tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77072508352592478292012-01-29T09:00:21.182Zbetter days are coming nowzharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.comBlogger3941100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-77436107828885501772012-01-18T19:33:00.000Z2012-01-18T19:33:12.570Z

It's too much, and not enough. Some background. I don't like the whole darkening trend that's going on. Not because it's raising awareness for a good cause, but because it feels too much like censorship. I understand it's to be taken as a warning of what we stand to lose, but is it necessary/appropriate to resort to the enemy's tactics to get the point across? Do the ends justify the means?

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-61107318311621766932011-12-24T00:48:00.000Z2011-12-24T00:48:25.794Z

I bet you were starting to think you'd get off without a rant about capitalism this year. Well, I almost decided to let you off, but then I got to thinking about it. I'm not entirely opposed to the fundamental concept underpinning capitalism - that people trade work for leisure (or just survival). The problem, I think, is in the practical application of that system. The distribution of money (as

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-34657837404123755332011-11-24T08:57:00.000Z2011-11-24T08:57:20.948Z

I hate to get all sappy, but this is a great opportunity to mention some of the things I appreciate in life. (Seeing as I spend so much time dwelling on the crap that life deals me). I am still thankful for the internet. Sometimes I think it's a cursed blessing, as the internet keeps me at home and indoors. Occasionally I find myself wondering what I would do with myself if the internet didn't

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-53468362328347163872011-11-11T21:33:00.002Z2011-11-12T03:22:29.523Z

Once upon a time there was a small, quiet town in the countryside. And in those days, a great fear was beginning to grip the land, and in more and more settlements, peace was being interrupted by a very vocal threat. It was a Satanic threat. As time went on, more and more people began to believe in the existence of witches - women from their own ranks of society who were in league with the devil

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-7370393563235457962011-11-02T03:34:00.001Z2011-11-02T04:03:15.273Z

"I Wanna Be Where The Boys Are" is a song by The Runaways (a band I've gushed about in the past), sung by Joan Jett on their Live In Japan album from 1977. I'm not sure why it doesn't turn up on one of the bands' studio albums, because not only is it one of their best songs, but it reflects rather well the image of the band. These were teenage girls up on stage playing ballsy rock music -

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-80365641590487526572011-10-31T07:29:00.003Z2011-11-01T03:21:22.475Z

It was Halloween weekend. The Saturday before Halloween. The weather was far from inviting - I awoke that morning to the first snowfall of the season. And though it melted to nothing before the day was done, it was a fairly substantial snowfall, given that it was still October. Not a very promising omen, given that my costume for the evening consisted of what amounted to a very skimpy swimsuit.

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-19034598373566806982011-10-17T18:36:00.000+01:002011-10-17T18:36:41.500+01:00

It occurs to me that my posting on this blog has slowed to a crawl. Looking back, I get the sense that my previous need to post a personal blog was largely a result of my loneliness. I had noone to talk to, but I had thoughts and feelings that I felt a need to communicate, so I decided to communicate them to the internet. I guess that's why some people turn their nose at people like that who talk

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-90076777583807892032011-07-27T04:00:00.001+01:002011-07-27T06:41:05.071+01:00

Some people might wonder why I don't go out and interact with the world more, why I'm not more proactive in supporting my community, or why I don't have a strong motivation to be a productive member of society. But the reason is simple. The world is filled with squares and people who judge you even as they smile and shake your hand. I don't want to be the target of scrutiny and suspicion just

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-53183883421030715772011-07-08T18:27:00.001+01:002011-07-08T18:34:47.284+01:00

"God is a concept." - John Lennon I think my God concept is changing. And I think that's an important sign. I still don't believe in God objectively, but I maintain that God is a powerful construct of human conception. I sometimes mention God as if he were real, or as if I believed in him, but what I'm talking about is the psychological concept of God - which is tied to a person's search for

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-51228011059836861022011-06-27T19:13:00.000+01:002011-06-27T19:13:22.523+01:00

Note: Usually voyeurism is a topic I reserve for my other blog, Truth & Beauty, where I discuss sexuality in a philosophical context (illustrated with pictures I've taken of myself naked). But this time, the issue was intricately related to my anxiety, and the progress of my battle against it - a rather more personal issue that I like to reserve for this blog. Hence I post it here: Just for the

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-7698565000626680312011-06-19T02:02:00.000+01:002011-06-19T02:02:54.763+01:00

In anticipation of potential opportunities to practice or play guitar over the next few months out in the nice summer weather where there's no electricity, I've taken up my acoustic guitar lately (a rare occurrence) to polish up some of my better acoustic songs. Unfortunately, due to a current lack of transportation abilities (I'm working on my teleportation skills), I've had to cease going to

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-41470203895422036832011-06-03T07:20:00.000+01:002011-06-03T07:20:30.208+01:00

I do believe this will finish it off - but don't tempt me, because I could go on. :p I know this is going to sound weird, but I melt for Dakota's collar bones. ^Even casually dressed, Dakota still knocks me out. Love those 'pocket' shorts. Don't forget to check out my Dakota-themed movie reviews over on The Screaming Axe!

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-88511606209232581272011-06-02T08:53:00.003+01:002011-06-03T07:25:07.509+01:00

You didn't think I was finished, did you? Dakota Fanning has worn so many beautiful outfits at premieres and award ceremonies and the like that I had to make a separate post specifically for them! We'll have to start by de-aging Dakota once again: ^By the way, meet Elle - Dakota's also-pretty, also-talented little sister. ^I don't know what it is, but I am just totally in love with

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-17190828923179484492011-06-01T07:01:00.002+01:002011-06-03T07:24:20.491+01:00

More of the gorgeousness that is Dakota Fanning! Here, she is a little bit older. I think it's fascinating, being able to watch Dakota grow up in pictures and her films. Some people are uncomfortable contextualizing an actress like Dakota as a child, and then having to deal with the fact that she's growing up and becoming an adult. Frankly, that's the natural process of life, and it doesn't

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-52719923973523693592011-05-30T20:03:00.002+01:002011-06-01T07:02:33.934+01:00

I first saw Dakota Fanning in War of the Worlds, with Tom Cruise and Tim Robbins (who starred in one of my favorite films of all time - Jacob's Ladder), but she didn't register on my radar at the time, as she was still just a child, and I knew nothing about her. But she caught my attention several years later, when controversy erupted over her role in Hounddog (which was filmed at least two years

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-22663466671711689872011-04-29T06:59:00.000+01:002011-04-29T06:59:41.732+01:00

Just for fun, I'm gonna list all the songs in my musical repertoire that are, as of right this moment (because it evolves constantly over time), currently a part of my practice regimen. I practice guitar for at least an hour every day, and I perform at various local open stages - currently there are two I go to, which happen to be on the same night. A while ago I had a set of songs I practiced

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-39057358729040301792011-04-28T00:43:00.004+01:002011-04-28T01:06:31.319+01:00

Incidentally, today is Secretaries Day. That doesn't really mean anything to me, but it just so happens that the subject I want to explore in this blog post has some relation to a film titled Secretary, starring James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal, which I watched a while back during my phase of being interested in serious movies depicting alternative sexual lifestyles. This one is about a D/s

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-9693660829421806172011-04-17T06:54:00.000+01:002011-04-17T06:54:07.363+01:00

I'm not religious, but I like Easter. In fact, if I were religious, I would probably like Easter much less. Because unlike some holidays (I'm looking at you, Christmas), Easter pretty much has zero requirements for the irreligious. I like the fact that I don't have to do anything. I can celebrate it or not celebrate it on a whim. And the content of that celebration is entirely up to my own plans

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-3767225127667741122011-04-17T06:46:00.000+01:002011-04-17T06:46:21.922+01:00

If you haven't seen my addendum to my last post, I'm giving you a head's up here - it contains information about the DeathCom photos I appear in. I just wanted to take a moment to voice two complaints I have re: searching through people's cosplay photos from the con (now two weeks past). And both of these things seem to be a casualty of modern internet culture. Now I don't want to sound like I'm

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-91170671898758205302011-04-15T05:34:00.004+01:002011-04-16T22:48:45.468+01:00

It looks like I'm finally finished working on all my cosplay pictures and getting them posted up. I put up a bunch on my (previously empty) profile at cosplay.com (link), which is great, because I am excited to actually have some content on there - it's proof that I am now officially a COSPLAYER! And I can't wait for my next chance to cosplay. You can find pictures of my Tentacle Rape cosplay

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-50727719016108983532011-04-12T01:03:00.000+01:002011-04-12T01:03:58.075+01:00

Now that my con photos are uploaded and ready to view (with the exception of the pictures I took of my own cosplay, that I am still processing), I provide here a link for those of you who read my con diary and are curious to see the pictures I spoke so highly of therein: zharth's Tekkoshocon IX pictures I will let you know when the other pictures (that I took of myself) are ready. In the

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-52874022762261365212011-04-06T05:19:00.000+01:002011-04-06T05:19:01.803+01:00

four in the morning at the end of Saturday, April 2 (2011) Arrived home late. Much too tired to recount the day's events now. But that indicates that it was a fun, busy day. For now, I rest, and restore my energy, while the lingering image of hot girls prancing about in skimpy outfits dances through my head. 2pm - Sunday, April 3 (2011) Saturday at the con started off with a few snags, though

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-71317771181983146402011-04-05T02:48:00.000+01:002011-04-05T02:48:29.916+01:00

an hour past midnight at the end of Friday, April 1 (2011) If I'm counting right {editor's note: I am}, this is my fourth annual visit to Tekkoshocon, ever since I found out the con existed - but that story's been told before. Since this is my hometown con, I've never prepared for it quite like one might prepare for a Big Event - such as driving to Baltimore for Otakon, one of the country's

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-48147105171868017752011-03-18T04:21:00.000Z2011-03-18T04:21:15.809Z

Hard to believe the con is only two more weekends away (not this weekend, not next weekend, but the weekend after that). I can't believe how much I've been planning for it. Of course, it doesn't compare to the planning I did for Burning Man, but compared to the planning I usually do for this con (which generally consists of getting real excited about it a week before), I've been doing a lot. And

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-1426300839988774772011-03-01T09:24:00.007Z2011-03-01T09:37:54.529Z

I'm questioning the wisdom of writing this post, as I don't know that I'll be able to get my feelings across, but moreso because I should really be getting to bed now, and I know how absorbed I can get in the writing process once I've started. But there are two options here, really. I can either embrace the subject, and try to jot my thoughts down while they're fresh, or I can force them out of

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-5620471500542592222011-02-22T08:21:00.002Z2011-02-22T08:21:19.659Z

I noticed after dark how much snow had fallen - and was continuing to fall. Inches of it, coating the ground. For once, my dad hadn't shoveled the walkway before I got a chance to appreciate the pristine nature of an unmarred snowfall. The porch light was on, illuminating the snow on the ground, and the snowflakes in the air. It was pretty. Very pretty. Seeing it makes me feel excited. It makes

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-75017383784762709252011-02-14T07:23:00.000Z2011-02-14T07:23:56.880Z

Go read/watch some porn. You deserve it.

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-26878154011082613302011-01-14T19:26:00.000Z2011-01-14T19:26:47.675Z

I recently saw a commercial featuring Roe of Roe v. Wade arguing Pro-Life, and it blew my mind. It gave me an idea for a satirical webcomic, featuring Rosa Parks in a KKK outfit quoting Roe from the commercial - "you read about me in history books, but now I'm dedicated to spreading the truth about preserving the dignity of all human life". One thing I've been waiting for Pro-Lifers to argue is

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-24933080975933885932011-01-10T21:26:00.000Z2011-01-10T21:26:28.528Z

This post was a long time in coming. I would have liked to have finished it before Christmas, which has brought all sorts of new distractions (as I was anticipating), but my completionist tendencies insisted that I view ALL the Emma Watson pictures in the universe (a task I am still working on) before making this post, despite the fact that I've probably seen the best ones by now. But as much as

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-85775585676187193512011-01-07T06:31:00.000Z2011-01-07T06:31:41.337Z

I had an amazing dream last night. Unfortunately, it wouldn't do much to describe the dream to you even if I remembered more of the details. Because what made the dream amazing wasn't the details themselves, but rather the ineffable quality of meaningness imbued in those details. And that's something personal that won't be the same for you as it is for me. Suffice to say, the dream involved me

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-26548365777292920632011-01-06T08:07:00.000Z2011-01-06T08:07:59.762Z

(Continued from yesterday) And now we come to The Pink Dress... Contrary to what you might think (knowing my personality), not a lot of thought went into choosing this dress to cosplay. Chii wears so many beautiful dresses and outfits, that if I wanted to, I could spend countless hours evaluating all the dresses she wears, deciding which ones would be good to wear and why. But in this case, I

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-5377524491814201182011-01-04T06:50:00.000Z2011-01-04T06:50:21.135Z

As usual, I like to use some of the money I receive at Christmas to buy myself a nice gift - particularly the kind I'm less than enthusiastic about asking for. In this case, my Christmas gift to myself this year is [what will hopefully be] my cosplay costume for the anime convention coming up in [the very beginning of] April. It is a beautiful (and sexy) pink dress worn by Chii of Chobits in one

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-90929341216813899292010-12-12T19:16:00.003Z2010-12-13T01:04:02.268Z

I was up late last night listening to a 1970 Neil Young concert on Rust Radio. I think Live at Fillmore East is great, and I'm glad it contains the highlights (namely, Down By The River and Cowgirl in the Sand), but I think it would be interesting to have a whole show, including Neil's acoustic set, where he does a bunch of Buffalo Springfield covers. So anyway, I stayed up to catch the end of

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-13049337501834146782010-12-10T21:53:00.001Z2010-12-10T21:54:12.178Z

The idea of Christmas is a mutual gift exchange. So although I'm purchasing gifts for other people, I expect to get gifts in return. Perfect balance aside, the idea is that I come out even in the end. But that's assuming that whatever money I spent (and then later recovered in gifts given to me) could be afforded on gifts and leisure items. What if I needed that money just for basic survival?

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-28902389537829177182010-12-03T02:50:00.000Z2010-12-03T02:50:09.746Z

I just learned that an anime version of The Little Mermaid was made 14 years prior to the Disney version, in 1975. Wow. And in the anime version, the mermaid is not only blonde, but topless (imagine that!). And the story allegedly follows Hans Christian Andersen's story more closely than the Disney version (no they-lived-happily-ever-after here, folks). Do you have any idea how excited that makes

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-10458113297733303282010-11-21T08:12:00.000Z2010-11-21T08:12:32.151Z

I've been thinking. I spend a lot of time defending the lifestyle I'd like to live. I think this defense serves two purposes. First, it gives me an excuse to avoid going out and living it, if I feel like I have to convince the entire world that what I'm doing is right before I can actually do it - and talking about it isn't as scary as doing it. Second, I feel like if the entire world did become

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-23586976550178443122010-11-17T19:24:00.000Z2010-11-17T19:24:03.281Z

I had a "blonde" moment while sleeping, that very nearly became a nightmarish trauma. I remember dreaming; I was dreaming successfully, and although I don't know if I had the power to control the dream, I somehow sensed that I was dreaming. It felt kind of like I was in one of those half dream states, where I'm drifting off to sleep, and I can sense the dream occurring, because I'm not fully

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-33423038401495665102010-11-16T23:51:00.002Z2010-11-16T23:53:19.621Z

I'm getting used to the censorship of Family Guy on the local TV station - not that I like it. There are lots of wandering clouds of pixelation - oddly, usually covering up bare bums (cartoon bums are hardly offensive). But today, there was a scene that I remember involves Peter Griffin squeezing some woman's boob. But that part of it was replaced with a title card - a black screen with a

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-67093582419942051622010-11-02T17:34:00.002Z2010-11-02T17:46:08.814Z

Voting only works if you're in the majority, and then you don't need representatives, because you've got the advantage of numbers. Democracy is a system constructed to suit the whims of the majority. The idea is, "let's make a system where whatever the most people want, is what everyone gets". The only purpose that voting serves is to survey the public and found out what the majority wants. If

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-28402158181129426622010-10-31T01:44:00.002+01:002010-10-31T01:49:02.489Z

If you haven't already heard (or noticed the new link in the column to your right), I've started a new blog. Not to replace this blog, but to supplement it. It's a music/movie review blog, and it's where I'm going to post all my music and movie reviews (and perhaps related posts) from now on. I'm looking into the possibility of making some change off of it from the traffic, but one step at a time

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-33141043647370654752010-10-22T19:10:00.005+01:002010-10-22T20:28:33.981+01:00

How does a movie cause a grown man to be scared to go to bed at night? Do you know how, when you climb into bed, your mind starts reviewing the things you've seen and done and said throughout the day, as you begin to drift off to sleep? And do you know, the way that a nightmare makes you feel? When you wake up from it, and your skin is tingling, and you're sweating, and you turn the light on just

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-43393840409848468662010-10-20T06:26:00.003+01:002010-10-20T07:43:52.519+01:00

I was just confronted with an irresistible prompt on the classic rock forums (yes, I know, it's a music forum, not a movie forum), asking what 25 movies I would pick for a Halloween weekend marathon. Usually, making lists of this sort is a lot of hard work, and I tend to avoid it rather than risk battling my perfectionist impulses. But in this case, I couldn't resist. I committed myself to

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-169511778239725332010-10-19T07:20:00.004+01:002010-10-19T08:27:11.827+01:00

The Cell starts out with a fascinating premise - experimental technology that allows one to dive into the dreamspace of a coma patient, presumably in the hopes of being able to coax the patient out of the coma from within, by confronting their demons and rearranging their mental states. Throw in a deranged serial killer and a race against time, and you've got a compelling plot. And the artistry

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-90787761060234824162010-10-17T08:07:00.005+01:002010-10-19T07:24:08.738+01:00

The Midnight Meat Train is disturbing. And for a movie based on a short story by Clive Barker, I'd say that's just about right. I meant to see this film back when it was released in theaters (barely), since I had recently read the story, but I didn't get a chance on account of the distributors (or whoever was in charge) sabotaging it. Now that I've finally seen it, it's been too long for me to

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-86284633355231110502010-09-26T07:03:00.003+01:002010-09-26T07:14:10.768+01:00

Have you ever noticed that sometimes there's a dreamworld continuity that exists only in your dreaming state, that's separate from waking life, like as if it were a separate reality - lived by a different person, such that your waking life knows nothing about it? That is, until some random trigger during your waking day unlocks those memories and the dreamworld continuity lays itself bare to your

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-19130374730243073822010-09-22T08:38:00.004+01:002010-09-22T08:54:37.910+01:00

This is one of those movies that, before seeing it, I thought for sure that it would be too good to be true. I was convinced that it would be some tacky low-budget cash-in on the slasher craze that erupted after the popularity of John Carpenter's Halloween in 1978. But I was wrong, it actually turned out to be a serious slasher with that vintage 80s movie feel. Perhaps not free of cliches (I just

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-72961329452254237922010-09-05T00:39:00.026+01:002010-09-08T06:49:31.295+01:00

If everything goes as planned - and I hope it does - I'll be cosplaying Chii at the next Tekkoshocon. Now, I know what most of you are thinking, and I sympathize. My love of girly things has not blinded me to my own limitations. However, I have some kind of complex where I have to assimilate everything I love, much like Zeiram, the immortal space monster in Iria.And I love Chii. Chii is, to me,

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-82996278726147668952010-08-30T02:32:00.002+01:002010-08-30T03:43:46.762+01:00

I went to see The Last Exorcism today, and as much as I hate to speed up the end of the summer, it was a good jump start to the horror season (fall/halloween/shocktober). I first heard about the movie from my brother, and then again from my friend, both in passing, and my reaction was, "huh, another exorcism movie?" That's not to say that there's anything wrong with exorcism movies - The Exorcist

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-22863508917458827472010-08-24T06:17:00.003+01:002010-08-24T08:22:31.094+01:00

This theme came to me all of a sudden, while I was sitting in bed listening to Stevie Nicks sing Edge of Seventeen on my radio. The idea sparked my inspiration, and I spent a whole day looking up songs to represent the various years of being a teenager. I ended up expanding my usual musical horizons in order to find songs that fit the theme, so you might find something a little bit different on

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-69150304538741073542010-08-21T20:48:00.002+01:002010-08-21T21:50:09.827+01:00

I know I've done this before, but it's fun. I overheard some girls talking today about how they love the fall because they can put on longer clothes and get cozy in them. My heart sank. I love the summer because girls can get away with wearing skimpy clothes that show everything off! It seems that so very few people, like me, love the heat. I'll go out on a bright sunny day, with temps in the

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-57561139788215614662010-08-18T05:07:00.002+01:002010-08-18T05:28:37.023+01:00

You may be vaguely familiar with my story titled Jabberwocky. The reason I haven't written [much of] it is because the story is alive. It is the story of my life. And I do not yet know how it ends. But I was just thinking about it, having advanced beyond a previous stage in my life/the story. Previously, the ending appeared to me to be a "bad end" type ending, with the hero wandering aimlessly

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-36345689327134074812010-08-04T07:39:00.009+01:002010-08-04T08:13:35.961+01:00

that I am free!I glanced out the window at around 12:30 and noticed a fog in the distant glow of a streetlight. The mood struck me and I decided it would be a great opportunity to take a video of me walking nude in the fog, under a streetlight. I knew exactly which streetlight to use - one close by, with a relative amount of privacy as it is situated on a hill, between properties that are facing

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-32146480531596274092010-08-02T22:11:00.002+01:002010-08-02T22:34:21.709+01:00

The Yardbirds have some really good lyrics. They're good 60s anti-Establishment lyrics that I can really relate to. For example, the entirety of Mr. You're A Better Man Than I is brilliant social commentary. Even as the type of music listener who usually tunes the lyrics out, there are examples like this that I've noticed. But surely more that I've skipped over.Like, I was just listening to Think

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-9098185162229715352010-07-27T05:50:00.006+01:002010-07-27T06:58:18.497+01:00

I just read a review of the Tom Petty concert in the paper, and I couldn't resist making some comments about it. Apologies to the author - nothing personal, it's the general phenomenon of Tom Petty that I'm critiquing.The review opens with a lame but unavoidable joke, and a reference to the rain, which the author mentions three times throughout the review."Though heavy rain demolished chances of

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-70628243797357970362010-07-26T06:08:00.004+01:002010-07-27T06:58:51.196+01:00

I just saw Tom Petty (& The Heartbreakers) in concert for the fourth time in six years. Despite my brother's curious insistence, I do not hate Tom Petty. In fact, I like him. I have a lot of respect for him as a musician, and he has a lot of songs that I think are really good. But though he does have a great guitarist in the form of [Heartbreaker] Mike Campbell, the bulk of Tom Petty's legacy

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-15812548298180716432010-07-16T03:10:00.004+01:002010-07-16T03:51:21.589+01:00

When life gets filled up with all sorts of worries and requirements, I find that video games can be a comforting distraction from all of that. In a video game (even as they continue becoming more and more complex), all of existence is based on a relatively simple set of parameters. In most games you don't have to worry about eating or going to the bathroom or other niggling concerns like that.

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-16367954806180896402010-07-12T20:32:00.003+01:002010-07-12T20:46:15.288+01:00

Soooo...I visited a real live nudist resort this past Saturday, which is something I've been wanting to do ever since I discovered the subculture of nudism three years ago. I hadn't had the guts to do it on my own, but my newest friend is quite open to my eccentricities (even to the point of being enthusiastic about many of them), and so she happily accompanied me and made what could have been a

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-62887348756016134952010-07-09T05:08:00.004+01:002010-07-09T05:31:01.363+01:00

I once had a conversation with my brother about whether it's nicer to be sick and in bed, or be healthy and have to go to work (or school). He chose the former, I chose the latter. Obviously, I'd rather be in bed than at work, but in my experience, sickness just isn't worth it. I was wondering today about the difference in our perspectives, and knowing his philosophies on life and death, I

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-58701320199464942732010-07-02T05:37:00.002+01:002010-07-02T07:04:25.734+01:00

As you may know, the faerie race of lore, inhabitants of the lost kingdom of the elves, were a magickal folk who lived very close to nature - indeed, so close as to be inextricably linked up with it. Their unique ability was a sort of harmony with the elemental forces of nature, which they could conjure up in the form of humanoid sprites, and control with their pure will. Different elves had

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-10865787231680785322010-06-21T02:32:00.004+01:002010-06-21T04:57:14.782+01:00

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' new album, Mojo, is a blast. I probably wouldn't have even bothered to buy it if it had been completely up to me. Not because I didn't think I'd like it, but because, though I like Tom Petty a lot, he's never been one of my personal top favorites, and as far as modern albums go, well, you're often not sure what you're gonna get. I bought The Last DJ back in 2002,

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-17356869972866867112010-06-16T02:14:00.003+01:002010-06-16T22:05:11.719+01:00

Two and a half years ago, I discovered 43 Things, a website designed for you to list up to 43 things you'd like to do with your life before you die, and to let people motivate and help each other reach their goals. It sounds kinda sappy when you describe it that way, but it's actually a really cool way to mark down and share some of the things you want to do in life, and to help motivate yourself

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-83971047588084733692010-06-14T22:15:00.003+01:002010-06-14T22:24:38.718+01:00

I was thinking today about the photos I lost at Burning Man (yet again), and I came to a decision. Every time I talk about it as a "once in a lifetime experience", I put a question mark in parentheses after that phrase. Well, I decided today that I want to do Burning Man again someday. To have a second chance.Now, it's not going to be this year obviously, and I doubt it'll be next year, or even

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-63544266772645848362010-06-06T06:12:00.002+01:002010-06-06T06:26:40.075+01:00

That cat doesn't seem to like loud noises. Which is cruelly ironic, because the sole exception is the loud noise that constantly emanates from her own mouth. It's been thunderstorming a lot these past few days, and the cat is predictably scared of the thunder. A couple nights ago, she followed me up the stairs and into my room (which rarely happens), and spent some time camping out underneath my

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-19810372410465800872010-06-05T06:31:00.002+01:002010-06-05T07:05:56.814+01:00

I tried out a brand new Open Stage this week, on a recommendation. Usually, in these cases, I'd think, "hey, that sounds cool", but when it came time to actually get out of the house and try something new, I'd take the easy road and stay where it's comfortable. But since I'm trying not to encourage my reclusion, any reason to get out is a good one. And even though I had noone to accompany me on

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-90694890404925609212010-06-05T06:05:00.002+01:002010-06-05T06:31:15.327+01:00

There's a thing of buffalo chicken dip in the fridge, and I'm making way too big a deal about it (in my mind). But the fact that I'm making such a big deal about it is a key example of my anxiety and how it affects my life. The problem, as I see it, is that the dip is being consumed too slowly. Now why is this a problem? It's a problem because, if it's consumed too slowly, then my dad may get the

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-1261306852502796532010-05-21T18:54:00.002+01:002010-05-21T19:00:25.939+01:00

I know that those "double the size for just a dollar more" ploys are just meant to get you to spend more, but I can't help feeling like they're a conspiracy to get me to consume more. If I buy the smaller size, even though I'm spending less, and I don't actually want any more stuff, I feel like an idiot because I'm getting less of a "deal". You see how salespeople take advantage of your good

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-50482026889373892362010-05-19T21:04:00.012+01:002010-05-20T18:08:41.676+01:00

Seriously, stay away from H.I just watched a German movie about heroin addiction (based on a true story, I hear) because it stars a really gorgeous young girl. It took me three hours to watch the two hour movie, on account of my constant pausing to take screen caps. I thought to myself, if I had an opportunity to interact with girls as gorgeous as this one more often in my everyday life, I might

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-71617189897530161942010-05-18T17:29:00.004+01:002010-05-19T00:18:54.926+01:00

I had a series of interesting dreams last night, which I'd love to remember better. As it is, I hardly remember anything. But the last one involved a government cover-up regarding aliens. A guy with a gun faked me out, and then let me inside the evidence room. It was like Rachel, but actual real evidence.Anyway, the important dream was the one involving the girl I liked in college. A bunch of

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-1718645362287295472010-05-18T07:36:00.002+01:002010-05-18T09:20:44.111+01:00

Years ago, I overheard a friendly musician acquaintance speaking about labels. He said that he didn't like to be labeled because it limited him. It was like putting him in a box, defining who he is and who he can be. At the time, I could only think to myself of the benefits that labels have. I was just getting into the nudist lifestyle around then, and fresh on my mind was the feeling of

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-40785958608371348702010-05-11T01:51:00.011+01:002010-05-18T07:22:22.197+01:00

This is a notice to all you geeks who are tired of being rejected again and again by every girl you've ever worked up the guts to approach. Follow these four easy steps and I guarantee you will never be rejected by a girl again. No, I'm not going to teach you how to be a pick-up artist, I am going to show you how to develop a 2D complex so you can experience the unconditional love of a fictional

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-83480285466314353042010-05-05T06:35:00.007+01:002010-05-09T06:35:30.363+01:00

"I'm on a bridge to better days, better days are coming now."- Joe BonamassaHere's some background music for you to play while you read this entry (this is optional, but highly recommended):Otis Rush - Got To Be Some Changes Made(tip: open it in a new window)This month marks the four year anniversary of my college graduation, and thus, the point after which I'll have spent more time out of

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-30036423747281842862010-05-05T00:26:00.003+01:002010-05-05T02:18:09.211+01:00

I was drying my hair after getting out of the shower, and thinking about how showers make me feel good, and for some reason my mind strayed to thoughts of the lake resort atmosphere of my childhood family vacations. When I think about those days, and that atmosphere, they are very happy thoughts. So I started to elaborate on that thought, and came up with an idea for a perfect day. Not the

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-75771786565556240492010-05-02T03:22:00.005+01:002010-08-24T07:31:01.668+01:00

This is a theme I'm very excited about, and one I've been wanting to do for a long time. In spite of the title, however, there aren't actually going to be any Joe Bonamassa songs. This theme is about the British blues songs that Joe has covered over the past decade. I've stated on many occasions how great a cover artist Joe is - both in his taste in selecting songs to cover, and in his ability to

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-13652527766711667042010-04-29T23:57:00.004+01:002010-04-30T01:39:46.137+01:00

Joe Bonamassa's latest album, Black Rock (released about a month ago), continuing Joe's partnership with producer Kevin Shirley, has a bit of a world flavor, while not straying too far from Joe's blues rock foundation. It was recorded in Greece, which inspired the mood of the album. From the liner notes:"Our mandate was clear - first instruction: play loud. Second: play reckless. Third: channel

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-71195131642232327052010-04-29T01:31:00.006+01:002010-04-29T06:54:37.550+01:00

There are a lot of things in my mind that I'd love to discuss but I refrain from on account of avoiding controversy. Like, for example, the feminist implications of The Runaways' short career (specifically, the politics of sexuality as it relates to the different approaches to feminism). And I love controversy. But while I love to revel in it when it's produced by others, I'm more hesitant to

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-85489700979296789372010-04-23T05:41:00.022+01:002010-04-28T19:48:40.939+01:00

I tried to write up a cohesive post about The Runaways after seeing the movie (the first time ;p), but it didn't quite come together. But since The Runaways is definitely my current obsession (or at least one of them), I just have to spend some time talking about them.The Runaways was an all-girl rock band (officially the first) that formed in Los Angeles and existed during the latter half of the

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-29340080544484246512010-04-12T20:05:00.037+01:002010-04-15T22:55:51.307+01:00

Let's jump back to the Dealer's Room on Saturday afternoon at the con, where I made my purchases. But first, I'll tell you a secret. I had a gift card I've been trying to get rid of ever since Christmas. I brought it with me, hoping I'd be able to use it, and it worked swimmingly. As such, since I was eager to use the gift card up rather than hold onto it indefinitely (which is what I was doing

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-11404115388328586252010-04-12T20:04:00.010+01:002010-04-14T01:33:28.489+01:00

The main attraction of an anime convention for me is the people. Some go to a convention for the celebrities, but I go to a convention for the people. Of course, being an antisocial loner, I don't mean that I actually interact with the people, I just like watching them. And while there are stereotypes about otaku and geeks in general, the truth is, there are as many attractive people at an anime

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-6398630628593759342010-04-12T00:06:00.009+01:002010-04-12T23:52:33.106+01:00

We continue on to my second day at the convention (Saturday), in which I was accompanied by yet another con-goer, related to the first. After securing a convenient parking spot in the garage attached to the convention center, we got into the convention and I noticed with surprise (and glee) that Kannagi (a very humorous series that I recommend) was currently playing in one of the subbed video

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-15002828975916407942010-04-10T06:00:00.019+01:002010-04-12T09:13:05.094+01:00

(Not to be confused with Tekko X, which will occur in 2012, God willing.)With posts like this one, I always wonder how much (if any) preface is required before diving into the meat of the post. For the people whom I expect to read this, no preface is necessary. On the other hand, someone else might read it who would benefit from a preface. If nothing else, it gives me a place to start.Tekkoshocon

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-21273716322127155842010-04-01T12:17:00.013+01:002010-05-02T01:11:44.193+01:00

For a brief explanation of Zharth's Music Log (and a link to the archives), see the first paragraph of the last installment of Zharth's Music Log Revisited. Since I like the idea of the music log so much, but didn't have the resources (whether internal or external) to keep it going past a year (and really, a whole year of posting a different song each day is pretty impressive if you ask me, what

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-82030609964972508842010-03-24T05:13:00.004Z2010-03-24T12:55:40.081Z

Those who haven't heard the story before, and know what a big part of my life music is these days, might be surprised to learn that I didn't even start listening to music until at least halfway through high school, when I finally turned on to the music my parents had subconsciously planted an appreciation for in my head, by playing it throughout my formative years. That, of course, would be the

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-63714620853195190692010-03-19T11:28:00.005Z2010-03-19T11:59:37.741Z

I was browsing photos of pretty girls on flickr, and I came across one that was titled Empty Spaces, which, incidentally, gave me a craving to listen to the song of the same name (I haven't really listened to Pink Floyd a whole lot in a long time). Anyway, because the live version of Empty Spaces is more complete, and I love the What Shall We Do Now? part that doesn't show up on the studio

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-57046631902433439002010-03-19T00:26:00.005Z2010-03-19T00:39:12.747Z

I had a dream last night that involved an infiltration mission into my old high school, after it had been infested by dinosaurs. Interestingly, among the people in the team that were headed into the danger zone were some of my college professors. The infiltration was as scary and as exciting as you could imagine. I had to dodge and try to outrun velociraptors in the hallways, using decoys and

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-89481319870500413222010-03-13T10:35:00.014Z2010-03-14T00:24:53.773Z

What with a certain anime convention coming up in just under a month, I figured it was a good time for me to watch some anime to really get in the mood. Here's what I've been watching recently:Zan Sayonara Zetsubou SenseiFirst up is the fourth incarnation of one of my favorite series, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. I've been waiting for the right moment to watch this since it aired, before the

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-26303546194094014472010-03-11T04:58:00.004Z2010-03-11T06:09:09.029Z

Yesterday I heard a cover of Motion Pictures by an unfamiliar band on the blues radio stream I like to listen to. It was a pretty faithful cover, I'd say. It's not really my style of song - kind of "country mellow" - but hearing it on this station, surrounded by blues songs, and covered by a blues band, reinforced my feeling that it's a good song. Of course, having heard my brother perform the

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-44935266724491293172010-03-11T00:05:00.005Z2010-03-11T01:10:43.922Z

March is the transitional month. That's not to say that it's a complete and flawless transition, but April is clearly more of a spring month, and February is definitely more of a winter month. March is somewhere in between.I remember learning when I was real young that March "comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb". Which makes some sort of sense. The cold, blistery, winter weather is

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-79061920768262288732010-03-08T01:21:00.003Z2010-03-08T02:05:19.550Z

I saw a commercial on television advertising IT jobs, and one of its selling points was that those kind of jobs are in demand and on the rise (seeing as how technology is constantly becoming a more and more important, and integrated, aspect of our lives). That's all well and good, but there's something that really disturbs me about this idea that in order to be successful and land a job making

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-89970503109271393252010-03-01T23:12:00.006Z2010-03-02T01:00:33.595Z

I had another amazing dream last night. Skipping to the good part, I was wandering around at Burning Man, when I came across a camp where a girl was building some sort of machine. She was petite, total DFC, completely topless, probably wearing hotpants (I was focused more on what she wasn't wearing than what she was). I was captivated by her at first sight. I found out somehow that her name was

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-57893802204106041852010-02-28T01:17:00.004Z2010-03-02T00:08:26.995Z

I had an amazing dream. I was back in grade school, but I had an unprecedented level of self-confidence. I confessed my feelings to the girl I had a crush on, and we had a deeply personal conversation (the details of which escape me). I stood up to the teacher who was treating us unfairly. And I fought back against the jealous bullies who got physical after realizing they couldn't break my

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-74970678207162247692010-02-26T04:02:00.003Z2010-02-26T06:05:23.131Z

There's this really good video of Ten Years After doing their unique version of the classic song Good Morning Little Schoolgirl on YouTube (just watch it, it's great). I've been learning [this version of] this song, and I was hoping to get some hints on how to do the solo, which I'm pretty helpless about. I'm not good at picking things up strictly by ear (one of the primary reasons I've never

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-65421419598059029682010-02-24T05:36:00.003Z2010-02-24T06:19:01.841Z

I glanced at the stack of unread books on my desk (which is, mercifully, not as large as it has been in the past) and thought about the difference in approach to reading between myself and my friend who is something of a bookworm, and an idea came to me. See, for me, reading is work. I enjoy it, but I have to commit myself to doing it or it never gets done. On the contrary, my friend reads all

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-26076660401661241502010-02-19T13:29:00.008Z2010-02-21T06:49:46.894Z

"You don't have to be the bravest person in the world. Just the bravest writer."Once and Again is a television drama that aired for three seasons starting in 1999, about two divorced families (each with a pair of school-aged children) who come together, and all the troubles they face in life. I recently discovered it upon hearing that Mischa Barton - an actress whom I have had a crush on ever

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-45017813032805322162010-02-11T07:35:00.012Z2010-02-13T05:28:53.852Z

Psyche et L'AmourA while ago, I found myself reading up on the mythology of Cupid (also known as Eros), everyone's favorite Valentine's Day icon (right?). I think most people are aware of the fact that Cupid is the son of Venus, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. But what I found of particular interest was the identity of Cupid's lover, Psyche.Based on what I read, Psyche was a mortal girl of such

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-89224534322024625802010-01-24T13:10:00.004Z2010-01-24T14:10:20.777Z

(theater map)The bad news is that, as of this writing (and it's less than a week away), Horrorfest 4 will not be coming to a theater within an hour's drive of my current location. And considering my schedule, I doubt it would be very worthwhile to make the drive to the nearest theater (and back, let alone on multiple days). I could do it if I wanted to, but as it is, the hassle probably wouldn't

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-32761263969987991772010-01-18T05:59:00.006Z2010-01-18T06:35:10.323Z

Joe Bonamassa's Live From The Royal Albert Hall concert DVD would be an interesting watch even if it was a mediocre show. But this is Joe Bonamassa, one of the greatest guitarists living, and the best of his generation. And this is a fantastic show. But beyond the surface of whether or not the performances are captivating (and they are), is the meaning behind this show. Joe Bonamassa's Royal

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-23487429846339897292010-01-16T06:52:00.015Z2010-01-16T12:54:12.661Z

While shopping for the holidays, before the turn of the new year, I came across a calendar in a bookstore that jumped out at me. Now, if you know me, I rarely make impulse purchases. But it took only a single glance at this calendar for me to know, I had to have it.So, what kind of calendar could it be, that I would just have to have? A rock 'n' roll calendar, featuring all the gods of rock? A

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-33140834197712473852010-01-14T08:39:00.001Z2010-04-01T12:14:13.515+01:00

In addition to Mystery To Me, here are the CD's I got over the holidays (in no particular order), with a couple [hundred] words about each:Stevie Ray Vaughan - Couldn't Stand The Weather [1984]This is SRV's second studio album, following his debut Texas Flood. Both that album and this one are consistently good, serving up Stevie's trademark style of swinging Texas blues rock. The album kicks off

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-2725020964202657872010-01-14T08:17:00.003Z2010-01-14T09:01:06.054Z

Well, folks, I've finally gotten my hands on an original language copy of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, which I have previously known under the title of Master Killer. And it's surprising how much I've grown accustomed to the English script and voices. Not to say that they were good, or that I prefer them, but just that it was quite different hearing the movie in a different language. But I'm

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7707250835259247829.post-70745719349791555652010-01-08T11:38:00.013Z2010-01-08T12:39:26.226Z

If you're not [relatively] up to date on Berserk, and don't want the details of the plot spoiled (up to vol30/ch266), I recommend you don't read the rest of this post. Spoilers start here.Over the holidays, I received the next four volumes of Berserk available in English that I had yet to read (I was kind of falling behind, but I don't mind reading it in chunks). This includes volumes 27-30 of

zharthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995423745639356980noreply@blogger.com1