For Those About to Rock...

To preface this whole thing, I saw Chris Cornell last night in Ann Arbor and it was amazing. I'm still coming down from that.

Every once and a while I fall into a musical rut where I can't find anything I want to listen to. A couple of weeks ago I found myself in this place and was totally lost. I went through my entire collection and couldn't find anything I wanted to listen too. I ended up on minutes to midnight repeatedly (which is never a good thing lol [no offense to LP fans] ). I scavenged through the itunes store but couldn't find anything.

I received some focus about a week ago. I started putting together my Cornell stuff to prepare for last night and found a good grove. But nothing got me back to full until Easter when the bunny brought me an iTunes gift card. i bought two songs by Aerosmith and just kept following iTunes suggestions. It's been amazing ever since and I keep finding new music to listen too.I think i'm starting to FINALLY find my favorite bands and music. So i've been compiling this epic playlist. Feel free to suggest:

Cochise - Audioslave
Revelations - Audioslave
She Builds Quick Machines - Velvet Revolver
Love in an Elevator - Aerosmith
No Such Thing - Chris Cornell
Psychosocial - Slipknot
Re-Education (Through Labor) - Rise Against
Take Me Away - 7 Days Away
Fallen - Seether
Spoonman - Soundgarden
Afterlife - Avenged Sevenfold
Breakdown - Seether
Like a Stone - Audioslave
Show Me How to Live - Audioslave
Billie Jean - Chris Cornell
Heaven and Hell - Dio-Black Sabbath
Welcome Home - Coheed and Cambria
Take the Time - Dream Theater
Sleeping Giant - Mastadon
One - Metallica
Shackler's Revenge - Guns N' Roses
Battery - Metallica
King Nothing - Metallica
Out of Exile - Audioslave
Gravemakers & Gunslingers - Coheed and Cambria
Down with the Sickness - Disturbed
Blind Man - Black Stone Cherry
The Running Free - Coheed and Cambria
Constant Motion - Dream Theater
Before I Forget - Slipknot
If I Was Your Vampire - Marilyn Manson
Slither - Velvet Revolver
All in the Suit That You Wear - Stone Temple Pilots
Even Flow - Pearl Jam
Sunset Superman - Dio
Holy Diver - Killswitch Engage
You Know My Name (007 Version) - Chris Cornell
Livin' on the Edge - Aerosmith

All of this is constantly changing as i'm writing this. I have more Coheed and some Rage Against the Machine going in. I have not spent a moment in silence for the last two days. I even keep slipping headphones on at work. I am so excited to finally find MY music :)

Like I said throw me some suggestions if you want. (Sorry J, Anberlin didn't make it)

Is it Plugged In?

Apparently I feel that I need to have about 1800 blogs so here's the newest one that I think you will all enjoy.

A while back, I was speaking with a young woman about a problem I was having with my car. Without going into much detail I was referencing the basic functions of an engine under the assumption that she knew the basic idea on how an engine works. She did not. I was so surprised to find out that wasn't common knowledge. I began to ask everyone around me if they knew. The majority did not. So I expanded asking people if they knew how other things work, computers, speakers, and other basic things. Still nothing.

Well you all know me and my comlete addiction to everything technnology. So I feel it is my mission to explain to the world how everything works. Enter http://isitpluggedin.blogspot.com. Here I will spend some time explaining household things and how they work. Check it out and tell me what you think. If you like it, leave comments, suggest topics or items to explain. and LEARN!!!

http://isitpluggedin.blogspot.com

Coming Soon!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright people, the time is coming. Very soon you will be able to view the first episode of Cuda Weekly. It will be available at http://www.youtube.com/dhalpictures. it will also be available for video podcast through iTunes.

My Everything :)

I know it took me forever to post about this but I couldn't really put into words how I've really been feeling the last week. So i'll let my good buddy Mike do it for me.

You're a falling star, You're the get away car.

You're the line in the sand when I go too far.

You're the swimming pool, on an August day.

And you're the perfect thing to say.

And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.

When you smile at me you know exactly what you do.

Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.

Cause you can see it when I look at you.

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, You make me sing.

You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,

And you light me up, when you ring my bell.

You're a mystery, you're from outer space,

You're every minute of my everyday.

And I can't believe, that I'm your man,

And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.

Whatever comes our way, we'll see it through,

And you know that's what our love can do.

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, You make me sing
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La

So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, You make me sing.

You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

You're every song, and I sing along.

'Cause you're my everything.

=)

The Cry of my Heart

Well, I have to admit, this post started off as an examination of the Star Trek series and how it teaches us what it means to be human, but I guess I had something weighing on my heart. I promise, the star trek morality discussion is coming but I need to take a break from the nerdiness for a minute.

Over the past month I have taken an inventory of my life. I looked at what I have accomplished over the past three years and was disappointed. I’m still fighting to finish college, I struggle to hold on to my own principles, and I fight to gain my maturity. When I was a 19, I thought there would be nothing better than turning 20. I thought, once I drop the label, ‘Teenager’, my life would finally start to click into place. So I went along my way making plans and setting goals. Then the day came, finally I turned 20 and I was an ‘Adult’. But when I turned around there was no magic scrubbing bubbles transition. I was in the same place. So I started analyzing again. I was now 20, single, and working at McDonalds as a crew trainer.

So then I thought, “Ok, it must not be 20, it must be 21 when you become an adult.” So I set more goals and made more plans. This time I got a new job, and began to build better relationships with my friends. But still there was no magic. My life felt the same with just some minor improvements. So now what do I do. Do I say, “22, that’s it, that’s when everything is going to change”?

I know we all have these issues and we all examine our lives ready to cut ourselves down. But please, read on.

Over the past month I have taken an inventory of my life. I have looked over the past three years of my life and I am hopeful. I no longer work in fast food. I have deeper relationships than I have ever had with the people around me. I’m still single but after several failed attempts I’m still out there. I have loved deeper and learned to live in the moment. It’s only now that I realize, there is no magic change to who you will become, it’s a journey filled with ups and downs. Who we are is defined by how we ride those waves. I know I’ve been told that over and over but it never really hits home until you see it in your own life.

One might say. “Dave, what does this all mean. Why did you just cram a bunch of thoughts together in an almost coherent way?” I have always thought that different sayings like ‘Life is a dangerous adventure’ or ‘Life is a voyage’ were just meaningless rhetoric. And for the most part they are. They are fun little sayings to put on your facebook page or blog to make you seem deep. But if you take what these extraordinary people said and apply it to your own life, you will see a deeper meaning and purpose.

So I am going to put a small quote by one of my favorite authors on this blog and other facets of social networking. It’s about setting goals for your life and working to reach them. And whether you think I’m right or just crazy I think you all should take a look at it. I’m not trying to boost myself or try to get people to care about me or my troubles. I just want everyone to see that, while your life may seem dismal now or you may feel that there is no hope for the future, look where you have come from. Take inventory of your life so far and see that, while there have been hardships, you have endured.

Like I said before, I can’t write very well, and it is quite evident in the random strings of thoughts in this blog. And maybe I’m completely wrong and life is a toilet just waiting to be flushed. But do you really want to believe that?



"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them." -Henry David Thoreau

The Alien Goes to the Auto Show

So, I bought a video camera and have been going crazy so I thought everyone should see what I do with it (not that). So everyone go out and support Motor city at the 2009 North American International Auto Show.

That time the Alien stayed up too late

I was thinking today about the phrase “movers and shakers”. Now, I’m not a writer and, quite frankly, I could say more in an excel sheet than I could ever say with a paper and pen, but there comes a time when everyone needs to turn to their own literary outlet to express their feelings. Whether it be a journal or diary, or even a blog, we all feel the need to reveal ourselves to someone. Now, I never complain about the choices I’ve made because they are just that, MY choices. But I began thinking about who, or what, are the movers and shakers of my life. Don’t worry, I’m not going to go into the in depth history of my life, but I wondered if I was able to pinpoint a recurring theme in my life that keeps me on track, and every time I look it seems to be some kind of companionship. From Matt and Matt when I was growing up, to the big switch from private school to public school and meeting the Dave’s. From starting college with my only close friend Andrew, to working on shows and finally meeting Bridgette. All of these people have helped shape who I am today. From an immature little boy playing with a Star Trek spaceship to the man I have become working towards a degree to make that ship fly, my life has been a beautiful journey. Yes, there have been some pretty HUGE bumps in the road, but there was always someone there to hold my hand over them. I thank God for the people who have come along to be the movers and shakers of my life, and can only hope that the future brings new and exciting opportunities for me to give back to the people that have given me so much.

The Alien Has Landed

Well I thought I would try out this blog thing lol.