Werd!
Parker on IMDb -
Monday, November 9, 2026
Sunday, November 8, 2026
Shine Bright Like A Diamond
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| Neely O'Hara Valley of the Dolls |
Hey pretty people. Time to wake up and sparkle.
Currently my head space is here, it feels like a time to sparkle for myself and hopefully some of you are on the same frequency. If not, why not???
Everyone has their own sparkle to bestow upon the rest of the world, so why not you?
While we can't all be Neely O'Hara (Patty Duke) from Valley of the Dolls (honestly who would want to be her) we can be our own version of this.
Sparkle Minions, sparkle!
Valley of the Dolls on Rotten Tomatoes -
Saturday, November 7, 2026
"I Wanna Believe"
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Tangled lights, chaotic family gatherings, unexpected reunions and a little Christmas mischief: Minneapolis singer, songwriter, guitarist and novelist Mary Strand embraces the whole holiday experience on I WANNA BELIEVE, arriving November 27, 2026, via Hygh Tension Records/Virgin Music Group. Featuring 10 entirely original Christmas songs, the album pairs her punk energy, garage-rock guitars and sharp pop hooks with humor, nostalgia and character-driven storytelling.
The first single, “Beyond the Madness,” is out today, followed by “Happy Holidays” on November 13 and “Crazy Hazy Daze” on November 20.
On “Beyond the Madness,” Strand finds the heart beneath the seasonal commotion. Amid tinsel, rum balls, tangled lights, inflatable penguins and holiday movie debates—she firmly counts Die Hard as a Christmas movie—the song celebrates the connections that make the season matter: friends reaching out after years apart and late-night conversations that bring people closer.
The album’s beginnings stretch back to a January when Strand wasn’t quite ready to put Christmas away.
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Mary Strand
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" I wrote my first Christmas song, ‘I Wanna Believe,’ in January 2024 on a lark, when my own holiday decorations (indoors and outdoors) were still up,” Strand explains. “And my band and I loved it so much that we recorded and released it late that year.”
While promoting the song, she assembled a playlist of holiday favorites by rock bands and fellow Minnesota musicians. It sparked an idea for a bigger project.
“I loved songs by the Kinks, U2, Bruce Springsteen, and more, but I realized that there was a gaping hole as big as the North Pole in the existence of Christmas songs that rocked,” she says. “I decided to fill that gap, so that became my goal for the first part of 2025. I love Christmas songs! But I particularly love ones that bring a rocker’s sensibility into play.”
Strand’s path from lawyer to novelist to rock artist informs an album full of vivid scenes and personalities. Her storytelling instincts leave room for both the ridiculous and the heartfelt, capturing a season when affection, expectations and everyday absurdity often share the same crowded room.
To bring the project to life, Strand wrote five tracks herself and co-wrote the other five with Minnesota songwriters Ted Hajnasiewicz, Sarah Morris, Amanda B. Perry, Katy Tessman and Doyle Turner. Their Americana sensibilities meet her garage-rock instincts in a mix Strand describes as “controlled chaos.”
The collaborations take Christmas in several directions. “Red Velvet Suit,” co-written with Morris, offers a playful, romantic look at what Mrs. Claus wants for Christmas, while “Truth North,” written with Turner, imagines Santa and the future Mrs. Claus meeting in high school. “Cheer Up (It’s Christmas),” co-written with Hajnasiewicz, brings a reggae-driven bounce to a chaotic family gathering. Tessman and Strand lean into fireside warmth on “Lights May Be Twinkling,” while Perry and Strand reflect on the annual gathering of family and friends in “One More Christmas Song,” featuring piano by Tommy Barbarella of Prince and The New Power Generation.
Across the album, Strand’s influences—including Joan Jett, The Pretenders, The Clash, The Dollyrots and hometown favorites The Replacements and The Melismatics—sit alongside nods to familiar Christmas melodies tucked into intros, solos and unexpected corners.
I WANNA BELIEVE was recorded by Mary Strand & The Garage, featuring Strand on electric guitar and lead vocals; Ryan Smith (Soul Asylum, UltraBomb, The Melismatics) on electric guitar, additional instruments and vocals; Mark Wade (The Melismatics, The Mood Swings) on bass and vocals; and Peter Anderson (The Ocean Blue, Maygen & The Birdwatcher) on drums. Strand’s son, Jack Strand (Loondale), plays drums on the opening title track.
Following the album’s release, Mary Strand & The Garage will celebrate on Friday, December 4, at The Hook & Ladder’s Zen Arcade in Minneapolis. Four of the five co-writers are scheduled to participate, bringing the album’s Minnesota songwriting community together for an evening that also features The Hell And The Quiet and The Silverteens.
RELEASE SCHEDULE
- November 6: “Beyond the Madness”
- November 13: “Happy Holidays”
- November 20: “Crazy Hazy Daze”
- November 27: I WANNA BELIEVE
Stream "Beyond The Madness" Here:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3cBn9enCZgtKtGZsxulj4g?si=TjT...
ABOUT MARY STRAND
Mary Strand is a Minneapolis singer, songwriter, guitarist and novelist whose music combines punk energy, garage-rock grit, pop hooks and sharply observed storytelling. As a former partner in a large law firm, she brings an unconventional creative background to her work with Mary Strand & The Garage. Her 2025 album, I Don’t Need Your Permission, was released through Hygh Tension Records/Virgin Music Group.
Friday, November 6, 2026
Kindness Of Strangers
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| Vivien Leigh |
One of my favorite films is A Streetcar Named Desire. Here is a still from it with Vivien Leigh as Blanche DuBois walking alone down the street suitcase in hand.
It's quite an evocative and powerful image that evokes many emotions and thoughts.
Even though Blanche's famous quote from the film is not stated during this particular shot, for me it fits this shot perfectly.
"Whoever you are—I have always depended on the kindness of strangers"
Indeed.
A Streetcar Named Desire on IMDb -
Thursday, November 5, 2026
Michael's Musings
Hey, You're Too Funky For Me
Michael Shinafelt
"Baby, baby, baby, why do you do this to me?
Won't let you go (won't let you go)You're such a, you're such aBaby, baby, baby, why do you do this to me?I've got to know (I've got to know)(I'm gonna be the kind of lover that you never had)Hey, you're just too funky" - Too Funky, George MichaelThere was a Blue Tidal Wave on Tuesday, release the Kraken! IYKYK
Darlene Graham honored her late brother Lindsey by finishing on bottom, think about it, but not too much.
Current Mood: Too Funky, in case you couldn't tell
Just remember that given the abundance of neurodivergent people in science, it's far more likely autism causes vaccines, that's all
Caught The Burbs on Peacock, I love me some Keke Palmer and she did not disappoint. The show was brisk, entertaining and fun!
The day after Halloween I was bummed that Spooky Season had come to a close
I'm pretty tough for someone who needs a step stool in every room of the house, the more you know...
American Horror Story season 13. WTF was the heaping mess?!
Woman Crush of the Week - Keke Palmer who lit up the cul de sac in The Burbs
On my deathbed, I'm gonna say "I hid 20 million in the..." and then die, discuss
Singer Mike Clifford turns 83 today, stop by and wish him a Happy Birthday here:
Had a coloscopy this past Tuesday, and aren't you happy?!
Never interrupt me when I am communicating with the dead. I said what I said.
Today I am using my powers for ______ the blank is yours to fill in. Choose wisely grasshopper...
Anyway you know where to find me -
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Hump Day & Chill
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| Royal Blue Coleman Domingo |
What a great day today is, thus I thought we would Hump Day & Chill with something blue.
Here to represent that something is Coleman Domingo in a blue cape at the 2025 Met Gala.
King Coleman looks quite resplendent and handsome in said color, as does our country.
Bend it like Coleman and give yourself the royal treatment and Hump Day & Chill by donning something blue.
Coleman on IG -
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Vote!
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| Michael Shinafelt |
“Voting is the expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country, and this world.” - Sharon Salzberg
Have you voted yet? I voted two weeks ago and put it in a drop box.
If you have already voted, congrats! If you haven't what are you waiting for...It's Election Day.
Get out there and make your voice heard Minons!
Election Day tips on the WWW -
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