Hey you, I moved! Check it out!

  • "The Voyager" Lyrics - I have it all- A song for everything And still nothing, Writing lyrics only I Can understand. Left dry and thirsty For something more, Someplace more....
    8 years ago

Quoth The Raivyn

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

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.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

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.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

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, October 26, 2007

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.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

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.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

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.

Friday, October 19, 2007

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.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

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.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

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.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

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.

Monday, October 15, 2007

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?

Saturday, October 13, 2007

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.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Blog Action Day - Get Involved!

BlogActionDay.org "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.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Monday, October 08, 2007

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.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

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.

Saturday, October 06, 2007

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, October 05, 2007

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, October 04, 2007

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.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

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.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

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.)


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Monday, October 01, 2007

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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.


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