We Mustn't Dwell... Not Today. We Can't. Not on Rex Manning Day

If the world weren't so Avril Lavigne right now, we would have had a pretty action-packed week. The NCAA Finals (Men's and Women's Tournament) would have concluded this week. April 4 and 5th, we got to witness the pageantry, the costumes, and the glamour of Wrestlemania 36. Also, this week we should have been able to see the Masters starting; and the Stanley Cup playoffs would have begun as well. However, we mustn't dwell. Not today... We can't... Not on Rex Manning Day.

Brief background filler.

Rex Manning is a character from the 1995 movie Empire Records. Rex had a wildly successful career in the '70s as a child star turned heartthrob. Later he washed out in the '80s and is attempting to make his comeback with the release of a new album and single "say no more mon amour" in the '90s. The film takes place at a record store called Empire Records (think of a Tower Records type music store). The events of the story occur over a 24-hour window of time (a day in the life if you will) as the employees prepare for the in-store appearance for the eagerly waiting fans to get autographs. In true cult classics, April 8th has been dubbed as Rex Manning Day.

Boring Preachy Part

This year, Empire Records serves a new purpose for me. Watching this movie allows me to find something to celebrate, something to be grateful for in a time that doesn't always offer the happiest of scenarios. Let us celebrate the small stuff that we may overlook at times. Let us find joy in the mundane. Life doesn't have to be so bleak, and we can be grateful for things that are happening all around us. But Cristian, the world is bonkers, what is there to be thankful for? Some things you may want to consider, although not inclusive but a great start to get you thinking. 

We are fortunate and lucky that there are super smart people out there who have devoted their lives to learning. They study viruses, address our concerns, and prevent those viruses as best as they can. The scientific community as a whole "collaborates and listens." They are able to work together across borders and countries flexing some brain muscles and sparking some synapsis to solve an issue when they arise.

We can have so much appreciation and gratitude that we are bathed in it. We can have pruney fingers and toes for the first responders, health care workers, and volunteers. They work countless hours and put their safety at risk to help a bunch of strangers just because it is what they do.

Lastly, we can sit in our grateful car doing 90 down the interstate with gratefulness billowing out of the open windows singing at the top of lungs for our family, friends, and significant's. We shouldn't forget our Scentsy family as well, nor any other human that is sharing this experience with us. During these times, we get to consider what really matters to us.

Another thing that we can be grateful for, and you may not have thought of this or considered this as something good. But a crisis has an opportunity to bring out the best in us, and the people affected. A crisis is never fun to go through, but in the end, it will remind us why it is important to celebrate every day. Every day we get to share our love with family, neighbors, and friends. If we are conscious of it, a crisis will remind us just how lucky we are, and how vital it is to take care of ourselves, our communities, and our planet.

This week's homebound playlist is dedicated to the year 1995. There were a lot of catastrophizing events happening in the States and in the world, and we were able to make it out. I present to you the songs I remember most about that time, what I was listening to, and what songs represent the strongest memories for me.