TheMahler

Maybe Next Year

2009-07-27T09:02:00.002-05:00

Welp, I missed Comic Con this year out in San Diego. I guess you could call it bittersweet. Bitter: I missed out on a LOT of fun, nerdiness, pop culture, video games, movies, celebrities, autographs, exclusives, etc. SDCC is a blast for a 100% nerd like myself. 4 days (plus a Wednesday night preview) almost isn't enough to take it all in. There's stuff going on every day and it isn't always the same line up. Different panels, signings, shows, events, all happening on different days to keep things fresh. I missed being out there amongst my people. Sweet: it saved me a ton of money. Once you've bought the passes, booked a hotel and a flight, and finally get to San Diego, you've already spent a lot of cash. Then there's the inevitable purchases at the convention which may or may not be limited to just one day. I usually have to start saving six months or more in advance.

I'm still not sure if I'll be able to go next year. There are so many factors I have to take into consideration. The most important of all said factors will be my job situation. July is a ratings month, so that alone will be a big hurdle to leap. If that proves to be futile, then I can write off the trip from the start. Money, of course, is a big one. There's also a BIG Star Wars convention planned for next summer and it's timing + location and my possible attendance to it will dictate if I can even think about making a trip out to San Diego.

Now it's Monday, after the Con and life continues. It was fun watching all of the updates and following all of the Con tweets. I really hope I can find a way to go back next year, even if it's just for a day or two.

I do have a new iPhone 3GS that I've been playing with all weekend. :D

Dreams Are a Funny Thing.

2009-07-16T08:19:00.002-05:00

First of all, I have an absolutely terrible crick in my neck. It's been there for the past couple of days. I guess my afternoon naps on the futon need to be moved to the bed. I hope it goes away soon. Not being able to move your neck like God intended kinda sucks.

Dreams are a funny thing (or funny things) aren't they? I'm not alone in that thinking, am I? Of course, the word dreams can have two meanings: 1) your subconscious experiences that occur while you sleep or 2) the aspirations in life that you're always striving toward. I have dreams just like everyone else (on both accounts) and lately I've been wondering about them, especially those relating to aspirations.

I have dreams of living in Seattle, Washington someday. I have dreams of marrying the perfect girl. Not perfect herself, you see (as humans we'll never reach the top of that plateau), but perfect for me. I have dreams of being a parent. Of serving God in whatever capacity He sees fit. And just as I find happiness in the potential those dreams have, I always seem to find my way back to reality. They become "Dreams I'll Never See." See what I did there? Time for some song lyrics.

Hmm - yeah yeah

Just one more morning, I have to wake up with the blues
Pull myself outa bed, yeah, pull on my walkin' shoes
Climb up on a hilltop, baby, see what I can see, yeah
The whole world's fallin' down on me, right down in front of me

And I'm hung up upon dreams, I'm never gonna see yet
Lord help me, baby, dreams get the best of me yet

Pull myself together, gonna put on a new face, yeah
Gonna climb down from the hilltop, baby,
Lord, get back in the race

Cause I've got dreams, I've got my dreams
To remember the love we had
I got dreams, yeah I've got my dreams
To remember the love we had

Cause I'm hung up upon dreams, I'm never gonna see yet, not me
Lord, help me baby, dreams get the best of me yet

Alright - yeah yeah

Pull myself together, put on a new face, yeah
Climb down from the hilltop, baby,
Lord, get back in the race

Cause I've got dreams, I've got my dreams
To remember the love we had
I've got dreams, yeah I've got my dreams
To remember the love and peace

And I'm hung up upon dreams, I'm never gonna see yet, not me
Lord, help me baby, dreams get the best of me yet

Many thanks to Molly Hatchet for their cover of this awesome song. It rare when this happens, but the song nicely sums up my experience with dreams. The first verse, especially. Climbing up to the hilltop, seeing the dreams, then seeing them (and seemingly the whole world) falling down right on top of me. Story of my life. I'm getting a LOT better at not ever getting my hopes up too high because every (and I mean EVERY) time I either get excited about something or get my hopes too high, they come crashing down. Whether that means a job prospect, an interest in a young lady, or just life stuff in general. It's frustrating more than anything because I don't know if it's ME, if I'm doing something wrong, if I don't have enough patience, or something else. Ok, now I'm just getting upset and frustrated talking about it. I just needed to get it off my chest. Maybe things will turn around one of these days. But I'm not holding my breath.

Shouldn't They Be Bullet Holes?

2009-07-08T06:55:00.002-05:00

I don't know why they're called bullet "points". Bullets don't make points. They make holes. And depending on the caliber, they either make very small holes or very big holes. I prefer the latter when using a firearm, but that's neither here nor there.

Looks like I'll be absent from Comic-Con this year. While I am disappointed, I think it'll be better for me financially. I need to get myself out of a little debt before I thinking about spending more money on a huge trip. Plus, I wasn't able to get off work. As they say in sports, there's always next year.
I still plan on buying a 32GB iPhone 3GS. It's a whopping $300 just for the phone, so I'm having to save some money, but hopefully I'll have one by the end of July or beginning of August.
With all do respect to Michael Jackson and his family, it's time to move on. I'm ready to hear about something that's NOT related to Michael Jackson on the national news. Granted, I work at a TV station so I get more of the coverage than someone who doesn't, but still. There's more going on in the world.
It's rare to see a Heat Advisory issued here in North Texas in July. We're so used to having 100+ degree temperatures every summer, it's just part of life. Well, the NWS has a Heat Advisory for most of our counties here in Texoma through Friday night. We're expecting heat index values as high as 110 in some of our communities. I think the heat, while technically "hotter" in deserts across the U.S., it more oppressive here simply because of the moisture. Dewpoints are higher, which brings up the relative humidity, which makes it feel anywhere from 3 to 6 degrees hotter than it actually is. Trust me, the difference between "humid" and "dry" is VERY noticeable.
I'm REALLY having to learn about trust. Do I believe God when He speaks in Jeremiah 29:11? Do I believe that He plans to prosper me and not to harm me? Plans for a hope and a future? Because honestly, a lot of the time I don't. It's hard to see it from His side. In fact, I CAN'T see it from His point of view. If I could, there'd be no reason to let go of myself and lean on Him and His promises.

Just some random stuff from the past few days. I'm also trying not to let little things get under my skin. That's hard for me. Patience is not a quality I excel at.

Too Good to be True?

2009-06-25T08:56:00.002-05:00

Anyone who knows me or has spent any amount of time around me probably knows how much I love the rain. I tell everyone. Yes, I like the sunshine. There's nothing quite like a beautiful sunny day. However, I would take a gray, cool, rainy day over the hot, humid sunshine any day of the week. God instilled this love for rain in me and I am so thankful for it. I actually trace it back to the day I was born. It was around 3:30 in the morning and there was a huge, terrible thunderstorm going on as I was born and I think that's why I've loved rain/bad weather since I can remember.

If you've spend extended time around me, you probably also know about my love for the Pacific Northwest, and more specifically, Seattle, Washington. It's where I want my career to end up. Everything about the Pacific Northwest is beautiful. The temperatures, the landscape, the cities, everything. Well, just this morning, as I'm doing my daily search of the job market for on-air meteorologists, I find a position that's opened up at the NBC affiliate in Seattle. Naturally, I have a mini freak out. I meet all the requirements (at least 2 years experience, knowledge with Weather Central graphics, etc.) for the weekend morning weather position plus more air time with the cable news channel there in Seattle. It's such an amazing opportunity, seemingly too good to be true.

Needless to say, I'll be praying hard about this. I don't know if this job is in God's plan, but I'll be praying that I keep my hands open and allow God to work. As badly as I want this, I need to make sure it stays with God. Please pray. Pray that, no matter what, I am completely at peace with whatever God decides to do.

A Soldier's Return

2009-06-08T06:22:00.000-05:00

I tear up. Every time.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Happy Memorial MonDay!

2009-05-25T05:47:00.002-05:00

I usually don't do much to celebrate Memorial Day. It could be because I'm usually at work (the weather doesn't stop for any holiday!) or because I don't have any close ties with military. I'm not trying to use that as an excuse, it's just the truth. The closest connection I have (and one I wish I knew more about) was my granddad (my dad's dad). He jumped with the 82nd Airborne in World War II. That's really all I know, or all I can think of at the moment. Usually on Memorial Day, I take time to watch three movies: "Saving Private Ryan", "Full Metal Jacket", and "Black Hawk Down". It's a nice progression from WWII, to Vietnam, to modern warfare. While they are just movies, they're good reminders of what our soldiers go through to preserve the freedom we enjoy in our great nation.

I am working today, but it's no big deal. It's actually kind of nice. A) I get a comp day, which basically entitles me to a day off and B) the station is basically deserted since everyone is off. One of the few days when it's nice and quiet around the station.

I'm headed to Norman this weekend for a week of vacation time to attend a couple of weddings and get some much needed time with friends. There will be Nintendo 64 and more specifically, Mario Kart 64. That's a big deal with us.

TWEET!

2009-05-22T10:39:00.001-05:00

Some Twitter links for you folks.

If you want to follow ME, check out @themahler

If you want to know about Tweather (Twitter Weather) from around the nation and in Texoma, follow KFDX 3 Weather - @kfdx3wx

Tweet you later, my Tweeps.

TGIFF

2009-05-22T06:20:00.002-05:00

It's not a typo. Thank Goodness It's Freaking Friday. I wouldn't say it's been a rough week, just one that I'm glad is over. The past 7 days have sent my life into a spin to a point where I'm not sure what lies around the corner. But hey, that's a good thing, right?

Another good thing about Friday? Chucks at work

I am determined to make it to San Diego this year for Comic-Con. The odds are heavily weighted against me at the moment, but I'm hoping I can beat said odds and join my fellow nerds/geeks/what-have-you for the biggest comic convention in the world.
No plans for the Memorial Day weekend. I certainly won't be traveling. Instead, I'll probably watch my trifecta of war movies: "Saving Private Ryan", "Black Hawk Down", and "Full Metal Jacket". All fantastic movies and all fitting for the weekend.
I also have to work Monday. At least I get a comp day.
My HHR (whom I've aptly named Zooey) is still at the dealership for some extensive hail damage repair. I'm in a loaner HHR right now. It's nice, but it's not my baby.

Follow posted limits.

"Dreams I'll Never See"

2009-05-14T05:46:00.003-05:00

It's one of two Molly Hatchet songs I listen to. The first one, "Flirtin' With Disaster", I first discovered by playing Rock Band and really enjoyed their sound despite the difficulty. I don't know how I'd describe their style of music. It's definitely classic rock, but it has more of a "southern" twang if you will. "Dreams I'll Never See" is the other one of their songs I first heard on the radio and thought to myself - this sounds familiar. Sure enough.

And now for something completely different.

I met Angela Kinsey from "The Office" yesterday. I was completely speechless. I usually get that way around celebrities. Proof!
I have been extremely blessed over the past several days. It seems that the winds are changing for the better in my life as several opportunities are starting to fall into place. I am overwhelmed by the blessings bestowed upon me by God.
I wish I could play Rock Band 2 with my ION drums more. Being courteous to my downstairs patron is more important, though.
I need to be more intentional about going to the Y and swimming. My 3 days-a-week regime took a huge shot the week I was sick. I haven't been 3 days a week since.

Good stuff. TTFN.

Caught By Surprise

2009-05-06T08:53:00.001-05:00

Here's some random blogging for you. I don't ever update this thing as it is, so I doubt anyone but me will read these. Oh well.

-It's not looking for my trip to Comic-Con this year. There's a lot of time between now and the end of July and as I know all too well, things can turn on a dime.

-I just started watching Arrested Development ... again. I started it a few years ago and just couldn't get into it. Now that I've started over on it, I'm loving it. Absolutely hilarious. Probably going to pick up the DVDs.

-I watched "The Wrestler" with Mickey Rourke yesterday. It's a very powerful movie. Mickey should have won Best Actor for that role. That's the first time in a good long while I've felt everything he was going through. Powerful acting, Mickey. Great movie, too. The ending caught me by surprise.

-Gray, rainy days are glimpses of heaven. No, not everyone thinks that, but frankly it's true. Hence, my love for the Pacific Northwest. Seattle will be home one of these days.

-For gamers of every type, Kotaku (part of the Gawker Media network) is THE premiere video game blog on the planet. I feel so "in the loop" now that I religiously check the site for the latest announcements.

-I tried video blogging and really thought it'd catch on. After doing four installments, I sort of got bored with it. Imagine that. I have yet to decide if I'll revisit it. I'd like to but I don't know how to liven it up a bit. Am I that boring?

-I need to swim more often. If I start being lazy again, I don't go, and I fall out of shape again. I like swimming when I actually get up and go, it's the motivation to get that entire process started that I usually lack. I will be going today, though. No doubt about it.

That's all for now. Talk about random.

The ION Drum Rocker. Now With Video.

2009-04-03T07:45:00.000-06:00

As promised.

ION

2009-04-02T07:25:00.003-06:00

Here's the ION Drum Rocker drum set I got for my birthday. I just linked my Facebook album here so it's easier to see.

Photos

Hopefully I'll have a "video blog" showing these in a little more detail up soon.

SDCC09

2009-02-25T09:39:00.006-06:00

I want to make it 3 in a row...

Hopefully I can make it this year. It's too much fun for one nerd/geek to pass up. Here's to hoping!

What Dreams May Come

2009-02-24T06:44:00.002-06:00

Have you ever had a dream that was, I don't know, a little too real? I had one of those last night. It took me waking up to my radio for me to actually believe it was over. Even then, I still had to convince myself that it was still just a figment of my imagination. It sure seemed like more, though. It's also one of those dreams that I remember VERY well. I'm not going to go into the details here, but it was about my past and, more specifically, something I thought I'd moved past. Apparently, I haven't. I kept telling myself I was past it. Over it. Not letting it bother me anymore. Clearly, I was mistaken. The more I think about it, the more I think it's being used by God to turn me around here. I'll be praying about this. I'd appreciate it if you could too.

2009-02-20T06:34:00.001-06:00

I'm thinking of joining Twitter. However, I don't think I know enough people using Twitter to use it successfully. Maybe that will come with time. Facebook is enough for me, but maybe I'll catch the Twitter bug here before too long. I don't know. We'll see.

VideoBlog.3

2009-02-18T16:16:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the "focusing" issues on this one. I think it has to do with the lighting. I'm using my digital camera, so work with me. I'll try to have it working better next time.

Post DTV.

2009-02-18T07:39:00.002-06:00

I'll try to have a new video blog up this afternoon/evening. After work today I'll get in my Wednesday swim down at the Y and probably try to get one up then. I've been fiddling around with different things to try as I don't know how interesting it is to watch me talk in front of a camera for 5 or so minutes. YouTube only allows 10 minute videos so if I ever have one that exceeds that time limit, I'll just post it directly to my blog here. I don't really have a format as to what I want to talk about or do or show, but I guess that's the beauty of a video blog. Sometimes it's just thoughts or musings or cool stuff that I've seen or heard. I don't want to end up turning it into something it's not. I just want to, as the kids say, keep it real.

And I just found out the Academy Awards are this Sunday. Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor!

unintelligible

2009-02-17T08:01:00.002-06:00

There's so much going through my head right now, I don't even know where to begin. I'm feeling so many different emotions. My mind is racing. Some of it good, most of it not. And by 'not', I mean just depressing stuff. Stuff that puts me in a sour mood. Top it all off with not getting much sleep last night and not feeling 100% physically and it makes me just want to go back and crawl into bed and sleep. Not have to worry about anything. Disconnect from it all. I think I just need a day off of work. That's part of the sourness. It's the kind of day when even the smallest little things people do or say annoy you to no end. Frustration builds and it just leads to a crappy day getting even worse. I could go into all the details, but I won't. You don't want those. Plus, it's a ton of personal junk that's been stewing for a while now. I need to just make a list of it all. Trust me, it'd be quite lengthy. There's only One who can take it all from me. I just need to quit being a moron and just give it over to Him.

That's all. I'll try to get another video blog up today/tonight.

Just Coffee...

2009-02-16T06:22:00.002-06:00

"So can I get you gentlemen something more to drink? Or maybe something to nibble on? Some Pizza Shooters, Shrimp Poppers, or Extreme Fajitas?"

"Just coffee."

"Okay. Sounds like a case of the Mondays."

Yeah - that's a good way to describe today. I didn't have a bad weekend. Pretty nice actually, I just didn't do anything. My Xbox 360 and I spend a LOT of time together - and I'm ok with that. I like to escape into video games. It's kind of a release for me. Lately, it's been drumming in Rock Band 2. I'm really getting into it and, surprisingly to me, I'm getting better. I can play with regularity on Expert without missing too much. However, the harder songs have to stay on the Hard difficulty. Not too bad considering I'd never done any kind of drumming prior to playing Rock Band. Gears of War 2 & Left 4 Dead are the other two games I play with regularity. Whether it's killing the Locust Horde or your infected zombies, it's all good.

Saturday started simple enough. Attended a storm spotter training session from 9 until about 10:30 or so. I was the only was representing KFDX there despite the fact I was told that all three of us needed to show up to "have a presence" there. I guess it wasn't that important after all. I'm glad I did make it there, though, as I was able to make a few more contacts and meet some new people in the spotter circle here in Texoma. Laundry followed after that. It was during my laundry time that the weather decided to buck the forecast I gave 24 hours prior and literally dump rainfall all afternoon across Wichita Falls. My forecast? Mostly sunny with highs in the mid 50s. The actual weather? Cloudy, rainy, some sleet/hail, thunder and lightning, highs in the mid 30s. Yep. Ordinarily, I enjoy days like that. It was just that I said it'd be a beautiful day and I couldn't have been more wrong. I spent the rest of the day inside. Same was true for Sunday. Just a lazy weekend. I enjoyed it and for good reason because I have to work this Saturday. Not looking forward to that.

Yeah, I know, I'm basically just complaining over and over, but there are days like that. I'll make it through. Oh and Valentine's Day? Psh. Nope. But that's nothing new for me, so it's not such a bad thing. Today, it just seems, that every little thing gets on my nerves. I want to go back to bed.

VideoBlog.2

2009-02-15T01:33:00.001-06:00

The second installment for your viewing pleasure (or not). Sorry it's so dark. It was late and I wanted to see how it looked. Note to self, more light next time.

VideoBlog.1

2009-02-12T18:47:00.000-06:00

The Trees.

2008-12-03T18:23:00.000-06:00

by Rush.

There is unrest in the forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the maples want more sunlight
And the oaks ignore their pleas

The trouble with the maples
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light
But the oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made
And they wonder why the maples
Can't be happy in their shade

There is trouble in the forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the maples scream 'Oppression!'
And the oaks just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights
'The oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light'
Now there's no more oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe and saw

You're Hot ... Then You're Cold

2008-12-03T06:49:00.004-06:00

You're yes then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down...

Honestly, I never saw myself as much of a Katy Perry fan. Heck, I didn't even know who she was until I randomly caught "I Kissed A Girl" on the radio one day. The song is extremely catchy and hard to stop listening to. "Hot N Cold", her newest single, is the same way. Again, I'm usually not a fan of music like this but for the the very attractive Ms. Perry, I can make an exception. Here's a couple of pictures to reinforce that point.

Speaking of music, I've been on a Rush/Megadeth kick lately. I'm placing all the blame on Rock Band 2 because not only have I been into both of these bands lately, but I'm on a drumming kick (pun intended) as well. I've fiddled around with drums on Rock Band, but never really got into them because it's hard for me to separate my arm and leg movement to create complicated beats. My brain doesn't like it. But, I'm getting better at it. The more I play, the more I learn and enjoy. My favorite songs to play on drums are Rush songs. Neal Peart is, quite simply, an artist. His ability to create such complicated beats in astonishing. Have you seen his setup? It's insane. He keeps it different by mixing all sorts of different sounds in his beats which translates to a fun experience in Rock Band. My favorite song, right now, has to be "The Trees." If I'm playing guitar, specifically in Rock Band 2, I play a lot of "Peace Sells" by Megadeth. I don't know what it is about their sound, but it's nice and solid with a good mix of thick riffs and complicated solos. Hearing these songs in Rock Band has opened my ears to listen to a larger collection of their music, hence my recent kick with these two bands. Dare I try and invest in the Ion Drum Rocker?

Acts 17: 24-28

2008-10-13T09:22:00.002-05:00

(24)The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. (25) And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. (26) From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. (27) God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. (28) 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

I heard this at church yesterday morning and I absolutely love this passage. It shows the power and majesty of our God in a way that people might not see sometimes. He doesn't confirm to our ways. He doesn't live in temples built by hands (including church buildings!), he's not served by human hands, he doesn't need anything. Instead, He selflessly gives to us out of His unconditional love. And we love to take. Unfortunately, myself included, we tend to take without giving back. Everyone loves getting something without having to give back. It's so much easier. Since late July, my relationship with God has been extremely stagnant and unfruitful. That's putting it lightly. Hardly every praying. Not reading His Word at all. Just your run-of-the-mill selfish lifestyle that was incredibly unfulfilling. Imagine that. I told myself I could just skate by ... as long as I was a good person. It had ups and downs but let me tell you, overall, it sucked. Being saved by the Blood is not something I want to take lightly. And over the past two months, it's exactly what I was doing. That little stint reminded me of how much I need Him. How I can't live without Him. I have been saved by the Blood and every day I want to tell God how thankful I am for it. I broke down and just gave it all to Him this past Friday night and it felt great. Liberating. Relieving. Peaceful. Then I went to church on Sunday and heard that passage. God is so deserving of everything I have. Why would I trust my life in anyone's hands but His?

Let There Be Rock

2008-09-30T07:27:00.004-05:00

I have been playing a LOT of Rock Band 2 lately. I originally thought about waiting for the instrument bundle (which is out in a couple of weeks) but after seeing the 80+ song setlist (not including DownLoadable Content + 98% of Rock Band 1 songs), I had to break down and buy the game. EA decided to release the stand-alone game separately for the 360 on September 14 (about a month before the instrument bundle and the PS3) and since I already have the drum set from the original RB + my favorite wireless guitar (GH3 wireless Les Paul - which is compatible), I went ahead and made the purchase. I haven't looked back since. Out of 50 possible achievements, I have 39 so far with many others close to being done. I can't count how many hours I've spent playing these songs on guitar, bass, drums and, yes, even singing with the microphone. So much variety. Heck, look for yourself:

Rock Band 2 On-Disc Track List:
Artist Song Title Decade
1. AC/DC “Let There Be Rock” 1970s
2. AFI “Girl’s Gone Grey” 2000’s
3. Alanis Morissette “You Oughta Know” 1990’s
4. Alice in Chains “Man in the Box” 1990’s
5. Allman Brothers “Ramblin’ Man” 1970’s
6. Avenged Sevenfold “Almost Easy” 2000’s
7. Bad Company “Shooting Star” 1970’s
8. Beastie Boys “So Whatcha Want” 1990’s
9. Beck “E-Pro” 2000’s
10. Bikini Kill “Rebel Girl” 1990’s
11. Billy Idol “White Wedding Pt. I” 1980’s
12. Blondie “One Way or Another” 1970’s
13. Bob Dylan “Tangled Up in Blue” 1970’s
14. Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” 1980’s
15. Cheap Trick “Hello There” 1970’s
16. Devo “Uncontrollable Urge” 1980’s
17. Dinosaur Jr. “Feel the Pain” 1990’s
18. Disturbed “Down with the Sickness” 2000’s
19. Dream Theater “Panic Attack” 2000’s
20. Duran Duran “Hungry Like the Wolf” 1980’s
21. Elvis Costello “Pump It Up” 1970’s
22. Fleetwood Mac “Go Your Own Way” 1970’s
23. Foo Fighters “Everlong” 1990’s
24. Guns N’ Roses “Shackler’s Revenge” 2000’s
25. Interpol “PDA” 2000’s
26. Jane’s Addiction “Mountain Song” 1980’s
27. Jethro Tull “Aqualung” 1970’s
28. Jimmy Eat World “The Middle” 2000’s
29. Joan Jett “Bad Reputation” 1980’s
30. Journey “Anyway You Want It” 1970’s
31. Judas Priest “Painkiller” 1990’s
32. Kansas “Carry On Wayward Son” 1970’s
33. L7 “Pretend We’re Dead” 1990’s
34. Lacuna Coil “Our Truth” 2000’s
35. Linkin Park “One Step Closer” 2000’s
36. Lit “My Own Worst Enemy” 1990’s
37. Lush “De-Luxe” 1990’s
38. Mastodon “Colony of Birchmen” 2000’s
39. Megadeth “Peace Sells” 1980’s
40. Metallica “Battery” 1980’s
41. Mighty Mighty Bosstones “Where’d You Go” 1990’s
42. Modest Mouse “Float On” 2000’s
43. Motorhead “Ace of Spades” 1980’s
44. Nirvana “Drain You” 1990’s
45. Norman Greenbaum “Spirit in the Sky” 1960’s
46. Panic at the Disco “Nine in the Afternoon” 2000’s
47. Paramore “That’s What You Get” 2000’s
48. Pearl Jam “Alive” 1990’s
49. Presidents of the USA “Lump” 1990’s
50. Rage Against the Machine “Testify” 1990’s
51. Ratt “Round & Round” 1980’s
52. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Give it Away” 1990’s
53. Rise Against “Give it All” 2000’s
54. Rush “The Trees” 1970’s
55. Silversun Pickups “Lazy Eye” 2000’s
56. Smashing Pumpkins “Today” 1990’s
57. Social Distortion “I Was Wrong” 1990’s
58. Sonic Youth “Teenage Riot” 1980’s
59. Soundgarden “Spoonman” 1990’s
60. Squeeze “Cool for Cats” 1970’s
61. Steely Dan “Bodhitsattva” 1970’s
62. Steve Miller Band “Rock’n Me” 1970’s
63. Survivor “Eye of the Tiger” 1980’s
64. System of a Down “Chop Suey” 2000’s
65. Talking Heads “Psycho Killer” 1970’s
66. Tenacious D “Master Exploder” 2000’s
67. Testament “Souls of Black” 1990’s
68. The Donnas “New Kid in School” 2000’s
69. The Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat” 1980’s
70. The Grateful Dead “Alabama Getaway” 1980’s
71. The Guess Who “American Woman” 1970’s
72. The Muffs “Kids in America” 1990’s
73. The Offspring “Come Out & Play (Keep ‘em Separated)” 1990’s
74. The Replacements “Alex Chilton” 1980’s
75. The Who “Pinball Wizard” 1960’s

Bonus Artist Bonus Song Title Decade
76. Abnormality “Visions” 2000’s
77. Anarchy Club “Get Clean” 2000’s
78. Bang Camaro “Night Lies” 2000’s
79. Breaking Wheel “Shoulder to the Plow” 2000’s
80. The Libyans “Neighborhood” 2000’s
81. The Main Drag “A Jagged Gorgeous Winter” 2000’s
82. Speck “Conventional Lover” 2000’s
83. The Sterns “Supreme Girl” 2000’s
84. That Handsome Devil “Rob the Prez-O-Dent” 2000’s

Pretty righteous, no? Games like Rock Band (and the Guitar Hero series) have opened the musical world to me and I have discovered many new bands and songs from bands I already know and love. I'm actually getting to the point where I like the Rock Band series more than the Guitar Hero series. Strangely enough, Rock Band's publisher Harmonix created the Guitar Hero series. They developed the original, Guitar Hero II, and Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80's (a lesser known but still awesome expansion exclusively on the PS2). They handed the publishing rights over to Neversoft for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock I assume because they'd already started development on Rock Band. In all honesty, I'm glad they switched to Rock Band because the idea of a full-band game is full of awesome. In my opinion, the Guitar Hero series has been playing catch-up ever since - especially with Neversoft's latest offering: Guitar Hero: World Tour. It's basically a Rock Band clone except that it has the look of a Guitar Hero game. Everything else you can trace right back to the original. I love both games and I'll likely be purchasing the GH:WT bundle when it hits shelves at the end of October. I just can't get enough of these games.

But I'll be taking a break from RB2 tonight so I can get back into some Halo 3. Ah, the ways I fill my evenings.