Reviews, Health, and Other Stuff: singer-songwriter

Welcome

Welcome to my ever-evolving blog. It started out as a blog on Beachbody workouts and products, mainly when I was a Beachbody coach. I no longer coach, not because I don't believe in Beachbody's programs (I subscribe to Beachbody on Demand and use their workouts every day), I am just not a salesperson and hated that aspect of it. I am more than willing to answer questions about my experiences with their products and the various workouts, and I feel freer to do so without the appearance of giving a biased review of something.

I have also started adding reviews for various things I have purchased like movies, books, CDs, and other products. This was brought about by a fight with Amazon in which all of my reviews were removed over a completely bullshit allegation that I posted a review that violated their terms of service. After going back and forth with the morons in the community-reviews department (even after they admitted that my posts did not violate their guidelines) they restored my account (which took them six months to do), but I have been posting my reviews on my blog to have them preserved in case something like that happens again. And here, I will post uncensored reviews so I will swear from time to time and post reviews that may be longer than Amazon's character limit. Everything I post here on any topic or product is my personal opinion, and I take no compensation for any product reviews I post. I am a member of Amazon's vine program and because I get those products for free, I keep those reviews on Amazon only, but everything I have purchased with my own money, whether from Amazon or some other store/website/outlet, I will post here.

I also plan to do some longer blog posts on various topics, such as how to learn physics, how to get through calculus, and longer reviews of workout programs as I do them. Basically, whatever strikes me as interesting at the time. As you can see if you navigate around the blog, I had many years in between postings. During that time I was going back to school to get an engineering degree, and learning material that I avoided my first time through college was a different experience and one that gave me a lot of insight into how to do well in those classes, which I will try to impart here for those who are looking to get a science or engineering degree.

Friday, September 26, 2025

CD/Music Review: Adele: 25

25, released in 2015, is Adele's third studio album and the follow-up to her multi-award-winning 21. Where 21 was a breakup album, the songs on this one take a more reflective and "moving on" or "making up" tone. The album has 11 tracks in all. The smash hit from this album is the single "Hello," which debuted at number 1 on the Top 100. The other singles, "When We Were Young," "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)," and "Water Under the Bridge," all made it into the Top 30, with the last one peaking at number 8.

Like the songs on her prior album, this one has a mix of ballads and more upbeat tracks. While "Hello" is the biggest hit (and best song) from the album, all the songs are wonderful and showcase Adele's vocal talent. The CD liner contains pictures from the recording sessions, production notes for the various tracks, and a thank-you note from Adele. It does not include the song lyrics, however. Ultimately, 25 was one of the best, if not the best, albums of the mid-2010s, and is absolutely worth listening to.

Monday, September 8, 2025

CD/Music Review: Adele: 21

21 is the second studio album by English singer/songwriter Adele. It was produced when she was 21 years old (hence the album's title) and released in 2011. This is the album that launched her into superstardom, primarily based on the hit single "Rolling in the Deep." That song, along with the tracks Someone Like You and Set Fire to the Rain reached number one on the Top 100 chart, and the track Rumor Has It reached the top 20.

There are 11 tracks in all on the album, featuring a wide range of music styles, all highlighted by Adele's amazing voice. The album is a fairly classic breakup album, with most of the songs revolving around the turmoil caused by the end of a relationship. The CD liner features pictures from the recording sessions and production notes for the tracks. The song lyrics are not included. Ultimately, this is a wonderful album. All of the songs are excellent, even those that were not huge hits. It is one of the best albums not only of the 2010s, but of recent memory, and still holds up nearly a decade and a half later. It is absolutely worth listening to.