Dangerously Caffeinated

Albums, Albums, Albums....

2009-06-05T13:56:00.005-04:00

I just picked up a used copy of Third Eye Blind's CD yesterday and I felt that it was a pretty good find for only 6 bucks (plus tax, obviously). So, just cause I'm incredibly bored, I feel like listing all of my CDs (plus the non-physical iTunes album purchases). Hm. Maybe I should list the ones I wanna sell. It'd be cool to get a pretty penny back...

italics = iTunes album download

When the World Comes Down [All-American Rejects] (Why do I always forget that I have this one?)
Avenged Sevenfold [Avenged Sevenfold]
One Day Remains [Alter Bridge]
Blackbird [Alter Bridge]
David Cook [David Cook] (Mother of God what was I thinking? Oh yeah. I just wanted more Goo and this was the closest sub for that at the time. Damn you Rzeznik.)
The Fallout [Default]
Elocation [Default]
One Thing Remains [Default]
The Melody And The Energetic Nature of Volume [Evans Blue]
The Pursuit Begins When This Portrayal of Life Ends [Evans Blue]
Sparkle and Fade [Everclear]
So Much For The Afterglow [Everclear]
Slow Motion Daydream [Everclear]
Ten Years Gone: The Best of Everclear [Everclear]
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace [Foo Fighters] (Seriously, I am never buying another CD by them again. Their singles will be more than enough.)
Something Like Human [Fuel]
Superstar Car Wash [Goo Goo Dolls]
A Boy Named Goo [Goo Goo Dolls]
Dizzy Up The Girl [Goo Goo Dolls]
What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art & Commerce [Goo Goo Dolls]
Gutterflower [Goo Goo Dolls]
Live in Buffalo: July 4th, 2004 [Goo Goo Dolls]
Let Love In [Goo Goo Dolls]
Let Love In Deluxe [Goo Goo Dolls]
Volume Two [Goo Goo Dolls]
No Name Face [Lifehouse]
Stanley Climbfall [Lifehouse]
Lifehouse [Lifehouse]
Who We Are [Lifehouse]
Metallica [Metallica] (Yeah...not such a good album, very hit and miss)
Death Magnetic [Metallica]
Fantasies [Metric]
Absolution [Muse]
Blackholes & Revelations [Muse]
Naveed [Our Lady Peace]
Clumsy [Our Lady Peace]
Happiness...Is Not A Fish You Can Catch [Our Lady Peace]
Spiritual Machines [Our Lady Peace]
Gravity [Our Lady Peace]
Healthy In Paranoid Times [Our Lady Peace]
Hootnanny [The Replacements]
Us and Them [Shinedown]
The Sound Of Madness [Shinedown]
Superunknown [Soundgarden]
Core [Stone Temple Pilots]
Purple [Stone Temple Pilots]
Tiny Music...Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop [Stone Temple Pilots]
No. 4 [Stone Temple Pilots]
Shangri-La-Dee-Da [Stone Temple Pilots]
Third Eye Blind [Third Eye Blind]
Out Of The Vein [Third Eye Blind]
Third Eye Blind: A Collection [Third Eye Blind]
...Something To Be [Rob Thomas] (Yeah...very hit-miss...hope Cradlesong'll be better)
3 Doors Down [3 Doors Down]
Sugar [Tonic]
Head On Straight [Tonic]
Only Through The Pain [Trapt]
Bringing Down The Horse [The Wallflowers]
Breach [The Wallflowers]
"Happy" In Galoshes [Scott Weiland]

Other Albums I Do 'Technically' Have:

Saturate [Breaking Benjamin]
We Are Not Alone [Breaking Benjamin]
Phobia [Breaking Benjamin]
Yourself Or Someone Like You [Matchbox Twenty]
...And Justice For All [Metallica]
The Better Life [3 Doors Down]
Away From The Sun [3 Doors Down]
Seventeen Days [3 Doors Down]

52 albums and 16 digital albums. Neato.

I <3 My Camera.

2009-05-04T23:24:00.005-04:00

I felt like being a smart ass so I took a back shot of my head like Robby did after he got his haircut (ironically, I got one today too). I love the way the colours turned out here:

Normally, cameras make my hair some variant of icky sandy-brown so I was more than pleased as punch to see the colours pop out like this. Hehe. My brother got my an iTunes card so I'll have plenty leftover credit after tomorrow's two EB pack. Can you spell sweeeet?

The Thinking Man's Meme Part Deux

2009-04-27T22:05:00.003-04:00

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title. It's harder than you think.

Pick Your Artist: 3 Doors Down (I'm repeating this meme per request)

Are you male or female: Who Are You?

Describe yourself: Loser

How do you feel about yourself: She Don't Want The World

Describe where you currently live: My World

If you could go anywhere you wanted to go: Landing In London

Your favorite form of transportation: Train

Your best friend is: Here By Me

Your favorite color is: It's The Only One You've Got

Favorite time of day: Running Out Of Days

If your life were a tv show, what would it be called: Dangerous Games

What is life to you: The Road I'm On

What is the best advice you have to give: Live For Today

If you could change your name, what would it be: Sarah Yellin'

Thought for the Day: Let Me Go

How I would like to die: Down Poison

My soul's present condition: Changes

My motto: Duck And Run

The Thinking Man's Meme.

2009-04-27T19:18:00.002-04:00

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title. It's harder than you think.

Pick Your Artist: Goo Goo Dolls, naturally. ;)

Are you male or female: Slave Girl

Describe yourself: Extra Pale

How do you feel about yourself: Dizzy

Describe where you currently live: So Far Away

If you could go anywhere you wanted to go: Broadway

Your favorite form of transportation: Fallin' Down

Your best friend is: On Your Side

Your favorite color is: Out Of The Red

Favorite time of day: Better Days

If your life were a tv show, what would it be called: You Never Know

What is life to you: String of Lies

What is the best advice you have to give: Don't Worry

If you could change your name, what would it be: Iris

Thought for the Day: Truth is a Whisper

How I would like to die: Smash

My soul's present condition: Tucked Away

My motto: Listen

Will June Put Me Over The Edge?

2009-04-19T11:50:00.005-04:00

I just added 49 songs to my iPod and I'm past the halfways mark as illustrated below:

Okay, so maybe I'll be okay after June with Rob Thomas/Third Eye Blind/Evans Blue but if the slew of bands release stuff in the summertime like they say they will, I think I'll have to invest in a larger GB-capacity iPod. Well, I could do the sensible thing and uncheck some things I'm not OMGI'MINLOVEWITHTHIS but that'd be no fun now would it?

...Fine. I'll uncheck some things.

I Have To Admit Something: I'm A Meany

2009-04-16T19:03:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I think there's something to be said about my personality. I can be the nicest/random/funniest person on Earth but lordy, lordy, you do NOT want to get on my bad side. I'm not gonna explain why or how I'm such a meany to paraphrase Rinoa, but I've been finding that it's been seeping through my posts on my shared board with Jess and on DevArt. I usually have control over it, but I've been finding that the oft times that I can't are getting a little more frequent. I'd swear that my patience for bullshit must be wearing thin.

Hm. Maybe that's why Jess and I work so well as a moderating team on Lucky Star. We play bad admin/good admin so well that it's not even funny. I wonder if it's like this for John 'n Robby.

Secret time: I hate admitting that John's my favourite out of the three Dolls because I don't want people to assume I'm shallow. It's because from what I can tell, I can relate to him the most.

Here comes the day I sit and wait, oh it's always something...

Bad Fan.

2009-04-09T23:48:00.002-04:00

I totally blanked on the fact that it's been seven years since Gutterflower was released. I'm listening to it now to make up for it.

Bad fan. Baaaad.

Stranger than your sympathy...

IMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

2009-04-05T10:05:00.007-04:00

I can't take it anymore...I need to join - especially after what was said about John's last Q&A.

I've registered a name and all I need is my Mom's credit card number.

That is it.

Oh, and yeah, I need to track down some Everclear and Third Eye Blind. Methinks I'll have to walk to Best Buy cause I checked HMV's site and the mall's HMV doesn't have anything save for Third Eye Blind's greatest hits...which I have half the songs off of already.

Edit - Just came back from Best Buy and Future Shop (didn't know there was one close to Best Buy) and got:

From Everclear:

Sparkle and Fade
So Much for the Afterglow
Slow Motion Daydream

From Third Eye Blind:

Out of the Vein
Greatest Hits

Yeah, I couldn't find the self-titled album or Blue, but this'll do. :)

On an unrelated note, FUUUUUCK DO MY ARMS EVER ACHE! Yeah, I think that'll teach me for carrying a 20-can case of Diet Pepsi for a roughly 30-ish minute walk without stopping (Yeah, the deal was too good and I wanted to see if I was able to carry it). I felt better when I was in the home stretch and Black Balloon came on though. Hehehe.

Oh, and it looks like I'll be an IMer soon. Thank you Mommy. :D

Top 5 (Oh Great...That Means I Have To Pick.)

2009-04-04T07:46:00.004-04:00

Facebook has an application that pops up where you go and pick your 'Top 5' in different categories (songs/albums/books/etc.) and like the next person, I did my time and picked some (yeah, that was meant to sound like I went to prison). But ugh....do I ever hate doing that, it requires some serious thought slash over-analyzing (wait, that's just me - my bad) and well....it forces me to evaluate things. Did I ever mention that I drive myself nuts whenever I force myself to analyze things?

Well, I'll list my 'Top 5' for songs/albums though I don't even know if it's truly what should be there. Whatever, I blame my vast collection of songs.

(But in all seriousness...I need to stop thinking so much.)

Top 5 Album Picks:

3 Doors Down - 3 Doors Down
Gutterflower - Goo Goo Dolls
One Thing Remains - Default
Naveed - Our Lady Peace
Purple - Stone Temple Pilots

Top 5 Song Picks:

Here Is Gone - Goo Goo Dolls
Loser - 3 Doors Down
Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart - Stone Temple Pilots
Whatever It Takes - Lifehouse
Somewhere Out There - Our Lady Peace

Yeah...I'm not entirely sure on the songs. So many different ones could take No. 5 and I don't even know about No. 2. God, I could easily pick so many different 3 Doors Down songs it's not even funny-- Haha, my alarm just went off and LIB Here Is Gone went off. Oops. Forgot about that one.

A Short Tale of Two Canadian Bands.

2009-03-21T23:55:00.004-04:00

It looks like Default's got another couple of months to go before their album finally fucking drops. At least the new song I heard called Little Too Late is good, so at least I know I won't be disappointed when, as I've brusquely phrased it, their album finally fucking drops.

Evans Blue, on the other hand, has set a final date (at least it's more concrete) but....I'm a little on the fence on the single they put out called Sick Of It. Dan's a good singer, but, I'm feeling like he's a little disconnected from the band. The song's got some serious Three Days Grace/Breaking Benjamin-isms because of the lyrics and the call-and-response nature to some of the lines. EB's haunting/heavy guitars are supposed to be coupled with equally haunting/pained vocals. Come to think of it, he sounds a bit like Ben Burnley minus any screaming.

I'm not calling it bad, just that...Kevin fit better. This comes off as a little bland.

I've got enough credit left in my iTunes account to buy the song when it comes onto iTunes on the 31st. I think I just need to let it grow on me. God, I hope I have a Goo-ish complex where I just need to listen to it more to like it more.

...Please?

Is Having Awesome Luck On The Thirteenth Paradoxical?

2009-03-13T21:54:00.003-04:00

So, it was paycheck day (or would that be direct deposit day? Hehe, I think I like this alliteration better) so you can already guess what I used $25 on here. Yup, new music! Didn't have any luck with finding CDs in Wal Mart so I just bought myself an iTunes card. Not to mention I did this in spite of the fact that someone at work is going to give me a $20 card for cheap because they can't use it (score for useless gifts!), but hey, I'm a shut-in who doesn't spend much to start with so any cheap entertainment is always good.

Anyways, my list this week is kind of ecclectic so you can blame the radio for some of these:

The Fallout (Album) - Default (Needed to complete it so, * = new)
Sick & Tired
Deny
Wasting My Time
Slow Me Down
One Late Night
Seize The Day*
Somewhere
Live A Lie
By Your Side
Faded*
Let You Down
Blind (Bonus Track)*
Deny (Acoustic Bonus Track)*
Wasting My Time (Acoustic Bonus Track)*
I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
Do You Like It - Our Lady Peace
All For You - Our Lady Peace
Naveed (Album)- Our Lady Peace

The Birdman
Supersatellite
Starseed
Hope
Naveed
Dirty Walls
Denied
Is It Safe
Julia
Under Zenith
Neon Crossing

1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
Son - Scott Weiland
Mockingbird Girl - Scott Weiland
Help I'm Alive - Metric
Front Row - Metric
Over My Head (Cable Car) - The Fray
Amphetamine - Everclear
To The Moon & Back - Savage Garden
Why Can't You Be - Third Eye Blind

Oh, and while I'm on the subject of music, it seems that, according to Steph, the Goos have picked Tim Palmer as the producer for the new album (provided that this is true). Now I looked at his producing/mixing credits and I think we're in good hands. The guy fucking mixed Pearl Jam's Ten and mixed some tracks for U2!

I find it funny that I was joking about Goo ripping off Pearl Jam by naming their new album Nine because they couldn't self-title it because they did that already.

I think I should buy some lottery tickets or something.

Son, she said, have I got a little story for you....

Moar News.

2009-03-07T17:11:00.003-05:00

Evans Blue has set a date for their new album (which surprisingly doesn't have a big-ass title this time around since it's -shock!- self-titled) so mark your calendars for June 23th, people.

Oh and I think it's safe to say that we'll get a Goo album this year, judging by this:

'just dropping in to say hello. we're still banging away in the studio, but spirits are high here in camp goo as we can see the light at the end of the recording tunnel. more news coming soon!'

I wouldn't be ready to wager on a specific time frame for this yet, it's just that I have a strong feeling it'll be in the year. I'd imagine that even if they were close to being finished with the recording, they'd still have to allocate more time afterwards to make the artwork, fine-tune some last minute stuff, promote it, yada-yada... and I personally have no clue of how long that it'd take. Since I haven't had to properly wait for any of their releases, I can't rely on past trends with this kind of stuff. (God, is it obvious that I'm a math nerd/likely candidate of OCD here?)

On a side note, I fucking love this adorable picture of Robby with his kitties:

Just another sequel, just another reason for you...

The Countdown Is Sooo On!

2009-03-04T18:35:00.002-05:00

Today is March 4th, and, for those of you who aren't in the know, is also one of my friends birthday.

Funny thing is that I always used to joke around and say, 'Oh, now it's officially two months from my birthday!' in high school. Most of my friends can't seem to remember when my birthday is but she's one of the few who do because of that (seriously, I think only two remember).

Even weirder is that time seems to fly the fuck by once that two month-marker hits, so that's why I say it's ON. I'll be double-decades before you know it.

(and yes, I still find it as weird as hell to be that old in TWO MONTHS)

Everything you are, falls from the sky like a star...

Something I'll Not Forget (Neither Will Rinoa).

2009-03-03T19:16:00.002-05:00

This was it, the moment before she’d take that first step into the room and have the last moment she’d ever have with her mother.

It was so surreal to be here. Deep in the corners of her mind, she’d always imagined that it would have been the other way around, that her mother would be visiting her on her deathbed, that she would outlive her. It always seemed like a large possibility given that it almost happened once already. Rinoa closed her eyes and rid herself of these thoughts. She only had a few hours at best and it would be foolish to squander them away like that. Not after all Squall had done to get them here.

She walked forward and grabbed hold of the doorknob to her room. When she twisted it open and let herself in ever so slowly, it made a foreboding creak in midst of the pitch-black room. Rinoa stifled another reoccurring sob, determined to be strong, if only for a moment.

As she quietly walked past the rectangular curtained-off section on her left and a door, presumably a bathroom door, on her right, the soft glow of a dim lamp cast enough light on the bed in the far corner to allow her to recognize the figure lying in it. Even though the said figure was wrapped in bandages and hooked up to several machines flanking her on both sides, Rinoa knew it to be her mom. No one else had such beautiful, long dark brown tresses like her mom did; she was one of a kind that way and she still was, even now.

Rinoa took another deep, steadying breath right then and there. This was truly it, she reiterated to herself, and there is no turning back. And so, without another conscious thought, she walked up to her bed. Her mother's eyes were closed but her chest was still rising and falling – it looked like the teenager wasn’t too late after all.

“...Mom?” Rinoa called out to her. Slowly, but surely, the older woman opened her eyes. Though they were rather bloodshot, but they still held the warmth they always had.

“...I’m so glad you made it sweetie.” she softly told her daughter. Rinoa managed a small smile, fighting back the rush of tears at the same time when Julia smiled back in kind.

“I have Squall to thank for that.” she whispered back. “He drove me here as fast as he could with a really bad sprained ankle after he...got to the bottom of this when...there was a mix up with the hospital.”

“Well, you’ll have to tell him thanks for me when you get the chance.”

“A-alright.” When her bottom lip started to quiver and her throat began to close up, Rinoa knew it was over; she couldn’t keep up the brave face anymore. The tears finally fell. “M-mom...I don’t...I don’t want you to die. I...I need you too much. Hyne, why did it have to be you and dad? ...W-why couldn’t it be someone else?”

“Rinoa....” Julia reached out to her daughter by gripping her hand with her own. “...we can’t choose what fate has in store for us. Nobody likes it when...tragedy takes away the ones you love, but it’s life. Sometimes...you can’t do anything other than to accept what’s meant to be.”

“Well... I don’t believe in f-fate so it can’t... it can’t take you away from me,” she argued, “And you’ll be okay and then...we...we can go home together after you get better.”

“Rinoa...as much as I would like that to be true...I know that I only have very little time left in this world.” she told her daughter whose face was now completely marred with tears. “...I know this is really hard for you and...I wish I didn’t have to make you cry like this, but...let’s make the most of the time we have now.”

“B-but...”

“...Please,” she pleaded, “...I don’t want my last moments with you to be sad...even if I can’t stay here with you like I want to.”

“...O-okay...” she choked out, wiping away the tears left and right, “...I’ll try.”

“...That’s...my girl.”

“...M-mom?” Rinoa called out to her mother when her eyes were beginning to close once more and her grip on her arm was beginning to loosen. “No....not already. I...I didn’t get to...”

“Don’t worry...” her mother weakly replied. “...I haven’t gone...anywhere just yet.”

“You...promise?”

Julia opened her eyes a little. “I promise.”

Rinoa stifled the remainder of her tears and pulled up a chair nearby so she could lay her head on her mother’s bed, allowing her mother to lovingly stroke her hair.

“...Rinoa...” Julia softly began when she tucked a loose strand of her daughter’s hair behind her ear, “...before I leave you...I want you to know that you were and still are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I know I don’t have much but I want to give you my silver wedding ring.”

“...You mean the one I’d always used to try and put on my necklace as a little girl?”

The older woman smiled. “The very one.”

Before she knew it, the said ring was placed right in front of her eyes. Hesitantly, Rinoa took it in her hand, clasping it tightly with her fingers. She tilted her head backwards so she could see her mother’s face once more.

“Go on..." she encouraged, "I want to see what it looks like on your necklace now.”

“...A-alright.”

Rinoa sat up straight on her chair and reached her hands behind her back to undo the clasp, methodically taking extra precautions to ensure that the ring stayed within her fingers. After a few trying moments, she had carefully slid the ring through the bare chain and caught the clasp on the first try. Moving her hand away from the chain, she turned so that her mother could see.

“...It’s beautiful, Rinoa.”

Rinoa shyly accepted the compliment but when she noticed that her mom was beginning to drift off for good, she knew it was time to add more to her thanks.

“Thank you...for everything, mom.” Rinoa told her. “I’m...going to miss you, but...I’m not going to say goodbye because...because I know that you’ll always be there, watching over me.”

After Julia gave her an appreciative nod and smile, she finally allowed herself the comfort of eternal slumber as she closed her eyes once and for all. When her mother’s last moment on this earth had passed, Rinoa got up from her chair and tucked her mother in and planted a kiss on her cheek in a final act of kindness, letting her lips linger for an extra second or two.

It was a while before Rinoa found the courage to leave the room, but when she did, she was not alone; Squall had been waiting for her on the chairs on the other side of the door. He looked a little worse for wear, but it didn’t matter. She was immensely thankful for his presence alone.

Without another thought, she walked over and sat on the spare chair beside him.

“...Did you get enough time with her?” he asked. While it seemed like an odd question, Rinoa knew where he was coming from.

“Yes...I did.” she quietly told him. “...Squall?”

“...Yeah?”

“My mom told me to thank you for getting me here on time and...I want to say thanks too. I...couldn’t have done this without you.” she sombrely said. “...Not in a million years.”

He looked downwards. “You’re.......welcome.” Then he looked up. “...I don’t know what you had the chance to say but...if you don’t have anywhere to stay...I called my parents in the parking lot and they said you could stay at the house for as long as you need.”

Rinoa honestly didn’t know what to say at this moment. All she could do was cry.

Buying Stuff: Part Deux

2009-03-01T20:06:00.002-05:00

Used up the rest of my iTunes credits, here's what I got:

Sunflowers - Everclear
Pale Green Stars - Everclear
Slide - Everclear
Out of My Depth - Everclear
Red Star - Third Eye Blind
Faster - Third Eye Blind
Danger - Third Eye Blind
One Late Night - Default

So that makes 27 new songs total. That should tide me over...until the next paycheck. Hihihi.

Yeah, were gonna let it slide...

Would You Buy This?

2009-03-01T18:51:00.002-05:00

I just saw this neat feature on iTunes where you can make a playlist/mix that other people can buy and rate after iTunes approves it. I figured I'd try my hand at this so I made a 10-song compilation (because I thought it'd be appropriate to not make it a random number) of what I know best - alternative rock. I aimed my focus on songs people were sure to know on a casual basis (i.e. chart-toppers) and I thought I did a pretty good job. I even made sure that the track listing worked nicely as well although one song was a bitch to place (try to guess which one).

So I ask you, if you were a casual alt-rock listener (and didn't have these songs to begin with), would you buy this:

One Headlight - The Wallflowers
The Freshmen - The Verve Pipe
Closing Time - Semisonic
3AM - Matchbox Twenty
Semi-Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind
If You Could Only See - Tonic
Iris - The Goo Goo Dolls
Hemorrhage (In My Hands) - Fuel
Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon
Hanging By A Moment

Fun Fact: I bought another copy of Everything You Want because I love the extended intro and mine didn't have that.

I Buy Music Because I Have Nothing Better To Spend My Money On.

2009-03-01T15:06:00.003-05:00

Got paid on Friday and went to the mall today to pick up some Diet Pepsi, gum and convinced myself to buy myself some stuff from the HMV there because, like the title says, I have nothing better to spend my $$$$ on (I got the gum and cases on sale at Shoppers' so I suppose that might have been reason to celebrate?).

Now the dilemma concerning my fanfiction has died down and I think I gained a few reviewers instead of losing them but what I found ironic is that I ended up buying an Our Lady Peace album (along with a $20 iTunes card). It's not the one that had the song on it (that one would be Spiritual Machines and I got Clumsy) but I still found it funny. ...Or could that be symbolic? Hm.

Anyway, here's what I bought (in order) so far with the $20 iTunes card. I've got $9.85 left in credits so feel free to suggest things. *winks at Jess*

The Freshmen - The Verve Pipe
6th Avenue Heartache - The Wallflowers
One Hit Wonder - Everclear
You Make Me Feel Like A Whore - Everclear
So Outta Line - Goo Goo Dolls
On Your Side - Goo Goo Dolls
Know My Name - Goo Goo Dolls
Road To The Salinas - Goo Goo Dolls
Misfortune - Goo Goo Dolls
The Burn - Matchbox Twenty
Whatever (Live) - Our Lady Peace

Clearly, I was in a 90's mood with the first two and I'm kind of happy that I've (unofficially) got all of the true Goo songs on Hold Me Up (I ain't wasting 99 cents on 22 seconds or Lance Diamond though Lance is a cool guy, I'll admit). I feel like I'm forgetting something from the 90's that I wanted to get, but I'm sure that I'll remember it eventually if there is something that I did forget.

Hopefully someone from the plethora of artists I mentioned in that list awhile ago have something new out (Default, I'm looking at you) by the time I visit Wal Mart or HMV again. Listening to new things is always nice.

Life is waiting for you, it's all messed up but we'll survive...

Why Is It I Do This Again?

2009-02-28T08:01:00.002-05:00

To make a long story short, I write Final Fantasy VIII fanfiction. In fact, I have a fic that just had it's two-year anniversary on the 25th that I'm still writing chapters for (what can I say, I'm very long-winded, haha). Another fact is that writing is almost like a part time job with no pay. It's kind of like volunteering, really. You work for no money but you feel good about yourself when people randomly stop by just to say, 'Hey, you're doing a nice job. I appreciate what you're doing. Thanks.' Unfortunately, I am human so I'll admit that it's the only good part about this unpaid job (that and the fact that my analogies suck, but hear me out now).

To make another story short, on the 24th, I updated with a 4,000+ word chapter that was kind of fluffy. It was well received but I only three reviews for it. Granted, I might have slit my own throat because I somehow managed to miraculously update when the site's login/uploading section was down (so a lot of people couldn't review because they couldn't login) but still. I got three fucking reviews when the chapter had 158 views. Now think about it, that's a single review for 50 page views. I find something terribly offensive with that ratio.

Anyway, after that chapter, I honestly didn't know what to write and I felt like I was lacking some kind of direction. I've been feeling like this with this fic for a little while now. I didn't feel like I could really go forward and acheive anything I had set out to happen because more often than not, I think of better things on the fly though it screws up long term plans I make.

So, because of that I get the idea that maybe applying the song meme to a bigger picture might help get me thinking of something (because people would have my head if I literally made this a song meme resulting in 100-ish words), anything to feel inspired again. With what I thought was good luck, I got Our Lady Peace's Right Behind You. I felt lucky to have gotten a decent song that could easily fit in without cheating with the shuffle 'cause honestly, I kept on expecting an unusable Metallica song to pop up.

Oh-ho no... It ended up being a shit-fest from there on in and for the first time ever, I was receiving negative/WTF reviews. I got 8 reviews, but that meant fuck all when people were making me feel like shit.

Oops, did I forget to explain? Yeah, I did.

So yeah, the reason behind this was I seemed to have had the strangest idea to make it look like I'd killed off Rinoa's parents in the game when Rinoa was on the road to recovery from some other problems. It's a fucking shame though, because it was exactly the kind of thing that I needed to get where I needed to be for what I'd planned and for once I felt excited to write something. I'm not a heartless person, so I made sure I thought this doozy of a left turn through just like I had with some other plot bunnies I'd done in the past.

Anyway, here's a sampling of the kind of shit I had gotten for this:

huh? Well that was completely out of left field. Where the hell did that idea come from? She's an orphan now? Not sure I'm liking where this is going all that much... I hope there's a good reason for killing them off. I... don't really know what to say about this chapter. It's fairly short and... yeah, I don't really know what to say.

i don't know what to say. is that an official chapter to the story? anyway please update soon.

(Spread the word, pray for the soul of Amiel, 10 years old, who died literally flattened by two vans on his way to buy a hotdog from the school cafeteria. Correct the name spelling if you know any better) Wow...I hate it. I mean, if you've read the note above you'll see why. I really, really thought reading your latest chapter would cheer me up from the horrible death of a stranger who had a whole life ahead of him but no... it turns out to be tragic, too. I mean don't get me wrong, I can't wait for the next chapter; total cliffhanger you gave me, really good one, too. But it's just one of those things where it's totally not the one you were looking for. *sniffles* Keep up the good work.

To be honest, I don't know what to say about this chapter except I'll wait and see what you do with it. I trust you enough to keep reading and see where this goes. If this really happened and isn't a dream, then I'm worried Rin will stop eating again and relapse. But hopefully, with Squall there, things will be fine. It's just... with everything else that's happened to her, I don't see how she can bounce back from this. (As for your experiment thing, I kinda hope you don't it. I know it didn't really work this time, but I'd like the story to flow naturally and not be forced to fit whatever song happens to get picked.)

So yeah, I know that some of these sound like they're backhanded compliments but honestly, it was the little things I was picking out from them that really hurt. Like there were two people (one of them I didn't put here) who pasted that message about a kid getting run over by a truck (even though they had different names). Most of the people were probably hoping that this was just a dream, and one even had the audacity of thinking that I was just doing this trying to fit the OLP song. Needless to say, until a friend gave me some hope with her review trying to make sense of the others, I'd honestly felt like I'd fucked up big time and jumped the shark.

She basically gave me the courage to say something back in my author's notes when I managed to update another chapter within the same day (that's a really rare feat to be honest with you). I know it was a wall of text, but felt like a necessary wall of text.

So as of now, I have three reviews and the same person who accused me of trying to fit the OLP song isn't going to review anymore though he/she said they'd still follow. Yeah...isn't everyone doing just that?

I bet you any money that my review to view ratio is going to get even more skewered. I'll probably only get the two reviews from people who never say anything more than 'plz update soon.'

Fuck, is this some kind of double standard where I can't make some kind of interesting plot twist but others can?

I think I need to start drinking.

You haven't seen the world outside for days,
You sleep, you hope, you wait,
Imagination disappears,
And all the dreams you have, you save,
Confrontation like a mirror,
They try to take your mind away.

Do I Dare To Hope?

2009-02-21T20:35:00.008-05:00

Yeah, it's pretty common for things I look forward to blow up in my face somehow. But I ask the question, do I dare to hope for something, anything?

2008 was rather shitty music-wise. The only album I actually looked forward to was 3 Doors Down's self-titled album. And although Scott Weiland's solo album "Happy" In Galoshes was a surprise to me, it was definitely a delightful one. Yep. Two freaking CDs to show for all year (four if you count Death Magnetic and The Sound Of Madness, which were also good). Want proof that I was starved for something new? I actually bought David Cook's album because John Rzeznik and Raine Maida co-wrote some stuff with him. Sad, really. I should have known better because I wasn't exactly fond of Cookie's voice to begin with.

Anyway, getting back on track, according to various sources, the following bands that I'm following are supposed to have '09 releases:

Default - Still Standing
Third Eye Blind - Ursa Major
Evans Blue - Title Unknown
Rob Thomas - Cradle Songs
Our Lady Peace - Burn, Burn
Goo Goo Dolls - Title Unknown
Lifehouse - Title Unknown
Breaking Benjamin - Title Unknown
Matchbox Twenty - Title Unknown
Muse - Title Unknown

Now, I've ordered the list by the likelihood that they'll actually release the CD this year in my opinion. Default's album is slated for a March release and has actually been done for quite awhile, the only problem they've had is with the label they've had to ditch.

Rob Thomas has basically let it slip that his solo thing'll drop in May in a random video I saw and there's a blog stating a likely June release in regards to Ursa Major. Evans Blue is apparently kicking things off with a single in April and an album in late June so I'll take my chances and lump them in the same category as Third Eye Blind. Should be interesting with the new singer Dan Chandler. I'll have to cyber-stalk him to hear what he sounds like. The band's keeping the same musical style so I can't imagine it being like a complete departure from the old stuff.

Lifehouse has apparently said they're shooting for an August release but considering that they've only been in the studio since last November, I'm a little skeptical about it. I know it seems odd to put the Dolls ahead of them when they've been so FUCKING mum on the subject of the album, but they've [theoretically] had more time to play with than Lifehouse and John keeps on saying that it'll come out this year, so that's why I say that. You'd better not let me down Rzeznik. This is the first album from you guys that I've had to wait for. The sparse number of weeks I had to wait Let Love In was only training. Breaking Ben's starting to record in the spring and are also hoping for a summer release, but for the same reasoning regarding Lifehouse and Goo, I've put them lower on the list. I put Our Lady Peace higher than the others because they've already got a title, a tracklisting and more time to record stuff.

Apparently Matchbox Twenty is also releasing a new album according to wiki, but I'm not really sold on that because it's only rumoured and with Rob's solo CD, I'd be skeptical that they'd release a MB20 record in the same year. After all, we all know that you only make money going out on tour.

Last, but not least, there's Muse. They're currently flirting with an '09/'10 release, but I don't really care to be honest. I just like a handful of their songs anyway.

So there you have it, 9 or 10 potential releases! Even if some get pushed back at least I know that some will see the light of day this year and it's gotta be better than the 2-4 meager offerings from last year. Cross your fingers and hope for the best!

And yeah, who else was incredibly disappointed by AG's announcement? Seriously, do not pull that shit when a new album's in the works. We may be naive fools, but we have feelings too.

You read the news, it turns you inside out, and everybody feels the same as you...

Call Me Immature But I Find This Fuckin' Hilarious.

2009-02-12T23:56:00.006-05:00

Another song meme with a twist. Here's the rules for this one:

-Put your iPod, Window Media player etc. on shuffle
-Use the first 15 songs, and at the end of every song name, put "In My Pants" behind it.

Okay, here it goes!

Chasing Cars...in my pants. [Snow Patrol]
Broken...in my pants. [Lifehouse]
I Dare You...in my pants. [Shinedown]
Don't Worry...in my pants. [Goo Goo Dolls]
Art School Girlfriend...in my pants. [Stone Temple Pilots]
One By One...in my pants. [Alter Bridge]
Father's Son...in my pants. [3 Doors Down]
Life...in my pants. [Our Lady Peace]
Save Me...in my pants. [Shinedown]
Glide...in my pants. [Stone Temple Pilots]
Iris...in my pants. [Goo Goo Dolls]
Sick & Tired...in my pants. [Default]
Watch Your Words...in my pants. [Alter Bridge]
Right Where I Belong...in my pants. [3 Doors Down]
Let Me Go...in my pants. [3 Doors Down]

Pffft....my God, I think I'm dying here.

You love me, but you don't know who I am,
I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand...in my pants.

Song Shuffle Memes...Fanfiction Style.

2009-02-08T12:57:00.007-05:00

See, there's actually a reason why, under the header of 'Dangerously Caffeinated,' there is something that says: 'A place where random and quirky pieces of writing have found their home.'

I am, to a certain degree, a writer who specializes in quirky writing. I seriously cannot help that. Whenever I have any serious scene I have in a chapter, more often then not, I can't help but inject a joke or just something that makes it less serious. Luckily for me, I stumbled across a fanfiction meme where it combines my love of song shuffle memes and fanfiction. It basically forces you to write a drabble about your favourite pairing with your songs on shuffle and you have to write each drabble within the song's duration.

Just to give you a taste, these are my current favourites so far:

-—Spin—Lifehouse—4:52—-

Spinning around in an old tire, being pushed by Rinoa…it seemed utterly ridiculous. The whole damn idea was ridiculous. People were gawking, I was getting dizzy on top of it…why I was still on this swing was beyond me but it didn’t stop me from staying silent and letting Rinoa playfully push me.

“Had enough?” she asked. I could tell by her voice that she was smiling, on the brink of giggling.

Somehow, I found myself with a slight grin in spite of the embarrassment and nausea.

“No, not yet.”

And I wouldn’t have changed my answer for anything in the world.

-—Wait For the Blackout (cover)—Goo Goo Dolls—3:39—-

Whenever things happen in the most peculiar times, we often try to recreate a similar kind of situation in hopes of recreating the moment, even if it’s nowhere near as memorable. Squall and I first made love to each other during the only blackout Balamb Garden had ever suffered.

I’ve tried to fry our lights at least four times now. Buying light bulbs after is so totally worth it.

-—Closing Time—Semisonic—3:51—-

A bar. Of all places she drags me to after all this time apart, she calls me up, asking me to meet her up in a bar in Timber? I just don’t get it. She knows I don’t like bars and I know that she doesn’t like bars, so why are we meeting up here? None of this is making sense. I’d joke to myself and say that maybe I should start drinking, but then I think I deserve to slap myself for that horrible joke.

Nonetheless, I walk into the bar all the same and act as if this isn’t bugging the hell out of me as I search for her. Luckily, it isn’t a smoky room in the slightest so I spot her fairly fast but something catches my attention first. I blink.

“Squall…remember the last time we were in a bar?”

Her slightly rounded stomach made me remember all too well.

-—Forever—Breaking Benjamin—3:55—-

I never had a problem picking jewelry as a teenager, between my sole earring, Griever necklace and ring, all of the decisions regarding those didn’t require too much of my time. I knew what I was looking for and I bought it when I saw it. It was as simple as that.

Now, I couldn’t begin to choose what I wanted if my life depended on it.

Maybe it had to do with the fact that I’d see my choice on her finger forever.

-—Forget About The Rain—Trapt—3:29—-

We can’t go outside because it’s raining, he said. Pish. You can have the most fun when no one’s out there in the rain. No one to gawk at you jump into puddles with your boots, collecting water in cupped hands, no one to comment on the fact that your tee-shirt is indecently transparent…it sounds like good old-fashioned fun to me. But he won’t have any of my reasoning; he’s too serious to forget about the rain.

Hm…I think I’ll surprise him by dumping a bucket of water over his head.

-—Float On—Modest Mouse—3:28—-

“Squall, you’re not going to drown, come on….the water’s nice and warm!” I shouted at him from the deep end of the pool, treading water aimlessly. It was rather lonely being the only one in the pool.

He shook his head. “Rinoa, there’s a reason why people don’t go in the pool after eating.” he countered. “I’m not going to be a statistic.”

“Don’t worry; I’ll make sure you keep afloat. No one’ll know that you can’t swim.”

-—Black Hole Sun—Soundgarden—5:18—-

The meta-magic we’ve used in battle has always confused me. The others have always dismissed the actual logistics of it, preferring not to confuse themselves over something that didn’t really matter so they were free to go into battle with a clear head but I had to wonder. It was my nature to wonder. How can someone store Fire in their heads and not have a life-threatening fever? How can someone keep Thunder spells and not suffer the literal effects of shock? I’ve tried to have Squall explain it to me but it does more harm than good. I always walk away more confused than when I first went to ask him.

Don’t even get me started on Demi spells. Having a black hole in your pants is just weird.

-—I Hate (Everything About You)—Three Days Grace—3:55—-

Sometimes I really wondered what ever attracted me to him. I really did. Okay, I’ll admit that I was physically attracted to him first and that’s probably why I tried pursuing him. I guess this what they’re actually talking about when they say it’s love at first sight. You take that one peek at a person and it’s like you’re putting blinders for some unsavory qualities they have because you refuse to believe that they act a certain way when they look like that and they’re kissing you and taking off your shirt and…

…Well, let’s just say he’s better now.

-—Simon—Lifehouse—6:01—-

I feel like Squall’s putting himself in a cage sometimes, purposely shutting himself out for no reason. For the longest time, I couldn’t understand why but I think I’m starting to get the idea, now that I took a trip back to Timber, only to have tons of comments on how I changed with the underlying tone of, ‘you’re not the same and we want the old you back’. I didn’t think I’ve changed enough to warrant that kind of welcome so to get that was almost heart-breaking. When I felt like just faking my immature ways just so I’d stop getting this reaction, it suddenly clicked. Squall must have been getting the same reaction so he’s hiding to pretend like he hadn’t changed.

…Or was he doing that to ignore the reality that our relationship had made him a different person?

-—Damn—Matchbox Twenty—3:20—-

This really caught me off guard. I’m still reeling and my mouth isn’t working. My legs are starting to feel like jelly too. Why did I think we’d never get to this point? I haven’t breached the subject because I thought that he wouldn’t want to, or maybe it’s because I never thought of him in this way. Now that I think about it, I don’t know why I put him on such a pedestal. He is a guy underneath it all.

I think it’s about time I said yes.

-—Rest Stop—Matchbox Twenty—4:30—-

Driving for several hours had already taken its toll on me. Rinoa was asleep and I had to pull over to a rest stop — I needed to stretch my legs and get a little air. Once I found an exit on the highway with a sign indicating that there was a coffee shop and a gas bar, I took it. We were a little low on fuel anyway.

When we were there a minutes after that, I parked to the side of the coffee place and got out to do what I so sorely needed to do. After I got all of the kinks out of my system, I reached for the handle only to find that it wouldn’t open. Shit. Peering through the window I realized that my keys were still in the ignition.

It looked like I’d have to wait until my sleeping angel woke up.

-—Lucky Star—Goo Goo Dolls—3:08—-

“Squall, look at that one!”

Her enthusiasm for the heavens above never failed to amuse me. It was an enthusiasm we didn’t share, but I admired her for keeping it after what had happened in space. I…just couldn’t.

“Hey, are you even paying attention?” she lightly chided. “You look like you’re a million miles away.”

I turned away from the dark sky and looked at her instead. The lucky stars in her eyes were enough for me.

-—My Apocalypse—Metallica—5:01—-

If anything could be said about Squall in combat, it was that for whatever reason, you don’t ask him to cast fire elemental spells, even Meteor and Flare spells were cutting it close. It was Ice spells or nothing. Not like it mattered, his Lion Heart made short work of anything that came across its path.

Another thing that could be said about Squall in combat is that you don’t ask him why he hates using fire-based spells. You might just get a gruesome demonstration of why he didn’t like using them, needing a winter coat just looking at it.

-—Another Second Time Around—Goo Goo Dolls—3:00—-

“You’re the best looking guy here. Dance with me?”

Nothing. Nada. He just looked at me with those stormy slate eyes of his.

“Rinoa, don’t try to recreate that night, you’re just going to be disappointed.”

“It’s just for fun Squall, I won’t care if your dancing is a little rusty.”

“Rust has nothing to do with it.”

“Alright, what is it then?”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to let you leave this time.”

-—My Hero—Foo Fighters—4:18—-

I hate the notion of us being hailed as heroes. It annoys me to no end and Rinoa’s not doing anything to help. She’s under the impression that we are heroes too.

“Squall, if you guys didn’t do what you did, the world would have died when Ultimecia did what she did.” she said.

“I’m not a hero. I’m just an ordinary teenager put in an extraordinary situation. Heroes are supposed to be people who save the world willingly, not because they were forced to.”

“Well…can you be my hero if you don’t want to be the world’s?”

-—Cry For Help—Shinedown—3:20—-

I could hear the screams, the cries for help and it’s driving me insane. I can’t deal with the fact that she’s calling for me and not someone else. I can’t deal with the fact that someone’s depending on me. All I ever do is let people down. I’m not fit for being depended on, there are more competent and worthy people I’m sure.

Still, I pray that she’ll be okay until I get there. I depend on her to save me too.

-—Mad Season—Matchbox Twenty—4:30—-

“Rinoa, I feel like an idiot. Can we stop?”

“No, I want you to be apart of this.”

“All I seem to be apart of is making a mess on the floor. I’m not cut out for this.”

She tossed me a look. “Squall, if you quit now, you’ll never know what it’s like. I don’t care if you make a mess. I just want you to try.” She paused her motivational speech to give me another heated kiss on the lips. “…I promise it’ll be worth it in the end.”

“I’m holding you to your word Rinoa.”

“Don’t worry. These cookies will definitely be worth it.”

Complex.

2009-01-24T19:36:00.010-05:00

No, I don't mean complex as in difficult, I mean complex as in I have one. I've been going about this for a while now but I do not feel like I'm going to be twenty at all. Need photographic proof of my claim? Look at this (mind the colour quality, it was taken from a print screen of a webcam shot):

Does it look like I'm anywhere near the age of twenty? I don't think so.

But at least if it's any consolation to myself, at least I managed to take a cute picture of myself. Haha. Yikes, I think I'm seeing more of a resemblance to my dad (well, his sisters if you wanna be accurate) though everyone says I look like my mom.

Oh and I was bored so I took an emo/Rzeznik-ish (because of I've got the the squinty eyes, hair in the face, chin cleft goin' on) photo as well. See for yourself:

And to end things on that note,

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies,
When everything feels like the movies,
Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive...

Yay! Now I'm officially a cool kid who whores that song to describe their emo-y feelings! Yay!

/heavy and obvious sarcasm

Anyways, going on, I bought Live & Intimate today (aka Deluxe Let Love In) and I loved it (that wasn't intended as a pun, by the way). Some of the songs sounded dead-on or even better on that live performance for the most part *cough* not Better Days and non-LLI songs *cough*.

I reeeeally enjoyed hearing Robby's two songs live (OMG he was so on fire with his two performances and being cute to boot!), as well as We'll Be Here (When You're Gone) and Can't Let It Go (surprisingly enough). I think that We'll Be Here's really starting to grow on me and dare I say it, might surpass Let Love In as my favorite track on the record. There was something about that performance that reminded me of the remix though. I can't put my finger on it. I'll have to listen to the original to make sure I'm not going crazy -slash- imagining things.

At the very least I can tell you that it's really making me look forward to the new release, whenever that'll be. It should be interesting given that I don't think they have to prove anything to anyone anymore or since I don't think that they have anything in their collective systems that they need to get out via songwriting. Hopefully that alone will allow John and Robby (mostly John though) to broaden their horizons and write about whatever random-ass subject brews in their heads.

Come to think of it, this should be interesting because of one other aspect - John's voice. I honestly don't know what kinds of things he can pull off and write because it's gotten so much deeper. It's gotta impact the writing if he has to jot things down in a certain way to accomodate it. Luckily, Robby doesn't have that problem, so I don't worry about him.

Oh well, there's no point in predicting the future since there are no guarantees. Now I'm off to spend the $20 iTunes card that I just got!

I know somehow we will hold on, we'll be here when you're gone...

Just One Of Those Things...

2009-01-20T21:08:00.004-05:00

You know how it is when you've known this one song for what feels like forever but you've never known who did it and what it was called?

Well, this is mine.

It played on the radio at work last week and I remembered this song from a long time ago. I also knew that I had to find out what it was called and who did it once and for all. Luckily for me, the title I guessed it was happened to be right.

I finally know that the song's Barely Breathing by Duncan Sheik.

The scary part is that it's from '96. Yikes. I thought it was released around Dizzy-era Goo.

'Cause I am barely breathing,
And I can't find the air,
Don't know who I'm kidding,
Imagining you care...

What I Said...Before...In A Different Place...15 Minutes Ago...

2009-01-19T22:40:00.003-05:00

For those of you who aren't in the know, me and Jess have created a new board for the Dolls after a conversation we had following my brief stay at another board.

This place is basically a board where you can express your opinions without having to fear any kind of recoil if it doesn't fall under OMGZ!!!!ILUV!IT@#$CAN#!(# IHAVE^*&^#JOHN'SBABIEZ?!LOL.

That being said, it won't be like the other end of the spectrum where everything's a bash-fest or anything like that.

Anyways, here's the link.

Feel free to swing by and it's your kind of thing...well, you know what to do.

(Feel free to insert your own innuendo for that last sentence too, I'm just too lazy. XD)

Top Ten From My Top Five (Confusing, I Know)

2009-01-15T19:43:00.007-05:00

I've come to the realization that I suck at making decisions regarding 'best-of's or favourites. I just can't seem to do it properly because I over-think and analyze things far too much to be happy with my picks because of the resulting 'what if's in my head. Terrible, I know, but I'm just neurotic like that.

I was thinking about doing something regarding the albums I've picked up that had been released in '08, but the list isn't really that big to really say much (especially when I've only waited for one of them to drop) so instead of that, I'm making a mix of ten top songs (in no particular order..okay, maybe alphabetical) from my top five bands (those will be in order).

1. Goo Goo Dolls

All Eyes On Me
Big Machine
Black Balloon
Broadway
Bullet Proof
Here Is Gone
I Don't Want To Know [cover]
Iris
Let Love In
Slide

2. 3 Doors Down

Away From The Sun
Changes
Here Without You
Let Me Go
Loser
The Real Life
These Days
This Time
When I'm Gone
Your Arms Feel Like Home

3. Stone Temple Pilots

All In The Suit That You Wear
Big Empty
Coma
Creep
Down
Dumb Love
Interstate Love Song
Plush
Trippin' In A Hole In A Paper Heart
Vasoline

4. Lifehouse

Better Luck Next Time
Broken
Come Back Down
Everything
From Where You Are
My Precious
Someone Else's Song
Somewhere In Between
Wash
Whatever It Takes

5. Matchbox Twenty

Back 2 Good
Bent
Disease
Hang
If You're Gone
Long Day
Mad Season
Push
Rest Stop
3AM

I Have Magical Evil Powers, Just Watch!

2009-01-08T18:09:00.003-05:00

Hey...it's another song-shuffling questionnaire thingy-ma-bobber! Only this time I'm the one who's makin' one. See how fun this'll be! Hehe.

Oh, and if you're wondering about the title, I wrote that because it'll [most likely] force Jess into copying this one too - whether she likes it or not. I am sooo evil. Muahaha!

1. What would be your plan of action be if an evil madman threatened to blow up the room you and a bunch of others are in?

Leave Out All The Rest - Linkin Park (Hm. Good plan for me, not so much for the others...)

2. If someone randomly slapped you across the face, what would you yell out afterwards?

What A Scene - Goo Goo Dolls (Yeah, that definitely was a scene. Ouchies.)

3. What would your closet can be described as?

On the Lie - Goo Goo Dolls (My closet's lied to me? What the...)

4. If a friend Sharpie'd your face after you passed out at a party, what would it say?

One Man Army - Our Lady Peace (I don't think I'd make a good one man army if I passed out.)

5. What would make a good title for a romance novel?

Them Bones - Alice In Chains (Two things wrong with this. You can draw your own conclusions to what I'm thinkin'.)

6. What would you tell someone if they said, "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Pray For Me - Sixx:A.M. (Hm. Didn't know it'd be that hard.)

7. What would you be constantly muttering under your breath if you'd gone mad?

A Daily AntheM - David Cook (I'll even mention that there's a capital M too!)

8. What song would you be caught singing in the shower?

The End Has Only Begun - Lifehouse (But I don't know most of the lyrics! I'd need to bring the CD booklet with me!)

9. You couldn't finish your homework on time. What's the excuse you give the teacher?

Cuz You're Gone - Goo Goo Dolls (Yeah, that makes as much sense as me not doing my homework.)

10. You secretely blush whenever a guy/girl tells you...

Cyanide - Metallica (Yeah, poison totally gets me off...)

11. How would you describe your perfect Saturday night?

Rise Today - Alter Bridge (Wait...that makes no sense. It'd have to be Rise Tonight, not today...)

12. If someone told you that your zipper was down, what would say to them?

The Joke - Lifehouse (The joke's on you appearently.)

13. What do you normally have nightmares of?

Some Day - Shinedown (Yep, I fear vague timelines.)

14. Describe your most embarrassing moment.

January Friend - Goo Goo Dolls (Yeah, February Buddy totally walked in on us...)

15. You cringe whenever you think of...

Assassin - Muse (Y'ever notice how Assassin breaks down to ass-ass-in? That's cringeworthy.)

16. 'Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto,' is actually Japanese for...

Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down (You sure that doesn't have to do with Mr. Superman?)

17. How would you describe your favourite dessert?

Give A Little Bit - Goo Goo Dolls (Yeah, to ME!)

18. Name a reason why you'd smash a vase against a wall.

Everlong - Foo Fighters (What? It was pissing me off so everlong.)

19. You know someone's crazy if they tell you...

Black Again - Stone Temple Pilots (Yeah, like I don't even know what's even black again.)

20. Which song would you be willing to do the Hokey Pokey in?

Stacked Actors - Foo Fighters (You know...the beat is kind of Hokey Pokey-ish...)

21. What would your theme song be?

For Whom The Bell Tolls - Metallica (Ooh...so ominous sounding, I like it.)

22. What's the weather like where you are?

Only One - Goo Goo Dolls (Yeah, there's only one kind of weather here...)

23. You've been known to randomly blurt out...

Zero - Smashing Pumpkins (ZERO!)

24. You have a secret obsession with...

Cruel - Default (While, I am pretty mean to my little brother for no reason...and it's fuuun...)

25. You know you're having a bad hair day when someone tells you...

Almost Easy - Avenged Sevenfold (So if I look like a slut I have bad hair?)

Moar Shufflin'

2009-01-07T21:27:00.004-05:00

Found another song-shufflin' quiz. Enjoy! (Not to mention, please play along!) :)

1. How are you feeling today?

Brand New Start - Alter Bridge (But it's quarter to ten...)

2. Will you get far in life?

Here is Gone - Goo Goo Dolls (*facepalms*)

3. How do your friends see you?

Iris - Goo Goo Dolls (...I'm a flower?)

4. Will you get married?

Deny - Default (Haha.)

5. What is your best friend’s theme song?

When the Heartache Ends - Rob Thomas (Awwwww.)

6. What is the story of your life?

Smooth - Santana feat. Rob Thomas (....So...so..wrong!)

7. What was high school like?

Frayed Ends of Sanity - Metallica (Oh dear lord, this thing is on a ROLL!)

8. How can you get ahead in life?

Become - Goo Goo Dolls (...I'll 'become' something?)

9. What is the best thing about your friends?

Animal I Have Become - Three Days Grace (....No comment.)

10. What is in store for this weekend?

Permanent - David Cook (...I have a permanent weekend? SWEET.)

11. To describe your grandparents?

Evil Angel - Breaking Benjamin (....Oh god...)

12. How is your life going?

Press Play - Stone Temple Pilots (Hm...has someone pressed play in my life? Er...that sounds nasty.)

13. What song will they play at your funeral?

Break My Fall - Breaking Benjamin (nope, too late ;D)

14. How does the world see you?

Smash - Goo Goo Dolls (I'm a...smash?)

15. Will you have a happy life?

Not Enough - 3 Doors Down (Truuuue...)

16. What do your friends really think of you?

Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon (Aw, cool!)

17. Do people secretly lust after you?

MC5 - Stone Temple Pilots (...Is that dynamite?)

18. How can I make myself happy?

Burn It Down - Alter Bridge (...I'm a pyro?)

19. What should you do with your life?

Blind Confusion - Scott Weiland (Ah, so I'm supposed to run around with a blindfold on. Gotcha!)

20. Will you ever have children?

The Crow & the Butterfly - Shinedown (What is THAT supposed to mean?)

21. What song would you strip to? (please not Super Massive Black Hole...please not Super Massive Black Hole...)

OH FUCKIN' GOD...

Sex Type Thing - Stone Temple Pilots (*uber facepalm* I think Scott Weiland has beat me to that...)

22. If a man in a van offered you candy, what would you do?

Movin' On - Default (That's right. I am smart.)

23. What does your mom think of you?

Hey - Goo Goo Dolls (She thinks I'm two guys shouting?)

24. What is your deep dark secret?

Let You Down - Default (Alright.)

25. What is your mortal enemy’s theme song?

Stop - Matchbox Twenty (Eh.)

26. What’s your personality like?

Into The Sun - Lifehouse (I...burn people?)

27. Which song will be played at your wedding?

All Nightmare Long - Metallica (THAT'S WHAT HE SAID! XD)

I Are Not Dumb.

2009-01-06T22:56:00.004-05:00

I just got back the last final marks from last semester's classes and in short, I am happy. While I didn't do as well as my first year classes, to pass everything with an 80 and over is good enough for me. I guess I managed to acheive my goal in my first post (80 in Accounting for the win! Lol.). Woot!

Oh, on another note, co-op is okay but when it's around 9-11ish, I'm so tired that it's sad. I'm supposed to be a night owl. God, I hope that stops. Hm. Maybe I need to raid a Wal-Mart for some Diet Pepsi. I haven't had one in like...2 days?

Yeah, I know I have problem but I really don't care. Everyone's got their vices you know. ;)

Shufflin' Around

2009-01-04T19:14:00.003-05:00

In honour of me shuffin' around for my co-op and having to move away from home, I present to you a fun game where you use an iPod (or any other media device) on shuffle. I've done this before, but what the hell. It's all in good fun. :)

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?

My Apocalyspe - Metallica

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?

Agoraphobia - Incubus (Mmyes...I do hate the outside)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

Broadway - Goo Goo Dolls (...They have be on stage??)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?

Only One In Color - Trapt

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

Be Somebody - 3 Doors Down

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

Believe - Breaking Benjamin

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?

Assassin - Muse (Wow, apparently my friends think I kill people for hire. Hm..not too far off XD)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

Without You - Default

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

Come Back To Me - David Cook

WHAT IS 2 + 2?

Unglued - Stone Temple Pilots

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BESTIE?

Just Another Name - Lifehouse

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

Sin - Stone Temple Pilots

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

Glide - Stone Temple Pilots

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Slave Girl - Goo Goo Dolls (I don't aspire to be much, do I?)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

Dumb Love - Stone Temple Pilots (Haha. Nice timing.)

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

Pruno - Stone Temple Pilots

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

It's Not Over - Daughtry

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?

There There - Radiohead

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

Supermassive Black Hole - Muse (OH YEAH, I do fear that one. But for a less obvious reason *winks at Jess*)

It feels as though I might make some sense out of this madness...

Leon, For the Love of God, Stop Doing That!

2009-01-03T13:22:00.006-05:00

I bought the new Resident Evil movie (not the live action ones, the CGI animated one) and it was pretty good for the most part. What's weird is they've chink-ed Leon's face a bit and in certain angles/shots, he looks off and in others he looks insanely attractive (hey, doesn't that remind you of a certain someone, hm?). It's weird. But in any case, the biggest thing that really bothered me the most was the perma-frown and the constant standing with impossibly upright posture. Like for fuck sakes, I'd swear that he was trying to channel Squall Leonhart but even then, as hard as it is to believe, Squall wasn't that bad for that kind of stuff. Kept on expecting him to bust a 'Whatever,' or a 'Go talk to a wall,' though.

Oh! And they force this on us in the movie. Ugh. I know it's supposed to be CPR but she looked like she was enjoying that way too much and there's a fair bit of that kind of tension to chalk it off as simply that. Honestly, I'd rather see Claire and Leon but whatever, I've come to the conclusion that the dude's a walking chick magnet. It can't be helped. Like look at this, it's like she can't even be subtle about it!

Haha, just kidding about that. It was from the voice blooper reel.

Either way, despite the film's shortcomings, it was really good and definitely worth the money it cost.

Oh and FYI, this is the best part of the movie....

....in the bloopers section.

Okay, okay, I'll shut-up.

I’m not made of steel, but your secret's safe with me...I can be anything that you want me to be.

Firsts and Lasts

2009-01-01T02:26:00.005-05:00

You know, it's strange. Most people in my position (which I'll explain shortly after) would have said that their New Year's Eve sucked hardcore but I rather enjoyed it and wouldn't change it for what it was.

To summarize, I:

Ate from Pizza Hut for supper.
Submitted a short chapter of my fanfiction.
Bowled several games of 10-pin from 6-9 with my family.
Babysat my cousin's sleeping baby (so it's glorified house-sitting, really) from 9:30 to 1:30ish so he and his wife could attend a New Year's Eve party.
Basically watched House episodes I haven't seen before from the box-sets I brought on my laptop.
Listened to a little music and did a little post-posting editing on said chapter (I was in a rush).
Was paid far too much money for house-sitting but felt good that I did them a favour.
Came home to an assortment of junk food to find my favourite Tim Hortons donut EVAR.
Ate said donut. It was yummy.
Went on internet to do some stuff.
Typing this blog. (i.e. this present moment)

The weird thing was that I was happy to be essentially by myself just watching House episodes, not empty or feeling like a loser because I wasn't at some kind of party or whatever. I figure it's simply the distinction between literally being alone and being alone in a crowd that made the difference and anyone's whose ever experienced the two can surely tell you that the latter is by far worse. With a party or any social gathering, I have this bad habit of expecting something, whatever that may be, to happen and every time, it doesn't. With choosing to do my older cousin a favour, I already knew that nothing was gonna happen and I was content to be by myself and do whatever without being near anyone.

Boy, is my introverted side showing? Haha. Might as well add in a quote from Final Fantasy VIII's Squall Leonhart while I'm at it. I know one off of the top of my head:

"As long as you don't get your hopes up, you can take anything... You feel less pain."

There. Now this blog is officially full of awesome. Hehe. No wait, I think this'll make it officially full of awesome (this is pulled from http://www.john-rzeznik.com/ by the way):

"Just got back from the concert. It was awesome, just completely fucking great, one of the better ones I’ve attended, I swear John gets hotter every single time I see him, and my body hurts absolutely everywhere, so a real update will have to wait until tomorrow. Meanwhile, I will be dreaming about the way John ran offstage and kissed Melina for serious OMG THEY ARE SO ADORABLE I LOVE THEM FOREVER!! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!"

Oh and some interesting/odd factoids about my night:

Last Song Played in 2008: All In The Suit That You Wear - Stone Temple Pilots
First Song Played in 2009: Here Is Gone - Goo Goo Dolls
Last Item Purchased in 2008: A 5-pack of different coloured iPod skins ($2.22 for the win!)
First Thing Eaten in 2009: Wheat Thins

Anyway, I think this year will rock considering I started it on such awesome terms but we'll have to wait 'n see. Either way, ciao for now. Gotta sleep. :D

What do you got to move you darling?

Robby the Inspirational Drawstring Doll

2008-12-28T03:40:00.006-05:00

Ok, I'm too lazy to recant the tale of this (go check out here for that: http://the-grains-of-time.blogspot.com/2008/12/sidekicks-man.html ), but the short story is that the following is ten things a drawstring doll version of Robby would say if John needed some encouragement to write new material for the upcoming record (it's explained in the link) because we all know that the panic is what comes first in the writing process. Hehe.

Don't worry John, if you can't think of anything, we'll just have Mike write the next song. I'm sure he'll come up with something cool.
Nope, it doesn't sound like Stay With You to me.
Take all the time you need John. I'll do all of the interviews while you're busy writing.
Hey man, at least we know that we won't have to go country to sell records.
If you're really stuck, how about I take you to the movies and give you a pen, paper and some popcorn?
No, it's ok John. You can book that solo appearance. I'm sure the record will be finished sooner or later.
Dude, I think if we survived the guyliner phase of our career, we can do anything.
Don't sweat it John. I'm sure that if the fans liked Let Love In, they'll love this new record.
Hm...we haven't done a big rock song in awhile. How about we try that?
Hey, we didn't need other people helping us write songs back in the day. Why start now?

This is my conceptual rendering of drawstring!Robby. Isn't he cute?

iTunes

2008-12-26T22:22:00.005-05:00

I got myself an $25 iTunes card from some Christmas money since Wal-Mart isn't the best to find older CDs (i.e. anything that didn't come out less than a month ago).

This could be the result of being equal parts sick, tired and bored, but behold the ecclectic slew of songs I purchased:

The Sound of Madness Album - Shinedown

Devour
Sound of Madness
Second Chance
Cry For Help
The Crow & the Butterfly
If You Only Knew
Sin With a Grin
What a Shame
Cyanide Sweet Tooth Suicide
Breaking Inside
Call Me
I Own You (Bonus Track)
Energy (Bonus Track)
Son of Sam (Bonus Track)

Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
Assassin - Muse
If This Is Goodbye - Lifehouse
Today - Lifehouse
Until It Sleeps - Metallica
Orion - Metallica
Fight Fire With Fire - Metallica
Trapped Under Ice - Metallica
Damage, Inc. - Metallica
Decode - Paramore
Bittersweet - Fuel

P.S - I still have $2.52 in my account so feel free to suggest a song or two. :D

Do you see what we've done? We've gone and made such fools of ourselves....

Song Statistics

2008-12-21T12:40:00.010-05:00

Ok, I'm gonna feel like a slight creeper for this since I'm preetty sure that one of the other two people who has a Goo compilation list doesn't know that I know that they have a blog (try reading that three times fast, lol), but I thought it would be cool to see where our lists overlap and the stats for certain things (I'm not gonna put in the extras though).

Oh, and yeah, if you didn't know by now, I'm a math nerd with nothing better to do (emphasis on nothing better to do).

My List .... Jess's List .... Sam's List

Kevin's Song .. Black Balloon .. All Eyes On Me

Laughing .. So Far Away (instrumental) .. Black Balloon

I Don't Want To Know ..Here Is Gone (acoustic) .. Hate This Place

Slave Girl .. I Don't Want To Know .. Hey

Hey .. Broadway (live) .. Kevin's Song

Slide .. We'll Be Here (remix) .. Lucky Star

Here Is Gone .. Lucky Star .. Slide

Lucky Star .. String Of Lies .. Tell Me

Naked .. Big Machine .. Two Days In February (LIB)

Big Machine .. Tucked Away .. So The Story Goes

Overlap Statistics:
Songs Repeated in Two Lists: Kevin's Song, I Don't Want To Know, Hey, Black Balloon, Slide, Here Is Gone and Big Machine
Songs Repeated in Three Lists: Lucky Star

Overall Statistics:
Percentage of Songs From HMU: 16.7%
Percentage of Songs From SSCW (demos included): 23.3%
Percentage of Songs From ABNG: 6.7%
Percentage of Songs From DUTG: 23.3%
Percentage of Songs From GF: 16.7%
Percentage of Songs From Live Albums(LIB) & Complilations: 13.3%

Sometimes You Don't Realize What You've Got ('Til You've Gone Elsewhere)

2008-12-20T09:19:00.006-05:00

As most people are aware, in the world of Goo Goo Dolls messageboards, I dared to foray into What A Scene and it didn't go well. From registration to resignation (hehe, clever wording, I know), it only took ten days. And to keep it short, the tipping point was when I think I subconsciously tried to introduce a little structure into pure chaos and it epically failed (and I do stress the use of the word 'epically' in that). I'm not going to rehash the situation because it's been all said and done and I erased the favourites tab to that board so there's no going back. Trust me, I'd have to do that or else I'd be lurking on there to see what they said (and potentially said about me) in a particular thread. Yeah, I realize I have a bit of a vindictive streak so this is to keep my soul intact (let's just say that they have a veeery different approach to things on AG).

But in spite of getting called a twat, newbie and being accused of having an attitude (yeah, these people obviously do not know me), two positive things came out of it. And in an assbackwards way, I have What A Scene to thank for that.

The first thing was the new messageboard Jess and I have created. After only spending a day on What A Scene, I started to question a lot of things because there were threads about John and groupies/botox, hardcore Melina-bashing and just a lot of pessimism/rudeness in general. And if it's one thing I don't like it's having to question myself about everything. It's not so much to say that I believe what they say but having my neutral views being challenged is not fun.

Hm..the best way I can describe it is like this. Say you wrote a test and you thought you did pretty well but when you talk to some people and ask them what they got for their answers, most of them are off from yours. Now, you don't know which one of you guys were right but either way, you start questioning everything you did on that test. It's like that in a way.

But in any case, the benefit of freedom to say whatever you want on there was quickly outweighed by that. I honestly thought it would have been fun on there because of that freedom, but I quickly learned the hard way. So getting to my point, I was talking to Jess about What A Scene and I remember saying something like, 'God, I wish that there was a messageboard that was halfways between AG and What A Scene, where you could be free to say your opinion or comment on things in their personal lives but there'd be no band/user bashing,' and Jess suggested that we should make our own message board. Fortunately, I found a free hosting site and it all snowballed from there. I'm quite proud of the layout and skin I created for it so it should be really fun once we open our doors around January 8-9 when Jess gets back and has her internet again.

(Yeah, I know it feels like a shameless plug, but hey, it's becoming the worst-kept secret ever due to the circumstances so I don't really care right now - you can check it out here if you want.)

Getting back on track, the second thing I was thankful for was the people on AG. After all the shit went down on What A Scene, I went back to AG and into the chatroom by chance. Now, I'd totally forgotten that it was World Chat since I normally couldn't make them when I had school (I'm done now) and because my internal clock is so incredibly off that it didn't register that it was Friday. Anyway, when I got there I was so happy to see that there were a bunch of people and I was tempted to bring up what had happened. But someone else did that for me (Hi Judith!) and it got into a bit of a discussion about that forum. I felt better and got it all out of my system and I don't think that would have happened if not for the people there.

Anyway, hope you all have a happy holidays in case if I don't post in awhile. I'll be in and out in the next few days. :)

And if I had an hourglass, I'd save the grains of time I spent with you...that's what I'd do.

John's Letter

2008-12-18T11:03:00.009-05:00

Thinking back to what I said about their newest record, I feel as if John's letter (which I'll post below this) is basically making what I said go in full circle. This kind of thing exemplifies why I will follow this band until it runs its course. If I would have seen this during the day yesterday, I would have said that it made my day but since I came home late at night, I'll say that I went to bed with a smile on my face.

In all honesty, when I came home after eleven yesterday, I checked my usual haunts on the web and when I saw this on Absolute Goo, I was just stunned. Absolutely stunned. I feel as if this proves why John is a great songwriter and person despite what people may say. He wrote in such a sincere way that really conveyed the emotions and sentiment he was trying to get across so effortlessly; it basically tugged at my heartstrings and made me (and I assume fans in general) feel special. Not to mention, how many bands would do this kind of thing? Not too many, I'm sure.

I'm sorry if I'm not being that articulate here, but, I'm still in awe. Anyways, here's the letter.

Happy holidays everyone,

I hope all is going well and you are where you want to
be this season.
As you know these are trying times for a lot of people.
On top of the usual pressures of the holidays many
people can't even make ends meet.
That's where we all need to step in and help.
This year more than any other in recent history there
are so many in need... real, real need.
If you can, please reach out a hand as much as you
are able.
We will all enjoy our holidays more.

Knowing we gave a little bit more of ourselves, that we
watched out for our brothers and sisters
After all, that's what this time of year is all about (I
know, so cliche... but really true)
I know I feel so blessed to have all of you in our lives.

Year after year, you have held us up (I'm speaking for
Mike and Robby as well) and given us hope.
Hope, that what we say in our music still matters and
that it helps in some small way.
You have cared about us when so many have given up on us.
You come to our shows, you bake us cookies, you give
us letters and cards that break my heart.
Because they are written with so much love.
You sing along with me and it gives me strength.
It makes me feel like we still have a place in your lives.

Thank you so much.

That's why I'm asking you to extend that same kind of
hope to others in this very difficult time.
I know you people, I know your generosity and your heart.
It's the one thing I always count on to get me through the rough times.

... hoping you get everything you want this holiday.

John

Don't fall, just be who you are, it's all that we need in our lives..

Road Trip!

2008-12-17T23:52:00.003-05:00

I was out all day today to check out the place where I'm going be staying during my co-op from January-April along with the office itself. The drive from my house to there is about 4 hours, give or take a little bit since we (me and my mom) stopped over for lunch on the way there and for supper/refilling the tank on the way back. It's a straightforward trip, but a loooong one.

Anyway, when we got to the office, I basically got a tour of the place and met the people I'd be working with (minus those who were on vacation or currently out with a client). In short, the people were friendly, the place was nicely furnished and the inside of their elevator was so shiny I could see my reflection even though the walls were not metal or anything typically known to reflective. Neat, huh? (At least I thought so...)

After that my mom wanted to take a photo of Detroit which is on the other side of Windsor so we had to walk a little bit down the street the office was located on.

Let me summarize the experience for you: Ow. Ow. Fuckity OWWWW!

I was wearing these stylish leather boots that have a thick 1.5/2-inch heel on them and because they have not a lot of ankle support at that height, my feet were starting to hurt. It got to the point where I wasn't sure if my ankles were gonna give out or something. Luckily I made it back to where we parked the car. Needless to say, if I had been wearing my regular black shoes or even my regular Kodiak boots, it would have been a lot more tolerable and I wouldn't have blisters on the balls of my feet. I'm hoping I'll get used to them by the time I actually go but something tells me my feet will rebel and refuse to get used to the height. Oh well.

So in any case, our next stop was at the place I'm staying at to meet the family who I'm staying with. They were all really nice, the house looked great and me and my mom had a nice time chatting with them for a little while so I don't have any worries for when I actually have to move there.

Oh, and one last thing. They have an internet hook-up for the room I'm using so that means I won't be MIA for four months! YAY! :)

(Now if only I could sneak my Rock Band 2 set there then I'd be all set.)

Gotta bear your cross but never dream too loud...SCREW THIS RAIN!

I'm Not Harmonix, But...

2008-12-16T11:21:00.012-05:00

I was asked to compile a ten-song list a week or two ago by my friend Jess (Hi Jess!), which would convince someone of the Goos' greatness. Surprisingly enough, when I was asked, it didn't take very long to make my list since I figured that the best way to go on about this was to show the different facets of their musical repetoire. My list ranges from Hold Me Up to Gutterflower (sorry Let Love In, I like you but you're not groundbreaking) and has every record in between. Now before you shoot me for omitting their most famous song, I left it out because I figured that the would-be person I'm trying to heckle will already know it.

So without further adieu, this is my list in the order I thought of my songs (which may not necessarily mean any kind of preference).

Oh, and if you're wondering about my title to this entry, the creators of Rock Band 1 & 2 have been known to pick songs from artist's catalogues which may not be their most popular/known ones but are probably more fun to play and better to get you into that artist if you dig the music. Now if only we could get Goo as Rock Band downloadable content...oh god, I think I'd die happy.

Anyway, back on to the topic at hand...

Kevin's Song: It's an instrumental but a fairly good one, so that's why I added it. It's to show that they have musical chops and don't have to neccessarily rely on lyrics to craft a solid song.

Laughing: It's a short little Robby song with a wicked bassline and fun lyrics. I picked it to demonstrate Rob's bass-playing abilities.

I Don't Want To Know: Ok, technically this is a Fleetwood Mac song but, if you were to listen to both they sound nothing like and I mean that in a literal sense because the only thing that's the same is the lyrics. The Dolls have totally arranged a cheesy-sounding song into a driving and catchy alternative rock song with more hooks than a coat rack. Seriously, it's gotta mean something if they can make a cover entirely their own and make it a million times better. Speaking of which...

Slave Girl: I Don't Want To Know is to Rzeznik as Slave Girl is to Takac. While they haven't changed as many things from the original, the changes they have made improve the song and its energy thanks to a more prominent bassline and a fiesty vocal delivery. Seriously, I keep on forgeting that it's a cover because I mentally place it as a Robby song, not a Robby-covered song.

Hey: While they haven't done a song with duet singing since the days of Superstar Car Wash, I put in Hey because it's not too often where you can have a song where the vocals work with this call-and-response style where they alternate lines and have it work so well. Honorable mentions go to SSCW's Domino and String of Lies, but I picked Hey because it's split 50-50 and not have one of the guys take a more precendence in the other (Domino - Takac, String of Lies - Rzeznik). It's just raw and energetic duet singing at its finest.

Slide: Now, I know that I omitted Iris because it's so popular, but I didn't omit Slide because of the underlying behind-the-scene qualities at work here in this song. I think the charm behind this one is the contradictions between the lyrics and the music. While the music leaves you with the impression that this is a happy and peppy little song, the lyrics go in the completely opposite direction like as if they're trying to balance one another. And speaking of the lyrics, I think it speaks volumes for John as a songwriter to make a kick-ass song out of the most random subject matter ever. I mean, who'd ever think that they'd have a number one hit from a peppy-sounding song about abortion? Yeah, I bet if you told someone that they'd be totally amazed. Haha.

Here Is Gone: I felt kind of guilty adding this one because it's actually my favorite song by them but, there's a good reason for adding this one onto my list, I swear. If you've ever heard this song, you'll know that the build-up to and the chorus itself is epic music and vocal-wise. I mean, from the starting lines, to the pained '...yeah's and the refrain, it takes you hold and never lets go with it's never-ending barrage of driven and genuine emotion. And if music can make you feel something like that then, there's definitely something there.

Lucky Star: Shifting gears again, I picked this Takac song because of its witty lyrics. Now my favourite at the moment by Rob is Impersonality, but I don't think that I could win people over with cute lyrics, this here, is one of Robby's better songs lyrically and I wanted to show that off as a contrast to John's songs. I mean, if you can write a line like, 'And if I had an hourglass, I'd save the grains of time I spent with you,' that's just awesome.

Naked: Kick-ass solo is what I'm going to list as my reason for this one. I wanted to show John's ability as a guitarist even though he's so fucking self-depreciating about his guitar-playing skills. John, I know that you're no Slash or Kirk Hammett, but can you just take credit for what you can do for one time in your life?

Big Machine: I consider this one as the most recent 'rock song' they've done and if it just so happens that it's their last (I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it won't be), then they went out on a good note as far as I'm concerned. Big Machine is powerhouse musically and vocally and I think the fact that they didn't need to add a guitar solo to bring that point home proves that they're just that good. Oh, and there's the word 'sex' in it too. That's just plain rock 'n roll people. ;)

I'm blind and waiting for you...

What I Learned About Ego, Art, Opinion And Commerce...Okay, Maybe Not Commerce.

2008-12-16T07:49:00.003-05:00

Okay, judging by the tiny blurb I mentioned in my first post and the list of art, it should come to no surprise that I'm a Goo Goo Dolls fan. Been a fan since late '05, but I've loved them ever since I heard their singles on the radio as a kid. I decided to become a fan in late '05 because I heard Name on the radio somewhere around there and remembered how it used to have so much airplay about ten years prior. Then I tried remembering the other singles I knew they had. Iris obviously sprung to mind, followed by the DUTG singles and a funny memory about Big Machine. You know how there's the verse,

"Turn your anger into lust,
I'm still here but you don't trust at all,
And I'll be waiting,
Love and sex and loneliness,
Take what's yours and leave the rest,
So I'll survive,God it's god to be alive."

Well, being thirteen at the time of Gutterflower's release, I was shocked to hear that fourth line on the radio. I distinctly recall thinking one day while my dad was driving me to an orthodonist appointment, 'Oh my God, is he allowed singing that on the radio?'

Haha, good times, good times.

Anyways, from there on, I remembered Here Is Gone and how I used to get all confused with Give A Little Bit because at the time it was released to the airwaves in '04, I kept on hearing both their cover and Supertramp's original being played interchangeably at the same time. Not knowing that it was Goo doing the cover, whenever the begining guitar would chime in, after a bit of exposure to the cover on the radio, I would think to myself, 'Ok, is this going to be the slow and lethargic version or the bouncy one?'

And yes, you read that right. I called Goo bouncy.

Anyway, so after figuring out that I might have a lot of interest in the band, I did what any normal teenager would do and raided my father's special DJ compliation disk collection (ok, I lied about the normal teenager thing, but it's the principal of the idea that counts, right?) for any Goo singles to put on a burnt CD to listen to on my computer. On top of the stuff that I recalled from them, I also found Lazy Eye, and the other ABNG singles like Long Way Down, Naked, Flat Top and Only One. Turns out that the version of Black Balloon I'd unearthed wasn't the same as the regular DUTG version. You know how the first chorus in the DUTG version has only John singing it but in the consequent choruses Robby sings back-up with him? Mine had the latter kind of chorus all the way through. But in any case, that's another story. Don't you all love tangents?

Come to think of it, here's a cool segway. After I became a fan, I recalled a far distant memory that I wanted DUTG as a 9-year old kid not long after it came out (I remembered thinking, 'I want the CD with Black Balloon and Broadway on it!'). But as any kid without any money, the idea ended up being forgotten about over time. However, if it's any consolation to my younger self, the good news is that I got it ten years later after all (along with Gutterflower, EOAC, Superstar Car Wash and A Boy Named Goo - all in that order - Let Love In was my first though and LIB my second - I'll explain the situation with LLI one later). *grins*

In any case, jumping back to a few months after the time I became a fan, the release of Let Love In was a total surprise to me until I saw an advertizement for it on TV. I wasn't even aware that they were releasing a record. I'm not gonna lie, the title threw me off a little but I was excited nonetheless as I was listening to 30-second clips of the songs on their website. I'll admit that Robby's Listen was the most interesting to hear out of the bunch because I didn't know that they both sang until a little while back (hey, cut me some slack, I had to play catch up big time).

Okay, now the following is a memory that I hold rather dear and I'm in the mood for sharing it so here it is. When I'd heard the advertizement for Let Love In, it was at the dinner table with my mom and two younger brothers. This was around a few days before it got released and after the commercial was done, I said something like, 'I'd like to get that when I get some birthday money,' without trying to drop any hints on anyone around me or anything because my birthday's in early May. I meant what I said at face value, not even thinking that it could be construed as a hint.

A few days later when I was in a Blockbuster, meeting up with my mom and middle brother (he's two years younger than me) who'd been at the mall when I hadn't, he pulled me aside to show me what he had in his bag and lo and behold, it was the CD. Apparently, he couldn't keep it a surprise for my birthday, he had to show me it now even though I still had to wait until my birthday to get it. I was honestly flabbergasted by this as he was telling me how he got it. I suppose it was the sheer surprise of it all. I was elated to say the least.

So when my birthday did eventually roll around the next week, he gave it to me and offered to borrow his CD player so that I could listen to it at on the bus because I didn't have one at the time. I thought this was incredibly thoughtful of him. Anyway, in short, I listened to CD on the way there and I couldn't wait to finish it (in a good way) that I listened to a little during lunch to make sure I'd be able listen to everything by the time the bus ride home was over. It was really good day in spite of having to do a Bio test (yes, I have a memory for every frickin' stupid little detail) and thought that listening to the CD was a very pleasant experience. Granted, it took forever to remember which non-singles were which, but that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. It'll always have a place in my heart because of that day.

So to be honest, in spite of what I may say about the CD on any message board or conversation, I like Let Love In, I just play along even though I don't think I could ever mean it because I know of how people can be so critical. I suppose it's also a way of guarding myself and that memory. While I'm not a sheep, I can honestly say that with most things, I usually like anything once I've gotten used to it. Maybe I liked Let Love In because I had to play catch up or because I didn't have to wait four years after Gutterflower like most fans had to or be subjected to the hearsay of the guys' predictions of what it's going to sound like, but, I don't really see that record as a huge disappointment. Maybe it was a bit of a knee-jerk overreaction to the trouble they had with Gutterflower, but I have to respect what they've done to get back from that bitter place which clearly influenced their previous record. If it was what they needed to get all of the poison out of their systems, then all the more power to them. I honestly understand John when he said he just wanted to feel again.

It should be interesting with the new record though, seeing it's going to be the first one I've had to wait for with them (Greatest Hits Vol. II doesn't really count), but I know that as long as they stay true to themselves, I'll definitely find some merit and replay value in it. Sure, I'd ideally like more harder Gutterflower or Superstar Car Wash-esque stuff, but truth be told, I'll be happy no matter what. I know that repeating Iris's success isn't really a possibility at this point in the game (unless if John pulls a major ace out of his sleeve that he's been hiding forever), but I just hope that they do well and are happy with the end results of their work. That's the most important part, right?

I'll stay with you, the walls will fall before we do...

I'm As Free As A Bird! (And I Don't Know What To Do With Myself...)

2008-12-15T23:59:00.002-05:00

I figure that the best way to introduce myself is to simply be myself and not have explain the trivial details.

...Why?

Because the short story is that I'm not an interesting person.

Hell, I don't even know why a boring person like me would have a blog, but I digress. I've read others and I find them fascinating to read so I figured that this could be fun with the right amount of caffeine in me *points to blog title* -or at least that's what I assume here. It could go horribly wrong and I'll go on a whiplash-inducing tangent and leave you hanging with your heads between your knees. Okay, so maybe that's not what people who've suffered whiplash do but you (whoever you may be but I think I have an idea of that) know what I mean?

Ah, whatever. We'll play this by ear and see how this goes. Oh and by the way, if you're wondering about the kind of vocab I'm using, it's because I've read so much I'm like a human dictionary. New words are interesting to me and I used to be a bit of an English-class nut. Not so much any more thanks to the university-level introductory English class I took in first year (Literary Forms, Themes and Approaches to be more specific) zapped all the fun in it. But, I do post fanfiction and read whenever I can so I suppose it helps maintain the range of words I know and use. I fall victim to the occasional typo or missing word, but it's nothing big. At least I'm not like the people who screw up on their homonyms at- Every. Fucking. Opportunity.

...Okay, I'd better stop there on that note about homonyms since it's a major pet peeve of mine and I'm sure no good will come out of talking about that.

God, this is getting weird already. I should probably attempt going on-topic here concerning the title of this post. 'Cause I'm sure that it didn't say, 'Angry Rant About People Who Can't Spell Worth Shit!' Haha.

I finished my last exam today (accounting) and I'm not quite sure about how to feel about it, really. Well, concerning the exam itself, I'm sure that I did alright but not up to where I'd like to be grade-wise. I'd like an 80 at the very least, but I might have to be realistic here. Then again, I tend to low-ball my grade estimates unintentionally, but on the other hand, I don't want to keep that tendency in mind in case if I didn't do as well as I'd hoped. But whatever, I know I passed so at least I still have that going for me.

What I don't know what I feel about is how I'm going to spend this vacation and make it worthwhile before I go on an Accounting co-op term in Windsor (about 3-4 hours away from where I live). After a party last month (which had kick-ass music by the way *cough* Goo Goo Dolls *cough*), I know that I'm not really with the whole drinking thing. I've come to the conclusion that it's really pointless (and for the record, I came to this late conclusion at 19 because I'm late for every fucking thing normal teenagers are socially inclined to do).

I mean, you could give me ten bucks' worth of Diet Pepsi and I'd be a million times happier than if you gave me a four-pack of vodka coolers. Before I ever had any experience with alcohol, I'd always wondered what I'd be like drunk. At that party I had four vodka coolers and found out my answer (and I could be wrong in my assumption here); I stay the same mentally and get really wobbly. Whoop-di-freaking-do. I am seriously missin' the memo here.

So with that scratched off the list, I know I'll be a wet blanket at this thing I'm going to with some old friends from high school where we basically have a potluck dinner, a mystery gift exchange and I presume boozing after if I'm reading between the lines correctly. Oi.

Well, maybe it won't be that bad since it's not like we're doing this at a club/bar where I get forced to dance against my will (and I do mean that quite seriously - my friends have threatened to grind against me if I didn't start dancing on the floor with them).

Either way, I know that I'll have Rock Band 2 and my fanfiction to fall back on, but sometimes I wonder if I could do something better with my time even though I enjoy both things very much. I don't know, really.

Do social kids feel this way or am I the only one because I'm in my head too much?

Ugh. I'm not going to lie. I'm going to feel a little empty inside like I always do, even with people around. I'd tell myself to get laid but then again, I look like I'm 13-15 so I assume guys would assume I'm jailbait. Haha.

So is this random enough for you guys?

*you nod*

I thought so. ;)

Oh, and when I left from my exam this guy who's had this obvious crush on me this fall term (we started being sort-of acquaintances/friends the winter term before this) sort of kissed the side of my head near my ear after we walked to my car. I knew that something was coming while we were walking and I was afraid that he'd try to kiss me since I knew that I'd probably react badly. It's a shame that I don't like him that way. I feel bad. No one deserves to be strung along like that on false hope.

Cause all I ever wanted so far gone, and if I had my chance I'd go along...