Friday 31 December 2010

Resolute?


Are we all going to make resolutions that will likely fail? I think we might...

1. Lose at least 10 pounds (shouldn't be hard in a whole year. I'm 185 now. What will I be at the end of 2011?)
2. Make a more significant effort to free myself of debt (minimum payments are not enough!)
3. Write more (at least get 2 blogs a month in)
4. Learn some more difficult songs on guitar (sometimes 3 chords is NOT enough!)
5. Be more adventurous. (I'm going to NYC this September. With or without company.)

All right that's enough for now. It's good to have goals, even if they don't amount to much in the end.

Happy New Year's everybody!!

Thursday 30 December 2010

Get thee behind me, 2010!!


Seriously...for reasons too numerous to really divulge, this year has been one of the suckiest (personally) in a terribly sucky decade. You know how you sit around with your friends and go "Remember the 90's? Those were great times!" That ain't gonna happen with this stupid decade. Well, unless things get much much worse. And I guess that's a possibility.

Anyway some good stuff happened too, I suppose. It's been a great year for Transformers toys...with a lot of really interesting figures, including Masterpiece Grimlock and the just released (I got it in the mail yesterday!) Fansproject Protector Armour, as well as many others. Movies have been hit and miss...some terrible (Robin Hood, The Human Centipede) and some amazing (Inception, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Toy Story 3). Music has been pretty bad but there were some great albums (I'm looking at you Slash!) .

Of note in a (hopefully) positive way, I finally got off my butt and bought an Xbox 360, and have experienced some great games! Batman: Arkham Asylum (which probably didn't actually come out in 2010) was amazing, as were Red Dead: Redemption and Transformers: War For Cybertron. Not to mention the cool downloads of the year, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Pacman Championship Edition! There's lots more games...suffice to say my acheivment points are ever on the rise. And unlike my previous gaming experiences, I find more often than not I actually WIN Xbox games. Are they easy or am I finally getting good at this??

So why so glum? Well, a few things. First off, something that profoudly affects me and which no-one else in the world will give a crap about, but 2010 is the worst dry spell of my life...haven't been this unlovable since 1993, and well, I was a 16 year old virgin back then with bad skin and silly sideburns. Clearly I'm doing something wrong....it's amazing how repeated failure to connect with any other human being on a romantic level can chip away at your self esteem and make you feel worthless as a person. I'm not designed to be alone...it's my biggest fear to die alone and undiscovered and my biggest complaint when I can't find anyone to love...(of course online experts say that I am not emotionally equipped to deal with a relationship at this point...that's actually probably true. Perhaps next year...)

The second thing is that despite gaining another year of seniority at work, my schedules have been worse than ever this year...too many people transferred in ahead of me...and it's taking more of a toll on me this year than in the past...I guess cause I thought I saw the light for a bit last year. I shouldn't have got my hopes up...I'm only in year 7 now and I know it's gonna be year 10 or 12 before I see any really significant, long lasting change...c'est la vie

Finally, my parents have been going through a terrible patch over the last 6 months due to my dad having some health problems and the future of all of that is up in the air. They're the only family that I've really got handy and it's caused me no end of stress this year...of course not nearly as much as it's caused them. Sucks. Well, there may be some good news about that as recently as this morning, so we won't get discouraged, but it's been a bad year for them and that certainly reflects itself on me.

Anyway there are more reasons but there's the big 3. Fresh start? Lets. 2010...don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Oh, well happy new year's baby
We could probably fix it if we clean it up all day
Or we could simply pack our bags
And catch a plane to Barcelona 'cause this city's a drag

Monday 6 December 2010

Another Long December


First snow day and I can already tell it's gonna be one of those months. Luckily I'm on vacation next week so I can hibernate for a little while at least...

You can really learn something about people by watching their reactions to snowfall and delay and whatnot on the first big snowy day of the year...how they react to obstacles, how patient they are, and whether there is any perception of magic in their lives...I always find it interesting to see. Sadly, although I typically enjoy this time of year, people tend to ruin it for me with their impatience and negativity. Well, certain types of people. Overall though it's nice to see. There's something really surreal and trippy about the constant, snow-globe type snow we're getting today. Wish I could just sit and stare at it for a few hours. I can settle, however, for the few minutes throughout the day that I get. If you can tune out of whatever you happen to be doing, even for five minutes, it's peaceful.

Of course reading Douglas Coupland and running a small fever in between watching snow fall may help mold my perceptions...who can say?


Thursday 25 November 2010

Brrrrrr


Well no snow as of yet, but today is the first day I really noticed the sky taking on that dull, black and white texture that will surely be here most days through until March or so at least...It's weird that the actual colours in the world just change come this time of year. All the brightness has gone out of the world. Colours are muted, even the brightest hughs seeming to have been dry-painted over with a greyish-brown tinge. Why is that? Some sort of light relflection thing since the sun, while up, is so far away?

Anyway it's chilling in some ways, but I also find it comforting. Seeing that black & white fairytale world, especially once the snow falls. It brings back some sort of feeling that I've had every year since we came back to Canada in '87. As if this is the true heart of the country that I live in, or even the planet. I don't know, I don't quite understand the phenomenon and I don't really understand it's effect on my psyche either.

A world of fragile things...coming up soon....

Saturday 20 November 2010

The candle's already out


so what's the point of all this cold November rain?

Not too much to talk about today really, but I couldn't let November slip by without at least a passing reference to that old stand-by Guns N' Roses song

In a weird mood lately. I could over-analyze and give a bunch of reasons and justifications but at the end of it I think it boils down to two easily identifiable things. One is just the time of year....it's a good time for bad moods. The other is just that I'm lonely. Been spending more time alone in the last couple of months than I've been used to and it wears on you after a while. Oddly though, I am choosing to be alone more often than not. At any given time there are several people I could call and spend time with, but I'm not very motivated. Self-inflicted loneliness. Interesting.

I was thinking the other day about how there are 3 major factors in life that lead to happiness, and how in my entire life, I've only had all 3 in the "positive" section for a couple of months at a time. What are the three things, you may ask?

1. Security (or as we know it in modern western civilization) Money

2. Good Health

3. Love

Of course this is not all there is to life and of course number 3 is ambiguous...does he mean romantic? Friends? Family? Because that could be split into 3 or 4 categories all by itself. However, being fairly callous, I'm going to take my friends and family for granted and put #3 squarely into the "mating" pile. This, perhaps due to my upbringing, seems more important to me. My parents and consequently I moved around constantly through the first 10 years of my life and thus I have a strong sense that although you'll always care for friends and family, all you really need to get by is that one other person (and I guess since I got dragged along, any offspring you happen to create).

Through most of my adult life I have had no problems with numbers 2 and 3. Money was almost always my biggest issue. At least until 2004, when I started life as a transit employee and suddenly had all 3 points. Sadly, that was short lived as both 2 and 3 quickly disappeared after that. Now I think I'm back on track with 1 and 2 but 3 is very elusive and I'm honestly not sure it's even within my capabilities any more.

Anyway my point is that I think that these are the 3 main things one needs in life to be fully happy and that basically no one ever has all 3 at the same time. This leads me to believe that happiness is not really part of the human condition. Therefore, I don't have to feel bad if I'm a moody, mopey pain in the ass who posts morbid blogs and bad poetry about being sad.

The End.

;)




Saturday 16 October 2010

Evolve or Die II




As promised, here's my lovely new haircut, as best as I can capture on film (digital film? I suppose that saying is out of date). Anyway, it's not some drastic style that I've never had before or anything, but I think it's gonna stick for a while at least. More "young Morrison" than "old I'm about to die Morrison."

Just a little physical manifestation of my current commitment to change some things.

You may be wondering what, exactly, I want to change? I am wondering the same thing, to be honest. However I have a few ideas. A couple have already been implemented....

Step 1: Rearrange the types and amounts of chemicals I'm putting into my body on a daily/weekly/whatever basis. In a nutshell, I think there are too many things I'm imbibing that are just not that good for me. A short list might include caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, aspartame and soft drinks in general, certain types of food, and maybe some other stuff. I'm certainly not against any of these things. I enjoy them constantly! However, I'd like to cut down on all of the above. It's harder than it sounds, particularly for someone like myself who is such a creature of habit. In particular, I really need to find something to drink other than pop that has a little more zing than plain water. What do people drink in this world?

Speaking of being a creature of habit, Step 2 is to break out of my comfort zone more frequently. Go out places aside from my buddies apartments or the same pub I've been to 4000 times already. Try and experience more things. Even if only once or twice a month. This could be as simple as just interacting with other human beings whose names I don't yet know. I'm too old to be intimidated to talk to strangers...but I'm not quite old enough to be so jaded as to wonder why I should bother. However, the latter is often the case. That needs to change. I need an attitude adjustment, mister!

Step 3 or 4 or whatever (I don't know why I'm doing this in list format since it's all interrelated) is simply to stop being so lazy. I have a few friends that are great at motivating me to do things that I wouldn't normally be interested in because hey, I love my couch! I should listen to them more, or learn to self motivate better. This can directly relate to the above, but also counts for things like cleaning up more often and getting groceries before I absolutely HAVE to. Just get off the couch.

Of course, Winter is coming and all of this will seem less important in freezing, snowy weather. However, I've got the restless vibe of Fall singing me it's siren song for now, and I will try to remember that feeling and at least give it a shot. This is the only life I've got, it's time to start living it while I still can.





Friday 15 October 2010

Evolve or Die



2010 is starting to wind down....2 months and it's a whole new ball game yet again....

Of course not really....Time is such a human invention...and aside from the fact that it happens to be Winter instead of Fall, January 1st means nothing at all....it's no different from Ocotober 15th or July 7th or whatever.

Well, maybe it is to some degree. Fall and Spring for some reason always feel more transitional to me. I mean, they're more of a journey to hottest or coldest than a destination unto themselves.

Anyway, speaking of transitions, there are many things in my life I'm trying to slowly change...habits that I want to alter...nothing major, just a little housecleaning here and there. Step one - Time to get a haircut! My first and only in 2010! So here's the before picture:



...I'll update later with the results. I'm sure they won't be that drastic. The idea of a haircut is always an idea of change for me...like it will make you a whole new person or something. Of course it never really does, but there's always hope, right?

Saturday 2 October 2010

Welcome to October


I can't believe it's already October again. Seems like this year has just flown by.

Looking back, I've only ever made one post in October, and a rather innocuous one mainly just to say happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving. In a way I find that strange, but thinking a bit harder, I guess it isn't.

October is one of my favourite months, but it's also the one where I am most likely to be lost in self-absorption and probably fairly moody as well. I mean, it's the month where everything winds down for winter....the temperature gets colder and all the leaves change...the weather is very inconsistent...sometimes it's snow, sometimes it's almost summer-time. Like the song says, "the way I feel, so much depends on the weather..."

The main reason that I usually keep fairly silent about October is that it is the home of both of my major-relationship anniversaries. Of course neither of them count for anything now, but for some reason I remember them anyway. Maybe because it's also my parents anniversary month, so it just reminds me. Usually I either can't or won't remember the past at all. Sometimes though, my brain just gets into reminiscent mode and suddenly it's as if I no longer have control of the metaphorical clicker. Won't turn off and stuck on a lousy channel. Hmmpf.

Although in theory I am looking for a new relationship again, I'd almost hate to have that happen in October. There's too much baggage associated with the poor month already.

On the other hand, I get to eat a lot of turkey! Turkey is good. And, before we know it, it'll be a whole new year. Winter is coming.


Tuesday 14 September 2010

Scott Pilgrim vs. The Box Office


I just had to post that I'm sad and ashamed to live in a world where a movie like Vampires Suck makes more money at box office than the touching and brilliant Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Seriously.

I always knew that there was something really, really wrong with humanity in the 21st century, but this blows even my cynical little mind.

Anyway, if you've still got enough brain cells left in your head to fry an egg without hurting yourself, go see
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. You won't be sorry. I saw it, twice, and then went and bought all 6 graphic novels and devoured them in 2 days straight. Gotta read them again in a week too. Amazing books. Amazing movie. So why are you still reading this????




Monday 2 August 2010

Oh patient bear...what are you waiting for?

I just like this pic...

So um.....Happy Simcoe Day!

That's a civic holiday that no one knows much about here in Toronto....thoughout the country everyone has the same holiday, but it's called different things. Apparently every city just decided to name it after some guy relevant to them alone. It's also not really a stat, but maybe it is....no one seems sure. Either way, I get holiday pay for it, although the trade off is that I pretty much am forced to work nights for the weekend. When you're used to waking up for work around 4:30 in the morning, suddenly working until 3am is not the healthiest. Could be the reason I'm feeling sick this morning.

Oh well, at least the money's good.


Thursday 22 July 2010

It's Crime Fighting Time!




Gee have I not posted since May? That's coincidentally right around the time I purchased an X-Box 360, isn't it? Oh dear...I've joined the ranks of the mindlessly entertained.

Well, I blame Batman and Transformers. How can I possibly be creative when they're both such great games with well-loved characters? Truthfully it's not nearly as mindless as it sometimes appears...

I'd start updating again now, but, well, I just started Red Dead: Redemption.

See ya in another 2 months!

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Guess who bought a web cam!!

Yeah that's right....it's bad quality but I can finally make my own videos and post on YouTube. Does this mean I've joined the 21st century? Maybe.....

Anyway, here's my first video (not including a brief test). A song I wrote about a million years ago about not one, not two, but THREE different girls I knew at the time....This song means a lot to me and it seemed like a good place to start. So please enjoy, the original song, Making Progress.


Tuesday 27 April 2010

Axl vs. Slash: The New Albums


VS.



Technically Chinese Democracy isn't really new, but having recently picked up Slash's new solo album, I couldn't help but want to compare. I mean, who wouldn't? So here's a song by song breakdown of both albums with a win/lose score. Slash's album (at least the version I have) has 17 tracks, so he's already 3 points in the lead from Axl's 14 track epic...but hey, consider that the spread. So let's get this going:

Track One

A: Chinese Democracy - the title track of the album and a very cool beat...lyrically very interesting and many, many different sounds. Starts with a haunting "sound montage" that pulls up visions of the past and sets the tone for the album. Yowza!

S: Ghost - Cool track with an interesting lead guitar part...features the vocals of Ian Astbury of the cult and also guitar by Izzy Stradlin, Slash's ex-GN'R bandmate. Some weird lyrics, but killer guitar. Great rock track. Sounds simple and complex at the same time.

Result: Axl's lyrics and tone are better, but I react on more of a gut level to Slash's song. so TIE.

Track Two

A:
Shackler's Revenge - Neat song, I love the shuffling guitar beat over the verses and the various vocal tracks and harmonies throughout. Also a very original composition...doesn't exactly have a standard rock sound. Whether this makes it creative or inaccessible is hard to say. Either way you can appreciate the work that's gone into this song.

S: Crucify The Dead - Featuring Ozzy Osborne on vocals, this track has an amazing, haunting guitar sound which I really love. It's also a fairly scathing testament to the current relationship between Slash and Axl ("We had the same dream/Lived life to extreme/A loaded gun jammed by a rose/The thorns are not around your head/Your ego cut you till you bled/You cannot crucify the dead/To me you're dead, yeah"). Gutsy. I'm not sure if the lyrics were penned by Slash and represent his feelings or if they were written by Ozzy and "how he might feel if he were Slash" but I guess either way it's endorsed by the man.

Result: I like both songs, but I think Axl's is more creative, and I'm not a huge fan of modern Ozzy. If someone else sang it I'd probably vote Slash but in this case it's AXL

Track Three:

A:
Better - I really like the lyrics to this song. I can relate fully (read the lyrics and you'll see why). However, I find the lead guitar a little jarring and even annoying (perhaps an homage to the girl the song is about??) Cool track, nonetheless

S: Beautiful Dangerous - Featuring Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie! That in itself is weird enough to give it bonus points, particularly since she sounds amazing on this track. Also, I can really relate to the lyrics of this song ("Rebel of this party, I'm in love with all of your danger"). Musically it's not my favourite on the album, but it's cool and has a neat crunchy sound on the rhythm track. And Fergie wants to sleep with me. Nice.

Result: Axl's lyrics are better, but Slash has Fergie spinning on a pole. Winner = SLASH

Track Four:

A:
Street Of Dreams - Oh man this is one of if not my favourite track from Chinese Democracy. Beautiful but mean lyrics, a sense of abandonment and loss that is underlined by a great piano melody, cool bass line and understated but powerful guitar. I'm listening to these songs as I'm typing and just heard the line "What I thought was beautiful don't live inside of you anymore" and it moved me. Great solo too. Wow, why wasn't this a single? Rivals the "real" GN'R.

S: Back From Cali - Featuring Myles Kennedy. WHO? Well the short answer is I don't know who he is and I don't care because he is AWESOME!!!! This is one of my favourite songs on this album. KILLER guitar. Awesome. Great vocals. A cry for help to be saved from a metphor. I love it. Why are they making this so hard???? The last line of the song "And all I want is to come home...." Amazing.

Result: Damn I love both these songs so much it's crazy. I really want Myles Kennedy to be Slash's new permanent singer (barring a GN'R reunion of course) He fits sooo well it's madness. I cannot understate how great this song is.

But Street of Dreams is sooo good too. I can't decide. TIE

Track Five:

A:
If The World - Neat music, and some interesting lyrics, but Axl's singing WAY TOO HIGH! Cool lyrics though.

S: Promise - Featuring Chris Cornell. He's a great singer but this isn't his best work. Lyrically it's kinda meh and the singing is proficient but doesn't move me or anything . I do really like the guitar work and this song has a really funky sound that I enjoy.

Result: We go from two amazing entries to two lackluster ones. Regardless, I think I'll give this one to SLASH. If nothing else it's amazing he got Chris to work with him after the incidents on the Soundgarden/GN'R tour. Something about sex dolls onstage??

Track Six:

A:
There Was A Time - Brass instruments to open and great guitars. I also love this song for it's lyrical content. It's another one about the girl who seemed amazing at first but turned out to be crazy. Why do I relate to these things? That's crazy.... Okay I just read the lyrics and they're such a story that it's awesome and I relate even more. Great tune!

S: By The Sword - Featuring Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother. Cool tune with a great guitar hook and cool lyrics, if a little too reminiscent of Zeppelin. Makes me want to listen to Wolfmother, who I have thus far skipped as a band. Very good sound but does it MEAN anything??

Result: I like By The Sword a lot, but I have to give this one to AXL

Track Seven:

A:
Catcher In The Rye - A nice song. It has a sort of sense of peace. Then again It's the peace of a storm brewing on the horizon. Very solid and enjoyable. I really like the melody. Lyrically it's got some nice lines too, I appreciate the message although I'm not sure I understand the book reference.

S: Gotten - Featuring Adam Levine of Maroon 5, a band I really don't like. However, I love his lyrics and vocals on this song. This song also has a real sense of peace and beauty. It's bittersweet in a way. I really like some of the lines too ("I've been saving these last words for/one last miracle/but now I'm not sure" and "Do not make me think of him/the way he touched your fragile skin/that haunts me every day") Awesome.

Result: This is a tough call. I'm tempted to make it a tie but since it's won me over to Adam Levine and his awesome lyrics I will give the win to SLASH

Track Eight:

A:
Scraped - It's an interesting track...some cool guitar parts and an interesting melody. BUT I am not really feeling it.

S: Doctor Alibi - Featuring Lemmy from Motorhead! This song is silly fun and I love it!!! "Doctor I ain't gonna die/Just write me an alibi!" It's totally just great rock and roll. And I don't even like Motorhead particularly.

Result: No Brainer. SLASH!

Track Nine:

A:
Riad N' The Bedouins - Very interesting lyrics. I don't know what it means, but it's cool and some great lines. Interesting musically too. A different sound than the rest of the album, which nicely breaks it up. Cool.

S: Watch This - Featuring Dave Grohl on drums and Duff McKagan on bass. Sadly there are no lyrics. Thankfully the song stands without them. Killer drums, killer bass and really REALLY killer guitar parts. It holds my interest without lyrics, and that's very rare.

Result: Wow I never would normally award a song without lyrics cause I'm a poet at heart but SLASH FTW!

Track Ten:

A:
Sorry - Oh I love this song. I don't have any evidence to back this up, but I like to think it's Axl singing about Slash. In a way it could be Axl singing to society at large or just any of his detractors as well. There is one awkward line though. He rhymes "in" with "in". I hate that. Of course Slash's album is guilty of that in several songs. Other than that I love this song. "I'm sorry for you/not sorry for me..."

S: I Hold On - Featuring Kid Rock, not sounding very much like himself. It's a very decent rock track though. One of the few tracks with a piano/keyboard part on the album which I love. Good song.

Result: Well, I really like the Slash song but I've gotta give this one to AXL I relate more to his song and it's just not as generic.

Track Eleven:

A:
I.R.S. - This song starts with a neat bit where Axl is trying to sound just like the lead guitar. It's also got a great melody and is sort of a story. Pretty guitars, cool track.

S: Nothing To Say - with M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold (isn't that a great band name? Reference to Cain and Abel. Cool). This song doesn't do much for me EXCEPT it's got Slash playing like a real heavy thrash guitarist. I can't believe the speed he goes at...it's like Van Halen meets Megadeth. Very cool.

Result: Both songs have some really cool stuff in them. Neither stands out to me. If I was more of a heavy metal fan Slash'd get it as I am really impressed by his guitar work here but since it's not my thing...TIE

Track Twelve:

A: Madagascar - Neat song, cool start with a horn section and good lyrics. Also it will go down in history as the song that finally killed my computer speakers. Now I'm listening to it in the mono built in back-up speaker. Lame. Cool track though. Even if it now sounds like a ring tone. Slash will suffer the same fate of hardware.

S: Starlight - Featuring Myles Kennedy again and HANDS DOWN THE BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM. Killer amazing guitar from beginning to end, I ADORE the lyrics...the vocals make we want to weep in a good way. Beautiful song, worthy of anything Slash has ever played on. Only problem is it has that one line that is lyrically redundant. "That leaves us scared and so afraid". Same thing boys. If you'd just said "YEAH so afraid" it wouldn't stick out. It's a minor flaw. I still LOVE this song.

Result: Madagascar is a good song but I LOVE STARLIGHT! SLASH!!!!!

Track Thirteen:

A: This I Love - Oh man this is one of the most Beautiful songs I ever heard. I adore the piano, string arrangement and especially the lyrics and vocals. If it was track twelve I think it would even beat Starlight. It's so sad and yet so uplifting at the same time. I've actually broken down and cried listening to this song. AMAZING!

S: Saint Is A Sinner Too - featuring Rocco DeLuca, Google informs me he's mostly a solo artist who was also in a band. Yeah whatever. He's a great singer and this is a very cool track. I like the lyrics and it's got an acoustic, sort of spanish sounding guitar part that is very nice. I love all the different sounds on this album...I'd thought a Slash solo album would sound like one big song, but it really doesn't, and songs like this help that. Great track.

Result: Good try Slash, but you're not gonna beat This I Love. AXL!!

Track Fourteen:

A: Prostitute - The final track on Chinese Democracy and a fitting epilogue..."If my intentions are misunderstood/please be kind, I've done all I could..." I really like this song. Again, it's sweet in some ways (despite the name). Musically and lyrically it's incredibly strong and has a cool string/synth rhythm part that I enjoy a lot.

S: We're All Gonna Die - Featuring Iggy Pop. This is the final track on the "regular" version of the album, and it's not nearly as good as an epilogue as Axl's Prostitute. Actually it's the weakest song on the album IMO.

Result: It's so easy for AXL.

Since this is where both albums officially end, lets tally up the scores:

Ties = 3

Axl Wins = 5

Slash Wins = 6

Well it was very close, but the winner is SLASH!!! I'm not surprised. But very solid showing.

Oh, there are 3 more tracks on my deluxe version of the Slash album. Those are

Bonus One: SAHARA - Featuring Koshi Inaba, of some Japanese hard rock band. He sings in English here though. It's a cool track, although nothing jumps out at me. Worth a listen....the singer sounds a bit like Sebastian Bach, and the guitar solo is cool.

Bonus Two: Baby Can't Drive - This song features Alice Cooper and Nicole Scherzinger, whom Google informs me is the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls!!! How bizarre. It's a great song too. More silly fun rock and I like it a lot. "If you wanna survive, wanna get there alive, then baby can't drive/baby can't drive" Awesome!

Bonus Three: Paradise City - Featuring Cypress Hill and Fergie of B.E.P. This is an incredible remake of the original Guns N' Roses song. It works shockingly well and makes me want to see the original Gunners go on tour with Fergie instead of Axl. I love how it's super faithful too and yet completely different from the original. Funky beat and just really cool. Some fans are against it 'cause, let's face it, nothing is ever going to be cooler than the original Paradise City. I mean, 23 years and it's still one of my all time favourite songs. This version breathes some new life into it and has the same feel to me. Same excitement and energy and awesome!

Definitely buy the deluxe version of Slash's album for the bonus tracks. They're worth the extra couple bucks. Great album. Great Albums!!! Now if only these two musical geniuses would get together and take their half-a-winning-album each and make a new REAL Gun's N' Roses album.

Probably never happen, but a boy can dream.





Tuesday 13 April 2010

The Funeral Oath


Take the funeral oath with me, my friend
and let them wonder what we came here for
I'll never promise anything again
once we've passed through that open door

I want to spray you
with something chemical
and wipe the indifference off of your face

why are you so reluctant
to let me lap the blood
from your open sores?

I witness great fires burning
fueled by the bones of civilization
dreary black smoke rising from exhumed culture
melting the eyes of the population
eyes plucked from saint and sinner alike
crying white, pustulant matter
they turn to regard me
bloodshot and cold

Snaky crawling things like cords
wrap around my mind like open sores
bleeding monsters herd me to the place
I stand before the open door

What apocalypse of betrayal is this?
What foolish piece of wisdom and self-preservation led us to this desolate and impure place?

I should have held the hand that was offered
should have kissed the lips that trembled
should have left this empty nobility to burn with the rest
and bedded the monsters of my own design

without the courage I have faltered
and will come to you no more
just pour my fire and dry my eyes
within sight of the open door.



Wednesday 31 March 2010

Haiku?!?



The last day of March.
Spring is beginning to show.
Please pour me a drink.

Friday 12 March 2010

Rainy Day Fun....

...or Beachcomber finds something strange..



doo doo dooo....

Hey far out man what's that shiny thing next to that rock?

*cha cha che cha* What the heck?

(Voice From Above) ARISE BEACHIMUS PRIME!!!

.
Woah...













Thursday 11 March 2010

Forward, March !


Okay so it's almost the ides of March. Are you being ware yet?

I've really got nothing to say today but I just felt like updating the blog so I'm sure I'll at least have something in here in the March category. Gonna be short though cause I gotta go pick up my guitar from the shop. Finally had to take it in to get it all set up again. It's only been 19 years...It's funny cause I have several other guitars and I've been playing them, but as soon as one is not available I constantly want to play it. Hopefully though the wait will be worth it. Apparently my lovely strat had a severely twisted neck as well as some shorts in the electronics, so I'm excited to see what it's like now. At least it won't cut out randomly when I'm playing any more just because I decided to take a step forward or adjust the volume. And apparently that nasty rattling noise will be gone too! Will wonders never cease!

What else. March is such a slow month. Same with February. Nothing seems to be happening....just going through the motions till spring. I barely got up the energy to shave and get groceries today. Never mind trying to oh, I don't know, clean or do laundry or something. Forget it.

So what's the deal with all these 3D movies coming out? I saw Avatar. It was NOT that good. Enjoyable enough I guess, however I would have liked it a LOT more if I didn't have 3D glasses on over my regular glasses pinching my nose and giving me a headache for 3 hours. Why do people like this? Sure it allowed a couple of neat shots, but mostly it just served to take me out of the movie. Let's just hope that this is just some passing phase....I really don't need to see movies in 3D. If I want to see in three dimensions I'll just take a walk.

Oh one thing did happen! My divorce finally went through. I got the paperwork a week or two ago. Guess what day I was officially finally divorced on? Valentine's Day! How romantic.....

So yeah, that's it. Is it April yet?

Friday 12 February 2010

Gunslinger Autobots


"Now say your lesson, Bumblebee, and be true."

The words fell from his lips like small chunks of frozen energon. His right hand trembled lightly against his chest like an idling engine.

"I do not aim with my hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his maker."
"I aim with my optical sensors."

"Good."

"I do not shoot with my hand; he who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his maker."
"I shoot with my processor."

"So it has ever been, Bumblebee."

"I do not kill with my gun; he who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his maker."
"I kill with my laser-core."

"Then KILL them, for your maker's sake!" Optimus shouted. "KILL THEM ALL!"


Tuesday 2 February 2010

Blue Moon in February


The moon, still and cold
is unreachable tonight,
as far away as

Your face,
pale and blue
glowing by the light from the

Television
left on to spout it's nonsense
into our subconscious minds
as we

Sleep, and dream
of the days when light,
dancing on rough waters
spilled from

The moon, still and cold
is unreachable tonight,
as far away as
...

Friday 15 January 2010

Hello, Dave


Welcome to 2010.


Why isn't the future the future?

Meet the new year, same as the old year.....

Oh well, at least it's no worse...yet.

Have I learned anything yet in 2010? Let's see:

1. Working with Saturday and Sundays off is a mixed blessing at best
2. I am lazy and have yet to actually use most of my Christmas presents
3. Quitting smoking sounds like more fun the farther away your quit day is
4. Even in The Future your friends will still come to your house and put your toys in sexually explicit positions.

Yeah, that's it.


Oh No! That baby is going to eat that planet!!!! Is this what fate has in store for us?