So, thanks to Netflix, I can finally do something I've wanted to do for a very long time: Find out what's the deal with Battlestar Galactica. I remember it being on TV a few times when I was very little, but I never watched. Of course it's mentioned on The Office all the time, but also I have several friends who are very in to the re-imagined version of the show. I've read some very interesting bits online comparing the shows, and am curious to see how they really compare, and I'll blog my opinion when I've watched both series. As always, my opinion is correct and definitive, and so all others must comply.
Speaking of comparisons, whenever I see Lieutenant Starbuck (I'm currently halfway through the original 1978 version; I hear he gets a sex change sometime between then and now), I can't help but think of Lone Starr from Spaceballs.
"I'm Starbuck. I'm so cool."
"So, Lone Starr, now you see that Evil will always triumph, because Good is dumb."
Of course, then I think of Starbucks.
I'll leave you with this. I can't get enough of the theme music. It's classic! Such a great fanfare and anthem, so inspirational. I've liked this music ever since one of the first CDs my family ever bought over fifteen years ago was a collection of sci-fi themes (yes, nerdy, I know, but good music anyway). It's odd that it's taken me so long to start watching a show I've loved the music for so long.
Before I let another month go by too lazy to post anything, I should at least give a quick update. I intend for this blog to be a place for me to voice my opinion on topics I enjoy discussing, such as movies, music, books, politics, etc., and a place to share photos and accounts of places I've been and would like to be. This is not one of those blogs where I share my deep feelings and personal issues with the world in a desperate show for attention. However, giving the big picture of what's going on now and then is worthwhile, since the three or four people who follow this blog are friends and family (then again, that means you guys already know all you need to know and more, at least in theory...), and a lot has happened, so here goes.
First, to get the biggest and worst of the news out of the way. Most of my friends are aware of this but it seems a few aren't. I regret to say that after exactly five years and one week having been married to Kathryn Matthews, I am now divorced. Yep. To quote the narrator of Fight Club, "I suppose these things happen." Those who need to know details already know them, and they don't go here. Suffice it to say she's back in Missouri living with her family, and this is a good thing that had been coming for a few years now, and we're both moving on.
Next, as an unforeseen consequence of the aforementioned divorce, the all-knowing, all-wise and benevolent administrators of Brigham Young University - Idaho (most of you know how I feel about that place, and there's more to come...) felt that they were better qualified as my ecclesiastical and spiritual leaders than my own bishop, and decided that with one semester left before receiving my B.S. in geology, I'd best continue somewhere else. Even though this was a poorly made and inappropriate decision on their part (I even had Dr. Dan Moore, my department chair, fighting for me to stay at BYU-Idaho; there really are a lot of good people there, and most of them are in the geology department), this has also proven to be a good thing overall, and not just because now I get to grow out my beard again.
I am now attending Idaho State University in Pocatello, have made several good new friends, and am in an environment that feels much more comfortable to me. It's proven to be a difficult transition back to the single life, I couldn't have asked for better help making the change. I found an amazing apartment in Pocatello, a mile from campus and very affordable, and four of the funnest roommates I've ever had. Additionally, since I need a certain number of resident credits before I can claim my degree from ISU, that means my education is delayed a couple semesters at least. That sounds horrible at first, but it's really great.
Two of my biggest complaints about BYU-Idaho involve their approach to putting students "first" by rushing them through the system so fast it's amazing you can learn anything there. Semesters are crammed into about twelve weeks, making a full 14-credit (as opposed to the traditional 12) load feel closer to 20 credits, resulting in fast burnout of students and a faculty nearing the point of rebellion (they don't even get a semester off!). The other is that they limit the total number of credits you can take to 140, meaning there's no opportunity to broaden your horizons by taking interesting classes unrelated to your major to help become a more balanced person. I suppose they consider education to be a nonrenewable resource, not to be squandered?
Now that I have no choice, I have a perfect opportunity to take classes I could never have fit into my schedule at BYU-Idaho, and have decided to minor in music. There are really only two things that make me feel truly content in life: the view from the top of a mountain after a long hike or from the highway during a long drive, and when I am performing music. This makes a geology major and music minor the perfect mix for me. I've already begun working on a project I've wanted to do for a very long time, which is to make brass arrangements of songs by Björk and other artists I admire. I'll post recordings when I manage to make good ones!
Now that I am single again, I've also finally been able to pay more attention to things that had largely been ignored due to financial situations and the difficulties in resolving those between a married couple. My Jeep is finally getting the attention it needs to stay functional and hopefully not fail catastrophically like it did last year. Also, while we'd been waiting years and years hoping to be able to afford visits to the dentist for major work, now my parents have been generous enough to pay for my teeth to get a major workover. To quote Scott Lewis (dentist I recommend in Rexburg), I had "a mess in there". Not anymore... over this past three months I had a standing 1pm appointment every Monday, and the major stuff has been taken care of. This includes finally having my nightmare wisdom teeth removed last Thursday (oh, right, there were a few non-Monday visits, too). To put it mildly, I feel like a krillion bucks (and my parents have that much less money!).
Finally, the last bit. Last Friday I moved to Boise for the summer. I got an internship working for the Forest Service making maps of environmental road hazards, and I start tomorrow. For the first week I get to camp and receive field training, then it'll be office work with ArcGIS. I also just found out that my good friend Scott Bergendorf, who was at field camp with me last summer, will be one of the field crews reporting to me, which will be cool. I spent most of yesterday just driving around Boise, and maybe it was the weather affecting me (it was raining and sleeting and snowing, and mid 30s, awesome weather!), but so far I love Boise. I need to buy a new camera, so I can take pictures. The drive from Rexburg to Boise couldn't have been timed better, as I got a perfect mix of storms and low-angle light to show off the mountains spectacularly, and I got to see Craters of the Moon for the first time. It was enough to remind me why I am a geologist.
Okay, enough of this! That's the update. I've got movies to review, concerts to talk about (I got to see Muse last month!), politics to discuss. I'll get to it!
Yes, this blog actually died. I think it's safe to say that after two and a half months of no posts, this blog died. But it isn't completely dead, just mostly dead, and it will come back! Not yet... this is just a precursor. As usual, the main reason for the dearth of posts is laziness; but this time there is also more going on. It's been major life crisis for me lately, and while I keep personal stuff to a minimum on this blog, there will be a few details in a forthcoming post.
For now, I just want to share some music that's been getting me through the tough times, since I tend to express myself better with music than in words. I'm not going to elaborate much if at all here, just share the music and the lyrics, with my favorite lines in bold print, that is all. Enjoy, and if you are tempted to skip a song because you don't like the band, please at least give it a shot. I didn't like some of these bands the first time I heard them, either, and now they're some of my favorites. For example, this new(ish) song from Metallica, which is my new favorite from them:
The Unforgiven III by Metallica:
How could he know this new dawn's light Would change his life forever?
Set sail to sea, but pulled off course by the light of golden treasure;
Was he the one causing pain With his careless dreaming? Been afraid, always afraid Of the things he's feeling;
He could just be gone; He would just sail on; He'll just sail on.
How can I be lost, if I've got nowhere to go? Search for seas of gold, how come it's got so cold? How can I be lost? In remembrance I relive; And how can I blame you, when it's me I can't forgive?
These days drift on Inside a fog, It's thick and suffocating; His sinking life, outside it's hell; Inside, intoxicating;
He's run aground, like his life; Water much too shallow Slipping fast, down with his ship! Fading in the shadows
Now a castaway; They've all gone away, They've gone away.
How can I be lost, if I've got nowhere to go? Search for seas of gold, how come it's got so cold? How can I be lost? In remembrance I relive; And how can I blame you, when it's me I can't forgive?
Forgive me, forgive me not; Forgive me, forgive me not; Forgive me, forgive me not; Forgive me, forgive me, Why can't I forgive me?
(Guitar Solo)
Set sail to sea, but pulled off course By the light of golden treasure; How could he know this new dawn's light Would change his life forever?
How can I be lost, if I've got nowhere to go? Search for seas of gold, how come it's got so cold? How can I be lost? In remembrance I relive; And how can I blame you, when it's me I can't forgive?
And now, quite possibly my new favorite song by Muse, for both the awesome piano part and especially the lyrics:
Hoodoo by Muse:
Come into my life, Regress into a dream; We will hide, Build a new reality, Draw another picture Of the life you could have had; Follow your instincts, And choose the other path.
You should never be afraid, You're protected from trouble and pain; Why, why is this a crisis in your eyes again?
Taught to be, How did it come to be, Tied to a railroad! You'll have to set us free; Watch our souls fade away, Let our bodies crumble away;
Don't be afraid, I will take the cold for you.
And I've had recurring nightmares That I was loved for who I am, And missed the opportunity To be a better man.
One more from Metallica before I finish with the song that I most identify with right now:
No Leaf Clover by Metallica:
And it feels right this time, On his crash course with the big time; Pay no mind to the distant thunder, New day fills his head with wonder, boy;
Says it feels right this time, Turned it 'round and found the right line; "Good day to be alive, sir, Good day to be alive," he says;
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel Was just a freight train coming your way; Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel Was just a freight train coming your way;
Don't it feel right like this? All the pieces fall to his wish; "Sucker for that quick reward, boy, Sucker for that quick reward," they say;
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel Was just a freight train coming your way; Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel Was just a freight train coming your way; It's coming your way!
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel Was just a freight train coming your way;
Then it comes to be, Then it comes to be.
And finally, the song that has most often been in my head the past few months, from the Canadian band Stars. The quote at the beginning has nothing to do with anything, it's the video right after it and the song that are so amazing. If you give no other song in this post a shot, please listen to this one, because it is so well done:
Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by Stars:
God, that was strange to see you again, Introduced by a friend of a friend; Smiled, and said "Yes, I think we've met before," In that moment, it started to pour;
Captured a taxi, despite all the rain, We drove in silence across Pont Champlain; And all that time, you thought I was sad, I was trying to remember your name.
This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin, Tried to reach deep, but you couldn't get in; Now you're outside me, you see all the beauty, Repent all your sin;
It's nothing but time, and a face that you lose, I chose to feel it, and you couldn't choose; I'll write you a postcard, I'll send you the news, From the house down the road from real love.
Live through this, and you won't look back; Live through this, and you won't look back.
There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave: You were what I wanted, I gave what I gave; I'm not sorry I met you, I'm not sorry it's over, I'm not sorry there's nothing to save;
I'm not sorry, there's nothing to save.
I don't know what these songs will mean to anyone listening to them beyond just good music, but they are songs I felt the need to share, especially that last one. Hopefully I will be able to get over this hump and get this blog rolling again, but until then, enjoy this music.
As I've somewhat vaguely alluded to by the title of this post, I just finished another semester. Academically it was one of the easiest semesters I've had, but overall one of the most difficult and stressful ever (there may or may not be more on that at a future date). A few things of note, I picked up a new musical instrument this semester and performed my first concert (with the BYU-Idaho Symphony Band) on the euphonium, which looks you can see on the left (also, I may do more with pictures than center them from now on, who knows!). "Euphonium" is from Greek, meaning "good sound", which it certainly has, but Trombone is still more fun and no matter how many instruments I learn I will always be first and foremost a Trombone player. Also, Trombone is the only instrument that gets to be capitalized like a proper noun. The concert was fun, and I got to play some of the most challenging music I've ever played on an instrument I've now only played for a semester (though to be fair, I knew the fingerings from a summer with a drum and bugle corps back in 2000, right out of high school, but that's all the experience I brought into this). Next semester, hopefully, I will be in both the symphony orchestra and band on campus.
Also of note, I am now a semester behind posting field camp stuff! I need to get on that, since I've finished my compilation of all 17 students worth of mapping. The geology is suspect, but it's fun to see it all come together, and I'll post it when I get to it. I also plan to post a very cool physics project I did with a couple other geology students for the most useless physics lab class ever.
And now a bit of bragging... my science writing class turned out great this semester, and I got perfect scores on not just one, but two major assignments, both of which the professor plans to use as student examples for future semesters. Part of that may well be that I chose a unique topic, with which you may be familiar if you follow this blogs: "They" want to take away your hot dogs!
Remember, I had an interesting "debate" with another geology student over this supposed conspiracy theory. Well, I did some research, found quite a few sources, and decided to use it as the topic for my persuasive policy paper. Our professor had us actually address our paper to a real policymaker and send it to them, so my letter (which you can download here) has been mailed to the Secretary of Agriculture, and I fully expect not to hear back. But if I do, you'll be sure to read about it here!
That was one perfect score. The other was our "web writing revision", for which we were to take our persuasive paper and adapt it for online consumption, since that's where most reading happens these days. So guess what? I've got another blog now! Unlike this blog, which receives regular, I mean sporadic, updates, this blog is basically "finished". I may add a news link section, but if you want to see a perfect scoring website based on hot dogs and featuring Adam Sandler and Chris Farley at the end, check out Death and Hot Dogs. The name is a play on the two certainties in life: death and taxes. I wanted to call it "Keep Your Hands Off My Wiener!", but decided a bit more professional a title would be better in this case.
Anyway... that's my update for now. One quick note to anyone attending or planning to attend BYU-Idaho: TAKE AS MANY RELIGION CLASSES AS YOU CAN FROM RANDY HAYES! After many semesters of frustration with religion classes I'm required to take but do nothing for me, my last one finally is a winner. Aside from my geology professors, Bro. Hayes is hands-down the best teacher I've ever had, and there wasn't a single day I attended his class that I didn't hear something I needed to hear. His ability to fit the Old Testament into the big picture of history is amazing, and the guy is absolutely hilarious. From three years of dreading another hour wasted in a useless religion class, from the first day my religion class became my number one favorite class of the semester. Just in case I haven't made it clear: Take your religion classes from Randy Hayes whenever possible!
I don't know about you, but I could use a good laugh right now. So here's some funny stuff I've found recently.
First off, I recently found a blog in the tradition of the FAIL Blog, called People of Wal-Mart. Basically, the idea is that people see funny people in Wal-Mart, cars in the parking lot, or general funny/weird stuff at Wal-Mart, they take a picture, and submit it to the blog. It can be hit or miss, but now and then something truly bizarre and hilarious shows up. Here are a couple of my favorite examples:
Okay... there's something personally funny about this last one. I haven't posted anything about my geology field camp class yet (I'll fix that soon, I promise!), but here's a photo of me pretending I can slackline after a hard day of hiking and mapping:
Okay, I'm scared now....
The next funny thing is this music video I found. Any of you who know me personally or have read more than a few posts on this blog know that I have a thing for Icelandic music. Okay... I'm obsessed with it. Björk, Emíliana Torrini, múm, Ólafur Arnalds, GusGus, Sigur Rós... I can't get enough. But! It's not all good, and this is an example (though my wife claims she likes this one). I dare you to watch it all the way to the end. This video is for serious. Also, it was made in 2003, despite looking like it was made in the 70s and the music sounding like the worst of 90s white rap. The group is Quarashi, and the song is called Orð Morð. My favorite is the old guy in sunglasses that sings the chorus. If you watch to the end you get a good laugh at the drummer, but at least watch a minute; you have to see this to believe it:
You watched it, you can't unwatch it!
Last thing. Early last month I posted photos of my beard in a post called Pogonology. When I was on my internship, a friend told me of a website called Beards.org, and suggested I submit my beard. I did, and nothing happened. Yesterday I got an email saying sorry for the delay, asking what kind of school doesn't allow beards ("I have to assume that you are out of high school by now!"), and that my beard was now added to the gallery. So check out my now world-famous beard, and then go look at some of the others there. There are some really good ones!
Not the best ever. For one, those of you who have followed this blog from the beginning (there might be two of you), or those of you who actually know me (includes anyone who actually follows this blog regularly), Kate and I got married four years ago today. That makes today tough, especially for Kate, since we're spending this anniversary 2400 miles apart. Hopefully this is the only time that happens. The other thing is that I'm back in an area that really appreciates St. Patrick's Day, but there'll be no drinking for me! It's a good thing Kate keeps me on the right path, or eventually I'd let my curiosity get the better of me, and that would be no good. Curiosity killed the cat, but for awhile I was a suspect.
I did do something cool, though. Last week I was in Wheeling, West Virginia, an area with a lot of Irish heritage, and I went to a Celtic festival with a coworker (I got myself a Pepsi so I'd have something in my hands and not be tempted to wander toward the wine tasting table). I forgot my camera in the car, but there wasn't a whole lot to take pictures of anyway. I did pull out my phone to take some shots of the pipe band they had. They were pretty average as far as pipe bands go, but fun to hear, and they had a solo piper who was very good and only fifteen years old. Also, they played a medley of American tunes that included the Marine Hymn, which was very cool.
I also bought a ring and some ear-rings and a couple t-shirts to send to Kate since she couldn't be there. Not expensive stuff, just cool stuff that she likes. One of the shirts had a funny "toast" on it I hadn't heard before:
Here's to the WELSH, who pray on their knees and on their neighbors.
Here's to the SCOTS, who keep the Sabbath and everything else they can get their hands on.
Here's to the IRISH, who never seem to know quite what they want, but are always willing to fight for it. And....
Here's to the ENGLISH, who consider themselves a self-made nation, & thus relieve the Almighty of a dreadful responsibility.
I'm sure some of you have heard it before, but it was a new one for me and it made me laugh. So I bought it, of course.
How did I spend the actual holiday? I spent a lot of last night and today looking for good Irish and Scottish music on YouTube. Guess what? I'm going to share it with you. Only because I find you guys somewhat tolerable. I'm putting a lot of stuff in this post, don't be overwhelmed. It's a variety of different Celtic music, so there's more than likely at least something for everyone, and don't feel like you have to watch it all at once. I hope you all enjoy at least some of it, though.
First, I recommend you go to my blog playlist on the right side of the page, and listen to Anúna. Their name is an easier to pronounce version of their original name, An Uaithne, which is a term describing the three ancient types of Celtic music: Suantraí (lullaby), Geantraí (happy song), and Goltraí (lament). They are best known for their work with the show Riverdance, and are my favorite choral group. Their membership varies somewhat, but they usually perform with between twelve and fourteen singers, and have a very pure sound with tight, interesting harmonies. I have three of my favorites in the playlist: Eiri na Greine/The Rising of the Sun, Innisfree, and Siuil A Riun. Eiri na Greine has some very fun bagpipes near the end, and is a catchy tune. Innisfree is very interesting in that the lyrics are passed back and forth between the soloist and the choir, and the soloist is sometimes singing a melody and sometimes a counter melody. It's also a great example of Michael McGlynn's composition style, which blends traditional Irish melodies with contemporary dissonant, almost jazzy harmonies. Siuil A Riun has been recorded dozens of times at least, and this is by far my favorite version. The choral harmonies are great, the soloist is amazing, and I love the guitars and fiddle. It's just perfect.
A few of Anúna's soloists have recorded solo albums as well, but my favorite is Méav, who is also a member of the group Celtic Woman, which is pretty good. I found one of her solo pieces to put in the playlist as well, a sad song called You Brought Me Up. This is not to be confused with that irritating usurper of the Londonderry Air melody known as You Raise Me Up. Méav has an amazingly clear voice that I could listen to forever. Too bad there's not room in the playlist for more of her music.
I found some Anúna on YouTube, but just so you know, they can come off kind of... intense... live. Almost creepy in some cases. I don't blame you if you hit play and just listen without watching. I recommend listening, though.
This is the song Home and the Heartland from Riverdance, sung by Anúna with Katie McMahon as the soloist. I wanted to include Méav singing Lift the Wings, too, but her version isn't on YouTube, and other versions just don't do it for me.
This live version doesn't have the fiddle, but it has tight choral harmonies in its place, and the guitar is still there.
This is a song about the seaweed. This is how I first heard of Anúna, because we sang this song in choir in high school. The dude's intense stare creeps me out, though.
This song is about death.
Ignore their weirdness, and enjoy the music. My favorite part is right after the female solo, at the 2:47 mark.
I'm including this one mostly because it's so fun to hear him sing Gaelic so fast.
Now some other stuff:
Just Méav singing a nice melody.
The group Celtic Woman singing Harry's Game by Clannad.
Celtic Woman singing another great version of Siuil A Riun.
The Corrs are a modern Irish group, and they have several very good contemporary versions of traditional Irish tunes that I like:
The actual song starts 45 seconds in. This is fun, because you can see the Gaelic lyrics and hear them sung at the same time.
I couldn't resist posting this, an Irish interpretation of my favorite Jimi Hendrix song. Definitely not as good as Hendrix, but still cool for sure.
Another great group most people have heard of is The Chieftains. They've recorded with dozens of guest artists with some pretty cool results. You must hear this, it's too cool. Ziggy Marley, son of Bob Marley, singing my favorite Bob Marley song, Redemption Song, with traditional Irish instruments to back him up:
I also really like this collaboration between The Chieftains and Joni Mitchell about The Magdelene Laundries, which were asylums for "fallen" women, who had worked as prostitutes. It was found out that at some of these asylums the women had been abused, and this song was written in memory of that. It's a great song, and even though smoking has changed it a lot, I still love Joni Mitchell's voice:
The Chieftains also recorded my favorite version of The Foggy Dew with Sinéad O'Connor. The song is about the Easter Rising of 1916. Even if you don't like Sinéad O'Connor, I recommend this song. I'm not her biggest fan, but her voice is well suited to a traditional melody like this:
Speaking of Sinéad, she also recorded what is by far my favorite version of another traditional song, She Moved Through the Fair. This version is featured at the end of my favorite historical movie, Michael Collins, which I highly recommend. It's like Braveheart, but not overrated, and actually historically accurate for the most part. A better movie all around. I don't think it's a spoiler to tell the end of a movie about a real event, but if you don't want it spoiled just hit play and skip the rest of this paragraph. Michael Collins dies at the end. This version of the song leaves out some sad verses, making it a more hopeful song, which just adds to the tragedy of the end of the movie. Michael Collins was shot by some of his own men who were upset that his rebellion wasn't as thoroughly successful as they'd hoped. At the end of the movie, we see the woman Michael was to marry (played by Julia Roberts, the one unfortunate thing about the movie) preparing for the wedding, while at the same time we also watch Collins' motorcade ambushed and Collins himself dies. All the while this song is playing. It's a very well crafted scene. The soundtrack and this arrangement are by my favorite composer, Elliot Goldenthal:
That song is also in the blog playlist.
I looked for a long time for some good bagpipe stuff to put here, but it was a difficult search, surprisingly. Any good song I found I wasn't happy with the recording, or vice versa. I did finally find some fun stuff, though. This is worth watching, and about four minutes in they let a random little kid from the audience join in and play a drum:
Anyway, I need some sleep, and that's a lot of music. It's already not St. Patrick's Day anymore here in Pennsylvania; I'm just glad I'm finishing this post while it still is in Idaho!
You might think I've done nothing this past week, since I've posted nothing. You're almost right. But in addition to nothing, in my free time I visited some very old architecture here in Moundsville, West Virginia (where I've been for the past two weeks), visited a Hare Krishna temple (more on that soon; I took pictures), and I've seen more movies and done a lot of reading during slow times at work. During my shift this morning (I've been working midnight to noon) I went to one of my favorite websites, NASA's Astronomy Photo of the Day archive, and downloaded several dozen amazing images. I imported the photos to iMovie, and also a song by Lisa Gerrard, and made a slideshow. This could have been done in two minutes, but since I'm a perfectionist with time on my hands, it took a couple hours. I uploaded it to Facebook, but I'd like to share it here, too.
A note on the song. Lisa Gerrard is best known for her vocal contributions to movie soundtracks such as Gladiator (which is where I discovered her), and from her hippie band Dead Can Dance. Her voice is amazing, very deep and surreal. The song I used is called The Unfolding, from her album Duality. It's probably my favorite of hers, and every time I hear it I see the vastness of space in my mind, so I thought the NASA images would be appropriate. I can't get enough nebula pictures! This song is in my blog playlist, as well as a song that didn't make it into the Gladiator soundtrack calledRome Is the Light, which is listed under Hanz Zimmer but features Lisa Gerrard's voice. I hope you enjoy it; let me know what you think!
UPDATE: A friend of mine offered me some space on his iDisk (Apple's online storage service, which is very nice but I'm not prepared to spend $99/year for) to upload the high quality original movie file of this slide show. The file is 128MB, and the resolution is 960x540, so much better than it looks here or on Facebook.
Click here to get to my buddy's iDisk, and download The Unfolding.m4v. Quicktime or VLC should play the file no problem, and of course iTunes, since that uses Quicktime.
Also, Facebook took the video down because WGM apparently doesn't take kindly to people using their artists' music without permission. It's understandable; I mean, they probably lost millions of dollars because I made that slideshow. Seriously, Lisa Gerrard is a really well-known musician, and now thousands of people who were planning to buy her album won't because they can just play this video. Surely there's no one out there who would never have heard her name if not for that video who might now be curious about her music, that would never happen because they all know her from Gladiator! No, that would never happen. There's no way this might turn out to have been free advertising for an artist signed by WGM.
Resentful sarcasm aside, you can still watch it if you download the original file, which I recommend anyway.
If you download it, leave me feedback; I might give obscure artists more free advertising like this in the future!
I should say something today, even though I'm extra tired and only want to sleep for about a week. As of today, I have been blogging for exactly one year, hooray! Including this one, in one year I have posted to this blog 78 times. I installed Google Analytics to track hits to this blog on June 26, and since then this blog has received 3425 visits from 86 countries, but I think most of those are random hits from search engines and not actual visitors who are interested in this blog. I have had 16 hits from Iceland, though, which is cool. What is interesting is where those hits land. By far the most popular post is Polar Bears: Number One Threat to America! with 1200 hits, followed by Me & Armeni about Emilíana Torrini's most recent album with 850 hits. My main page, surprisingly, comes third with 800 hits! All this means is that most people are finding my blog through Google searches for global warming and polar bears or Emilíana Torrini.
Speaking of Google searches, other than those, guess what the most popular keywords are that lead to my blog? There are many variations, but they all lead to my Eat Your Boogers post. Here are some examples: "effects of eating boogers", "i eat my boogers", "boogers and immunity", "are boogers healthy to eat", "eating your boogers", "does eating your boogers boost your immune system", "the effects of eating boogers", "eating your boogers is good", etc., etc. Oh yeah, someone got to my blog by Googling "rush limbaugh eats boogers". Someone also got here Googling "the lever that ends the universe". Interesting.
Well, that's about all the energy I can muster right now. Also, I have finally finished putting together my new blog playlist, now with 200 songs! These are the songs that best represent my taste in music. There were dozens that I wanted to put in there but there just wasn't room, but here's the list:
Down In A Hole - Alice in Chains Rooster - Alice in Chains I Stay Away - Alice in Chains Rotten Apple - Alice in Chains Nutshell - Alice in Chains Into the West - Annie Lennox Eiri na Gréine / The Rising of the Sun - Anúna Siúil A Riún - Anúna Innisfree - Anúna En Vie - Apocalyptica Bittersweet (Instrumental Version) - Apocalyptica Pray! - Apocalyptica Nothing Else Matters - Apocalyptica One - Apocalyptica Seemann (ft. Nina Hagen) - Apocalyptica Faraway - Apocalyptica Helden - Apocalyptica Worlds Collide - Apocalyptica Peace - Apocalyptica Play Dead - Björk It's in Our Hands - Björk Desired Constellation - Björk I've Seen It All (ft. Thom Yorke) - Björk Scatterheart - Björk New World (ft. Massive Attack) - Björk All Is Full of Love - Björk Hyperballad (ft. The Brodsky Quartet) - Björk It's Not Up to You - Björk Gloomy Sunday - Björk Oxygen - Björk Það Sést Ekki Sætari Mey - Björk Guðmundsdóttir & Tríó Guðmundsdóttir Wonderful Life - Black Box Recorder Holyman - Blind Melon Galaxy - Blind Melon I Wonder - Blind Melon I've Seen It All - Bonnie Prince Billy Short Skirt/Long Jacket - Cake The Distance - Cake Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle - Cake Sheep Go to Heaven - Cake Cool Blue Reason - Cake Daffodil Lament - The Cranberries No Need to Argue - The Cranberries Dream On - Depeche Mode Blasphemous Rumours - Depeche Mode Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode Only When I Lose Myself - Depeche Mode Lento - Elliot Goldenthal The Kiss - Elliot Goldenthal Zeus Cannon - Elliot Goldenthal Adagio and Transfiguration - Elliot Goldenthal She Moved through the Fair - Elliot Goldenthal (ft. Sinéad O'Connor) Crossroads - Elliot Goldenthal Finale - Elliot Goldenthal Today Has Been Ok - Emilíana Torrini Next Time Around - Emilíana Torrini Ten to Twenty (Sneaker Pimps) - Emilíana Torrini To Be Free - Emilíana Torrini Dead Things - Emilíana Torrini Telepathy - Emilíana Torrini Brazilian Sky - Emilíana Torrini Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel) - Emilíana Torrini If You Go Away - Emilíana Torrini Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) - Emilíana Torrini Ruby Tuesday - Emilíana Torrini Weird Friendless Kid - Emilíana Torrini Tuna Fish (Acoustic) - Emilíana Torrini The Sundown (Il Tramonto) - Ennio Morricone The Ecstasy of Gold (L'Estasi del'Oro) - Ennio Morricone Solitude (Your Secret Admirer) - Evanescence Anywhere - Evanescence Restless (Within Temptation) - Evanescence The Dark of the Matinee - Franz Ferdinand Darts of Pleasure - Franz Ferdinand Is Jesus Your Pal (ft. Emilíana Torrini) - GusGus Why (ft. Emilíana Torrini) - GusGus Rome is the Light (ft. Lisa Gerrard) - Hans Zimmer Gollum's Song (ft. Emilíana Torrini) - Howard Shore What are You Asking Me? - James Newton Howard I Cannot See His Color - James Newton Howard If Six Was Nine - Jimi Hendrix All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Castles Made of Sand - Jimi Hendrix Little Wing The - Jimi Hendrix Experience Hurt - Johnny Cash Woodstock - Joni Mitchell Blue - Joni Mitchell Inkanyezi Nezazi - Ladysmith Black Mambazo Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin The Unfolding - Lisa Gerrard The Man with the Golden Gun - Lulu Angel - Massive Attack Teardrop - Massive Attack Dissolved Girl - Massive Attack Group Four - Massive Attack Future Proof - Massive Attack You Brought Me Up - Méav The Unforgiven - Metallica Nothing Else Matters - Metallica Extreme Ways - Moby New Dawn Fades - Moby Never Ending Math Equation - Modest Mouse Dark Center of the Universe - Modest Mouse Willful Suspension of Disbelief - Modest Mouse A Different City - Modest Mouse Butterflies and Hurricanes - Muse Endlessly - Muse Falling Away with You - Muse Ruled by Secrecy - Muse Starlight - Muse Knights of Cydonia - Muse New Born - Muse Bliss - Muse Space Dementia - Muse Citizen Erased - Muse Dark Shines - Muse Sunburn - Muse Uno - Muse Dead Star - Muse Muscle Museum - Muse You Only Live Twice - Nancy Sinatra 99 Luft Balloons - Nena Stormy Weather - Nina Nastasia Something in the Way - Nirvana Plateau (Unpluged) - Nirvana Lake of Fire - Nirvana You Know You're Right - Nirvana Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum Yeroushalayim Shel Zahav נהז לןש םילשורי - Ofra Haza הזח הרפע Hold Your Hand (ft. Emilíana Torrini) - Paul Oakenfold Behind Blue Eyes (Acoustic) - Pete Townshend Too Much of Nothing - Peter, Paul and Mary Roads - Portishead Strangers - Portishead Cowboys - Portishead Western Eyes - Portishead All Mine - Portishead Over - Portishead Seven Months - Portishead Elysium - Portishead Half Day Closing - Portishead Plastic - Portishead Threads - Portishead Hunter - Portishead Humming - Portishead Who Wants To Live Forever - Queen Killer Queen - Queen Silent Lucidity - Queensrÿche Nebel - Rammstein Ohne dich - Rammstein Halleluja - Rammstein Benzin - Rammstein Engel - Rammstein Mein Herz Brennt - Rammstein Sonne - Rammstein Pretty Little Ditty - The Red Hot Chili Peppers Aeroplane - The Red Hot Chili Peppers Music Box - Regina Spektor Fidelity - Regina Spektor Mo Li Hua (The Jasmine Flower) - RHS Chamber Choir Paint it Black - The Rolling Stones Ich hab genauso angst wie du - Rosenstolz Flugufrelsarinn - Sigur Rós Hjartad Hamast - Sigur Rós Ný Batterí - Sigur Rós Viðrar vel til loftárása - Sigur Rós Starálfur - Sigur Rós Dánarfregnir og Jarðarfarir - Sigur Rós Gong - Sigur Rós Hún Jörð - Sigur Rós Ebow - Sigur Ros I Am a Rock - Simon & Garfunkel Scarborough Fair/Canticle - Simon & Garfunkel A Poem on the Underground Wall - Simon & Garfunkel The End is the Beginning is the End - The Smashing Pumpkins Tonight, Tonight - The Smashing Pumpkins Muzzle - The Smashing Pumpkins Disarm - The Smashing Pumpkins Eye - The Smashing Pumpkins Black Sheep - Sneaker Pimps Grazes - Sneaker Pimps Half Life - Sneaker Pimps Lightning Field - Sneaker Pimps Flowers and Silence - Sneaker Pimps Splinter - Sneaker Pimps Farewell Transmission - Songs: Ohia Kill a Kitten - Stephen Lynch Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf Creep - Stone Temple Pilots Sober (Tool cover) - String Quartet Highway Song - System of a Down Spiders - System of a Down Aerials - System of a Down Toxicity - System of a Down Until the Morning (ft. Emilíana Torrini) - Thievery Corporation Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone - Tom Jones Enjoy the Silence (Depeche Mode) - Tori Amos White & Nerdy - "Weird Al" Yankovic New soul - Yael Naim No No No - The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
