Jerome
@jmszpila.bsky.social
Astros, Phillies, Flyers, Unions, Socialism, Anabaptism, and Pittsburgh. Sometimes Eagles and Rockets.
Other Interests: music (modern classical, 60s/70s Miles Davis, jazz fusion, Grateful Dead, Yes, Gospel, Ren./Medieval), architecture, birds, and beer
Other Interests: music (modern classical, 60s/70s Miles Davis, jazz fusion, Grateful Dead, Yes, Gospel, Ren./Medieval), architecture, birds, and beer
#4: Vince Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas
I went with a well known album today, and it's a classic for a reason! Nobody captures the mood of a melancholy but yet still somehow beautiful Christmas quite like Guaraldi.
I went with a well known album today, and it's a classic for a reason! Nobody captures the mood of a melancholy but yet still somehow beautiful Christmas quite like Guaraldi.
December 13, 2025 at 1:36 AM
#4: Vince Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas
I went with a well known album today, and it's a classic for a reason! Nobody captures the mood of a melancholy but yet still somehow beautiful Christmas quite like Guaraldi.
I went with a well known album today, and it's a classic for a reason! Nobody captures the mood of a melancholy but yet still somehow beautiful Christmas quite like Guaraldi.
Good thing from the year, Day 12:
I got to catch a #Flyers game in March with my brothers and my uncle. They beat the Sabres by a ton and I had so much fun!
I got to catch a #Flyers game in March with my brothers and my uncle. They beat the Sabres by a ton and I had so much fun!
December 12, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Good thing from the year, Day 12:
I got to catch a #Flyers game in March with my brothers and my uncle. They beat the Sabres by a ton and I had so much fun!
I got to catch a #Flyers game in March with my brothers and my uncle. They beat the Sabres by a ton and I had so much fun!
#3: Bela Fleck and the Flecktones: Jingle All the Way
The band brings their unique jazz-world-bluegrass fusion to Christmas classics in a way that is delightfully weird at times (Jingle Bells with Tibetan throat singers) and virtuosic at others. There's nothing else like it. Might be my favorite!
The band brings their unique jazz-world-bluegrass fusion to Christmas classics in a way that is delightfully weird at times (Jingle Bells with Tibetan throat singers) and virtuosic at others. There's nothing else like it. Might be my favorite!
December 11, 2025 at 9:45 PM
#3: Bela Fleck and the Flecktones: Jingle All the Way
The band brings their unique jazz-world-bluegrass fusion to Christmas classics in a way that is delightfully weird at times (Jingle Bells with Tibetan throat singers) and virtuosic at others. There's nothing else like it. Might be my favorite!
The band brings their unique jazz-world-bluegrass fusion to Christmas classics in a way that is delightfully weird at times (Jingle Bells with Tibetan throat singers) and virtuosic at others. There's nothing else like it. Might be my favorite!
#2: Nonesuch Records, Renaissance Choral Music for Christmas
There's probably a dozen similar albums I could have used instead. There's something so immensely beautiful about Renaissance music in general, and the Christmas hymns and songs are my favorite genre of Christmas music
There's probably a dozen similar albums I could have used instead. There's something so immensely beautiful about Renaissance music in general, and the Christmas hymns and songs are my favorite genre of Christmas music
December 11, 2025 at 9:40 PM
#2: Nonesuch Records, Renaissance Choral Music for Christmas
There's probably a dozen similar albums I could have used instead. There's something so immensely beautiful about Renaissance music in general, and the Christmas hymns and songs are my favorite genre of Christmas music
There's probably a dozen similar albums I could have used instead. There's something so immensely beautiful about Renaissance music in general, and the Christmas hymns and songs are my favorite genre of Christmas music
#FavoriteChristmasAlbums
#1: Pete Seeger, Traditional Christmas Carols
Pete plays a variety of folk tunes and hymns with banjo and vocals.
What makes this album special is that he plays these songs beautifully. His mother collected early folk tunes, including some of these lesser known songs!
#1: Pete Seeger, Traditional Christmas Carols
Pete plays a variety of folk tunes and hymns with banjo and vocals.
What makes this album special is that he plays these songs beautifully. His mother collected early folk tunes, including some of these lesser known songs!
December 10, 2025 at 12:53 AM
#FavoriteChristmasAlbums
#1: Pete Seeger, Traditional Christmas Carols
Pete plays a variety of folk tunes and hymns with banjo and vocals.
What makes this album special is that he plays these songs beautifully. His mother collected early folk tunes, including some of these lesser known songs!
#1: Pete Seeger, Traditional Christmas Carols
Pete plays a variety of folk tunes and hymns with banjo and vocals.
What makes this album special is that he plays these songs beautifully. His mother collected early folk tunes, including some of these lesser known songs!
#nowlistening - Pittsburgh Symphony, Manfred Honeck conducting
Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man
Beethoven - Violin Concerto featuring David McCarroll, soloist
Shostakovich - Symphony 5
With my oldest son
Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man
Beethoven - Violin Concerto featuring David McCarroll, soloist
Shostakovich - Symphony 5
With my oldest son
December 7, 2025 at 7:30 PM
#nowlistening - Pittsburgh Symphony, Manfred Honeck conducting
Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man
Beethoven - Violin Concerto featuring David McCarroll, soloist
Shostakovich - Symphony 5
With my oldest son
Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man
Beethoven - Violin Concerto featuring David McCarroll, soloist
Shostakovich - Symphony 5
With my oldest son
I love downtown Pittsburgh in December!
December 7, 2025 at 12:21 AM
I love downtown Pittsburgh in December!
Had to get the Grateful Dead named beer (Black Muddy River) - it's a delicious imperial black IPA
December 6, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Had to get the Grateful Dead named beer (Black Muddy River) - it's a delicious imperial black IPA
Ok, gathered the whole family
Much better picture this time and my youngest... Well, she's being herself!
Much better picture this time and my youngest... Well, she's being herself!
December 6, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Ok, gathered the whole family
Much better picture this time and my youngest... Well, she's being herself!
Much better picture this time and my youngest... Well, she's being herself!
Catching the Nutcracker with the family. Just the boys in the picture because we had to split up to all get "affordable" seats.
My older son is here under protest, as you can clearly see
My older son is here under protest, as you can clearly see
December 6, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Catching the Nutcracker with the family. Just the boys in the picture because we had to split up to all get "affordable" seats.
My older son is here under protest, as you can clearly see
My older son is here under protest, as you can clearly see
If you see this, post your favorite Pokémon
December 6, 2025 at 4:17 PM
If you see this, post your favorite Pokémon
#rootrootread
Finished a bunch of books recently, as pictured. None qualified for any of my Book Bingo spaces.
The one that really stuck out to me was Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could. Very engaging coming of age book about a girl in a black separatist community
Finished a bunch of books recently, as pictured. None qualified for any of my Book Bingo spaces.
The one that really stuck out to me was Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could. Very engaging coming of age book about a girl in a black separatist community
December 4, 2025 at 2:37 AM
#rootrootread
Finished a bunch of books recently, as pictured. None qualified for any of my Book Bingo spaces.
The one that really stuck out to me was Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could. Very engaging coming of age book about a girl in a black separatist community
Finished a bunch of books recently, as pictured. None qualified for any of my Book Bingo spaces.
The one that really stuck out to me was Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi. I'd give it 4.5 stars if I could. Very engaging coming of age book about a girl in a black separatist community
I was looking up the Twins/Senators catchers who played the most games, and I swear half these names are AI-generated.
"Muddy Ruel"
"Patsy Gharrity"
"Ed Fitz Gerald"
"Muddy Ruel"
"Patsy Gharrity"
"Ed Fitz Gerald"
December 3, 2025 at 2:22 PM
I was looking up the Twins/Senators catchers who played the most games, and I swear half these names are AI-generated.
"Muddy Ruel"
"Patsy Gharrity"
"Ed Fitz Gerald"
"Muddy Ruel"
"Patsy Gharrity"
"Ed Fitz Gerald"
Also excited to finally get a copy of this book by @pastortrey05.com that's been on my Christmas list for a couple years now:
November 28, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Also excited to finally get a copy of this book by @pastortrey05.com that's been on my Christmas list for a couple years now:
Excited to listen to this album! Two of my musical worlds collide - Gospel and Classical! Carlos Simon assembled a world class group of musicians for this album
November 28, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Excited to listen to this album! Two of my musical worlds collide - Gospel and Classical! Carlos Simon assembled a world class group of musicians for this album
Celebrating Christmas with the in-laws today
November 28, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Celebrating Christmas with the in-laws today
I also read this book because it's very popular with my students. Similar to the Sisters Grimm, the Land of Stories imagines that fairy tales really exist.
This book, written by Glee actor Chris Colfer, is a neat idea but poorly written. My eyes were rolling the entire time.
This book, written by Glee actor Chris Colfer, is a neat idea but poorly written. My eyes were rolling the entire time.
November 24, 2025 at 1:55 AM
I also read this book because it's very popular with my students. Similar to the Sisters Grimm, the Land of Stories imagines that fairy tales really exist.
This book, written by Glee actor Chris Colfer, is a neat idea but poorly written. My eyes were rolling the entire time.
This book, written by Glee actor Chris Colfer, is a neat idea but poorly written. My eyes were rolling the entire time.
I also finished re-reading these books with my students:
How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Connor, a page turner told from the perspective of a homeless girl.
The Sisters Grimm Book 1 by Michael Buckley, an excellent mystery/adventure book and series where fairly tales are real life
How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Connor, a page turner told from the perspective of a homeless girl.
The Sisters Grimm Book 1 by Michael Buckley, an excellent mystery/adventure book and series where fairly tales are real life
November 24, 2025 at 1:55 AM
I also finished re-reading these books with my students:
How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Connor, a page turner told from the perspective of a homeless girl.
The Sisters Grimm Book 1 by Michael Buckley, an excellent mystery/adventure book and series where fairly tales are real life
How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Connor, a page turner told from the perspective of a homeless girl.
The Sisters Grimm Book 1 by Michael Buckley, an excellent mystery/adventure book and series where fairly tales are real life
#rootrootread
Finished a few books recently, but only one for Book Bingo.
Brandi Carlile's Broken Horses was my book by a LGBTQ+ author. It was interesting, a real rags to riches story. The first 2/3 was great, but when it gets to where she gets famous, it feels like it's all name dropping.
Finished a few books recently, but only one for Book Bingo.
Brandi Carlile's Broken Horses was my book by a LGBTQ+ author. It was interesting, a real rags to riches story. The first 2/3 was great, but when it gets to where she gets famous, it feels like it's all name dropping.
November 24, 2025 at 1:55 AM
#rootrootread
Finished a few books recently, but only one for Book Bingo.
Brandi Carlile's Broken Horses was my book by a LGBTQ+ author. It was interesting, a real rags to riches story. The first 2/3 was great, but when it gets to where she gets famous, it feels like it's all name dropping.
Finished a few books recently, but only one for Book Bingo.
Brandi Carlile's Broken Horses was my book by a LGBTQ+ author. It was interesting, a real rags to riches story. The first 2/3 was great, but when it gets to where she gets famous, it feels like it's all name dropping.
Baked my first apple pie in 20ish years! Need to work on my presentation, but I'm getting better at working with crust and this pie smells heavenly.
(Not pictured: the pumpkin pies I made a week and a half ago which I accidentally over spiced with allspice 😬)
(Not pictured: the pumpkin pies I made a week and a half ago which I accidentally over spiced with allspice 😬)
November 22, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Baked my first apple pie in 20ish years! Need to work on my presentation, but I'm getting better at working with crust and this pie smells heavenly.
(Not pictured: the pumpkin pies I made a week and a half ago which I accidentally over spiced with allspice 😬)
(Not pictured: the pumpkin pies I made a week and a half ago which I accidentally over spiced with allspice 😬)
Perfect album that came out when I was 16:
(It's either this or The New Pornographers' Mass Romantic but I like this one better)
(It's either this or The New Pornographers' Mass Romantic but I like this one better)
November 17, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Perfect album that came out when I was 16:
(It's either this or The New Pornographers' Mass Romantic but I like this one better)
(It's either this or The New Pornographers' Mass Romantic but I like this one better)
#nowspinning - Bruce Hornsby, Non Secure Connection
I picked up these three Bruce Hornsby albums yesterday. I couldn't help myself, there was a sale and they were a good deal! Bryce Hornsby is one of my top 10 artists/composers.
Non Secure Connections might be my least favorite album of his
I picked up these three Bruce Hornsby albums yesterday. I couldn't help myself, there was a sale and they were a good deal! Bryce Hornsby is one of my top 10 artists/composers.
Non Secure Connections might be my least favorite album of his
November 16, 2025 at 11:58 PM
#nowspinning - Bruce Hornsby, Non Secure Connection
I picked up these three Bruce Hornsby albums yesterday. I couldn't help myself, there was a sale and they were a good deal! Bryce Hornsby is one of my top 10 artists/composers.
Non Secure Connections might be my least favorite album of his
I picked up these three Bruce Hornsby albums yesterday. I couldn't help myself, there was a sale and they were a good deal! Bryce Hornsby is one of my top 10 artists/composers.
Non Secure Connections might be my least favorite album of his