Duran Duran

Do not underestimate the power this band has to draw a crowd. Big crowds. As in, fill-Wembley-Stadium-for-5-nights-big crowds.

So there I was reading up on them on Wikipedia. I went there to look up some petty little detail or another regarding their last album Red Carpet Massacre. Well I got more than I bargained for - hence the blog post.

I went and signed up for the member mailing list. And when I save up the money I'm going to buy an annual membership. Yeah, they're that good.

Ever since I profiled them here for National Duran Duran Appreciation Day I got such an education on their music that I simply wasn't expecting. I knew I liked The Reflex from back in the day; I knew that was a good, timeless song. I knew some of their other hits from that era were not my favorites. But then, I hadn't listened to them since their release either (yes, I'm that old, what of it!). So I settled in for a few hours of researching their music in order to write the blog post ... and I really haven't quit listening since! It has been an absolute pleasure rediscovering the hits I grew up with, as well as hearing some of the later stuff that I missed the first time around ("Ordinary World"; "Come Undone"; "What Happens Tomorrow"). Their song-writing, lyric-writing, vocals, the whole package, fits my music tastes exactly.

I really just went to Duran Duran's website to poke around and see if there was any chance they might still be touring the U.S. of A. the remainder of this year, because the Wikipedia article seemed to end right about now. I was THRILLED to see they are, in fact, still recording what will become their 13th album - and by all accounts, there is great anticipation surrounding this one! A tour shall accompany the release of this album sometime next year.

So. I've got a mission. And that mission is to attend a Duran Duran concert in my lifetime. Whatever other missions I said I had before, well, they're playing second fiddle now!

Patriot Day - 9/11 Ponderings and Looking Forward

Just today I met a tremendous fellow who writes about his experiences suffering with PTSD, which he got as a result of putting his ass in the line of fire in Iraq so that my ass can enjoy pursuing my cozy life here at home, out of the line of fire: Sgt. Patrick McNally, U.S. Army Retired. He found me on Blip.fm - he seemed to enjoy my music tastes, so I looked up his profile where he has his blog linked to.

I went to go read his blog. Boy did I get a lesson in PTSD from his writings. We've all heard how miserable it is for many of the soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Hospital; Sgt. McNally details his experience there, and how unhappy it made him and other soldiers (to say the least). It was a terrible experience; it continues to be a terrible experience for him now. He talks about the high rate of suicide there, and at the hospital he was medivac-ed to in Germany directly from combat in the war. His blog is better than any report you'll hear on the evening news because, well, he was there. You get the experience firsthand.

Is it hard to read? Yes, but imagine how much harder it is for him - he's the one that has to live with the reality.

Today, I ask you dear readers to go spend some time reading what Sgt. McNally has to say, and maybe say 'thank you' to him today for all he did, and all he's suffering with now. As a blogger, I can tell you receiving comments from people just makes my day. Feedback is the elixir of a blogger's life. If nothing else, leave him a comment saying 'Thank You'.

Where do we go from here? I believe if we use 9/11 to not only look back and remember, but also to re-evaluate so that we can move forward, perhaps that's how we can make things better for Sgt. McNally and other soldiers like him.

Postscript: I know the sight of George W. Bush's face upsets many of my readers; it is my hope you'll look past your emotional reaction to focus on the other man in the picture, Sgt. McNally. It was the best picture of him I could find on his blog.

Sad day

I cancelled my WoW account. I am very unhappy about this. Although I am loving Jade Dynasty I have a LOT invested in WoW. And now it's going to be who knows how long before I can play again.

It's probably just as well, because I really wasn't playing. And I've only invested a month this time.

Still.

Phooey. I hope you're happy.