Status Updates (Sept. 16th & 17th)

Sometimes, I feel like the guy in these pictures is somehow stalking me. I mean, he's never there when I switch screens, but when I come back, the son of a bitch is right back, staring at me, and right into my soul-less core. I would do something about it, but it feels nice to have a friend.

01 - So, I've been working about 3.5 hours, and have officially finished a whopping three reports. Either I work way too slow, I'm far too thorough, or these things are just ridiculous in length, and have way too many damn questions. Hint: It isn't the second one... and though the first one is certainly true, it isn't that one in this case.

02 - If you attend a 3+ hour concert, and hear only six songs, you just might be at a Transatlantic show.

03 - My chair is really uncomfortable on my tushy area after only four hours. Going to be a long 8 more hours.

04 - I don't care what they say, love is always the answer. Awwwww

05 - Fuck you and your stupid fucking George W. Bush socks!

06 - Republican block "equal pay" bill. I fucking hate republicans. These asshole pieces of crap are everything that is wrong with this country. Them, and Anne Murray not being from here.

07 - I really wish I could walk on a pile of baby ducks.

08 - I remember this one time that I found out I was going to be a dad. That was a great day. I like that day.

09 - What are you, some kind of foot licker?

10 - I want you to be my tit licker.

11 - Penal.

I guess that once again, I've run out of things to say. I'm getting pretty damned lazy about this whole thing. Frankly, I'm ashamed of myself. I'm gonna go have a good cry.

I leave you with this picture of our babies.

TransAtlantic - Whirld Tour 2010

TransAtlantic - Whirld Tour 2010

Now this is how you do a live show. I can't believe how long this concert was, and how amazingly well the musicians played. This may be one of the greatest live sets of all time. Not only do the band tear through their newest release (at the time), "The Whirlwind" (an epic masterpiece, and a concept album to boot), but they do an amazing job representing their previous two albums (playing damn near the entire "Bridge Across Forever" album). And the performance of "Stranger In Your Soul" is not to be missed! This is one band that definitely give their fans their moneys worth at a live show. And the highest band on my "must see" list. I love this group. Easily one of my favorites (with their "Bridge Across Forever" album being my number one favorite album of all time). Captured amazingly on this three CD set, it's a must have in any prog collection.

Status Updates (Sept. 15th & 16th)

The work day starts really quite early today. Stupid gat-danged elections!

01 - Tables, and spreadsheets, and queries... oh my.

02 - Holy fucking crap I hate flies. I mean, I really fucking hate the little fuckers. Anybody that "wouldn't hurt a fly" can just fuck right the fuck up. The little assholes must die!

03 - Wake me when elections end.

04 - Definitely will consider maybe thinking about potentially possibly leaning somewhat towards deciding to vote.

05- I feel as if I'm not doing enough with my life. I need to get things in gear and start doing more of the things I've always dreamed of doing. I'm certainly not getting any younger.

06 - One of our guinea pigs just had babies. She had three, but one of them didn't make it. The other two are so cute.

07 - Coheed & Cambria are streaming a live performance of their entire "In Keeping Secrets..." album right now, on Live Nation. God bless technology!

08 - For a brother and sister, these guinea pigs made some pretty cute babies. Makes me wish I had a sister to... um... shit. Nothing.

09 - I want to play Diablo 3, but my wrists are killing me.

I'll leave you all with this (not so great) picture of our five new babies.

Yes - Going For the One

Yes - Going For the One

After listening to "Drama", I needed to continue my prog fix, and this album should help with that nicely. Though it's not exactly my favorite Yes album, there is some amazing material here. The title track for one, and "Parallels", and of course, the epic masterpiece "Awaken". Yes, this is an incredible album, and though it may not be at the top of the Yes heap for me, it sits very nicely with the previous albums, and is a very satisfying listen.

Yes - Drama

Yes - Drama

So, I was going to listen to "Big Generator", but this seemed like a much better idea. This is one of my very favorite Yes albums. I hardly notice the absence of Jon Anderson (especially since the new guy sounds so much like him). Right from the get go this album is killer, as "Machine Messiah" is one of the greatest songs that Yes have ever written (in my opinion). And let's not forget "Does It Really Happen" and "Into the Lens", and of course "Tempus Fugit". So many great songs to choose from, that it's hard to NOT love this masterpiece of an album! Yes, my ears are please right now. 

Yes - 90125

Yes - 90125

I'm feeling lazy, so I pulled out my YES box set. I still haven't listened to this disc, and "Big Generator" since buying the set, so I figured I'd start there. Some great tunes on "90125", like "It Can Happen", "Changes", and "Hearts" (which is easily the creme of the crop on this one... amazing song!). Great disc for the most part!

Status Updates (Sept. 14th & 15th)

Today, as I venture into this new and exciting chapter of my life, titled "Just Another Crappy Week", I'm reminded of all of the important things I've done along the way, and all of the people that I have helped with my own kind heart, and slightly manic spleen. If I were to go over all of it with you people, I'm afraid it would take far more typing than my delicate hand piggies could handle right now. Plus, I don't want to take up all of the remaining space of the internet with it all. It's that vast folks. 

Someone famous once said: "At our best, we can only achieve to do something achievable. And in that, the hopes of all sea otters, lost at sea." I think this rings just as true today as it did when it was first spoken by that anonymous genius. 

Anyhow, I think it is time to release you onto the thoughts that I'm thinking for this work period. I can't imagine they will be overly profound thoughts. In fact, I can't even promise that they will be coherent thoughts. With that being said, grab a giant jar of "nutella", an over-sized wooden spoon, and dig the fuck in folks!

01 - I just burped. It was delightful, with just a hint of lavender, and whale vomit. 

02 - I would follow your fine behind into war, any day.

03 - Say, would you like to do it in a vibrating, heart-shaped bed?  

04 - One day, I should like to go roadrunner on your ass.

05 - Blah, blah blah, football, blah fucking blah.

06 - I'm gonna stop wearing my pants.

Good night.

In Flames - Siren Charms

In Flames - Siren Charms

To be honest, I wasn't going to buy this CD. I have two others from this band, and I don't remember having a very favorable opinion of them after first listens. However, when I heard a song from this disc, "Rusted Nail", I just had to have this one. After listening through with only half of my attention, in the car, I enjoyed what I heard. Now it's time for a proper listen through. In addition, I think I may need to go back and listen to the other two discs... maybe I hadn't given them a fair go of it. 

((Update: After listening with head phones, and really digging in, I must say that this was a fantastic disc. Very killer stuff. Monster riffs, and amazing singing. Loved it!))

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events

This was the first Dream Theater album to not feature Mike Portnoy on drums. To be honest, I wasn't ever worried about liking this album or not. Going into it, I knew I was going to love it, and once again DT did not let me down. It's got that classic Dream Theater sound that I know and love, but with a fresh take on it. There are a lot of people who didn't even give it a fair shot without MP and that is just unfair. It wasn't the bands fault that MP left, and this amazing album definitely deserves an unbiased listen, as I'm sure more would love it if they really took the time and got to know it.

Status Updates (Sept. 13th & 14th)

So, once again my work week begins on Saturday night, so it looks like it's going to be another fun filled six days of political hell. On the plus side... um... Samantha is really cute in this picture.

01 - One day I should like to eat two human lungs. One from a smoker, and one from a non-smoker. Ya know, just to see which one is tastier. I think this may give smokers the edge that they have so desperately been needing, because I enjoy a nice smokey flavor.

02 - I'll be in the oven.

03 - Say what you all want, but I kind of like the Miley Cyrus cover of Zeppelin's cover of "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You". She's does a fantastic job in my opinion.

04 - Oh Eric, I think you just consummated yourself.

05 - I really have very little to say tonight. I'm sorry that I am letting you, my legion of followers, down.

Okay, that's it. Go away now.

Liberty's Exiles - Band Photo

So, we needed a band photo for an upcoming... reason. Since we live so far apart, I took a huge amount of my time and put this together. It involved some copying, and some pasting, and... well, that was about it actually.

Visit our website: http://libertysexiles.weebly.com/

Angel - Self Titled (Vinyl)

Angel - Self Titled

Dug this beauty out for my own listening pleasure. I must say I don't know the album too well, past the lead cut ("Tower"), but it was begging to be listened to.

Status Updates (September 10th & 11th)

Another is finally upon us. And with it comes my words of... well, just more words, from me. Though I can't imagine why anyone would want to read this, it is here anyway. And why? Because I need to litter the internet with my inane ramblings, because I'm who I am, and I'm who I care about.

01 - Thanks to Hollywood, every time my car won't start I immediately assume that the apocalypse is upon us. On the plus side, it's at this exact moment I magically know how to fly planes too. So I guess there's that bit of good news.

02 - I buried Paul.

03 - Hitting Youtube for the Genesis '87 Wembley Stadium show. Definitely need to be getting this one on DVD... like soon! 

04 - I love Genesis, and I love drum solos, but when you drum solo is centered around drumming on your drum stools... best to skip the solo altogether. 

05 - I wonder if it's a good thing to have a job that nobody else would want. Is that a good indication of job security, or just wishful thinking?

06 - Without music, I'm not sure that I see much point in life. Oh sure, there's family and friends, and so many other things to fill yourself up with beautiful emotion, but without music... fuck it all.

07 - I never wanted a moment in my life where I could answer "Where were you when this happened?". I, like so many other people on this planet, was given that moment 13 years ago today. It was a day that I will unfortunately never forget. A day when we once again proved what a terrible race of beings that we can truly be. But, I guess from the wreck of that, so many people showed just how good we can all be. No, I will never forget. But yes, I would like to. May all of the people who perished in the senseless tragedy of September 11th, 2001 rest in peace. 

08 - There are some Anti-Suicide groups that are using Robin Williams as some sort of unofficial spokesman or some shit, lately. I find this to be a terrible thing. Yes, Williams was an iconic comedian and a very known person, but to use his tragic death to help forward any cause is just somehow wrong to me.

09 - Good damn gravy, "Zhar The Mad's Flight 2" is a HUGE area.

10 - Gohastings.com really needs to add an option to filter out the "out of stock" items!

And once again, that brings us to the end of the night. I'm sleepy, and it's time to get the kids awake and out the door... so that I can go to sleep. Good-bye!

Trailer Park Boys - Season 8

So on Friday, completely out of nowhere for me, Netflix released Season 08 of Trailer Park Boys! Holy crap this was some great news! This has long been one of my very favorite shows, and I did not expect to ever see a new season of it. Especially after the bleak reviews of Season 07 (which I personally enjoyed, but agree that it may not have been up to the quality of previous seasons).

Season 8 centered around the Boys trying to buy Jim Lahey's 1% of the park. From Bubbles and his kitty hotels (set up beautifully in garden sheds), to the obvious law breaking antics of the boys, this season was a great one. It was nice to see Corey back, and holy crap is Trinity nice on the eyes. 

Overall, I thought it was a great season, filled with the same crazy moments that one would come to expect from this amazing cast of degenerates. I highly recommend it!

Two Teeth In One Day?!?!

Samantha, my seven year old daughter, lost two teeth today, at school. How does something like that happen? I think it's kind of strange, but she looks so cute :)

Status Updates (Sept. 9th & 10th)

I didn't do one of these yesterday, and so much has gone wrong over the entire planet today. I guess it was inevitable. Without my wit and wisdom, the world seems to just break down. I don't know why I only though of myself yesterday, but I can offer up this apology, and try and be better in the future. Not only is it what every single person alive today deserves, it is what I deserve. 

01 - Got the standalone version of Rush's "Vapor Trails Remixed" today. In addition to that, I learned of an amazing box set coming in November with all of Rush's recent concerts release on Blu-Ray, and an incredible looking bonus disc. That bonus disc is going to be the turning point in Rush fandom, because it reportedly contains a show with Rutsey on drums. The Laura Secord Secondary School show has shown up in bits and pieces, but only a couple full songs exist so far. Also, a show from the "2112" tour (or was it the "All the World's A Stage" tour?). Can't wait to get my grubby Rush fan fingers on that bad boy!

02 - I hate it when I mess up at work. It drives me nuts. I need to pay a lot more attention!

03 - I just saw lightning out through the window again. So far it is staying outside, but the second that lightning comes in the house, I'm going to have to politely ask that it come back another day. I simply do not have time to deal with it today. 

04 - Alone with my thoughts is never a good thing. I don't like my thoughts. Sometimes they can behave, but other times they are such little assholes, and I can do nothing to control them. That's why I like sleep (though I haven't had much of it for the last few days), because it shuts the damned thoughts up for a little while.

05 - Basement is flooded again. This is the fourth time in two weeks. And the owners of the house have made no move to help correct it, and obviously we just can't afford it. This is being rented as a "three bedroom" house, but one of the bedrooms are in the basement, as well as my office, and they just keep getting flooded. I'm about at the end of my rope here.

06 - It's hot and wet down here. It's like a naughty movie, but without all of the fun of a naughty movie. I may have to commence with the burning of this place down.

07 - I think that for the most part, I'm a nice person. I can't do confrontation, and I don't like to hurt people. Even people that don't deserve my kindness, I try to be nice to. So I guess maybe I am a good man. Or at the very least, I try to be.

08 - Why do people yell out that they love artists at live show? Do you really love that person? I mean, I love their music, but I don't love any of them. 

09 - I did a crazy bathing suit shoot today. Didn't notice that I was showing a bit too much "brain", but it's okay, cause that shit was hot.

10 - I love you dearly, my friend.

11 - Staring at Excel spreadsheets, and Access tables all night long, really starts to play on my sanity. I start to thinking maybe... just maybe... Smurf Genocide (band name?)!

12 - I really hope my Router/Modem aren't reading this... I haven't had any problems with the router or the modem for a couple days now. It's actually pretty fantastic.

13 - I think that from now on, people should call me Master Bay-Tor. It's a very cool name, and I "corral the tadpole"... a lot.

14 - I'm so tired I stopped seeing sounds and hearing colors, and have started hearing sounds and seeing colors. This is some weird, trippy shit!

Okay, that's all I have to say. Good night.

Rush - Power Windows

Rush - Power Windows

I've often labeled this as my least favorite Rush album, but I'm not sure that's exactly the label I'm looking for. I love every song on this disc, but it is certainly the one I go back to the least, though I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the sequencing, and if these were songs were sprinkled on the other discs released through the 80's maybe they would be perfect? I'm not sure. Either way, these are some great songs, and I'm going to enjoy listening to them right now.

Rush - Vapor Trails Remixed

Rush - Vapor Trails Remixed

I previously only had the Atlantic Studio Albums box set version of this. But I just had to have the stand alone too. Such an amazing difference in sound on this one, when compared to the original 2002 release. The sound isn't muddy, but crisp and very pleasing to the ears, whereas the previous was just painful to listen to at any sort of loud volume. There are new elements that were added back into the songs (even guitar solos in "One Little Victory", and "Ceiling Unlimited"!) that really add to the magic of this very powerful, and emotional work of art. Amazing job done by David Bottrill, and I may never play the original disc again (though I will obviously keep it in the collection... cause... RUSH!). 

Rush - Grace Under Pressure

Rush - Grace Under Pressure

Since I just finished off "Signals", it seemed only right to continue the "Sector 3" marathon, with "Grace Under Pressure". While this was a dark period in the bands history, the music, at least to my ears, is stellar! The production sounds great on this disc (thanks Peter Henderson!), and I just love the keys. They are a bit back in the mix when compared to "Signals", but they sound amazing. Alex has about a thousand great moments on this disc, and Neil steps it up a notch with some great sounding electronic drums. Overall, this is a fantastic album, and when you add in "Between the Wheels" (with my favorite Lerxst solo of all time), you know you're in for a treat!

Rush - Signals

Rush - Signals

I pulled out the surround mix DVD from the "Sector 3" box set, to enjoy this 1982 release from my favorite band of all time, Rush. Sure they are not the band the were in the 70's, but for me, it's all about growth with this band. Are there a lot more synths, and less guitar? Yes. But I still love this disc. Some amazing music on here, and a few of my favorite Lifeson performances to boot.