You Know How I Feel

I promise I'm going to try my best to have a meaningful post tomorrow (I tried to get to it tonight, but just didn't work out) but this song crept into my head and I feel I like I just need to share it and actually use it in moving forward. Plus, it's a break from only posting songs that deal with hard times.

Also, I heard some group named this the best cover song of all time. Hard to argue

P.S. For trivia purposes only, I learned of this version of the song when it was featured in Seven Pounds. Such a great movie.

Birds flying high
You know how I feel
Sun in the sky
You know how I feel
Breeze driftin' on by
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me..
And I'm feeling good

Fish in the sea
You know how I feel
River running free
You know how I feel
Blossom in the trees
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me...
And I'm feeling good

Dragonfly out in the sun
You know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies all out having fun
You know what I mean
Sleep in peace
When, the this day is done
And this old world
Is a new world
And a bold world
For me...

Stars when you shine
You know how I feel
Scent of the pine
You know how I feel
yeah, freedom is mine
When you know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me...

yeah, ooh
Oh, ooh...

Oooh, ooh..free, free loving you...
Oooh, oooh
Feeling good

Sunday Music Guest Post #3

In celebration of reaching the halfway point of my (50) Sundays of Music countdown, I wanted to do something to celebrate. I figured what better way than to turn the tables around and hear about other people's favorite music. So I asked some of my blogger friends (and a special guest) to give me a week full of guest posts talking about one of their favorite artists, albums or songs and to give the reason why. Today's guest post comes from...

Lola Lakely! In the blogosphere, I have came in contact with: bloggers I know in real life, best blogging friends forever, musical blogging friends and blog besties. But only one has become my blog crush. My dearest Lola started pulling on my heartstrings last year when she started leaving random questions on my posts. She secured her grip on said heartstrings when our relationship evolved to texts that included gibberish, but the word "cupcakes" could clearly be made out. Lola takes on a lot of subjects in her blog, but today she takes on a song that gives her that special feeling. Let her give you that special feeling, and take a grip on your heartstrings as well, below:

Lola vs. Supermassive Black Hole

When my dearest (and blog crush!) Mr. O asked me to write my first ever guest post, I was flattered and then was quickly filled with trepidation. I mean, I write about dirty, inappropriate things often involving sex, alcohol, and dating. How could I ever live up to his wonderfully written Sundays of Music posts?

Then I thought- a naughty redhead’s got to do things her own way now, doesn’t she?

So of course, I decided to write about a song that never, ever fails to turn me on. Mr. O knows that I’m incredibly passionate about music but there is one band above all others that has the power to set my “soul alight”. It’s Muse. By now, most everyone has heard of Muse. I’ve been a fan of theirs since before their music was released into the states, circa 2001, and now I’m proud to say that they’ve exploded into Madison Square Garden sell-out status with “The Resistance Tour”. Even if you don’t like their music, you have to admit that they are incredible musicians. Seriously,Bellamy's riff from "Plug In Baby” was ranked #13 in Total Guitar's poll of the Top 100 Riffs of All Time. And come on now, how can you not respect a band who can mingle progressive rock, electronica, opera, as well as African and southern Italian music?

I’m done with the gushing. Now, let’s get to the lusting…

The song I’ve centered this post around is Supermassive Black Hole. Before it was stamped on that vampire movie soundtrack, Supermassive Black Hole was the first single released from Black Holes and Revelation. It’s a bit funkier than the album itself, and mixes a bit of electronica, R&B, and alternative guitar. Apparently the group was going to a lot of NYC clubs at the time and some of the songs on the album, including Supermassive Black Hole, were influenced by the time they spent there.

Now, Supermassive Black Hole is not my favorite song of theirs and it’s not even the one that I most often recommend to people. It’s just a song that has the power to give me that long, slow pull in the belly that’s hot, tingly, and delicious all at the same time. Whenever this song comes on, no matter where I am, my mind starts to blur into a haze of desire. I picture a smoky bedroom, mostly dark, with just peaks of moonlight glinting through the shades. A woman, dressed in a sexy black teddy with a garter belt and thigh-high sheer black stockings, crawls slowly toward the man lying on her bed, her skin ruffling softly against the silk sheets and his quivering body.

Did I mention he’s blindfolded?

Ooh, baby don't you know I suffer?
Oh, baby can you hear me moan?
You caught me under false pretenses
How long before you let me go?

Ooh, you set my soul alight
Ooh, you set my soul alight

See, what I mean? These lyrics are hot.

I thought I was a fool for no one
But ooh, baby I'm a fool for you
You're the queen of the superficial
And how long before you tell the truth?

Ooh, you set my soul alight
Ooh, you set my soul alight

I’ve had an experience recently where I was completely blindsided by lust with someone utterly unexpected. When that spark, that fire, erupts between you out of nowhere, it’s incredibly hard to resist. Even when you know it’s probably superficial, or inappropriate or just plain headed for disaster, why would you want to resist?

For me, it’s all about that moment when chemistry just overloads your senses and you are pretty much powerless to stop whatever happens. When just kissing them feels like they are burning inside you and you have no choice but to jump in and be absorbed by them. At that point, you are just a victim to your desires, suffering at the hand of whoever has you in their grip.

So I hope you enjoyed being in my grip, even if it was just for this brief time. And please enjoy Suppermassive Black Hole.

WW (Sort of): Ten Things

So while not entirely wordless and not entirely pictures, it still sort of fits that category. But this post was inspired by a recent offering from Kaylalala at Cinnamon on Toast who was inspired by Lisa at A Day in The Life. These are ten things that are currently making me happy (though "currently" is debatable because most of these are stuff I am looking forward to)

10. Alice in Wonderland - March 5

If you aren't excited for this movie, I don't know what to say. Depp + Burton + classic story + 3D = Effing Magical

9. After trying to find some classic Alice in Wonderland footage from the Disney cartoon, I came across this. And I could not stop laughing.



8. And then when I went to show Frisco that, he in turn showed me this. And I almost cried from laughing so hard.



7. March Madness

I don't know much about college basketball, but it's fun to play in the brackets. And my uncle is a big UNC fan, so that's who I go for.

6. Resistance - The Tiesto Remix (I was a little unsure about this at first, but it has grown on me)



5. Netflix

Netflix has allowed me to watch this season of Heroes with my family in South Dakota over Xbox Live, get started and finish Arrested Development, start 30 Rock and various other movies that I have been meaning to see.

4. Spring Break

Yes, that is a picture of Lost going with my spring break plans. My family has moved and most of my friends have their break at a different time so I will be spending my break playing video games and catching up on shows. And thanks to the above mentioned Netflix, one of those shows will be Lost.

3. Meeting new blogging buddies (and reuniting with old ones)


2. Wrestlemania 26

Don't hate, it's our Superbowl. And it's about a month away.

1. Graduation

Granted, this is the one that is the longest away. But it is the one I am looking forward to the most. The countdown has begun.

(50) Sundays of Music: #48

*Please remember this is a list of my favorite albums, not the greatest. If it was, this choice would be much much higher. But there is a reason it is so early in the countdown. Read on...

#48: Muse - Absolution

I have to admit that I am kind of cheating with this pick in the countdown, but I mean... it's my countdown, right? It should be ok since it's mine, but I still need to explain. I feel it's cheating because most of these posts will come with stories of how I came across the cd and how it impacted me, but this isn't one of those stories (technically, I "cheat" a few more times). When thinking of this countdown, I sort of realized that this cd was one of my favorites.

If any of that didn't make any sense, let me explain. I learned of almost every track individually. "Hysteria" was the first one that I heard when my friend/roommate at the time Hedman put it on a mix cd. "Time Is Running Out" came next when I heard him play it in his room one night. "Stockholm Syndrome" I played as a bonus track on Guitar Hero III. "Butterflies and Hurricanes" I came to appreciate after Lola hyped it up for me. And "Blackout" was featured in a movie called "Southland Tales" that had The Rock in it (pretty much the only reason I watched it).

I did play the cd a few times, trying to get into it during my downloading days, and "Apocalypse Please" and "Thoughts of a Dying Atheist" also became my favorites. Then, some breakups came and "Time Is Running Out" became, and has stayed, one of my favorite songs of all time. So after thinking of it again while reading jeanette's post about the Top 5 Albums of the Decade (spoiler alert: one other album on that list will show up here later in the countdown) I went back to it and realized that it did rank among the favorites.

So for the very few of you that haven't heard this cd, here are some songs to check out:









BONUS

This is the first time that a band that has more than album I like only had one of them make the cut. So that means this is the first artist honorable mention. While I am just now getting into the older stuff, I have to give the nod to "The Resistance." I got the album the day it came out through iTunes so I got all the cool little stuff that goes with it. My favorite tracks have to be the last three, but you can tell the cd as a whole was put together really well. Enjoy the title track off of the latest release from Muse

So I Know It's Not Sunday, but Whatever...

STOP... Music time


1) Seems like bands are having the worst luck lately. Last month a bunch of bands (including Anberlin and Mae) had their vans broken into and now, within the past WEEK or so, Every Time I Die, Weezer and Underoath have all been in accidents. What the f is going on?

2) On a happier note, I saw that Muse has released US dates for next year with the supporting act being SILVERSUN PICKUPS! Where will they be on February 27th? If you guessed Atlanta, you would be correct :)

3) Lastly, this song is quickly becoming one of my favorites of all time. Take 7-8 minutes of your life and please check it out here

I'm caught
Somewhere in between
Alive
And living a dream.
No peace
Just clicking machines
In the quiet of compazine.
The walls caved in on me.

And she sings
My bird dressed in white.
And she stings
My arm in the night.
I lay still
Still I'm ready to fight.
Have my lungs
But you can't take my sight.
The walls caved in
Tonight.

And out here
I watch the sun circle the earth
The marrows collide in rebirth
In God's glory praise
The spirit calls out from the caves.
The walls fell and there I lay
Saved.

The walls are caving in
As far as I can see
The walls are caving in
The doors got locked for sure
There's no one here but me

Beat my body like a rag doll
you stuck the needles in my hip
Said 'we're not gonna lie
Son, you just might die
Get you on that morphine drip, drip'

The walls are caving in
As far as I can see
The walls are caving in
The doors got locked for sure
There's no one here but me

I fought a war to walk a gang plank
Into a life I left behind
Windows leading to the past
Think it's time I broke some glass
Get this history off my mind

And what if we were married forever?
Like the past never happened
And time did not exist for us at all
I still think we'd still be traveling together
Through all kinds of weather
Everything's a piece of everyone

As far as I can see
Walls are caving in
Doors got locked for sure
But I see these doors have keys

Walls are caving in
As far as I can see
The walls are caving in
Doors got locked for sure
There's no one here but me
There's no one here but me
No one here but me, yeah.
There's no one here but me
No one here but me.

Recaps and What's to Come

Let's do this PPF style...

Past:

Last week was crazy. Monday before Thanksgiving I became pretty sick. Kinda sucked. I had a different symptom each day too haha. On Monday though it was a complete body ache. That sucked the worst. The next day or two I got the sniffles and sore throat, but at least the body ache went away. Through sickness and other people in the house at different places, Wednesday was a pretty chill day for me. Then, the next day was the chaos. I left for my hometown in the morning and made it to one of my family's house around noon. I was kinda curious as to how it would feel with this being the first time I was around all of them after the divorce, but it didn't feel different at all. Kinda cliche seeing as what day it was, but I am pretty thankful for that. A little bit of drama (wouldn't be complete without it) but its not worth the details. After family time, saw some friends including some I haven't seen in a while (Kelly, Ivan, the Baisas) and some I mention here quite a bit (jme) then got in the car and drove home and passed out knowing what was ahead of me the next day. From reading people's blogs, it seems that Black Friday is a pretty regular thing for you guys, and I got sucked in as well. My dad always sends me to find random stuff but this year I actually lucked out when they had some cheap prices on blu rays. After the shopping, I got in a little sleep and woke up just in time for the Iron Bowl. We lost. I sobbed. End of story. That night, Frisco went to a show in Atlanta so I was chillin by myself and watched the blu ray editions of Blades of Glory and The Patriot. The Patriot was an experience. I have seen it before, but it had been a while. I thought I would fall asleep fast, but I ended up watching all 2 hours and 47 minutes. Such a great movie, still gets me emotional at certain scenes and it looks GREAT in 1080p. The next day was sort of a recovery day, but Frisco was a dj at a party and that was so much fun. He had rappers that were freestyling over his stuff and it was just a really cool experience. Considering he didn't start until 1 in the morning, I pretty much slept all day Sunday.

Present:

My world is currently revolving around school, because it is coming to a close. But this has to be the greatest ending to a semester I have had the whole time I've been in a school. I'm done with my bowling class; after a quick paper, I will done with my visual communication class; i just did my final interview for my reporting class; which leaves me with only worrying about ONE final. That is such a stress relief (my apologies to those of you are stressing much more than this). That final is in psychology of addictive behaviors and could be pretty hard, but now that I only have to put all my time into one final, it should be good.

Future:

A lot of things are coming up. My birthday is in two weeks and I am such a media junkie I am getting excited because The Hangover, Inglorious Basterds and a re-release of Anberlin's cd all come out on my birthday. There are plenty of other birthdays in December, from cousins to best friends to grandmothers to fiances of best friends to sisters -- this month is stacked. But overshadowing birthdays is jme's wedding, which is getting here faster than what seems possible. After watching her say "I do" we will all hopefully hang out, then the very next weekend I will be traveling to South Dakota to spend Christmas/New Year's with my sister. We will be sending 2009 out with smiles on our faces.

Random thoughts:

*It is colder in my room that in the living room. Like, dramatically different temperatures.

*My mom is on facebook now. My aunts and stuff I am cool with. But for some reason, my mom being on there is kind of... annoying.

*Is anyone else interested in seeing Sherlock Holmes?

*I am thinking about crossing over to the dark side. Ya know, the one with the blue birds.

Random lyric of the day:

If we live our life in fear I'll wait a thousand years
Just to see you smile again
Quell your prayers for love and peace
You'll wake the thought police
We can hide the truth inside

Getting All Political

*I just want to say first off that I am posting this while listening to the new cd from Muse. I have only listened to it from start to finish a few times but already I am singing along to the words. It's really good, but not good in the way I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to be rocking circa Stockholm Syndrome, but it has a very solid sound throughout. A lot of people have said it, but it really comes through -- the comparisons to Queen. If you barely like Queen, you will like this cd. Just sayin.

As I mentioned in my last post, I have had a couple things I have wanted to get out of my head and into my blog. One of these things is something I don't think I have ever talked about just because I haven't really wanted to get into it, but this post is politics related. (If you are reaching to close this window already, my apologies)

Last Friday marked 8 years since that dreadful day in New York that rocked the entire nation. The Pentagon was hit too, but it's clear that NY is the city that bears the saddened hearts on 9/11. I remember the day like it was yesterday, and probably always will. I was a freshman in high school, sitting on the steps of my football field (don't let me fool you, I didn't actually play football) during weight training chilling with a friend when the coach came up and said that the Pentagon was hit. We went inside and watched TV to see the images of the towers being hit. I wish I could say that right there my world was changed forever. That I became saddened, frightened, and furious at the same time. I wish I could say these things, but I can't. My reaction was "this is getting boring seeing these same images over and over again." I really didn't grasp it. In my defense, I was a fresh teenager on my way to 14. I guarantee if another attack happened, my freshman in high school cousin would probably not be as emotional as the majority of people. However, a few weeks later I saw a video on the internet and it was showing other people's reactions. Family members that lost loved ones that were either in the building or part of the men and women who tried to help. That's what it took -- a few weeks. And then the emotions came.

Fast forward 8 years later and those emotions are still there. Except instead of anger, there is confusion. Instead of patriotism, there is embarrassment. Confusion because 8 years later and we are still fighting a war with no end in sight and no true reason for going in the first place. I know this is a very touchy subject and I have respect for all sides. I have plenty of family and friends in all branches of the military, and I am proud of them for their decision to serve and I will support them no matter where they go. I just wish we had answers to all the questions we have.

However, even though I have been talking about a subject as serious as 9/11, that is not the main point of this post. Above, I talked of embarrassment replacing patriotism. Don't take this to mean i'm not proud to be American, because I love it here. (And best believe when the World Cup starts next year you will be seeing me wave my flag proudly). But it is killing me to see how the country that I live in and support is acting towards our newest president. Before I go any further, I will put it out there -- I voted for Barack Obama. I believe not only in his words, but I agreed with most of his policies. So you may say I am biased for what I am about to say, but the way some people are acting right now is appaling. It is bad enough to have citizens come to town hall meetings and shout down people with misinformation. It was even worse to have a person who came a hair away from being the vice president of this country (don't even get me started on Palin -- that is a whole nother story) post on FACEBOOK about "death panels." But the worst thing of all occured last week when during a speech, a representative from South Carolina shouted "You lie!" to Obama. Now here is where I will show why I have stayed away from political posts. I don't know all the details. So I'm not even going to try. However, I will say it is one thing to have your opinions, it is another to shout them at YOUR president.

The other thing that has really gotten me heated lately is when Obama addressed children in schools, some districts gave parents the choice for their kids to opt out of the speech. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? How are we allowing this. I read one blog post where she spoke of the principal's decision was "we don't want to show favoritism to any party." You do realize that, while he is a democrat, he is also the president. And not the president of the democratic party. He is THE president.

Here is also why I stay away from these posts. I know my opinions are skewed. I watch the Daily Show religously. I know it can be stupid at times, but there are certain segments they show that point out how absurd the Republican party has become. And I firmly believe it is because they lost. And that's what sickens me. I didn't vote for McCain. But if he would have won, I would be giving him my support. Why? Because he would be OUR president, just like Obama is. I didn't like Bush. I felt like he was vague about a lot of stuff. However, I had respect for him as our president, as he was democratically elected to be. If he came to Auburn (which he did, but before my time), I would go and I would be excited to go. I wouldn't have been thinking "what can I shout at him" or "what kind of crazy sign can I make comparing him to Hitler?"

It's just sad to me. Sad that we can't come together at a time that we really need to. But I may not be good at explaining myself, so I will let my good friend Jon Stewart do it for me.