Being an author is like being in charge of your own personal insane asylum.

- Graycie Harmon

Thursday, June 24, 2010

EARTHQUAKE! ... and music

I was going to post something here that was pertinent to writing, but the earthquake yesterday shook it out of my head. Thus, I shall just tell everyone who doesn't know that Ottawa and surrounds was struck by a 5.5 earthquake at approximately 1:41pm yesterday afternoon.

It was odd. I heard the rumble first, and thought that it was a low flying plane. Contrary to idiotic mass media, the first thing that popped into my head was not "OMG TERRORIST ATTACK!" It actually was 'why is the plane flying so low?' Then the ground started trembling. When I mean trembling, I mean that the very heavy mirror on the wall started dancing dangerously.

Remembering something I had seen on earthquake survival, I went immediately to the doorway. Something about the 'survival triangle.' The really heavy shaking did not last that long, only about 5 seconds. The earthquake lasted a total of 30 odd seconds, as I recall. It was a very long 30 seconds, let me tell you.

We later learned that the epicenter was 61km north of Ottawa, just east of the township of Kazabasua... right where my sister and her husband were relaxing at an uncle's cottage. I learnt this morning that they did not feel a thing. They were in the car.

Lots of people were let off almost immediately following the earthquake (lucky government workers), and created traffic hell that afternoon. It was compounded by the fact that many traffic lights had ceased to function due to the earthquake. I was not allowed home early, and so I spent the next four hours stressed out about the cats, hoping they were alright and feeling incredibly guilty for not being there with them when the exciting seismic activity occurred. I am pleased to report that the cats were both fine, and very glad to see me yesterday afternoon.

In other, also non-writing related news, I have developed a new music obsession. Note that it is very rare for me to get very excited about modern music much at all. Guys who sing in nasal falsetto tick me off. Most modern music is utter crap. It was with some surprise, then, that I stumbled across 30 Seconds to Mars, and liked it.

I was watching the trailer for Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'houle, which is coming out in September. It looks like a really cute movie. In any case, the trailer was playing a song that I found irresistible. I immediately set about finding out what song it was, and who it was sung by. Turns out, it was Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds to Mars. It's a brilliant song, but not the best one of theirs I have heard since.

I listened to a couple of songs, then decided I had to get the album they were from. Turns out, I love every single song on that album (This is War), except for the crappy dance remix of Kings and Queens. To that end, I thought I'd have you listen to the songs that most captured my imagination.

The first, This is War, had me dreaming up so many different battle scenarios, complete with characters and motives. It was brilliant. The video below is equally as brilliant. I had no idea where the images came from (since learnt it was all Final Fantasy stuff), but I actually got emotionally invested in it. Thus, I decided to share my geekiness with you all and include the FF video. Watch it. It's brilliantly done.




When the guy died, I was actually thinking, 'no pointy hair dude! Don't die!' No idea who he is in the FF cosmos (feel free to fill me in), but his death upset me.

The next song is just plain awesome:



I had no idea that Kanye West was in a version of that song. Glad he's not in mine! Not that he's not talented, just that the song is awesome as it is.

This next song grew on me. It's now one of my favourites. It reminds me a great deal of the main character from The Great Man series, Julian. It has the right tone.



I particularly like the lines 'whatever you do, don't be afraid of the dark. Cover your eyes, the devil's inside.' It describes Julian very well.

The other songs on this album are all very good. I haven't been able to stop listening to the album. These three, however, were the stand-outs (though I do really like Vox Populi as well).

Right, must get to practicing. Have a great Thursday all!

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