Me, pensive and sick!

I have the sinus infection from hell. I'm coughing. Tired. My throat hurts. Insert complaint here.

Yet I'm having a good, introspective day. I'm sick yet pensive. Pictured above. 

Happy Birthday DeQuaina!

Is what I'm saying to myself today. I feel a little strange about revealing my real name on here but what the hell. DeQuaina. That's my first name, but it's Prosepunk to you. Still. I might be 26 but ain't tihs changed rekcufrehtom!

Anyway, now that that nonsense is out of my system, I'm here to present a thoughfully compiled list of things Prosepunk likes RIGHT NOW. Hope you like them too, because everything preceding this long winded and rambling list introduction is a bunch of greatness that shall expand your mind. Teach you a thing or two. Oh, and as always this is a two way conversation, if you're reading this, feel free to start a dialogue with me. I won't bite. Or kill you. Or even respond? What's there to lose? A few keystrokes. Anonymity. I eat anonymity for breakfast though, so you are wise to be cautious.

It's my birthday so I can ramble and be as incoherent as I like. this is my blog after all. Look I didn't even capitalize the first word in the last sentence. This is an organic flow of thought, pure stream of consciousness. I am supposed to be introducing you to the list of things that I like right now. Drop your eyes and feast upon my offerings.

(In no particular order)



1.

 Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" the original and Steve Aoki version.

2.

Final Fantasy 12. I'm still playing it and it's still so good. I love it. I'll beat it throughly, and enjoy myself while I do it.

3.

Killzone. Haven't played in a few days but as soon as I have the time to devote to it I plan to dive right back in nuts deep. I mean ankle deep. Women can't dive in nuts deep into anything can they?

4.

Swiss and Rainbow Chard. Pull the leaves from the stemps, wash thoroughly. Cut the stems AND the leaves. Heat up some garlic and olive oil in a pan. Throw the stems in. Then about four minutes or so throw in the leaves. Cook, turning and then covering for a while. Cook until a darker green, or to desired consistency. Enjoy.

5.

This Dr. Pepper I'm drinking right now.

6.

Beach House's Teen Dream album.

7.

Independence.

8.

My artistic strides.

9.

Parenthood. I really like that show for some reason. The acting is just  very natural and real to me.

10.

The random function in my Zune software. It just gave me Bat for Lashes' "Tahiti".

11.

Life.

12.

The subtle let down of adult birthdays.

13.

The surprise agents of birthday glee that one never expects to enjoy.

14.

The positive outlook I've acquired while not always unwavering it is enduring.

15.

My job.

16.

My relationships.

17.

 Marcos pepperoni pizza with double garlic and parmesan. So good. Throw some cheezy bread in there and you will lose you mind, son!

18.

Watchmen. I hated the movie when it first came out in theaters. Now it's one of my faves.



Your gift to me, enlightened reader, is to not judge me for any typographical or grammatical errors. Happy MeDay.

Woke up to Killzone, Only to Die by Killzone!!

Died so many horrible deaths at the hand of this thing:

I didn't watch the entire video because I want to defeat this metal hellion without help, but this video has a funky beat and from the looks of the first few seconds of this battle this guy's got the right idea! I've died a million times killing this thing so even though this guy makes it look easy, I assure you it is not. I inadvertently got a tip by viewing the first few seconds though, switch up my fyahpowah!

Story developing.

Peacy Weacy!!!

Killzone Update, Ya'll!!!!

So....I have a jetpack now! I'm flying around with a jetpack and a hand cannon shooting Helghast soldiers into the dust!

Oh, and guess what I resisted today? Going into the gamer's crack den otherwise known as GameStop and snagging me a 3-DS. I have a hefty trade that will give me enough store credit to help get me a piece of game hardware fresh out the package and new to behold!!!

Pair that with one of these inviting and delicious looking tasty treats:

And I would've been in heaven. But I was trying to be responsible and forced myself and my armful of nice juicy trade-stuffs back home and fired up some Killzone, which I have yet to best. I haven't played since the 3rd though so give me a break. I work and act like a 25 year old  woman as well as game like a 12 year old boy so taste my vesatility and enjoy it. 

Of course jetpack pictured belongs to Sean Connery's James Bond from Thunderball!!
What what! (Bond rules.)

So as I was saying, my reward for my self-control was my character Templar popping open a supply depot only to find a shiny piece of jetpack amazingness to strap on. Hover abilities and unlimited ammunition. Thank you kindly. Still playing....


Know what else I'm still playing?


Peacy Weacy!!

How can you NOT love Nicolas Cage?

And after you view the video above, and only after, can you click Here

Killzone: Liberation Makes Prosepunk Work fo' it!!

So I'm spending my glorious, post work Thursday night playing some Killzone: Liberation and sipping on a Sweet Tea (brand unimportant) while Avatar plays on my television.

Pre-work, while Kill Bill Vol.2 Motion Picture Soundtrack played in the background, I also immersed myself in the addictive and damn difficult world of Killzone: Liberation.

Kablammo! You're dead, man!

You die a million times in this game because everyone in the WORLD is trying to kill you. Dogs, spider bomb thingies, pressure bombs that you can barely see, well thrown grenades, these red-eyed Helghast soldiers are capital R Ruthless!

Hats off to you Killzone: Liberation, handheld facet of the Killzone series, for making me use my logic, skill and patience to best levels manned by the most intelligent AI I've seen in a while. 

Killzone: Liberation challenges me, it punishes me when I try to run in guns blazing, button mashing. It teaches me to pull a pinch of gaming finesse from my reserves and lay it all on the line for ultimate completion, ultimate success.

But damn you are hard and frustrating and maddening, which is why victory over you shall be so very sweet!

So...let's see how long it takes for me to take it down! I started playing three days ago, probably about an hour to two hours a day, give or take. Hear me starting my engines?

Friday October 21, 2:17 PM

This level, titled "TRAIL OF DECEPTION-Assault" is a damn trail of deception. No just kidding, I can't even figure out if the trail is deceptive because I keep getting shot down at the beginning of it. But I can get down with the "Assault" part because I'm for sure being assaulted. I dare say being subjected to aggravated assault tinged with First Degree Murder! This level, particular the part pictured (the very damn beginning) is kicking my frustrated a$$! And I just shot my way through a very frustrating level last night! Only to be met with a challenge that makes the last seem like level 1 in Frogger?!

Horrible picture (I couldn't fight the glare) but you get my drift.

There are two guards right there who I successfully sneak by only to get shot up by some crazy asses who come running out of a door seconds later. Boo. Still trying.

2:46 PM

Hellzyeahyuh! Got my minority stereotype ally Rico to help after running from the Halghast and putting down the bridge! If I die, though, I'm going to probably try to use more finesse next time around....but dammit I got through a part that was kicking my ass so I'm quite pleased. Did it in about two minutes with only about two tries today so far.



Story developing suckah........!

"Method Man Does Sour Patch Kids?! Savvy Businessman or Sellout Sour Sport?" Is What Articles All Across the Internet Will Read!

Ef selling out, I like it. This is Method Man's Sour Patch Kids Commercial. #1 Don't eat much candy, but when I do, I will munch on on Sour Patch. Also, the commercials (the ones sans Method Man) strike a cord of interest within me. So, delicious candy, #1, Method Man/Wu-Tang-esque production style accompanied by the unique chant of Method Man's raspy-voiced lyrical flow #2? Heck yes please. Also, the commercial's mildly amusing dare I say....funny? And Meth had complete creative control over the commercial so he is resposible for its funniness! Not those stuffy ad executives! A good rapper! Wu-Tang? Yes, Meth was in Wu-Tang!

And dammit I need to blow the dust of my Blackout album, Doc's Da Name 2000, Malpractice album! Yes!!!!!

Now, since I have demonstrated my ability to be brain controlled by the media and their ad agencies, I will now simply encourage you to get some Meth and Red in your musical life. Oh and don't hold me to any opinion of Redman's new stuff because I haven't listened to it, but trust, I'm checking out his post-Malpractice catalogue riiiiight now!!

Peacy Weacy!!

Sidenote, once I find a version of this video that isn't a piece of ad crap that plays automatically and even presents you with a commercial BEFORE a commercial, I'll post it in place of this one. Stick it to the man!!

Update: Did it! Enjoy this Youtube version that doesn't do all the things I complained about above. Ta-Ta!

Can I hear a "what what!" for ever enduring racism!!

So it's about that time again for conservative white males to emerge from the depths of their coffers (yes, they LIVE in their coffers) to begin a tirade against the current president, President Obama this time around, and display the shear breadth of their close-minded prejudiced ideals. Mmmmm....do you smell that? It's America people. Live with it. Laugh at it, I do, and I'm black and everyone knows that we bare the brunt of racist attacks.

Yes, I'm a black and beautiful woman who considers herself an open minded hippie of sorts, but I can still call bullspit when I see it. Before I get to calling bullspit, however, let me just remind you that dammit, I'm gorgeous. Don't forget that. I haven't posted any pictures of myself here in a while which is kind of by design since this blog is not about the glory of my striking appearance, it's about the written word, music, and presenting opinions that don't matter in the scheme of things. Ha! However, if you want a refresher of who I am to be regaling you with opinions, reviews and commentary you have undoubtedly stumbled upon after searching for some subject that I continuously fall short of explaining in its entirety, refresh your memory by spiraling into the depths of previous posts like, "Black Lipstick. The 'Next Blog' Button. Headphones." or "Now That's What I Call A Vivid Weekend" or my personal favorite, "T-Shirt Mind Control: Sneaker Pimps"

BUT I DIGRESS!!!

Without further ado, let me introduce you to Mr. Rick Perry!!! Proprietor of NiggerHead Ranch!

He couldn't be any more Republican if he tatted the word across his forehead.

Oh and he also wants to run for President in 2012. Godspeed, Rick Perry, Godspeed.

Anyway, old Ricky's family owns a ranch (he is a Texan after all, ooh and a self described "true conservative" as well. Fun!) that was formerly (or currently depending on who's asking) named Niggerhead Ranch. Hilarious.

Rick assured all mainstream news outlets that the name Niggerhead Ranch, which was displayed on a rock on the property, was painted over YEARS and YEARS ago. Whew, thank gosh for that! It's no worry that he's probably lying, or that the rock before it was "painted over" was probably a great conversation piece for Rick, his family and their cohorts as they walked around with shotguns and Bud Lites in their hands, happy at all the white faces surrounding them as they gunned down animals and maybe, stray black people that had the misfortune of wandering onto the grass of Niggerhead Ranch, where even the cows wear Klan hoods! I crack myself up.

Rick is a handsome guy. Looks like a true conservative Republican, and becuase of the latent (and also, apparently, in some places very active) racism still in existence today, this little racist-as-hell-ranch- name snafu probably won't affect his bid for president in a negative way. America!!!

But I'll tell you one thing, Rick Perry, don't hold your breath for an invite to my ranch which I named after you,

My maturity is evident.

Peacy Weacy!!!

Join me.

In euphoric bliss.

There are places in the world in which you never think to look to find a particular brand of music. Though every country is eclectic, unique and full of diversity that applies to race, religion and interests (for the most part), there are genres of music that certain areas are frankly, just not known for.

For example, Chelyabinsk, Russia. This place is deep in Russia, okay? Deep enough that after stumbling upon Triagrutrika and seeing where they came from, I was like, they are from one of the most Russian cities in Russia. I bet. Chelyabinsk? Have you heard of this Russian city? Of course this question applies to U.S.A-ers because as an American I can admit that I like some other Americans, can be a little, um, oblivious to international geography and cities that cannot boast the position of capital. Know what I'm saying?  Moscow, Russia, St. Petersburg, I know of those places for sure. I'm not an idiot or anything. But get this, Chelyabinsk is one of Russia's bigger cities (the ninth largest, anyway)  but you know what, I bet the people in Chelyabinsk don't know anything about Toledo, Ohio so don't judge me, Russians of beautiful Chelyabinsk:

Chelyabinsk, Russia-the administrative center of Chelyabinsk Oblast

So after that little tidbit I'll try to yank myself back on track. For you.

So I fell across this Russian RAP GROUP called Triagrutrika. Try saying that three times fast. It's easy for me but I bet you can't do it. The name translates as...who knows man I've tried to find out and believe me I searched and I couldn't. Listen, I'm a researcher, yes, but what the name is cool and its meaning is not as important as the music, and also, the name might not mean anything at all anyway. Remember the American band Hoobastank? Aerosmith anybody? Neither of those names have a real meaning and though Aerosmith is on a whole other level than Hoobastank who have by now faded into obscurity, both are examples that a band name doesn't neccessarrily have to have any meaning. So now that I've made excuses for my sub-par reasearching skills we can continue.

Clearly if you're still reading you come for the digressions and run-ons and stay for the miniscule snatches of discussion of the actual subject of my posts. Thanks, it's great to have you!

So Triagrutrika from Chelyabinsk, Russia consists of the the members...damn I can't even find that information. Listen, these guys are an underground Russian rap group. They are like phantoms in the night. Maybe one day they'll stumble across this site and decide to tell me all about themselves.... which would be great because their music is amazing. I was pleasantly surprised by the infectious production and the way the guys' flows rode the rhythm as it were. Nice lyrical delivery, their videos are AMAZING because it's just them rapping! I can focus on the music and not be distracted by vaselined rumps of well-endowed female dancers gyrating before the lens! Imagine that. Well, you don't have to imagine it, here it is:

Mmmmmm delicious. No, you don't know what they're saying unless you know Russian, which I don't. But dammit I still appreciated it. And I still listened to them for hours on YouTube. And they're easy on the eyes as well. I would flirt these guys under the table if I met them and also, drink them under the table and also, interview them about their music extensively before catching a flight back to Toledo and telling you all about it on Prosepunk.

What did I just do here? Introduce you to what I consider to be an amazing Russian rap group--no, amazing Rap Group in general. Go ahead, disagree with me. You wouldn't dare.

*I was gonna try to end this post with a translation of the lyrics of "Big City Life"...but wouldn't you know it? I couldn't find those either. Sigh. Enjoy anyway though. Prosepunk commands it.

Peacy Weacy!!

For some reason....

My fiction has been suffering horribly lately. I'm wondering why. I still feel the urge to write. It's not that I don't feel like writing because I do, but my fiction is wilting fast and I'm not sure why. I know stress caused me to slack on my writing in the past months but trust me when I say that I have excised a large chunk of stress out of my life and feel amazing about it. So why are my creative juices clogged like so many hairballs in the shower drain of an individual with abundant locks?

Now do you get it? This picture symbolizes my creativity perfectly.

Ho hum. Nothing more than that to offer today. Just wanted to lament my fiction-based writer's block I suppose. I even wrote an article about Writer's Block before. Too bad I seem unable to take my own advice today. But dammit if it isn't great advice. And the truth, too. I'm so brilliant, you are too if you're reading this. Isn't it great to be brilliant?

Peacy Weacy!!

When Soundtracks Attack Lite: Watchmen: Music From the Motion Picture

So today was a cool day,  I'm going to ramble on at length--or at short--about the Watchmen Soundtrack depending on how long I can resist the urge to dash back down to my television to finish watching Adventure Time. I spent some of my day off work viewing Watchmen for the third of fourth time and I was of course aware of how expertly the soundtrack was chosen, it fit the tone perfectly and doused me in a wave of nostalgia for a time that I didn't have the pleasure of living in. (I will ignore the fact that living in the 1960's/1970's/1980's as a black woman might have been less than stellar as far as lifestyle, opportunities and rights but I'm not talking about that today and it is irrelevant to my discussion on the soundtrack so quit getting me off track, reader).

I imagined living in the time of these songs' creation  and hearing this music so close to it's inception, so soon after these artists had penned and recorded these masterpieces of American music. Nice. Many of the songs were either on my Zune already (like one of my ABSOLUTE favorite pieces of music of all time from bomb-ass composer Philip Glass, a version of "Pruit Igoe" called "Pruit Igoe & Prophecies") or should have been, like Billie Holiday's amazing "You're My Thrill", Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence", or Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". Really good songs. But then I was introduced to the voice of Nina Simone for the first time.

I've heard her name numerous times but never took the time to see what this woman was about. I wish I'd discovered her earlier because needless to say, she blew my mind. Her cover of Kurt Weill's "Pirate Jenny" from The Threepenny Opera, is absolutely perfect, haunting, memorable, amazing, look, I'll  even put it here for you to listen to because it's just that good:

Whoa. So once again, as it happened when I viewed Pirate Radio, a Watchmen sent  me to download its soundtrack and discover all sorts of amazing old music that needs to be spread in this century to remind us that music can be as transcendent as we always hope for it to be. Nina Simone, this post is for you. I was truly inspired and I am on my way to becoming a big fan.

Oh, and stay tuned for my post about the movie Watchmen, it will interesting and titillating, I promise.

Peacy Weacy!!

When Soundtracks Attack : Pirate Radio Soundtrack

Oh, hello, didn't see you there. You're a sneaky little bugger aren't you? Is what a hot British man would say upon finding an unexpected person creeping up behind him. Despite my surprise, I welcome your presence, and want to dose you with a little bitty album review.

 I'd like to discuss a good soundtrack for those of you who like old music but aren't quite ready to indulge in B-side oldies as of yet. Take an intrigued yet cautious gander at the Pirate Radio Soundtrack. It's chock-full of the oldies you know and love, the hits of the 1960's.

Pirate Radio's double disc set kicks off with a cover of Lorraine Ellison's 1966 hit "Stay With Me (Baby)" an achingly sweet beg-a-thon of a song (I mean this in the most positive way) that Duffy's one of a kind voice oozes around  like a comfortable burst of cold water to soothe an aching wound.  Duffy's rendering is perfectly executed and properly honors the original with a strike that manages to add another dimension to Ellison's cathartic piece. While not seamlessly, it fit in very well with the authentic oldies on the album. Duffy's emotive treat gives way to some of the most emotional, well-written and composed songs of a different time, when music was more organic, voices clear and unaltered.

Take The Kinks' "All Day" for starters, you forget its constant brandishing in the media and pop culture and enjoy the song in its entirety for the actual quality of the production, the effect of the lyrics' repetition, the unique sound of Ray Davies' voice. The same can be said of The Beach Boys' ever ever present in films' opening credits classic "Wouldn't it Be Nice" which is a really amazing song when one takes the time to sit and really listen to the composition and the clear timbre of Brian Wilson's voice sliding over the melodic harmonies for which the Beach Boys are so well known. I smell a run-on, and it smells good so let's go with it.

The album contains many classic soul favorites of the late mid to late 1960's, such as Smoky Robinson's "Ooo Baby Baby". Smoky Robinson, that was a voice, right? Turn that song on and tell me that wasn't A  VOICE? No autotune, nowhere near (if any) as much of the studio polishing that smooths out the kinks in the voices of many of today's most famous singers.

Otis Redding's "These Arms of Mine"? Just slide me a mattress now because I'm about to hit the floor with adoration for Otis' voice. Pure emotion, the perfect rasp born straight from the flesh of his vocal cords and not urged on by the press of a button or the turning of a dial.  Do you get what I'm saying? These people could sing. They had talent. Their TALENT catapulted them into the limelight, not a gross amount of nepotism, not an exterior superiority, not a quota system put in place for the benefit of advertisers. I'm going on a tangent. That never happens here at Prosepunk.

While this album was making me fall in love with many quality yet overplayed songs of the past, it was also introducing me to songs that I never would have considered listening to, such as Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass' "This Guy's in Love With You". Expert. Phenomenal. Evocative. Grand. Dramatic. That enough adjectives for you? It better be because that's all you're getting and dammit that's plenty!

The album also re-introduced me to some of my old favorites, such as Cream's "I Feel Free" and Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary". Delicious.

This is a must have soundtrack, I learned how much I love the oldies and reawakened my appreciation for the style and realness in every note produced.

Music is a learning experience. Even someone like me who knows anything anyone should ever even WANT to know about music, stuff that would make people think I'm crazy or know a little TOO much, learn so much everyday! Such as in this case when watching the film "Pirate Radio" (it was just aiiiiiight) caused me to check out the soundtrack. And by gosh I'm glad I did!

Officer, I was attacked. By a soundtrack.


Pirate Radio Track List!!!

Disc: 1

1. Stay With Me Baby-Duffy

2. All Day-The Kinks

3. Elenore-The Turtles

4. Judy In Disguise-John Fred And Playboys

5. Dancing-Martha Reeves

6. Wouldn't It Be Nice-Beach Boys

7. Ooh Baby Baby-Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

8. This Guys In Love-Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

9. Hi Ho Silver Lining-Jeff Beck

10. I Can See For Miles-The Who

11. With A Girl Like You-The Troggs

12. I'm Alive-The Hollies

13. Yesterday Man-Chris Andrews

14. I've Been A Bad Bad Boy-Paul Jones

15. Silence Is Golden-Tremeloes



Disc: 2

1. Friday On My Mind-Easybeats

2. My Generation-The Who

3. I Feel Free-Cream

4. Wind Cries Mary-Jimi Hendrix

5. A Whiter Shade Of Pale-Procol Harum

6. These Arms Of Mine-Otis Redding

7. The Happening- Supremes

8. Cleo's Mood - Junior Walker & The All Stars

9. She'd Rather Be With Me-The Turtles

10. 98.6-The Bystanders

11. Sunny Afternoon-Kinks

12. Father And Son-Cat Stevens

13. Nights In White Satin-Moody Blues

14. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me-Dusty Springfield

15. Stay With Me-Lorraine Ellison

16. This Old Heart Of Mine-The Isley Brothers

17. Let's Dance-David Bowie

I feel the pulse
The electric vibration
From the foundation
It snaps to the forgettable extremities
It originates in the dark
Swell within me and teach me
Why the touch is what is craved
Why the world is at my toes
The pulse an idol
Suffering sneers from established gods
Pulsing in time to a techno beat
Sliding beside a jazz riff
The fire behind the strike of a rap lyric
As I live in it and I felt it today
With passion inside me I searched
Only to find a pulsating femininity
A need to be pressed against hard and different
Those creatures hailing from Mars.

This will be a distinctly tumultuous day....

However, I  couldn't be more excited about it. The knot in my chest will dissipate. I'll stop shuddering in horror at the state of certain aspects of my beautiful life--I will climb to the highest point in this flat Ohio town and sing out that I am ready to live the life I've always wanted.

Also, it's 7 in the morning and I realized I haven't blogged in ages. A fortnight or more. So answer this question lone reader, did you miss me?

Psychedelic question marks to drive home my question.

Skunktastically Refreshing

This is maybe a bit of a blast from the past, but, remember Skunk Anansie? If you just  thought to yourself, "Skunk-a-who-who?" Get ready to have your mind blown to the point where you will be inclined to use Google or some other search engine to find out more about this band that I will mention in a very general way in this recommendation. Run-on city; population: me.

This is Skin, Skunk Anansie frontwoman:

I know, right?! Black Girl Rocker!!!!!!!!!*ALERT*!!!!!!!!

Feast your hungry eyes on Skin. Her voice is as intriguing as her very existence. I'm sleepy at the moment, so I'll edit and lengthen this post tomorrow, or not, we shall see.....but in the mean time, check them out, listening to their infectious "My Ugly Boy" right now and it's hitting the spot. Plus they've been knockin 'em dead for a while now. I still remember their live ass performance in Strange Days. If you haven't seen Strange Days get yourself together, you can't even begin to call yourself a movie buff.

 But if you take nothing else from this post, hold this close to your grey matter: Skin's a black female rocker!!! A rare and endangered species that must be enjoyed and experienced and appreciated....

Oh and this list is lame and these people have no taste. How dare they vote Skunk Anansie so high!! Poppycock! Yeah, granted some of the bands probably sucked but the moment I even saw Radiohead's name even near that list for anything bad I almost slammed my laptop shut and biked to Bad Musical Tastesland to destroy their power supplies so that none of them have access to the internet anymore. Hahaha. Just kidding, all in good fun. Look I even linked to your wretched site so that crap tastes can exposed for what they are, different from mine.

Also, I've never attended a Glastonbury Festival outside of YouTube but I stand by the snarky and antagonistic tirade against the unsuspecting users of said site.

Welcome to Prosepunk!!

Peacy Weacy.

Hide Your Throat, Hide Your Neck Because True Blood is back!!

HBO's True Blood returns to a TV screen near you on June 26th!

The title is as catchy as I could make it on this glorious Wednesday afternoon and since there's no doubt it caught your attention --you You Tube/pop-culture addict, you-- I'll go ahead and pat myself on the back for creating a titillating title for your enjoyment.

After enduring an onslaught of cookie-cutter, angst ridden bloodsuckers for a year (I'm talking about you, Twilight and Vampire Diaries on CW!) I am all too ready to experience the harsh unbridled sexuality and won ton violence of True Blood, which makes its return June 26th, 2011 on HBO.

True Blood vampires are the type of vampire I grew up loving; vagrant yet independently wealthy undead on a mission for sustenance all the while being tortured by murky moral compasses and insatiable blood lust. I like my characters flawed but irresistible (Eric Northman, anyone?) I like the humans that co-exist with the vampires to either display a faculty-robbing fear of the vampire or an unrelenting desire to bask in the shroud of their enticing darkness. My vampires must either be  unapologetic, ruthless predators of the night or ruthless vampires of the night trying to suppress their murderous instincts all in the name of love--in a believable and entertaining way that doesn't involve sparkling  skin or teenagers with a penchant for flat irons.

Season 1 of True Blood ripped the colorful lifestyles of Bon Temp's dead and living from the pages of Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series and slapped viewers across each of their faces with it all at the same time with no hesitation! It gave us our first delicious peek into the sultry lives of a town of unsuspecting yet magnetically attractive Southerners. It introduced the multi-cultural group of characters that boasted a supporting cast that surpassed the suggestion of their supporting cast label! To top it all off, all these attractive Southerners dabbled in just enough sex and violence to appeal to the darkness in us all--even we mild Midwesterners!

Last but not least, True Blood's debut introduced us to the seemingly innocent and good-natured Sookie Stackhouse who just happened to have the enviable talent of reading the minds of her friends, family, customers and the like--and where would Sookie be without the brooding southern gentleman Bill Compton by her side, licking his chops--irresistibly of course. These two, while I found myself staring daggers at them from time to time as they traipsed across the screen in some feverish embrace or yelled at eachother or saved one another form harm or had sex (all the time), really hit the spot. They are the dysfunctional foundation for a bevy of enthralling storylines--isn't that the point of a story? For it to ENTHRALL you? You don't even have to look at your Word-A-Day calendar today after reading this post! Enthrall- to captivate or charm. OR.....TO ENSLAVE!!! Okay enough of that.

Season 1 was a shocking yet seamless barrage of crazy plot twists, vivid violence, and naked bodies entwined in the throes of passion all topped off by a cliffhanger finale that left me beside my self with longing for season 2, and trust me when it came I was completely sated!

Season 2 convinced True Blood's growing fan base that it would not be one of those shows that jumps the shark after the first season, Mary Ann was an absolutely sweet villain, right? Oh yeah--this is a spoiler free review, the type I specialize in because there's nothing I despise more than a spoiler--well maybe I hate bad movies that somehow take the nation by storm while masterpieces sit forgotten and under-appreciated on the shelf more but I, as I often do, digress. So I won't spoil anything, I'll just let you know, just in case you're a little slow on the uptake and have failed to ingest the delicious witch's brew that is season 2, that Bon Temp is running thick with more than smokin' hot, blood thirsty vampires and the hot pant-clad hotties that love them!! HOT! HOT! HOT!

Season 3 wasn't my favorite but it still had me glued to my seat every Sunday night, it still kept me entertained, and it managed to stay as dark and unpredictable as always. I got enough Eric, Sam, Tara, and Lafeyette to keep me satisfied for eons to come, and vampire politics aren't half as dry as human ones.

I love the show, and in about ten days, I will once again immerse myself in the delicious drama-filled lives of Bon Temps' addicting residents!! Season 4, welcome to air!

Quintessential I'm still blogging blog post.

So I'm sitting here watching a horrible reality show that shall not be named (yes I'm ashamed of myself I did create a blog post under the passionate exclamation "Scripted Television Only") and I remembered that I haven't blogged in a million years. Do not be alarmed, life has been coming at me at breakneck speed because I have decided to become an adult. Just kidding I've been an adult since I stopped believing that America was racism-free. What a lesson I learned!

Anyhow, I have no thought provoking gems of knowledge to drop, but I can't leave that damn Patriot Act dish up there (down below now) could I? More pressing issues have arisen, I haven't even taken the time to follow up with that Patriot Act to see how it's doing these days, but I digress.

My focus is shaky but taking its time and developing into a delightful juggernaut that is born of necessity. Reality bites some sooner than later. But I digress again.

What's with all the digressing? I mean, the more digressing than usual?

What am I kidding? This damn post is about Final Fantasy 12! Take a gander through this blog. I've been playing this game exclusively for nearly two maybe three years! I thought I passed it the other day and then wham! I have to go fight something some damn where else! I am a bit obsessive compulsive about video games so I won't be able to enjoy another game until I trounce FF12, but I'm simultaneously sick of the game and driven to beat it, which means long periods of time pass between my sessions with the game. If  I played it every day for about three hours a day I might get it done, but I've been playing it for sooooo looong, I've fallen out of love but am too loyal to it to leave it incomplete and collecting dust on the shelf!!

bakanaartist's rendering of FF12 characters (and my faves) Fran and Balthier.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm going to beat it. Who wants to wager me? I can't even imagine finishing it anytime soon, remember I'm playing it THOROUGHLY! Killing marks, finding Espers, fnishing side quests, sprawling catatonic on the floor! I'm playing through every inch of the game, well maybe the last thing isn't in the game but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

I talk about myself a lot. I'm an American, so sue me.

Mmmm...National Security Legislation. Delicious!!

I woke up this morning craving something and I wasn't sure what. I got in my car and drove to McDonald's and bought a sausage egg mcmuffin and a sweet tea, yet my craving persisted. I sat on my bed staring into space, trying to digest the lump of delicious heart stopping sustenance in my stomach before I realized what it was I wanted, National Security Legislation! Why didn't I realize it sooner?

Lucky for me, President Obama just signed a four year extension of the Patriot Act which means that roving wiretaps, court-ordered searching of business records to investigate any perceived terrorist activity and secret surveillance of non-American individuals who may or may not have ties to terrorist cells is here to stay!!

The Patriot Act has always been shrouded in controversy, some believe it violates privacy (which it does, by definition) and has in the past been criticized as being misused by law enforcement, called unconstitutional, unnecessary. All of these are valid points, I don't know who can really argue with them. However, proponents for the bill claim that it has been useful in deterring terrorist attacks and since its inception following the September 11, 2001 attacks, and that may be so, but who can really know?

All I know is, the Patriot Act has and always will remind me of an episode from season seven of The Simpson's titled Much Apu About Nothing, where a bear wanders around Springfield until it is tranquilized and Homer rallies for the creation of a Bear Patrol. The question is raised, is the Bear Patrol necessary? Sure, from then on Springfield doesn't have to contend with any surprise bear encounters but the one sighting that occurred was rare anyway, and may never have happened again whether the patrol was around or not.

However, how can I argue with the government's efforts to protect the country from terrorists? I could, but I won't, if the government wants to check out a list of the books I took out from the library (yeah, I still do that) and peruse it for suspicious activity, go ahead. I am not ashamed of my penchant for trashy romances, gems of the literary canon, or gritty mysteries. Maybe they'll find something they like and curl up with a book from my list that same night with my name on their lips and a story in their heart.

Hold on wait, what was I talking about? Oh the Patriot Act. Yeah, I don't have any strong opinions. I'll save that for the day my own privacy is infringed upon for no reason. Which I don't see happening, I'm young, black and beautiful. My only concern is my never ending quest for mastery of the written word and for my freedom to express my opinions and wishes and fears--which so far, I have done unmolested.

Craving satisfied.


Peacy Weacy!!


Source

Don't know how rare of a find this is......

...but it's cool as hell!! I was nosing through one of my favorite stores (Allied Record Exchange) in beautiful Toodeeloodoo, Ohiwo and I came across this crazy cool special edition of Blur's Think Tank. If you read this  you know how much I love this album, I even ventured to call it one of my absolute favorite albums of all time. With that said, of course I was tickled when I saw this and I had to buy it even though I already own the normal version of the album.

Take a gander, it's a book with a cloth cover with Banksy's album art stamped in gold on the front and filled with  reproductions of Damon Albarn's handwritten lyrics and doodles, typed lyrics, and all around coolness. The CD is in a sleeve in the back. I love it.

Like I said I don't know when this edition came out or how rare it is or anything like that (probably not all that rare) but I am absolutely stoked to have found it. Just wanted to share!!

Peacy Weacy!!

Season 3 of Nip/Tuck Cheapened the Series....

...Which is sad because the first two seasons were simply amazing! I had to take a break from viewing season three on Netflix to express how...awful it is! Nip/Tuck is known for its over-the-top story lines--a characteristic of the show that was always well tempered by quality writing and provocative cinematography. However, the third season took things too far and while entertaining-- in the way those cheesy/soft porn style movies at wee hours of the morning on HBO or Showtime in the late 90's were entertaining--it lost a great part of the style and class it managed to maintain in previous seasons.

I watched the first two seasons as a teenager when they originally aired and I loved the show. Some lifestyle change or obsession with an unattainable boy or  or teenage angst must have stopped me from watching for a while but I returned to it in college and watched a few of the later seasons. Now I'm just engaging in a Nip/Tuck binge and I was enjoying it immensely until Season Three, which I never saw any of in re-runs or otherwise, burst out of the gate with so much ridiculousness it's unbelievable.

This is how my mind's been while watching season three:

"Come on now, no penis?!"

"Why are these doctors being made privy to all this sensitive police information? They are only plastic surgeons!"

"They operate on anything that moves if the wind blows south. Christian keeps operating on Kimber, they operate on their own son? Aren't there rules or something against this. How can they afford all these free surgeries? They're either operating on family members or pro bono cases all the time!"

 "When did the carver become a plastic surgeon? He started off just doing believably crude carvings. Hold up, he carved nine girls at once? Come on!!"

 "No, penis. How was it possible for him to be in threesome situations with air blowing around in his undies where his junk should be?"

I love Julian McMahon and Dylan Walsh, Christian and Sean, but no amount of eye candy could distract me from the zany plots and implausibilities.

I have episode 15: Quentin Costa on pause as I write this, so no, some plot lines have yet to be resolved, but the damage has been done. Boo Season Three!! Off to finish it...

Edit: Season 4 I saw back when it aired, now I remember--I remember being excited about beautiful Sanaa Lathan's guest starring role, and this season is much better than season three if my memory serves. *Sigh* If the two stars weren't so damn hot I might give up on the Nip/Tuck binge but alas, they are Greek Gods and I, a moth to their flame...

Peacy Weacy!!

Bin Laden is no more!!!

...and Fox News continues its tirade of disrespect against President Obama....

Sacramento's Fox 40 makes large  Freudian slip!

Actual Freudian slip or not, Fox and its affiliates need to get off Obama's back. He's the president, not God, and therefore fallible--yet they still go hard at him--and if he weren't black (I don't play race cards I speak the unfortunate truth) I'm sure they'd give him a little more respect.

Oh well, what can you do? Typo or not I laughed a bit in my inside parts.

I don't really have a major comment on Bin Laden's death. I feel a little underwhelmed by the news. Terrorism is never the act of one particular person, and I'm sure there's some over zealous extremist foaming at the mouth to take over where Bin Laden left off--so we'll see how the next few days unfold. In effort to be positive, however, I'll congratulate Obama, he needed some big, crazy results to spawn from this term as president if he even wants to TRY to get re-elected, so kudos.

I also hope that if nothing else, this helps to vindicate any of you out there affected by 9/11 directly. We never forgot about what you lost, what you endured, and you deserve a little good news even if it doesn't completely erase the memory, or the pain.

Peacy Weacy.

Oh my gosh, Disney are you serious? Tell me I'm not the only one who finds this ridiculousness hilarious!!

America didn't want none of that, huh?

This is a picture of someone named John, literally holding the mustard.

Whoa, the government sure knows how to keep us bored American citizens on the edge of our seat!! First, it looks like there's no budget compromise in sight which meant that the whole dang government was gonna go into hibernation, but at the last second, an agreement on the budget was reached---or is it, an agreement to reach an agreement was reached--who knows? Who cares? The Federal Government is now free to chug along like the well-oiled machine it is (sarcasm).

I don't dislike our government, but don't think I'm going to sit here and think that it functions properly--or well for that matter-- unfortunately the government is like any business, corporation, collective, retail store, mom and pop shop, etc.; rife with instability, in-fighting, gossip, popularity contests, ineptitude, group projects where only one person is doing the work, scandal, sexual harassment, ballot stuffing, cursing, human sacrifice--hold up I didn't mean that last thing. That would be crazy and that's something the government is not. Crazy.

So anyway, back to the basics, House Speaker John Boehner from my home state of O-H-I-O announced that the House will pass a little measure good enough to keep the government functioning through next week when a long term package will be decided upon in a manner smoother than that which was used this week (I added  the last part, and it's dripping with sarcasm).

Seems like they cheated to me. If a decision wasn't met, then the government was supposed to shut down. Now I don't WANT the government to shut down, we're already doing bad enough with every player on America's team doing it's best, if we lose a member (our guvment) we might fumble ourselves right into something akin to the Rome's flaming demise, however, they shouldn't flood the Internet and those fossilized newspapers with sensationalized threats of a shutdown that everyone knows would most likely never happen. The government is a business like I said, its members want to stay in operation at any means necessary, and will fudge the numbers a bit for their benefit.

Am I making any sense?

See ya next week when Title X will still be the blockade on the road to the government's progression through its spending plans, and if the old Govvy doesn't get it together, we might be doomed to continue our glorious trend of overspending and end up more bankrupt than a washed up rapper, and nobody wants that.

Peacy Weacy!!

What in the blue stars is going on? Now I know all you well-rounded readers out there know what a government shut down is, it's what happens when the government stops providing "non-essential" services. If it's not a necessity, Capitol Hill won't help distribute it to you. Cops, firemen, utility companies, the armed forces and the corrections system remain intact, but everything else ceases. This messes with a lot of people and a lot of jobs, and not the fun kind of messing with either. A wonderful thing to rise from the shambles of our economy. I'm being sarcastic, this is gonna be HORRIBLE for the economy.

Shutdowns usually occur when the legislative body can't decide on a budget for funding its government programs for the coming year. The executive body typically deepen this problem because their vetoes may be what's keeping the budget from falling into place in the first place.

This year the shutdown is looming at this point because of disagreements about how to fund Title X, an ominous name for Planned Parenthood. This is funny since most can agree this has smattterings of the whole Roe v. Wade issue right beneath the surface. Planned Parenthood gives abortion assistance. The government recently pushed and pulled, and always have push and pulled, and will always push and pull over the issue of abortion.

As far as I've kept up with the story, they may be at the beginnings of a compromise--something along the lines of distributing the funding to state governers to let them decide how to dole out the funds to Title X, but the dems aren't having that--at this point. President Obama is expected to check in by phone today. I'll see if he has, and what else is going on...

Are representations of beautiful black heroines in the media as rare as a functional government?

Misty Knight from Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe

I'll let you be the judge of that because I make no comment on the aptitude or lack thereof of my government or that of any other country. But hell, did you get a load of Misty Knight up there? That's a bad bish!

Black women are beautiful, as are all women. Since I'm a black woman I have to give ultimate props to black women though, I'm sure you understand. Anyway, from time to time I get on these kicks where I want to search out representations of black women on television, in literature, in comics/graphic novels, movies, etc. that are depicted in a--natural, cool--light. Black female characters whose characterizations aren't motivated by their being a black female. Know what I mean?

I like comics, I like anime, I like graphic novels. Call me a geek, you'd be the only one to do so and therefore be unique in that one aspect. I like those three things even more when I can see a character that looks like me on the screen, on the pages. We can kick ass. We can. We can be beautiful and kick ass and carry a plot that doesn't involve man problems and wrangling three kids as a single mother. We can have strong meaningful relationships and go through ups and downs in light hearted rom-coms. We can kick the crap out of aliens and then pull our partner to safety. We can kick a self-aware robot in the metal gonads and kiss our long lusted after sidekick amidst a barrage of fireworks while the credits roll.

Don't you agree?

Then why don't I see more of it?

More on this later...

In the mean time, check up on miss Misty.

I make it a habit every time I take a glance at my blog to check out other people's blogs on Blogger.com, just to see what subject matter I might stumble across that might either scar me for life or teach me the meaning of life, I'm open to either experience, but what I usually find when I click the "Next Blog" button at the top of the screen are inspirational religious blogs, blogs that lament the fact that the author doesn't give enough attention to his or her blog, and blogs about picture perfect families and the amazing antics of their "too cute for words" offspring.

It's cute, really. The pages are so bright and hopeful and inspirational. I appreciate them. But every once in a while, you get a gem of a page. Something that sticks in your brain, something that makes you place a link to it on your own magnificent blog.

Blogging is like anything, a hobby that many attempt, most in a half-assed fashion (don't look at me), which provides a vast pool of blogs of varying quality thick with opinion, fashion dogma, questionable imagery and of course, celebrity gossip. So when you find one that strikes a chord, it's like finding a four leaf clover or a deftly produced movie sequel, I say that to say, it's rare that you find a genuinely interesting blog.

Prosepunk may not be that blog. Maybe my rambling isn't your cup of tea. I don't mind. But I know what you do like, headphones. Who doesn't? They're a necessity for plane trips, brooding rides at the rear ends of buses, as a shield against the acidic banter of the long married couple sitting next to you on the subway train. Hey, and  you know what you don't see often? A person wearing black lipstick on days other than Halloween--AND looking damn good while doing it. I gave you all of this at the top of the page. Doesn't that count for something?

Peacy Weacy!!

Tron: Legacy R3C0NF1GUR3D (Reconfigured LOL)

Nice try reconfigure-ers!

Okay, so my nail-polish is still intact. Daft Punk's originals from the soundtrack whooped these reconfigured songs' booty. If you want to hear the music from Tron: Legacy buy the Tron: Legacy Motion Picture Soundtrack by Daft Punk. Leave the Reconfigured version on the proverbial shelf.

Don't get me wrong, there are a few bright spots that stand up as quality re-imaginings, The Glitch's "Derezzed" is pretty amazing.  M83 VS The Big Black Delta did a catchy and unique reworking of "Fall". The Crystal Method's remix of "The Grid" is palatable but since its The Chemical Brother's I expected more. Teddybears did a decent remix of "Adagio for Tron", Oakenfold's "C.L.U." is decent. Grudgingly, I'll give a few props to Photek's "End of the Line". But make no mistake, the originals trounce every reconfiguration easily. Some might say it wasn't the goal of the reconfigured piece to eclipse the brilliance of the Daft Punk's work, but it should at least bring something more to the table than additional laser-beam sounds and generic synthesized bass loops. Tron: Legacy Reconfigured is not the worst album I've ever heard by a long shot, but it is definitely--in a word--unnecessary, and in some more words-- vastly inferior to Daft Punks' original.

Tron: Legacy Reconfigured gets 3 out of 5. Cop at Own Risk.

P.S. For SHAME Moby. "Son of Flynn" is my favorite from the soundtrack and you totally removed what made the song amazing and replaced it with ear murdering repetitiveness. Nope.

Peacy Weacy!!

When Soundtracks Attack: Daft Punk's Tron: Legacy

I've decided that my fingers want to off themselves when I'm typing a typical review. I like reading reviews, and sometimes, when the wind blows to the left or some other random event incites the desire in me, I feel like writing a review, but mostly they drain me for reasons I'm not sure of. So from now on I'm going to implement a rating system that I'll apply to the current album I'm either obsessed or repulsed by accompanied by a few lines of opinion.

DAFT PUNK'S TRON: LEGACY --- 5 out of 5<< so yeah my rating scale is out of 5.

Amazing. The best soundtrack I've come across in a while (along with  Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 Soundtracks) This soundtrack is unlike anything I've ever heard--from Daft Punk or otherwise. Better than the movie. Go cop it. Cop=Buy.

I downloaded Tron: Legacy Reconfigured to today--it features remixes by some pretty good producers like Oakenfold and The Crystal Method, so I'm thinking it's gonna knock my nail polish off. But we'll see, I'll tell ya all about it, don't worry. Let me be your musical guide. I won't disappoint, and if I do disappoint, well it's your own damn fault.

PeacyWeacy!!

A few thoughts on Blur's Think Tank, The Gorillaz, and Damon Albarn

Think Tank's Cover Art, Created by the brilliant Banksy

So this will seem more like some sort of analysis than an actual review, and since I have the pleasure of having my own blog, I can pretty much write this any way I want...as long as you the reader are satisfied, titillated and mystified by the soft caress of my wordplay.

Right to the nitty gritty:

In celebration of the recent release of the Gorillaz' Revolving Doors and Doncamatic maxi-singles I want to examine the consistent magnificene of all of Gorillaz work opposed to the spurt of brilliance of Blur's Think Tank.

What follows is complete staunch opinion--I tend to be hesitant in voicing my more trivial convictions but I'd like to do so today.

I bought Blur's Think Tank in 2003 the year of its release. It was amazing. It is probably--and this is a very lofty statement--my favorite albums of all time. The single weak spot rests with the song "Crazy Beat" which while failing to live up to the astronomical artistic standard of the rest of the album still manages to be an infectious song that doesn't completely ruin the mood of an otherwise pitch perfect album.

Think Tank is home to many temperaments. While it is classified as a alt rock album there are definite electronic, jazz, and other unclassifiable facets that lend the album its most transcendent moments. The instrumental arrangements are unique and intricate--the work of Albarn and Blur's other members, guitarist Graham Coxon (who actually left the band before this album was created-- Albarn picked up the slack), bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree.

Albarn's voice is as haunting and distinct as it has ever been whether it's weaving through the psychadelic twangs of a Gorillaz juggernaut or drifting softly over the moody drone of Massive Attack's "Saturday Come Slow". It is often the custom of an album to have the lead lyricists voice serve as the centerpiece, Think Tank makes it clear that the instrumentation deserves consideration and shine.

There are many mind-blowers on this album, "Out of Time" is the song that introduced me to the band and boasts a melody that I never tire of, however it is not the album's greatest offering. The moody thump of "Good Song" belies the slow and dreamy voice that Albarn pairs with the instrumentation, and the lyrics come through clear and stark and speak of a beauty the song itself drives home while a song like "On The Way to the Club" reveals itself slowly with a bassline that rivets the ears and lyrics that drift slowly over a tempo that seems more upbeat than the voice that accompanies it.

"Caravan" is the definitiion of moody (I love the word moody, read my other music posts and you'll see, but it's because it's the perfect word to describe many of the songs on this album as well as the album as a whole. The New Oxford American Dictionary (Kindle edition) defines moody as 'given to unpredictable changes of mood, especially sudden bouts of gloominess or sulleness'<< exactly!)

I could go on, breaking down every song on the album, but that would be boring and I don't feel like being more long-winded than I will probably be.  I rather take this moment to focus on writing about my two favorite songs on the album, which also happen to be the most somber. I am a somber person by nature, don't let this bombastic online persona fool you. Still waters, however, run deep.

"Sweet Song" is a piano laced ballad that speaks of losing a love and although not all can relate, empathy is pulled from the very depths of the most heartless once the song has run its course. Lyrics of note, "So I ween myself off slowly". I don't even need to say any more than that.

The album closes with the borderline depressing "Battery in Your Leg" which eclipses "Sweet Song" only marginally in being my favorite. The melody does unexpected things. It surprises you. It echoes into the ears and the lyrics speak of giving up. Highs and lows assail the ears, twangs accompany cathartic pleas along guitar riffs that are unlike anything I've ever heard (thanks Coxon)--MOODY.

I absolutely adore Think Tank. All these years after its release the songs still hit me somewhere deep in the incensing darkness of my soul, so naturally I figured I would love all of Blurs work. Nope. I tried. Think Tank opened my mind to the myriad of music I enjoy to this day but the albums that preceeded it were not my cup of tea which was a very confusing pill to swallow. How could the band churn out this masterpiece in the face of internal conflict no less and right before disbanding (they have since reunited), but have earlier works created when the band was presumably more cohesive fall short of Think Tank's imaginitive concepts, instrumentation and lyrical delivery? One could venture to say that Coxon's minimal involvement with the album created music that was more pleasing to my ears, but that couldn't be the case because he leant a guitar line to my fave, "Battery in Your Leg".

Think Tank was also the point where Albarn took over completely, and his influences were felt most strongly on this album, and I am a diehard Damon Albarn fan, and why wouldn't I be? He created the Gorillaz!

Unlike Blur, the Gorillaz are immune to missteps. I own every album, every B-side, G-side, every random release, and they never disappoint. Albarn makes magic with the Gorillaz which is an abstract band--made up of animated members that bring character to music that transcends proper classification. Guests fly by leaving their mark on beats that could send a lesser producer to seek a career reassessment test, Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Dennis Hopper, Phi Life Cypher, De La Soul, Lou Reed and a host of others.

So I say all that to say, I heart you Damon Albarn. You are my musical muse and though not my only, you are in good company, I assure you.

What a weak conclusion. But that's how it goes sometimes.

Blur Discography--decide if you like the earlier works more or less:

• Leisure (1991)
• Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993)
• Parklife (1994)
• The Great Escape (1995)
• Blur (1997)
• 13 (1999)
• Think Tank (2003

The Sims 2 teaches the drug free about addiction.



Two of my Sims getting dizown on the couch sucka!





My days used to be my own. My nights were used for sleeping, and sometimes, nefarious activity. I used to shop, drape my amazing body in over-priced clothing and paint my lips in dark shades of lipstick that brought all the boys to the yard as Kelis once said, but no more. For months my mistress has been the The Sims 2, an enduring means of entertainment even as its predecessor The Sims 3 boasts its superiority across glossy ad pages. I cannot tear my eyes away from the magnificence that is The Sims 2.

I am a video game purist--or boring weirdo-- it's really according to your opinion which matters little unless you share mine, and I always play games in order. I try to finish a game before I move on to the next in the series (or another game altogether) because I believe in finishing what you start, and if I haven't beat the one that came before it, what right do I have playing any of the sequels? I played God of War years after its initial release, and I played it until I beat it, then I allowed myself to purchase God of War 2. I finished that right around the time God of War 3 came out, and I was proud of myself, I deserved those sequels know what I mean?

It's the same with the Sims. I was playing Sims 1 up until last summer!! I had the complete collection and there were so many things I had yet to master and discover in the game. I hadn't  cast all the spells I wanted to. I hadn't had as many children as I wanted to, I hadn't been promoted as many times as I saw fit. I wanted to ignore money cheats and earn my higher living, my mansion...you get my drift.

So here I sit, still discovering new and exciting things about The Sims 2 and purchasing new expansion packs. I'm still searching out and downloading Custom Content, creating soap operas of my Sims' lives, having all kinds of kids, some even out of *clutch my pearls* wedlock. I have my own  Dynasty on my computer screen, I am the god of their lives.

 There's no better addiction than control addiction, to have the world dance at the twist of my puppet strings, to have hot women become multi-millionaires because of hard work and deft social maneuvers while their hot, Greek-goddess like husbands are their emotional, financial and mental equal. It gives you the American dream that many of us are still clawing for after years and years of clawing. With the Sims 2 I can be all I can be without even leaving my bed or couch. Depressing? No. I leave my bed or couch plenty. To party. And I leave the Sims often, to work and write and become a dynamo of the written word, but today, that pales in comparison to my tales of becoming addicted to a computer game that on paper seems to be simple but is ever so engaging.

How did Will Wright do it? Brilliant I tell ya.

 There's no clear objective to Sims games, you simply create a character and live its life. Feed it (tomagochi style) bathe it, and make sure it exists in a pleasant environment. You make them form social bonds, procreate, perform the run of the mill dastardly deeds of humanity until they kick the bucket and become either an urn on the mantle or a gravestone in the backyard. The parallels with life are striking, which may be the key to its success, and its power to help you waste your actual life by playing the life of something that doesn't exist. Whoa.

It was still cool for then Maxis now EA Games powerhouse to make something so absolutely satisfying while appealing to the traditional gamer and new gen gamers alike. The Sims are my drug. I partake daily, and you should too. My fellow gamers, I thank you for your time.