In This Moment, Then As Now Forever

Hey there. Five months post-NOLA and nothing new. 'Cept maybe some music. (And the Covid-19 pandemic.)

Starcrawler. The lead singer is... well I can't look away. Very striking. In a way where you wonder about her health. But as for their music, I do recommend a listen.

Bet My Brains music video

I Love LA music video

This spring, I was planning to go see In This Moment. They're another woman-fronted rock band, and a few months ago I heard their song Blood on SiriusXM, and loved it. I dug a bit deeper and found out that I rather like their music overall. Their music videos are interesting. Usually directed by the frontwoman herself, Maria Brink. But the artistry reminds me a bit of Marilyn Manson's. Yeah, I was going to see them live, but this less-than-awesome pandemic has interfered. Anyway, here are some of their music vids:

Blood music video

Sick Like Me music video

Sex Metal Barbie music video

Hmm, what else... BTW, sorry I can't just put the videos on like I usually do. For some reason, that way isn't working.

I randomly came across something the other night, and I was half paying attention, but it quickly had me interested. First, please watch it HERE, and next I'll explain it. For real, I wish for you to experience the way I did.

Seriously, ^watch it^ before continuing to read. Please. So, this is a video from the Swedish alt-pop/synth-pop/pop-rock band Kent. I'd never heard of them til this video. Apparently, its title, Da Som Nu For Alltid, means "Then As Now Forever" and means the upcoming album is their very last, their farewell album and tour. So this video is them making that announcement, and includes various references to their previous albums. Such as the airplane, the sled dogs, the girl in the denim, the white tiger, the girl on the horse...

So now, if you rewatch it with this knowledge, it takes on a whole new meaning, right? It did to me anyway. I thought it was brilliant. And of course I come across this years after it's made. (It was released in 2016.)

Take care out there. Stay safe. Stay sane. Stay home. It sucks, I know. My wanderlust is hurtin' bad right now.

Autumn '19 Doings

It's October! My favorite month! It's the 4th, and as of about 2 days ago, it finally actually feels like fall. No more temps in the 90s.

This time next week I'll be up to my nose in Creole, Cajun and French influences, foods, histories and atmospheres. Yep, going to Nola! Taking my mom. We're pretty excited. Marie Laveau, Jean Lafitte, voodoo, absinthe, crawdads, etoufee... just to name a fraction of it.

Oh! I finished my Poison Ivy painting a while back! Here she be:

I'm pleased with how she turned out.

Now on to the next one...

As for music, tonight I was reminded of a song that's in the show Orphan Black. It's called "Water Prayer" by Adham Shaikh, and it's the Matt the Alien Remix. It's got a good smooth feel to it, something worth dancing to. (If you're interested, the Orphan Black scene with the song is here.)

I also listened to the Nightmare Revisited album earlier. Give it a listen, if you haven't. And if you're into Nightmare Before Christmas.

Alright, one more song. This one was on an episode of Grace and Frankie. It stuck with me and still gets played rather often.

Not much else to share, even after six and a half months... Ta.

Newness(ish)

The show "Gotham" has only 4 episodes left. They haven't had much in the way of music during its run, but there's one that sticks with me. "The Sinking Ship, The Grand Applause" by The Paper Chase. It's one that builds, and has a good rhythm to it. I'm glad the music vid is the way it is, because it doesn't distract you from what you're hearing.

I've also really been into Brody Dalle lately. More specifically, her Spinnerette album. Brody is wife to "Ginger Elvis" Josh Homme, who heads Queens of the Stone Age (among a few other high-profile projects, look him up). She began as a punk rocker in the band The Distillers, which disbanded, and moved on to Spinnerette, and has also done solo work. I came across a YouTube vid that is absolutely amazing, her and Garbage babe Shirley Manson, singing a song for Record Store Day back in 2014. Gotta get this vinyl.

Anthony Bourdain did not get recognition in the In Memoriam segment of the Oscars this year. Along with many other snubs like R. Lee Ermy, Carol Channing, Verne Troyer, Harry Anderson, Al Matthews, Dick Miller, Aretha Franklin, and EFFING JOHN MAHONEY. WTF, Academy?

Same Chick, Different Day

Since my last post, I've acquired a new job! No more bartending, back to what I love... working with kids! I'm a para again! And absolutely loving it. It happened about a month after my last entry, actually.

I discovered a couple of songs via youtube. Sorry, what? Well hell yeah, of course I'm gonna share 'em! The first is from a band I hadn't heard of previously, called The Dead South. This song... something about it really stuck with me. I find it catchy.

It's difficult for me to understand what the song is about, but I gather it's a couple who meets a rather violent end, with him ending her and them himself, saying he'll "be in good company" in hell, since that's where they both are probably going.

The second song I discovered is from a band I already love, The Kills. Their album Blood Pressures is one of my top 5 favorites. And I don't think I can listen to this song without watching to music vid to accompany it. Greatness.

She (Alison Mosshart) is also in another band called The Dead Weather. (I may have mentioned this before. Totally bears repeating.) When I first discovered her, thanks to Anthony Bourdain's Nashville episode, I delved into her music and found I preferred The Kills over The Dead Weather. NOW, however, I find that the latter's Dodge and Burn album has really grown on me.

In essence, Alison Mosshart holds a special place in my heart. And my musical choices.

So I just watched the first John Wick movie, for the first time. I had a slight idea of what it was about, guy's dog gets killed, he seeks revenge. 'S'what I'd heard, anyway. And basically yeah, there's a bit more to it, but that's what it boils down to. I think what surprised/amused me was, EVERYONE'S reaction. "You killed his dog? F*ck!! You f*cking IDIOT!" Followed by a huge impressive violent revenge tale.

Finally painting again! As of about an hour ago! Something I've long had on my to-do list. Poison Ivy on canvas to go with my Harley Quinn. And it's off to a pretty good start.

To be continued...

Shining On

It's finally that amazing time of year. Chilly. Autumn-y. Time for fires and hot tea. And of course Oktoberfest beer.

As for the art projects I mentioned in my last post, I did accomplish a bit. First is the wooden 20-sided die I bought my husband.

This, let me tell you, has been pretty meticulous work. But I'm pleased.

My first painting for my friend's hippie bar wasn't proceeding as hoped, so I took a different approach with my second canvas. Instead of sketching first, and being mindful of the lines, I loosened up and used nothing but paintbrush.

I think it worked out. My friend loves it.

Also did a quick Joan Jett sketch while I was stuck between projects. Nothing special, but kinda got me pointed in the right direction.

So now I need to finish the first painting I started, and start either a Poison Ivy or Catwoman to go with the Harley Quinn I have.

Speaking of Batman villains, Devon wants to go as the Riddler for Halloween this year, and he wants me to go as Ivy. Dude... I'm about 30 lbs over my "sexy" body, but... fine. If that's what you want.

I caught a documentary on tv the other day, and I loved it. It was Pink Floyd: The Making of Wish You Were Here. And it made me fall in love with the album. They broke down every song... The background, the meaning... It was fantastic. What's interesting is, maybe a week before I saw it, I was reading about the band, and the whole Syd Barrett story stuck with me. He was an original founder, and the first lead singer. But, that Syd disappeared and left behind a shell of his former self. Family claims it was mental issues, like schizophrenia, while his bandmates say it was an overuse of LSD. At any rate, Syd and the band separated, and a few years later they made Wish You Were Here. The first and last tracks -  the two-part Shine On You Crazy Diamond - is about, and dedicated to, him.

Anyway, it's actually available on YouTube, so... Give it a watch!

Busy Be the Blogger

The trip by train to the city went alright. Not as well as I'd hoped, but hopefully still memorable. It's difficult to keep an autistic ad/hd kid entertained during 2 long train rides to a mostly-by-foot two day romp around the city. Where things he wants to do, like river boat tours, cost $40... for one of us. But that's not to say that fun wasn't had. He loved going up in one of the skyscapers to the skydeck. And we found a very interesting, imaginative and extensive playground. I just hope that he remembers it, and fondly. The fun stuff.

Just got back from a trip to see my mom's side of the family three states away a few days ago. Drove 14.5 hours one way with my son and mother. Stayed for 6 days. Once we got there, the time flew by. Suddenly we were leaving the next day to drive the 14.5 hours back.

What reeeaaalllyyy sucked was we didn't have the satellite radio I'm spoiled with in our car. AND of course, my media player was nowhere to be found. So no RoadTrip PlayList '18. Erg. And the further south we went, the more stations on the radio were... gospel, religious, etc. No thanks. And unfortunately, the radio signal was so damn rare that I found myself settling for country music.

I may have wiped blood from my ears once or twice.

(No insult meant for gospel & country music fans. It's just really, truly not for me. You all say the same about Ozzy, Manson, Ramones, and Eminem.)

So since my return, I've resumed work on the new-- wait! You nonexistent readers don't know yet! We bought a house! Our first! Moved in about a month ago. Right before the trip to the city. Anyhow, I've been working on the new place, but it's slow going. So effing busy with stuff this summer, and unsure of how I want things. Like stuff hung on the walls. And what to put in storage (now that we have sooo much more storage, thanks to the attic & basement space!). It's a process, but I've done things here and there. We'll get there.

One fairly recent occurence that hit me hard... Anthony Bourdain's death. I deeply admired him. He's inspired me to find the lesser-known eateries in the places I travel to. To find out what said places are known for, and the history and culture. When we vacationed last year and ended up going to Nashville, I watched the N'ville Parts Unknown episode a few days before. While I didn't end up going to any of the places he went, it did introduce me to two bands, The Dead Weather and The Kills. I absolutely love the album Blood Pressures by The Kills. You may think Nashville is nothing but country, but there are a few hidden gems.

Anyway... it still stings. And will for time to come.

I remember the first ep I watched... It was at my mom's house, after she came home around midnight after work. We watched his Okinawa episode. I loved it, and had to see more. I loved the way it was written and filmed. It wasn't just food, it was as I said a bit ago, culture and history. And food. And adventure. I just started reading the book that got his stardom started, Kitchen Confidential. It emanates the same spirit you see in his show. Humorous, carefree, rebellious.

Since I've been back from the south, I've started watching a new show: Orphan Black. Damn good! I'm hooked. They do a fantastic job with it. Making each "sister" her own character... and very believable, at that. Tatiana Maslany is phenomenal.

Ta.

Gifts, Glitches, and Gour- er, Journeys

Yours truly is now 31. Had a very low-key birthday this year. But a good one. Spent with the two main guys in my life. Received some pretty awesome pirate-y gifts. Sextant, spyglass, and ship (Queen Anne's Revenge, which was Blackbeard's) in a bottle.

The Glitch Mob just dropped a new album! Their third, not including their remix releases. "See Without Eyes" is its name. I fell in love with their first album, Drink The Sea, but their second - Love Death Immortality - didn't catch on like its predecessor. Unfortunately. Even with my girl Aja Volkman from Nico Vega on a track! But alas... Anyway, giving the new my first listen now.

I like how they use Braille. And the image kinda reminds me of the opening credits of the American version of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo movie.

Summer vacation nears. The 35 hours a week I have to myself will decrease significantly... by about 35 hours.

Yeah I'm on track 5 and it's still not catching me like Drink The Sea did. Shame.

Taking the kid on a overnight trip this summer. One I've wanted to do for a while now. Get on the train, ride to the city, let him see what the urban atmosphere is like. I think he'll love it.

Since the kid's currently watching Loony Tunes in the other room, I'll leave you with the classic...

Spring Reigns

At work, there's a song I hear quite often. It starts with bagpipes, so every time it begins, I think it's Dropkick Murphys. Or Flogging Molly. But no, it's Copperhead Road by Steve Earle. Which isn't a terrible song, and by terrible, I mean it isn't that effing Tennessee Whiskey song. But still... every time it plays, I think it's an awesome Celtic punk band... and... it's definitely not.

The other morning I had my last wisdom tooth pulled, upper right side. Immediately after getting a filling put in a lower right molar. Never had that much dental work done at once. Never been so numbed in my life. No solid food til lunch... the next day.

About two days later, I discover that I can't properly yawn. My jaw doesn't let me anymore. Awesome.

Currently listening to the Blurryface album by Twenty One Pilots.

The husband and I went to see Ready Player One the other night. Pretty good. Don't expect to catch all the pulp/pop culture references in one viewing. From Iron Giant to the Batmobile to Freddy Kreuger to Hello Kitty. And everything in between/beyond.

I've started playing Fallout Shelter. I'd gotten burnt out on Diablo 3 and needed something that required building, something to just pass some time here & there. So we found FS for free and got it. I'm enjoying it. Even the kid gets into it, especially when the ominous piano sounds, signalling the appearance of what looks like the guy from the Neighborhood Watch signs & stickers. Or maybe he has a trenchcoat that he reveals is full of watches he's selling... Anyway, he appears somewhere in your shelter, and if you find him in time and click on him, you get "caps" which is equivalent to money.

I miss my PS2 games. The Sims, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3, Shinobi, Kingdom Hearts 2. Pro Skater 3 was a good one for passing time.

It finally feels like spring. It's nice. We really didn't get a fall, maybe less than a full week, and of course that's NOT a consecutive week. The two in-between seasons are my favorite. That transition from cold to warm, and from hot to cool.

Those seasons spawn some good thunderstorm too, which is always a win.

Latest art project: making my sister a Deadpool mug.

I think I'll put the Deadpool logo on the other side.

Battles

I've been fighting the PARCC testing for the past couple weeks. I found out that I couldn't opt my son out of the testing, but he had the option of refusing the test. However, put an AD/HD technology-loving kid in front of a computer, he's not going to say no. Even though he has no understanding of what he's seeing, cannot comprehend any of it, due to his academic knowledge being less than the "average" third grader's. So I spoke to the teacher extensively, and after making a few phone calls herself, she informed me that the school had no control in the testing and its rules. Because PARCC is issued by the state. So basically the the regions/districts are mooks that are doing what they're told. So! I took her advice and went to the state board of education about it. Typed out a nice long letter, in which I provided several heart-felt reasons why my son, and others like him, should not be made to take the PARCC assessments. It took a day for me to type this out, diplomatically. If there's one thing I can do, it's writing up something I have extensive knowledge, or feel deeply, about. So I did. And I sent it. Sent the letter I put significant time, thought, and effort into. Couple days later, received a reply. One that was basically automated, explaining PARCC from the BoE's point of view. Not once were any of the points I made specifically explored. They didn't even say "he" or "him." No questions about my child, his testing conditions, or likewise.

After reading that reply, I had to set my tablet & phone aside - far aside - so as not to send a reply through angry blurry-eyed vision during high emotions. Because there would have been a lot of cynicism and anger.

In other news... househunting is both awesome and terrible. Thought it might be a bit easier than this to get out of our duplex and into our first house as homeowners. But turns out, as you're going from house to house, not just anything will suffice for your getaway. Sometimes amazing pictures are taken of a really, ree-HEE-lly crappy place. And always, ALWAYS, expect the rooms to be smaller than the pictures show.

Yeah I'm new at this. Obviously. But it's still kinda fun. We're finally ready to have a home of our own. It's out there.

Got my bartending license! Booyah. I can add it to my Certificate of Ordination and basically be half a wedding. Unless you count camera phone pics as photography, then... grab some witnesses and you're set.

So the other night while I'm working, at the bar of course, I hear one of those stupid gambling machines playing a partial tune while someone's playing it. And it sounds familiar. Later, I hear it again. I definitely know what it is. So when I play "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" in its entirety on the jukebox, the machine players are all sorts of confused. Which leads to my thorough amusement.

("Battle Without Honor or Humanity" is the song that plays during a certain O-Ren Ishii scene from Kill Bill Vol 1, or, *sigh*, a scene with Bumblebee in the first live-action Transformers movie.)

Cue the Tunes

Happy New Year. A month and 20 days later... but hey, since when am I consistent and on point for holiday posts? Right, hardly ever.

My 2-days-a-week bartending job continues. Still enjoying it, other than hearing that goddamn Tennessee Whiskey song waaaaay too often. (Sometimes I counter it with Marilyn Manson or Sex Pistols.) We recently got a pool table, which translates to: Pool Table=Pool League=More Money For Linds On Mondays That League Nights Are At Her Bar. Yay!

Alright, got a few songs for you. The first is in the opening credits of the Justice League movie. I love it, has a good build-up.

This next one is from the latest Queens of the Stone Age album, Villains. After listening to its entirety several times, I discovered this was my favorite.

Sooo good. The band went a different direction with this album, with a producer who did a lot in the pop genre. Lily Allen, Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse, etc. It was a different sound from their previous records, but it still ended up being a great album.

Next is one I heard on a SiriusXM station, and fell in love with. They seem to be a lesser-known, independent group, and I can't find their music easily. Though I did find this song's album on vinyl, and am planning to purchase it soon. I can't explain why, I just love this song.

I've also recently discovered Fozzy, a heavy metal band fronted by WWE dude Chris Jericho. Yeah, I know, they've been around for a while. Shut up. Here's the song I heard the other day, I guess it's a new release.

Fozzy - Painless

Guess that's it f'now. Ta!

Everything At Once

Yesterday was Halloween 2017, and we did something different this year. The kid said he wanted to stay home and hand out candy and "scare people" in his spooky costume. So I took him to 2 places (we really don't know enough people around here to take him to) and brought him back home. However, he wasn't feeling like himself so he took his costume off and laid low. He'd gotten a tooth pulled earlier that day.

The kid and I's 2017 jack-o-lanterns.

I'm currently working as a bartender two days a week at a local bar for veterans. (Though it's open to the public.) I enjoy it. While the older clientele doesn't always tip the best, it's better than having the dramatic, troublesome younger crowd.

My sister's cat got outside one day a couple months ago and got herself knocked up... Hee hee... So we said whatever she had, we'd take 2. Well, lucky sis... mama had 6 kittens. Six! Wow. We videochatted a few times and I picked out the two we'd take. A boy and a girl. She took them with her on a visit to our mom's 3 days ago, and I met up with them to bring them home. They turned 8 weeks old yesterday, Halloween. Cute thing. I named the girl Frigga (Thor's mom & Odin's wife, at least in the comics. In Norse mythology, her name is Frigg) and my son named the boy Fire "because it rhymes"....okay.... But he just wanted the same letter. If I'd've known that, I'd've named em Luke and Leia, but my husband says there would've been weird sexual tension later as they grew up... haha.

Fire (left) and Frigga.

We went on our family vacation about a month and a half ago. The three of us and my mom. We'd planned on going to Florida, but that exact same week (which we booked 8 months earlier), that whore Irma decided to spread her love all over the poor state. So we quickly improvised a Plan B. We went to Kentucky, stayed at a cabin on a lake for 2 nights, which was quite nice. Relaxing. Though what was left of Irma - just off and on rain - began to hit us late into that first night. Oh well. After that we went to Nashville TN, which was about 2 hours away. The first place we went was the Johnny Cash museum, but it was in the heart of downtown, which was crazy. And it was Wednesday. The hotel we stayed in was a ways away, directly across the parking lot from the Tennessee Titans NFL stadium. That evening we went to Opry Mills, so Devon could experience a Lego store. There was a restaurant in the building called the Aquarium, which had a huge saltwater tank full of fish and rays in it. Pricey but awesome. That night Mom and I went out on the town. I'd looked on my phone for places with live music but didn't find much, and discovered that there was a music festival going on that required a $45 wristband to enter the participating bars. Nope. We'll just hope for the best. So we get downtown, find a bar with an artist performing, sit down for a drink, and I look at Maps on my phone. Jackpot! There was a goldmine about 2 blocks away. Broadway street, from 4th to 5th avenue, was Nothing. But. Bars. We get there and every single place was live music, no cover charge. But man, we drank bottle beers and each round was around $11. Nonetheless, a good time was had. We started at Rippy's, which had an AMAZING bartender, and worked our way down the street. One side, then the other. One bar had 3 stories. Live music on the first and second, and a DJ on the 3rd, which was a rooftop bar! First rooftop bar I've been on. Pretty cool, but better if the music was live. After wandering around the 2-block length of honky tonks for an hour and a half or so, we end up at Rippy's again. The bartender, who has been serving a busy bar all by herself, recognized us from earlier, greeted us, and brought us the exact beers we'd been drinking the first time we were there. Friggen awesome. I wish we'd gotten her name. The next day, we got to the science center in town for the kid, and then realize we have 2 more days of unplanned vacation. We end up going up to Evansville, Indiana for a brief stay - which included a Mongolian BBQ dinner and a Chuck-E-Cheese trip for Mini Me. Then we headed home, a day early. While it wasn't the beach, it was still enjoyable.

The view from our lake cabin.

Fifth and Broadway, Nashville

I get to see Elbow again! Next week! I'd hoped that John Grant was touring with them again, but it's someone else. No problem, maybe I'll like him too. But I'm pretty pumped. I haven't listened to their latest album - Little Fictions - enough to have it memorized, but I'll know the songs when I hear them played. Bottom line, I GET TO SEE ELBOW AGAIN!

Well, I think that's the majority of recent happenings. Vacation... Halloween... Kittens... Upcoming concert... Yep. Y'know, I used to be able to type like this on almost a nightly basis. Not anymore, obviously.

Ta, dahlings.

Slave to the Sound

Another extremely talented musician is no longer with us. Chris Cornell. Throughout my years of listening to music, his voice was one I could identify easily. Maybe not which era or band he was fronting, but I knew it was him. While he wasn't in my top favorites, I knew he was tremendously talented and considered a rock god by people who follow the grunge and/or rock genre.

Now, while I say he wasn't in my top picks, there are still songs that I absolutely love and will always blare when I play. Those are:

1) Like A Stone by Audioslave. The first song of his that I fell in love with.

2) Be Yourself by Audioslave. Such a great mellow rhythm. 

3) Say Hello 2 Heaven by Temple of the Dog. His one-album project created as a tribute to a friend.

4) The Day I Tried To Live by Soundgarden. Shows his amazing vocal range.

5) I Am The Highway by Audioslave. My sister can attest, I played this song on repeat for a good length of time. Probably my favorite of his. I won't share a video because it's best experienced without any visual additions. To this day, I stop what I'm doing and close my eyes when this song comes on. Now there''ll be a pang of sadness mixed in.

As you can probably tell, these songs are the more mellow side of Chris Cornell. And apparently, I was more attached to Audioslave than I was Soundgarden.

Definitely a tremendous loss. Hugely unexpected.

One more to follow up this tribute post. Seems a bit fitting, perhaps. Another favorite Audioslave song, and a fantastic music video. Mashing up the band's car chase with the movie Vanishing Point.

Audioslave - Show Me How To Live

Goodbye Chris.

Consistently Inconsistent

Hello! I'm still around. (ound... ound...)

Ah, echo. It's just as empty here as before I took my unprecedented leave.

Jolly good.

So, my last post was... October! Wow. Four months ago.

Over the holidays, we received enough money to give our kid the choice between a train ride into the city, or a short vacation to a beach. He chose the latter. So we're combining this year's family vacation with Eric and I's wedding anniversary and all going to the gulf.

Still at my house cleaning job. The schedule is great, and time off is almost always given when requested. But, a lot of times, it's difficult to work with basically a girls club, all of whom are younger than me, and not fitting in. It's gotten a bit better, but not entirely.

Also, five months of being the bathroom bitch is about 2 months too long.

Ah, an interesting development. Assuming plans don't change, I'll be officiating a wedding in October. Looking forward to it, since it's a) something I've never done before and b) helping out someone I work with. I'll do the proper arrangements to be their minister soon - getting certified and all. Ha, and the other day, another girl I work with came up to me asking if I'd be willing to do her sister's wedding. I said I'd prefer to get to know the couple I'm binding, but I could probably do a cold ceremony. (Y'know, like a cold open, yeah?)

I've been binge watching Falling Skies now that it's over. Enjoying it. I like Noah Wyle, and I think he fits his character pretty perfectly.

Something else I've done in the span of my unnoticed absence, I painted a couple things as Christmas gifts. One for someone who loves otters...

And the other for someone who practices Reiki (a healing technique based on the principle that the therpist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient's body and restore physical and emotional well-being).

They were pretty well received. Pleased, was I. Been wanting to paint something else now, but not sure what. Maybe it's time to get back to Poison Ivy, to match the Harley I did.

If you need new-ish music to listen to, try Post Pop Depression by Iggy Pop, The Getaway by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Act One by Marian Hill. The Marian Hill album isn't my usual flavor, and isn't my favorite, but I appreciate it for its artistry. (Also, the artist name comes from the two main characters from the musical The Music Man.)

Square One, We Meet Again...

Had a pretty good evening. Went out with a friend to get a beer, then watched a couple of bad Sci-Fi movies. I was in the mood for them. First up was Ice Twisters. Didn't really fulfill my needs. Too scientific. Then came Sand Sharks. Much better! Weird animals where they shouldn't be, suddenly appearing and eating people... sometimes bloodily. That's the stuff.

The day started pretty well too. Began with some music. "Beautiful Freak" album by Eels. Nice and mellow.

I'm really ready to be employed again. Ready to have something that keeps me busy, and pays me money. And HEY! MAYBE, just MAYBE, I'll get a job where management aren't complete asshole prick douchebag shitheads.

I know, I'm asking a lot.

Leaving Fleas & Taped Tunes

My summer continues. It got hot quickly this year, up in the 90s by the 2nd week of June. We were hoping to hold off as long as possible on putting the air conditioning window units in, but that just didn't happen.

Unfortunate news... Our beloved cat, Vigo, will be leaving us. No matter our efforts, he is set on getting outside as often as possible. There are fleas outside. Well, mostly outside... Anyway, hopefully he goes to another loving home and we get ours cleared of pests.

I just wish I could turn all our little "guests" into one large Flea...

...And the rest of the Red Hot Chili Peppers are welcome to set up shop here as well, of course...

A few weeks ago, I looked into more Stoner Rock bands. Basically anything Joshua Homme has done has been, or at least included, Stoner Rock. Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal, Queens of the Stone Age...  So I wanted to find more. And I found Atomic Bitchwax. Well right away, the name had me. Loved it. I'm listening to it now, their Gravitron album, which is their most recent, released last year. I'm enjoying it. Though, they seem to have a bit of a faster tempo than the usual Stoner Rock. No matter, still good.

I may be switching back to my rum & colas. I'm not sure if the Stonewalls I've been drinking for some time now are actually better for me or not, so I'm opting for the cheaper route.

Ah now on to Arctic Monkeys. They're a good go-to when you're not sure what to listen to.

There's a bit of a chance we'll be relocating... majorly. Over 22 hours' drive worth of relocating. To a place that's half our town's population, and... in the desert. I don't handle heat well. People say that a "dry heat" is better than humidity. I'm not arguing, I'm just saying heat is heat. It's more difficult to escape heat than it is cold.

But then I thought... I'm always looking for something new. While it's not necessarily my first choice, it's still something new! I have a select few people I interact with regularly that I'll be heartbroken to leave behind, but I'm not exactly drowning in friends.

There IS a brewery there whose best seller is a red ale, so I know where I'll be spending a lot of my free time. AND another one about an hour away, bordering a lake.

Now for some throwback. Eve 6. Their self-titled.

I started another art project the other night. Rather than continuing with the Gotham Gals oil paint, I started a chalk portrait of Illyria from the tv show Angel. She makes her appearance in the final season. I've always been drawn to her blue hue... Her hair, her eyes, her lips... and the character that accompanies these attributes. And I feel like the desire to capture it in a portrait has recently reached a peak, so I obeyed my desire.

Also, I think I figured out why I prefer using oil paint on canvas over using pastels. It's more precise. If I need a sharper line, I can get a smaller, finer brush. You can't really do that with chalk. Sure, pastel is easier to fix, but I found oil paint to have a better finished product.

Oh! Right! MUST mention this! We watch America's Got Talent, and I think my favorite act of the year showed himself in the first one or two episodes. Tape Face! I always go for the "odd" acts. There are plenty of competitive shows for singers and dancers. Even magicians and stand-up comedians have a type-specific show they can try for (though I have a soft spot for comedians). But the odd acts! Like Uzeyer last year! And this year, Tape Face! Here...

If you don't like the first part, just hang in there for the second. It's great. I can't wait to see more of him. Very creative, imaginative.

Apparently I have quite a bit to say tonight.

Now listening to Fun. Another good go-to. Their style is different. But excellent.

Alright, I'm gonna call it a night. Gotta get up somewhat early for the kid's dentist appointment.

May your summer be a "dry heat" and your air conditioned.

Soundtracks

Some days I have a hard to finding something to listen to while driving. Yes, my destination is usually less than 10 minutes away, but that doesn't make this issue any less annoying. Between static, commercials, and lousy choices, I've really been missing my teen years of jamming out to my favorite songs via store-bought or burnt CDs. So, I think I'll return to this particular way of delivering pure joy to this music lover. I already know my first two albums to get. "Songs for the Deaf" by Queens of the Stone Age and "By The Way" by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Followed by Franz Ferdinand's self-titled and "Good News For People Who Love Bad News" by Modest Mouse. I owned these CDs once. Legitimately bought, listened to, and enjoyed. Yet I can't find them now. However! During my search, I found several soundtrack albums in my possession...

Rather eclectic mix, wouldn't'cha say? Damn proud, too. And these are only the ones I found! Somewhere out there, are the soundtracks to Sid & Nancy, O Brother Where Art Thou, Tomb Raider, the 2003 Daredevil movie, The Fifth Element, Gone in 60 Seconds, Resident Evil, and Night at the Roxbury.

I take pride in my soundtracks. Some horrible movies have amazing albums.

The Desired Callback Didn't Call Back

Today was Callback day for a play I tried out for earlier this week. I received no call. So I'm attempting to drown my disappointment in rum and waiting for the thunderstorm that's been threatening us all day to finally arrive.

Feels like two fails back to back. Lousy (better, but still lousy) evaluation from douchebag at work and now this.

Now for appropriate music... Do I want to do heavy/angry rock or the soothing sounds of Elbow?.... Yeah I'll start with the former and go from there. Rise Against followed by Framing Hanley. Their "You Stupid Girl" and "Weight of the World" are good tunes.

More rum? Yes please. Thank you.

I finally got ahold of a song I've heard on the radio a few times and took a liking to. "Blue on Black" by Kenny Wayne Shepherd. From his 1997 Trouble Is... album.

Currently attempting my first canvas craft. Oil paint on a 14x11 canvas. If it turns out, it'll be a birthday gift for a friend. It's similar to yet different from using pastels on paper. Oil paint gets on your skin without you knowing... and spreads... everywhere. On you and your craft. Pastels do as well, to an extent, but they're much easier to handle, fix, and clean up. Also, the paint takes days to dry, while the pastels are done as soon as you are. But, I have to laminate the pastels, so that they don't smear. No need with the paint. Once it's dry, you're good.

I have a sudden crush on Iggy Pop. His personality, his voice, his everything. He was mesmerizing when he and Josh Homme debuted "Gardenia" on Stephen Colbert. Excellent frontman.

(Rubik's Cubes Iggy Pop art.)

Midnight-thirty. Still no storm.

Currently listening to Florence + the Machine. 

2pm. Rather still outside, other than a slight breeze.

Obviously I've not had anything to add, so I'll end it here. 

Musical Recovery and Subtle Glimpses

Happy Friday! I've been in quite a good mood today. Mostly due to the 60°F temperature all day. While I kinda prefer winter over summer, the changing of seasons is the best. Winter to spring, and summer to fall. The warm-up and cool-down seasons. And this is just the middle of February! Plenty more of my favorite time of year to come.

I'm almost done reassembling my music library. Just have T-Z left now.

Now on W...

Done! With my head clenched in both hands, I finally synced (sunk? sank?) my iPod. And... Success! I'm 161 songs short, but that can be attributed to doubles, or stuff I just decided not to keep. At any rate, my personal media player is now caught up on my collected music. I can now clean house, mow the yard, and drive with my own personal playlist again! And now for the very very vital backup process. Which will take a while...

Currently listening to MergingMoon. Japanese band fronted by a chick. Their genre? "Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore with Electronic Influences." Now, a death metal band is hard to find in Japan. And this is a death metal band with a lady as their lead singer/screamer.

This is for all the steadfast followers out there...

Yeah that's me. Or at least as much as me as I'm willing to share. :)

Have a lovely weekend, readers.