Good Reading

A man ought to read just as inclination leads him;  for what he reads as a task will do him little good.
––     Samuel Johnson
From:  “The Life of Samuel Johnson“
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On This Day In:
2022	How About: Just Be Kind…
2021	Try To Choose Wisely
	Found It
2020	We Have A Window
2019	No Escape
2018	Except When It Is From The Oval Office
2017	Bad Karma
2016	Poor Management Choices
2015	Is It Still Dark Out?
2014	Rule One
2013	Spelling God’s Name
2012	Love Your Life And Sing
	Feeling Under the Weather?
2011	Cheers, Friend!

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Some Of Us Sit Quietly (Indoors), Read And Drink Coffee

On vacations:  We hit the sunny beaches where we occupy ourselves keeping the sun off our skin, the saltwater off our bodies, and the sand out of our belongings.
—    Erma Bombeck
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On This Day In:
2022	Sometimes I’m Confused
2021	You Need Me On That Wall
	Counting Bees And Chasing Clouds
2020	Precious Life
2019	Nothing Is Too Difficult For Me
	Patterns Of Caring
2018	And May Never Be
2017	Don’t Forget
2016	I Was A Percentage Man
2015	It Waits Patiently
2014	Unknown
2013	Explaining Love?
2012	Echoes of 1%
2011	Salaam, Egypt!!
	Where Do You Learn?

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Un-Wired

Today was a surprisingly emotion tugging day for me…  I received a notification of subscription renewal for Wired Magazine for just shy of $30 for the year (a monthly issue – hard-copy via “snail-mail”).  This is more than normal (at least in the past) and I just don’t believe I can justify the continued subscription now I’m into my sixth year of retirement.  So, I’ve canceled my subscription…
I started reading Wired back in 2000, when I got hired as a web-development manager in San Francisco (just before the “dot-bomb”) at a “dot-com”.  The company I was working at had a whole bookshelf of every back issue of Wired from inception to present (2000).  I started at issue #1 and read them all – cover to cover – during the time I was separated from my family.  After I got current, I purchased my own subscription and have maintained it all of these 20+ years – until today.  So, I am probably one of just a few people who can say they’ve read EVERY issue of almost 30 years of Wired.  Interestingly, (to me anyway), I was the only person at the company who EVER read the magazine.  I asked!  I also asked why we kept the annual subscription if no one read the magazine, and was told:  “We have a handful of subscriptions and we just renew them all each year.”
Now, in full disclosure, I have to qualify that I’m “currently” a few months behind in my reading, due to “life issues”, so you will probably see multiple quotes from 2022 issues in the future as I wrap up the outstanding reading.  My future son-in-law is also a hard-copy subscriber, and he’s promised to hold on to and pass along his copies.  Other than that, there’s always the public library…
Having cancelled my subscription to Time Magazine last year (June 2022 – after a near 50 year relationship), it feels strange to cut another string from my past primary written information sources.
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On This Day In:
2022	You Ought To Be Having Fun
2021	Democrats Talking To Republicans
	Talkin’ To Myself And Feelin’ Old
2020	You Are Not Late (Yet)
2019	Too Difficult To Try
2018	Hold Fast
2017	The Only Real Security
2016	Time Said
2015	If Only Common Sense Were More Common
2014	PTI
2013	What Now, Then?
2012	Big C, Little B
	Duty, Honor, Country

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Prairie Life

Today’s review is for the book: “My Ántonia” (1918©) written by Willa Cather.  This book is considered her first masterpiece.  The book was given to me by Craig Carrozzi, a high school friend / football teammate, who is himself a published author.  I reviewed one of his books (“The Curse of Chief Tenaya“) and he felt this book had a similar “feel” to his work, so he gave it to me when we recently went to lunch. The work is loosely based on Cather’s own experiences growing up on the Nebraska prairie and those of a actual immigrant (Annie Pavelka) who worked as a “hired girl”.
The book revolves around two main characters:  James (Jim) Burton – the books narrator, and Ántonia Shimerda. “Jim” is a recently orphaned boy from Virginia and Ántonia is a slightly older (by four years) girl recently immigrated from Bohemia (currently Czech Republic) with her family as they all start their new lives in a farming town in Nebraska at the end of the 1900’s and through the early 20th century.  The narrator tells the tale of his growing up and his friendship with the “girl next door” and some of the changes they see in the American West.
The book begins with an introduction (narrated by the author) of Burton which (unknown to the reader) provides the framework and conclusion of the main narration – although I did not fully realize this until after the book was finished.  It then reminded me of watching an episode of “Columbo” – a TV detective / police series from the 70’s / 80’s known for starting each episode of the show with the crime and the audience knows who the culprit is so the only question is whether the “bumbling” detective can figure out how the crime was done and who is the guilty party.  Thematically, the author and the narrator meet on a train ride and spend time discussing their shared childhood.  The discussion passes to Ántonia and the author asks the narrator to tell Ántonia’s story because he (Burton) knew Ántonia so much better.  Ultimately, the boy grows up to be a wealthy New York attorney (we are led to believe unhappily married and childless) and Ántonia grows up to be a poor farmer’s wife and mother of almost a dozen kids.  Having written and presented his version of events as instructed, the narrator gives his text to the female passenger who then decides not to write her version.
Post “Introduction”, the book is Burton’s narrated story(ies).  The novel is divided into multiple(5) “books” and each of those broken into multiple chapters of – normally – two to five pages.  My version of the book totals 136 pages, in fairly small print.  The book is a very fast read, but I broke it up over several days because I was enjoying it and wanted to savor the words as much as the story.
So, is this book any good?  Is it insightful or “just” entertaining?  And, of course, do I recommend it?  Yes, this book is good!  It is both insightful AND entertaining.  And, I highly recommend it!
This is not my typical taste in reading.  Although nominally, describing the full lives of two individuals and a few other minor-characters, it doesn’t “really” have a build up and climax.  It just kind of rambles on like the “Great Plains” themselves.  This, in itself is interesting because the book supposedly describes the settling of the American “West”.  In point of fact, this is what we (Americans) now consider the “fly-over” portion of the country – the plains and Mississippi-Missouri river valley separating the Rockies from the Appalachian Mountains.  In any case, the natural beauty of the land is lovingly described in picturesque detail.  As mentioned above, I enjoyed the vivid descriptions so much I slowed down my reading so I could dawdle over and savor the words and sentences.  Every page is used to capture the sights, colors, smells and textures of whatever is being described – from mud holes, to linen sheets, to grains waving in the winds, to snow and ice turning to mush.
Final recommendation:  Very highly recommended!  Living in our current day and age, with all of our modern conveniences, it is near impossible to comprehend how difficult it must have been even just 100 years ago, to come to a new country / state and start (in some cases literally) from a cave dug into the ground and then to go on and make a life for yourself and your family.  It was a bit transfixing to read about this struggle and think for that generation, there was nothing else to do but to get on with it – and they did…
Final Note:  This book is out of copyright and available for free downloading at / from several web sites in several formats.
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On This Day In:
2021	The Question Is Courage
	Never Change
2020	Two Quotes Which Remind Me Of Our Lame Duck President
	Still Running
2019	I’m Up For Trying
	60 Day Health / Weight Update (Nov 2019)
2018	#PresidentBoneSpur
2017	My Staggering Confusion
	Zapped!!!
2016	And Bloggers?
2015	Ethical Energy
2014	Are You Likely To Defend It?
2013	Might As Well
2012	The Long And Short Of It
2011	Bravery

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For Some… Not All

Reading is like the sex act – done privately, and often in bed.
—     Daniel J. Boorstin
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On This Day In:
2021	Does Blogging Count?
	Another Notch
2020	Even Being President For Almost Four Years
	#45: Crying About The American Voters
	Dying Isn’t Much Of A Way To Make A Living Boy
2019	And Autumnal Foliage
2018	Up Hill, Both Ways
2017	Trump Carnivores – The Revolution So Far
2016	Election Results
2015	Speak Louder
2014	Why I Frequently Give In
2013	Am Remembering
2012	Sustained Fear
2011	Commitment

 

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Silent Preferences

Reading requires a loner’s temperament, a high tolerance for silence, and an unhealthy preference for the company of people who are imaginary or dead.
—     David Samuels
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On This Day In:
2021	In Between
	Summertime Memories
2020	A Poverty Of Attention In An Attention Economy
	Don’t Forget
2019	Boxes
2018	Hoping For Better Come November
	An Honest Binge
2017	Give And Keep
2016	No Change Here
2015	Campbell’s Law
2014	Dignified Values
2013	Unappreciated Skill
2012	Living Courage
2011	What’s Happening To Us?
2010	Toothbrush, Carbon and Monoxide Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!

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My Intentions Are Good

I don’t want anyone writing in to point out that I spend too much money on books, many of which I will never read.  I know that already.  I certainly intend to read all of them, more or less.  My intentions are good.  Anyway, it’s my money.  And I’ll bet you do it too.
—     Nick Hornby
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On This Day In:
2021	False Freedom And Failure
	Doing It On The One
2020	A Short Count
	Two Loves
2019	Don’t Forget: Fire Burns
2018	Especially In The Middle East
2017	A Good Local
2016	Life Unlimited
2015	Still Trying
2014	Destiny, n.
2013	No Apologies
2012	Utterly Convinced
2011	A Key To Effectiveness

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The End Of Time

WAY back when I was starting high school (just before the meteor killed most of the dinosaurs), I signed up for a social studies / current events class.  As our homework, we were expected to become familiar with current events by reading at least one “national” publication (as opposed to a local newspaper with national news).  My mom always tried to encourage our reading so she signed up for three (four actually):  Time Magazine, Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report.  The fourth was more for herself and the whole family:  Life Magazine.
Thus began my (more or less) life-long subscription to Time Magazine…
We dropped the other two after the first year’s subscriptions ran out – but she kept me going on Time.  There was a brief lapse while I was in the military and in training, but I picked it back up when I got stationed in Germany for my last two years.  I was reading the “International / European” edition.  I didn’t realize there was a “different” version until after I’d already subscribed.  I just assumed everybody in the world got the same news – after all, our “national” version contained international and European news.  But of course, this was a completely different focus / emphasis and I – being the ugly American – resented I wasn’t getting as much American news.
Anyway, I kept it up when I got out and went to college and, in fact increased my subscriptions to include the Time / Life book series on “understanding computers”, the book series on history and civilization, the book series “Reading Program” – (kind of a mini-“Great Books”) secondary works of famous authors, and two music series: “Great Men of Music” (classical composers) and “Big Bands”.  I continued my weekly subscription when we moved to Liverpool and again upon returning to the Bay Area.
Now, however, my 50+ year relationship with Time has run its course.  My subscription ended towards the end of last summer (2021).  For whatever reason, they continued to send me issues until the end of January this year (2022), but I did not and will not be renewing my subscription.
There are three primary reasons for my non-renewal:  1)  As of five years ago, I retired and funds are getting tighter.  Now don’t get me wrong…  I can still “afford” the subscription.  I just choose to spend the limited discretionary funds on other things.  2)  the magazine has gone from a weekly to a every-other-week magazine.  They are under pressure to turn everything over to the internet and are apparently struggling to keep up staff, quality and quantity.  The practical effect was the weekly was getting thinner and thinner.  Their shift has “almost” restored the number of pages in any given issue, but it’s still only half as many pages of information.  And, 3)  the magazine has modified the typeface in their hard-copy.  I’m fairly confident they explained / justified their reasons for doing this in one of their editor columns, but frankly, it (the magazine) is just less appealing to look at now.  And so I’m moving on…
And just to make a long story (post) longer…  Why now?  If the subscription ended last year and the “bonus” issues back in January, why am I writing this (blog post) is the end of “Time“?
It’s purely personal.  I get the issue in the mail.  I take a quick glance to see if there’s anything I “NEED” to know about now.  I read that.  The issue then goes into my “throne” rack to be read cover to cover when I’m doing “something else”.  So, now, at the end of six months, I’m all caught up and “moving” to other things…
I am continuing my subscription to “Wired” magazine and I will be occasionally be posting quotes from that source.   I will miss the Red border and (regretfully) I’m sure my overall knowledge of current events will suffer / decline.
Back in the Principal’s Office of my high school, there was a framed question on the wall:  “Time is passing…  Are you?“
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On This Day In:
2021	Best To Be Trained And Educated
	The Great Relief
2020	Diversity And Uniqueness
2019	Ebb And Flow
2018	America: Paging #45
2017	Near By
2016	Maybe Someday
2015	How’s The Cow?
2014	Mind Made Up
2013	On Purpose
2012	The Dream
2011	What Could Be More Comfortable?

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A Little Epiphany

I suddenly had a little epiphany:  all the books we own, both read and unread, are the fullest expression of self we have at our disposal.  …  But with each passing year, and with each whimsical purchase, our libraries become more and more able to articulate who we are, whether we read the books or not.
—     Nick Hornby
[A similar quote was found at one of the blogs I follow:  A Pondering Mind
The specific post is located at:  All The Books We Own – A Pondering Mind
This slightly longer version came from:  AZ Quotes.com
Both are highly recommended.    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	A Little Epiphany
2021	Clear Global Standards
	A Girl Like You
2020	Life’s Mysteries
2019	I Doubt I Ever Will
2018	Who Will Thank (If Not Remember) Me
2017	Reinforced Learning
2016	I Choose To Believe
2015	What They Don’t Teach You At School
2014	Still Trying To Die (5)
2013	Honest Doubt
2012	Choice
2011	Ownership Of Thought

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Desert Springs

A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people.  It is a never failing spring in the desert.
―     Andrew Carnegie
[Found at one of the blogs I follow:  “I didn’t have my glasses on….“
Located at:  https://ididnthavemyglasseson.com/
The specific post is at:  https://ididnthavemyglasseson.com/2017/03/11/im-a-reflection-of-the-community-tupac-shakur/
Please visit the original blog / site if you have a minute…    —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	Desert Springs
2021	And Usually The Former
	The Real Heir…
2020	The Doggie Dab
	A Fork In The Road
2019	#LyingDonald’s Problem With The News And Truth
2018	Oh, Hell
2017	No Welcome Mat Here
2016	Making It Up
	A Missed Beat
2015	We Are All Explorers
2014	Still Trying To Cope
2013	Dear Diary (A good chuckle!)
2012	Conveniently Sequential
2011	King’s Speech Number Four
	Rational Probability

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Overbooked

Give me a room whose every nook is dedicated to a book.
—    Robert Southey
[We recently had a neighbor drop in.  She had been discussing books with my wife and wanted to drop off one she had just finished and was recommending.  (Readers are the biggest “pushers” in the world.)  Anyway, the neighbor was saying she had far too many books and she needed to donate / give away some of them.  My wife chuckled.  The neighbor looked quizzical…  I opened the door to one of my rooms and she saw a wall of books / LP’s / CD’s approximately 18ft long and shelved from floor to ceiling (mostly books).  I said that’s only one of two rooms.  My wife thanked her and said she’ll be happy to borrow some books.    —   kmab]
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On This Day In:
2022	Overbooked
2021	One Month In: Learning To Play Guitar
	Cause The Melody Keeps Haunting Me
2020	Working On My 2019 Tax Returns
2019	Three Beliefs
2018	He Found Them On-Line
2017	Maybe In A Future World
2016	Largely A Mystery
2015	Tools And Weapons
2014	Likes And Dislikes
2013	Pillars Of Learning
2012	Another JCoM Review
	Move It
2011	Expected Value

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What Should Be Universal Exercise

Literature can train, and exercise, our ability to weep for those who are not us or ours.
––     Susan Sontag
From:  “At the Same Time: Essays and Speeches“
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On This Day In:
2021	What Should Be Universal Exercise
	I’m So Glad
2020	Trying To Keep On Keeping On
	Bending
2019	Ooops (Again)
2018	Two Start Up Front
2017	I Love America Because…
	An Act Of God
	And So It Came To Pass (Act Of God part 2)
2016	As Far From
2015	Rocky 7
	Just Like Politics
2014	Game And Legend
	“Scientific” Pride In Humanity
2013	Real Honor
	Catching Up
2012	Thoughts And Communications
2011	But How Does Peter Feel?
2010	Name That Regret

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Four Fifths Of Music

“The Circle Of Fifths For Guitarists” (2017©)   —   book review
This review is for the first guitar book (non-song book category) which I have finished reading.  Hopefully, there will be many more in the future…
The book is written by:  Joseph Alexander and is part of a series of learning about music / guitar titled:  “Fundamental Changes“.  There is an associated website at:  www.fundamental-changes.com.  It also has associated Facebook and Instagram blah-blah-blah…
Background:
In January of this year (2021), I decided to teach myself to play guitar.  I’ve now purchased multiple guitars (acoustic and electric) and about a dozen books on learning music and learning how to play various genres of guitar.  I am trying to “find” my voice on both hardware and in music.  I am doing this (journey / vision-quest) “mostly” through YouTube, Wikipedia, Google and my local second hand bookstore.  I am averaging about one hour a day of hands-on practice and another couple of hours exploring genres, music theory, musicians / bands / songs, and hardware reviews.  Although I have (probably) over 300 hours of hands-on practice, I still consider myself to be a near complete-beginner guitarist.  I have watched multiple hours worth of videos on “The Circle of Fifths” and given this book is only a little over sixty pages of material, I’ve spent far more time watching videos than I actually spent reading this book.
Review:
Having said this, the questions remain:  is THIS a good book about the topic and would I recommend it to others?  The answer to both is:  “YES“.
First (good):  this is not a particularly easy topic to cover / explain.  I may feel this way simply because I’m such a beginner, but I’ve asked a few people who’ve “played” guitar in the past and they (mostly) said:  “Just learn some chords and play songs. Nobody is interested in theory.”  The problem is: I AM!!  Not only am I interested in guitar (as a physical instrument), I am also interested in it as a means of musical expression.  I seek to “Grok” guitar.  This means I have to learn the how’s and why’s of just about everything “guitar”.  Hence, my interest in the topic:  “The Circle of Fifths” (TCoF).
Alexander has written a very easy to read explanation of TCoF and I feel this book significantly increased the depth and breadth of my understanding of this music tool.  Obviously TCoF is a tool for all musicians and not limited to just use by guitarists.  Having said this, the author appropriately makes the effort to explain things from / for a guitarist’s point of view.  He defines words / terms when he first uses them, so ensuring the budding guitarist knows what he is talking about.  Alexander also takes the time to briefly explain some things beyond the scope of the book and cautions readers when a side topic is going to get deep.  Basically, he explains fundamental concepts clearly and then builds on the foundation to round out the reader’s understanding.
As mentioned earlier, there is an associated website with audio files which can be played to increase understanding by ear training and not simply expecting the reader to “understand” a point by reading about it.  This is a book about practical application of theory to music (sound).
Second (bad):  If that’s the good, what’s wrong?  Well, my copy came to me with every third page glued together.  Not consecutive pages, but facing pages and every other set:  two pages open, two pages glued, etc.  The glued spot was pretty uniform at about two inches in from the center / binding.  Most were only spots.  A few were lengths (a quarter inch to two inches) running from binding margin to the center of text.  A couple were the full height of the page as well as being over an inch in width.  Most could be pulled free.  Three of the sets completely shredded the opposite page – which meant you couldn’t read the back of that page either, even though it wasn’t glued.  Fortunately, the worst pages were at the extreme front and end of the book.  When contacted, the response was:  the books are printed and delivered by Amazon;  take it back to them and they’ll arrange to give you another.  If this was a hardbound book or more expensive, I would have done this.  Weighing the cost versus my time, I just decided to live with what I have.  And, after all, the book was still readable.  Although annoying in multiple locations, I could figure out the missing words from surrounding context.
Third (bad):  The book had a handful (less than five) of editing errors where either a word was dropped or an incorrect word was used.  Only one was so bad (impactful) that I had to go back and re-read adjoining text to ensure I knew what the author was saying instead of what it looked like he was saying.  I would add, I personally would NEVER buy this type of book in kindle format without having seen the complete book on whatever hardware version I owned.  There is too much valuable information easily accessible by laying out two pages and seeing them next to each other in a readable size / format.  In fairness, I am a “book” person, not an “ebook” person.  Of course, with kindle I wouldn’t have had the glue issue.
Final recommendation:  strong recommendation.  If you are interested in learning a bit about music theory, how chords and keys are built and how chords work together to create music, this is an excellent beginner’s resource.  Is it going to “vastly” improve MY music skills.  Not in the immediate future.  I’m not that good, yet.  But I’ll get there some day and I believe reading this book will have helped me get there sooner than if I’d not read it.  I will look for this author and series in my local used book stores where I can open and check the pages before I buy the book.
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On This Day In:
2022	Still Looking
2021	Misunderestimated
	The Sincerest Form Of Flattery
	Four Fifths Of Music
2020	Doctor’s Orders
	Make That Seven Orders…
2019	Innocent
2018	Ripost
2017	Just Asking…
2016	And 4
	How Tall Do You Stand?
2015	More Prejudice
2014	Say What?
2013	Daring Errors
2012	Are You Comfortable?
	I Just Have To
	In Flux
2011	True New
2010	A Job Well Started Is A Job Half Done
	I See With My One Good Eye

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Or Internet Access To My Blog

I never travel without my diary.  One should always have something sensational to read in the train.
––     Oscar Wilde
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On This Day In:
2020	The Spirit Of A Fighter, The Heart Of A Saint
	Corporate Cults
2019	Most Hire
	Just The Three Of Us
2018	Sounds Like #45’s White House
2017	Have We Started Winning Yet?
2016	Still Springy
2015	Well Concealed
2014	The History Of Warriors
2013	A Cult Of Ignorance
2012	Counting Valor
	Understanding Faith
2011	I Can Hear You Now
2010	Inception

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Sift And Stir

What counts, in the long run, is not what you read;  it is what you sift through your own mind; it is the ideas and impressions that are aroused in you by your reading.  It is the ideas stirred in your own mind, the ideas which are a reflection of your own thinking, which make you an interesting person.
—     Eleanor Roosevelt
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On This Day In:
2020	Role Reversal
	Time To Defend The Constitution (Part I)
	Time To Defend The Constitution (Part II)
2019	Right Or Wrong
2018	Open Doors
2017	When It Deserves It
2016	Expiation For Rest
2015	You’ll Get Through It
2014	A Special Kind Of Fall
2013	Very Rewarding
2012	MIB3 – The Team Is Closer Than Ever
	Yet
2011	Little By Little

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