Ah...a kindly speaker in our speech class handed out coffee to everyone and it was delicious! Hang on - I'm on a java-fueled musical rampage! It's Fuman's First 10 Friday!
1) Across the Stars - John Williams
Ah, a staple of the Star Wars soundtrack. Very beautiful and sweeping, not quite heroic and militaristic like the main Star Wars theme. Fits into the movie quite nicely.
2) Go Go Cactus Man - Yoko Kanno and the Seatbelts
Perfectly western theme for a western-inspired anime series, Cowboy Bebop. Your standard rough-ridin' cowboy tune, I suppose. One of my favorite Cowboy Bebop tracks.
3) On the Sunny Side of the Street - John Pizzarelli
A nice little cover by Mr. Pizzarelli. Can't say that I LOVE his little scat areas (gets a tad boring, if you ask me...), but they're okay. Overall a happy little tune. The kind that makes you feel quite alright.
4) Enid - Barenaked Ladies
I had never listened to this one. Now that I have, umm...well, I sort of forget how it sounds. You see, I went to stock up on foodstuffs between listening and writing this. Whoops. If I remember correctly, though, it was about some BS relationship. I do recall it sounding good.
5) Lupin III Theme - Charlie Kosei (I think)
Ah, now THIS brings back memories. Lupin III is one of the best anime series I've ever watched. Wacky and at the same time a tad serious, Lupin III follows the adventures of Arsene Lupin III, a descendant of the great French thief Arsene Lupin. Zany antics, cool heists, and a funky '70s soundtrack. What more could you ask for? By the way, Charlie Kosei recently did a track called Que Sera Sera for the Katamari Damacy soundtrack. He's an odd one... man, I need to start watching Lupin again!
6) Falling for the First Time - Barenaked Ladies
Another BNL song! This is definitely one of my favorites - great instrumentation and great lyrics. Add in a great message (the feeling of freedom one gets from realizing that it's okay to be human and screw up) and you've got an excellent song. If anybody thinks that BNL are little more than a novelty act with silly lyrics, check this song out.
7) Brian Wilson - Barenaked Ladies
Okay, 900-something songs in this pool of music and THREE BNL songs in one list? Something is quite fishy here...the title's pretty self-explanatory: It's about Brian Wilson, one of the Beach Boys, who fell into a deep depression after bits of his life began to crumble away. Less obvious from the title (though quite glaring in the lyrics) is that the singer is relating his own feelings to being "like Brian Wilson."
8) #34 - Dave Matthews Band
Sort of a hidden track on the Under the Table and Dreaming CD (which is probably my personal favorite DMB album...probably). This was really cool in that the CD actually skipped to track 34 (the CD only had 12 songs on it). I don't know why, but little things like that seem cool to me. This is instrumental, though I believe there ARE lyrics that Dave sings in concert. Can't say much about the lyrics because I've not really heard them. This is quite the calming song.
9) Can't Buy Me Love - John Pizzarelli
Ah, another Pizzarelli cover. I like the original Can't Buy Me Love, so my standards are sort of high for this song. Luckily, Pizzarelli delivers with an interesting jazzy/big band version. Odd that the last bits of the song have Woodchopper's Ball (the Gong Show theme) playing.
10) Frankenstein - The Edgar Winter Group
This was sort of tacked on. See, Sunshine of Your Love was on the list, but I realized it had already appeared...so, the next random track was this. I've always enjoyed this song (even the perverted rendition back in HS pep band). Good for a listen, I wouldn't put this up on the 'best ever' list.
I sort of lost it part way through the list. I just didn't seem to get into the list as much. Ah well, it was fun anyway. Hope you enjoyed. Have a nice weekend, everybody.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Sans Thesis
Well, the dreaded informative speech is over with. I felt rather prepared for this one, and wouldn't you know it, I wound up doing quite alright. A few seconds over the limit, but close enough. The topic, if you were interested in knowing, was "Comics as a Reflection of Culture." This name was chosen because 1) That's what I spoke about and 2) Because my wit was a little dull at the time of trying to think of a better title.
A great idea came into my little (err...actually, rather large) cranial cavity yesterday in my Visual Basic class. I don't want to spill the beans on it quite yet. I will say this, though - you will all be sorely disappointed if I DO decide to share my idea. Not because it's a bad idea, but because it's really no big deal at all. Just a little character I've come up with and am interested in pursuing something with.
In the past week or two, I have been thinking about my video game heroes. No, not Mario and Sonic...I'm talking about the likes of Shigeru Miyamoto, Will Wright, and Peter Molyneaux. Not sure why...but the recent Game Developers Conference probably has something to do with it. Ah well, who knows? Maybe it's a little thing called inspiration trickling into my brain? I sure hope so...
Finished up my weekly batch of comic reading. This OYL stuff that DC's playing with is driving me crazy! Suddenly throwing your storylines a year into the future will mess with just about anybody's mind, I suppose...why doesn't Superman have powers? No Kyle Rayner on Earth? What's up with Vandal Savage? Supergirl - a Legionnaire? WHA!? 52, you can't come soon enough.
Speaking of comics, Sonic the Hedgehog #160 came out. Guest appearances galore! Finally, the introduction of Bean and Bark. For you non-Sonic fans out there, these two made their debut way back in Sonic the Fighters. I like how Bean's personality is being handled...apparently he's completely nuts and hyper. And you can't complain about a Mario Sunshine reference in a Sonic comic! Much like I envisioned a green bomb-throwing duck. Finally, the Sonic art is picking up...
I think that's just about it for now. Can't say for sure why I wanted to post, but I did. And there you have it.
A great idea came into my little (err...actually, rather large) cranial cavity yesterday in my Visual Basic class. I don't want to spill the beans on it quite yet. I will say this, though - you will all be sorely disappointed if I DO decide to share my idea. Not because it's a bad idea, but because it's really no big deal at all. Just a little character I've come up with and am interested in pursuing something with.
In the past week or two, I have been thinking about my video game heroes. No, not Mario and Sonic...I'm talking about the likes of Shigeru Miyamoto, Will Wright, and Peter Molyneaux. Not sure why...but the recent Game Developers Conference probably has something to do with it. Ah well, who knows? Maybe it's a little thing called inspiration trickling into my brain? I sure hope so...
Finished up my weekly batch of comic reading. This OYL stuff that DC's playing with is driving me crazy! Suddenly throwing your storylines a year into the future will mess with just about anybody's mind, I suppose...why doesn't Superman have powers? No Kyle Rayner on Earth? What's up with Vandal Savage? Supergirl - a Legionnaire? WHA!? 52, you can't come soon enough.
Speaking of comics, Sonic the Hedgehog #160 came out. Guest appearances galore! Finally, the introduction of Bean and Bark. For you non-Sonic fans out there, these two made their debut way back in Sonic the Fighters. I like how Bean's personality is being handled...apparently he's completely nuts and hyper. And you can't complain about a Mario Sunshine reference in a Sonic comic! Much like I envisioned a green bomb-throwing duck. Finally, the Sonic art is picking up...
I think that's just about it for now. Can't say for sure why I wanted to post, but I did. And there you have it.
Monday, March 27, 2006
5 Weeks to Go!?
Whoa...it just hit me how near the end of the school year is. I have to say that this semester has sort of flown by. In fact...I don't recall the past 2 weeks occurring. That's probably not a good thing. Bah, oh well! So close to getting out of here and on to what I REALLY want to do (direct...). I just felt the need to post today, but I don't really have an ultimate idea in mind (by the way, that last parenthetical expression was false). I've been reading Medea: Harlan's World lately and it is quite interesting. It's a good insight on the thought processes that may or may not go on in the heads of writers. This, of course, has led me to do a little reading on Harlan Ellison himself and he seems to be quite the interesting guy...
What else to yammer on about? It rained a bit today, but it was a really good rain. The first good rain, in my opinion, in quite a while. It was the right temperature out for it and it smelled like a good rain. It's odd that when you're out in the country, a light rain seems to freshen everything up. In a more heavily populated area, however, it just makes everything cold and desolate. Usually, anyway. Today's instance was a rare instance where even in the ugly areas that I tread on the way to classes the rain seemed refreshing. Top that off with the fact that What a Wonderful World came on right as I noticed the beauty of the rain! It's the little things, eh?
It turns out that work is underway to begin hacking the Super Mario 64 ROM and create custom levels. Whoa. I remember when it was amazing for the (somewhat) common computer user to be able to get into the Super Mario WORLD ROM and mess with the textures. This reminds me. I love video games. LOVE 'em. It saddens me that I've been rather busy (or in the mood at the wrong time) and video gaming hasn't been a priority. I have a feeling it will pick up in the summer and probably next year. It's hard to get into a long game when you don't know if you'll be able to play consistently for the next few weeks.
EDIT: What a moron I am! I meant to mention that I played co-op Donkey Kong Country 2 over the weekend with my lovely Jennifer. Now THAT'S a good classic game. Sorry, just had to mention it.
Spore. Just wow...I've always admired Will Wright (though I didn't always know it) for promoting ingenuity and innovation into his games, even at the cost of sales. The more of Spore I see, the more I want it. Here's hoping that the game gets ported over the to the Nintendo Revolution! Of course, a Mac version would suffice...yeah, I think that would be sufficient.
I think that's just about all that's been on my mind. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a speech to practice. And I might take a little visit to Harlan's World.
What else to yammer on about? It rained a bit today, but it was a really good rain. The first good rain, in my opinion, in quite a while. It was the right temperature out for it and it smelled like a good rain. It's odd that when you're out in the country, a light rain seems to freshen everything up. In a more heavily populated area, however, it just makes everything cold and desolate. Usually, anyway. Today's instance was a rare instance where even in the ugly areas that I tread on the way to classes the rain seemed refreshing. Top that off with the fact that What a Wonderful World came on right as I noticed the beauty of the rain! It's the little things, eh?
It turns out that work is underway to begin hacking the Super Mario 64 ROM and create custom levels. Whoa. I remember when it was amazing for the (somewhat) common computer user to be able to get into the Super Mario WORLD ROM and mess with the textures. This reminds me. I love video games. LOVE 'em. It saddens me that I've been rather busy (or in the mood at the wrong time) and video gaming hasn't been a priority. I have a feeling it will pick up in the summer and probably next year. It's hard to get into a long game when you don't know if you'll be able to play consistently for the next few weeks.
EDIT: What a moron I am! I meant to mention that I played co-op Donkey Kong Country 2 over the weekend with my lovely Jennifer. Now THAT'S a good classic game. Sorry, just had to mention it.
Spore. Just wow...I've always admired Will Wright (though I didn't always know it) for promoting ingenuity and innovation into his games, even at the cost of sales. The more of Spore I see, the more I want it. Here's hoping that the game gets ported over the to the Nintendo Revolution! Of course, a Mac version would suffice...yeah, I think that would be sufficient.
I think that's just about all that's been on my mind. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a speech to practice. And I might take a little visit to Harlan's World.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Fuman's First 10 Friday 3/24 - STOP THE HAPPINESS!
Man, So Happy Together was in the first 10 yet AGAIN! That's three times in the past...4 weeks, I think. So it's kicked out. Well, yet again an interesting lineup. Hope you LOVE IT.
1) Touch Me - The Doors
Simple and repetitive, but I still like it alright. I've liked a few Doors songs here and there, but I've never really gotten into the band.
2) Leaving the Field - Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band
An odd little Scottish ditty. Seems to be some traditional Scottish military song. Not sure how this wound up on the list...but I do enjoy them bagpipes! WOOHOO!
3) Hardware Store - Weird Al Yankovic
I have been eagerly awaiting this song's arrival on the list. This is from Poodle Hat, Al's latest CD (which was good, but not exactly AMAZING). This is an original Al song and is quite possibly one of the greatest things I've ever heard. It's cool enough having different voices chiming in to complete a sentence, but the list partway through the song is awesome. If you've never heard this song, do yourself a favor and listen to it. Utterly amazing.
4) Hooch - Everything
Gah, I don't think this group ever got off the ground. This happens to be packed in with the Music of Scrubs CD. Otherwise, it wouldn't have ever gotten onto the list. I'm not a fan of this song, so it'll probably be going bye-bye on the list. Not the worst song ever, but far from being really liked by me.
5) Before You Accuse Me (Take A Look At Yourself) - Eric Clapton
I believe this was a cover/remake of an older song? (Yes. Research indicates the original was by Bo Diddley.) Pretty alright song, but I didn't get too into it. Perhaps I'll take another listen sometime.
6) You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
Gotta love this song. The music video also reeks of happy. Can you really go wrong with Chevy Chase and a pennywhistle? I didn't think so! That being said, I'm not really sure what this song is about...something about being lost in life and trying to figure everything out, perhaps? That doesn't really explain the chorus, though...
7) Bell Bottom Blues - Derek and the Dominos
I had never heard this song before, but I think I've realized yet another Clapton great. Sounds like a sort of desperate love song and has a lot of emotion behind it. Good song, I need to listen to it some more.
8) Superman Theme - John Williams
Williams is known for some good sweeping heroic-sounding arrangements, and this piece is no different. This makes me want to go watch Superman: The Movie...
9) The Spirit of Radio - Rush
One of my favorite Rush songs. The lyrics in this song suggest that music on its own is a wonderful and beautiful thing. However, many "artists" are selling out and producing music solely for profit and glory. Very true song and also an incredibly enjoyable one.
10) Alternative Girlfriend - Barenaked Ladies
This was the first time I had ever listened to this song in its entirety. Can't say I completely understand the meaning of this song, but it does have some interesting lyrics. This might merit another listen sometime.
That's it for today. Now I think it's time to hit that old dusty trail...to Shelbyville. Have a good weekend, everybody.
1) Touch Me - The Doors
Simple and repetitive, but I still like it alright. I've liked a few Doors songs here and there, but I've never really gotten into the band.
2) Leaving the Field - Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band
An odd little Scottish ditty. Seems to be some traditional Scottish military song. Not sure how this wound up on the list...but I do enjoy them bagpipes! WOOHOO!
3) Hardware Store - Weird Al Yankovic
I have been eagerly awaiting this song's arrival on the list. This is from Poodle Hat, Al's latest CD (which was good, but not exactly AMAZING). This is an original Al song and is quite possibly one of the greatest things I've ever heard. It's cool enough having different voices chiming in to complete a sentence, but the list partway through the song is awesome. If you've never heard this song, do yourself a favor and listen to it. Utterly amazing.
4) Hooch - Everything
Gah, I don't think this group ever got off the ground. This happens to be packed in with the Music of Scrubs CD. Otherwise, it wouldn't have ever gotten onto the list. I'm not a fan of this song, so it'll probably be going bye-bye on the list. Not the worst song ever, but far from being really liked by me.
5) Before You Accuse Me (Take A Look At Yourself) - Eric Clapton
I believe this was a cover/remake of an older song? (Yes. Research indicates the original was by Bo Diddley.) Pretty alright song, but I didn't get too into it. Perhaps I'll take another listen sometime.
6) You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
Gotta love this song. The music video also reeks of happy. Can you really go wrong with Chevy Chase and a pennywhistle? I didn't think so! That being said, I'm not really sure what this song is about...something about being lost in life and trying to figure everything out, perhaps? That doesn't really explain the chorus, though...
7) Bell Bottom Blues - Derek and the Dominos
I had never heard this song before, but I think I've realized yet another Clapton great. Sounds like a sort of desperate love song and has a lot of emotion behind it. Good song, I need to listen to it some more.
8) Superman Theme - John Williams
Williams is known for some good sweeping heroic-sounding arrangements, and this piece is no different. This makes me want to go watch Superman: The Movie...
9) The Spirit of Radio - Rush
One of my favorite Rush songs. The lyrics in this song suggest that music on its own is a wonderful and beautiful thing. However, many "artists" are selling out and producing music solely for profit and glory. Very true song and also an incredibly enjoyable one.
10) Alternative Girlfriend - Barenaked Ladies
This was the first time I had ever listened to this song in its entirety. Can't say I completely understand the meaning of this song, but it does have some interesting lyrics. This might merit another listen sometime.
That's it for today. Now I think it's time to hit that old dusty trail...to Shelbyville. Have a good weekend, everybody.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
News and Such
Whoa! A lot of good gaming news in the past few hours.
First off, Sony's Playstation 3 has been confirmed as region-free. This doesn't necessarily excite me for Playstation 3, but maybe this will set a precedent for future consoles? Well, that'd be cool...
Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx games on Revolution! Nintendo has confirmed that Genesis and TurboGrafx games will appear as part of the Revolution's "virtual console." Mmm...now let's hope that they won't do something crazy like rent out downloads. Blah. I'm sure they will.
And finally...a new Legend of Zelda game slated for release sometime this year! This is on the DS and is currently titled Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass. It's cel-shaded and seems to make good use of the DS's features. Here's hoping it's a good one.
That's all the VG news for now. Sorry for the sort of...stiff news, but I'm feeling rather odd. I'm thinking tonight there will be a better post. Perhaps, anyways.
That's all for now! I promise more...umm...I don't know...real blogs in the future!
First off, Sony's Playstation 3 has been confirmed as region-free. This doesn't necessarily excite me for Playstation 3, but maybe this will set a precedent for future consoles? Well, that'd be cool...
Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx games on Revolution! Nintendo has confirmed that Genesis and TurboGrafx games will appear as part of the Revolution's "virtual console." Mmm...now let's hope that they won't do something crazy like rent out downloads. Blah. I'm sure they will.
And finally...a new Legend of Zelda game slated for release sometime this year! This is on the DS and is currently titled Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass. It's cel-shaded and seems to make good use of the DS's features. Here's hoping it's a good one.
That's all the VG news for now. Sorry for the sort of...stiff news, but I'm feeling rather odd. I'm thinking tonight there will be a better post. Perhaps, anyways.
That's all for now! I promise more...umm...I don't know...real blogs in the future!
Monday, March 20, 2006
Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici
I feel the need to blog. I'm not sure about what exactly to blog about, but I have some seeds in there. First thing, though - I believe I'm done with the First 5 Monday thing. It was alright while it lasted, and it gave me a good reason to listen to more video game music, but I just haven't been feeling it. Perhaps I'll randomly throw a VG First 5 out there. Who knows?
I saw V for Vendetta over the weekend, and I have to say it is an excellent movie. Everything looked fantastic and Hugo Weaving gives the perfect voice and mannerisms to the main character, V. Overall, all of the actors involved gave a great performance. I definitely recommend this one, and I'd love to go in-depth on the parallels of the movie to today's world, but I'm not feeling it at the moment. Go see it! You'll be glad you did.
Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's novel Good Omens is currently 30% off at the bookstore so I'm sure to go buy it soon. Any novel that's described as reading "like the book of Revelation as penned by Monty Python" has to be something. We shall see, we shall see...
I have a plethora of things on my mind, but I just can't seem to type it up. Maybe laziness? Nah, probably more like...something else. Gah, why is it so hard to formulate thoughts right now? Ah, well here's to hoping that my brain gets out of whatever funk it's in. That's it for now.
I saw V for Vendetta over the weekend, and I have to say it is an excellent movie. Everything looked fantastic and Hugo Weaving gives the perfect voice and mannerisms to the main character, V. Overall, all of the actors involved gave a great performance. I definitely recommend this one, and I'd love to go in-depth on the parallels of the movie to today's world, but I'm not feeling it at the moment. Go see it! You'll be glad you did.
Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's novel Good Omens is currently 30% off at the bookstore so I'm sure to go buy it soon. Any novel that's described as reading "like the book of Revelation as penned by Monty Python" has to be something. We shall see, we shall see...
I have a plethora of things on my mind, but I just can't seem to type it up. Maybe laziness? Nah, probably more like...something else. Gah, why is it so hard to formulate thoughts right now? Ah, well here's to hoping that my brain gets out of whatever funk it's in. That's it for now.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Stop the Presses! 3/17 part 2!
Whoo, forgot that I wanted to mention some interesting news tidbits.
First off, this is old news by now, but Sony officially pushed back the PS3's release date to November. Not that I'll be getting one at launch anyway. That honor belongs to the Nintendo Revolution (hopefully).
Speaking of the Revolution, Shigeru Miyamoto claimed that The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess will be able to "take advantage" of the Revolution controller. Of course, this is a GCN game that will be using the Revolution's backwards-compatibility feature to add more to the game. No word on how the controller will work out with Twlight Princess, but we'll probably see some sort of unveiling at E3 later.
Final Fantasy XII was released in Japan yesterday. How have I not yet played the demo? I will have to acquire this. XII is actually a game I'm rather excited about. After being severely disappointed with Tactics Advance and not even playing XI, I've been in somewhat of an FF drought. This and Kingdom Hearts II coming...mmm...
Rumors are flying around that there will be no Halo 3. Well, not exactly. Some "well connected" sources claim that the next game in the series will be known as Forerunner, a nod to the ancient civilization in the Halo universe. This is just rumor at this point, but the source claims that there will be 4-play co-op and a gigantic world that will be affected by events. In the source's example a mission could be something like infiltrating a munitions dump. Succeed, and you get the guns. Fail, and the Covenant forces enjoy a beefed up armory. Sounds interesting, but I wouldn't take this as the truth quite yet.
Finally, a fun little bit of space news. There's been a lot of that lately what with the orbiter around Mars and the geysers found on one of Saturn's moons. Now it seems that the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) has uncovered some evidence that proves that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate rather than slowing down. It seems that the universe has now been dated as about 13.7 billion years old. Though this really has no effect on me, it still amazes me to learn about this stuff.
Well, that's really all for now. Remember remember, the 5th of November...
First off, this is old news by now, but Sony officially pushed back the PS3's release date to November. Not that I'll be getting one at launch anyway. That honor belongs to the Nintendo Revolution (hopefully).
Speaking of the Revolution, Shigeru Miyamoto claimed that The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess will be able to "take advantage" of the Revolution controller. Of course, this is a GCN game that will be using the Revolution's backwards-compatibility feature to add more to the game. No word on how the controller will work out with Twlight Princess, but we'll probably see some sort of unveiling at E3 later.
Final Fantasy XII was released in Japan yesterday. How have I not yet played the demo? I will have to acquire this. XII is actually a game I'm rather excited about. After being severely disappointed with Tactics Advance and not even playing XI, I've been in somewhat of an FF drought. This and Kingdom Hearts II coming...mmm...
Rumors are flying around that there will be no Halo 3. Well, not exactly. Some "well connected" sources claim that the next game in the series will be known as Forerunner, a nod to the ancient civilization in the Halo universe. This is just rumor at this point, but the source claims that there will be 4-play co-op and a gigantic world that will be affected by events. In the source's example a mission could be something like infiltrating a munitions dump. Succeed, and you get the guns. Fail, and the Covenant forces enjoy a beefed up armory. Sounds interesting, but I wouldn't take this as the truth quite yet.
Finally, a fun little bit of space news. There's been a lot of that lately what with the orbiter around Mars and the geysers found on one of Saturn's moons. Now it seems that the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) has uncovered some evidence that proves that the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate rather than slowing down. It seems that the universe has now been dated as about 13.7 billion years old. Though this really has no effect on me, it still amazes me to learn about this stuff.
Well, that's really all for now. Remember remember, the 5th of November...
St. Fuman's First 10 Friday
Happy St. Patrick's day. Yes, even to all of you who use it as an excuse to drink. Of course, I don't use it for any reason whatsoever...so...yeah.
This week, we had two anomalies in the 10 list. Numbers 9 and 10, I had to boot and swap out a new track. Those were Sunshine of Your Love by Cream (it was on the list last week) and Baby It's Cold Outside performed by Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanel (thought I axed the Christmas music). Ready Bill? Let's go.
1) Mmm mmm mmm mmm - Crash Test Dummies
Quite an excellent song by the Dummies, but NOT my favorite. Far from it, in fact. This is from their CD God Shuffled His Feet, which has some interesting and nice songs. However, it's The Ghosts that Haunt Me that sits as my favorite album.
2) Time and Motion - Rush
This was new to me. Seems to be about how life is constantly changing and we shouldn't waste it. Seems to be a common theme in much of their songs. Okay song, but easily forgettable.
3) Learn to Fly - Foo Fighters
My favorite Foo Fighters song, though I've not heard a ton of their stuff. In fact, this may be one of my favorite songs of all time. It sticks in my head, and is a good listen at any time. It just seems so uplifting. Sort of. I suppose.
4) Sleep to Dream Her - Dave Matthews Band
I'm surprised there has been so little DMB on the lists. This is an alright song, from the Every(you know what? Eff italics!)day album. Umm...don't feel like commenting too much on it. No reason. Just don't feel it.
5) 867-5309/Jenny - ??? (originally by Tommy Tutone)
I have no idea where I came across this mp3. I have a thing for 80's songs, so it was probably in one of my manic 80's downloading sprees. This is a cover, by...umm..some punk band. A good cover, this doesn't deviate too much from the original source. A great classic 80's song.
6) Crossroads - Cream
Admittedly, I didn't realize this song was by Cream until recently. In fact, I didn't really know the name of the song. Now, I'm glad I do. This is an excellent song with some VERY happy guitar solos going on. By the way, this song is featured on the PS2 game, Guitar Heroes.
7) Happy Together - Performed by Newfound Glory
Another result of the 80's cover spree. Originally by the Turtles, this is a nice little lovey dovey song. Only this version has a bit of "I'm going to kill you" behind the sweet lyrics. Decent song, good cover.
8) YYZ - Rush
The song that got me into Rush in the first place. This is completely instrumental and shows off just how tight of a band Rush is. Tight as in works well perfectly. Fun Fact: the opening drum and guitar hits are morse code for YYZ - the code for Toronto International Airport, home of Rush.
9) Wild Child - Enya
I love the sound of Enya, but I haven't listened to a lot of Enya songs. A nice nature-feeling song. Songs by Enya really have a tendency to pull you away from reality and into some sort of mythical fantasy world.
10) It's All Been Done - Barenaked Ladies
A somewhat well-known BNL song. I just don't have a lot to say about this except that it's another one of those BNL tunes that mixes a dash of absurd lyrics with some sort of relationship song. It's nice to see that The Price is Right is still on in the 30th century.
Well, that wraps it up for this week's First 10 Friday. V for Vendetta comes out today! I don't know if I'll be seeing it tonight or tomorrow. But you can bet I WILL see it. And then purchase a Guy Fawkes mask. And then roam the streets...MUAHAHAHA!
This week, we had two anomalies in the 10 list. Numbers 9 and 10, I had to boot and swap out a new track. Those were Sunshine of Your Love by Cream (it was on the list last week) and Baby It's Cold Outside performed by Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanel (thought I axed the Christmas music). Ready Bill? Let's go.
1) Mmm mmm mmm mmm - Crash Test Dummies
Quite an excellent song by the Dummies, but NOT my favorite. Far from it, in fact. This is from their CD God Shuffled His Feet, which has some interesting and nice songs. However, it's The Ghosts that Haunt Me that sits as my favorite album.
2) Time and Motion - Rush
This was new to me. Seems to be about how life is constantly changing and we shouldn't waste it. Seems to be a common theme in much of their songs. Okay song, but easily forgettable.
3) Learn to Fly - Foo Fighters
My favorite Foo Fighters song, though I've not heard a ton of their stuff. In fact, this may be one of my favorite songs of all time. It sticks in my head, and is a good listen at any time. It just seems so uplifting. Sort of. I suppose.
4) Sleep to Dream Her - Dave Matthews Band
I'm surprised there has been so little DMB on the lists. This is an alright song, from the Every(you know what? Eff italics!)day album. Umm...don't feel like commenting too much on it. No reason. Just don't feel it.
5) 867-5309/Jenny - ??? (originally by Tommy Tutone)
I have no idea where I came across this mp3. I have a thing for 80's songs, so it was probably in one of my manic 80's downloading sprees. This is a cover, by...umm..some punk band. A good cover, this doesn't deviate too much from the original source. A great classic 80's song.
6) Crossroads - Cream
Admittedly, I didn't realize this song was by Cream until recently. In fact, I didn't really know the name of the song. Now, I'm glad I do. This is an excellent song with some VERY happy guitar solos going on. By the way, this song is featured on the PS2 game, Guitar Heroes.
7) Happy Together - Performed by Newfound Glory
Another result of the 80's cover spree. Originally by the Turtles, this is a nice little lovey dovey song. Only this version has a bit of "I'm going to kill you" behind the sweet lyrics. Decent song, good cover.
8) YYZ - Rush
The song that got me into Rush in the first place. This is completely instrumental and shows off just how tight of a band Rush is. Tight as in works well perfectly. Fun Fact: the opening drum and guitar hits are morse code for YYZ - the code for Toronto International Airport, home of Rush.
9) Wild Child - Enya
I love the sound of Enya, but I haven't listened to a lot of Enya songs. A nice nature-feeling song. Songs by Enya really have a tendency to pull you away from reality and into some sort of mythical fantasy world.
10) It's All Been Done - Barenaked Ladies
A somewhat well-known BNL song. I just don't have a lot to say about this except that it's another one of those BNL tunes that mixes a dash of absurd lyrics with some sort of relationship song. It's nice to see that The Price is Right is still on in the 30th century.
Well, that wraps it up for this week's First 10 Friday. V for Vendetta comes out today! I don't know if I'll be seeing it tonight or tomorrow. But you can bet I WILL see it. And then purchase a Guy Fawkes mask. And then roam the streets...MUAHAHAHA!
Monday, March 13, 2006
I Feel H...a...p...p...y
Actually, that title is a lie. I'm far from happy, but I would have said otherwise yesterday evening. Oh, there's not going to be a First 5 list today. Sorry about that. I just feel awful and I'm definitely not in the mood for blogging. Well, not about anything like that.
You see, I have this little ritual about returning to BSU after an extended break. You see, 2 or 3 days before I actually go back, I get a terrible feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. It just builds up despite my efforts to ease my mind, and the first couple of days back at school are dull and depressing. Sunday was different...I was in a good mood on the way back. For once. Which made things even worse when I finally did crash back into the depression.
I suppose this isn't like other times. It's not a normal depressive feeling, it's just a blah feeling. I could not fall asleep last night. I got an hour or maybe 2. None of it was continuous, and what sleep I DID get was plagued by nightmares. I'll share some snippets:
The nightmare began with me driving in the country (I believe it was on E 350 S.) with Jen in the car. Everything was pitch-black, and even my headlights didn't seem to help. We kept trying to get to her house or mine, but it seemed every road was blocked by something or other. We were both panicking because the darkness kept creeping closer to us. I think we were running from something.
I finally did wind up at my dad's house, but Jen wasn't with me. I don't remember too much of this part, but this was where I first woke up and broke the nightmare. Of course as I drifted back into sleep, the nightmare began again. This time, I was in a mall-type area looking at comics on racks. I'm not exactly sure if anything happened, but I know I wound up in some sort of mining facility. It seemed like it was on another planet, but the place bore a striking resemblance to my grandparents' garage. Only this was bigger, and had a lot of heavy machinery in it. This was probably the absolute worst part of the nightmare, and contains some gruesome content. So, you've been warned. Anyway, there was this girl who seemed to be boring into the rock wall of the garage/mining area. She looked familiar, and I think I knew who she was in the dream. If I could recall her face better, I'd probably know who it was. She was boring through the rock with some sort of laser, and she suddenly stopped and turned around. She looked down in horror and realized she had cut a line into her leg. It just looked like a minor burn, and nobody freaked out. However, the burn spread and a chunk of her leg fell off. Everybody (myself, the girl, and other workers) started to panic as more and more of her body began to seethe. She turned back towards the wall and then turned around to face us again. She had hideous marks all over her face. They looked like burns, and they centered on her cheekbones. She kept screaming and gurgling, but all we could do was watch. Parts of her jaw fell off, and her eyes fell back into her head, leaving gaping black holes. More and more of her flesh began to fall off, and her dad (who was a fellow worker) decided to try and help her. He approached her, and she reached out for comfort. Panicked, her dad swung at her and hit her right in the chin. Her jaw snapped in two, the pieces fell to the ground, and her skin continued to be eaten away, revealing the back half of her throat. At this time, one of her eyes fell from her skull into her throat. Now her screams were more like muffled gurgles. She lurched towards us, reaching out for help...the last thing I saw before I woke up was her face right in mine. I can't shake that image, no matter how hard I try.
Well, there you have it. Can you see why I'm not in the mood to blog? Heh...it felt better getting that dream out.
You see, I have this little ritual about returning to BSU after an extended break. You see, 2 or 3 days before I actually go back, I get a terrible feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. It just builds up despite my efforts to ease my mind, and the first couple of days back at school are dull and depressing. Sunday was different...I was in a good mood on the way back. For once. Which made things even worse when I finally did crash back into the depression.
I suppose this isn't like other times. It's not a normal depressive feeling, it's just a blah feeling. I could not fall asleep last night. I got an hour or maybe 2. None of it was continuous, and what sleep I DID get was plagued by nightmares. I'll share some snippets:
The nightmare began with me driving in the country (I believe it was on E 350 S.) with Jen in the car. Everything was pitch-black, and even my headlights didn't seem to help. We kept trying to get to her house or mine, but it seemed every road was blocked by something or other. We were both panicking because the darkness kept creeping closer to us. I think we were running from something.
I finally did wind up at my dad's house, but Jen wasn't with me. I don't remember too much of this part, but this was where I first woke up and broke the nightmare. Of course as I drifted back into sleep, the nightmare began again. This time, I was in a mall-type area looking at comics on racks. I'm not exactly sure if anything happened, but I know I wound up in some sort of mining facility. It seemed like it was on another planet, but the place bore a striking resemblance to my grandparents' garage. Only this was bigger, and had a lot of heavy machinery in it. This was probably the absolute worst part of the nightmare, and contains some gruesome content. So, you've been warned. Anyway, there was this girl who seemed to be boring into the rock wall of the garage/mining area. She looked familiar, and I think I knew who she was in the dream. If I could recall her face better, I'd probably know who it was. She was boring through the rock with some sort of laser, and she suddenly stopped and turned around. She looked down in horror and realized she had cut a line into her leg. It just looked like a minor burn, and nobody freaked out. However, the burn spread and a chunk of her leg fell off. Everybody (myself, the girl, and other workers) started to panic as more and more of her body began to seethe. She turned back towards the wall and then turned around to face us again. She had hideous marks all over her face. They looked like burns, and they centered on her cheekbones. She kept screaming and gurgling, but all we could do was watch. Parts of her jaw fell off, and her eyes fell back into her head, leaving gaping black holes. More and more of her flesh began to fall off, and her dad (who was a fellow worker) decided to try and help her. He approached her, and she reached out for comfort. Panicked, her dad swung at her and hit her right in the chin. Her jaw snapped in two, the pieces fell to the ground, and her skin continued to be eaten away, revealing the back half of her throat. At this time, one of her eyes fell from her skull into her throat. Now her screams were more like muffled gurgles. She lurched towards us, reaching out for help...the last thing I saw before I woke up was her face right in mine. I can't shake that image, no matter how hard I try.
Well, there you have it. Can you see why I'm not in the mood to blog? Heh...it felt better getting that dream out.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Obnoxious little frog...
Man. Spring Break is over. Though I'm beginning to seriously doubt that it really began in the first place. I am distressed, angry, and depressed. Oh, and our DSL connection decided to give out yesterday. Thus, there was no First 10 Friday. HOWEVER! Fear not! This list is a necessary escape into the wonderful world of music, so here goes...Fuman's Fantastically Late First 10 Friday!
1) Another Postcard (acoustic) - Barenaked Ladies
Something amazing here. I instantly connected to this song on the BNL album Everything to Everyone. Not in the sense that it held meaning for me, but in the sense that I instantly liked it. How could you go wrong with a song about chimp postcards? Hint: you can't.
2) One Week - Barenaked Ladies
Interesting...two BNL songs in a row. Everyone's heard this song. Filled to the brim with pop culture references, this wacky song is probably BNL's most recognized (in America, anyway).
3) The Zephyr Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers
A good "let's get out of here" song. Mmm...escape sounds so good. A great RHCP song from a great RHCP album.
4) New Slang - the Shins
I actually had never heard of the Shins until I picked up the Music from Scrubs CD. That is one wacky soundtrack...if you haven't watched Scrubs, do yourself a favor and check it out. Some truly bizarre and geeky comedy in there! Anyway, this song is odd. A tad depressing, as it seems to be some sort of longing for old days and how things didn't work out exactly as the narrator planned.
5) B Minor Jam - Eric Clapton
Clapton is a god. That being said, I'm incredibly glad that I stumbled upon Clapton's collection The Blues. This song is from the instrumental disc that came (I think) as a bonus in the collection. Verrry nice.
6) Imagine - John Lennon
The problem with having so many well-known songs is that there aren't a lot of things I can write that would blow anybody's mind. This song's idea of a utopia is a great one...too bad it's up to US to create that perfect world. Ah well. Nice idea, anyway.
7) Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
So many classics...this was put into the playlist by way of the recently purchased Cream of Clapton CD. A nice compilation that collects the highlights of Clapton's musical career. Though it's really great, I'd have to say that The Blues contains more raw Clapton.
8) By the Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Shuffle didn't shuffle this playlist too much! The second song on the list from the album By the Way, By the Way is, like many RHCP songs, borderline bizarre. I'm sure there's a meaning behind it, but I'm not up for thinking about it too much at the present time.
9) It's the End of the World as We Know It - REM
C'mon, how can you not enjoy this one? Though it's well known, I don't know if there's a definite meaning behind the song established. To me, it seems like it's about how things get crazier and crazier in this world and how sometimes you just need to step back and laugh at it all. I, however, prefer to ALWAYS be back laughing at it all. Good song.
10) Sweetwater, Texas - Fastball
Hmmm...hadn't ever listened to this one. Even after doing so, I had to look up the lyrics. Even then, I'm not sure I completely get this song. Seems to be something about a life that was perhaps wasted? I think maybe the person in the song is reflecting on his life and realizing how he was shaped more by outside influences rather than his own self. I'll need to listen to this some more.
Well, that's it for now. I doubt there will be any more posts until Monday's 5, so until then -- take care, people.
1) Another Postcard (acoustic) - Barenaked Ladies
Something amazing here. I instantly connected to this song on the BNL album Everything to Everyone. Not in the sense that it held meaning for me, but in the sense that I instantly liked it. How could you go wrong with a song about chimp postcards? Hint: you can't.
2) One Week - Barenaked Ladies
Interesting...two BNL songs in a row. Everyone's heard this song. Filled to the brim with pop culture references, this wacky song is probably BNL's most recognized (in America, anyway).
3) The Zephyr Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers
A good "let's get out of here" song. Mmm...escape sounds so good. A great RHCP song from a great RHCP album.
4) New Slang - the Shins
I actually had never heard of the Shins until I picked up the Music from Scrubs CD. That is one wacky soundtrack...if you haven't watched Scrubs, do yourself a favor and check it out. Some truly bizarre and geeky comedy in there! Anyway, this song is odd. A tad depressing, as it seems to be some sort of longing for old days and how things didn't work out exactly as the narrator planned.
5) B Minor Jam - Eric Clapton
Clapton is a god. That being said, I'm incredibly glad that I stumbled upon Clapton's collection The Blues. This song is from the instrumental disc that came (I think) as a bonus in the collection. Verrry nice.
6) Imagine - John Lennon
The problem with having so many well-known songs is that there aren't a lot of things I can write that would blow anybody's mind. This song's idea of a utopia is a great one...too bad it's up to US to create that perfect world. Ah well. Nice idea, anyway.
7) Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
So many classics...this was put into the playlist by way of the recently purchased Cream of Clapton CD. A nice compilation that collects the highlights of Clapton's musical career. Though it's really great, I'd have to say that The Blues contains more raw Clapton.
8) By the Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Shuffle didn't shuffle this playlist too much! The second song on the list from the album By the Way, By the Way is, like many RHCP songs, borderline bizarre. I'm sure there's a meaning behind it, but I'm not up for thinking about it too much at the present time.
9) It's the End of the World as We Know It - REM
C'mon, how can you not enjoy this one? Though it's well known, I don't know if there's a definite meaning behind the song established. To me, it seems like it's about how things get crazier and crazier in this world and how sometimes you just need to step back and laugh at it all. I, however, prefer to ALWAYS be back laughing at it all. Good song.
10) Sweetwater, Texas - Fastball
Hmmm...hadn't ever listened to this one. Even after doing so, I had to look up the lyrics. Even then, I'm not sure I completely get this song. Seems to be something about a life that was perhaps wasted? I think maybe the person in the song is reflecting on his life and realizing how he was shaped more by outside influences rather than his own self. I'll need to listen to this some more.
Well, that's it for now. I doubt there will be any more posts until Monday's 5, so until then -- take care, people.
YOU'RE GONNA CARRY THAT WEIGHT...
Monday, March 06, 2006
Choose Luca Land! Dream Dreams...
It's a tad late, but here is the VG First 5 Monday list. This list seems to be even more obscure than the last...oh well, that should just encourage you, dear readers, to play more games. Oh, and I've somewhat decided on a format for songs. It will be the title, the source of the track (i.e. the game), and then the composer if it's known. In the case of a remix, it will go: title, remixer, original source.
1) Choose Your Buddy! - Sonic Adventure - Jun Senoue
Nothing too entirely exciting or complex here. Of course, it IS just the character select theme. This type of track is what causes problems in deciding what standard should be used to decide what tracks qualify to stay on the playlist. Anyway, this track is simple but a good representation of the music style of the Sonic Adventure series.
2) Luca - Final Fantasy X - Nobuo Uematsu
The town themes of Final Fantasy have always been a favorite of mine. When considering Final Fantasy X, you have to understand how much of a departure this game (and I suppose most of the FFs after VI) was from what had come before. Uematsu did a nice job of keeping a calming quality to this track while at the same time injecting the bustling life of Luca.
3) Super Mario Land - Super Mario Land - Koji Kondo(?)
Umm...this track is a mystery. I have no idea where it came from, and there is no information about it. It sounds like a J-Pop/80's pop version of the first two levels of Super Mario Land. Sounds...interesting. It even throws in some old Game Boy sound effects near the end. Mysterious...
4) Dreaming of Home (A Lullaby) - ManInGrey - Earthbound
A chillin' sort of remix of the home theme of Earthbound. I'd check VGMix to be sure, but I seem to remember this being dedicated to the remixer's cat. The somewhat bittersweet background manifests itself in this song. It's sweet and a bit nostalgic. That's Earthbound for you. Definitely worth the download.
5) The Dreamy Stage - Sonic Adventure - Jun Senoue
I love this track. Sonic Adventure had some very memorable tunes. This isn't one of them. However, it fits the Casinopolis level perfectly. A little blues lick opens it up, and from there it's a subdued, suave, big band umm...song. Not amazing, but matches the context perfectly.
Well, that's it for now. Oh, one more thing. Many times I post remixes on this list, which probably none of my readers have heard. Fear not, for they are available 100% free (AND legal)! OC Remix and VGMix are the main places I acquire these remixes. Unfortunately, VGMix isn't functioning at this moment. It probably won't be for some time, so for now, OC Remix will have to satisfy. So check it out.
I feel like there was something else to talk about...hmmm...perhaps it was just the little twinge of anger after reading this article, which was brought to my attention by Joey's blog (credit for him - I probably wouldn't have seen it right away if not for him). If you've not read it, check it out. And then cry. Of course, it probably won't pass...but then...apparently, as we saw in 2000, you can actually lose an election and then become President. My, these times ARE a-changin'.
1) Choose Your Buddy! - Sonic Adventure - Jun Senoue
Nothing too entirely exciting or complex here. Of course, it IS just the character select theme. This type of track is what causes problems in deciding what standard should be used to decide what tracks qualify to stay on the playlist. Anyway, this track is simple but a good representation of the music style of the Sonic Adventure series.
2) Luca - Final Fantasy X - Nobuo Uematsu
The town themes of Final Fantasy have always been a favorite of mine. When considering Final Fantasy X, you have to understand how much of a departure this game (and I suppose most of the FFs after VI) was from what had come before. Uematsu did a nice job of keeping a calming quality to this track while at the same time injecting the bustling life of Luca.
3) Super Mario Land - Super Mario Land - Koji Kondo(?)
Umm...this track is a mystery. I have no idea where it came from, and there is no information about it. It sounds like a J-Pop/80's pop version of the first two levels of Super Mario Land. Sounds...interesting. It even throws in some old Game Boy sound effects near the end. Mysterious...
4) Dreaming of Home (A Lullaby) - ManInGrey - Earthbound
A chillin' sort of remix of the home theme of Earthbound. I'd check VGMix to be sure, but I seem to remember this being dedicated to the remixer's cat. The somewhat bittersweet background manifests itself in this song. It's sweet and a bit nostalgic. That's Earthbound for you. Definitely worth the download.
5) The Dreamy Stage - Sonic Adventure - Jun Senoue
I love this track. Sonic Adventure had some very memorable tunes. This isn't one of them. However, it fits the Casinopolis level perfectly. A little blues lick opens it up, and from there it's a subdued, suave, big band umm...song. Not amazing, but matches the context perfectly.
Well, that's it for now. Oh, one more thing. Many times I post remixes on this list, which probably none of my readers have heard. Fear not, for they are available 100% free (AND legal)! OC Remix and VGMix are the main places I acquire these remixes. Unfortunately, VGMix isn't functioning at this moment. It probably won't be for some time, so for now, OC Remix will have to satisfy. So check it out.
I feel like there was something else to talk about...hmmm...perhaps it was just the little twinge of anger after reading this article, which was brought to my attention by Joey's blog (credit for him - I probably wouldn't have seen it right away if not for him). If you've not read it, check it out. And then cry. Of course, it probably won't pass...but then...apparently, as we saw in 2000, you can actually lose an election and then become President. My, these times ARE a-changin'.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
I think that the Pink Ones are my favorite - but perhaps it's the Blue
I happened to notice that Neil Gaiman keeps an online journal. Nifty. I'll have to keep up on that. Speaking of Mr. Gaiman, I've been meaning to pick up a copy of Good Omens, a novel by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It looks interesting, and anything that promises Armageddon AND laughs instantly earns my interest.
Tomorrow, my Spring Break officially begins. I have a computer science program to write, a speech to write, and a calculus assignment to complete (not to mention a quiz to prepare for - easy, though). Isn't break fun? Eff Ball State and it's shoddy commercials. Have you SEEN these things? PUT ON A SHIRT, WOMAN! Does anyone else find the new Ball State commercial a tad creepy? It looks like Gora presides over a mausoleum and she's desperate for new blood. "Coooome! BRAINS! I NEED BRAINS! SETTLE FOR SECOND BEST! BRAINS!"
I greatly enjoy frozen dinners, but they're basically a subzero heart attack waiting to happen. Still, they are delicious. Except for the green beans. Tastes like some sort of antiseptic grass, if you ask me. Curse the instructions, too! The Hungry Man dinners now include a chocolate brownie, which is placed right in the middle of the tray. This would be fine, but the instructions require that you remove the plastic cover over the puddle of chocolate. Why not put the brownie on a corner, so I could do that without having to break out the scissors? Okay, so I can do it with a fork...but STILL!
Last night, I restored the Old Kings to power. That's right, the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 once again are fixtures upon my entertainment center. I sort of just sampled a few games here and there, but I found that I could not break away from Demon's Crest. As my lovely Jennifer did some homework, I played through all of Demon's Crest. Sure, I failed to complete it 100%, but I reached an ending. In one sitting. Whoa. The game that nearly brought me to tears at one point in time due to the frustrating difficulty was beaten in one sitting. I realized last night, how much fun it is to reminisce about video games with somebody with you. It's cool enough that Jennifer watches me play. It's even better that she likes to play, as well. I'm lucky to have a girlfriend like that.
Yup. Well, I think I'm done for now. Even though tomorrow is break, I think there will be a VG First 5 tomorrow. We shall see. Oh, and for the record...I think it might be the Purple ones.
Tomorrow, my Spring Break officially begins. I have a computer science program to write, a speech to write, and a calculus assignment to complete (not to mention a quiz to prepare for - easy, though). Isn't break fun? Eff Ball State and it's shoddy commercials. Have you SEEN these things? PUT ON A SHIRT, WOMAN! Does anyone else find the new Ball State commercial a tad creepy? It looks like Gora presides over a mausoleum and she's desperate for new blood. "Coooome! BRAINS! I NEED BRAINS! SETTLE FOR SECOND BEST! BRAINS!"
I greatly enjoy frozen dinners, but they're basically a subzero heart attack waiting to happen. Still, they are delicious. Except for the green beans. Tastes like some sort of antiseptic grass, if you ask me. Curse the instructions, too! The Hungry Man dinners now include a chocolate brownie, which is placed right in the middle of the tray. This would be fine, but the instructions require that you remove the plastic cover over the puddle of chocolate. Why not put the brownie on a corner, so I could do that without having to break out the scissors? Okay, so I can do it with a fork...but STILL!
Last night, I restored the Old Kings to power. That's right, the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 once again are fixtures upon my entertainment center. I sort of just sampled a few games here and there, but I found that I could not break away from Demon's Crest. As my lovely Jennifer did some homework, I played through all of Demon's Crest. Sure, I failed to complete it 100%, but I reached an ending. In one sitting. Whoa. The game that nearly brought me to tears at one point in time due to the frustrating difficulty was beaten in one sitting. I realized last night, how much fun it is to reminisce about video games with somebody with you. It's cool enough that Jennifer watches me play. It's even better that she likes to play, as well. I'm lucky to have a girlfriend like that.
Yup. Well, I think I'm done for now. Even though tomorrow is break, I think there will be a VG First 5 tomorrow. We shall see. Oh, and for the record...I think it might be the Purple ones.
Friday, March 03, 2006
New Banner, Same Great List!
Or something. Yeah, I didn't have much of a good title. Oh well. It's that time of the week, again.
1) Mr. Brightside - The Killers
Was this already on the list? Ah well. A good song, one that I really started to listen to last December. The song probably has many interpretations, but I can say for sure that none of them are particularly happy.
2) Style is Coming Back in Style - John Pizzarelli
From Pizzarelli's "Dear Mr. Cole" album. It's a really nice song, a song that really seems out of place today. Listening to this sort of jazz makes me happy, but at the same time, it makes me realize how some of the coolest things from years and years ago are history.
3) Love Roller Coaster - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gah. I found not one, but TWO tracks I need to delete between #2 and #3 on the list. This remake from the Chili Peppers is pure fun. Wacky and happy, much like the Peppers themselves.
4) The Trees - Rush
One of my favorite Rush songs. I tend to lump this in with Subdivisions for some reason. Maybe because they're both songs that examine society. This seems to be about corporate fat cats milking the money (sunlight) from the average person. Ah well. The end shows that, in death, we're all equal. Or maybe it shows that desiring equality makes us all the same? Who knows?
5) The Psychic - Crash Test Dummies
There have been few (if any) Crash Test Dummies songs on the list thus far. That's too bad, because I love these guys (and girl)! Most people probably don't know much CTD outside of "Mmm mmm mmm mmm" released about 10 years ago. This song, from the same album, contains musings about the notion of a psychic foretelling events. In true Dummies fashion, there's a mix of dark humor and serious observations. A good one, but not my favorite.
6) Ask DNA - Yoko Kanno and Tim Jensen
Those wacky Cowboy Bebop songs! Though there seems to be a serious message here, I'm most impressed with the interesting lyrics.
"What's up (what's up),
Sweet cakes (sweet cakes)?
Who's hip (who's hip),
Anyway (anyway)?"
One of my favorite Cowboy Bebop songs. Oops, can't forget! "When the truth seems so far away, Buddha loves you and Jesus saves!"
7) Jimi Thing - Dave Matthews Band
One of the staple DMB songs. This happened to be the "Under the Table and Dreaming" version. My personal favorite is the Central Park version. I see this as meaning that the narrator needs just one little bit of support (possibly a drug or booze) then he just might make it through his day. Of course, you could replace drugs or booze with any little "Jimi Thing" such as a kind word or loving relationship that keeps you going. Excellent Dave song.
8) Canon in D - Johann Pachelbel
You've all heard it, most likely at a wedding. Beautiful, but it just might put you to sleep.
9) Three Ayres from Gloucester, Mvmt 1 - Hugh Stuart
Also known as "The Jolly Earl of Cholmondele." I believe we first played this in band way back in Middle School. An enjoyable folksy composition (the second movement is my personal fav). This edition of the First 10 is getting boring...
10) Hamduche - Hassan Bohmide and Yoko Kanno
Not the best ending to the list. This is from the Cowboy Bebop movie "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and is certainly not my favorite Bebop song. In fact, this may have just inspired me to weed out some less than stellar tunes from the list. Congratulations, Hamduche! You've been responsible for a musical genocide! Oh, this song...Middle East lyrics, and I have no idea what it's saying. There.
Not the best list we've had...but, like everything, it'll have its ups and downs. Perhaps Monday will be a better list! On a side note, I'm leaving for Spring Break today. I can't promise regular blog updates, but I'm sort of hoping I'll be able to mess around with the blog in my free time. Have a good weekend, everybody.
1) Mr. Brightside - The Killers
Was this already on the list? Ah well. A good song, one that I really started to listen to last December. The song probably has many interpretations, but I can say for sure that none of them are particularly happy.
2) Style is Coming Back in Style - John Pizzarelli
From Pizzarelli's "Dear Mr. Cole" album. It's a really nice song, a song that really seems out of place today. Listening to this sort of jazz makes me happy, but at the same time, it makes me realize how some of the coolest things from years and years ago are history.
3) Love Roller Coaster - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gah. I found not one, but TWO tracks I need to delete between #2 and #3 on the list. This remake from the Chili Peppers is pure fun. Wacky and happy, much like the Peppers themselves.
4) The Trees - Rush
One of my favorite Rush songs. I tend to lump this in with Subdivisions for some reason. Maybe because they're both songs that examine society. This seems to be about corporate fat cats milking the money (sunlight) from the average person. Ah well. The end shows that, in death, we're all equal. Or maybe it shows that desiring equality makes us all the same? Who knows?
5) The Psychic - Crash Test Dummies
There have been few (if any) Crash Test Dummies songs on the list thus far. That's too bad, because I love these guys (and girl)! Most people probably don't know much CTD outside of "Mmm mmm mmm mmm" released about 10 years ago. This song, from the same album, contains musings about the notion of a psychic foretelling events. In true Dummies fashion, there's a mix of dark humor and serious observations. A good one, but not my favorite.
6) Ask DNA - Yoko Kanno and Tim Jensen
Those wacky Cowboy Bebop songs! Though there seems to be a serious message here, I'm most impressed with the interesting lyrics.
"What's up (what's up),
Sweet cakes (sweet cakes)?
Who's hip (who's hip),
Anyway (anyway)?"
One of my favorite Cowboy Bebop songs. Oops, can't forget! "When the truth seems so far away, Buddha loves you and Jesus saves!"
7) Jimi Thing - Dave Matthews Band
One of the staple DMB songs. This happened to be the "Under the Table and Dreaming" version. My personal favorite is the Central Park version. I see this as meaning that the narrator needs just one little bit of support (possibly a drug or booze) then he just might make it through his day. Of course, you could replace drugs or booze with any little "Jimi Thing" such as a kind word or loving relationship that keeps you going. Excellent Dave song.
8) Canon in D - Johann Pachelbel
You've all heard it, most likely at a wedding. Beautiful, but it just might put you to sleep.
9) Three Ayres from Gloucester, Mvmt 1 - Hugh Stuart
Also known as "The Jolly Earl of Cholmondele." I believe we first played this in band way back in Middle School. An enjoyable folksy composition (the second movement is my personal fav). This edition of the First 10 is getting boring...
10) Hamduche - Hassan Bohmide and Yoko Kanno
Not the best ending to the list. This is from the Cowboy Bebop movie "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and is certainly not my favorite Bebop song. In fact, this may have just inspired me to weed out some less than stellar tunes from the list. Congratulations, Hamduche! You've been responsible for a musical genocide! Oh, this song...Middle East lyrics, and I have no idea what it's saying. There.
Not the best list we've had...but, like everything, it'll have its ups and downs. Perhaps Monday will be a better list! On a side note, I'm leaving for Spring Break today. I can't promise regular blog updates, but I'm sort of hoping I'll be able to mess around with the blog in my free time. Have a good weekend, everybody.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Raise Your Banner High
Umm...so, this blog "revamp." That's not going so well. I really should work with a different template, but I really don't feel like that. So after many frustrating starts, I've decided to simply stick a new header on. Keeping that spaced correctly was evil. Of course, I WANT to revamp the blog eventually. It'll just be in baby steps. I think. Or maybe it'll never happen. Oh well. Enjoy the new banner!
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