(RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!)

Open up your ears and your minds and prepare to have your musical tastes enlightened like never before! Now these aren’t going to be in any particular order, at all. There will be bands, there will be albums, there will be songs. For the first few I am going to provide actual tracks for you to listen to. Some will have links to videos. Together though they combine to form all the music you should be listening to, especially if you are not!!!

Death Cab For Cutie – I know a lot of people are finally aware of this band but you aren’t you should be. And if you are only aware of their latest work you need to go and check out their entire library. This is a band that produces many more hits than misses!

Sea Wolf – now here is one that most people aren’t aware of. An indie band out of LA, I heard them first years ago on KEXP and loved them. They have since released to LPs and even had a song included on the New Moon soundtrack.

matt pond PA – talk about a band who has been around for years and gets very little airplay outside of indie radio! They have been producing quality music for over a decade and get no love from the mainstream!

Okkervil River is an indie rock band from Austin, Texas. The band takes its name from a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya. My favorite album was the concept album Black Sheep Boy which I can listen to straight through without hesitation.

Sufjan Stevens – an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit. Stevens has released albums of varying styles, from the electronica of Enjoy Your Rabbit and the lo-fi folk of Seven Swans to the symphonic instrumentation of Illinois and Christmas-themed Songs for Christmas, which is my favorite Christmas album ever… and that is saying A LOT!

Silversun Pickups – ohh yes, another band I heard many years ago on my beloved KEXP and they have only gotten better and better over time. I like everything they do, everything and that is very rare.

Ryan Adams (& The Cardinals) – a Grammy Award-nominated American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the group to pursue a solo career. Note that it says RYAN Adams, not BRYAN Adams. The man can write a song! Some are a little too country for me these days, but for the most part, outside of his album 1974, I can listen to everything he does.

Damien Rice – an Irish singer-songwriter and musician. Now I will be honest, you have to be in a mood to listen to most of his music – and the mood isn’t a good one! Most of his songs are for a rainy day and tend to relate to depression. You have been warned!

Let me start by saying I have watched Lost since the beginning. I have seen every episode, some more than a few times. Knowing that we were embarking upon the final season added to the anticipation of last night’s episode which was only helped by the fact that there were months between last year’s finale and this year’s premier! Needless to say I was very excited to see what last night’s premier held!

Last year we were left with more questions (what’s new?) and very few answers. Was Locke dead? Did Juliet’s detonation of the bomb cause Jack’s plan to succeed? Who exactly were Jacob and his mysterious friend in black on the beach? Were they the yin and the yang of the island? Finally, why did the Lockelganger want to kill Jacob?

Last night I tuned in for answers. Though there were a couple that were answered, for the most part, in typical Lost fashion, we were only left with more! First let’s address what was answered, albeit only partially.

1) Locke, or the Lockelganger as I refer to him as, is also the smoke monster??? Locke is now Smocke???

We find this out after some of Jacob’s bodyguards from last season enter the giant foot statue and find that Jacob is nowhere to be found. This of course makes them shoot at Locke and they are either worse shots than Stormtroopers and COBRA soldiers combined, or Locke is now bulletproof! Well Locke disappears and the black smoke enters and proceeds upon killing all of the bodyguards.

Of course it’s not really Locke, John Locke’s body is on the beach. John Locke was murdered by Benjamin Linus last season, strangled as he contemplated suicide. Or perhaps that body is fake??? Of course the smoke also took on the form of Ben’s dead daughter last season basically telling him to follow Locke’s orders which lead to stabbing Jacob. Buy why did the smoke kill Echo a few seasons ago? Why didn’t it kill Locke? Was it saving him for later? Will we ever find out??? That odd cracking sound you hear is my brain slowly crumbling to pieces…

2) The hydrogen bomb, that the spinal surgeon decided would reset time (I always go to spine surgeons for my time traveling needs) and send everyone back to their original lives having never arrived on the island worked… sort of… I think. While we see Jack on board Oceanic Flight 815 we get an underwater shot as the camera pans the ocean floor. Then we see a miniature version of the mysterious island as well as the foot that was once the size of a giant, now the size of a fish! What… the… hell?!?

So apparently we are calling these scenes, flash sideways. We see all our favorite passengers and what would happen had they never crashed on the island. Jack lost his father’s body but is still the same old Jack as he saves Charlie from suffocating on a bag of heroin, something that couldn’t be done when Charlie drowned. Locke lost his knives but regained his wheel chair. Kate is in handcuffs but eventually escapes from Edward Mars, who happens to still be alive – good for Edward! Hurley lost his bad luck, Sayid seems less troubled, Rose & Bernard seem happy, Boone, also alive, is there bonding with Locke on a certain level and we later see Claire in a cab in which Kate jumps in to make her escape. Jin & Sun seem to still be suffering through marital problems, Jun perhaps running into some legal issues as well. Desmond was on the flight as well (or was he as he seemed to disappear) which made no sense since Desmond was on the island years before the original crash. Of course the island is now able to fit in an aquarium so it would make it rather difficult for Desmond to be there…

Now you have to think back to last year, when we learned who Jacob had contact prior to the crash – Jack, Kate, Locke, Sayid, Hurley, Jin and Sun. Was this because Jacob saw something special in these people, or was it perhaps he knew that they were the ones most likely to want to stay on the island, due to pathetic lives off the island, in case something unfortunate happened to him? Think about the conversation between the Lockelganger and Ben, after Jacob was killed. The thing that made Locke different from the rest of the survivors, was his desire not to go home, recognizing that his life outside the Island was, for lack of a better term, pathetic. It’s what the rest don’t recognize… yet. A few seasons back, during the conversation between Eloise and Desmond Eloise tells Desmond “You cannot change fate. What’s meant to happen will happen. You don’t stop things from happening; rather, you just delay it.” So those people on the flight who are still alive, odds are you guys are SOL! I suspect in the end, the flash sideways will be what it takes to show the rest of the survivors that their place in life is on the island. Now how will that affect them since they are still on the island as well, somehow? I have no idea, not yet!

Back on the island, in perhaps a different time-line things have gone from bad to worse. Juliet survives momentarily only to pass right after she tells Sawyer “I have something important to tell you.” Now does that suck or what?!? Luckily for Sawyer he has a buddy named Miles who just so happens can talk to dead people. Miles finds out that what Juliet wanted to tell Sawyer before she died was “It worked.” Sawyer, has no idea what Juliet is talking about. The rest of us thankfully can figure out that she is talking about the hydrogen bomb. How does she know that it worked considering she is still on the island with Sawyer? Ohhhhhh who cares! I can’t take trying to figure that one out! The question is, will she be able to get in touch with them all to let them know about the impending lizard invasion???

Oh wait that’s another show… never mind.

So now we have Miles, Kate, Jack & Hurley taking Sayid to the temple because the only way to save him, according to Jacob’s ghost who Hurley happens to talk to, yes Hurley not Miles the guy who is known for talking to dead people, is to take his body to the temple. Little did we know, but it was the temple of DOOM! Upon arriving to the temple, our friends are ambushed by these guys -

Or at least they looked like those guys… Of course the men in turbans were led by this guy -

Who of course isn’t a samurai in Lost, he just dresses the part.

So these guys in turbans take the survivors to the samurai and right before the samurai’s men gun down the survivors Hurley screams “Jacob sent us!”. This gets the attention of the samurai who then finds out that the proof Hurley has that he spoke to Jacob was the guitar case. Inside the guitar case is a wooden ankh which the samurai breaks open and finds a note. Apparently the note lists the names of the survivors who Jacob touched previously. I swear I am getting tired just writing this… Anyway, the note also says that if Sayid dies, they are all in deep sh- … errr… trouble! So the samurai’s turban wearing men take Sayid into a fountain and drown his last breaths from him. After pulling him out their efforts at healing him via the age-old method of drowning has sadly failed. Sayid is dead, all is lost (get it?) right? Well of course not! This is Lost after all! Is anyone ever really dead on Lost? It seems like the answer is no!

Before we find out Sayid’s fate though the temple is spreading dust around its perimeter and apparently preparing for an invasion. The samurai also launches a giant bottle rocket into the air which freaks Richard out. Before Richard can do anything the Lockelganger hits him in the throat and then follows that up with an elbow drop taking Richard down and out! Locke picks up Richard and carries him away.

At this point the samurai’s lackey comes in to tell Jack that his presence is requested for a private conversation. Jack decides that they can’t make him leave (because Jack always makes the best judgments and knows he can take an army with machine guns if he decides to) which leads to a struggle. Before we get to see Jack get a well-deserved ass kicking, Sayid comes back from the dead! And that closes, the premier of Lost.

All in all it was a good premier. At this point I don’t hope for any resolution on any particular episode of Lost. I go in armed with the knowledge that my brain will be hurting by the end of the show and of course, I cannot wait for more!

To always be here one way or another.
To always listen.
That the love comes with friendship.
That they will never disappear.
To remember the little things as well as the important.
To always try and help.
To never stop dreaming.
To find the way even when I get lost.
To ask you for directions.
To never judge you for your tastes.
To watch or listen to something even if I dont like it.
To remain true to myself.
To change when needed.
To love with all of my heart.
That no one will ever love you more.
To write you poems when we are 80.
To always kiss you when I see you.
To cook you breakfast when you least expect it.
To bring you flowers for no reason.
To always try to show you new things.
To let you expand my mind.
To learn.
To write you letters to say hello.
To hold your hand.
To always share.
To love your family like my own.
To take care of you when you are sick.
To be there when you need me.
To always support your decisions.
To let you know when I disagree.
To always try to compromise.
To enjoy the simple things.
To always be faithful.
To always come home.
That I will always try to make plans.
To give you my mind, body and soul.
To be there until the very end.

1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
3. sexual passion or desire.
4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.
5. (used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like): Would you like to see a movie, love?
6. a love affair; an intensely amorous incident; amour.
7. sexual intercourse; copulation.
8. (initial capital letter ) a personification of sexual affection, as Eros or Cupid.
9. affectionate concern for the well-being of others: the love of one’s neighbor.
10. strong predilection, enthusiasm, or liking for anything: her love of books.
11. the object or thing so liked: The theater was her great love.
12. the benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.
13. Chiefly Tennis. a score of zero; nothing.
14. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter L.
–verb (used with object)
15. to have love or affection for: All her pupils love her.
16. to have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person).
17. to have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music.
18. to need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight.
19. to embrace and kiss (someone), as a lover.
20. to have sexual intercourse with.
–verb (used without object)
21. to have love or affection for another person; be in love.

And we thought we were confused before? You may be wondering who is this “we” I refer to. We I am referencing “we” in the general sense. I am referring to you and I the reader and the writer of this general rambling. Perhaps you have a better idea as to what the real definition of love truly is. After all, you just had 21 examples to choose from. Is 21 really enough though for what in my humble opinion may be the most confusing and difficult thing to define and to find? Love is everything. This is true. We all love, we all love with ease and it comes quite naturally. We love our friends, we love our families, some love their jobs and some love their lives. Love in this sense is quite obtainable and easy to define. It is these loves that shape you, that keep you and that drive you. But what is it, how is it to fall in love? What makes this love so unique? What makes this love the hardest to find and the most difficult to hold on to? Is it that in a sense we all are hoping to find someone to complete us? That fairy tales and soap operas have taught us of a perfect match or a soul mate? Did we all watch Jerry Maguire so many years ago and here that one line, no not “Show me the money!!!” but “You complete me” and felt such inspiration that we constantly seek it out? Is it really possible though? Much less is it healthy?

Personally I didn’t want to find the other side of the puzzle, the perfect fit, someone who completed me. I wanted to find the jagged edges. I wantede a piece to my puzzle that just doesn’t quite fit right. I didn’t need to be completed, I needed to be challenged. I wanted the difference to be glaring yet complimenting. I wanted arguments and debates and differences of opinion. How else woulld a relationship remain fresh? I know me. I know I grow bored easily. Someone who completes me is a friend, someone who challenges me to be a better man each and every day is someone I would to love. Perhaps in a way that is the answer to my own question. Perhaps that is why it was so difficult to find – because my definition isn’t one of the 21 listed above.

Thankfully I found it, married her & plan on living ever after with her!

When the Silversun Pickups took the stage I knew what to expect.  I had started listening to this band well over a year ago and had heard them perform live via the internet on a few occasions.  They certainly exceeded my high expectations.  With Brian Aubert, the lead singer/guitarist providing humorous banter with the crowd delving into such subjects as hung over microphones, Willie Nelson & Dream Theater posters and even bringing up Pierce High School, which subsequently is where Jessica Simpson attended.  Whether or not he knew this when he made the comment “Pierce High School sucks!” one will never know.  Personally, I like to think that he did.  I was rather pleased with the band’s set list.  They played most of their songs from their debut LP Carnavas such as “Little Lover’s So Polite” & “Rusted Wheel” and to my pleasure went back to their first production the EP Pikul to arouse the crowd’s ears with the song that first drew me to the band “Kissing Families”.  They certainly saved the best for last though when they erupted with “Lazy Eye” which certainly seemed to be the song in which the crowd that had gathered was waiting for.

OK Go’s energy seemed quite contagious from the very beginning of their set on this night as the crowd danced and shouted and grew more and more alive as they opened with their latest single “Do What You Want” and the peculiar wallpaper man dancing on the screen that hung from the rafters above them through their performance.  Sadly I am not familiar enough with the band to be able to sync up many song titles with particular moments.  I have however already purchased their entire collection as to not make that mistake again.  The most memorable site of their set was when the arena filled up with cell phone lights and lighters to the tune of “Oh Lately It’s So Quiet”.  Only after listening to the CD did I put the song and vision together but it certainly left an imprint upon my memory as blue lights swayed to the tune with a small flame from a lighter strewn about as well.

In typical Dallas fashion the arena really began to fill as Snow Patrol’s moment grew nearer and nearer.  Sadly as with most events in this city the term “fashionably late” was taken to heart.  It was certainly there loss though as they missed a chance to experience two wonderful acts.  By this time though the pit below me was full of people who visibly grew with anticipation and the seats were filling rapidly.  The arena suddenly went dark and then individual red lights began to illuminate the stage to the tune of an M83 single.  Snow Patrol finally strolled onto stage, took their places, and when they burst into “Spitting Games” the main event was on and it was the beginning to truly an amazing performance.

They covered nearly the entirety of their latest LP Hands Open while harkening back to Final Straw for numerous outstanding songs as well   Lead singer and self-proclaimed average guitarist Gary Lightbody’s contagious smile spread throughout the night as the band serenaded the audience with songs such as the “Chocolate” which graced the soundtrack for the film “The Last Kiss”, “How To Be Dead” with some of my all time favorite lyrics  ”Dr. Jekyll is wresting Hyde, for my pride”  Bright beautiful lights flashed, swirled and illuminated the stage and the fog that flooded it periodically.  At one point a certain young lady’s night was made as she was selected to come up on stage and perform Martha Wainwright’s vocal harmony of the hauntingly beautiful “Set Fire To The Third Bar”.  In what was revealed by Gary to be a rare revelation the young lady admitted to knowing the words but not being able to sing; having been to a karaoke bar before I can attest to the fact that her singing certainly could have been worse.

Midway through the set Snow Patrol gave the majority of the crowd what they were waiting for as their hit single “Chasing Cars” echoed throughout.  It was dedicated to a couple up front who Gary had spotted kissing.  The crowd sang along, joining in the vulnerability of the song and the band in its entirety really seemed to draw off of this energy.  Not to be outdone, their first hit single “Run” inspired a vocal, audience participation as well.  As the song closed with the music fading the theatre echoed singing along with Gary “Light up, light up, as if you have a choice.  Even if you cannot hear my voice I’ll be right beside you dear”.  “Run” is one of my all time favorite songs, hearing it live, singing along while in that setting was certainly moving.

The highlight of my night came in the encore.  The theatre was deafening as claps and cheers echoed throughout in an audible pleading for just a few more songs.  Finally emerging from the darkness an orange light shined upon the keyboard as dueling notes of keys began to play the opening of what can only be described as an amazing, glorious, perfect performance of “The Finish Line”.  Watching Gary’s arms reach stretch out above him as if he were trying to find heaven only helped to inspire the awe that song produced.  It is such a gorgeous song on the LP, amazingly live it becomes a masterpiece. They ended the night on a high with “Open Your Eyes” like a rock n’ roll nightcap to a wonderful night.

There are some bands that amaze you with stellar musicians.  There are some whose sound is so explosive you are left awestruck.  To me, Snow Patrol has always been a band who has amazed me with their music’s intimacy.  It is almost as if each song was written for the soundtrack to my life.  That somehow they have glanced into my soul and penned the perfect tune to coincide with each and every little moment.  The most wonderful thing is that I am sure every one of their fans feels the exact same way.

This show possessed this same intimacy.  The music swirled full of emotions pulling and playing upon tender heart strings.  I was reminded on this night of how music can be a solace.  How it can help heal.  I left Nokia Theatre smiling more pure than I have in many days.  I owe this to Silversun Pickups, OK Go and most of all to Snow Patrol.

Truthfully there are no words to express my joy garnished from the night.  Nothing I can say will really do justice to what was experienced.  So I will close with this quote from Friedrich Nietzsche as it just about says it all, – “Without music life would be a mistake.”  I certainly agree.

In a quick side comment – it’s an odd commentary on how there are still apparent racial lines drawn in America when the majority of African-Americans I have heard on three different local sports talk radio stations stand up for T.O. & Caucasian callers are in favor of him being released. Just wanted to throw that one in.

For all of you Cowboys fans (and no I am not one of you) there is a bit of silver lining, pardon the pun, to this transaction. The Cowboys should look at their roster, see the names Marion Barber, Felix Jones & Tashard Choice and say to themselves “You know what, we should be able to get the ball in those three, talented running backs’ hands 35-40 times a game, control the clock, the field and be rather successful. In my opinion Roy Williams & Jason Witten still provide enough of a receiving threat for defenses to be forced to play honest. I don’t see the Dallas Cowboys declining offensively from their 2008 rankings -

Total Yards Per Game – 13th

Passing/Receiving – 9th

Rushing 21st

Scoring 18th

So for everyone who is predicting a dramatic drop off in production out of the Cowboys offense in 2009 I want you to explain to me why? They were pedestrian last season and that was with the enormous distraction that is Terrell Owens. If you want to point to something to we worried about it might be the defense where they have lost Chris Canty, Roy Williams (that can’t hurt), Anthony Henry, Kevin Burnett & Pacman Jones. Something tells me the Cowboys draft will once again focus on the defense. Though maybe, just maybe the Cowboys will draft a wide receiver and groom him to be a star for the first time since Michael Irvin – that is a sad fact but a fact nonetheless.

Technically December isn’t in 2009 (you’re shocked aren’t you???) but since I don’t think I have properly addressed it I will.  Don’t worry; it won’t be the whole month of December, but basically Christmas.  Yes I know, Nathan talking about Christmas – who would’ve thunk it?!?  Nonetheless Christmas is my favorite time of year but this year was different – this year’s Christmas was highlighted by the fact that I got to spend it with my new, wonderful, beeeeeaaautiful wife Hilarie!  We did not do anything out of the ordinary or revolutionary, but we shared it and to me that made it perfect.  I believe that is one of my most favorite things about marriage so far – the sharing.  Yes it can get difficult (hello money!!!) but in the end it’s the sharing of everything in life that makes the union so special.  Christmas, of course, was no exception!

Now to get to the actual year of 2009 – it started off rather enjoyable.  We had a small get together at our apartment where we dined on fondue, meatballs, cocktail wieners, spinach & artichoke dip, and other appetizers while playing Rock Band 2 and a drinking game of which the name I cannot recall.  Rest assured it involved a little more drinking than game play but was enjoyable nonetheless.  Hilarie had the day off so she could clean and decorate accordingly – she went through the trouble and put forth the effort to have a couple of plastic tablecloths put together to contain balloons and confetti so that we could have our own countdown to midnight celebration… it went off without a hitch!

New Years Day was a painful one.  Despite not drinking entirely too much we suffered the consequences of introducing the poison of alcohol into our systems!  It seems that we both fit the term “light weight” quite well these days!  I had to do some work from home so I basically spent the day laid up on my lovesac with my laptop while Hilarie lay on the couch, both of us watching a “Bones” marathon.  At least “Bones” is an enjoyable show.

So other than that let’s see… we got an inordinately high electricity bill despite keeping our thermostat at 60 degrees at the time, which has motivated us to move out of our current apartment (the complete ineptitude of the office staff doesn’t help matters any) and find one that is smaller, cheaper, with a better reputation and staff that will allow us to save for a house more efficiently.   We might be cramped for a year but it will be worth it to get a house!  I soooooo look forward to having a lawn to mow!!!

In other news, we purchased a new, 50” Plasma TV … it… is… awesome!!!  I have never had a TV this big and it makes viewing and video game playing all the more enjoyable!  I am certain Hilarie doesn’t love it as much as I do, but she isn’t the same kind of tech geek that I am – she has her own niche.  In purchasing this TV I departed with a TV and entertainment center I have had for years.  We sold the pair to Hilarie’s co-worker and wow were those some heavy pieces of furniture!  My dad and I moved them, eventually, battling stairs, sharp corners, the cold wind & a lack of handles on the TV but eventually we were victorious!  Though the furniture was quite nice, I will NOT miss the idea of ever having to move them again!!!

Other than that the only thing out of the norm was the “Arctic Storm” that engulfed North Texas late Tuesday night and Wednesday morning!  There was ice on the streets and bridges – may the good lord save us all!!!  Somehow most of the state managed to survive the frozen apocalypse and some of us, yours truly included, even went to work for a partial day.  Our offices were closed but apparently some people didn’t get the memo so a meeting with a consulting firm didn’t get cancelled so I had to come in to attend that.  In case you weren’t aware I have been training, while doing the actual work of search engine optimization.  The title is S.E.O. – and no I didn’t make it up!  One of the most enlightening parts to this training is the ideas it has given me for projects on the side – websites, website optimization, etc.  So if you’re out there and you want your website to rank hire in search engines, or perhaps want a website built for cheap just shoot ole’ Nathan a line … he’s cheap from what I hear!

Ok enough selling and enough about me for now!  Check back later for some movie reviews, video game reviews, TV reviews etc.  Hopefully I will be updating this thing regularly and getting back into the flow of writing… I haven’t been doing it nearly enough lately!  Word to your mothers…