object vs. rhubarb

I'm suffering from a complete lack of focus. 

I love discovering new music, and even though the way I found it was a little lame, I stumbled across Infidel Inc. on the alltel website today and fell in love with "Box of Sunshine".  Not new, per se, but new to me, and that's what counts.  Love it!

My friend Deb and I often trade music, so when she sent me "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse, insisting that it was a GREAT song, I decided to put aside my preconceived notions and give it a listen.  My friend Deb obviously smokes crack.  The song is horrible. 

Almost as bad as when my friend Brian proudly announced that he actually purchased the Black Parade album by My Chemical Romance.

Have all my friends gone crazy? 

Feeling restless today, so I made myself sit down and sketch.  Poor Tsuzuki... always under Muraki's watchful eye.

Give me strength.

Another trip to Barnes & Noble today, dodging the cold winter rain and avoiding the puddles in the saturated parking lot.  Three new books later, I am very, very happy. 

The first two titles were purchased to feed my horrible manga addiction:  Yun Kouga's Loveless Vol. 2 (because the store didn't have Vol. 1 - heathens!) and Yoko Matsushita's Yami no Matsuei Vol. 5.  My son happened along while I was looking at the Loveless cover art. 

And YnM Vol. 5 - YAY!!!  I've been waiting for weeks.  (Actually, I forced myself to wait, because frankly, I'm not sure it's healthy for a 31 year old woman to be so fully interested in graphic novels).  It was worth it - the volume opened with a full page illustration of Muraki - just Muraki! - with a rose in hand.  "Tsuzuki..." he says, "...Marry me."  Wah!  Yoko Matsushita, your skills make me cry.

Lastly,  The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil by Philip Zimbardo.  He's done compelling work on situational pressures and how they effect human behaviors, particularly with his [in]famous Stanford Prison Experiment.  The concept of evil as an innate part of normal human nature fascinates me to no end, so I'm really looking forward to this read.

...but for now, maybe I should just sketch Muraki...

Utterly lost in music this evening, lulled again and again by Marko's lenitive vocals.

Glad the waters are so shallow...

FINALLY!  Someone took pity on the Blood+ fans of world and decided to release part of the series on DVD! 

Part One includes the first 25 explosive episodes on 6 discs plus bonus features, an exclusive T-shirt, and a manga sampler. Price is listed at $83.99. 

Episode Listing:

First Kiss
Magic Words
The Place Where It All Began
Dangerous Boy
Beyond the Dark Forest
My Father’s Hands
I Must Do It
Phantom of the School
Rainbow for Each
I Want to See You
After the Dance
Lured by the White Mist
Jungle Paradise
The Last Sunday
I Want to Pursue!
Siberian Express
Do You Remember the Promise?
Moon Over Ekaterinburg
Broken Heart
Chevalier
Sour Grapes
The Zoo
The Two Chevaliers
Airy Singing Voice
The Red Shield

Order Part 1 on Amazon.com.

Also available, Volume One contains the first 5 episodes.  Order Vol 1 on Amazon.com.  Price is listed at a slightly more affordable $22.49.   But honestly... who's going to want just the first 5 episodes?

Whoa.  The Recording Academy blew it last night, shelling out 5 Grammys to... Amy Winehouse?!?  This form of blatant disregard for actual talent makes Herbie Hancock's Album of the Year award feel like an insult. 

Brings to mind the episode of the Simpsons when Homer wishes he could win an award, and when he's reminded that his musical group the B-Sharps won a Grammy in '83, he says, "I mean an award that's worth winning!"  A disclaimer crawl unfurls in indignation:  "Mr. Simpson's opinions do not reflect those of the producers, who don't consider the Grammy an award at all."

That being said, The White Stripes and the Foo Fighters (bands that deserve but don't necessitate recognition) took two awards each.  And I see that Taylor Swift was grieviously shut out in favor of Carrie Underwood.

Thus ends another mediocre year in American music...