Music is probably one of the most important things in my life. I can pretty much think of a song for every occasion. If I’m driving to some sort of fair or carnival in the fall, I’m probably listening to “It’s a Shame About Ray” by the Lemonheads. If it’s the spring, I’m blasting “It’s It” by the Sugarcubes. If it’s late fall, “If I had a Gun” by the Dead Milkmen is playing, and if it’s the winter, you’ll be certain to find me endulging in Guided By Voices’ “Jellyfish Reflector” …

Those of you who know me may or may not know my favorite band or my favorite song, but that’s what this post is about. Back in 9th grade, I saw a song on MTV called “Somebody to Shove” by a band called Soul Asylum. This song changed my life. On a whim, I went out and purchased a few albums by this band, the second of which being “Made To Be Broken”. If you listen to one album in your entire life, make it this one. I don’t even know how to explain what this album did to me. Each song on the album rips through me and makes me happy to be alive. That’s the only way I can describe it. Some songs just do that to me.

After I bought that album, I couldn’t stop. It became like an obsession. I went out and got everything I could by that band. And that is where the story of Crashing Down begins.

I was on a French Club trip for high school. It was 9th Grade. We stopped at some silly mall…. I think it was the Rockaway mall, and they had a Sam Goody. I picked up an album called “While You Were Out” by Soul Asylum. I couldn’t wait to listen to it. It was the followup to Made To Be Broken. I was pretty sure that it couldn’t possibly be as good as Made To Be Broken, but still…

I got onto the bus and pulled out my gigantic disc man (this was the early 90’s and diskmen were still huge and really bulky). I put the album in. Track 1 went by… it was all right. Track 2, yeah, it’s okay…. track 3… hm… maybe I should turn this off… Track 4…. ….. …. ….

I don’t know how to describe this song. I don’t really know what to say. All I know is that when I heard this song… i decided right then and there that this song was the best song that ever existed and that it would be my favorite song no matter what. It was called Crashing Down. I don’t know what exactly makes it so fantastic, but I think it’s a combination of the melodic guitar and the fact that the band members are singing together through the whole song and it sounds really good (although it makes the words a little hard to decipher at times)

I sat back, closed my eyes and put the song on repeat. This was MY song.

It was then that I began to listen to the lyrics. (I’m going to type them now, but be warned, I really don’t have a clue what he’s saying in the second verse. If anyone can help me out, i’d really appreciate it) Anyway, here we go:

Crashing Down - Soul Asylum

Dyin’ on a bed of roses in the middle of the night
Woke up in a cold dark basement, lookin’ to the candle light
Up all night, still he can’t come Crashing Down
With the ghost of 1000 miles crawlin’ over me

Here’s to fallin’ off the world’s dark side
Driftin’ in alone with the morning sky
Ridin’ on an all night train through the Crystal Cave
Where the moonlight shines prepare for a brighter day

Where the bar rooms are all barren and evening is so still
Can you see it in your heart to let me in?

Did they hand you the reigns only knowing you’d lose
They lull you to sleep, tell you not to confuse
When the leaves on the trees come Crashing Down (don’t time pass slowly)
Seasons don’t change when you’re spinning around

Here’s to fallin’ off the world’s dark side
Driftin’ in alone with the morning sky
Ridin’ on an all night train through the Crystal Cave
Where the moonlight shines prepare for a brighter day

Where the bar rooms are all barren and evening is so still
Can you see it in your heart to let me in?

LET ME IN!

It was not only my song. It was my song of hope.
I wanted to go to this crystal cave. When I was sad, I would picture myself riding on one of those little mine cart things through this cave of beautiful crystals..

I just did a search for lyrics for this song, and on most of the Soul Asylum lyrics pages they have every song but this one. Why does a song that touched my life so much get so little love!?

I want to spread this song. To the people who read this, go out and find this song. Listen to it, and let me know what you think of it. I want to share it with everyone because it is SUCH a good song.

Wow, this entry was serious. I promise I’ll redeem myself next time!

All right… now I’m going to ask everyone to use their imagination, because Heaven knows that I do that a lot when I think things look like other things. The day before otakon I was lying and staring at the lamp above me. To the ordinary person it just looks like a picture of a lightbulb… However, upon further inspection of the lamp’s image, I saw two shadows that surrounded the light. The one on the top looked like Abraham Lincoln to me. Not being able to contain my excitement, I called my friends over and said “Hey, the shadow in this lamp looks like abe lincoln! and the one on the bottom sort of looks like george washington!” Everyone came over thinking I was insane, and then each of them sat below the lamp and looked up. One by one they said “Wow. That does look like Abe Lincoln, without the hat!” So, for your viewing pleasure I have included the pictures of the presidential shadows that are haunting my lamp. I also drew a red outline around the top one that I thought looked like Abe Lincoln without his hat! Yay!

I am sad to report that I do not have an Id, Ego, Superego comic for today. There are two reasons for this. First of all, I’ve been really sick for the past 6 months or so and needlessly pushing myself, and I cannot do it anymore. I will resume the comics when I am not feeling this way. For those of you who do not know, back in February I did something to mess up my ribs and now I have chronic rib problems that make it so I can’t sit down in a chair for long periods of time. It sucks a real lot and I’m trying to get it sorted out.

I will still be posting very frequently in this blog, and in kitsune’s blog, but I just can’t keep the comics up on top of the animation when I’m feeling like this.

The second reason for the shineshine hiatus is that we are working on the christmas animation and I would like to devote all of my time and efforts to that. I’m really sorry you guys. I hope no one is mad at me. I’m trying really hard to keep up with all of this.

Anyway, in place of a shine shine comic, I would like to present you with this… This package was sent to me from japan. Careful though… It’s really flagile!

Well, another Otakon has gone by. I don’t know what to say about this one. I was sick the whole time, so I really couldn’t enjoy it to the fullest extent. I did manage to have a pretty good time, though. Larry, Pat, Zack, Gongo and I went down together. Well, Pat met us down there later on the first day, but we all got there eventually.

I want to thank everyone who came and bought stuff off of me in the art room. I especially want to thank the people who came up to me and told me that they were fans of the Sword That Cuts Things after seeing it at the last Otakon. That really meant a lot to me and I really am glad to have fans of the series because it makes me want to keep on doing it.

I met some really nice people in line while we were waiting to get into the con. I didn’t get all your names, but if you happen to find this site, you guys were all really nice and cool, and I’d love to hang out with you again at the next con.

And to Jack, thank you for being awesome and coming to the animation and sitting with me in the art room for a little while!

All right, enough of the thank you’s. Let’s move on to the photographs and highlights of the cons. First of all, I have to say that I was pretty disappointed with the cosplay this year, but in the defence of cosplayers everywhere, it was freakin hot. I don’t have too many pictures this year, because I just was not feeling well, and I’m really sorry about that, guys. This is pretty much one of the only cosplay pics I got. My friend Zack is the one dressed as Reno, but I don’t know the people who are Tifa and Rude. Their costumes were great. Larry took this picture while I was in the art room:

They showed the Sword That Cuts Things 5 as many of you know, and I got this picture after the showing. I have to stress that these costumes, in the words of Wally, are GREAT!

All and all we had a good time. I had fun going to Hooters with everyone, and even though I was sick, it was amazing to see everyone. I had a blast at the STCT showing, a lot of people seemed to enjoy it, except for one girl who said “that was dumb” but obviously stayed through the whole thing. We ended up coming home late last night so I could sleep in my own bed and try to get better. I think I’m still sick, but I’m not nearly as bad as I was. Blah. Maybe next otakon I’ll feel better..

Anyway, one last picture and then I will leave it at that.

This is a picture of the stuff that Larry and I got. When all was said and done, I came out with all the disgaea figures (Minus the one Flonne figure because I gave that to Paul), a Shadow the Hedgehog Keychain, 2 Kodocha DVDS, Tifa and Vincent from Advent Children, a Ranma figure, Angelo (Kukule) from Dragon Quest 8, some Final Fantasy potion, which is the most vile liquid known to man, but oddly enough, i started feeling better after I drank it, and a few other things that I can’t remember. Larry got Loco Roco which has some of the funniest music ever!

Next year I promise not to be sick and to take much much more pictures. If anyone met me at otakon this year and wants to comment, please feel free to do so. Also, if anyone saw the animation and liked what they say, let us know. We love feedback and stuff, it’s what keeps us going.

Thanks again to everyone who supported us! ^_^

Okay everyone. Here is the exciting conclusion to the shine shine comic that probably no one was waiting to read! WHOOH!

Oh, and btw, they’re showing the Sword That Cuts Things at otakon this year! DOUBLE WHOOOH!