It's been a while since I've made a Second Life fashion post & there are a lot of reasons why. I haven't been on SL lately because I had a major falling out with a couple of my SL "friends" & I got a bit disillusioned since this is not the first time I've had a falling out with some people I thought were my internet "friends." I had to take a big step back & examine myself & my role in the events & the people I tend to gravitate toward & the drama I attract & participate in & produce, as well. It's not always just "everyone else" - it's also me, I have to take responsibility. All of this "drama" was going on in the midst of some Real Life heath crisis I won't get into detail about now, but as some who REALLY me know, I am dealing with my own chronic illness, & other members of my immediate family have also unfortunately had to deal with their own types of sudden onset illnesses. I am in the role of caretaker for some of them, so there are a lot of stresses. I don't get into details as to preserve my loved one's privacy but let's just say I have been extremely consumed with grief & worry lately & it's very hard.
Even thought I tend to talk & share a LOT, I am actually a pretty private person & I don't tell many people ALL the details because everyone doesn't need to know everything. Everyone has their own major troubles they deal with every day. Anyone who knows what I'm talking about will know. If you don't know, then consider yourself lucky. So yeah, I needed a breather to asses all this "drama" because it really did hurt me & I needed to re-evaluate if I even wanted to continue to participate in the virtual world of Second Life, which suddenly seemed silly & like such a waste of time & money in the grande scheme of things when there are life & death matters on the table. My poor little hurt feelings & the so-called "friends" who were mean & just "didn't understand me" seemed like a waste of my emotion & honestly I don't feel like I have that many emotions left to spare.
Obviously, after about a month & a half of a break, I tentatively got back on SL, but it's a whole new experience now. I don't spend NEARLY as much time as I used to. I used it as a total escape from my life before, but now my life, as complicated as it is, doesn't need escaping as much for some reason. Just like in Real life situations - maybe I realized that what I was escaping TO wasn't giving me the relief I was expecting anyway? I think I have a better perspective. I kept looking for deeper connections with people & failing. I'm not saying I hate humanity, but I think I am just coming to terms with reality better. I feel profoundly changed by the pain & I think it might be a positive thing.
Yesterday, while sitting, cuddling with Nico, my new rescued kitten, on my patio in the warm Summer afternoon, listening to the mellow sounds of community radio, I actually wept because I was so happy. In spite of everything that has happened & everything going on I was happier than I had been in longer than I could remember. Hand on my heart.
Sorry no SLurls this time... I'm so lazy tonight! (Most of these stores are already Slurled in my blog on other posts, in my groups or profile picks OR just use search inworld!)
Wasabi Pills ~ Alice Non-Rigged Mesh Hair Ash
Mother Goose's ~ Ai Skin (Lucky Board)
L.Fauna ~ Dimples Freckles [Pale]
MADesigns ~ Eyes_Nature Furry Hills
ni.ju ~ Eyeliner Visual Edge
DeeTaleZ ~ Teeth
Jetcity Fashions ~ Blackpearls Necklace V2
COCO ~ Handprint Tee - Group Gift
SAKIDE ~ Slide 'em off panties Sequin
Acid & Mala ~ My Fav Bracelet Black Pearls
Riddle ~ I Heart You Tights Sheer Red
Kick/PuncutE ~ Apple Ring
Candy Nail ~ #P045 Swallowtail Nails
Amplify ~ Bow Leg Tats
Dilly Dolls ~ Bastian Boots
After we watched the spectacular local fireworks display, my boyfriend Ted & I decided to drive by the Cal Water Office to drop our payment in the night slot on the way home. Upon entering the drive, Ted starting yelling, "Stop, Stop!" so I put on the brakes. There was a TINY kitten in the middle of the driveway that I hadn't even seen, just frozen there. It didn't move. I waited for it to run away but it remained. I finally urged Ted to get out & get it. When he got all the way up to it, it ran. I pulled in the parking lot, got out to drop my payment, pulled back around & got out to find Ted, sitting cross-legged, holding the kitten. He was a tragic little orange bag of bones. We looked around the whole small "strip mall" (it's one Papa Murphy's take & bake pizza, The Cal Water office & an Engineering Office surrounded by some flowers with a few parking spots,) but couldn't find any sign of a nearby litter, (there are groups of feral cats that thrive several blocks over by the banks, but they are usually a lot healthier.) We both decided quickly that he needed our help & we took him home. He was surprisingly calm in the car & in our home. He seemed very good-natured & of course I started falling for him instantly. We bathed him in warm water without too much difficulty, (I got just a few scratches on my wrist,) cleaned his ears & he ate like a champ, (we have a three-year old cat so we have a lot of treats, wet & dry food & even toys & bedding around.)
The next day I called the Animal Hospital & alerted them that we had found a lost kitten. I didn't want to take him to the other animal hospital which serves as the "pound" because it's not as clean or nice & they really have their hands full with so many strays. Anyway, the folks at the AH told us to use some regular Dawn blue dish soap to bathe him to get rid of more fleas so I bought some & it worked pretty good. Fleas were jumping ship as we poured the soapy water on him - it was really gross! He was still pretty covered, though, so we had to wait for our appointment at 2:15 on Friday the 6th to get him completely free of his infestation. The Nurses took his temperature, weighed him, (he is one pound, one ounce,) & then the Doctor soaked him with Frontline spray & all the rest of the fleas abandoned him. We have an appointment in two weeks two get him wormed & get some shots. He is already so much happier to have all the fleas gone. He was frolicking so much more & sleeping more peacefully the afternoon after his Vet appointment.
We have an enclosed screened porch & the weather is very warm during the days & cool at night so he is staying out there now. He has a radio, a couch, a kitty bed, food, water, toys, & we go out there & stay with him & open the doors to the back yard during the day, (he has the litter box for the night time.) As soon as our cat, Butters, gets more used to him, (she's a bit hissy so far,) we will start bringing him into the house more & try to house train him better. He is so smart he was already alerting us when he needed to go. I think he will be a great addition to our family. We have been tossing around names: Nico & Landon are the frontrunners so far but we are open to any suggestions. He is just so precious, lovable, mellow & has a wonderful personality for one who has had such a rough start. I feel very lucky & fortunate that I decided to go pay my water bill so late at night & that Ted yelled for me to stop & I didn't run over that poor little kitty. Everything happened so perfectly by chance. He really needed some people to love & take care of him. I feel so happy & emotional seeing his progress, even just over a couple of days. He looks so much better. He's happier & he's healthier. He's fun. It might seem silly to some people, but this really makes me feel good. It feels good to be needed.
SHINee does an imitation of how happy I felt after hitting 5000 views
I wanted to take a moment to say Thank You to everyone who has stopped by my blog over the last year & a half - I have now reached over five thousand hits! I started this blog in January of 2011 to force myself to start writing again, (even just a little bit,) by sharing personal anecdotes, writing movie & music reviews, sharing some of my own original artwork, & to teach myself some Photoshop using the pictures I took in Second Life, etc. I have already posted more in the five months of this year than I had in all of 2011, so that's one major feat. It has been a strange journey, though. Things have not always gone so great - I have removed posts for various reasons I won't get into right now, (I'll save that for some more "philosophical" posts at a later date.) I have learned some hard lessons, even gained & lost friends. Even though my progress may seem small to some, & I know I am still very amateurish compared to what is possible, my overall progress means a lot to me & I do feel feel proud to have at least been trying. I have learned a lot & look forward to learning more. I recently updated the entire look & feel of the blog - from the colors to the fonts - even honing the logo, (which is my original drawing,) & I am very pleased. I am still working on finding my writing "voice," constantly reading, exploring new tutorials, other great blogs & finding new inspirations every day. Frankly, there's so much to be inspired by & learn from it's sometimes hard to keep up.
Hey everyone - please take a moment to read this hilarious interview with my old pal & awesome deejay/music mogul, "Bazooka Joe" Almeida from the folks at SYFFAL.
*
"Bazooka Joe" & I met in Las Vegas way back in the '90's when I had a radio show right after his on KUNV, (the number one college radio station in the country at the time!) It was a pretty crazy, exciting time for sure. We became friends, listened to a lot of music, went to shows & he even ended up working at the cd store I managed for a time. He's a great guy & now works with his lovely wife, Christine, under the moniker "The Thing with Two Heads," deejaying & managing Slovenly Recordings & Black Gladiator out of Pennsylvania.
So, my Second Life friend, DJ A.F.I, a great SL & RL DJ, (who is also my longtime "Real Life" friend, since she was a teenager!) was like, "Hey I want to take you to this really cool store," & proceeded to take me to Ladies Who Lunch. Little did she know I am a big fan of that store but haven't been there in a while because every time I go, I end up broke. There are just so many awesomely unique designs & cute, cool stuff that I always want & this time was no exception.
Anyone who knows me probably knows I like birds. Well, I mean they are pretty easy to like: First of all they are nice to look at, secondly they have lovely singing voices, thirdly there's the whole metaphoric "freedom of flight" thing to envy & lastly, they just have a real air of majesty & mystery to them. I think birds are quite magnificent & interesting creatures & they never cease to amaze me.
SO ~ when I saw this colorful mesh sweater/skirt/heels combo resplendent in feathers & with giant Cockatoo faces on it - it was pretty much a no-brainer that I had to have it. (BTW - there are also dress sets with a Pachyderm, Bird of Paradise, Lotus & Owl, in case Cockatoos aren't your thing!) You can get the top & skirt separately or get the set which includes the shoes, like I did. I already had the LoQ hair, (which is VERY much like a "Cockatoo-ish" crown itself,) the Paper Couture earrings & the awesome ni.Ju makeup totally finished off the look & really complimented my brand new Jesylilo skin that I am LOVING, (absolutely amazing lips & eyebrows!)
This outfit reminded of one of my favorite old songs by the Cure. Even though the outfit is a LOT more upbeat & happy than the song is, I decided to include it anyway because for one I just couldn't get it out of my head & two, it's really pretty & kind of melancholy & that's just how I am: half crazy, upbeat & colorful & half nostalgic & melancholy. Enjoy! :P
Shape is my very modified version of "Jennifer" by Glow Studio *JeSyLiLO* at Dressing Room Blue*:::ShamS:::*LightSkin
LaDonna Oceanlane Eyes made by Me! L.Fauna 2.0 Tattoo [Dimples + Freckles] L.Fauna 2.0 Tattoo [Full Body Freckles] [ni.Ju] Visual Edge (the black thick liner) [ni.Ju] Kumi (the pretty rainbow makeup - comes in different versions & tintable!) P.C; Tumbled Stone Set (I have TONS of jewelry from this place, I love EVERYTHING.) LoQ Hair Grappa Pieva - Dark Blonde (I have the fatpack - I love this hair!)
Blacklace Passionate Touch Stockings [LWL] Zoology (Cockatoo) Ampersand - For your eyes only Poses.(This was from a pack of James Bond-Girl inspired poses. You can find it at Shag right now, it seems like they are still in the process of building their own store. Cute poses!)
*
Here's the Cure from 1987 with, "Like Cockatoos." If you haven't heard the whole album "Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me" - I highly recommend checking it out. So many great, very emotional & personal, yet identifiable songs with amazing musicianship. It's a classic!
Lyrics:
She walked out of her house
And looked around
At all the gardens that looked
Back at her house
(Like all the faces
That quiz when you smile...)
And he was standing
At the corner
Where the road turned dark
A part of shiny wet
Like blood the rain fell
Black down on the street
And kissed his feet she fell
Her head an inch away from heaven
And her face pressed tight
And all around the night sang out
Like cockatoos
"There are a thousand things" he said
"I'll never say those things to you again"
And turning on his heel
He left a trace of bubbles
Bleeding in his stead
And in her head
A picture of a boy who left her
Lonely in the rain
(And all around the night sang out
like cockatoos)
So, I had an idea to make this "funny" picture for a long, long time & I finally just went ahead & did it. I'm a HUGE Star Trek fan - my favorite is the Original Series, although I enjoy all of the Series' - (I will watch a lot of The Next Generation & Enterprise when I am bored & I really enjoy those a lot.)
I grew up watching the syndicated reruns of the Original Series as a child. I remember thinking how cool the crew was & admiring how they bravely faced so much danger together, trusting each other & working together no matter what. I loved the humor, their playful banter & their accepting, very diplomatic attitude, (they were always helping strange aliens without judgement or easily forgiving someone who tried to kill them!) The sci-fi aspect, the color schemes & the whole "look" of the show was also very exciting & stimulating to my young brain. Spock was even my first crush, I thought he was so "cool" & handsome, so I will have to try to make a "funny" with him in it one of these days.
There are a lot of VERY funny Star Trek pictures floating around the internet that people have put hilarious text onto, (trust me, my Facebook galleries are FULL of outstanding ones that I have found & saved.) When I saw this picture, these words just instantly popped into my head. Hopefully someone else will think it's funny, too. Thanks for listening &... Live Long & Prosper!
I've had this song stuck in my head since I first saw the video/heard the song. On a facebook post to the band I jokingly said they sound like Hawaii-five-0's hitch-hiking acid cousin of the Beach Boys, but this seems sillier & more dismissive than I wanted it to sound. I have been a long time fan of the music made by Dante White Aliano & the people he chooses to work with . He's extremely talented & has good taste. I urge you to look google, facebook, youtube & otherwise poke, prod & defile him/them on the world wide web. You will be glad you did. His music has been featured on movies & tv soundtracks. New album coming out soon! This song makes my ears shimmer, thanks I'm sure to the great musical performances by the band including the mixing by Drummer Jeff Ehrenberg & Dante. This video is funny & these kids, (I can say "kids" (lol) 'cos they are all at LEAST a year younger than me I know, ) Look & sound GREAT ~ Enjoy!
I just wanted to make a quick post to say I was looking at my box of
Q-tips today after my shower & I noticed it said something like,
"Helpful Ideas for Uses on Back!" or something to that effect with a list of things like, "arts & crafts, makeup application, clean between your babies toes," etc.
I had to think to myself, are there a lot of people who get a box of Q-tips &
then go, "Oh Gee, what am I going to DO with these?"
Does anyone else remember an old commercial from the 80's where Dick van Dyke urged kids to never stick anything INSIDE their ears...except their elbows? (Because it's impossible...get it?)
I have been pretty busy in real life with the holidays coming up, trying to to get my house in order from the recent move, some serious health issues & also some pretty horrible personal drama with some lifelong friends that made me realize a lot of those friendships actually ended a long, long time ago. Now that I have kicked & screamed & cried long enough, I think I am starting to realize I really must try to move on & forever let go of my resentments toward these people & just never speak to them again. I just can't try to "resolve" anything with them, there's just too much anger there on my part, as hard & embarrassing as that is to admit. It really hurt but I am starting to feel a little more free, knowing that I can never "fix" it, because it's unfixable. On a lighter note, I have been doing a LOT of shopping, dressing-up & decorating in Second Life. It seems like the designers are just bursting with creativity & it has certainly sparked mine! I have been putting together outfits & saving them faster than I can take the pictures & make posts. Here's a look I put together probably a month ago. I built it around these great stockings I found on marketplace. I think they are really unique & beautiful. I am always looking for pretty garter stockings & what really drew me in was the neat bird & branch detail on the leg as well as the blue gradient. They come with four pairs, in different options for 85L, alpha layer included. I would also like to note that the wonderfully decorative frame I used for my pose prop is actually the "box" for a past hunt gift from the shop Natural . The designer always has unique delivery methods for her items & this is no exception. Please leave a comment & Thank You for stopping by.
Skin Glam Affair With Love Again Hunt 10L (So Pretty!)
Hair (still nothing inworld or on MP but I did find some pics on flickr) 3636 was free
Bodysuit (older) Ohmai
Additional shoulder feathers by Kletva (had purchased at Dressing Room)
Stockings -CG- Raven Moon Stockings 85L
Boots Violent Seduction Group Gift
Picture Frame that housed the Black Butler Hunt Prize Clothing made by Natural
I grew up
near the ocean almost my whole life. Now that I am living inland I truly
miss being able to take solace in all that the Sea has to offer. I made
my little parcel in Second Life an "oceanside retreat" for a very
specific reason ~ to be able to virtually revisit this comfort. Anyway, I got this LeeZu "Barbara" pullover in olive from The Dressing Room, great color change boots from Miel & the 25L bloomers, from sn@tch, found in the bargain pit & green tights (part of the full Pixie outfit.) The ball jointed doll avatar is from The Sugar Garden & hat/hair from the now defunct Berries, Inc. Also, please enjoy
the sad/beautiful song I have included at the end as well. It is a cover
of an old Tim Buckley (Father of Jeff Buckley,) song entitled "Song to
the Siren" sung by Liz Frazier of the Cocteau Twins in a group called This Mortal Coil which was actually a collaboration of different artists from the 4AD record label, getting together & making gorgeous music. I have all three albums the collective put out over the years & they are all beautiful. This song always had a very
"oceanic" & "longing" theme that fits my current mood perfectly.
I have been listening to/watching this Big Bang video nonstop since
yesterday. Where has this song been all my life? I only heard a couple
Big Bang songs before I fell in love with the GD & T.O.P.
solo collaboration cd. I played it so much my boyfriend begged me to put
something else in the car stereo, so I tortured him with more SHINee
cd's. But honestly, I can't believe I have missed out on so much good
music by being blinded by SHINee's beauty, (lol - no offense to my
shining boys & I am a Shawol forever,) but DANG - this Big Bang song
& video is SO GOOD & I want to hear MORE. The music & vocals have so many hooks &
catchy bits - you don't need to understand Korean to get the vibe
thanks to the wonderful performances. I LOVE the guitar melodies - very
evocative of the Edge (from U2,) and the drums - I could go on, but
just listen for yourself. I am going to listen to it again. (Oh &
BTW ~ GD proves that cool guys DO look back at explosions at the end,
cos he's the only one who looks & he's Pretty Darn Cool, lol.) PS -
Happy Belated Birthday to T.O.P.~ a beautiful, talented guy with that
sexy deep voice I always go for, (Plus he has the most amazing eyebrows.) Good Luck to Big Bang who are up for an award in the MTV EMA's. * I LOVE THIS GROUP!*
~ Ok now here's my little Second Life look I put together out of all free items!
I have really strange dreams and I almost always remember them, well into the following day. I thought I might start posting the more memorable bits, not only as a record, but also for entertainment purposes. I cannot promise they will always be entertaining, nor make much sense. I just thought it would be an interesting experiment. So here goes the first one:
"I dreamt my boyfriend Ted and I were taking care of a building. We were basically custodial house-sitters for an office building where Dan Rather had an office. I was trying to help Mr. Rather clean his lunch up off the desk when he asked, "Can you manage all that?" I replied, "Yes," just as I accidentally dropped his cherished jar of home-made caesar salad dressing into his leftover vegetable soup. He looked very irritated as he tried to fish the jar out of the soup."
Now I will present a song/video that relates somehow. Since this is the first of my "Strange Dreams" posts I will tell you a little something about those two words. Every time I think of, hear or say the words, "Strange Dreams" I think of the amazing song, "Sharkey's Day," by musician/performance artist/legend Laurie Anderson. I had the vinyl album and the cassette copy of Mister Heartbreak, (that this and many other wonderful songs are from,) as a teenager and never, EVER had seen this video for the song until tonight. I truthfully cannot say I love the video as much as I love the song. In fact, I almost couldn't watch it because it was kind of ruining the song for me. I was in my teens in the 1980's when the video age was born, and I mostly did other things besides sit in front of a fledgling MTV suffering through Poison videos just to occasionally catch a glimpse of something I deemed cool, (although it did happen on occasion!) Life didn't revolve around TV as much back then, and there were no cell phones or computers in everyday homes, (and if there were in some more affluent or technologically advanced homes, they were mostly just word processors and there wasn't an "internet,") so it was really a VERY different life experience. I think that growing up this way has made me prefer to HEAR music FIRST, before I see an accompanying visual. I like to let my mind wander and let my own imagination interpret the music. This is not to say I don't enjoy visuals - I do, totally, yeah,...but for me, some of the magic is lost when I have to see something I might find silly, irritating, goofy or unsettling the first time I hear a song. I would much rather have already heard the song and THEN see whatever they offer for the visuals. This is a strange preference to have while living in the "youtube reality" of today and as I have stated in previous posts I DO love having so many options for visual entertainment so handy ~ it's just that I miss being able to have my own personal experience with the music beforehand. With that long explanation out of the way I will now present a totally goofy video of a song I treasure. I suggest just LISTENING to the audio first, because you might get "put off " by the dated video. Or maybe not. But it is kinda goofy...
Sometimes life gets to me and the only thing that helps is Music. Here is an old favorite I discovered way back in 1986. This song never fails to lift my mood and I cannot help but dance around when I hear it. ~But first, a bit of back story: In 1986 MTV was pretty brand-spankin' new and NOTHING like it is today. Sure, there was a lot of "hair metal" but late at night the weirder and more obscure videos would be played. Since I was in High School and couldn't stay up ALL night hoping for something "cool" to grace the screen, I would pop in a 120 minute VHS tape and just let it record until it filled, as I slept. I would come home from school the next day and watch it, eagerly searching for something really cool. One night this video was captured and I was absolutely enthralled when I saw it. The song got stuck in my head immediately and the search to find more from the band was ON. I finally got my hands on the record almost ten years later. Remember, this was long before the internet as we know it. You couldn't just type your desires into amazon.com or ebay and get whatever you wanted. There was a LOT of stuff I sought out for YEARS. I mean actually physically going to other cities and looking in record stores to find these things. Yes, it's a lot easier now, and I like that, (although I STILL can't find a couple very rare items I have been seeking for over 20 plus years!) ANYWAY, here's the great song I found by "accident" and have never stopped loving. This is the French band Les Rita Mitsouko with "C'est Comme Ca". Enjoy!
I was researching something about Kpop, (South Korean popular music,) when I happened upon a conspiracy-theory/illuminati/mind-control obsessed site called Vigilant Citizen. I will link the article at the end of the post but I wanted to have my say first. Check it out, but I warn you, your head will spin from all the theories and you might start to question everything. In the Kpop article the author describes a symbolically homogenized "face" of music being presented all over the world by the illuminati, citing many "western," "occult," and "christian" symbols used in the songs and videos, and how horribly manipulative and "mind-controlling" it is. While I find the site VERY interesting, and DO believe in sinister underground dealings by those who wish to gain or retain power over the masses the truth is, those kinds of symbols don't really "get" to me, because I am not a christian, therefore I assign no real power to them. (Not to offend anyone, but usually, it will induce the opposite effect, causing me to reflect on how detrimental religion is and how so many people in a position of "power" can use religious faith to control others or do terrible things in the "name of god.")
I believe in energy, matter and the fact that we are all on this Earth and part of this Universe making us all automatically connected. Some people have a conscience that keeps them from being "bad," some don't. Some need to be told what to do by the use of fables and fairy tales. Some people actually are severely abused, indoctrinated and manipulated. Some even have actual physical and/or mental issues that color their perception and behavior in good or bad ways. I don't need to believe in dieties, actual human biology is "supernatural" enough for me. I have always thought of depictions of angels and devils to just be "symbolic" of good and bad sides of human nature. I don't believe in a god or gods, angels, the devil, or demons, so to me, if a song or video is using that kind of symbology, it's just trying to illustrate "good" or "bad" in a simple, symbolic way most people can comprehend. Most of the time I find excessive use of christian symbols in music and videos to be kind of "tired". It's so overused, it's not even creative, shocking, powerful or scandalous to me.
For me, the most off-putting part of the vigilant citizen website was the fear mongering and radical christian hysteria that is expressed by a lot of the commenting readers. People were leaving comments about how, "Oh that Korean band is a bunch of Satan worshipers! I will never listen to them again!" When in actuality most of those performers are in fact, christians, (not that it really matters,) AND most of the songs are written by others or "teams of others." (Some could say this further proves the illuminati "handler" scenario.) Perhaps I am so indoctrinated that all I see is just talented, hardworking performers, performing songs and videos that their managers, handlers and companies think will be provocative and appealing enough to the largest amount of people, so as to make the most money! Not to say the performer has no obligation to be conscious of his participation in any activity and Yes, it is kind of a detestable business point of view, but to say someone is "evil" for simply singing and dancing in a music video that uses the word "lucifer" (one of their examples of "evil" was the song Lucifer, by SHINee - one of my favorite songs which is about about an unhealthy, constricting love affair,) is kind of ridiculous, considering there are actual rapists, murderers and child-molesters in the world, who I really do consider defective and "evil" - Not to mention that most popular American songs and videos seem to be promoting the idea of "money love," jealousy, anger, failed relationships and painful longing, violence and power-plays, insatiable sex drive and even willful ignorance coupled with mindless "rebellion." I think a LOT of the reason I enjoy "Foreign" music is because I can't readily understand the lyrical content. Therefore it is all about the music, melody and the tones of the singers voices. The emotion felt by me is picked up by all these factors. I don't have to be instantly "off-put" from what I consider "stupid" or "base" lyrics because I really don't know what they are saying. It is up to the music and the singers to convey the emotion and overall feeling of the song. I think it actually works better. I am not distracted by "stupid' lyrics. I can just get the FEEL. This is also a major reason I don't get tired of foreign music as fast as I do music that is in my native tongue of English. Sure, it's not as easy to sing along to, but it surely doesn't lose it's flavor as quickly.
Regarding all the "conspiracy" theories: Yes, I am quite sure that the "elite" would love for us to swallow whatever is force fed to us, and be able to "control" the general population, (which it is believed they already do.) However, I feel that ALL of these overall messages of "Do This, Buy This, Fear This, Feel Like This, Obey This" are truly rendered impotent if the "target audience" is already "hip" to the shenanigan-type usage of the fear mongering and controlling symbology. (Which is, I suppose the exact goal of the Vigilant Citizen website - to alert you of all this.) However, if these symbols mean nothing to me, then how much power can they assert over me? For example, if I don't believe in god, then you can't scare me with the devil. Or, I'm not going to buy your snake-oil because I actually know a little about biology and medicine. The message I got from the website is: Take responsibility for educating yourself, for your actions and don't be mindlessly led or duped by ANYTHING or ANYONE.
So, here's the "offending" SHINee video, "Lucifer". To me it's just regular old slick packaging of a commodity. I don't feel "forced" to buy or do anything because of this, (except maybe get up and dance, which I consider a good thing,) because I am not an idiot, (or I am so indoctrinated I can't even tell, lol.) Although I REALLY enjoy their looks, clothes, hair, singing, dancing, and the actual catchy tune, I seem to be able to take it simply for what it is: Entertainment.
Here's the original article that started me down the path of this post:
There are people I have known in my life that I cannot let go of. Sometimes they have just gone their own way, other times they have passed on, as in actually "died". At any rate, there are a handful of people I dream about constantly, who haven't been in my REAL life for some time. I feel like this only goes to prove how much they meant to me and how much of an impact our time together, no matter how long or short, truly meant to me. I will not name Names right now, but I just wanted to express that there are many people I truly MISS, and I send all my love to them right now.
As we all know, a massive earthquake, severe aftershocks and devastating Tsunamis have recently rocked Japan. I really can't imagine going through what people there now are having to go through. I lived in San Francisco when the "Great Quake of '89" struck and it was extremely traumatizing for me. Part of the Bay Bridge fell, whole chunks of Highway were destroyed, many people died and whole neighborhoods burned. My apartment was damaged and we were left without power for almost four days. My Mother was downtown at the time of the quake, in danger and had to hide from falling glass that was coming off buildings. My roommate saw a man get sliced in half by the glass! I had just turned 19 and it was a terrible time, I was so scared. Not to trivialize any of that at all, but this tragedy in Japan makes makes '89 look slightly innocuous by comparison. My heart goes out to the people of Japan - as well as their friends and families abroad.
I have always been interested in Asian culture. My Grandparents and my Mother lived in Japan for a few years after WWII. My Grandfather always spoke very highly of the land and the people and he managed to bring back some lovely books, furniture, knick-knacks and photos which I got to grow up with and enjoy. Over the last few years I have been exploring the vast amount of amazing music and film that comes out of Japan and now some of my favorite movies and bands are Japanese. I would like to share some of my favorite Japanese people, movies and music with you now. Don't let the fact that you may not speak Japanese deter you. I don't speak it but I can still enjoy the melody, emotion and feeling of any song, in any language. I hope you enjoy this little "tribute" to my love of all things Japanese and let's all take a moment to send good, healing thoughts to the people of Japan, Hoping and praying for their swift recovery.
Here is one of the first videos I saw from the highly successful Jrock band called L'Arc~en~Ciel. This is basically the video that started me on my Jrock obsession. This year will mark L'Arc~en-Ciel's 20th year making music together and I pretty much love everything they have done. This video really caught my eye because of the wonderful use of color, the dancing and of course the super-catchy song! It never fails to make me happy! Here is "Seventh Heaven" by L'Arc~en~Ciel:
Pretty cool, right? The lead singer's name is Hideto Takarai, or HYDE and he is SO very talented. He is a wonderful, passionate singer and songwriter for L'arc~en~Ciel as well as the band VAMPS, (we will get to them!) He is also a very good actor. He stars in the tear jerking-vampire-action-film (!) called "Moonchild" with another amazingly talented Actor/Musician named Gackt, (we will also get to him!). Here is the trailer for "Moonchild":
Jeesh - I can't even watch that trailer without getting choked up! Hyde was also in another cool tearjerker based on a popular manga. The film is called "Last Quarter" and Hyde composed some beautiful music for it as well. This trailer does not have sub-titles but I think you can still get the sad, trippy vibe just from the music and the images:
Ok, now onto what is probably my favorite movie from Japan, Kamikaze Girls. This movie is based on a popular novella and tells the story of two teenage girls who are almost exact opposites but form an unlikely bond and develop an extremely strong friendship. It's a total "girl-power" fest but it's also very witty and visually interesting, (the costumes and makeup alone are amazing!) It's kind of "zany" but it's also very deep and quite touching. I love it so much!
Ok, now that we are on the subject of "girl-power", I have to tell you about two more great movie on the subject of strong female friendship. These movies were so emotionally touching that once again, even the trailers reduce me to tears. The "Nana" movies are based on a wildly popular manga and, like Kamikaze Girls, involve two seemingly polar opposites who bond very strongly and develop a genuine love for eachother.
And, here's the trailer for "Nana 2" which has a different actress for the more "conservative" Nana. I think she is great, though and I cried even MORE for this movie!
This next film absolutely gripped me. It's also based on the concept of extreme friendship and loyalty - although this time between two young homeless boys. It's an animated feature based on a popular manga and it's probably one of the most visually beautiful movies I have ever seen. Honest to God, after watching this movie, (and going through a box of Kleenex, it's that touching,) I jumped up and painted one of my favorite paintings I have ever done - The movie inspired me that much. I just recently bought it on DVD so I am looking forward to watching it and being inspired again! It's called Tekkon Kinkreet and it will blow your mind:
Now that we are onto animated films I'd like to present two films I usually like to lump together in my mind because they are both from the uber-talented Hayao Miyazaki. They are both lovely, amazingly unique and magical stories told with real tenderness and feature outstanding animation. I have probably seen them both at least ten times each and I often find myself thinking about them randomly throughout the day. The first is "Howl's Moving Castle":
The next is "Spirited Away":
So if you haven't seen either of those, they are a MUST. Small children seem to enjoy them as well, even though they are kind of complex and strange. I once babysat a four-year-old who was enraptured by them!
Now onto a movie I DON'T suggest for children. "Wild Zero " features the legendary rock band Guitar Wolf saving Earth from an invasion of aliens that turn people into zombies. The band basically saves us by using their ultimate coolness and the sheer power of Rock and Roll. They even manage to squeeze some anti-homophobic messages in as well. There is even an interactive drinking game you can play. On the DVD every time someone in the movie drinks, combs their hair, fire shoots out of something, anyone says "Rock and Roll!", something explodes or a zombie's head pops a beer mug appears on the screen & you drink. I really don't suggest playing this game as you would have to drink about ONE HUNDRED times by the end of the film!
Ok, so now that your face is melted off by that, I will show you a movie that might make you crap your pants. This sick and twisted affair is called "Ichi the Killer". It's really depraved but it's also quite stylish and interesting in it's extremes:
So, yeah - totally gross! *nervous laughter* I want to get back to some music but I seem to be on a roll with the movies. If that last movie seemed like something sick you could possibly get into then you will LOVE the next two movies! These are really comically gory, ultra-extreme, totally unbelievably fantastically violent freak-shows. If you like copious amounts of ultra fake blood and guts and bizarre mutations then "Tokyo Gore Police" is for you!
If that intrigued you, don't forget to check out "Machine Girl!" I think it's a little more "tame" than Tokyo Gore Police but it's really effed up as well:
WHEW! Ok, I think we have traveled down the blood and guts highway long enough, No? NO! We can't just come out of all that so abruptly! Let's ease out of it with a really sick, sadistic and rather disturbing video by the brilliant, beloved but now defunct band Malice Mizer. the song is called "Illuminati":
Told you! hahah, Oh, and the cute girl with the long kind of orange-y hair is actually Mana, a dude in the band. It's a "thing" to dress up like a girl with a lot of these bands. I think it's cool. So anyway, the lead singer there was Gackt, who plays multiple instruments and has gone on to a HUGELY popular solo career. Besides starring in the movie Moonchild, many commercials and at least one TV show I am aware of, his androgynous good looks have made him a world-wide sex symbol and even seen him used as a model for a character in a Final Fantasy video game. He is also in a new movie that stars Josh Hartnett, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson and Ron Perlman to name a few. And Gackt gets second billing in the trailer! Yay! This just proves how universal his allure is!
Looks like it might be pretty cool - I will definitely see that! Josh Hartnett is pretty easy on the eyes - but we are talking about Gackt now so let me share a couple of my favorite songs with you. The first one is a little dated looking - it's eleven years old but looks more 90's to me, (the red leather suits *facepalm* and what's up with all the smoking? Yuck!) Anyway, this is one of my all-time favorite songs. I cannot sit still when I hear it and it gives me a real feeling of elation. You can hear his beautiful vibrato and the violin parts are just wonderful! It's called "Mirror":
Now for my other favorite song. (He has so many wonderful tunes but these are the ones that always stick out in my mind and I find myself humming them around the house.) This one is so beautiful to me. It's called "Secret Garden", enjoy...
Beautiful! Ok, now is the time to use my magical powers of segue! There is this amazing Japanese bassist named Ju-ken and he has played with Gackt (among many others,) for years. He is literally known as Ju-ken "The Bass" - that's how rad he is. He also plays in VAMPS. As I mentioned before, Hyde from L'Arc~en~Ciel has another band called VAMPS and they are kind of a "Supergroup". KAZ , a great guitarist from yet another band called Oblivion Dust basically makes up the creative "other half" of VAMPS. Hyde and KAZ have also worked together on previous solo Cd's that Hyde put out. KAZ is a very talented guitarist and a wonderful songwriter. I am always pleased to see that some of my favorite songs on Hyde solo Cd's or the VAMPS Cd's are actually written by KAZ! I had the absolutely astounding pleasure of seeing VAMPS play in San Francisco while on their world tour this past October. It was a present to myself for my 40th Birthday and nothing could have been better. I was jumping, singing and screaming like a teenager. It was really a wonderful evening and I will never forget it. Ju-ken "The Bass" was so much fun - he kind of stole the show with his energy and audience interaction. That show was the kind of show that reminded me of why I have always loved music so much and why I never felt better than when I am singing or rocking out. Here is the first VAMPS song I ever heard and it totally rocks. It's super catchy and the video manages to be hot and funny at the same time. Here's "Love Addict":
Rad, right? Yessssss. Ok, this next video may seem a little self-indulgent at first, (yeah, like Bon Jovi-ish "we're the cliche hard rocking road dogs with the slo-mo live concert footage set to a plaintive song" style,) but it's such a gorgeous song (check out the bass!) and VAMPS really ARE that awesome in concert and the fans really ARE that devoted and into it. So there. This video brings back great memories of seeing them live. Here is "Sweet Dreams":
*Wipes Tears* Ok! I could really go on for hours with only Hyde and Gackt videos but I want to prove I don't just sit around thinking of them all day. I have other interests! I promise!
Here's another band who has been around a long time and they have so much variety in their music. They are called Buck-Tick and they are amazing! This is just a little taste and it's pretty mellow but believe me they are a fantastic band. Here is "Dress" and it is used in the Trinity Blood amine.(Yes, that's a dude - they like to wear makeup and be "glammy". )
You may have noticed a lot of makeup and some cross-dressing going on. If that offends you then I am sorry, but that's your problem. If you are upset then definitely skip the next video, although it would be a shame because you will miss some amazingly shredding guitar action, not to mention some gorgeous period costumes and perfect makeup! This next visual and aural feast is by Versailles, (all dudes,) and it's called "Ascendead Master". I admit when I first saw it I knew nothing about them and I was like, "OMG - those chicks shred!" lol - But I read a few comments under the video on youtube and quickly learned that they are all men. I liked this song so much I had to buy the CD immediately after hearing it!
Ok, now for something a bit "lighter". I am going to show you two videos by the band SuG. I think they are just adorable and I am blown away by the costumes, hair and makeup here, too. I tried posting these videos on my facebook page and did not get the reaction I was hoping for. I wanted everyone to love it as much as I do, but most of my friends were pretty unresponsive. I KNOW I am not the only person in the world that thinks these songs and videos are great because these guys are quite famous. The colors, the clothes, the cuteness and the playful, youthful energy make me feel all giddy inside like a schoolgirl! Anyway, you judge for yourself. Here's SuG with "Love Scream Party":
Awesome~! That lead singer, Takeru is so darn cute. Gah - they are all so cute! *Breathe* OK! Let's do more! Now here is SuG again with "Vi Vi Vi." Man, it must be fun to be a rock star - just check out how happy they all look in this video!
Adorable! Ok let's feature another cute, younger band called Alice Nine. They started in 2004 and already have a huge worldwide following. I really like this song and the video is cool, too. They have a good style with their hair and clothes - it's fashionable and rocking, yet still pretty accessible. This is "Rainbows" By Alice Nine:
Nice. Now, no tribute to Japanese Music would be complete without featuring some Miyavi. This guy - what can I say? Talk about diverse and ecclectic and super talented! Let me show you some examples...First, here is Miyavi with "Selfish Love" - seriously the intro alone is AMAZING - that's some badass funky guitar work!
Dig! Ok, that was impressive, So now I will show you another side of Miyavi. This is "Itoshii Hito":
Weird & kind of sad! Ok - now that we are on the subject of "weird" again I think I can safely transition into Gazzette. This is probably one of their more accessible songs, so I will start you off here with "Silly God Disco". (I think this song is slick as f*ck.) Check out the outfits, too.
This next song is even cooler, in my opinion and it sounds dreamy in headphones. This is a fan made video and chock full of sexiness. I think this song kicks so much butt. Here is Gazette with "Toguro":
Sweet. This next one is just super rocking. I love the female backing vocals - so sexy, it all works so well here. It's "Filth in the Beauty":
Yeah. Not quite sure how to transition out of that one. Gazette makes me feel kind of funny inside so I am disoriented. I think what we need right about now is a trailer for the super-disturbingly sad action murder-fest called "Battle Royale". Children are pitted against each other in a "last-man-standing" scenario that is basically a game for adults to watch. It's violent & heartbreaking:
Speaking of heartbreaking, I finally get my segue into one of my all-time favorite documentaries. "The Great Happiness Space - Tale of an Osaka Love Thief". Believe it or not I could not find an official trailer for this sad & poignant film on youtube. I cannot recommended the documentary more highly. It was interesting, moving, profound, disturbing, bleak, sad, exciting, touching & overwhelming. I rented it from Netflix.
Also, here's the films website:
http://www.thegreathappinessspace.com
There were other videos on youtube with similar names & themes. I found an interesting piece which showcases an American woman experiencing a Host Club for the first time. This is a pretty good introduction to the whole affair without touching on the more melancholy aspects like the wonderful film "The Great Happiness Space" does. Here is that short piece with the American woman experiencing a host club: But the actual documentary is really worth seeing.
Ok, I am going to move right into one of the most beautiful songs, ever. It's the theme song to the anime Ergo Proxy which is in my Netflix queue but I haven't seen yet. The band is Monoral and the gorgeous, evocative, emotional song is called "Kiri". I can usually barely get through it without tearing up and now it seems a bit more timely, especially with the words, "Come and save me" resonating so strongly...
Wow. Well, I'm sure there are tons of things I am forgetting to mention but I may have to take a break from this blog as it has been a few hours and I am a bit fatigued. I hope you have enjoyed this TINY sample of the amazing music and movies that come from Japan. The more I learn about other cultures, the more intrigued I am by our interesting differences and the more comforted I am by our similarities. Peace to You and Yours...
I recently purchased the newest Robyn cd called "Bodytalk" and I am LOVING it. I became a huge fan of the Swedish dance-diva back around 2006 when I purchased her cd simply titled "Robyn". She sings catchy, hook-filled songs of life, love & loss that, although dance oriented & electronically based, still brim with genuine emotion, as in the above video for "Indestructible". I can remember writing down sentiments just like this in my diary. No matter how hard life is, or how badly love-gone-wrong beats you down, you just get back up, dust off and dive right back in, sharing your whole heart and soul. She also has a very playful side, often displaying sassy bravado and sweetly sexy swagger. She is super-stylish but doesn't resort to being overtly sexual, she's usually fully clothed and doesn't look like a stripper, etc. I really, really enjoy her music and I wanted to share some of my favorite songs with you all. If you like them then I encourage you to purchase her cd's because these sound a million times better on a good stereo. Trust me :) The next video is for the song, "Dancing On My Own" which has been stuck in my head lately. It's very catchy and the lyrics really resonate with me as I have been there, done that a few times!
This next song is from her 2005 album, "Robyn" and it is called "With Every Heartbeat". I was really struck by the emotion of the lyrics and the soothing, yet propulsive sound of the music and the beautiful string arrangement. I also think she sounds a lot like Kate Bush here, which is a total compliment.
Ok - now that I am feeling very sensitive from those last three, let's mix it up a bit and show some of that sassy bravado I mentioned earlier! This one is also from "Robyn" and it's called "Cobrastyle". The video is pretty fun, too. I always love her dancing!
Ok, if you've made it this far you have obviously noticed what she looks like. I think she is absolutely adorable, beautiful, stylish and healthy looking but a lot of people make rude posts on youtube about how her tooth is crooked and her nose and/or face is "weird", which I can identify with because I have had those very same criticisms put to me, among many others. It is very telling of our so-called "culture" that only airbrushed-to-"perfection" images seem to be considered beautiful nowadays. What do people want from women? Only perfection? A "virgin"...a "whore"...someone well-behaved and submissive or the strong dominatrix who puts you in your place? A helpless child or another Mother? Why can't women be more...multi-faceted? Oh but wait, they ARE! She addresses these themes and also how these "Perfect Images" really cannot be lived-up-to in the following song, "Who's That Girl".
This post has got me thinking I should do another post about some of my favorite, "non-traditionally-beautiful" amazing female musicians that I love. Ok, that will be upcoming, but for now please enjoy a couple more songs by Robyn. This one also really sticks in my head, and I find myself singing it around the house. It's off of the latest cd entitled "Bodytalk" and it's called "Hang With Me". Again, I just love these lyrics!
The next song is a collaboration with the Norwegian band Royksopp. The video may seem odd at first but if you listen to the lyrics it all makes sense. To me, it's speaks to people who feel "trapped" by the people, places and things they are currently surrounded with and by, and who yearn for more - Another place, different people, new things. The voyeuristic "webcam" feel of the video is especially relevant in this day and age. The song is called "None of Dem" and it's off the latest album, "Bodytalk".
Now that I have made public my immense love for Robyn I feel I can rest for the night. I would like to leave you with a lyrically very interesting song called, "Dream On" which is on the album, "Robyn". The sentiment is so beautiful. She embraces everyone in this song, all the so-called losers and "dregs of society" and wishes them peace and safety. Honestly, a lot of her lyrics make me cry and this is no exception.
Lastly, I hope you have enjoyed this little love-fest for Robyn. This is the first blog love-fest, but it certainly won't be the last because music is life to me - all kinds, all genres, from all over the world - and I love to share my love! Thank you for your time...and, Dream On. XOXOXO
