Day twenty-three of furlough. I woke up early, grabbed my Starbucks, because of course I did, and stared into the middle distance while contemplating my next career move. After twenty-three days of government shutdown, the options are getting creative. Top […]
Day twenty-two of furlough. I actually slept in until 0700, which is practically noon by my recent standards. Progress, or exhaustion — hard to tell anymore. Breakfast was the classic Instant Oats with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon, dependable as ever, […]
Day twenty-one of furlough. I woke up at 0515, earlier than necessary and far too early for someone still technically “not working.” My alarm didn’t even go off, my body just decided it was time to act like I had […]
Day twenty of furlough. I woke early, grabbed my keys, and headed out to drop off Ol’ Blue for the final round of her 60,000-mile maintenance. She’s earned it. After all the miles, adventures, and questionable road snacks, she deserves […]
Day nineteen of furlough. The great New Orleans adventure is over, and the Living Room Republic has returned to standard operating procedures. No airports, no jazz, no questionable hotel plumbing. just the comfort of my own coffee mug and a […]
Day eighteen of furlough. The day began before the sun, departure from New Orleans, caffeine in hand, airport chaos in full swing. TSA lines, half-awake travelers, and that unmistakable airport coffee smell — burnt hope and anxiety. We were wheels […]
Day seventeen of furlough. The day began with caffeine, optimism, and the faint hope that New Orleans might smell better in daylight. It did, marginally. Breakfast was forgettable, but the sights were not. We spent the entire day exploring The […]
Day sixteen of furlough. What a 24-hour period. We arrived safely in New Orleans, but “safe” is about the only thing that went as planned. Spirits were high upon arrival, caffeine steady, optimism intact, and then the city welcomed us […]
Day fifteen of furlough. I woke up at 0600 — early, alert, and fueled by sheer habit. Breakfast was an Einstein Bros. Bagel and the usual Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha, a combination that screams “family coordination in progress.” The in-laws […]
Day fourteen of furlough. I woke at 0600 to the sweet sound of… nothing. No alarms, no barking, no digital mutiny. Just calm. Breakfast was a Yoplait Peach Yogurt — light, efficient, and vaguely healthy, which is a nice change […]
Day thirteen of furlough. I woke at 0600, which feels less like waking up and more like clocking in for a job that doesn’t currently exist. Breakfast was leftover donuts — the taste of victory, defiance, and poor impulse control […]
Day twelve of furlough. I woke at 0630 — not by alarm, not by the dog, but by the irresistible pull of caffeine. Some people rise to chase greatness; I rise to chase Starbucks. Breakfast was a homemade McMuffin and […]
Day eleven of furlough. I woke at 0615, which at this point counts as sleeping in. Progress. Breakfast was a box of Shipley’s Donuts — the breakfast of champions, or at least of furloughed civilians pretending not to care about […]
Day ten of furlough. I woke at 0600 — not out of necessity, but apparently out of muscle memory. My alarm didn’t even get the chance to contribute. The government may be on pause, but my body clock clearly missed […]
Day nine of furlough. I woke at 0545 — not because of an alarm, not because of the dog, not because of some patriotic sense of purpose… but simply because my body decided that sleep is optional now. Who knows […]
I’ve mostly been dropping songs as I finish them, just one at a time.
This next release is a little different. Dirt, Love & Freedom is 12 of those songs gathered into one album. Same music, same heart, just all in one place.
January 23, 2026.
© 2026 MustBTV. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from MustBTV is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided full and clear credit is given to MustBTV with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
