Apocalyptica Coming to Cincinnati, Ohio!

That’s right, the heavy-metal cello band is coming to the 20th Century theater in Cincinnati on September twenty-first. Personally, I’m very excited about this concert since I’m a bug fan of their music. Their music. I’m not so hyper about them as people, since they’re pretty odd and they tend to be a little on the creepy side (their one album was titled “Cult”. Not cool…). That doesn’t change much, though.They’re still the most played item on my iPod (right up there with my Sweeney Todd soundtrack and Dir en Grey) and they sound really awesome live. Also, since it will be a theater, we won’t have the normal annoying heat wave of a concert. And heck, since practically nobody in Ohio knows what Apocalyptica is, we probably won’t even have to worry about angsty emo kids moshing up the place. Nerdstorm, unite!

Okay, kids. I’m giving you the scissors. It’s your job to run with them.

A live video.

The link to the tickets.

Sorry I couldn’t post more, I’m very busy at the moment!

-Al

Sweeney Todd Saves the Day?

Alright, it’s recommendation time. If you’re a fan of musicals, thriller movies, or just the actors and director of the film (Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, the biggest hitters), you will definitely enjoy Sweeney Todd. Most people in America know Sweeney Todd as a very violent film with Johnny Depp as star and Tim Burton as director. Now, of those people who haven’t seen the film, most of them probably think it’s just something made up by Burton and is a movie all about death. In essence, that’s kind of what it is. Let me summarize.

First of all, I haven’t watched the movie. I would really like to, but I haven’t. The strange thing is, Sweeney Todd the musical is more of a comedy, while the movie by Tim Burton is violent and mellow. Either way, it’s all about a man who was getting along very well in life. He was married and had a baby girl, and loved them both very much. One day, however, the man was falsely accused of a crime by a judge and was ripped away from his family. The judge ended up marrying said wife, and the daughter ends up marrying a sailor (eventually). Man gets very angry and comes back with a vengeance. The man now goes by Sweeney Todd, the Barber. Care for a shave?

In his barber shop he sets up a system in which his barber chairs fall backward and the people being shaved fall a great many feet, and gravity isn’t kind to them. I’ll leave the rest for you to figure out what happens. If you watch this music clip from the movie, you’ll understand. It’s not graphic at all, just pay attention to the words.

The point is, if you don’t like musicals, you may like this one. Most of my friends like the music from musicals, so I’m interested to see some reactions. I’ll admit, it’s a little creepy for me, even. But if you give it a chance, I’m sure you’ll find a silver lining.

Warning Sticker-Not for those who are against the artistically minded!
Rated 16+ on the Alex scale for violence and…well, violence. And I haven’t even seen it yet.
8 out of 10, five points go to the original plot made by those clever Brits, two points for the movie adaptation and one for continued tours. Three are missing because of the unnecessary gore and Tim Burton being weird. Hey, everyone’s a critic.

Life comes at you fast…

And boy, am I learning this without a break.

I apologize for my post last week, I needed to vent. Thankfully, I was quick enough to delete it before too many people saw it. For all that care, here’s a quick cap on how my summer is going.

1:Started speech class. I was doing fine until I performed a speech on Joan of Arc (a topic I am well versed in, because Joan of Arc kicks VERY much butt). Well, it turns out lengthy speeches make me nervous. Lots of stuttering and lack of enthusiasm/body language during the speech. The students said the following things about the speech:
Make more eye contact
Good eye contact (XD)
Lots of ‘uhm’s
Good information-interesting
Louder
Good job not fidgeting
You seem to know what you’re talking about-trust yourself (I had a big loss of self-confidence during that speech, though I REALLY don’t know why…)
Well placed pauses
Careful with enthusiasm
Better introduction
Feels natural
(End list) Wow, mixed reactions…and I STILL ended up with a C+. ONE point away from a ‘B’. Yeah, I’m a little ticked, but mainly at myself.

2: I got really tired after speech today, so I came home and fell asleep…
…only to be awakened by my phone, which may be my future boss at Kroger (O.O) I was half-asleep when I talked to her, but I remember that her name is Judy and I’m having my interview at 10:30.
Wait…
SPEECH CLASS!!! Crap. Looks like I’ll have to take the test and do my speech before or after class…but I should be able to make this work. Only allowed to miss 2 1/2 days, though.

3:Library completely denied my application T^T

4:Setting aside time at home especially for workout. I want to be able to throw people over 3 meters! >:O

5:Also being attacked by a combination of books, honors summer homework, and story ideas. If this is what junior year will feel like, then I think I’ll be drinking a lot more caffine than usual.

6:Talked to a professor in the family, gave me very good advice. So, in honor of that advice, I will be making a new blog that will be strictly reviews and posting of my stories. Once it is made and I have some content for it, I’ll post the link. I’m thinking of going with blogspot or blogger this time around.

That’s all for now, folks. I’m trying to change my icon from InuYasha to Rukia doing her famous “Bwahahaha!” *crosses arms*

Al-kun

Yo

Tell Me About Yourself - The Survey

Name:: Kevin ‘Alex’ …not giving my last name.
Birthday:: 3/8/92
Birthplace:: Ohio.
Current Location:: Ohio. Yick.
Eye Color:: Green on outside, brown on inside. So…hazel?
Hair Color:: Black, but I want it red again.
Height:: 5′7” or 5′8”
Right Handed Or Left Handed:: Right
Your Heritage:: Hungarian/German, big time Hungarian
The Shoes You Wore Today:: Eh, shoes? Regular shoes, but I want some sturdy work boots.
Your Weakness:: Nice people, cute things, or struggling people.
Your Fears:: Being judged by people I can beat up, but knowing I’m too nice to hurt them, Fantards
Your Perfect Pizza:: Veggie! Peppers, onions, mushrooms (a little) *drools*
Goals You Would Like To Achieve This Year:: Get my honors classes, get a sturdy foundation in my story, work on my personal research
Your Most Overused Phrase On An Instant Messenger:: I don’t think I overuse anything…
Thoughts First Waking Up:: Nyaaaaa?!
Your Best Physical Feature:: Spiky hair of epic-ness
Your Bedtime:: It’s usually 11:00-12:00, but I wish I could sleep earlier. Bad habits change to staying habits… like lack of sleep.
Your Most Missed Memory:: Riding a bike…fun! And being innocent.
Pepsi Or Coke:: Tea. Eh, I guess coke.
McDonalds Or Burger King:: Gag. If I had to choose, BK.
Single Or Group Dates:: If you’re just starting, group. If it’s been a while, single. Groups are much fun, though.
Lipton Ice Tea Or Nestea:: I don’t mind either one, just gimme tea NOW!
Chocolate Or Vanilla:: Chocolate.
Cappucino Or Coffee:: Coffee.
Do You Smoke:: Nope.
Do You Swear:: Very rarely. If I do, you most definitely deserve it.
Do You Sing:: Eh, it turns out very low and opera-y.
Do You Shower Daily:: Every morning.
Have You Been In Love:: Yes, unfortunately. Next time, I’m going to be careful of who I choose.
Do You Want To Go To College:: Most certainly.
Do You Want To Get Married:: Yes
Do You Believe In Yourself:: Indeed
Do You Get Motion Sickness:: Yes…
Do You Think You Are Attractive:: Not really. I honestly don’t care if I appeal to someone or not…
Are You A Health Freak:: I’ve become one…somewhat. Chipotle still has me in its grasp.
Do You Get Along With Your Parents:: For the most part
Do You Like Thunderstorms:: I. Love. Thunderstorms. So. MUCH.
Do You Play An Instrument:: I can play a few things on a few instruments…but I want to play the violin. Or Cello.
In The Past Month Have You Drank Alcohol:: Whoah…I tried a smaaaaaaallll sip, but it tasted like sewer water. Bleeeeaaaaarghhghg.
In The Past Month Have You Smoked:: Nope.
In The Past Month Have You Been On Drugs:: No
In The Past Month Have You Gone On A Date:: No
In The Past Month Have You Gone To The Mall:: Yep. Got an Underoath hoodie from Hot Topic.
In The Past Month Have You Eaten A Box Of Oreos:: No
In The Past Month Have You Eaten Sushi:: Gah I wish. Yummm…
In The Past Month Have You Been On Stage:: No.
In The Past Month Have You Been Dumped:: Nope
In The Past Month Have You Gone Skinny Dipping:: No
In The Past Month Have You Stolen Anything:: No
Ever Been Drunk:: No
Ever Been Called A Tease:: No
Ever Been Beaten Up:: Fights, but never beaten up. They all ended very fast :p
Ever Shoplifted:: No
How Do You Want To Die:: Durrr
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up:: Chuck Norris
What Country Would You Most Like To Visit:: England/Japan

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Fight the Power

Looks like I’m a little late for earth day (ok, a lot late), but there is a huge crisis at hand, and that crisis is all corporations. You don’t have to be a high ranking social worker to understand our society. It’s all consumer based, which means things have to appear how we want things to appear, and if we don’t like the way something looks, we want nothing to do with it. In a society with this ideology, what can we do? Obviously, go eco friendly. But that’s actually a lot harder than it sounds. And what about our terrible diet? The American diet is one of the most awful health problems we’ve faced as a country. I won’t drone on, since these guys explain things much more clearly than I ever could. Be smart, we only have one world (Though my good friends from Larklight would disagree ;))

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World

Alternate Title: HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF MARS! AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!

This game looks so awesome, it gave me goosebumps just watching the trailers. I was obsessed with the original Tales of Symphonia, and was hoping for an eventual sequel (though had intense doubts). Well, this is it. But…but there are some things that I’m both excited about and horrified at. So here’s some thoughts that are going through just about every Symphonia fan (after watching some of the trailers and reading the wikipedia article).

First off, our moralistic hero from the first game, Lloyd Irving, is practically evil. Apparently, after the events of ToS, he joined the Church of Martel. That should be a good thing! But it leads to the destruction of all in Palmacosta…and it seems that Emil and Marta are trying to take Lloyd out. Emil and Marta are new to the mix, including a rather expansive new cast (as I said, the wikipedia article is accurate. Richter seems to take the place of Kratos, plus he has cool glasses and awesome weapons.)

Did anybody notice Regal? HIS HANDCUFFS ARE GONE! Does this mean he’ll use his wicked hand-to-hand moves again? Or will he still use those lame kicks? Well, not lame…but compared to his ‘kamehameha’ type move he used in the original, it makes his kicks look like childs play. Also, Presea seems to be slightly more cheerful, Zelos is back (apparently they used the story arc in which Zelos doesn’t betray them and Kratos does instead. Kratos doesn’t die, I think, but in Zelos-betrayal arc, Zelos dies. It’s complicated, but I liked the non-dead Zelos arc better.) Genis is shocked that Lloyd would kill without regard, and apparently he has done some growing up. Sheena looks cool as usual, as do the rest of the characters. The art direction is awesome, but I think more needs to be done before release. And, my favorite detail, Raine will make an appearance as well. If she is playable, I will happy dance to oblivion. Healers pwn all, especially spazzy sisterly healers. Remember kids, Raine owns you.

This game will be in my Wii (when I finally get one…desu…) for at least two months. If this game has the bonus content that the original had, maybe four months. As I keep reffering to the original, remember-it has a lot to live up to. But it seems to be living up to the expectations, surpassing them, even. There are more anime cut-scenes than before. What, I think I recall three? Maybe?

Can’t wait, folks. I really can’t. If anyone finds more information, please contact me!
-Alex-kun

When all else fails, break out into German song and dance!

Ah! You know something is wrong when you have so many projects that your head is about to explode. My solution? Watch Scrubs. But when you don’t have time for Scrubs, you do a little happy German techno balloon dancing. I hope you all get a good kick out of it. That song is SO addictive…

I’m sorry that I haven’t been posting. School is incredibly rough at the moment, juggling mega projects, tennis, and keeping my two scoops of reading per day. Looks like I won’t be able to do real posts until summer, and even then my schedule isn’t freeing up.

On a second note, what the HECK is up with WordPress’s new format? ARGH! I don’t like it. Too confusing.

Prince Caspian. Prince. Caspian. That movie looks so incredibly good! I hope they don’t screw it up, but they did a great job with the other Narnia movie, so… maybe I’m worrying too much. There’s always the possibiliy for failure, even if the book is fantastic, as we have already learned… Thank you, Eragon.

Anyway, I want to do some anime and book reviews soon, but I still lack willpower and free time. I want it back, dangit! I will review vol. 1 of Boogiepop. I will! Oh, just a heads-up to everybody–Steamboy isn’t that great. The animation and sound are awesome, but that’s about it. Stick with Miyazaki, because Steamboy lacked a satisfying plot. The ending credits were ok, though. They gave a good after story…through pictures. Well, that’s all she wrote. Enjoy the happy dance, I understand that most of us need it. Anybody interested in doing one with me? B.Y.O.B. I’ll bring mine!

Alex-kun 

 

Pumpkin Scissors #1 Honor and Blood. One Sharp Pair of Scissors…

Okay, what’s the deal? A lot of people don’t know what Pumpkin Scissors is. Well, I don’t have much room to judge. I only heard rumors about it, heard people saying it was really good. I bought this little gem at Best Buy with my birthday money (It was a choice between two Nightwish albums and an anime DVD or Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. It was a VERY hard decision.) and found it to be very worth the time.

Alright…*sigh*

I…I’m sorry if I won’t seem like the same cheerful and peppy Alex tomorrow. I’ve just become extremely aware of something…and I really don’t want to talk about it anyway. I apologize in advance, though it is currently late and I doubt anyone will see it until tomorrow. I would like to talk about it, don’t get me wrong… it’s just not the kind of thing you go around telling to everyone. You know? Pray for me, everyone. Even the strongest spirits get broken every now and then. (…I hope that didn’t sound emo. Ew.)

Al

Hey! Gunslinger Girl Quiz!

Which Gunslinger Girl cyborg are you? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Rico You are Rico. You are optimistic and you seem to spread a certain good feeling at times. You always look on the bright side of life. You remain loyal to your handler, even if he treats you like a tool instead of a human. Rico 67% Claes 50% Angelica 50% Triela 50% Henrietta 50%