CURRENT VINYL PLAYLIST 5/30/22 - CATCHING UP

 Current Vinyl Playlist VOL 5

This is the fifth installment on my new regular entry on this mess of a blog...

I'm working hard on catching up.   

Here's four that were waiting for a blog post about:

1) Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92

IMO, this is where you start if you are interested in getting into ambient techno.  A good starting point since this is the album that kicked off this whole genre.  

 2) Idles - Ultra Mono

One of my favorite releases of 2020, this British post-punk outfit will remind you of Sleaford Mods and the Fall at the same time.    Here's the promo clip of "Mr Motivator",the first single from the LP.   I guess one can call it aggressively fun.

3) Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia: The Moonlight Edition

A few months ago, once I saw this on the shelf, I had to pick up this double album.  One of the best dance-pop albums ever made, this is the bonus version with an extra album full of bonus tracks and a remix of "Levitating".  This is just hard to not like, even though I'm really not into this genre.

4) The Damned - The Rockfield Files

Forty-five years and still going strong, The Damned returned to the studio of their early 80's LPs The Black Album and Strawberries and pumped out this 4 song EP in late 2020.  OVer the past 20 years, they've honed their own unique sound - a version of psychedelic tinged goth punk that works great on this.  Can't wait for more.

Be back in a week of so with more.  I'm getting more records faster than I can post about.

Toodle-oo.

CURRENT VINYL PLAYLIST 5/19/22 - MAINLY INDIE STUFF

 Current Vinyl Playlist VOL 4

This is the fourth installment on my new regular entry on this mess of a blog.

I have so many records, I can do this every day and have new material for 2 solid years with 7 per day.  I ran out of room in my "office"

Here's what I pulled off the shelf this week:

Here's what I pulled off the shelf. Starting at the upper left

1) In The Pines - Slow Blink

I did not know Cincinnati  Neo-Pych was a thing.  Pretty cool stuff.  I do not know how or why I got this, but it's good in a indie shoegaze kind of thing

Here's the only video from this:

2) Meat Puppets - Dusty Notes

Got that inde/americana sound and has that twang in the vocals that scream "Meat Puppets"

3) Elvis Depressedly - Holo Pleasures / California Dreamin' 

This is SUPER Lo-Fi.  This may be one of the worst sounding records I have.  Not the quality of the music, but the sheer lo-fi / awful recording. And I like lo-fi...

4) Monks - Hamburg Recordings 1967

This is the garage rock that is proto-proto-proto punk  .

Here's a clip of track 1

5) Big Audio Dynamite - Tighten Up Vol. 88

One of my 80's records that definitely improved over time.  I was honestly really disappointed when this came out since BADs first LP was so amazing and the second one was a mere shadow of the first.  I was hoping for a rebound.  

34 years later, it's dramatically more interesting and a great time capsule.  And the more BAD, the better.

Here's a clip of my favorite track on this album, "Applecart"

6) Of Montreal - Innocence Reaches.

A psychedelic band with its beginning foray journey into EDM pop. A fantastically fun listen.  I would not want to miss this band live.  Such strange fun.  Every song is its own perfection that only they can do.  

7) Gloss - Between Themselves

Dreamy indie-pop.   Reminds me of The Ocean Blue and the happy high sound they pulled off.  

Go LOTS more to show off.  Until then!  Happy listening and 

CURRENT VINYL PLAYLIST 5/12/2022 - 80'S COMPILATION ALBUMS

 Current Vinyl Playlist VOL 3

This is the third installment on my new regular entry on this mess of a blog.

Whenever I am unsure of what to listen to, I tend to reach for one of my compilation albums.   Over the years I have grown my compilation collection to over 110 of these and am continually looking for interesting comps around record and junk stores.

This six-pack of comps are all from the early 80's.  This is an instant New Wave / Post Punk party!   Here's a breakdown

1) Chart Wars - Ronco 1982    The late great Ron Popeil and his TV marketing juggernaut Ronco, put out a ton of comps.  Especially in Europe.  I grabbed this one for the amazing cover photo.  How could you not..   Good mix of new wave hits that makes me feel I opened up a time capsule.

Wow.  LOL.   A bunch of great tunes and a handful of never heard on this side of the Atlantic.

Here's a clip for "Dracula's Tango"

2) NEW UNDERGROUND - CBS Germany 1983.   Another must have.  Not easy to find in the US, but has a great colored vinyl.   A great mix of songs.  More on the goth/darkwave side of things..

Here's "Never Say Never" by Romeo Void

3) & 4) Chart Busters '82 Volume 1 and 2   A double feature from Ronco in the UK.  Comps with 8 to 10 sons per side were compressed and have a lower dynamic range.  But for the low price at the time, these were awesome mix tapes.  These two were full of new wave hits and pop hits in the UK at the time.  Fun stuff

Here's the fairly obscure video for "See You" by Depeche Mode.  

5) Troublemakers - Warner Brothers 1979.   One in the long running Warner comp series Loss Leaders, Troublemakers focused on the post punk rage at the time.  Any comp with John Cale, Wire, Public Image Limited, Gang of Four, The Modern Lovers, and Devo is ok in my book.  And it has a live Sex Pistols track from their last show in 1978.

Here is  Johnny Rotten and PIL doing "Public Image"

6) NO WAVE - A&M 1979   One of the greatest covers.  And a really cool blue record. This is one of my first compilation records and still spin it at least once a year.

 The ironing board thing is a thing....

 Here's The Stranglers doing "Nice 'N Sleazy".  JJ Burnell's bass etches my mind.

 I promise I will update my vinyl playlists more often.  I have lots of new records to show off.

Until then, cheers!

APRIL 2022 DIVIDEND INCREASES

The whole reason I picked the stocks to buy was because of a track record of increasing the dividend.  With each dividend increase, my original investment pays me back at a higher rate. 

Not only am I being paid to be alive, but I am getting a pay raise for being alive.  Sweet.   This allows me to enjoy more roadkill patty melts!

Work it!

Eventually, with ever increasing dividends, you could earn back your original investment annually.  

And with each increased return, the risk lowers.  If you have received over 100% of your original investment in dividends, you have no risk and all gain.  I like that.

This April, I received a $113.27 increase in my annual dividend income.  Of the companies involved, it was a 6.85% increase.  Just keeping up with inflation.  

The big increases were from Costco (COST) with a 13.9% hike, and Paychex (PAYX) and its 19.7% increase.  

IBM, just to keep up a pattern of annual increases only declared a $.01 - a .6% increase to no lose their status ad a Dividend Aristocrat (25 consecutive years or more of dividend increases).  

Here's the nitty gritty of the increases in a cute little spreadsheet,

Until next month, cheers!

APRIL 2022 DIVIDENDS

April.   Another wonderful month!  Better weather, spring flowers and more dividend income!  Yay!

Here is a shot from the Skagit Valley in Washington where they grow 75% of the United States' tulips.   Amazing colors!

Just mesmerizing.   

Also, since I am consistently building my portfolio of dividend growth stocks, I have to look back at the previous month and see the progress.

The whole point of this process is to build enough passive income to eventually replace my work income and be financially free.  Monthly, I review the progress and report it here.

I write this blog to keep a track record of this progress, and hopefully someone will gain even a tiny bit of motivation or helpful information that helps them on their journey towards financial independence.  It also keeps me focused.

This is definitely not a get rich quick scheme.  It takes lots of time, patience and determination.  And as time moves on, the monthly income steadily grows.

In April, I earned an impressive $2,458.63 from 36 companies.   Bam!   That's a 161.39% increase from 2021's $940.61.  That's going to be tough to beat, but I'll try my best.   

Here's the nitty gritty of the month.

Date	Company	Dividend
4/1/22	ADP	$6.24
4/1/22	KO	$48.40
4/1/22	CMA	$38.76
4/1/22	GPC	$21.48
4/1/22	HBAN	$67.43
4/1/22	NTRS	$28.70
4/3/22	KMB	$52.20
4/3/22	WHF	$1065.00
4/5/22	CNQ	$64.97
4/6/22	STX	$46.90
4/7/22	MRK	$44.16
4/8/22	OMC	$46.90
4/8/22	CB	$25.60
4/14/22	BEN	$40.89
4/14/22	ITW	$4.88
4/14/22	MAIN	$27.09
4/14/22	VTR	$38.70
4/14/22	AQN	$51.04
4/15/22	CINF	$3.45
4/15/22	FITB	$34.80
4/15/22	LEG	$28.14
4/15/22	ONL	$26.60
4/15/22	O	$21.00
4/15/22	STLD	$29.58
4/15/22	STOR	$64.68
4/21/22	ORCL	$17.60
4/22/22	SYY	$33.37
4/27/22	BNS	$53.60
4/27/22	CSCO	$36.48
4/27/22	CMCSA	$25.65
4/27/22	NTAP	$37.00
4/28/22	CIM	$102.63
4/28/22	CM	$72.53
4/29/22	AMNF	$56.79
4/29/22	TWO	$62.39
4/30/22	JPM	$33.00	$2458.63

My favorite (and one of few) non div growth stocks, Whitehorse Finance (WHF) is the clear winner for single payout with the $1,065 handout.  I particularly us the dividend income from them to make a single large purchase of some other stock.

Little by little anyone can do this.  After reaching a certain level, you can really see the growth and the downhill snowball that happens.  IT tkes major determination and consistent saving to add to the fund.  

But look at the result.  I have no plans to sell these shares.  This is permanent passive income.  

And someday, it will be my kid's permanent passive income.  

Cheers!