I'm just staying with my parents for a few days, and internet access is limited. So that means I might still take some time before my MWC judging is done. Got a long bus trip home, so I might try to copy pasta the remaining stories into open office and get a bit of it done when I'm in the middle of nowhere.
I've also been able to utilise this time to work on my album, Sidechained Melody, and I've currently got about 40 minutes of semi-finished and unfinished material, but I may look into hiring a vocalist/voice actor to add on the final touches. Almost heading into the final stretch now. And I'm going to look into selling the album through iTunes. Instead of giving it to you guys for free... I hope no-one's gonna hate me for trying to squeeze a little cash out of the cow. Also also, will probably work on my novel on the bus home too, I've got 10 hours, so, might as well dig further through chapter, I'm currently about half way through chapter 2. And I finished reading Terry Pratchett's "The Colour of Magic". It felt good, as I had't finished a book in a while now. And as of next semester I'll be majoring in creative writing, and possibly stydying the history of writing for my minor subjects. Can't wait.

Kiss me till I'm in a coma.

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/* */
Note: This is a Melbourne band that split up in 1997, not the Perth born UK based band, different Pendulum. Found this while checking out Pendulum's music a while ago. Came back to it just now and it blows me away.

EDIT: I won the writing section of the 4th Newgrounds Idol. This is shortly after I came second in April's writing competition, of which I bought the classic logo NG t-shirt. I'm not sure what shirt I should get now... I'm thinking either a black angry faic shirt, the Dad n Me shirt, Dr. Fetus (?) or maybe the Madness Hank shirt. I dunno. I'm gonna think about it a little bit before I decide on something. Suggestions welcome.

3AM

It's three in the morning again. Three in the fucking morning. I should be asleep, but I'm not. It's the insomnia fucking with my mind again. It teases me, it taunts me, it tortures me. And my life's a fucking mess.

The phone rings. Again. Right on fucking time. It's those little shits across the street again. I know it is, I can see them in their window when I look through my window. I don't know why I don't just unplug the fucking phone.
"Fuck you" I say, my temper simmering ever so slightly beneath boiling point.
It's only when I put the phone down that I realise that I've actually pulled myself out of my chair and answered the phone. I heard it ring, but when did I get up and walk across the room? It's late. Too fucking late. Three in the morning. Again.

Those kids, I could hear them giggling on the phone, I could see them laughing at me. They tease me, they taunt me, they torture me. They're kids for fuck's sake, why aren't they in bed? Why aren't I in bed? Three in the morning, and the insomnia is killing me. But the morning grows on, and I find no rest nor comfort in my blistering solitude. Not even a wink of sleep or a whisper of peace. The phone rings, and it drives me fucking insane.

I rarely talk and barely whisper. No one to talk to but the delinquent faggots across the street. I rarely talk. I barely whisper. The phone rings, I answer, I always fucking answer. Three in the fucking morning. In the silence and monotony, in my ever long comatose existence, I crawl up in my chair and imagine the sound of the phone ringing. I rarely eat, I barely move, I never sleep. Three in the morning, and I'm still in the same situation, can't get to fucking sleep.

So much silence, so much isolation, yet I feel like I'm still in the middle of it all. Mother of all migraines, the sounds ring on in my head, with crystal clarity magnified a hundred times. It teases me, it taunts me, it tortures me. Three in the morning, the phone rings, and it's all part of the head-splitting tremors roaring inside my head. Did I just answer the phone again? Did it even ring? I can't fucking remember and I'm beyond the point of caring any more. Insomnia, it's my worst nightmare. Three in the fucking morning.

I'd take some meds for the headache, but I know they'd be useless, and the full rage of my splitting migraines would be back up to maximum in no time. I'd take some sleeping pills, but I fear the temptation to down a whole bottle would be too fucking much for me to handle. So the phone still rings and I'm ever awake. It's three in the morning, maybe it's time to put new batteries in my clock.

Placed an order for a Newgrounds t-shirt with my $30 store credit from the writing competition. $20 on the shirt, $10 on the shipping. I'll hopefully have it within the next two weeks. It'll be my first. :3

EDIT

I made this blog post shortly before this thread was made, so I'll just edit this. I came second in the April Monthly Writing Competition, with my story, The Timekeeper. My prize is $30 in store credit. I don't have a NG shirt, so that's definitely at the top of my list. I'm thinking either the Angry Faic t-shirt or the classic logo. And then maybe a keychain or two. Actually, now that I think of it, I've got a friend who'd probably like the Dad 'n Me keychain. What about I go with the classic logo t-shirt, the angry faic keychain for myself and the dad n me keychain for a friend. Talking this out helps make the shopping easier. Any other suggestions or recommendations are welcome.

/EDIT

The song that's stuck in my head right now.

Pull the curtain, by Sum 41. I bought their Underclass Album not too long ago, and this one, to me, really stands out. I used to love the mainstream punk music, I used to adore bands like Blink-182 and Sum 41. Now, I realise their simplicity, however, I feel that this song embodies all that I loved about the genre. It's got a great energy, some awesome bursts of energy from a drastically dramatic nothingness, the melodies are catchy, the vocals are sometimes articulate, and sometimes aggressive. It's stuff like this why I enjoy listening to bands like Rise Against.

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/* */
Edit

I thought I'd add a screenshot of the progress I've made on my novel so far. 11,000 words. Yup.

I got my first CD when I was 10 years old, the year was 2000. It's approaching the end of the decade and my music collection is mostly within this time frame, so I've decided to share my favourite ten songs that have come from this decade. To those who say all new music sucks, fuck you. I've picked these songs based on their musical presence, basically, musical composition, lyricism, instrumentation and delivery all factor into the totality of what I categorise as a "great" song.

10.
Band: Fourth Floor Collapse
Song: Drink Till You Drown
Album: Books With Broken Spines
Year: 2006

The chorus is catchy, the music is slow and dreamy, the lyrics are sung with much emotion, and it swells and grows into a beautiful, sad song.

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/* */
9.
Band: The Killers
Song: Sam's Town
Album: Sam's Town
Year: 2006

The instrumentation is bold and over the top, glamorous at some times, and quite raw at others. The song evolves in an interesting way, with various points of the song changing and pulling towards unexpected directions. The tempo change at the end brings the song together in a very "stage musical" kind of way, and it is a really wholesome, wonderfully playful song.

.
/* */
8.
Band: Muse
Song: Butterflies & Hurricanes
Album: Absolution
Year: 2003

This song is very powerful and climactic. The lyrics are quite boisterous, but are sung with a raw energy that is devestatingly brilliant. The music, itself, is much the same, fast, energetic, powerful stuff. Then there's the piano solo, which is mind-blowing, very chaotic, yet somehow, blissfully articulate, the song ties together in a wonderful duality, an explosion of energy and chaos.

.
/* */
7.
Band: Eskimo Joe
Song: From The Sea
Album: A Song Is A City
Year: 2004

The piano riff is delightfully simple and plugs along at a humble pace. The vocals and the other instrumentations pick the song up, in what is a delightful display of melodies interacting with eachother exactly as they should. The song's not complicated, but it grows into a real soulful, real lovely piece of music.

.
/* */
6.
Band: Incubus
Song: Sick Sad Little World
Album: A Crow Left Of The Murder
Year: 2004

The instrumentation is loud and agressive, the rhythms, awkward. The vocals are sung with a great aggression, whilst still holding melody well. The instrumentation evolves, developing wonderfully throughout the song, although the base of the song is consistent throughout. It's a beautifully sick sad little song.

.
/* */
5.
Band: Cog
Song: Bird Of Feather
Album: Sharing Space
Year: 2008

The chorus is so damn catchy. The music draws you in, the vocals are passionate and anthemic. I love this song, it's a great rock song to sing along to, it's very empowering, and it's simply just completely and utterly brilliant.

.
/* */
4.
Band: Bliss N Eso
Song: Sea Is Rising
Album: Flying Colours
Year: 2008

This is how I think Hip Hop is supposed to be done. The lyrics are politically driven and uplifting. The string motif is catchy, and the chorus is a stroke of genius.The rhymes are cleaver, and well executed. I wish there were more music in the world like this.

.
/* */
3.
Band: The Living End
Song: Loaded Gun
Album: White Noise
Year: 2008

These guys are brilliant musicians, the music is catchy, the song is fast paced, and from a compositional point of view, quite intricate. The lyrics are powerful, the "story" is well executed and the meaning hits hard. This song is brilliance well above and beyond expectations.

.
/* */
2.
Band: Augie March
Song: This Train Will Be Taking No Passengers
Album: Strange Bird
Year: 2002

Well, the lyrics are a masterpiece in any day and age, Glenn Richards is a real wordsmith. The song is fast paced, moody, a steady driving rhythm of a train descending into madness. The instrumental arrangements are amazing, the use of brass amongst the rolling drumline and steady guitar, the clustered and chaotic piano, this song blows me away. Every time. The passion of the lyrics, the wailing cry of "traaaaaaaaaain" gets me every time. The backing vocals and the increasingly intensifying lead vocals build this song into a most intense brilliance, a cataclysmic wall of sound that leaves me gobsmacked time after time after time after time.

.
/* */
1.
Band: Placebo
Song: Special Needs
Album: Sleeping With Ghosts
Year: 2003

This song. When the piano kicks and and the song flowers into life, I get chills running down my spine. The vocals are raw and passionate. The instruments coming together bring about a hauntingly beautiful sensation, the impression of the surreal. It's not a complicated song, but it's one of sheer beauty. It's a song with it's fair share of flaws and blemishes, but what I love about it is that it's as if the song is saying "yes, I'm not perfect, but so what?". The song is not afraid to be who it is, it's not afraid to show its emotions and show its flaws, and that, to me, is beautiful. This song is awe inspiring, a real touching, genuine song.

.
/* */

Yeah, doing another one of these.

AFI - AFI
AFI - The Art of Drowning
AFI - Decemberunderground
Alien And Farm - truANT
Alkaline Trio - Crimson
Alkaline Trio - Maybe I'll Catch Fire
Alkaline Trio - Remains
Angels & Airwaves - I-Empire
Angels & Airwaves - We Don't Need To Wisper
Anti-Flag - For Blood And Empire
Aphex Twin - Drukqs
Apocalyptica - Apocalyptica
Art Vs. Science - Art Vs. Science EP
Augie March - Moo You Bloody Choir
Augie March - Strange Bird
Augie March - Sunset Studies
Augie March - Watch Me Disappear
Bag Raiders - Fun Punch EP
Bag Raiders - Turbo Love EP
Benjamin Loeb - Joplin: Piano Rags, Vol. 2
Birds of Tokyo - Day One
Birds of Tokyo - Universes
Blink-182 - Blink-182
Blink-182 - Cheshire Cat
Blink-182 - Dude Ranch
Blink-182 - Enema Of The State
Blink-182 - Feeling This (Single)
Blink-182 - Greatest Hits
Blink-182 - Take Off Your Pants And Jacket
Bliss N Eso - Flying Colours
Bloc Party - Intimacy
Bluejuice - Problems
Bodyjar - Bodyjar
The Cat Empire - The Cat Empire
Chase & Status - More Than Alot
The Chemical Brothers - Push The Button
The Chemical Brothers - Surrender
The Chemical Brothers - We Are The Night
Cog - The New Normal
Cog - Sharing Space
Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay - X&Y
Coldplay - Parachutes
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
Daft Punk - Alive 2007
Daft Punk - Daft Club
Daft Punk - Discovery
Daft Punk - Homework
Daft Punk - Human After All
Daft Punk - One More Time (Single)
The Dandy Warhols - Earth To The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols - Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia
The Dandy Warhols - Welcome To The Monkey House
David Stanhope - The Best Ever Piano Music Collection (Disc 1)
Deadmau5 - Ghosts N Stuff (Single)
Disturbed - Believe
Disturbed - The Sickness
Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists
DJ Fresh - Escapre From Planet Monday
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into
Drapht - Brothers Grimm
Dream Theatre - Greatest Hit (...And 21 Other Pretty Cool Songs)
Dream Theatre - Octavarium
Dream Theatre - Systematic Chaos
Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream
Eskimo Joe- Inshalla
Eskimo Joe - A Song Is A City
Evermore - Real Life
Evol Intent - Era Of Diversion
Foo Fighters - In Your Honour
Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Fourth Floor Collapse - Books With Broken Spines
Fourth Floor Collapse - Victoria
Franco Platino - Guitar Recital
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
The Fray - How To Save A Life
Gareth Koch - A Guitar Anthology
Good Charlotte - The Chronicles Of Life And Death
Good Charlotte - Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte - Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous (Single)
Good Charlotte - The Young And The Hopeless
Grafton Primary - Eon
Grinspoon - Thrills Kills And Sunday Pills
Groove Armada - Greatest Hits
Hilltop Hoods - State Of the Art
Howard Shore - The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
Idil Beret - Chopin: Piano Favourites
Incubus - A Crow Left Of The Murder
Incubus - Light Grenades
Incubus - Make Yourself
Incubus - Morning View
Isador Goodman - The Best Ever Piano Music Collection (Disc 3)
Jeno Jando - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2
John Champ - The Best Ever Piano Music Collection (Disc 2)
John Williams - Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone
John Williams - Star Wars Episode 1
John Williams - Star Wars Episode 2
John Williams - Star Wars Episode 3
John Williams - Star Wars Episode 4
John Williams - Star Wars Episode 5
John Williams - Star Wars Episode 6
Karnivool - Sound Awake
Karnivool - Themata
The Killers - Day & Age
The Killers - Hot Fuss
The Killers - Sam's Town
The Killers - Sawdust
Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times
Klaus Badelt - Pirates Of The Carribean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
The Living End - From Here On In The Singles 1997-2004
The Living End - Hellbound
The Living End - It's For Your Own Good
The Living End - The Living End
The Living End - Modern ARTillery
The Living End - Roll On
The Living End - State Of Emergency
The Living End - Under The Covers
The Living End - What's On Your Radio (Single)
The Living End - White Noise
Matchbox Twenty - Disease (Single)
Matchbox Twenty - More Than You Think You Are
Metallica - Death Magnetic
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Mistabishi - Drop
Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News
Muse - Absolution
Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
Muse - Hullabaloo
Muse - Origin Of Symmetry
Muse - Showbiz
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Pendulum - Hold Your Colour
Pendulum - In Silico
Phrase - Clockwork
Placebo - Battle For The Sun
Placebo - Meds
Placebo - Sleeping With Ghosts
Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing
Pnau - Pnau
Powderfinger - Internationalist
The Presets - Apocalypso
The Presets - Beams
The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
The Prodigy - Their Law (The Singles 1990-2005)
R.E.M. - In Time: The Best Of R.E.M. 1988-2003
Radiohead - Amnesiac
Radiohead - The Bends
Radiohead - Hail To The Thief
Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong : Live Recordings
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Radiohead - Kid A
Radiohead - OK Computer
Radiohead - Pablo Honey
Rise Against - Appeal To Reason
Rise Against - Siren Song Of The Counter Culture
Rise Against - The Sufferer And The Witness
Sigur Ros - Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
Sigur Ros - Takk...
Silverchair - The Best Of, Volume 1
Simple Plan - No Pads, No Helmet, Just Balls
Simple Plan - Still Not Getting Any...
Smashing Pumpkins - Greatest Hits
Sparkadia - Postcards
Sum 41 - Chuck
Sum 41 - Does This Look Infected?
Sum 41 - In Too Deep (Single)
Sum 41 - Underclass Hero
System Of A Down - System Of A Down
Taxiride - Garage Mahal
Venetian Snares - Rossz Csillag Alatt Szuletett
The Vines - Winning Days
Violaine Corradi - Dralion
Years Around The Sun - Introstay EP
3 Doors Down - The Better Life
3 Doors Down - Seventeen Days
3 Doors Down - 3 Doors Down
+44 - When Your Heart Stops Beating
Various - The Best Of Satie
Various - Cavatina: Highlights From The Guitar Collection
Various - Gershwin: Piano Concerto In F, Rhapsody In Blue, An American In Paris
Various - Glass: Violin Concerto, Company, Akhnaten (Excerpts)
Various - Goa Neo Full On Volume 3
Various - Hed Kandi: The Mix 2009
Various - Housexy Autumn 08
Various - Jungle Sound Gold [Pendulum Mix]
Various - Sculthorpe: Earth Cry, Piano Concerto, Kakadu
Various - Strauss (R): Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel, Also Sprach Zarathustra
Various - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Concerto Alla Rustica
Various - The 2008 Annual Ministry Of Sound

Lighthouse Song

It's my latest song. And I'm going to put it on the album I'm working on, Sidechained Melody.

Go give it a listen and a vote and review.

<3

ANUS DOT COM

I came across it whilst researching Aristotle's Golden mean for my Ethical Theory essay. I don't know what these guys were thinking when they named their website. I don't know what I was thinking when I picked this topic for my Journalism class. I've got about another 1,100 words to go AND prepare a 10-15 minute speech to go with it. I have a little over 12 hours. And my brain is clearly not in it, as you can probably tell by my childish need to share my discovery of anus dot com.

Yeah fuck you guys. :(

I'm studying Journalism and Film & Television at University, and I'm not wholly interested in either. I'm interested in part of each, but I'm wondering if I should drop out at the end of semester rather than endure a further 2 and a half years. Last night I asked myself why I was studying journalism. I couldn't think of an answer, besides, a degree wouldn't guarantee a job, and I'm starting to find it a bit of a waste of time. Sucks.