Back In Black        ACDC
Hells Bells        ACDC
You Shook Me All Night Long        ACDC
Im Eighteen        Alice Cooper
Almost Easy        Avenged Sevenfold
Sorry        Buckcherry
Stupid Girl        Cold
Believe        Disturbed
Prayer        Disturbed
Stupify        Disturbed
Down With the Sickness        Disturbed
Inside the Fire        Disturbed
Panic Attack        Dream Theater
Bad Religion        Godsmack
Voodoo        Godsmack
Vampires        Godsmack
Crawling In The Dark        Hoobastank
Coming Undone        Korn
Inja        KoRn
Kottonmouth Kings – Round & Round        Kottonmouth Kings
Break Stuff        Limp Bizkit
My Way        Limp Bizkit
Nookie        Limp Bizkit
Rollin        Limp Bizkit
One Step Closer        Linkin Park
Antichrist Superstar        Marilyn Manson
mOBSCENE        Marilyn Manson
Cruci-fiction In Space/Album Version        Marilyn Manson
This Is The New Shit        Marilyn Manson
Disposable Teens        Marilyn Manson
The Beautiful People        Marilyn Manson
The Dope Show/Album Version (Explicit)        Marilyn Manson
I Don’t Like The Drugs        Marilyn Manson
Bat Out of Hell/Album Version        Meat Loaf
The Monster Is Loose        Meat Loaf
In the Land of the Pig, The Butcher Is King        Meat Loaf
Battery        Metallica
Enter Sandman        Metallica
Teenagers        My Chemical Romance
Closer        Nine Inch Nails
Crazy Train        Ozzy Osbourne
Youth Of The Nation        P.O.D
Satellite        P.O.D
Walk        Pantera
Last Resort        Papa Roach
Boom        POD
Smack My Bitch Up        Prodigy
Blurry        Puddle of Mudd
She Hates Me        Puddle of Mudd
Testify        Rage Against the Machine
Give It All        Rise Against
Dragula        Rob Zombie
Bleed For Me        Saliva
Your Disease        Saliva
I Can’t Drive 55         Sammy Hagar
Remedy        Seether
Today        Smashing Pumpkins
Bullet With Butterfly Wings        Smashing Pumpkins
Spoonman        Soundgarden
Black Betty        Spiderbait
Outside        Staind
Fever Dog        Stillwater
Violent Pornography        System of a Down
Aenima        Tool
Headstrong        Trapt
11 Slither        Velvet Revolver

spoiler warning?

I recently started going back and reading books that I had read when I was in primary school… I’m not really sure why – maybe trying to recapture some of that innocence, or hoping that I would gain some kind of insight. I’m probably just bored on the hour-long subway commute. Either way – Its got me thinking…and has generated at least one realization – that while, perhaps, obvious – is important enough for me to write about

A few months ago, I started re-reading the Homecoming Saga – and Orson Scott Card book about a group of people on a colonized planet after the destruction of Earth, sent back to Earth by the planet’s god-like computer. As I read through the series – my reading pace swaying between boredom and fanboy-like jubilation – I realized that my enjoyment of Card’s work has little to do with the story; (though sci-fi has always been my niche of choice) Instead – it is the profound realizations and insight that his characters have about both their own lives, and the story they were taking a part in that draws me in. I have often dreamed that I could have even half the insight that his characters show in their weakest moments.

After Homecoming I began again on Ender’s Game. This was my introduction to Card – first viewed at school when I was young enough to be content with the escape that it provided. The plot spoke to me – genius kid sent to military space camp and becomes a hero! Of course! I loved it – and I still do. But this time, I focused on the characters – the way the world was shaped around them, and bent by their actions – the connections between characters became important – and creating my own understanding of the cast’s relationships sparked my creativity. It was a different experience – enough so that I desired to read more…

So I started Ender’s Shadow. There isn’t really much I gained from the experience – the book is an exceptional story – but it seemed distant – and almost emotionally and insightfuly simplistic compared to Ender’s Game. Bean – the character defined by his genius yet Dexter-like inability to contemplate emotion – it struck me as unreal (the very point, I think). And while I loved the story, I wanted back into a world where inner-monologue became pages upon pages of exposition. So I grabbed Speaker for the Dead

I have a chapter left in Speaker – one that I know belongs in Xenocide far more than this book – but I have already been overcome with a great sense of realization. I originally couldn’t wrap my head around Speaker – the tale was certainly compelling, and the characters were amazing – but the book itself left me…

naive…

The first time I read Speaker – I never knew what it meant to make the sacrifices that the characters made. Never understood what it meant to value a community – an ideal – higher than myself. I was never in a position to be part of much that was larger than myself – it was a glorious safety blanket. But now, I understand – even empathize with the thoughts and emotions Card’s characters expressed… its enlightening and humbling.

Perhaps all great books have this ability – to reinvigorate a childlike desire to understand the world – please your friends and family – and vanquish your demons – and the rereading marks a lightning-strike of understanding. Or maybe they’re just great books, with a great plot, and great characters. I don’t know. But I cant wait to start Xenocide… to see what memories and insights it dredges up.

Hell..it even make me want to write again

Starry Eyed Surprise – Paul Oakenfold
Everything Falls Apart – Dogs Eye View
Get Stoned – Hinder
Drowning – Dashboard Confessionals
Break Stuff - Limp Bizkit
The Fight Song – Marilyn Manson
Disposable Teens – Marilyn Manson
My Own Worst Enemy – Lit
Misery - Soul Asylum
Boom – POD
Coming Undone – Korn
One Step Closer – Linkin Park
Miserable – Lit
In the Land of the Pig, The Butcher Is King – Meat Loaf
Symphony Of Destruction – Megadeth
Disenchanted – My Chemical Romance
I Write Sins Not Tragedies – PANIC! At The Disco
Dragula – Rob Zombie
Your Disease – Saliva
What Hurts The Most – Rascal Flatts
We Be Burnin – Sean Paul
Fake – Shinedown
Black Betty – Spiderbait
Violent Pornography – System of a Down
The Bitch of Living – Spring Awakening Soundtrack
Totally Fucked - Spring Awakening Soundtrack
Life Is A Highway – Tom Cochrane
Changes – Tupac

Part 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZiT3iC-_qsc
Part 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=nd2B5RkL5nY

Ohh and for reference, as of 1:53 in the workday:

Avenge Sevenfold – Bat Country.mp3
Avenge Sevenfold – Beast and the Harlot.mp3
Bee Gees – Grease Theme.mp3
Bee Gees – How Deep Is Your Love.mp3
Bee Gees – Stayin Alive.mp3
Buckcherry – Crazy bitch.mp3
Christina-Lady Marmalade.mp3
Disturbed – Down With The Sickness.mp3
Elton John – Tiny Dancer.mp3
Eric Prydz – Call On Me.mp3
Goo Goo Dolls – Iris.mp3
green day -boulevard of broken dreams.mp3
Hinder – Lips of an Angel.mp3
Jackson Five – ABC 123.mp3
James Blunt – You’re Beautiful.mp3
Lifehouse – Hanging by a Moment.mp3
Lustra – Scotty Doesn’t Know.mp3
Nickleback – Far Away.mp3
Nickleback – Photograph.mp3
Nine Inch Nails – Closer.mp3
oasis – wonderwall.mp3
Papa Roach – Last Resort.mp3
Puddle of Mudd – Blurry.mp3
Rammstein – Du Hast.mp3
RKelly – Remix to Ignition.mp3
Rob Zombie – Foxy, Foxy.mp3
Sean Paul – We Be Burnin.mp3
Shinedown – I Dare You.mp3
Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings.mp3
Soul Asylum -Misery.mp3
System of a Down – Violent Pornography.mp3
The Darkness – I Believe in a Thing Called Love.mp3
The Fray – How to Save a Life.mp3
The Fray – Over My Head.mp3
The Killers – Mr Brightside.mp3
The Who – Teenage Wasteland.mp3
Third Eye Blind – Never Let you Go.mp3
three days grace – pain.mp3
Three Doors Down – Kryptonite.mp3
Tool – Aenima.mp3

But they do have Chinese, and there isn’t a line at 1:00 in the afternoon.

I am usually big on Chipotle for lunch – chicken burrito, pinto beans, extra rice, cheese, smidge of lettuce. Sometimes I’ll go for subway or Quiznos – sometimes a slice – but rarely do I get Chinese – mainly because I haven’t found a good place that has quick food (other than Mee’s over on 9th – but that’s a bit too far to walk for lunch – 10 blocks).

Unfortunately, I was very disheartened with “Feng Shui” today. I had their Lo Mein and some chicken concoction last time (because they stupidly only have Vegetable Lo Mein instead of including a hearty chicken option). It wasn’t bad before, so I figured I would try it again – Vegetable Lo Mein and Chicken with Broccoli.

Bleh. Noodles were undercooked – the broccoli was gritty, and I had to pay $1.25 for a can of coke (which I get for free at the office).

But I’ll go back again. Why? Because at 1:00 in the afternoon in the middle of midtown Manhattan, where the hell else can you go and not have to wait in line?

So on the subject of food – heres my top 5 restaurant choices in NY for a good dinner – prices assume you’re paying for 2.

1. Delmonico’s – Amazing food, amazing atmosphere. Fantastic service. Just don’t expect to get out of there for under $80
2. Fred’s – The place to go when I want pasta – their Mom’s Meatballs is tasty and under $20. Great place to go get a bottle of champagne or wine, but that will put your bill in the $100+ range…
3. Mantra – This ones a given. Great, mid-priced food in the heart of Midtown. Decent bar selection, chicken fried rice to kill for.
4. Mama Mexico – The best Mexican atmosphere and the most amazing service ever. It’s not cheap, and it certainly isn’t quiet, but the uptown location and quality of food is hard to beat. Good deal for around $65.
5. French Roast – Open (almost) 24hrs. Their after midnight menu isn’t great, but you can get good drinks and a snack in a mello atmosphere. Prices depend on how much you drink.