New Band Performs

So the new band and I had a gig on Friday night. It went really well, despite a short setlist. We only played 5 songs, and we all really wished we had more. Unfortunately at this point, we are lacking a name. Anyone have any ideas? We're a folk R&B kind of quarted (cross nora jones with 10000 maniacs), so unfortunately some cool names I have had on the back burner don't work.

Current suggestions being batted around:

Under Debate
Day's Memory
Failed by Absence
Twilight Fades
Metallica

I'm leaning towards Metallica, myself.

Ashlee Simpson revealed for the no talent hack she is.

Well, Ashlee Simpson fell on her face on SNL the other night. I am grinning from ear to ear over it.

NEW YORK (Billboard) - ' Ashlee Simpson is reportedly taking the heat for deciding to lip-sync during a performance on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend, a plan that backfired when the vocals to the wrong song were audible during her second appearance.

Simpson had already performed her single "Pieces of You" and had returned to the "SNL" stage to run through the title track of her Geffen debut album, "Autobiography." As the band kicked into the song, her vocals to the first song were heard while Simpson held her microphone at her side.

Flustered, she improvised a few dance steps before bolting from the stage. NBC quickly cut to a commercial.

At the close of the show, Simpson deflected the blame, telling the viewing audience "I feel so bad. My band started playing the wrong song." Geffen issued a statement blaming a computer glitch that should have played pre-recorded percussion rather than the "Pieces of You" vocals.

Simpson was reportedly singing a different tune Monday. MTV, home to her reality series "The Ashlee Simpson Show," reported on its Web site that Simpson admitted to lip syncing on the show because her voice has suffering from "the stresses of a heavy promotional schedule." '

Pathetic, but it shows her for the hack she is. At least her sister can sing. I hate corporate music with a passion. It's manufactured Walmart garbage, not art.

Ashlee Simpson Sucking it on SNL

So someone asked me the other day if they could get the internet on their computer. I said I'd do what I could, and so I started downloading it.

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD

Local college student Eric Peterson recently announced that he's entered a committed relationship... with himself. Peterson vehemently denied rumors that the he was dating other people. "I'm totally committed to myself. We've never been happier." When asked what prompted the campus heartthrob to take himself off the market, he chalked it up in large part to his current financial situation, claming that recent fluxuations in the economy were making it too expensive for him to date around. "It was partly a cost-effective decision on my part, but it's been really nice for us to spend more time together."

So I was sitting there

So I was sitting there, and suddenly Gonzo starts singing to me

I wish I had a coat of silk,
the color of the sky.
I wish I had a lady fair,
as any butterfly.
I wish I had a house of stone,
that looked down on the sea.
But most of all I wish that I
was someone else but me.

Now I don't have a coat of silk,
but I still have the sky.
Now I don't have a lady,
but there goes a butterfly.
Now I don't have a house of stone,
but I can see the sea.
Now most of all I know that I
am happy to be me.
I'm happy to be me.

It worked for me.

Music as muse

Looks like a musical project I have been looking forward to starting for a few months now is actually going to get off the ground! Got together with 3/4 of the new band and laid out a demo last night, and did a little jamming. The drummer is incredibly talented, and the songs Stacey has written definitely have her style and vocal ability portrayed well. As Stace and I drove back, we were both really excited for prospects and to be involved with a musical project again. I love music so much, so to be involved with other musicians creating just gets me excited and babbly and... yeah, I probably shouldn't post when I'm like that (ha-ha!). I don't think we have a name yet, but there's a tenative gig scheduled toward the end of the month, so I'll keep me posted on that front. Ooh, what am I going to wear?

New baby

Yay, the new system build is progressing nicely. I had been planning on buying a budget Chaintech motherboard, but when I was window shopping in fry's this week, they had the fairly difficult to find (even online) DFI Lanparty NF3-250gb motherboard. Not only did they have it in stock, but it was the same price as the best case scenario online! Once the paycheck hits I should be getting the rest of the components... and then I'll have the dorkiest post my blog has ever seen: Mah Baby, the assembly (dun dun dahhh!)

progress report

I am well. Like life is okay. I'm trying not to let things that happen to me on a daily basis effect my spirits, but it's hard to think about doing it and then doing it. I haven't always been like this, as it's a way of life that I am quite familiar with... when things are good. The trick is being able to separate and compartmentalize daily irritations, major insecurities, and whatever is running through my beautiful mind and not have my attitude be determined BY that, but rather let it guide that. It's one of those knowing things... but it's hard to stick to it when things start swirling. Like I realized today that I haven't spoken to anyone in like 5 days, and I wanted some basic interaction. I made a few calls, and no one called back. Normally I'd start to wierd out. Today I just went on doing what I was doing, and no problems were had. Crisis avoided. Sure I would have liked to chitchat with someone, but I don't have to become a disaster over it if it doesn't go the way I hope.

Sheesh. Maybe they're right and I do need therapy :)) So far with a clever combination of bibs and medication, they've only just barely managed to control my drooling problem... :P

Right now, I'm watching daytime television. The usual suspects, Oprah, Ellen, the World Series of Poker on ESPN, MacGuyver on TVLand... and then I see Metallica. Metallica, the lords of heavy metal, and one of the first bands I REALLY got into when I was a kid. Yep, there they are, Metallica, on my television. On the Jane Pauley show. I will say it again. Metallica is currently on the Jane Pauley show, talking about their experiences in therapy. I had to watch it, like slowing down to see a car wreck. I'm filing this away with Greedo shooting first in the "crapping on my fond childhood memories" hall of fame.

Then again, they're mostly over 40 now. Thank goodness they're not doing the same thing they were when they were 25. And while my initial shock and horror may never go away, it's funny how a certain part of me expects certain things to stay frozen in time.

SIck, sick, sick.

So here's the thing. I have a cold, a rather nasty one.

It's funny how I look forward to almost any chance to slack off at work, but laying in my bed or on the floor of my house aren't exactly what I had in mind. It's funny how the sniffles, a cough, and fever reduce me in age by 20 years and suddenly I'm seven and all I'm wanting is ginger ale with a straw and my blanky. What stinks is that I am missing work. At work I have to walk around a lot and be outside a bit, but if I had a normal desk job I could tough it out at my desk. So I guess I'll take the chance to redecorate my room, since I had the time to clean it yesterday... Any suggestions? Please, don't leave me to my own tastes as a black velvet painting of Elvis could look mighty appealing in my ill state.

errands

Been having a productive day. Went to the doctors to get my little friends in my back checked out... went to Fry's and priced out computer parts... and dropped a manuscript off at the post office (I've had the writing bug lately). And am now home before 11 am! I've done more before 11am on my day off than most people do on their lunchbreaks. But for me, it feels oh so productive. *grins*

Reflection

(I've been saving this post as a draft since sunday, trying to get the words right. Like with most of my college term papers, the "aw screw it, it's fine" point has been reached)

Ever have the feeling like you finally know what you've been doing wrong and why you're in the funk you've been in? But it's a little late in the game to prevent some of the side effects of your actions? This is the feeling I've been having the last couple of days.

I have an attitude problem. I often expect the worst out of people and creating unrealistic expectations on the people around me, so that when I'm disappointed I can turn around and say "there! I was right!" So when I went through the most recent breakup a month ago, the girl in question wanted to remain friends. This wasn't a scenario that I have a lot of familiarity with. I was distrustful and leaned on her to hard, while at the same time got uptight and stopped listening, the very things that make me appealing as a good friend in the first place. She got impatient and stressed over me and some other things going on in her life. I didn't take the time to get over the loss of a romantic relationship, and was perpetually wanting more out of a regular friendship, then both of us getting frustrated when neither of us were getting what we wanted.

The irony is that both of us set things up and made the choices we did because we both really did want to be friends, real friends. But sometimes when you try and force something, you break it. I sure hope that the damage isn't permanent, especially now that I can honestly say I get it. It's sadly funny that now when things have blown up and such that I finally take the chance to relax, take a deep breath, and really listen to what she was telling me... and realize that I don't know as much as I think I do.

I'm happy right now. For no other reason than I choose to be. Whoever is reading this, I sure hope you're happy too. Life really is beautiful when you look up at the clouds instead of focusing on the mud that's on your feet.

Question

When some girl from church brags about how good her "better than sex" chocolate cake is... what's she saying about how good sex with her is? That people might prefer chocolate cake to it?

Ju-On: The Grudge

"An evil curse and vengeful spirits seem to linger upon a house where the horrific murder of a woman and child took place and anyone who sets foot inside the house is marked for a terrifying haunting which will not rest. One by one, those who have been tainted by the house begin to die, and nowhere is safe." - imdb.com

This movie was made by the same crowd that made "Ringu" which was made stateside into a little movie called "The Ring". This may be excited afterglow, but this just might be the scariest movie I've ever seen. Yes, to my mind it was scarier than "The Shining". It cranked up the spooky suspense within the first 5 minutes and really didn't let up for the rest of the movie. Now I have to figure out how to find a good way to get the most recent ex to go see it before it's out of theaters, as the predecessor's adaptation is one of her favorite flicks. Seriousy, if you have a chance, go see this movie. Zan bruised my arm she was so scared. One of those nasty purple-blue-yellow bruises, too.

What was interesting is that they used a really wide variety of film and plot devices to get the audience reaction, instead of pushing the same button over and over like "What Lies Beneath" or "The 6th Sense". The plot has some holes, and since I speak Japanese I can pretty much tell you it's not a matter of translation... but I think part of the charm of the movie is the ambiguity that we don't know entirely why everything is happening, merely that when that little ghost kid shows up, someone's gonna buy the farm. Sadly, it looks like the American version is going to be starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, so I can't say that I have high hopes for it.