Descent Into the Maddening Life That Smiles

Sometimes, I think we need a little bit of psychosis in our lives. Now, depending on the type of person you are, the definition of psychosis can differ. Some people just act a little loopy and out-of-character for a few minutes' time. Others go a tad off the deep end and verbally snap at someone. And then you have the dangerous sociopaths with long histories of violence... the ones that stab people 37 times in the chest.

"Open up your hate and let it flow into me!"

I think it's time to unleash a little bit of psychosis today. Mind you, it'll be some good-natured, positive stuff. And according to my competitive side: taunts of taunting. And despite all the disturbed auras I've projected upon others and the equally-tormented auras I have felt projected upon me, I still have to say that today will be a great day and that this entry will be a fun one. I just felt like making today's entry feel like a page out of a grimoire I found at the insane asylum. (Also, I wanted an excuse for slapping that awesome pic of The Guy on here.)

So if you still dare to take a plunge and descend into some other kind of sanity, then grab my hand and let's jump in. *holds out hand* Shall we, fair reader?





CURRENT MUSIC:
Disturbed - "Remnants"
Asylum

A but of psychosis calls for music that fits the situation just right. For today's non sequitur dosage, we'll be using the opening instrumental track from Disturbed's most recent studio album, Asylum.

Starting off as a quiet mix of synth sounds, a violin quietly joins in as the track keeps going. Kind of fitting - as we jump into the void below to see exactly what kind of insane minutiae could be living in this entry, it felt almost exploratory - as if we were searching for something. We keep exploring, not knowing what's ahead of us - and at 1:08, that's exactly what it feels like when an acoustic guitar takes over and provides a bass line as an electric guitar slowly cries out from the darkness. Wait, what? An acoustic guitar as the bass? Josh, what're you - !?

And then that electric guitar begins to WAIL. The lights come on, and we find ourselves trapped. The way we came in gets sealed off as we realize that not only is this guitar is what we've been looking for, but it would also become the harbinger of our demise. No, we're not talking about death (although it feels like it) - we're talking about our sanity. As that guitar solo wails, something inside of us snaps. We no longer are at 100% stability. The guitar's notes strike a chord in our subconscious - and we react accordingly.

We rock out - and that's what this track gets us ready to do. You could be listening to the rest of Asylum. You could be getting yourself psyched to read this entry. You could be trying to motivate yourself to start moving and get your day started. Whatever you're doing, try playing "Remnants" and see if the piece can rally your energy together for you to kick some ass, wherever you're going.


Bear McCreary - "Roslin and Adama"
Battlestar Galactica: Season 2 Original Soundtrack

From Disturbed to Battlestar Galactica? This would seem like a drastic jump of music genres for any normal person, but this is me we're talking here. I'm far from normal, and since all my non sequitur entries are far from normal to begin with, I figured I could use the aural metaphor and drastic sound change on here.

Anyway, back to "Roslin and Adama." The thirteenth track from the second season's soundtrack, it definitely has a mild, relaxing, and affectionate tone to it. Composed in a style akin to a slow waltz, this string-heavy piece with piano backing plucks at the heartstrings whenever it appears. Matter-of-fact, it's so powerful of a leitmotif that Bear McCreary himself "...reserved this theme for only the most powerful, dramatic scenes in [Laura Roslin and William Adama's] relationship." (If this looked familiar, then you've probably read my blog a little too much. =P)

It does that well, both in the world of Battlestar Galactica and in real life. While it's made me feel relaxed whenever I listen to it, it just pulls at my inner romantic. Hell, it does this for a lot of listeners - romantics or otherwise - because it's just that powerful. Try having a meaningful moment with someone (your significant other or a close friend, for example) and have this song play in the background (either in your head or in reality). I guarantee that it'll set the mood right - particularly with those using it for romantic purposes.

"Roslin and Adama" is a musical piece that subtly enunciates those emotions linked with the heart and soul. Fans of the show who've seen it in its entirety will wholeheartedly agree how it makes them feel happy and sad all at the same time. ("The best ones do." - Dreilide Thrace) Give it a listen if you don't believe us - and if it doesn't invoke some kind of positive emotion from you, then you probably have no soul.





Good Wednesday, everypony! Time to talk about things that you probably don't want to hear anything about! (Or maybe you do. *shrugs* Your interests, I guess.)





The Work Workout
(Fatigue never looked so tiring.)

Work has not been fun lately. Now, that's not to say that I'm hating my job or that I don't have a good time at work. I actually do. The problem is that it's been way too taxing on me and I've received very little compensation for my struggles. (Before you go on thinking this is going to be a flash vent about the retail world, it's not. I'm just listing things how I see them... and maybe vocalizing how much I could use some time off.)

This cookout was left for us one summer day, courtesy of three douchebag high school Brosephs who make a 12-year-old ranting on the Internet look smart.

I don't know what it is about the summer season that causes people living near my Target to just act like complete idiots. They have nothing better to do than loiter and dick around inside, and whenever that happens, they leave a mess. A big one. One that I usually have to clean up because their douchbaggery brought them to my frakking department.

Some of my bosses love when I zone the Hardlines aisles. My nitpicking and meticulous attention to overstock makes them giddy, because I am actually doing my job (as well as making the floor look pretty).

It's just tiring, really. Having to clean up messes that other people leave behind because they don't know the first thing about keeping things orderly. Combine that with my workload and the nuances of retail life... and you have a sad shell of a man who miraculously is still functioning at the end of the day. (Social interaction helps immensely, unless you're one of those people we classify as an "asshole.") Frankly, I'm surprised that I haven't collapsed on myself yet. My feet are in near-constant pain after a long shift (they might be infected with something - I should probably get that checked), I feel like sleeping and doing nothing at the end of each day, and there's always someone slacking off for me to pick up after. (And should that "someone" be me, expect me to randomly slap myself in the face sometime that night.)

*sigh* ...I need a vacation. Maybe I should take one during my birthday week...





Elsewhere in Life
(It's EXCELLENT. =D)

Aside from having a not-so-great time at work, I have to say that life has been... well, it's been quite interesting and excellent these past few weeks.

My morale's kinda looked like this for the past two weeks. Minus Winona.

While work has claimed most of my energy, it hasn't claimed all of it - and that means I have days off dedicated to other things that aren't work! Let's see what's been happening lately or what's to come.

Now, I got hit with a bout of laziness, so the rest of the entry (and this section) is pretty much a bullet list and me saying goodbye. If anything, this could be the descent I was talking about earlier - I went from decent and semi-verbose sentences... to a lame list that's full of not-lame things. Your mileage may vary on that one, but... yeah.

• I have been very, very, very happy lately.
• I'm gonna be getting sushi next Friday on the 20^th. All you can eat madness!
• Super Camera Fun Time YAY!
• I am four Grand Prix cups away from attaining a three-star rank in Mario Kart 7!
• A third round of Assassin may be starting soon for my work colleagues.
• Sunset at the beach. The last few times I've missed it due to poor timing and bad weather. That needs to change.
• I just discovered Dinosaur Comics and Garfield Minus Garfield. Why it took me so long, I don't know.
• I have a very special somepony! <3
• August is coming soon - and so is my vacation!

And that's it. Tune in tomorrow for other things... or respond to things as you will. Until then!