Tracks In The Forest

Random Ramblings Of A Philosophical Nature

2012-04-20T02:34:00.001-04:00

We are the product of intelligent design, and that design took millions of years. While it is merely common sense to believe that, by design, we could be similar to our progenitor(s), it is more likely that our species is still at an infantile state. Regardless, the pursuit of proving -- or disproving, for that matter -- the exact state, composition, and origin of such (a) being(s) is counterproductive as it takes away from more immediate necessities (like ensuring we don't completely destroy our planet or cause our own extinction). The search for divinity (or lack thereof) is a quest that is unlikely to end in this generation, nor in the next few hundred.

Also, it is pure silliness to think that such information could be found in ancient texts written by so-called scholars (who were, in fact, racist social isolates) who, even collectively, held an infinitesimal fraction of what we know and understand today about science, history, metaphysics, theology, and philosophy.

Furthermore, it is sheer arrogance to think that one's beliefs are actual fact and that anyone of a different point of view or of the opposition are wrong. The stance that one's beliefs make something real, or that one does not have to believe in something for it to exist, is utter stupidity. You can believe all you want that standing in the middle of a highway is perfectly safe, but eventually, you will end up as a stain on the asphalt.

Faith is indeterminate -- it achieves nothing without action. Belief is illusory -- it provides no definition without practicality. Neither are complete without direction, and that direction must be towards future possibilities, not rooted in preordained outlandishness passed on by societies whose barbaric tendencies, narrow-mindedness, and lack of common sense were even worse off than we are today.

The fact is that, as a civilization, we are young, ignorant, lofty, foolish, and certainly not ready for such monumental revelations. We can only try and prepare as best we can the intellect and psyche of those who proceed us should they, in some distant millenium, breach the fringes of the universe and, literally, meet our makers or at east uncover the definitive source of what is ultimately our human legacy.

The Wisdom of Silent Words

2012-01-26T21:34:00.003-05:00

I wish I had words of wisdom to share, words of comfort, and words of hope. If only I had the gift to put together words so profound and powerful as to leave mountains untouched but move hearts and minds all around the world. But wishes are seldom granted. And perhaps all this is naught but self aggrandizement, and such bellows often go unheard.

So I leave you instead with unintelligible whispers, then silence, in hopes that by saying nothing further, a head might turn, an ear might twitch, and thoughts might ponder on why -- all of a sudden -- nothing is being said.

To Wander The Universe Or Travel The World

2011-08-10T21:31:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I imagine myself an old soul, wandering the the universe, watching, learning. Yet somehow, I know that wouldn't be right for me. There is still much to see and do on this Earth. I am, as of yet, too attached to this world, this plane.

I would mayhap endure a thousand pains, suffer a thousand heartaches, cry a thousand tears, just to laugh once more, smile once more, touch one more person, live one more life.

Perhaps I am already an old soul, and this just another step in my journey.

In The Time It Took To Watch A Video Log...

2011-08-10T19:51:00.000-04:00

10:32

stories shared
adventures followed
laughed clapped gasped smiled
then wondered and reminisced
from half a world away
attentions held
thoughts provoked
lives touched
friends made
in just ten minutes
and thirty two seconds

An Arm's Length Away And Still Untouchable

2011-08-10T19:25:00.004-04:00

vital connections

In the moments when we share our stories,
I feel as though I know you.
Part of me wishes I really did.

We call each other friends,
but in truth...

We are little more than faceless names and numbers,
masked only in the facades we wish to show the world.

And still we share our stories.
Then, why? I think...

Everyone wants to get to know each other,
but not everyone wants to take off their mask.

So, for now we share our stories,
touching lives from across the greatest distance,
always in sight, yet forever out of reach.

The Sound of Snowflakes Falling

2011-08-01T11:54:00.000-04:00

untitled

words are sometimes shallow
raindrops dancing vainly on mirrors

words are sometimes deep
ashes sleeping beneath a riverbed

but oftimes words are just words
snowflakes falling on the sea

Inspired by Halo's 343 Guilty Spark A.I. (No, Just Kidding)

2011-07-03T22:29:00.003-04:00

untitled

what is a spark
two worlds colliding
the birth of a flame
a star's final moments

what is a spark
an idea
a prayer
a beginning

Sometimes the greatest storms are the ones inside of us

2011-06-08T20:57:00.001-04:00

glass flower

a beauty so enticing
yet so frail and fragile

reaching out in yearning
wanting to know
longing to feel
just the feathery touch of a finger
but that alone might shatter the dream

facing a storm of fear and regret
she stands at a precipice
like the tear on the corner of her eye
waiting to fall but forever unable

trapped between a moment of pure bliss
and a lifetime of sadness

Japan, Here I Come!

2010-07-27T14:15:00.003-04:00

Hello, everyone!

If you're actually reading this, thank you kindly for your patronage and reader loyalty. It is greatly appreciated, much more so than I have let out. :) And if you're wondering where I've been, the answer is - right where I've always been, with the exception that I won't be here for two weeks starting tomorrow.

It's been a long wait with a lot of preparation and saving, but at last, I'll be able to see the country I've most wanted to visit for - well, since forever! So now you know why I've had narry a blurb for the past 3 months. Nonetheless, I apologize for the lack of notification, let alone content.

Well, moving right along then.

I think I have everything ready. I went through my checklist, then wrote it all down again and added a few more items and checked those off as well. *deep breath* So, am I ready? Uh, NO! For starters, my Japanese is highly insufficient, and I can only recognize, hm... about 20 (on a good day) out of 5,000+ of the most common characters. Even nearly 4 months straight *cough* ON AND OFF *cough* (haha!) of Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone, various self-teaching books, and one very worn and tattered dictionary sum up to one hapless realization: I probably won't get far without my Lonely Planet phrase book. (Thanks again, Joanne!)

Then again, I guess nothing can really prepare anyone for an excursion of this magnitude. I mean, for me, this is humongous! Japan! Language barriers aside, this will be my first major trip on my own (I know, isn't that depressing? :P). Also, If I'm lucky enough to get a seat on the early morning bus next Monday, I'll have time to make the full hike up Mount Fuji! All the way to the summit! Yyeeaahh!! That's gonna be so freaking awesome!! ^o^ Otherwise, I may have to settle for starting from Station 5, which is already 2.5-3 hours up; but that means I'll miss one of the oldest shrines at the foot of the mountain, located in a forest of HUGE trees that are thousands of years old. In either case, it's gonna one gruelling and amazing day! :D

I'll be staying in Taito for 6 days, fanning out in different directions to various cities. Besides Tokyo itself and its various wards, there's Kyoto and Nara, and if I have time (and money left over), Kamakura. I should be able to visit at least 4 hotspots (Akihabara, Harajuku, Shinjuku, and Asakusa) plus 2 other major cities Southwest and West of Tokyo. After 6 days in Tokyo, it's off to Sendai for the Tanabata Festival (SWEET!), more shrines, one very old castle (not sure if that will be open, though, due to some restoration), a museum or two, one large natural preserve, and maybe even a visit to the aquarium.

Then, a brief stay at an onsen ryokan near Matsushima Bay (walking distance). This is one of the top three visits I've mapped out, including Mount Fuji and the Tanabata Matsuri. Some say the sunrise from Matsushima is one of the greatest sites in Japan. That should make for some very sweet eye candy. ;-)

And that wraps up the trip. From the ryokan, it's a bullet train back to Tokyo and then the flight back home.

Oh, man oh man oh man oh man! I'm excited and nervous!

I'll most likely post photos on FaceBook while I'm there. My camera doesn't compress video very well, and I'm not converting it on a netbook, so YouTube is out. However, if I have time, I'll pick out some choice photos for small updates on this blog as well. :)

This is all for now. Take care everyone, God bless.

I'll be back next month! ^_^/~

One Large Half and Half, Plus A Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate Cookie.

2010-05-19T20:36:00.001-04:00

Here's an experiment that sprung from the question, can one really, accurately define true beauty without describing ugliness? I realized immediately that the resulting theme alludes to the Yin and Yang entities, and thus decided to make this shorter than originally intended. I wanted to write a little bit more, but it was quickly turning into just another laborious (and boring) extract of a good vs. evil essay, and I'm not in the mood for that right now.

The Vile, The Pure

I have watched the first rays of a newborn sun
dance upon a single silver-lined tear of an angel
as she sat upon a silken cloud at Heaven's gate
and wept quietly at the beauty of the universe.

I have watched in horror at the destruction of worlds
and the extinction of nations by merciless tyrants
harvesting the flesh and blood of their own people
to feed the spawn of their failed attempts at creation.

One of my eyes is black, while the other white.
Half my soul drowns in shadow, the other basks in light.
Each side makes the other whole, defines and gives meaning.
Neither one will give in. Neither side shall ever win.

Self Destruction: Good for poetry. Bad for reality.

2010-05-18T21:59:00.003-04:00

You can keep punching a brick wall with your bare fists until you don't feel it anymore, but that doesn't mean you should do it. It might make for some good poetry brainstorming, except that it'll be hard to write or type anything afterward.

please hurt me

give it to me
stab me
set me on fire
i need it. it's the only thing i feel now
it's the only way i know i'm still alive

don't worry, i won't bleed
there's nothing in there
nothing left anymore
it all got lost somewhere along the way
along the way to wherever this is

it's pretty empty around here, too
and it's quiet
not a whisper
not even the sound of my own breath
just me, just me and the pain

At the bottom of a deep well of anger, there is great sadness.

2010-05-18T20:58:00.011-04:00

Which is scarier - Piecing together the jumbled fragments of a nightmare and looking at the finished picture? Or knowing that something so dark and morbid came from inside your own head?

delirium

the world is rocking to and fro
am i shaking or is it the walls moving
i don't know

i can't feel my hands
i can't feel my arms
i can't feel anything

the light through the curtains
it does something funny to my eyes
i look around but everything's a blur

someone's crying
someone's screaming
i don't know

the light did something funny to my eyes
the room's all fuzzy
the walls keep moving around

why is everything moving but i can't move
how are the walls spinning like that
why won't everything stop spinning

my knees are starting to hurt
my knees hurt why do my knees hurt
i don't know

i can feel my hands again
there's something cold and heavy in my hand
something warm and wet on my feet

i'm looking at them but they look weird
it's not my legs it's not my legs
there's something on my legs

why is there someone on top of me
why are they on sleeping on my legs
the face is laughing at me

why won't you stop laughing
why won't you stop laughing
why won't you stop laughing

not laughing anymore
sleeping that's right just sleeping
not laughing anymore

i can move my legs again
i can get up now
i'm okay now yeah i'm okay

i can clean this all up
it's okay i can fix this
it's gonna be alright

i'm okay
i'm okay
i'm okay

Noein: Episode 23 Summary and Afterthoughts

2010-04-25T23:58:00.004-04:00

The timespaces have started to converge, but Karasu and Yuu have yet to reach Haruka.

I can't decide what I despise more - the whiny, neurotic annoying puff of smoke called Noein, or the depressed, bedraggled, corpse-like husk called Noein. Oh, wait. Nevermind.

What happened to the ominous, seemingly omniscient Noein that would randomly put on a show of raw power or just wreak havoc? What a terrible shame, turning him into a withered-looking wretch. Thankfully, this pathetic display doesn't last long.

Bigger, faster, stronger, but still as ugly as before.

A great battle ensues as Karasu clears a path for Yuu through a gang of Noein's mechanized drones. It looks like they've gotten a serious upgrade, but it's nothing he can't handle. There's little explanation as to why they suddenly take on this new form other than a reaction to Karasu's and Yuu's presence on Shangri La.

Yuu is greeted by one the horse-headed observers. It seems they are not as menacing as their claws might suggest.

Yuu still has to run through an enormous field to get to Haruka, not to mention find some way of getting up to the floating island. Luckily, he runs into one of the mysterious seahorse-like Haruka-stalkers who declares, "We have made a mistake," before promptly teleporting the boy to Haruka's location. The true identity of these strange creatures has yet to be revealed, but they don't appear to be a threat to our protagonists.

Kooriyama is shot by the overzealous Shinohara in a failed attempt to halt the Magic Circle Project.

Back on Earth, Uchida, Kooriyama, Tobi, and Amamiku sneak into the Magic Circle's base of operations, hoping to put an end to the potentially disastrous experiment. However, the two Dragon Knights' bodies are severely weakened by the quantum interference, and the investigators are forced to face Shinohara by themselves. Things quickly go from bad to worse when Kooriyama pulls a gun on Shinohara but consequently gets shot himself.

A sight for sore eyes. A wretched-looking Karasu emerges from Noein's ghostly ether.

Noein continuously tries to play to Haruka's sympathies. He almost succeeds, too, until he gets all crazy-eyed and goes back to his self-righteous sputtering. It's no surprise that, until now, Haruka's will has remained strong. To Noein's credit, he does get Haruka to step forward as he holds out his hand to her. That moment, of course, is where this episode ends.

Noein: Episode 22 Summary and Afterthoughts

2010-04-11T19:00:00.000-04:00

Ai, Isami, and Miho look out into the vast (and mostly empty) expanse of Shangri La.

In another inadvertent flash of the Dragon Torque's erroneous powers, Haruka's house, along with the people still inside it, gets ported to Shangri La. Miho's explanation, as usual, involves - wait for it... Aliens. That's right. Say it again with me, like that pigeon from the movie "Bolt". Aliens!

According to Tobi, things are happening five years ahead of schedule.

Through a bit of techno gabber from Uchida, we are given a brief and generic explanation of what the Magic Circle Project is intended to do. Upon listening to her observations of the experiment, Tobi concludes that events are unfolding five years ahead of similar incidents in the Dragon Knights' timeline. The sense of urgency is increased as time is literally cut short, and the Project must be stopped once and for all, else the universe collapse on itself.

Haruka pleads with Noein to stop his barrage of unsettling images of the future.

Noein draws on more underhanded tactics and deception as he tries to get Haruka to use her power to fold the universe into one, tiny, convenient, and emotionless package of stagnation. Haruka rejects his statement that the future is full of nothing but sadness and angrily denies his request. Noein drops a bombshell on her by taking off his mask and revealing his real identity - a Yuu from another future.

What's behind the golden mask? A disgruntled Yuu! Surprised? Not really.

So, it was Yuu all along. It's hinted that another of Haruka's futures ended with her untimely death, thus leaving the already dispirited Yuu to wallow in his own misery. It's not far-fetched to say that he would turn into this depressed, obsessive psychopath, but this seems a bit of an easy escape route, a cop-out if you will. I was hoping for a more grandoise revelation. Instead, we are given just another one-track-mind lunatic. There are too many of those in this show as it is.

The glimpse into the possible misfortunes that the children might encounter as they grow up and the twisted paths they take is a nice touch. It would be a worthy task to dive into that dark future, as well as expand on the events shape the personalities of some of the Dragon Knights. It would certainly make for a more engrossing and enthralling show. It's quite unfortunate that the writers did not explore this aspect further.

Noein: Episode 21 Summary and Afterthoughts

2010-04-11T15:48:00.000-04:00

Uchida meets with Professor Mayuzumi, former head of the Magic Circle Project.

Themes of noble self-sacrifice and about-faced idealism abound in this installation of the pseudo-science fiction / fantasy hybrid. It's hardly surprising; though in effect, the mood of the series has become subdued. A far cry from the usual clash of quantum powers, maniacal opposition, and surreal visuals, episode 21's melodramatic (but not unusual) presentation acts as a bridge to the coming gritty revelations of personal histories - or in this case futures - and what will ultimately be the unravelling of Noein's grand plan to homogenize the universe.

Miho scolds Atori for losing control of himself and acting violently, and Atori actually relents.

At last, Haruka's father, Professor Mayuzumi contacts Uchida, who then hands him files detailing the quantum sensitivity of the area. The professor is shocked to find out that his daughter is deeply involved in recent events concerning the causes of the town's quantum instability.

Karasu finally tells Yuu the reason why he must be strong if he truly wants to protect Haruka.

Amamiku is still suspicious of Atori, and she believes he is hiding the fact that he now remembers everything. True to form, Atori displays some of his usual mania and violent tendencies, but calms down when Miho berates him for his wild behavior. Atori then reveals his intention and why he is increasingly impatient; he wants to protect the children from the impending collapse of their world.

Believing her friends will remain unharmed, Haruka gives herself up to Noein.

In Shangri La, Karasu finally tells Yuu his side of the story and the reason the boy must stay grow up to be strong. Yuu is mortified to hear that the Haruka in Karasu's future sacrifices herself. However, the present Haruka is not surprised, and when Noein shows up once more, she surrenders herself in order to keep the others safe from Noein's wrath.

Noein: Episode 20 Summary and Afterthoughts

2010-03-21T14:23:00.006-04:00

A glum gathering of old and new friends in the underground city of La Cryma.

At last, we are in the home stretch of the series, and things are getting more interesting. The shreds of quantum theory that have been sprinkled throughout each episode have finally come together. Whether or not they make sense in real world physics (and much of it does not), the concepts presented thus far have been very intriguing. Also, the notion that the form and energy of a person's body can be recorded on machines and subsequently supported, altered - or in some cases dismantled - is both ludicrous and fascinating. Such ideas works well within the context of the story, regardless of how far-fetched they may seem.

Tobi has the difficult task of building a quantum portal with outdated equipment.

Kuina captures Haruka and brings her to the future, and Yuu gets strung along for the ride. However, the two children don't stay in Kuina's clutches for long, and they make their escape to the underground city where they meet Miho's daughter Lily and that future's Ai. This somber reunion of sorts is cut short when Yuu collapses and starts to fade away.

La Cryma does not recognize Yuu's identity, causing his existence to become unstable.

Ai quickly leads Haruka out of the room, explaining that that only those who are registered in La Cryma's quantum field generator have a stable existence. Haruka, who has the power to realize her thoughts and visions, must not look upon the hapless Yuu. Although Yuu's physical form is falling apart on a quantum level, he isn't truly dying. However, Haruka might trigger the Dragon Torque in her despair and cause his death to be a reality.

Yuu gets the shock of his life when he finds himself in a strange world and is confronted by an alien being who accuses him of killing his own friend in the future.

Kuina, who has by now managed to track down his prisoners, states that Yuu is being pulled into Shangri La. Haruka then decides to give herself up and go with Kuina to Shangri La, where she believes she may be able to save Yuu.

Kuina's already deteriorating body succumbs to the ravages of quantum instability. Ironically, it is Shangri La that spurns him.

Back in Haruka's world, Atori is faced with the challenge of reconstructing a method of interdimensional travel with old technology. After a lot of hard work, and with some "state of the art" equipment provided by Uchida, Tobi succeeds in sending Karasu to the Dragon Torque's location. When Karasu arrives in Shangri La, it's just in time for him to watch Kuina disintegrate from the dimension's violent rejection of his body.

Noein: Episode 19 Summary and Afterthoughts

2010-03-07T03:04:00.004-05:00

Haruka watches a video of herself as a small child with her grandmother.

Earlier episodes of Noein have played around with the theory of how existence can only be substantiated at a quantum level, as well as with the concept of existentialism. This episode gets a little more down to earth, focusing on the mental changes, particularly those concerning memory, that one udergoes when growing old. Though this episode does not expand on any indivdual's pasts, one wonders what some of the characters might have been like in their younger days or prior to the discovery of the Dragon Torque.

Haruka runs into an old schoolmate, but the girl doesn't remember Haruka at all.

Kuina has become obsessed with capturing the Dragon Torque and puts La Cryma itself at risk with his actions.

Judging by his actions from the previous episode, Kuina hasn't completely lost his feelings for Amamiku, but it seems that he has lost sight of much, including common sense or morality. Just as his own damaged body has become a tool for the Dragon Knights, Kuina is now a mere puppet of his own obsession with the Dragon Torque. For now, he has seemingly taken Atori's place as the mad zealot.

Kooriyama, recalling an injustice from his own past, resolves to stay by Uchida's side even though their investigation has been closed.

It is revealed that the investigation on which Uchida was working was made under the pretext of environmental concerns, but is in actuality nothing but a facade. Subsequently, she has been removed from her position, and the investigation itself has been closed. Kooriyama, on the other hand, doesn't want another cover-up sweeping dirt under the rug, as had occurred with one of his older cases. Though he has been hired as Uchida's bodyguard only for the duration of her investigation, he vows to accompany her and see their task through to the end.

Haruka is disheartened by the fading of her own memories of her grandmother.

Haruka is troubled (though not more than usual) that she may have already forgotten about some people in her life. She is also upset that one of her childhood friends no longer remembers her. Haruka is especially saddened at how her own memories of her late grandmother have already begun to fade. She doesn't want to forget about anyone else, but the thought of the inevitable passage of both time and memory weighs heavily on her.

Kuina's continued interference in Haruka's timeline creates a quantum disturbance to which Atori seems overly sensitive.

Atori's normality, or at least what counts as normality for him, may be short-lived. The sudden appearance of the Shangri La invaders in the present time triggered his lost memories. And now, he appears to be quite sensitive to the quantum forces and constant turmoil around him. It's possible that he was not as mentally unstable before the Dragon Knights discovered the Dragon Torque, and the quest for it may have driven him mad. Nonetheless, while forgetting what is truly important might work against most people, it is the very memory of his past that threatens to destabilize Atori's already fragile grasp on sanity.

Illogical Persistence Or Fanaticism

2010-03-07T01:29:00.001-05:00

This evening, I asked myself why, even after my month-long post-holidays hiatus, have I bothered maintaining my updates of Noein summaries? Am I a fanatic, a crazed anime fan who will watch a show until the very end and write incessantly about it even if it sucks? Erm, no. I don't think so anyway. So, am I just being stubborn, slowly whittling away at an old chunk of wood while inevitably piling on the amount of work that I have to produce even when I'm occupied with other projects? Yeah, that must be part of it. Nonetheless, my loyalty (a word I never thought I'd use in a post about my thoughts on Noein) parallels what I deem to be the show's own persistence in tackling such complex subject matters.
Noein's writers tried so hard to cram so much theory and self-examination into each episode that the core of the plot gets lost so easily and so often. This also produces an atmosphere where the show seems so embroiled in its own self-importance that the audience either gets lost in the dizzying haze of extraneous information or is just plain bored.

Still, those writers managed to plug in a few intriguing concepts as well as instances of inadvertent wit. While one show or another might have "its moments" and still remain insignificant as a whole, many of Noein's little moments of triumph are thought-provoking, and the topics they examine remain consistent with the theme of the series.

Even though I've expressed a substantial amount of disappointment at some aspects of Noein's narrative and production styles, I can see what the creators are trying to present. Of course, watching each episode a second time, even at 3x normal speed, has been a big factor in facilitating (albeit slowly) my increasingly positive view.

I'm glad I didn't take screenshots during the initial viewing. I find that taking the time to select meaningful screen captures is not merely a tool for producing in-depth reviews; it also helps in developing a deeper understanding of a show's context and its characters. On that note, I hope that I've provided both insightful posts and visually enticing sneak peaks to the readers - for Noein and all the other shows I've talked about thus far.

Noein: Episodes 18 Summary And Afterthoughts

2010-02-13T19:06:00.004-05:00

After waking from a dream in which her friends had forgotten her, and where Noein makes her question her own existence, Haruka comforts herself by going through photo albums.

Though he acts selfishly, either out of his own greed or due to Noein's influence, Kuina still harbors feelings for Amamiku. He stuns her so she can't interfere in the fight with Karasu, and leaves a power cell that can prolong her existence.

Tobi confers with Uchida on the relationship between Haruka's dimension and the future from where the Dragon Knights came. Meanwhile, Kooriyama is still confused and has a hard time believing what's been happening.

Atori's memories finally return as he watches Shangri La's war machines move slowly through the sky over Haruka's town.

The opening scene to this episode is nicely done. I wish the writers took the time to create greater mysteries and tension like the ones presented in this episode throughout the series, or at least woven them more deeply into the plot.

Haruka is haunted by Noein and fears that the life she has been living is nothing but an illusion within a dream. When Shangri La's invaders suddenly appear in Haruka's dimension, Isami takes pictures of them with his cell phone. However, once they disappear, so do their images from within the very photos Isami had taken. This perpetuates the theory that reality that appears as Haruka's world is not only intangible but also subject to manipulation and deception. It also creates self-doubt of one's own sanity in the children, even though they had all witnessed the frightening events together.

The show theorizes that one's existence must be confirmed in order to be quantifiable. As well, beings from different timespaces exist on different levels, and even if they meet, one should not be able to influence the other's timeline. That is, the past should not be able to influence the past, thereby creating a "violation of causality", ie. a paradox. However, that boundary is falling apart due to the gravity of actions taken by quantum beings such as the Dragon knights and Noein, as well as the disruption of the timespace itself by the Magic Circle Project. It is plausible that Haruka's power as the Dragon Torque is the only thing keeping things from falling apart.

The Holiday Bug. More Than One Kind.

2009-12-29T18:20:00.002-05:00

I intended to finish a few more posts before the New Year, but sadly, I've been totally kaput. I've been sick since the 26th and haven't even felt like watching anime, much less writing about it. That gives you a fairly good idea of how crappy I feel. >.<

In other news...

The remaining episode summaries and final review of Noein will be up shortly after New Year's Day. Gah, what a drag that was to sit through. -_-'

I also have a new addition to my collection, Trinity Blood. Thus far, it has a lot of premise and has already met most of my expectations. It's quite violent though, quite unncessarily. So, if things get any messier than they have in the first four episodes, the show won't be getting a posted review from me unless the story proves to be exceptional enough to overshadow the gore. In either case, don't hold your breath for that one.

I might also dive into an episode or two of Haibane Renmei. Yeah, I've been trying to set aside time for that one since last month, but I got sidetracked by Fairy Tail and the Zanpakuto arc in Bleach, among other things.

Yes! Bleach is coming to "Tracks"! :D Not the whole series (sorry). I've been watching since episode 1, but for now, this blog will focus on the new story line that starts from episode 230, with the appearance of... Well, more on that later. ;-)

That's all the news for now.

Hurrah for Holiday loot! Boo to Holiday sickliness!

Take care, everyone! ^_^/~

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2009-12-23T01:30:00.002-05:00

A Very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Holiday Blessings To All! ^_^

Sia: Breathe Me

2009-12-23T00:39:00.010-05:00

This is one of those songs that I can't help but play over and over. I first heard it on Lush, an internet radio station streamed on one of the Soma FM servers. It's also featured in the show "Six Feet Under", though I've never watched it.

So many great artists are overlooked by mainstream broadcasts, and I cannot stress enough how important it is to support internet radio. But enough of that for now.

Title: Breathe Me
Singer: Sia
Genre: Somatica, Alternative Rock
Released: 2004 by Universal-Island Records

Sia's Breathe Me has such a deep yearning tinged with regret, but it doesn't go overboard. No part of the song ever sounds weepy. The instrumentation plays strongly, providing a soft-rock tempo, but not so much as to overtake the song's fragile melancholy.

Sia's vocals sound a little hoarse, likely exaggerated for this performance, but they emphasize the image of weariness presented by the song perfectly. The deepness and rough quality of her voice, plus the stuttering cadence of her singing (and audible breathing) are mirrored by the clash of hi-hats and other heavy percussion in the background. These are in pleasant contrast to the smoothness of the piano, violin, and cello, providing a nice balance overall.

The piano is absolutely stunning. It opens the song very well and builds up slowly along with the song's atmosphere until it simply bursts at the peak of the crescendo. When I first sat down to really listen to this song, once the climax of the song hit, where the focus is solely on the piano and then the cello jumps in, I felt like I was spinning in my chair watching all the images evoked by the lyrics.

This is a brilliantly composed, poetic, and rivetting song.

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Breathe Me MP3

Who's The Crazy Guy On The Piano?

2009-12-22T02:59:00.018-05:00

I'm curious as to what I look like when I'm playing the piano while deeply immersed in a song (though not all that keen on seeing it). This next piece reveals a part of that image, but it probably doesn't come close to the full picture. I imagine it's quite a strange scene. O_O

This was inspired by, as well as an attempt to capture, the physical and mental state into which I fall when (unsuccessfully) following Sia's "Breathe Me" on the piano.

Hands Flailing Wildly (written 12 22 2009)

Striking the keys
White, black, white, black, white
Even though the rhythm isn't quite right

Tantric bursts of light
Cascade around me
Shiver down through my fingers
Suttering as I exhale
Floundering in a strange ecstasy
Hands flailing wildly

Striking the keys
Only to yield an addictive pain
Like the bittersweet embrace of rain

Ivory hammers on ebony anvils
Forging liquid emotions
Uninhibited in their flow
Rupturing consciousness with every blow
Losing myself in the mystery
Hands flailing wildly

Striking the keys
Unaware of the soreness in my fingertips
The muted cracking of my parched lips

Unwittingly conducting
Rippling waves of delight
All the while unworthy of mimicking
The melodies you have composed
Yet unable to escape the rhapsody
Hands flailing wildly

Striking the keys
In percussive expressions of insanity
A dance far gone from reality

With shut eyes and furrowed brow
Shaking my head as if to refuse indulgence
But mouthing the words to your song
I have already surrendered
Stumbling down a path of ecstasy
Hands flailing wildly

Haiku!

2009-12-19T03:59:00.008-05:00

Haiku! (What? Bless you!)
No, seriously. (What? Haiku?)
Yes. It's all Haiku!

After not having written poetry in any standardized format whatsoever in ages, I picked up my copy of "Patterns of Poetry" for the umpteenth time - I must sit down and read this thoroughly one day soon. Lo and behold, tonight's random arrangement (oxymoron intended) is Haiku, a 3-line poem where lines 1 and 2 have 5 syllables, and line 2 has 7 syllables. Haiku is derived from Japanese verse, quite appropriate considering the blog's main theme.

various, untitled

lotus pond ripples
frogs nap in the midday sun
while crickets gossip

- - -

young amber faerie
drowned in silvery dewdrop
her deathbed a rose

- - -

birch trees in winter
bony hands grasping at life
blood stains in the snow

- - -

midnight in repose
draped upon your sleeping form
soft sheets of moonlight

- - -

pats and tummy rubs
bouncing bundles of brown fur
happy wagging tails

- - -

lipstick on napkins
rings of alcohol rainbows
pink kisses, colorful lies

- - -

wispy white tendrils
crawl across a placid lake
ghosts of early morn

- - -

lost souls twisting
in the depths of your green eyes
sweet emerald storm

A Temporary State of Chaos

2009-12-18T18:04:00.004-05:00

There was brief implosion of this blog's markup which wreaked havoc on the layout. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Fortunately, I had a backup of the code and everything has been reverted to Wednesday night's saved state.

I'm still working on the film strip menu and the shop sections. I WILL make that silly thing work properly if it's the last piece of JavaScript I ever customize! >_>

Expect more hiccups, hopefully minor from hereon, until both panels are completed.

Thank you,

JM ^_^