The Week In Review

I meant to post something last Saturday night, I've just been putting this aside while I do other things. So here it comes, my week in review!

I had to work on Independence Day, but I got off in time to bike to UNT and see most of the fireworks display. My destination was the southwest corner of the colosseum, a place that I've previously found to be a good spot to watch the sun set. When I got there tons of people were already sitting all along the west side of the colosseum, but my corner was open. I parked my bike and watched the last 20 minutes of fireworks, it was a pretty good show. In the midst of the ohhs, ahhs and booms I started thinking. I guess my hopeless romantic side decided to show itself and I was being reminded of some of my past 4th of July experiences. When I was younger I always had someone special to hang with on this holiday. There's just something romantic or moving to me about being with someone you love underneath those dazzling skies. I'm not sure I can explain it in words, but under those kind of circumstances I feel at peace. I began to feel a growing warmth in my chest and calmness or comfort that I used to attributed to love and attraction, then later to Jesus experiences, and now a days to moments of personal reflection and revelation. Anyway, as the show ended all I could think of were the lyrics from a Prince song, Free.

Be glad that you are free, free to change your mind
Free to go most anywhere, anytime
Be glad that you are free, there's many a man who's not
Be glad for what you've had baby, what you've got

The next morning I woke up and watched Get Thrashed, a documentary on the birth of Thrash Metal and the bands who made the scene. I was familiar with some, and others I had never heard before. Watching the film, I felt I was unfortunately born too late to witness such an awesome time for heavy metal in America. I had similar feelings after watching The Decline of Western Civilization II - The Metal Years, which focused on the crazy lifestyles of fans and members of the biggest metal bands of the mid-80's. Perhaps one day metal will make its comeback, and I will be there for the reign of darkness!

Speaking of darkness, as some of you already know a friend of mine recently told me that I am "into some really Dark stuff. Too Dark for me....Love Ya but I think that I have to say bye for now." Naive as I was about my own inner evil, I decided that it would be a good time to increase my forbidden knowledge. On my next day off I visited the library to see what kind of H. P. Lovecraft books they had sitting around. I checked out one called H. P. Lovecraft: Tales, which is a collection of about 20 short stories. I've only read a couple of them so far, and I'm hooked to say the least. Horror has never been one of my favorite reading genres but I'm enjoying Lovecraft's theme that there exists evil so incomprehensible to the average human that it can drive one to madness. I'll definitely have to go back and re-read Necronomicon sometime.

Back in the music world, I've added to my list of songs I know how to play. Here's what I've been playing over the past week:

6. Five Magics - Megadeth
7. Am I Wry? No - Mew
8. Super Freak - Rick James
9. Redhead Sally - Jet City Rotation
10. Robotic Romantic - Jet City Rotation
11. Yesterday's Heroes - Jet City Rotation
12. Chaos First - Jet City Rotation
13. Cold Touch - Jet City Rotation
14. Friendly Fire - Jet City Rotation
15. Mutable Innocence - Jet City Rotation
16. The Flourishing Myth - Jet City Rotation
17. Zoo - Jet City Rotation
18. Starving Man's Feast - Jet City Rotation
19. Superconductor - Jet City Rotation

If I can learn a song that would make me even more awesome in your eyes, make your requests in my comments. Brownie points may be awarded if you suggest something difficult!

While I'm on the topic of music, I went out with Cosmo and Natalie to Pete's Dueling Piano Bar in Fort Worth on Wednesday night. I never thought I'd have fun at a place like Pete's, but we had a blast! It was like karaoke without having to be onstage. I wasn't the only one who left the bar that night wishing that I knew how to play piano, maybe I'll have to appropriate Cosmo's keyboard and start learning...

--DW