I'm listening to...

Since this blog is all about me (ME!!!!!) I figure I should also say something about one of the biggest influences in my daily mood and well-being; music.

Now, quite frankly, I don't have a definite "musical identity." I listen to a lot of shit. I like a lot of different types of music...and I have no compunctions about trying new music based on the genre-branding that is so fucking popular these days.

In view of that, here's the junk that I'm regularly listening to these days:

1. Katie Melua - Just Like Heaven
I honestly don't know why I like this song. It's like a watered down, pretty sad version of the classic Cure version, but I don't know...whenever I listen to it, it just puts me at peace and all I want to do is read a good book, sleep, or umm...do something involving a certain weed...

2. Greenday - Time of Your Life
Quite possibly my favorite Greenday song, and one of the only ones that I can still bear to listen to after the fiasco that was American Idiot. The opening chords of this are classic, and the whole theme is something that appeals to me. Mostly cause I seem to always be saying goodbye; to people, places, things...The thing is, this song makes sense to me and helps me relate to the world. And in my book, them's good music.

3. Bowling for Soup - Almost
This song is fucking hilarious!! Seriously, it's one of the most funny, heartfelt songs I've listened to in a long time and I love it. I've actually been hearing it in the background of a lot of teen movies for the last 2-3 years now, but didn't realize the actual name of it till I saw Dirty Deeds. The movie was bleh-worthy, but it gave me the name of the song, so for that it does have a semi-fond place in my heart (I doubt this goodwill will last very long...the movie was fucking American Pie with bread...yes, that's right.)

4. Story of the Year - Anthem of Our Dying Day
I'm probably reading waaayyy to much into this song, but the whole package of lyrics, video and music tell me that this song deals with the end of civilization through decay. What decay is left open to the listener, and in the current state of the world and my mental processes, this song makes incredible sense and thus is getting a heavy rotation on my playlist.

5. Bethany Joy Lenz - Halo
The lyrics. That's basically the only reason I like this song. Lately I've been feeling...trapped I guess is the word I'm looking for. I'm trapped in my patterns, my feelings, my perceptions...and I don't know how to break free of these. This song kinda mirrors what I've been feeling lately, and well...it's the reason I listen to it.

6. Morningwood - Nth Degree
Don't ask me why...but I love this song. It's just plain, simple fun. I haven't heard a song that was this much fun in a long time, and I dunno...it makes me want to have fun, to do something. I just really, really like this.

7. Orgy - Blue Monday
A cover of the Cure classic, this is just fucking fantastic. Orgy on the whole is an excellent group...but this cover blew me away. Definitely something I'll probably be listening to for a long, long time.

That's it. What? You were expecting more swearing or some shit? C'mon...even I need a break. Probably have another I Hate...post soonish...it's in the works. It just requires a certain level of pure, unadulterated bile that I just can't manage to spew right now...it'll come though.

Things I HATE - #1

          I've discovered something about myself after that moronic post-loss. Swearing and ranting on a blog is very cathartic. VERY, VERY FUCKING CATHARTIC (See...feel better already). In pursuit of this (since this is the first thing to break me out of this horrible funk I've been in for the past week) I shall pursue a new posting format. 100% more swearing and 100% more ranting!!! The two things that I apparently love the most are now combined to bring you...THINGS I HATE!!!

          This will be a semi-regular feature going uptill whatever amount of things I hate run out...which won't be any fucking time soon since I hate a lot of fucking things...a lot a lot. So, without further delay, here's THINGS I HATE #1: "Pure" Love.

          I really fucking hate "Pure" relationships. For those who don't know...this is the kind of relationship based on "true love" where the two people love each other so much *barf* that they don't care about the physical aspect of their relationship. They just like each other's company. Awww...what a load of CRAP!!! Ladies and Gentlemen...there is no such thing as a fucking "pure" relationship. The only reason guys get interested in girls is to get in their pants, and believe it or not, vice versa (sorry kids, but it's true). It's not even that hard to understand, it's all biological after all. We are designed as a race to procreate and the people we are attracted to are people we believe can provide the best offspring to us. It's too deeply ingrained to be denied. The people who claim otherwise are fucking liars and shouldn't be believed. I hate it when people claim that they are only attracted to someone for the "purest of reasons." It's a lie...they know it, I know it, heck, the kid from across the street knows it.

          GET OVER YOURSELVES!!! There's nothing wrong with admitting that you're hot for someone's bod...if anything, I think the direct approach is much more unique and could actually prove to be advantageous in the long run. I especially hate this from guys (I know, I know, I'm perpetuating a fucking double standard...but fuck that! I don't mind girls being slightly more...enigmatic. It's part of their charm) What kind of pansy guy goes around spouting idiotic comments about his "pure" relationship? Someone who's either retarded or emotionally handicapped. Heck, this "true" love is a sham anyway. There is no such thing as love. It's a hormonal response to seeing a potential mate which blossoms into a pleasant feeling due to the proximity of what could prove to be very fruitful mating. That is what "love" is!! (Hi, honey!!)

In short...I FUCKING HATE pansies!!!

Ah...that was fun. Be here next time for more ranting...lots more...against gardeners and shit. (But never against ninjas, no...ninjas are cool...and mysterious...and I like ninjas...)

M@therfuckers!!!

FUCK! FUCK! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!!!!!

I wrote this huge rant for this thing!! It was brilliant, it was fucking superb. And it's gone thanks to the stupid electricity giving out 5 seconds before I posted it.

BAH!!! It shall be posted again...oh, yes, it definitely shall...

Comics - What I Read This Week...

Here's another review format I've been tinkering with...let's see how it goes.

Wolverine v3 #39
by Daniel Way, Javier Saltares and Mark Texiera

This issue was actually fairly decent as far as Wolverine issues go. Personally, I don't like Daniel Way's writing style. There are some things he writes (like the Bullseye mini) which I enjoy, and then there are books like Wolverine which make me question my sanity at reading them at all. Anyway, this issue wasn't that bad because it focused on actually telling us something rather than giving us vague hints and covert ops that make no sense. I really like Bucky's connection with Wolverine, and the characterization made sense with what we've seen over in Captain America. This issue was still somewhat...light...but atleast something happened. And that's better than nothing. Either way, I've been hating the Origins and Endings storyline, and can't wait for this book to separate itself from the past.

Batman #650
by Judd Winick, and Eric Battle

I don't like Judd Winick's DCU work. It just seems to be intended for shock, and controversy purposes and if that's the whole point of the book...then the book cannot possibly be any good. On that note though, I was enjoying the whole Red Hood storyline in this. Jason was becoming a truly effective foil for Batman and we got to see a side of Bruce that isn't readily shown in Bat-comics these days. The ending this issue however...sucked. It was the least satisfying ending I've seen since this whole "Countdown to OYL" thing started and if weren't for the fact that James Robinson is going to be writing Batman starting next issue...I would not be bothering with this book anymore.

Green Lantern v4 #9
by Geoff Johns, and Ethan Van Sciver

This will be the last issue of Green Lantern I read for a good long time. I've given this book a lot of leeway...mostly because I like Johns' writing and I was enjoying the Bianchi fill-ins. But OYL is the perfect oppurtunity to jump ship and I'm taking it. Hal Jordan is quite possibly the most boring Green Lantern ever. I've hated the guy since I first read him in an old issue of JLA from the Satellite era. He was always too smug, too "cool" and too annoying to bother with. Still, I figured what the hell...if anyone can revive the old fossil, it'll be Johns. Unfortunately, other than punching people and being a jerk, Hal does nothing else. Apparently that is his character...and as far as I'm concerned, I don't want to read about the guy who probably used to bully kids shorter than him in school. The book itself was ok, but man was that the most contrived Batman-Punch! in history and had the most stupid, out-of-character ending I've ever read.

That's it for now. This isn't by any means everything I read this week...but it's a start. Expect more every saturday-sunday from now on since I've read about 80% of my pull-list by that time. Hopefully this will work out for the best.

*P.S. Sorry about no covers today, but my connection's acting up...and I'd rather post something than not post anything based on some puny images.

Cats - B.T.

As promised, here's another one of my cats. This time it's the mighty hunteress herself...B.T. (which stands for Bhalu 3...yeah, we like legacies in this house). Anyway, B.T. is one our "fat" cats who likes to sleep and eat...and when not doing these two things, she likes to attack anything smaller than her that can move. We're talking about birds, lizards, snakes, insects...anything she can get her paws on, she grabs and then mercilessly plays with until they're dead. She's one of the luckier ones fortunately...never bit off more than she can chew and always careful in attempting to jump off walls/shelves that are too high even for a cat's prodigious abilities. By the way, for those wondering, B.T. is the granddaughter of Pheeney and the daughter of Peachy...who I shall be posting right here very, very soon!

Comics - Some Stuff I Finally Caught Up On...

Here comes yet another bid in attempting to convert this blog into a semi-regular thing. I figure if I even get something new up once every 2 weeks, it'll be a good start and I can slowly work my way up to the coveted daily position! But for now, let's kick things off with a 2 comics that I finally managed to get around to reading.

7 Days to Fame #2 (of 3) - After Hours Press

I read the first issue of this series expecting to hate it. This was ofcourse based on two reasons: 1) My hatred for reality t.v. shows, and 2) My hatred for comics based on reality t.v. shows. Anyway, I read an interview by the writer, Buddy Scalera, and it appeared to me that he had some of the same ideas about where reality t.v. was headed if it continued in it's current vein as I did. So, I read it...and it was great. Cool concept, nice art, and a cohesive, complete story contained within a single issue. Considering that, I had some pretty high hopes for this issue, and I'm glad it delivered. We finally see how such a show can exist (through webcasts...it's so simple I'm surprised that someone already doesn't have anything like this in place), the thought processes behind creating such a show, and most importantly, the feelings that a person would have to go through in order to consider becoming a subject on this show. Excellent story which examines our fame-obsessed culture and looks at it from both sides without demonizing either one. Definitely a must read.

Overall Score: 4/5

I (Heart) Marvel: Web of Romance - Marvel Comics

I'm a sucker for romantic comedies, and I love seeing Marvel try their hand at attempting to re-introduce the Romance Comics genre. While of the two I (Heart) Marvels I own, one was a mixed bag at best (I (Heart) Marvel: My Mutant Heart), this book was a true gem, and I absolutely adored it. Tom Beland (Better known for True Story: Swear to God!) writes Mary Jane and Peter as if he's known them his entire life. They are close personal friends and we are being allowed an all too rare glimpse into how much love they truly have for each other. I'm a big fan of the Peter/MJ pairing and actively abhor Gwen Stacy at this point just for having been first (although the fact that she was killed off soothes me somewhat). This issue was especially dear to me because of it's focus on Valentine's Day and the trouble with gift-shopping. I tend to go through this problem every single year and usually, much like Spidey in this, end up buying something or coming up with something at the last minute. I also adore Corey Walker's artwork, so it was nice to see more of it outside of Invincible (which you should all be reading!!!) This issue was funny, sweet, and just plain old fun...something we haven't recieved from a Spider-Man comic in quite a while. Well worth the cover price, and probably the only I (Heart) Marvel book I'll actively recommend.

Overall Score: 4.5/5

That's it for now. I will try to update soon. Maybe even do a Major Infinite Crisis review session covering issues 2-5 and I'll probably offer up some thoughts on why, although I like the idea, I'm dreading the excecution of One Year Later. Also, expect more pictures of the cats (since I have been taking a lot more...) and very, very soon, a rough plot of a Mighty Thor fanfic I'm currently percolating in my mind.

Yet Another Attempt...

If any of you are stil following this out there...if any were in the first place anyway; I thank you. Mostly humbly and graciously, I thank you. I know I've been horrible about updating this, and the ever-changing format doesn't exactly help to gain me any supporters. See, the fact of the matter is that I'm not sure what I want to do with blog...not yet anyway...and so I'm just trying different things and seeing what works, what doesn't and what will allow me to post to the utmost of my ability without compromising the other aspects of my life (I wish I were like some other bloggers who practically live online...but I, unfortunately, still have school and it does end up taking a lot more time than you would think.)

So, anyway, in light of all that, it's time for yet another format change. Instead of posting at random like I've been doing. I'm going to combine all my disparate interests together and attempt to write atleast a weekly (twice a week maybe) thing about everything that interests and kinda have a huge post which encompasses everything. The first attempt at this will be up either tonight or tomorrow morning depending on how long I spend shopping for a new cell today (yay! new cell!)

Until then, thanks to anyone who's bothered to read this, and a possible welcome to anyone who might show up!

Currently Watching - Part 1

          In the interests of keeping this blog a general interest one and not a comics-specific one as it seems to be becoming, I figure I might as well share some of the other interests in my life. The primary one right now happens to be serial television.

          That's right, I'm a t.v. junkie! In support of this dread habit, here's a list of the current crop of t.v. shows that I watch atleast semi-regularly:

1. Veronica Mars - As much as it pains me to admit this, I do follow a lot of Teen Dramedies. For those not in the know, these are the shows which focus on teen characters and tend to more about relationships and feelings than anything, well...exciting. Veronica Mars is a happy exception to the rule. This show revolves around a central mystery, and while the characters do enjoy their fair share of soap opera antics, the mystery is always the key, and it never disappoints. I must admit, I was more than a little skeptical of this from the previews I saw...but the actual show is worth the time spent watching it, and is quite possibly one of the best hours of serial television currently on the screens.

2. Lost - C'mon...this one's a no-brainer. No self-respecting sci-fi/fantasy/weird mumbo-jumbo fan can honestly miss this show. I personally am not that big a fan...mostly because I think that the central premise is too weak. I love the character arcs, I love the acting, and the writing is top-notch...but the stretched out island sequences make me cringe and half the time I just want to stop watching it out of frustration. Still, there are 3 reasons I continue to watch it; a) It's a J.J. Abrams show, and he tends to come through in the end. b) It has Evangeline Lilly, and c) It has Evangeline Lilly. 'Nuff Said.

3. Prison Break - Bar none, the best t.v. show I'm currently watching. It has cliffhangers that make you cringe, storytelling elements that make you question the sanity of the writers, and more than one wtf! moment in each episode, and yet I just can't get enough of it. The acting is superb, the writing tends to focus on the entire ensemble cast (even when it devolves into stupidity of unparalleled proportions) and more happens in one episode of this than does in entire seasons of other shows. Currently this show is on a long hiatus...but I'll definitely be waiting for when it comes back.

          That's it for Part 1 of my t.v. habit. Next time I'll try to explain some of my more...guilty pleasures on the small screen. And hopefully, soon, I'll even get around to reviewing Infinite Crisis #2.