A busy month, my 22nd birthday, and a blog award.. Lots to catch up on!

Wow, what a month it's been!

I have been so busy with work, my music, my birthday, and the holidays that I haven't had any time to spend on blogging this month. I miss it and can't wait to get back in the groove again. (And share photos and videos.)

My birthday (on the 20th) was great and I celebrated at the Agony Hill show the following Saturday. I *TRIED* to take a group picture of us on the bus after the show, but I was too drunk to aim the camera properly and wound up cutting heads off.





That was quite the night. And I had a killer hangover the next day. If you ever get the chance to see these guys live, you'll understand why it's almost impossible to go home sober. They rock, and they encourage EVERYONE to party and have a good time.

During the time I was away, Chris from The Dog Log gave me the Best Friends Award. THANK YOU! I love the changes you've made to your blog over the past couple months, by the way! Can't wait to catch up on things. :)

I'll be back to blogging after the New Year. I have lots of plans for this blog, IGTB, and the group blogs, AND I have a few more surprises in the works. My New Year's Resolution? Set a blogging schedule and stick to it.

Rock Against Domestic Abuse: New York

I recently teamed up with my gorgeous friend, Michelle, to start a MySpace campaign for RADA of NY. It's still in its early stages, but I can confidently say that it's going very well and will be a big success.

Those who have read about my struggles will understand why I'm taking on this project and my desire to help those who have the same problems I once did.

It is still uncertain whether or not I will be performing, but the chances are pretty good. I have several friends who will be part of the show too, Dropclutch being one of the many bands we're booking.

Show date(s) will not be announced for at least a couple more months.

Your support would be greatly appreciated. More on this later.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is a busy day for me, as I am spending it with friends and family, and then have to work this evening before that whole Black Friday thing starts up (ugh!). I'd just like to take a moment to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Eat hearty, let your family and friends know how much they mean to you, and enjoy the holiday.

Manic Monday #3

What is your least favorite day of the week and why?
Monday.. that's when the work week starts up. Ugh!

What's the best way to end the day?
With a beer, of course! (No, I'm not an alcoholic.)

Which animal would you have left out of the ark?
Maggots. That's the only animal I'm afraid of. Horrendous.


Want to play? Visit Manic Monday.

R.I.P. Snakey

My little Snakey passed away this morning.. and I'm not sure why.

I just had him out yesterday. He was happy and cuddly like always, and he enjoyed the bath I gave him. When I returned him to his tank, it was the right temperature and he was perfectly fine.. But when I came home from work this morning, I found him in an awkward position- body as it normally is, head twisted and throat facing up. It almost looked like he broke his own neck or something.

Concerned, I picked him up and his posterior half was limp while his head and neck remained in the same general position. I straightened him out and he was obviously dead.. But WHY? I just can't figure it out.

He was a great little friend, went with me everywhere. He was so cool and laid back. He would let anyone touch him if they wanted.

Maybe I'm a little too emotional about this, but he was MY snake, MY little friend, and now he's gone. I feel like a little piece of me is missing.

Happy birthday, Agent J

Today is J's 27th birthday.. and plans for the day include NO WORK and GETTING TRASHED. Beer and pizza, three meals. Maybe jello shots if we're feeling ambitious.

My 99 Bloggers Debut

I was surprised to receive a group blog invite to 99 Bloggers yesterday, and because this is a great opportunity to get my name out there more, I couldn't turn it down.

I'll be writing mostly about music and blogging, but if I find that I want to write something different that I feel strongly about, I'll step outside the box for a little while.

My first post- Raivyn joins 99 Bloggers

Poll: Did you dress up for Halloween this year?

Halloween, Mom's Birthday, and COOKIES!

First off, I'd like to wish everyone a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Second, I'd like to announce my mother's birthday. The old bat turned 47 today.. kidding, she's not an old bat. I just have to poke fun at her. But yeah, the big 47. Healthy and active as always. I'm proud of her.

I baked her some cookies too:



Aren't they cute?

Yes, they are the kind you take out of the package and throw into the oven for 10 minutes. I was never much of a chef, and I inherited that trait from my mother, who can appreciate such effort because I actually baked something rather than ordered out. I'm moving up in the world.

Empty Walls - Serj Tankian's new single

I finally got the chance to see Serj Tankian's new music video this morning, and I must say that it's nothing short of brilliant. He's been known to be crazy and unpredictable, and misunderstood by those who can't look past that, but he is one of the greatest modern political activists.

Check it out:
Serj Tankian - Empty Walls


I love the idea of children playing in this video, and all the symbolism. It really shows what war does to our innocent children and our families.

"Don't you see their bodies burning
Desolate and full of yearning
Dying of anticipation
Choking from intoxication"

The lyrics aren't nearly as subtle as the video, but they fit together nicely. This is only the first single off his new album, Elect the Dead, and I can't wait to hear what else this amazing artist has released. I'll be getting his album soon.

Serj is on the road and will be touring Europe in less than a week from now. I hope I get the chance to see him live when he gets back to the States.

Jager, Beer, and Cigarettes

This is the first post I've ever written while drunk. Remember it, because I won't.

I had an awesome time last night when I went out with J's sister, Jen. Between the Jager bombs, regular shots of Jager, Yuengling drafts, and cigarettes, I was trashed. Wow, I was trashed. And still am.

I don't belong in a hiphop club. I don't fit in with that crowd. But I was dancing with the best of them, and drinking heavier than those lightweights. I find the differences between my crowd and that one to be kind of funny, to be honest. The music alone is enough to blow my mind- my people appreciate fine musicianship and originality, and the hiphop people are all about the beat and the lyrics. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate that kind of music, but damn, I'd like to give these people a real education.

J stayed home since he had to leave for work at 6:30am, so that party pooper missed out on all the action. He would have gotten a good laugh out of the way people stopped and stared when I passed by to get another drink. Or even the initial impression I made when I first stepped foot in that club. I don't know if it's the crazy long braids or the way I walk around like I'm some sort of rock star, but people just stop what they're doing to watch me. Even Jen made a comment about that when we went to the bathroom early in the night, so I know it's not my paranoia taking over.

I also learned that it's not kosher to flag down the bartenders in that place- you have to stand there and just wait until they get to you. That was a big difference from what I'm used to. Usually when I go up to a bar, I wave to a bartender and they come right over. And tip them for being prompt. Every drink. The whole "serve me first" thing is a bit over the top, but I hate waiting. And I hate waiting for people who don't speak up about what they want.

It was a great night, though it kind of ended on a sour note. I bummed a REGULAR cigarette off this guy named Gary at the end of the night, and that made me sick. I forgot that smoking REGULAR cigarettes while I'm dehydrated sends me into a fit of dry heaves. And it knocks me on my ass. This girl can only handle menthol.

I made quite the exit. Gary carried me out of the club and sat me down on the curb next to a storm drain and held my hair in case I felt that I was going to puke. I didn't. The fresh air was nice. I remember a bouncer asking me if I was driving or not, and I was like, "No way dude, I wouldn't be THIS drunk if I was." And Jen came out a few minutes later to take me home.

I fell asleep in the truck, I was so tired. And Gary had to pull me out, and then catch me before I hit the ground. Before I knew it, Jen had taken my keys out of my jacket and unlocked the door and the two of them helped me up the stairs and into bed with J. J wasn't thrilled about waking up to people in the house and me being trashed, but hey, it happens. I vaguely remember him carrying me to the bathroom around 5am when he thought I was going to puke. Again, it was the dry heaves. How attractive. And then I stood up and walked back to the bedroom like nothing happened.

I woke up around 8:00 this morning to Sharpie lying next to me and wagging her tail, probably happy that I'm still alive. It's 9:30 now, and I'm still drunk. Cool. No hangover. Even better. But damn, I really need to sleep.

Moral of the story? RAIV IS ONLY ALLOWED TO SMOKE MENTHOL CIGARETTES WHILE DRINKING.

Friday Fill-In #4

1. The last good thing that came in the mail was a check from InboxDollars, oddly enough.

2. This week I'm grateful for my ability to think straight during an emergency.

3. Dark chocolate with raspberry filling is the most delicious thing ever.

4. Great music inspires me.

5. I'm most happy when I am with close friends.

6. And all the roads we have to walk along are rocky at one point or another.

7. As for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going out to a club with J's sister, tomorrow my plans include blogging and cooking a big dinner and Sunday, I want to chill out before I have to go to work again on Monday!


Want to play? Visit Friday Fill-Ins.

Update on the new blog..

I've been on a roll with my new blog, Idiot's Guide to Blogging, and can say that I'm pleased with how it's turned out so far. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to come up with new posts every day, so I'm going to have to do all my work on the weekends and set the post times. Meaning.. this blog will be active during the week (because it's so random and quick to do), and the other, as mentioned before, will be taken care of on the weekends.

In the future, I'm going to start two other "Idiot Guide" blogs.. but for right now, one is enough. Two blogs are hard to keep up with, let alone three or four. And with my daily schedule growing busier, there's no way I could pull off something like that. I even had to decline a Halloween party invite for Friday night because things are so hectic around here. At least I'm moving up in the world, and not stuck in that little rut I was in for a while.. that sucked.

Not bad for a crappy camera..

I caught this amazing photo opportunity the other day at my mother's house. I was taking care of her animals while she and my sister were out of town, and while I was playing with the other two cats, I caught Faithy, the youngest, sitting by the stairs and the light was just PERFECT!

The outcome?



Tadaa! Not bad for a crappy camera.

New blog launched today.

Today I'm starting a new blog- Idiot's Guide to Blogging. This is something very new to me, so support would be very much appreciated.

I'm also looking to network with bloggers who write about the same topic, and will be creating a link list soon.

I'm working on the template right now, and the basic version should be finished sometime next week, depending on how busy my schedule is. I'm looking forward to exploring a new subject, and hopefully others will benefit from my writing as well.

A photo from Saturday night's show

Short post today- it's a busy day for me.

Figured I'd post a pic of J and I from last Saturday night. It was taken after several beers, so we look a little funny. It was still early in the night (the opening band was still playing there), so just imagine how we looked when it was all over!



And yes, I need to dye my hair again. It's been about a month now.

Many thanks to Vanessa for sending me the photos she took that night.

Two years gone.. oh how I've changed..

Today I took some time to look at how I've changed over the past couple years, and I can hardly believe I travelled this far down this long road we call life.

It seems like just yesterday I was a nameless hopeful singing in a coffeeshop after the breakup of my last opera metal band, that little girl who had sang in front of thousands of people in Ohio yet never made it in New York, the place she called home. Several times a week she sang in front of a small audience with an acoustic guitar backing her up.. she was a star in the eyes of a select few.

Those few people also worried about her- she was extremely thin, pale, and cut up. No one dared to voice concern, not that she would listen to them anyway. She was doing what she wanted to do. Years of domestic abuse turned her into a compulsive pill-popping anorectic, and being in the public eye, she fed off the attention others gave her. The thinner she became, the more beautiful she felt. The more people watching, the more drive she had to dig that hole even deeper.

Her home life wasn't like it used to be. Her step-father was finally gone, but she continued to live in the past. Locked in her room all day with music and a journal, she found a twisted sense of inner peace in cutting her skin and recording every calorie eaten and every bit of exercise she did. She hated her mother for nagging her about not doing anything with herself. She hated her psychologists because they couldn't help her. She hated the world and everything in it. And most of all, she hated herself because she believed she was a terrible person and deserved this pain she brought unto herself.

What a way to live.. Sometimes it's hard to see the logic in it, but that's just it- depression and eating disorders aren't logical. Something happens along the way to fool your brain into thinking something that isn't true. In my case, it was abuse from my ex step-father. Over a period of nine years, I was taught to believe that I was insignificant, lazy, and no one cared about me. No one knew about what he did to me during that time because it was everyday life to me. I thought it was the norm.

Then I met J one day and we became good friends and bandmates. I visited him at his apartment every day because he had nothing but his computer- no furniture, no bed to sleep on, no form of entertainment other than his bass guitar, and he was struggling to keep food in the kitchen. He had recently gotten out of his second bad relationship (the stupid bitch screwed him over several times) and when he moved back up here, he had little money and no one to hang out with. He had been through many hard times of his own, and I felt I could relate to many of his experiences. Only a month after we met, we figured out that we completed one another.

Soon enough he introduced me to his friends and the band that he worked for, and suddenly I was thrown into another world. I like to look at it as my second chance at life because, in all honesty, I was going to die.

My new friends found out I could sing, and not long after, I was brought onto the stage with a few older, more experienced bands, and felt that high you get when a crowd of people are dancing in front of you and a group of established musicians are behind you, creating this groove that becomes this massive wave of energy that I cannot even begin to explain. It was amazing. And little by little, I began to feel better and more confident in myself.

I've had some awesome experiences with celebrities too. I hung out and drank shots at the bar with SOiL. I worked with a production company for a Disciple show, and got to eat dinner and hang with the guys a bit. I was invited on stage by Joe from Stemm, and briefly sang into the mic with TJ. These are a few of the many amazing experiences I will never forget.. and there are more to come. There are a lot of opportunities on the horizon.

Confidence and knowledge came like a whirlwind. I became a whole new person in no time at all. And with J giving me the emotional support I needed, I overcame most of my insecurities.

I won't lie- I still have my bad days. There are many days where I sit at home and do absolutely nothing. I've never been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but I believe I have it, and every psychologist I had talked to said there was a strong possibility that I do. I haven't seen a real doctor in years, and probably won't for a couple more, so it was never made official.

There are days when all I want to do is sit in front of the tv, get baked, and laugh at all the stupid commercials. And I do now and then. And I'm okay with it because I've come a long way and life is hectic. Everyone needs a break every once in a while.

I called my mom the other day and thanked her for putting up with me during my worst times. I told her how I resented her and that I can't even begin to explain how sorry I really am for everything I put her through. I wasn't myself, I was lost to the world. She told me not to be sorry because none of it was my fault, and admitted that she felt bad for not knowing and overlooking all the signs that were right in front of her. She's happy to know I'm doing well now, but she still kicks herself for letting it all happen. But how could she really know? She was working all the time and I was too afraid to tell her about it, and I explained this but she still feels guilty about it all. I can only hope one day soon she can fully let it go like I did.

It truly hurts me to see thousands of people going through the same troubles I had.. and if I could only tell them one thing, it would be NO MATTER HOW LOST YOU ARE, THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE. THERE IS ALWAYS THAT LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN BE IT.. AND HAPPINESS IS WAITING FOR YOU, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY TO ACCEPT IT INTO YOUR LIFE.

Poll: What web browser do you use?

TMI Tuesday #2

1. What was the first movie you saw on a date?
Oh geez.. I can't remember. It was too long ago.

2. Who was the first person you kissed on a date? [First name is fine.]
That would be Brandon, my first boyfriend. I was 16 at the time. (I didn't date much back in school.. guys didn't like me. lol)

3. Where was the first place you ever "parked" (on a date)?
I'm not sure.. I think it was on a plot of land that belonged to some super-religious people. (To this day, I swear it's a small cult.)

4. Have you ever gone on a date with someone you met via the internet? If not, would you?
I wouldn't really call it a date. We decided to meet up one day and we hit it off. We were romantic for a short time, but nothing serious. He made a better friend than a boyfriend.

5. What is the most romantic thing you have done on a first date?
One guy showed up at my door with a white rose, then we went to a cool Chinese restaurant where they cook in front of you, took a short walk, and then went for coffee at the end of the night. It was only a one night thing though- we had been friends for years and he wanted me to know how he felt about me before he left for the military. He did a lot to make our evening special and I'll never forget it.

Bonus (as in optional):Describe the best date you have ever been on.
See above.. it was the most romantic. Then there was that night last year when I went to that Tool concert with the guys. J and I had seats seperate from the others so we were together all through the show. We were BLAZED that night. Then we stopped to stuff our faces at a cool 50's style truck stop afterwards. We were pretty rowdy, but we left the waitress a good tip to make up for the trouble we gave her. All in all, it was an awesome trip. It's hard to top that one.

Blog Action Day

Hi kids, and welcome to Blog Action Day, a day when thousands of bloggers write about environmental issues.

I am no environmentalist, so I won't be writing in detail about ozone depletion or acid rain or the hundreds of other problems we have. I am going to explain some simple everyday things you can do to help conserve our planet.

Some of the things listed here may not seem like much, or too much hassle for something so insignificant. But think about it- little things add up. The more people taking the time to do these things, the more effective they will be.

1) Recycle. This is a no-brainer. Have you ever gone to a garbage dump and notice all the things that could have been recycled? People are extremely wasteful.. or lazy. I can't decide.

2) Fix any water leaks ASAP. If you can't do it yourself, find someone who can. This is usually an inexpensive job, and it will cost you less to fix it right away than it will be to let it go. A simple drip can add up to a gallon or more a day. Now multiply that by the number of days you let it go.. And some people wonder why their water bills are so high.

3) Instead of throwing food in the trash, make a compost pile. Your lawn and garden will thank you later.

4) Turn off your computer when you're not using it, or if you spend a lot of time online, at least turn off your monitor. Screen savers do not conserve energy. You need to actually turn the monitor off.

5) Wash your clothes with warm or cold water. There is no need to use hot water on your clothes. So why bother?

6) Turn off the lights when leaving a room, even if it is for a short time.

7) If you live in an older home, have the paint tested for lead. If it tests positive, cover your walls with wallpaper rather than sanding or burning it off.

8) Take your own cup to work or the store where you buy coffee. If you're an avid caffeine guzzler like I am, all those disposable cups add up quick.

9) Use recycled paper. It's cheap. You have no reason not to.

10) Don't use a wood stove or fireplace when air quality is poor. Also, avoid slow-burning fires. They produce the most smoke.

11) Use an electric lawn mower instead of one powered by gas.

12) Leave your grass clippings on your lawn. It may not look very nice for a couple days, but they decompose and help the soil.

13) If you must use pesticides, look for organic alternatives. Or plant marigolds.

14) Instead of driving to a nearby place, walk or ride a bike. You could use the exercise, and save the air at the same time.

15) Put your outdoor lights on a timer.

These are only a few ways to conserve the environment. There are hundreds more. What other ways can you think of?

Thoughtful Blogger Award

The other day, Chris gave me the Thoughtful Blogger Award (thank you!), and now it's my turn to present it to a few others.

1) I have to give it back to Chris because she's been so great in so many ways. Her link is all over my blog for many different reasons.

2) X - Such a cool, funny guy. I always go to his blog for a chuckle or two. Also a regular reader and commenter. :)

3) Nathan Pralle - I don't know much about him yet, but I've fallen in love with his blog and like his outlook on the world. He's also a model blogger- great content and often replies to his comments. I'm always happy when I logon to see that he's stopped by recently.

4) Steven Wilson - Another nice guy who's always dropping in here and on MyBlogLog. I'd like to get to know him better.


So.. TAG, YOU'RE IT! Time for you guys to spread some love.

The Saturday Special #4

~Creative Adventure VI~
Time again to use your imagination ;-} Fill in the blanks.


1. While driving home from work you stop in front of the city's hugh library building to pick up 2 books titled The DaVinci Code and The Andromeda Strain.

2. Upon entering the library through the front door you notice the lights are dimmer than usual.

3. Walking through the many aisles of books you hear slow, heavy breathing.

4. You check out your books, smile to yourself and quietly pass the old guy sleeping in the reading area.


Want to play? Visit The Saturday Special.

Blog Action Day - Get Involved!

"What would happen if every blog published posts discussing the same issue, on the same day?"

October 15th (that's two days from now!) is Blog Action Day, a day when bloggers come together and write about the environment. Are you going to join in?

Friday Fill-In #3

1. Once upon a time it was warm outside.. what happened?

2. If I hear any screaming and door slamming from the neighbors today, I'm gonna give them a piece of my mind. I'm in no mood for any BS.

3.I love white tea and ginger.

4. Way down in the back of my mind, I'm very insecure.. but I will never show it.

5. Keys are a hassle when you've got over 5 you have to deal with on a daily basis; locks are just as troublesome.

6. Have you seen my baking skills? They're so BAD!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to cooking a nice dinner for J, tomorrow my plans include shopping with my mom in the morning and going out with friends in the evening, and Sunday, I want to relax and recover from a possible hangover!


Want to play? Visit Friday Fill-In.

Wordless Wednesday #6

Manic Monday #2

Which month of the year do you think best describes your personality?
Well.. definitely not December, that's for sure! Probably July- warm, sunny, and a great time for parties. And I don't have to worry about freezing my arse off when I'm standing out behind the clubs for a cigarette break with the guys.

If you could have had the starring role in an existing movie, which movie would you pick?
I have no idea.. I don't watch many movies. Maybe Emily in The Exorcism of Emily Rose. I always thought it'd be cool to play someone who was possessed.

Are you attracted to people whose personalities are very similar to your personaltiy or very different?
I like to hang out with people who are similar to me, but with a few differences. I tend to hang with musicians, mostly guys, with strong personalities and a great sense of humor. There is never a dull (or quiet) moment when I'm out with them.


Want to play? Visit Manic Monday.

Situation Sunday #1

Situation # 1
What is your first reaction, and what do you do when you accidentally walk in on an "unpredicted" situation....Scenario-- your child or a relative masturbating?
Walk out and leave them be. Everyone does it at least once in their lives. It's natural and healthy. Why be embarrassed or do anything about it? He/she would most likely be embarrassed already, why make it worse?

Situation # 2
You are a a state park and you and a friend are going to do some hiking. It is a beautiful day. The weather is perfect. You both decide to take the Blue Trail, which is a total of 6 miles of rugged terrain. As you go along having a wonderful hike,{ 2.5 miles into it} one of you needs to venture off the path for a moment for a nature call. As that person is away the other feels like someone is following or watching them. They seem to be waiting a while for the other to return... and finally starts calling their name and no response. And the feeling that some one else is watching is growing stronger-......you hear your friend scream then sudden silence.....What do you do?......{No cell phones}
GET OUT OF THERE. In this case, my friend would be either dead or unconscious and when you're that far out, there is very little you can do, especially if there's a killer or monster or whatever out there. Get to safety as quickly as possible, making as little noise as possible, and get the police out there to handle it. There is no sense in risking your own life to try to save someone who is probably already dead.

Situation # 3
You have recently purchased this home in a great neighborhood. You have a deck on the back of the house, a nice lawn and a swing hangs from two white birch trees. You have grown accustomed to going out on your deck and having your morning coffee after all have left the home in the morning.....Spouse to work....Kids to school. And you notice no wind is blowing but the swing starts swinging back and forth....as you venture closer to it....you hear giggles and you can see a clear pattern of a butt print on the seat......What do you do?
I like this one. :) I am no stranger to weird situations like this, as I've grown up in a house with its "quirks", and even now, odd things happen in my current apartment. I think that stuff's just drawn to me.. Anyway, I would try to see or sense something there, and try to talk to it. If you're hearing giggles, there's a possibility that it would talk to you. I'd try to find out who it is. When weird stuff happens outside my home, I'm not frightened. It's when I'm home alone and things start falling off the kitchen counter that scares me. I'd eventually go inside and do a couple small rituals to try to prevent stuff from happening in the house, and save my sanity. I'd also refrain from redecorating too much until I was sure things would be all right.


Want to play? Visit Situation Sunday.

Kids these days..

I was checking my MySpace messages when I came across one, titled "hi", from a 17-year-old guy from Ohio (who will remain anonymous). I have no idea who he is, and he wrote:

may I ask you a Question? How can i play 69 ? I'm still a virgin .

My reply:

I hope you're not serious.

I thought that was the end of that, but I thought wrong. He decided to try again:

hey I'm really serious. i wanna learn how to do that . so plz teach me..

WTF? Why me, of all people? I have never seen this kid before in my life, never talked to him, nothing. If he's looking for that kind of stuff, there are plenty of other people and websites out there. It'd be so much easier to do a simple Google search, rather than wasting time trying to convince me to do something I want no part of. I replied once more:

Dude, you're a minor. I'm not even going to THINK of going there.

Go burn your teenage hormones on someone else. Please.

Questions

me: "I have a serious question."

J: "What's that?"

me: "What's it like to have a penis?"

J: "Well.. what's it like to have boobs?"

me: "I don't know, I'll tell you when I grow some."


He never did answer my question.

The Saturday Special #3

~Words Ending in AKE ~ I Say You Answer~


1. Earthquake... A few more drinks and I'll blame it on my shoes.

2. Peaceful Lake... Let's wake it up with some Sea-Doos!

3. Chocolate Cake... Can't complain, but can we do vanilla next time?

4. Snowflake... Pretty, but way too cold for my liking.


Want to play? Visit The Saturday Special.

Friday Fill-In #2

1. If I were a tree I would be a redwood because they are tall, strong, and have survived all that the world has thrown at them.

2. If I were a bird I would fly over New York City. I've always wanted to see it from above and never got the chance to.

3. If I were a book I hope I would be The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown.. controversial and brilliant. I want to make a difference by showing people that there is more than one acceptable way to look at the world, and that things are not always as they seem.

4. If I were a car I'd be sleek, hot, and leaving y'all in the dust.

5. If I could get rid of one piece of technology it would definitely be self-checkouts at the supermarket because THEY NEVER WORK!

6. If I could get rid of one bad habit at a snap of the fingers it would be procrastination. I'll explain my reasoning later.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having a few drinks with J, tomorrow my plans include lazily sitting around the house, blogging, and maybe taking the dog and snake for a walk, and Sunday, I want to visit my family!


Want to play? Visit Friday Fill-In.

Thursday Thirteen #4

The 13 bands/artists who influenced me, my music, and my attitude the most (in no particular order):


1) Alice in Chains - My very first cd was Flies in a Jar, which was given to me at a young age, and I've listened to them ever since.

2) Evanescence - A band led by a girl who followed her dreams and actually achieved them, and I watched her grow up in the spotlight. It's inspiring. Amy Lee is the musician I have the most in common with.

3) Lacuna Coil - Another female led band, but from Italy, with style and attitude. A lot of my musical inspiration comes from listening to them.

4) Marilyn Manson - THE MOST BRILLIANT LYRICIST EVER! He's the Madonna of the goth rock world (forgive me for using that analogy), always cutting edge, always changing and not afraid to try something new. I don't care how weird he is, he's a god.

5) Korn - Though I'm a little disappointed with the latest album (it took me a while to adjust to the new sound), Korn is and always will be one of my favorite bands. Like Jonathan Davis, I had a hard childhood and found music to be the best therapy.

6) Tool - I've always liked music that was different from all the crap you hear on the radio. The first day I heard Tool, I fell in love with them and couldn't stop listening.

7) A Perfect Circle - Another one of Maynard James Keenan's projects (see Tool). Even today, I still can't stop listening to Mer de Noms and Thirteenth Step.. too bad the band didn't make it as far as they should have. This is my meditation music.

8) Nightwish - Classical music is where my roots are, so when a friend introduced me to this Finnish opera metal band, a whole new world opened up for me. The old Nightwish (with Tarja Turunen) drove me to push my vocals to the next level, and beyond. I sang their songs day in and day out, and eventually got to the point where I now use them as part of a warmup for practices and shows. Without this inspiration, I would have never found my four-octave vocal range. Also, Tuomas Holopainen (keys and lead composer) is a hero of mine and inspires me to keep playing my keyboard, trying new things, and creating symphonies instead of just songs.

9) Coheed and Cambria - If you can get over Claudio's odd voice, C&C is amazing. I've spent hours contemplating the lyrics and the meanings behind them, and like the other bands, I love the originality of the music.

10) Breaking Benjamin - One of the few new mainstream bands I listen to. They're hard, melodic, and definitely have their stuff together. I often find myself singing their music while I'm at work.

11) Slipknot - Amazing, definitely amazing. As if the guitars, turntables, and samples aren't enough, they've got three solid drummers pushing the limit. That's right- three drummers, one band.

12) Metallica - It's Metallica.. Need I say more?

13) Dream Theater - THE MOST AMAZING BAND ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET. Also the most underrated. It's a friggin' shame that most people have never even heard of them.. they are by far the most talented group of musicians that has ever set foot on a stage. You don't know music until you've listened to Dream Theater.


This post was so hard to write. I had to cut great bands like Black Sabbath, Black Label Society, KISS, and so many others. I hate doing that.

Just because my doggy is awesome.

A big thanks to Chris for putting Sharpie up as "Dog of the Day" on her blog, Diet & Skin Allergies in Dogs. Now everyone can see my cute, fuzzy, troublesome critter staring at them from the top right corner of the page. Also, if you're a dog freak, join her MyBlogLog community.

Another TMI post..

Okay ladies, remember that second (maybe third?) growth spurt you went through? You know, that extra "oomph" you get in your early 20's? I've got to talk about that one today.

As many of you know, I'm 21, will be 22 in a couple months. And I HAVE NO BOOBS. (Okay, I lied, I have a little bit. Nothing to brag about though.) Over the past week, they've been a little tender, to the point of wanting to smack J every time he pokes them.. which is just short of 100 times a day. Today I noticed that one has grown larger than the other, which was disheartening since I've been well balanced for as long as I can remember. Is there hope for me? Should the other grow to match? (LOL!) The last thing I want is for J to follow me around the house saying, "YOUR BOOB IS BORKED!" for the next few years.

TMI Tuesday #1

1. Early bird or night owl?
Both. I go to bed late and get up early.. I don't get much sleep, other than a midday nap.

2. If you could only be one, would you rather be smart or good looking?
Only one? Are you kidding me? Well.. I guess I would have to choose good looking. I think first impressions are very important. They make or break you. As long as I'm smart enough not to say something stupid, it's all good.

3. Do you gossip?
I try not to. At least not that catty gossip crap. It's kind of different in my world, we talk about the bands we know, like "(Name here) is calling it quits. (Band) is done as of October. They're announcing their last shows next week." We just like to keep up with the latest stuff before the public knows.

4. On a scale of 1-10, how adventurous are you? (1 is lowest, 10 is highest)
I guess it depends on who is involved. If it's just me, I'm not all that adventurous, maybe 6 on the scale. But if friends are involved, it jumps up to an 8. It's not about peer pressure, it's about confidence.

5. On a scale of 1-10, how good a kisser do you think you are? ( ditto )
I'd say 8, but I've been told 100. Guys love my lips, but I can think of a few improvements to make it so much better. I'm a very sensual person.

Bonus (as in optional):What do you consider the biggest turn on out of the following? a) lingerie b) movies c) toys d) role playing e) leather f) none of this does anything for me
I'd have to say lingerie. It makes me feel beautiful. (Again with the confidence thing.)


Want to play? Go to TMI Tuesday.

Poll: Where does your blog traffic come from?

I'm always curious as to where other bloggers are getting their traffic from. Vote, link to your top blog, share your answer, and invite your friends to join in! (Javascript must be enabled.)

Manic Monday #1

Another meme..

If technology was sufficiently advanced, would you be willing to clone yourself?
No way! The world isn't ready for two of me.. or more.. We'd be very destructive.

At the local grocery store you see an elderly woman shoplift a chicken. Do you tell the management?
This is a hard one. I guess it would depend on the person.. some people need to do whatever it takes to survive. If the old woman seemed as if she couldn't afford to eat, I'd keep my mouth shut and pretend I didn't see anything. But if she stole it just to get it for free, I would probably say something. I'm not one to rat people out, but if people are constantly taking advantage of others just to get a free ride through life, that isn't right, it doesn't matter who you are.

If you could be 8 years old again for an entire day, knowing what you know now, how would you spend it?
Does this involve going back in time, or being 8 in the present? There are so many simple things I could have changed in the past to make life a lot better for myself and my family, but that would mean not having the beautiful little sister I have today, probably never meeting J, and I would not become the strong person I am now.. I guess if I was 8 again, I would do the same things I did back then- just play and enjoy being a kid again. They say ignorance is bliss.. if I can't be ignorant at that age, what's the point of being it at all? I'd rather be knowledgable and able to do all the things I want to do rather than be held back because of my age.


Want to play? Visit Manic Monday.

MyBlogLog loves me!

I logged on this morning to find myself listed as a "Hot Member" on MyBlogLog. That explains the crapload of visitors to my profile..

This just made my morning! :) Kind of like a pint of ice cream on those PMS days. Or that day my stalker decided to stop following me last year. Or a 2 lb bag of peanut M&Ms. Or even a brand new pair of black combat boots.

Does anyone know how people are chosen for this?

Addicted to MyBlogLog

I came across a website called MyBlogLog not too long ago, and already it's become an addiction. It's been.. what? Almost a week now? And I have 98 friends, several messages being posted on my page every day, and 24 members in my blog community. And by the end of the day, I can guarantee there will be more.. because MyBlogLog is busy. There are so many bloggers there, I can't believe I'd never heard of it before! It's the MySpace for bloggers.

So bloggers, if you're looking to make new friends/fans and get a little more traffic to your blog, check it out. You won't be disappointed.

** And I'd like to thank those who've joined my community and drop in here on a regular basis. You guys are great. :) **

The Saturday Special #2

~Creative Adventure V~
Time again to use your imagination ;-} Fill in the blanks.

1. While hiking in one of the many trails in the State Forest, you come across a strange rock.

2. You bend down to study the object more carefully, when suddenly it grows legs and runs off!

3. Just below the clearing you see this wonderous colony of strange three-legged rocks, big and small, young and old.

4. With much to remember on this hiking trip, you go home and blog about it, wondering whether anyone would actually believe such a crazy story.


Want to play? Visit The Saturday Special.

Korn concert, take two.

Due to other priorities, J and I won't be attending that Korn concert I posted about last week. Turns out we're too busy with all the other stuff on our plates. I'm so bummed about it, but we're going to try to catch them the next time around. They'll be back.

Thursday Thirteen #3

My 13 favorite songs (in no particular order):


1) "Endless Sacrifice" - Dream Theater

2) "Ghost Love Score" - Nightwish

3) "Enter Sandman" - Metallica

4) "Sweet Child O' Mine" - Guns N' Roses

5) "10,000 Days (Wings Pt. 2)" - Tool

6) "When Doves Cry" - Prince

7) "Another Brick in the Wall" - Pink Floyd

8) "Iron Man" - Black Sabbath

9) "Alone I Break" - Korn

10) "Heart-Shaped Box" - Nirvana

11) "Man in the Box" - Alice in Chains

12) "Halflife" - Lacuna Coil

13) "Dream On" - Aerosmith

Wordless Wednesday #5

Check out this blog.

Meet Chris. Such a nice woman, not to mention helpful. I met her on MyBlogLog and she's given me all sorts of help with my Sharpie problems. If you have a dog or two or three or twenty, read her blog! It has all sorts of doggy diet tips and you'll be glad you read it.

The Everyday BS

Downstairs neighbors. I can't stand it anymore- that constant yelling and door slamming. Like they have it so hard.. especially the guy my age. I'll call him Mr. Loudmouth. He may have a slight mental setback, but having ADHD is not a valid reason to act like a retard. He is not a retard. He just needs to grow up and realize that he's getting a free ride and stop complaining about it all. And ENOUGH WITH THAT DOOR ALREADY.



He yells at the older folk..

SLAM!

A few cd's fall off my shelf.

He yells at the dogs..

SLAM!

A few more cd's fall off the shelf.

Yells at the old folk some more..

SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!

There goes the rest of my music collection.



I'm going to lose it if I have to listen to this crap much longer.

How to survive work on a Monday.

Monday, Monday.. I hate you so. Change the words to the annoying music playing over the PA system.

Take several trips to get a drink.

Now drain your bladder after filling it with all that liquid.

Pick your wedgie for the security camera. Or your nose.

Throw things at your fellow coworkers. Then smile innocently when your boss passes by.

Leave things in the way of the Russian cleaning guy's floor buffer. Not purposely, of course.. he's too nice to pick on.

Sing over the PA system.

Smile brightly and bid everyone farewell as you leave early.

Blog Traffic For Dummies

It's simple:

1) Blog about Britney Spears.
2) Blog about Paris Hilton.
3) Blog about Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.
4) Blog about blogging.
5) Mention the word "blog" as much as possible.

And there you have it.

The Poo War

This is Sharpie. Cute, right? Smart as a whip, too. Well, as far as dogs go.

But for the past year, I've been dealing with a problem I now call "the poo war".

She's well trained, more than any other dog I know. She can sit, lie down, get my shoes for me, and she knows perfectly well that her toilet is outdoors.

But lately she's been acting out. Leaving her alone is like giving your 5-year-old child full reign of the house. Leaving her on the couch with a toy and the tv on is not enough. She has to go and take a dump in my nice big walk-in closet when I forget to shut her in the living room, as if to say, "Hey Mom! Screw you for leaving me alone like this!" Like taking her out before I leave is not good enough, her poo is too good to waste on that bush outside. It's almost like she's purposely holding in her load and praying for me to leave the living room door open. What a spiteful bitch.

Punishing her has no effect. It only makes her afraid of me for an hour or so, and then she does it again when the next opportunity arises. She's not stupid, she knows it's wrong, but she does it anyway. I'm going to lose my mind if it doesn't stop soon.

How do I break her of this?

Korn concert?

Next month, Korn is playing down in Wilkesbarre, PA.. same place I went for that Tool concert.. and today I've got J looking for some tickets.

The opening acts are HellYeah, Five Finger Deathpunch, and Droid.

Do you have any idea what this means? IT'S GOING TO BE AN AWESOME SHOW! Like.. the show of the year! Thousands of people gathering in one place to see some amazing bands. Beer. Merch stands galore. Afterparties. Pre-show parties in people's vans. Did I mention beer? And LOUD MUSIC. God, I love big concerts.

I'll have to tell my boss not to schedule me October 10th or 11th when I go back to work on Monday. It's going to be another long trip. And I can't wait. More on this later.

The Saturday Special #1

~Autumn Favorites~

1. Favorite Autumn Activity?:
Taking a drive through the country and looking at the colorful scenery.

2. Favorite Autumn Meal?:
Is there a special autumn meal? If there is, I don't know about it. Baked macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite dishes though.

3. Favorite Autumn Drink?:
Hot cider! I look forward to it every year.

4. Favorite Autumn Weather?:
I love when it's warm and sunny with a light breeze. No need for a jacket, just a short-sleeved top, jeans, and a pair of sunglasses.


Want to play? Visit The Saturday Special.

Announcing my new URL

I finally recovered from my bout of laziness and shortened my web address to raivyn.co.nr. More fitting than that mile-long Blogspot address, is it not?

Friday Fill-In #1

1. I think I might write my mother an email.. it's been a while.

2. I desire a couple shots of Jager.

3. What if I found that perfect apartment sooner than expected?

4. The best thing about today is the sun and warm weather.

5. When will things clear up at work?

6. The best thing that happened to me so far this week was going to that new Chinese restaurant with J last night.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going out for a few drinks, tomorrow my plans include writing new music and possibly visiting my family and Sunday, I want to just chill out!


Want to play? Visit Friday Fill-In.

Wordless Wednesday #4

And I still can't cook.

With all I've learned recently about cooking, I still haven't mastered pancakes.. not from scratch, but the "just add water" kind. They tasted all right, but it was one big mess.



I used nonstick cooking spray and everything.. maybe it was the pan?

Michael Tilson Thomas made me stop and think..

Mr. Thomas posted an interesting question on Yahoo! Answers that hit me like a load of bricks:

Through performing, music education and electronic media, the San Francisco Symphony and I strive to make classical music accessible to all. How has classical music impacted your life?

How has classical music influenced my life? Wow.. so many ways.

Classical music is where my roots are. That is what I was originally trained in, and I studied it all through school. I was going through some of the hardest times of my life back then and what I found in this genre is too much for me to describe. It was my home, a safe haven for me to channel my emotions- all the anger, hurt, and sadness I felt. It was my fantasy land. It showed me the past, days when I was happy. And it showed me the future, when I would finally be free from those troubles.

It also taught me a lot of the technical stuff- key, time signature, things like that.. and most of all, it taught me that the possibilities are endless. If you can dream it, you can write it, and this can be applied to everything in life, not just music. I learned to believe in myself.

Though I don't listen to classical music nearly as much as I once did (I fell in love with the hard rock/metal genres), I can say that it is the reason I listen to amazing, underrated bands like Nightwish, Dream Theater, and Dimmu Borgir, and not all that mainstream pop and rap you hear on the radio. It is the reason I write my own music with a bit of an epic, classical theme. I still have my fantasy world, but with rougher edges, a little more anger and sorrow to feed the darker side of my mind.

I wish everyone could get a proper education in classical music. It teaches people to appreciate music for what it really is, not for the "uber hott!" singer who hires someone else to write lyrics and put them to a simple, unimaginitive beat and melody. Real music is about expression and storytelling (not necessarily classical or metal.. there is great music in all genres).

It is what I live for.

B-list?

No way. No friggin way am I going to accept this one..



I know, I know, it's my fault I don't post as often as I should. I'm trying to change that, despite my busy schedule. Expect to see more entries from me soon.. I won't disappoint you.

* * *

Help me rise to the top- LINK TO ME!!!

And you won't walk away empty-handed, of course. Let me know where I can find your link and I'll return the favor. I'm nice like that. ;)

I speak Drunkenese. Who knew?

After a long, exciting night up in Corning, NY with my boys (and girl), I had to wake up at 6am to make sure Mr. Caveman got out the door to work on time. I was still drunk at that time, stumbling around the house and yelling at my partner in crime to wake up.

Finally he got out of bed and I immediately crashed after saying something along the lines of, "Dun forgt yer sub, crap in car, night." How attractive.

I guess I slept for a few minutes because I don't remember what happened during that time, but I came to as he was just about ready to leave and realized that I was overheating. Unable to get up from the soft bed to turn on the air conditioner, I immediately began yelling, "AZ! AZ!" into my pillow. Like that was going to work. And it didn't occur to me to take off my sweatshirt and the two heavy blankets that were covering me.

And to top it off..

"DOG! DOG, NO!"

"What's wrong?"

"THE DOG!"

"She's sleeping on the couch."

"WUZZAT NOISE?"

"The air conditioner."

"Uh."

Some days I have no idea why he even puts up with me. But then again, if he was completely trashed and unable to function, I'd take care of him too.

RAIV LOVES CORNING! LOTS OF JAGER!

This comment amuses me.

Well, I finally got some time to update here and came across this oh-so-witty comment from Mac C Da Pimp on my last post:

"you are carpetmuncher and love to eat Conch. How much more of a dyke can you be? the possibilitys are endless unless you stay psychedelic your doomed. this is just a comment from a real mutha fucka from broward county so get on my fuckin level (954) 292 5903

July 31, 2007 10:34 PM"

Well.
I'm quite impressed with your typing and vocabulary. I expected less from someone like you.

I'd also like to mention that I'm ten times straighter than you will ever be. Come on, Mac C Da Pimp? Is that really your name? I'm willing to bet you're just some dorky ass wannabe who gets beaten up a lot. Either that or gay. (I apologize to any gays whom I may have offended. I have no problem with homosexuality and hardly ever mock it, situations like this being the exception.)

And I don't want to know whether you're a "mutha fucka" or not. Your personal life is not my business.

Broward County? Where the hell is that? And why would I care where you're from?

And why are you giving me your number? Is this how you try to pick up dates? Dude.. you've got a long way to go. You will never be a pimp with those moves.

Word.

Thursday Thirteen #2

Thirteen reasons why people hate me:

1) I always manage to draw attention from everyone in the room, whether it be my dress or my hair or whatever. Everyone likes to check out the freak.. and trash her, too.

2) I beat up guys who disrespect me.

3) Sometimes I let my mouth run away with me.

4) I have the build of a runway model.

5) LOUD AND PROUD, BABY!

6) I have a lot of big guy friends. I do my thing and because of them, a lot of people won't mess with me. They'll just stand back and say bad things about me. Whatever.

7) Some people have their heads too far up their arseholes to accept someone who is different than them.

8) I can be quite rude at times. Often.

9) I'm misunderstood.

10) I don't look for drama, but it always seems to find me.. And I usually win that game. It's not my fault people jump in unarmed.

11) Bipolar mood swings.

12) I know the band personally and won't let the groupies use me to get to the musicians.

13) I hate Mondays and make everyone else hate them too.

It's been a while.

Aaaand.. I'm back!

I don't know why I even left this blog in the first place.. I think it was because all sorts of new things started happening in my life and I was too busy to post regularly. But anyway, here we go.. I'm gonna give it a shot yet again. Especially now that I see this blog has a Google PR of 4. That was a bit of a surprise.

I've also got me a decent camera, so I can post some better pics. I hated having to rely on my cell, which is down now, so to those who have that number- DON'T CALL ME. I'll be getting a new phone here sometime in the near future.

During my time away from this blog, I started another one to feed my UO addiction. And to keep track of how far I've progressed in the game. It's mostly about the plants, but there will be other stuff there too. Check it out- UO Plant Blog.

More later when I get the time..