An Amazing Medical Breakthrough...

So I'm finally done moving, I checked out of my old place early and all is well at the new residence. I had plenty of furniture, Chris had stuff from college and a trip to IKEA filled in the blanks. The place is very comfortable, heck, even Thor (the hamster) is happier here. The space is pretty much set in its place and so photos will be coming soon...

Between moving and work, I've been running on full steam without much steam in the engines at all. That, combined with the crazy weather patterns did a number on my throat and sinuses...so I remained a prisoner of the mucus demons for a couple weeks. Then I had a day off. I took some basic OTC meds and slept and whaddaya know I woke up better. Amazing isn't it? Sleeping for more than four hours in a row can heal many things!

Writing for the new project continues and I really feel like I'm getting my heart out on my sleeve again, so things are moving along well. I could go on to describe the content matter, but the description would sound like any other, (shows my growth, new influences, blah blah blah) so I'll just wait to let all of whoever wants to hear it infer for themselves.

Anyways, just a mini update, but an update never-the-less, now, back to work, and tonight...Heroes!

-Rod

A Doe Run Run A Doe Run Run...

Well it's a new tax year and it seems with that always comes a change of residence for me. So I'm in the process of moving to a nicer place in Wilmington, just about 8 miles from where I live now. I'm rooming with Chris, brother of co-worker and former roommate Nick. We signed the new lease yesterday and moving began almost immediately. I still have another month on my old lease and so I can take my time moving...although my mild OCD tendencies want to have it all over with as soon as possible. The place is newly renovated with nice steel appliances and all...I'll get photos up as soon as we're settled, right now it looks like a demolition zone while we're moving in.

So the weather here has been absolutely insane...it will be in the 70's for a few days and then one afternoon drop to freezing temperatures and then shoot back up to the 60's and then back down to Arctic winds...I've been good about not getting sick so far but I've come close with all these swinging climate changes. Today it snowed hard for a while, then turned to rain, then back to snow, and now it's stopped. I think Momma Earth is very confused.

Well, back to work, I'll write more soon...
-Rod

Soundtrack of My Life

So a friend of mine from college, Sarah, posted this in her Facebook account and I thought it sounded fun...so here I go...let's see how life goes for me in a movie...this should be interesting since I have 80gb of music and 30% of it I don't know I own nor listen to...

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This is the soundtrack to my movie IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

So, here's how it works:

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...
7. When you're finished tag some other people to do it!

Opening credits: "Fly or Die" by N*E*R*D (Wow, this would actually make a great opening credit song!)

Waking up: "You Remind Me (Intro)" by Go Fish (OMG, I almost fell over when I heard this...the first line is "Wake up!" and is a morning news announcer...haha...)

First day of school:"Staring Out the Window" by Rod Kim (yup, me, weird huh? actually this song would fit this scene perfectly...)

Falling in love: "I Believe In You" by Bette Midler (Wow, I promise, I'm not cheating, so far this is working...)

First Song: "Slow Dancing In A Burning Room" by John Mayer (Uh oh, this is going to be a heartbreaker, story of my life I guess...)

Fight Song: "Anything" by JoJo (So I guess this song isn't really a fight song, but it does have a sample of Toto's "Africa" in it, so it's close, although I do have a pretty wimpy fight song.)

Breaking Up: "Something" by Shakira (Dude, I'm tearing up just thinking about this film...crap, the iPod knows me too well...)

Prom: "Righteous Love" by Joan Osborne (haha, this could work, I love this song...)

Life: "Prophecy" by Remy Zero (looks like I have a pretty hip life!)

Mental Breakdown: "So Real" by Liquid (I guess I have a mental breakdown in a hispanic Philly ghetto...hmmm...)

Driving: "Ultimate Sign" by Scott Faircloff (Man, I haven't listened to this song forever, but is a decent driving tune...)

Flashback: "Lullaby" by All Star United (This is a great flashback song..."just close your eyes, just close your eyes..." haha)

Getting back together: "Jericho" by Hilary Duff (So if I have one more "chick-under-18-popstar" song I'll officially have a pansy soundtrack, still though, this isn't a bad tune for this song...)

Wedding: "Fire" by Magdalen Hsu-Li (This is a weird song, but I guess I have an eclectic wedding! Actually, while listening, this is a really pretty song, and the lyrics fit pretty well...wow, this game works!)

Birth of child: "X&Y" by Coldplay (Okay so I'm not sure how to take this...does this mean I have a girl?)

Final Battle: "Pressing On/Yours (Smash-Up)" by Relient K/TobyMac (Okay this could work...strange, but definately has a fast-paced Power Rangers sort of fight mood to it...)

Death Scene: "The Winner Takes It All" by ABBA (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)

Funeral Song: "Someday We'll All Be Free" by Alicia Keys (Oh lord, I guess I had to go out on a dramatic note, didn't I?)

The Greatest Musical Discoveries of 2006

So it's a brand new year and there's nothing to write about so far since I've spent the first full 24 hours at Nick's farm getting away from work and stress. There was one thing I'd love everyone to take a look at, these are some of the best songs I've heard this year that hardly anyone has heard of, but I was fortunate enough to come across. These songs hit that emotional nerve everytime I listen to them...

1. 18th Floor Balcony by Blue October - There is some genuine art and bonafide genius in this quirky little alt-pop ballad. It's not often I feel like I'm standing in the songwriter's shoes when listening to their work, but with this one, I'm right there for four minutes...

2. What You Are by Joan Osborne - This song was actually penned by the always great Patty Griffin, but her version was never officially released. Some hardcore Griffin fans have the bootleg that leaked online, but you can't easily obtain it. Joan Osborne (of mid 90's fame for her hit single, "(What If God Was) One Of Us?") released her Nashville album in 2006 with this gem. I'll never forget the first time I was driving in my car listening and heard the line, "What do you wish you were? Do you wish you were the light of every star? Nobody knows, but maybe that's just what you are." This song will pull at my heart strings until the day I die.

3. Time Has Told Me by Nick Drake - Some of you may actually know this song, this song was written and recorded before I was born, but nearly 30 years after his death, Nick Drake is becoming a legend. This song is not only a quirky love song, it speaks infinite wisdom to people like me, "Time has told me, not to ask for more...someday our ocean will find it's shore. So I`ll leave the ways that are making me be, what I really dont want to be...leave the ways that are making me love what I really dont want to love." No matter what happens in life, I can't complain about what I don't have...not only because I have so much else, but that when the times come, life happens...

4. Easy Silence by Dixie Chicks - So most will recognize this year's Dixie Chicks by their hit come back single, "Not Ready To Make Nice" but to me, "Easy Silence" was the song was what sold me this album. This song just talks about how crazy life and this world is and all the noise that fills your head in the day, still there's a beauty in the loving silence someone can make for you. I listen to this song on the way back from long days and meetings and it calms me down...kudos Dixie Chicks...kudos...

5. Peace by Joel Gragg - This song will be pretty difficult for most of you to find as it has never had a wide release. Even though I didn't discover this song in 2006, I had to include this because of how much I still listen to it. Joel Gragg is a good friend from my college days and this song has been one of my favorites since I first heard it years ago. To this day, I still get chills hearing those first few phrases, "Is it somewhere in your memory? Is it somewhere in your heart? Is it in between the distance that is keeping us apart? Oh, Peace, where are you tonight?" This song originally appeared in a limited release on Joel Gragg's indie project, "Pipedreams" and later featured on the Greenville College Christmas compilation, "BRR!...It's Christmas!" Between the two, I'll bet there are only a couple hundred official releases of "Peace". Still, tap Joel's MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/joelgragg) and bug him for this track, it will tug your tears...

So that's it for 1/1/07...check out this music, it's good for your soul...

-Rod