Blog Tag

I got my first blog tag!  I feel so accepted.  Now I have to figure out how to do this.  I’m so pathetically technology challenged, it nauseates me.  I’m guessing, with my limited knowledge, I just copy and paste, so that’s what I’m going to do.

Q.  Have you ever been made redundant from your job and how did you feel about it?

A.  Never.  I’m an over achiever.  Whenever I do something, I feel the need to progress to the highest level possible.  I was class president in high school, president of my fraternity in college, a game moderator on the online game I play, I’ve always been management in my jobs, and soon, I will become owner of the pharmacy I work at (I am a pharmacist).  I’m not bragging, I’m just stating I have a compulsory need to achieve.

Q.  If you were interviewing someone for a writing job, what 3 qualities would you look for and why?

A. First thing would be penmanship.  I need to know the writer understands how to construct a sentence, a paragraph, etc.  Run on sentences is one of my biggest pet peeves.  If I see one, the interviewee is getting tossed.  The second thing would be is his/her writing interesting?  Are there thoughts there?  Does it hold my attention?  If not, no matter how beautifully constructed it is, the interviewee is getting tossed.  Last, can I work with this writer, and can he/she get along with other writers on the team?  I am a strong believer in team harmony.  If the interviewee can’t, guess what happens…

Q.  What is your favorite board game and why?

A. Axis and Allies.  The game is very strategic, and helps to satisfy my ambitions for world domination.  

Q.  When you look at the stars, what do you see?

A. Beauty and wonder.  They spark my imagination.

Q. When you look at the ocean, what does it remind you of?

A. Sharks…they are my biggest fear.

Q.  How do you overcome writer’s block?

A. Usually I take a break.  It may be for an hour or a day, but that generally does it for me.  Sometimes I just write.  My thoughts generally lead to other thoughts which lead to other thoughts…  By the time I’m done, I usually have something half decent.  I’ll go back later, when I am more inspired, and turn it into something better.

Q.  If you could say 3 encouraging things to another person, what would it be?

A.  Wow, it really depends on the person and the situation.  In general, stay positive.  Things will get better, but sometimes you have to work harder to make that happen.  Like yourself, because not everyone will, and that is ok.  It’s impossible to please everyone.  Everyone is talented, just in different things.  Don’t focus on what others can do, focus on what you can do and enjoy it.  

Q.  Do you prefer to write your stories/books/poetry/prose/articles on paper first, then type them up and edit them, or do you like to type them straight into your computer to edit?

A. A paper and pen have always been two of my best friends.  I am never bored if I have them.  I hand write, in general.  I find it more personal and there is a certain romanticism about it.  I’ve been trying to write more on my computer just for ease, but it is not my preferred method.

Q.  Do you like writing in one genre or more?

A. Ummm…..again it depends.  I like writing in the fantasy genre the best.  My creativity is best served for this purpose, and I have the most fun.  When I write for Carpe Nocturne or Sonifly, I prefer to diversify as much as possible.  Writing just artist bios and band overviews can get dreadfully monotonous.  

Q.  As a writer, do you think actions speak louder than words?

A. This feels like a trick question.  Actions, I believe, do speak louder than words.  However, my actions usually involve words.

Q.  What is your favorite quote and why?

A. There are just so many great quotes, it is so difficult for me to pick one.  I mean, I could post at least fifty from Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln alone.  I always hate this question.  Instead, I’ll post my favorite song lyric.  It’s by one of my favorite artists, Alecia Moore, better known as P!nk.  It’s from probably my all time favorite song “Sober.”

“Ah, the night is calling.  And it whispers to me, softly, come and play.”

 

Tribes of the Future — Helalyn Flowers

For me, it was incredibly difficult to pick a Helalyn Flowers song to talk about. I knew I wanted something off of their new CD, because I feel “White Me In, Black Me Out” best represents who they are as artists. I finally settled on “Tribes of the Future” for several reasons.

First, the song kicks ass. That’s most important. Second, it is the perfect example of how Helalyn Flowers’ style has changed to almost pure retro 80s metal. If you listen closely, however, there is still modern industrial bass undertones. It’s hard to make out, because like retro metal, the guitar overpowers everything, but it is there. Last, listen to the many different ways Noemi Aurora sings in this song. She is blessed with natural vocal ability.

Helalyn Flowers keeps climbing on my favorite artists chart. I’m hoping for a US tour.

Walking on Air — Kerli

The other day I stumbled upon this artist — Kerli. Obviously she is more popular than I realize, yet I have never heard of her before. Since my discovery, I have been trying to make heads or tails out of her.

Kerli presents as a cute Goth bordering on a dark Alice in Wonderland. I love her videos. She has plenty of dark imagery and her use of colors are very pleasing to my eyes. Her music is straight up Pop, like something you would hear on a top 40 station. It’s not haunting or eerie. It’s kinda like Taylor Swift turned Goth and teamed up with Kesha to write music. This is not my cup of tea.

At this point, I’m confused. I can’t say Kerli’s sound appeals to me, yet visually I like her. I do appreciate what she is doing. Yet, there is a good chance I may never buy a single one of her songs. I’m going to keep listening to her until I have a definitive opinion.

Hobbies, Time Management, and Whatever

Lately, it seems there is not enough time to do everything I want to do.  Do I have too many hobbies?  I really don’t think so.  Is life just too busy right now?  Maybe, but I do have free time.  What have I been spending it on and should I be doing something more productive?  I guess that depends on your definition of productivity.  Let’s review my past 2 weeks because I definitely have not written on my blog.

I began practicing yoga again.  Thank God.  I have veered away from it for too long, and it’s time to refocus.  Not only is yoga great exercise, but it makes me feel good, and I enjoy doing it.  I need to make yoga a priority.  I picked up Dan’s Brown book “Inferno.”  Reading is something I do not do enough of.  I should read more, but it is the first hobby I set aside when life gets busy.

I am trying to be more social.  To clarify, I am not antisocial, but I do get bogged down with everything that needs to be done, so I often spend days camped in front of my computer.  This is not fair to my wife who most certainly is a very social person.  It’s not fair to my kids either.  Social interaction is most likely good for me too.  The trick is being social without stressing about what isn’t getting accomplished, and finding a way to balance the two.

I play a social vampire game on my iPhone.  In reality, this should be the first activity I set aside, but I often make it the priority.  I can’t begin my day until I’ve cycled through my battles.  I think it’s more because of the friendships I have made on there more than the game itself.  I’ve been playing the game for almost 2 years, and I talk to these “virtual” friends everyday.  I hate that term virtual.  Although I may never meet any of these people face to face, they are very real friends to me.  We talk, laugh, complain, discuss life, etc.  The fact we do not do it in person means nothing.

Speaking of my iPhone game, I’ve been writing a short story for the game’s forum with my friend Debra.  She is my best friend I’ve made on there, and now outside of it as well.  Again, never met her in person and it doesn’t matter.  She is a close friend, and only a friend.  I hate the fact I have to put a disclaimer in because she is a woman.  Anyways, the story is written just for fun, and we hope some of the players will enjoy reading it.

This brings me to social media….Facebook, I hate it.  I do find it useful for following bands, however.  I was also able to track down the author Suzi M and interview her through that platform.  So, Facebook does have it’s advantages.  Twitter…I just don’t get it.  Pinterest actually looks like something I might enjoy.  But…I am man, so I’m told I’m not supposed to do it.  Hate that.  God forbid there might be a sensitive straight male who is comfortable enough with his masculinity to pursue an apparently feminine activity.  Instead, I’m supposed to beat my chest, shoot things, and grunt, because that’s way more appealing.  Look, I can go one on one in hoops, school someone in a game of pool, and discuss the finer points of the zone blitz all night long over a cigar and a glass of scotch.  I just hate the strict gender structure of what is acceptable and not acceptable.  It’s just another form of ignorance.

Tumblr….I’m thinking this may be the way to go for me.  Straight men who join aren’t shunned.  I can post pictures of things I find interesting or funny and add a comment.  My only fear is it is too much like Facebook.  In that case, I always have my blog.

Final note….realized tonight I never posted any videos from Helalyn Flowers.  I need to do that.  Also, Kidneythieves, they are up next on my blog to do list.  Ok, gotta go write a couple of chapters for my forum story now.

 

 

 

Someone — Chiasm

This may very well be the most intelligent video I have ever seen. Once I start watching it, I can’t stop. The video is so completely captivating. I love how the industrial sounds are incorporated into the video itself. You almost forget you are seeing a music video, and instead, you feel like you are watching a movie.

The song, “Someone,” is a masterpiece. It’s so simple, but incredibly crafted. The noises blend together perfectly, and Emileigh’s vocals are dark and haunting. I can watch this video all night long, and I’m not exaggerating. I don’t even need the visuals. The song stands up by itself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Chiasm is another one of those bands where I shake my head and wonder why everyone doesn’t listen to them.

Chiasm

Has it really been over 2 weeks since I posted a blog?  That’s unacceptable.  Thanks to my fellow Asylum junky for giving me a nudge.  I can’t think of a better way to return than talking about Emileigh Rohn…better known as the project Chiasm.

I first came across Emileigh’s music while playing a game I became completely obsessed with called Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines.  The song “Isolated,” played in the club known as the Asylum.  Go figure.  In that club, players were introduced to their first Malkavian vampire, Jeanette.  Of course, for me, I was introduced to my first fellow Malk.  It was to nice to meet someone who thought like me.  Anyways….

The song “Isolated” has been a favorite of mine for years, but there are so many Chiasm songs that are incredible.  What I love most is probably the subtlety of Emileigh Rohn.  She uses a lot of futuristic and industrial sounds, but doesn’t bombard you with them all at once.  Although she leans towards more ethereal synths and vocals, her music is very danceable.  Emileigh is always eerie, and that I love more than anything.  I can’t wait to post her video “Someone.”  It’s one of my personal favorites.  In fact, I might stop right now so I can go do that.

FYI, I’m looking forward to doing an overview of Chiasm for the next issue of Carpe Nocturne.

Emilie Autumn Live

Do I even dare do this? Do I tackle a live Emilie Autumn performance (gulp)? Let’s give it a shot. Here is a snippet of what you will see if you attend one of her performances….

First off, notice the role Emilie’s backup singers (the Bloody Crumpets) fill. Each one has a distinct personality and brings something different to the performance. Emilie is the star, but they are almost as important. Notice the humor and sexuality. What I might love most is the interaction with the crowd. Emilie’s live show is not I sing and you watch. It becomes much more fun and intimate than that. Emilie even delivers a poignant dialogue on how everyone is different and that is ok.

The live vocals are not her best on this particular video. You also hear a lot of the crowd singing along with her. I’ve heard her sound way better. That is not why I’m posting this particular video. I want you to see the show that is Emilie Autumn. Again, as always, this almost eleven minutes only scratches the surface. Oh, one more FYI note…”Misery Loves Company” just happens to be my favorite Emilie Autumn song.

Birthday Massacre live

Today I decided to do something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now…post some live vids. Why today? I’m super psyched to be seeing Ayria in concert tonight. I think it’s appropriate. My first choice is the Birthday Massacre…they sound incredible live. Chibi’s vocals are spot on and the instruments are solid. I’m picking their trademark song “Happy Birthday.”

Here is a fact some of you may not know….The Birthday Massacre’s original name was Imagica. When they got signed to a record label, they decided to change their name to avoid confusion with another group named Imagica. They chose the title of their most popular song for their new name, and renamed the song “Happy Birthday.” Thus, The Birthday Massacre is the band we talk about now.

In this video, you will hear Chibi delivering those growling vocals live. She does this so well. I also love seeing her personality come out on stage. Notice the effects the lighting plays with stage show. Color is always important with the Birthday Massacre. Final note…for some reason this video’s volume appears to be very quiet. You may need to turn that volume up.