Music, stories & more
Official site for Tophy Schmooz music and more — songs, stories, photos, and videos, all in one place.
MUSIC & EVERYTHING BETWEENWelcome to Behind the Lyrics — a series about the album I'm making, the one I'll own outright: ten tracks, no fine print. Episode one has one small problem: the first song isn't written yet.
Read story ↗Every Tuesday and Thursday, my house becomes a two-student language school: me learning Spanish from zero, my husband learning English — four hours a week each, walking toward each other.
Read story ↗All I wanted was a price quote for a dumpster. Six phone calls, one disconnected transfer, a form that doesn't exist, and a 73-second answer from City Hall later — I have a story instead.
Read story ↗It's 2 AM on a Sunday and I'm thinking about the fact that I work three jobs — and most of the money is already spoken for. A late-night reflection on the grind.
Read story ↗Before I started learning Spanish, my mental image of Colombia was embarrassingly thin. Then I went down the rabbit hole.
Read story ↗Passwords alone are a screen door on a submarine. Here's why you should turn on multi-factor authentication today — and the honest ranking of which methods actually work.
Read story ↗Some albums you listen to. Others you move into for a while. Sade's Love Deluxe — released back in October 1992 — is the second kind. I've been living with this record for years, and I'm convinced it's one of the great albums, full stop.
Read story ↗My October utility bill was the highest ever, so I audited 22 months of statements. I found three rate hikes the city never told anyone about — and under state law, they barely have to.
Read story ↗Olivia Dean's The Art of Loving just turned one — and its soulful, sultry warmth is exactly what today's music needed. On my three favorite tracks, and why her voice is so inspiring.
Read story ↗