical tastes that is a basic biological fact of age. How did you do that?”  I agree, this is truly exceptional.  In case you want to know what the near opposite of what you have been able to achieve is, here is a list of the ten albums I have most recently purchased:

• Candlemass — The Door to Doom
• Dream Theater — Distance over Time
• Overkill — The Wings of War
• Visions of Atlantis — The Deep & The Dark Live @ Symphonic Metal Night
• Avantasia — Moonglow
• Beast in Black — From Hell with Love
• Evergrey — The Atlantic
• Within Temptation — Resist
• Ancient Bards — Origine: The Black Crystal Sword Saga PT. 2

Most of these bands released their debut albums in the 1980s or 1990s and the newer ones (Visions of Atlantis, Beast in Black, and Ancient Bards) are not exactly creating new genres.  I’m sorry, my ears got old.  I’m not going to lie, as I type this, I am watching Black Earth (original Arch Enemy line-up) on DVD playing live in Japan from 2016.  I am a stereotype!

2) You have been able to keep a personally rewarding pastime that has both challenged you and brought you immense joy.   Since Kai and my new job, I can’t say I have had the discipline to do that and realize that I should change my ways.  In that sense, you are a shining example of what a middle aged man should be!  Please keep up the good work!