2025 in Music: Spotify Wrapped

This year I listened to 41,063 minutes of music, accounting for 5,413 songs and 2,625 artists. Less than last year all the way around.

Here’s 202120222023, and 2024 data to compare.

My Top 5 Songs of 2025

Lots of girl-powered punk/pop vibe in my top songs, with some harmonies and Lizzo:

  1. “Table for Glasses” by Joseph (44 times)
  2. “Love in Real Life” by Lizzo
  3. “Don’t Tell the Girls” by BIZZY
  4. “Don’t!” by L0L0
  5. “Your Story” by Millie Manders and the Shutup

That top spot has half the plays of last year. Spots 2-5 are separated by two plays and #3 & #4 are tied. #4 and #5 are repeats from last year (as is #6). All of these songs feature prominently in playlists, and I’m honestly surprised about “Table for Glasses”—I couldn’t tell you what the chorus is without hearing the song first. Mostly this means I didn’t narrow in on a few songs, I just played a broad swathe of music and this is what floated to the top.

My Top 5 Artists of 2025

My top two artists were in last year’s list, and U2 regains the top spot. Sort of surprised to see Five Iron Frenzy fall off the list (though also not).

  1. U2 – I played 1,160 minutes of U2, which is the top .3%.
  2. Millie Manders and the Shutup
  3. The Paradox
  4. Winona Fighter
  5. Semler

This year Spotify also gave you an age based on your listening habits. Mine was 18! Apparently because I listen to a lot of new music, which I guess is true. Though it cracks me up since I don’t feel like I’m into any of the music the kids are into these days (I mean, ska punk was in my top five genres).

Aside from the Paradox, I never felt like I narrowed in on a single band this year. Much of my top five songs are just from playing the same playlists over and over.

Level Up Local News

I’m wrapping up the annual fall member drive for West St. Paul Reader. Tomorrow is the last day. Whew.

These things are always a ton of work. You oscillate between letdown that no one is signing up and sheer joy when a few people join. There’s also a manic feeling that you have to keep pushing it—you never know what’s going to break through, and you’re afraid of holding something back. It’s wild.

Continue reading Level Up Local News

Banned Books and Periods

It’s banned book week and my wife is in the midst of a campaign to buy period products for the local food shelf. So it struck me as a good time to read Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume.

This book was published 55 years ago, before I was born, and it’s been banned for its frank discussion of menstruation (“menstroo-ation,” which ironically is how I pronounce it in my head to make sure I spell it right) and religion. Thankfully, it’s not one of the top books banned these days, but it’s still jaw-dropping that people are that scared of periods.

It’s 2025. Can we stop being uptight about tampons?

And stop banning books?

So it’s a good time to read a banned book.

And help fight period poverty.

Pad Drive to Restock the Food Shelf

Abby and her fellow “Bleed Queens” are raising tons of money for pads, tampons, and other period products for our local food shelf, Neighbors, Inc. You can donate via Venmo to organizers Katie Dohman or Abby Hendricks. They’ll buy product in bulk at Costco and donate it to Neighbors, Inc.

They’ve done it before. To the tune of $15,000 in 2023. So when Neighbors, Inc. was running dangerously low, they asked Abby and Katie if they could work their magic.

Please consider a donation to support the cause. Or find a food shelf in your neighborhood and donate pads and tampons.

(Tampon Squirrel created by Carolyn Swiszcz in 2023.)

In Remembrance of Roosevelt Elementary School in Keego Harbor, Michigan

I just came across the story of Roosevelt Elementary School being cleared for demolition. Apparently there’s been an ongoing legal fight for the past few years between the West Bloomfield School District and residents over tearing down the school. The Court of Appeals just OKed demolition.

I don’t have anything to add to that debate. But I did attend Roosevelt for two years and the news triggered a wave of memories.

Let’s stroll down memory lane…

Continue reading In Remembrance of Roosevelt Elementary School in Keego Harbor, Michigan

The Value and Power of Screaming Town Halls

Back in 2020, I wrote Better Politics Please, an idealistic little book that dreamed of a functional, more friendly political climate. Roughly six months after it came out, January 6th happened and it all felt hopelessly naive. A presidential election cycle later it feels like we’re stuck in the same place. But every now and then the naive hope of that book shines through.

Today it comes from Republican Representative Michael Flood from Nebraska. You’ve probably seen headlines about him being booed at town halls. You might remember him as they guy who admitted to voting for the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ and missing a section that defanged the federal courts.

But the guy is actually holding town halls, when Republican leadership has encouraged their entire party not to do it.

The Daily sat down with Flood to ask why.

Continue reading The Value and Power of Screaming Town Halls

100 Books So Far in 2025

Last week I read my 100th book of the year. It happened to be The Sirens’ Call by Christopher Hayes (deep dive into how our devices suck our attention away from everything good in the world).

One hundred books? Yeah, I read a lot.

For context, I’m not on the same furious pace I set last year and I’m even behind 2023. But yeah, it’s still a lot.

Trends in 2025 reading so far…

Continue reading 100 Books So Far in 2025

Wanda Madden 1931-2025

My grandmother passed away last week, two weeks shy of her 94th birthday and 100 days after her husband died. This marks the last of my grandparents to die, so it feels like the end of a generation.

Family Remembrance

Here’s the piece I read at the funeral:

I did this a few months back for my Grandpa, and I told funny stories. I don’t have any funny stories today. Not because Grandma wasn’t funny or didn’t enjoy a good laugh—she did. I can picture her face crinkled up in laughter as she finishes a story, ending with ‘Well, I never.’ But Grandma wasn’t a character, cracking jokes that sought to be the center of attention. Instead, Grandma was a quiet rock. She held the home together. She was humble, devoted, forgiving, loving, curious. Those are the memories I have of my Grandma.

They’re simple and mundane memories—coloring at the kitchen table while Grandma cleaned the kitchen or made supper, taking us to WalMart or the bookstore, running errands to deliver Meals on Wheels, or visiting Great-Grandma Scheufler. 

Continue reading Wanda Madden 1931-2025

Minnesota Frost go Back to Back

Earlier this week we attended game four of the PWHL finals and watched the Minnesota Frost win it all. It’s been a fun season, watching the highs and lows and see this team come together to win.

Every game in this finals series went to overtime, creating a tense, sudden death atmosphere. The game went to triple overtime for game three, which was so long it felt unreal.

Even in game four, when Liz Schepers batted one in and the crowd erupted, I still wasn’t sure. I was having flashbacks to last year’s game four overtime when Sophie Jaques scored, the players flooded the ice, and everyone went wild—only to have the goal called off and Boston scored a few minutes later and won, sending the game back to Boston for game five. From hearing other fans, sounds like I wasn’t the only one. But the goal was good and we won. So surreal.

We bought season tickets this year because the hockey is good, the atmosphere is fun, and it’s relatively affordable. I never thought I’d be this kind of sports guy, but here I am.

I even turned the obsession into a new venture, Frozen Friday, where I share fan updates every week.

It all brings me back to watching the Detroit Red Wings win their first Stanley Cup in 42 years in 1997.

Creating the Content I Want to See


“One of my New Years resolutions is to make the content I wish to see in the world.” –Amanda Litman

I love this quote. Creating the content I want to see in the world is the heart behind a lot of the work I do. It’s why I’ve done book projects, why I started West St. Paul Reader, why I make postcards and stickers for West St. Paul Reader, and it’s why I started my latest venture Frozen Friday.

I’m thinking about yet another venture thanks to that idea.

The challenge of all these things is making them worth your time. Sometimes creative work is its own reward. Sometimes you just need to do it, and it’s not about getting paid.

But other times, and depending on how many of these projects you have, there is a need to earn something. I find myself frequently in that spot. As a freelancer, there are enough demands on my time and I can’t do everything for free. Side projects can consume my day, and like everyone else I have bills to pay.

Continue reading Creating the Content I Want to See

A work-at-home dad wrestles with faith, social justice & story.