The Deranged Writer

10-Minute Warning CLXXXVIII

Wow. It’s been almost a month since my last Minute Warning post. What can I share here?

Firstly, my throat has been itchy since last Friday, and it must be because I ran errands in the gloomy weather. I had to run those errands. And today, I have been drinking more warm water and ginger tea mixed with honey and citron to speed up my recovery. Normally, I don’t drink many hot beverages, but I made an exception for today because I don’t want to enter the month of October with an itchy throat or, worse, the flu. The last months of 2025 will be an almost jam-packed month for me, so I need to be at least in good condition.

And, man… the tea I have been having today is delicious. I might drink more hot tea from now on. (Maybe more sencha green tea because that’s the favorite drink of Person of Interest’s Harold Finch.)

My ten minutes aren’t up yet, and I would like to discuss plans for the remaining months of 2025. But honestly, tonight, I’d like to rest more, drink tea, and finish Season 2 of 24. I’m just here to give an update on The Diary while I have the strength to blog. My condition might get worse tomorrow. Maybe not. I need to be prepared for the worst yet hope for the best.

See you in the next post.

Header image: Maria Tyutina of Pexels. Edited in Adobe Photoshop 2025.

XXXIX: Brand New Ears / Celebrating Batman Day (2025)

Hello, Diary. I didn’t feel like updating for a few days; I wanted to live more. And now I’m back, here are a few life updates.

Warning: Icky details ahead. Please be advised.

Song of the Moment XCVII: Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”

Yes, you read the title right. And I promise you: there are no rickrolls here.

I definitely enjoyed listening to many Nine Inch Nails songs lately (notably “Every Day is Exactly the Same”, a previous Song of the Moment). But since last weekend, I needed to slowly step out of the darkness and enjoy more light. I enjoyed the light again by listening to upbeat songs ranging from “Walking on the Sun” by Smash Mouth to “Treasure” by Bruno Mars (my ultra-talented doppelgänger, according to many people).

But the most upbeat song that stood out for me is Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”, the most popular song not just in Mr. Astley’s catalog but also on the Internet. Many people have fallen into the rickroll trap, and I’m included on that list. But Internet history aside, I believe it’s one of the best pop songs ever, and I love the fact that the chorus is a written promise of total commitment. Who doesn’t want someone who will never give up on them? Those are the reasons it’s my Song of the Moment.

The music video of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”.

Oh, there’s another reason “Never Gonna Give You Up” is my Song of the Moment: Foo Fighters, my all-time favorite band, performed the song with Astley himself in 2017. Seriously, it happened! Please watch the video below. (And don’t worry, it’s a real live performance, not a rickroll. It’s more of a rickgrohl.)

Not a rickroll… Foo Fighters and Rick Astley really performed “Never Gonna Give You Up”.

See? As I promised, no rickrolls.

See you in the next post!