I managed to get my hands on the latest album by my favoritest band The Decemberists. Let me tell you, this is one of the few, few, FEW albums that I can listen to from start to finish without having to skip tracks or hating a song. And now, let me tell you why.

My first experience with this album was The Rake's Song, which I downloaded off the website when it became a free MP3. At first I thought, "Hooray, classic Decemberists, this album is going to be awesome!" Additionally, once I actually gave a deeper listen to the lyrics, I loved the song even more. What ISN'T to love about a song that describes a young rake divesting his three young children after their mother dies? It's practically straight out of Dickens. Not mention, the drums on this track are, IMHO, astounding. For you who know, it's rather like Adam and the Ants, drum wise. Pounding, tribal, and catchy once you've heard the song enough times. So, after hearing this song, I was expecting a Decemberists album much like their others: catchy hook songs, playing with the past, etc etc.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

The Hazards of Love is NOTHING like the past Decemberists albums. Do you hear that? NOTHING. Not even The Crane Wife, which was their other "concept album" comes close to it. This album is something entirely different, yet entirely Decemberists. If that makes any sense.

For one thing, this album tells one whole story, start to finish. From what I've picked up (from the album and other reviews), this is the story of Margaret (sung by Becky Stark of Lavender's Diamond), and her lover, William (sung by Colin Meloy),Margaret's true love and, additionally, the adopted son of a jealous forest queen (Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond). As well, there is also The Rake (who only has one song, and is sung by Colin).

Margaret comes across William in a forest in the shape of a baby deer and, of course, the two fall in love (after William seduces Margaret).  However, the jealous queen certainly does not want her (adopted) son falling in love with Margaret, but William protests and manages to get one night with his true love (which I believe takes place in "An Interlude"). After this, we are introduced to The Rake, who abducts Margaret. The Queen makes a rebuke (though to what I don't know, yet), and William tries to cross the water, where Margaret is now a captive and the Rake plans to kill her (confusingly, Colin is singing as The Rake in "Margaret in Captivity", where he was singing as William in "Annan Water". However, the Rake's murdered children come back (In The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)) to, you guessed it, get their revenge on their father. By the end of the CD, William and Margaret are reunited, although dead.

No wonder this album takes 17 songs and nearly an hour to tell. But none the less, this album is worth every minute. Here's the thing. Don't try to appreciate this album all at once. You really do need more than one listen to it to appreciate it. There are so many intertwining story lines that you really do need to listen to it once or twice. I did not care for this album on the first hearing, but now I can't get it out of my head. Once you sit down, and listen to the lyrics (which are superb in true Decemberists fashion), it really is taken to another plane.

My favorite song on this album is definitely "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid", which blends orchestral tones, hard rock, and excellent vocals from Colin and Shara. I found myself humming it today in school, no surprise, really.

This is an excellent album. It manages to sound totally different (with the use of more "hard rock" melodies and more female vocals, and a children's choir thrown in for good measure) while still sounding much like the Decemberists of yore. The lyrics are true to the Decemberists we've heard before, and so too the interesting, folk-y melodies and the use of a harpsichord.

This album is a blend of more hard rock (a la Pink Floyd is probably the most apt comparison) and classic Decemberists. And, the thing is? This album makes it work. If it were any other band, I don't think it could be pulled off half as well. The Decemberists knew what they were doing with this song. I can't really explain it better than that. This album has to be heard to be described. And make sure you hear it more than one time, just to get it all.

Overall, I give this album an 9.5 out of 10. There are a few nit-picky things I don't like (like the Bon Jovi "tribute" on "Margaret in Captivity") but they're really very minor and this album blew away any expectations I had going into it.

Wow, this was a long review. xD Thanks for reading it, yeah yeah.

So as some of you may know, I was in Nova Scotia for a few days scopin' out the colleges. I actually got back last week (Lulz) but I never actually got around to posting the pictures and giving everyone the low-down on what happened!! So anyway here I am, finally posting. Finally. =D
( HALIFAX! HEATHCLIFF! MYTHOLOGY! OH MY. )

Wheee-hoo, more Icons! yaaaa. And also the typical rant about my life and why I dun liek it nun. xD Just kidding, I'm fine with my life. Actually, today I found out that I got into all the colleges that I applied to! Which was rather quite shocking!

YOU MAY ALSO NOTICE I HAVE A NEW LAYOUT! I made the header image myself but the codes are from The Butterfly Box.

Today at about 9.30 in the morning (it was early, I know because I wanted to sleep but no the doorbell rang) I got a Fed-Ex envelope and it was for me! Well, I never get Fed-Ex envelops (not in never ever) and so I was rather scared... I blearily looked at the from address and made out "University of King's College". Dramatic Gasp Here. So I carefully opened the folder. And then I carefully pulled out the nice fancy grey envelope with my name on it. And then I rather uncarefully sliced open the sealed part with my finger (it was sort of like I ripped into it xD). And then I got a nice letter that says I have been accepted and I was very happy! What a nice way to start off a holiday from school! And here I was thinking I had gotten my Math Final sent to my house because I failed so epically (but more on that later).

So, with this envelope, I am now 8 for 8 with the schools I have applied to. Of these 8 I really only want to go to 2, maybe 3. I could have saved a lot of money, but oh well.

Also I realized that I am sort of staking a lot on this Dalhousie University visit that I'm going on on February 11th (YEAH IT'S REALY SOON N STUFF!). I mean, my "second choice" school (DePaul), I could have applied for honors college but I didn't. I sort of... don't know what to say. They recommend that you send your stuff in 2 weeks after receiving your acceptance letter, but the deadline isn't even until February 15th! So, I don't know. I suppose I COULD still send in my application, but I need teacher recs and it's sort of close to the deadline. I don't know. I suppose I could... But. If I go to DePaul I have to live at home with my parents for four more years. And I don't really want to live at home for more years of my life. That's why I think that if Dal doesn't work (please, please PLEASE please work) I might go to Loyola. It's still in Chicago and it's right on the water and they have enough housing for everyone (at least I think so) and I wouldn't have to live at home. However I might go to this one school in Kalamazoo Michigan in which I can major in public history. It's also not too far from home, which is really nice. And I'm going to look at it before I go to Dal, so hopefully it, too, is nice and I'll be able to view them both with an un-biased eye (though I know nothing about this school. Western Michigan University, anyone?).

So, about that math final... I got a 62%. That's a D... It was only a few points away from a C, too. So in hindsight I'm kicking myself. Now, Dal and King's require that you send your semester exam grades. Hopefully they don't withdraw their admissions decision based on one bad (really bad) exam... Do you think they will? All my other exams, I think, were pretty (if not really) good. That, and they've already seen my transcripts, so they should have some idea of how I get along with math (sort of like oil and water, or oil and vinegar). I don't know. I do well enough in class most days, if I study for the quizes, but I never seem to do well in Exams. Maybe it's because I don't study enough (xD) or maybe I just can't retain that much mathematical information.... And I sort of lose focus studying for something if I get easily frustrated by it (like Math). I don't know. I'm not really a math-and-sciences sort of person.

Anyway. I think that's about all for me today. I've written about everything I care to write to, or want to write about. xD

And I'm sort of having crush-issues. But. I've learned not to give them much thought and not let them consume your life. That, and, I don't even know if it really is a crush. So. xDD

Teh Icons. There are 56. And they are all from varios Fashion Photography shoots.


( Fashion Victim? )

[1-5] YuGiOh!: The Abridged Series quotes
[6-37] Team Les Mis and random Les Mis Fandom
[38-97] Fashion Photography
[98-133] Marie Antoinette
[134-143] Amadeus
[144-171] Neon Genesis Evangelion
[172-176] A Knight's Tale
[177-182] Alice in Wonderland
[183-212] Pirates of the Caribbean
[213-231] Pride and Prejudice
[231-236] The Beatles: HELP!
( see the icons )

Oh ho ho, I finally made more brush sets, oh shit.

Anyway, I only have three sets for you, but you ought to be thankful, because one of them has ONE HUNDRED TWENTY SIX brushes. Yeah. That's right. 126. EINHUNDERT SECHSUNDZWEIZIG or something like that.

Anyway. Two are lyrics, one is a poem (that's the 126 brush one). xD

Also, I screencapped Marie-Antoinette (the 2006 movie) today. If I find somewhere to host it, I might upload them. Maybe. In any case, look for some new MA icons soon! The plot of that movie may be really dull, but the costumes are too good to pass up. I really only watch it for the visual candy, the soundtrack, and because Louis XVI is such a dweeb it's endearing (yeah, I fangirl over 18th century rulers, stfu).

Anyway, in COLLEGE NEWS: Got into Loyola and Creighton, and Western Michigan Univeristy. Loyola gave me 11,000, Creighton gave me 13,000, and WMU didn't give me anything (at least not that I'm aware of). This means I'm just waiting on University of King's College!!!!

[3] Brushes:  "Hey Teacher" - Louis XIV, "Killing an Arab" - The Cure, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" - T.S. Eliot
[15] Fashion Photography Icons

Teasers: 




( Louis, Louis, Louis! )

Today certainly was interesting. I didn't have school, so I slept late (well, 11.00, to be exact) and then went on my merry way cleaning things for the big Thanksgiving get together tomorrow. Oh, sometimes I hate these holidays...

Then I started playing on the piano and re-learned 2 songs (I haven't taken lessons in a long time but I was bored) and my mom wanted me to learn The Piano Man but really, that isn't happening any time soon!

And then I found a good icon table generator, had issues getting the lj-cut to work, and wrote this.

Finished screencapping Neon Genesis Evangelion (all 26 episodes), might post the files soon for everyone to enjoy. Probably won't do director's cut episodes since I have to give the DVDs back to my cousin tomorrow.

Also found out that I got into DePaul University with $9,500 a year and possible admission to the Honors program. But I have to write 2 500 word essays, which, as everyone knows, is fun fun fun fun fun fun fun!!

Also, let us take this opportunity to discuss something I fear I will never, in all my years, understand as an art form. This would be the suddenly very popular media of DOLL PHOTOGRAPHY. Saying that you shouldn't take pictures of inanimate objects and call it art is an invalid point (why bother with landscapes, then, or still lifes?) but really. Dolls? I mean, not just dolls sitting on shelves and looking dolly, but those Japanese (or Chinese, I am not 100%+ sure) ball-jointed dolls that have suddenly become sooooo popular (you know, like Dollfies!).

What scares me the most is when people start treating their dolls as if they were actually human. Like, not just "I love to photograph my new Dollfie!" but when they start NAMING their doll... and then scary things like this happens:( icons here )

Ok, so. Last weekend I went up to Marquette to do this Presidential Scholarships Competition... Basically NMU takes the smart kids and we go up there for 2 days and do scholarly things. xD It wasn't that bad, I actually enjoyed it (Well, as much as you can enjoy such things) and I got to watch cable TV. 

So at the competition we got to do small group work and solve a murder mystery and decide which 4 of the 9 people we get to save on a plane crash in the ocean... That was interesting. xD And then this morning I had an interview with one of the professors. Of course knowing MY luck the guy was a Calc professor and here's me, with my, "I don't like math..." self. Well, at least he was nice...

I've realized that once someone finds out you're from Chicago they all assume you live downtown, possibly right on the lakefront and are a die-hard Cubs fan (which is like 0/3 for me). It's very strange. It's like, Chicago syndrome where then once they find out you're from chicago you HAVE to talk to them about Chicago, because it's as if everyone KNOWS (/knew) someone who lived/worked/played in Chicago. But that's because Chicago is better than New York. ;D

It was snowing up in Marquette where NMU is... It was pretty but that Saturday when we left I got some weird illness... I think it was just mother nature's gift to me. Things were cured with midol and I think I sweated out my fever that night... That was fun, because I was shivvering to death under 5 blankets and then I woke up to go change into a tanktop and shorts... Oh, mother nature!

And this weekend is MY FREAKING BIRTHDAY. I am going to be 18!!! OH NO, EVERYONE RUN. xD Haha. Also this Saturday I'm going to the Art Institute (they just opened a new wing) and then for Afternoon Tea with my mom. Then Sunday I have to go run out to the Garfield Park Conservatory to work on my Western Civ project, which I haven't worked on though I knew about it since foreverrr. Oh well. xD And then Monday Leah and I might go try to find some belts for her Guinevere outfit. I hope. Maybe. xD

So today was my volunteer job at A Haunting in the Valley... It's sort of like a haunted trail, except not very spooky... Anyway, me, Monique, and Nancy were the 3 brides of Dracula... It was pretty cool. We got to scare people in the wagon. We made this one girl cry. ;D Not like a little girl. Like, 7 or so. It was pretty funny.

But it was very very cold... we had a little fire built and basically huddled around that for dear life. Except when we had to go scare people, but it was ok. It was actually pretty fun! I smell like campfire smoke now, but that's about it (it's a good smell, too).

Next week is Mike's party... That's going to be fun.

I got into another school, too. Montana State University. 

I don't know if I posted this already but I DID get into one college so far, Northern Michigan University... Arts and Design Program prepare yourself! I still have yet to hear from Loyola, DePaul, or Creighton, and I need to send in my apps to Dalhousie and King's up in Nova Scotia. Also today I have a stupid NHS induction ceremony at some church somewhere. The only good thing is that I got a whole new outfit, and I look like a waitress, and it's cool. And I got a vest, vests are always great stuff. And for Halloween I'm going as Sarah Palin. ;D Probably THE SCARIEST costume known to anyone, ever!! I'm working on getting her voice down, too. You betcha *wink*.

Also, a dump of random icons, just for your visual amusement (some of them are really old, and therefore bad...).

( icons, vids... )

Haha props for Oscar Wilde. Easily enough... Internet (well, I suppose it's not THAT unnecessary). And... my iPod. I'm married to that thing. More than I ought to be. It really helps when you're on a stupid bus in the morning with crazy kids who DON'T KNOW HOW TO SHUT UP IN THE MORNING!

I have to finish reading this boring book... Only 1 more page! Argh. And I have to start King Lear. Ugh. Yay. Fun.

Why can't we read The Picture of Dorian Gray in AP English!?

Someone needs to explain to me the exact real-world application of trigonometry and pre-calculus. And I mean excluding scientific and mathematical career options. When in my life am I going to need to know how to graph the sine function? What is the point of taking this class, besides wrapping up my 4 year math career at Fenwick High School and providing my parents and I with a constant, unalterable battle ground to fight on? Excuse me if I am not enthused about such courses. I'd rather take another AP English course than a trig/pre-calc course!! It's miserable, I tell you.

Anyway I made about 10 icons. It got my mind off stupid math at any rate.

( onwardz )

I haven't made any brushes in a long long while. I try but I just don't have the will-power to do it. Oh well. I'm working on a few sets (Can't Stand Me Now, Music When the Lights Go Out, some others) so hopefully I will have them up for you in a little bit.

I took a day off from school today. Nothing special to it, aside from me being sick to my stomach this morning (a bus ride would mean sure death!). I have realized that people from my high school do not update their Live journals, like, ever. I put in my school and found like 6 people from Fenwick that HAVE live journals. Oh well.

Anyway, I did in fact pre-reg and reserve a room for ACen 2009. The scary thought is that this might be my last ACen for awhile, depending on where I go to college. That's a sad thought in itself. Suppose I don't see my friends as often? Ahh well. My top choices for college are Dalhousie, DePaul, and Northern Michigan University.

I'm working on some more fashion-photography based icons and graphics as well. And maybe I'll crank out some fandom icons too. Who knows.

So I finally made a few new icons... They're mostly Team So-and-So for my Les Mis fan-community (Les Amis de l'ABC). But there are 5 (yep, count em, five) YuGiOh the Abridged Series quote icons in there, too.

Any textures that are used are probably from 77words or ewanism.

( Icons here )

There ought to be some sort of "MAN LAW" about how confusing you can be with girls. Don't you expect that if you treat them like a princess for one day it's sort of coming across as more than friends? Especially when they spend probably in the range of $100 on you on one given night... And then turn around and tell you they like someone else and are trying to ask them out...

Actually, there probably shouldn't be a law. I don't know. I'm just kind of let down by it. Even though it's been like almost a year since one event and the next... Blechh.

Anyway, this Sunday is my People to People Reunion at the zoo! Hooray for seeing old friends from the Summer! I've missed them all so much... ALSO TODAY I THINK I MAY HAVE DONE WELL ON A MATH QUIZ.

I promise there will be some brushes soon enough. I've found good song fodder.

Ain't nothing like celebrating a day when we honor our skilled workers by generally slacking off and being lazy-ass bums for the whole day! Whoo hoo! Can't complain. It's GOOOD STUFF.

Anyway. I was going to make another icon post until I realised that, gasp, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SHOW YOU ALL. I need to make some more icons. Time to go looking around through my screencap stock and try to find something that I can work with. It's hard now, with school in the way, and everything, but I'm trying to stay "on topic" in regards to brushes and icons and all those sorts of great things.

Tomorrow I'm going to the Zoo. Supposedly they have a baby giraffe. And you know me and giraffes (they do exist). Also it's "family time" and all that sort of nice. Though we'll probably get to go to a really nice Bohemian restaurant, that is, if they're open... --; Labor Day weekend closes a lot of things. And then next weekend my mom and I might go to the Red Bull Flugtag. If nothing else it's an excuse to go to the beach and watch people make fools of themselves. And it gets me a chance to go downtown and generally marvel at such things. Because I love downtown Chicago so effing much.

So. Next week: icons. Maybe a brush set. Who knows!

So, since my old layout wasn't cooperating all of the sudden, I went and changed it. I like this one too, it's quite pretty! ^^

Anyway. I went and updated my website, too. New layout, new pages, everything. Not that I use it that much but now I have a website! Aha... That's scary, isn't it.

I would have to say that I would probably make a blend of either a mango/pineapple. Mostly because I LOVE MANGOES SO FREAKING MUCH. Seriously I can't stop eating them. Mango mango mango. xD Anyway. I think it would taste very citrus-y. And not be so messy to clean or eat. That's annoying about mangoes and pineapples, they're such a hassle to prepare. And it would probably just be the shape of a mango, with a sort of pineapple-like flesh inside.

I like fruit... Now I had to go eat a fruit cup. xD Except it doesn't have mangoes, just pears and cherries and pineapples.

Anyway, I've started filling out college apps. I'm damn scared. D:

Three brush sets today and quite a few icons as well! They're actually rather old but I thought you would like to see them (would you? I don't know).

[2] The Academy Is...: Attention, Checkmarks
[1] Naio Ssaion: The Mirror
[33] Fashion Photography Icons
[24] Marie Antoinette Icons
[5] Les Miserables Icons

All are available for download under the cut.

Teasers:

( Follow me! IMAGE HEAVY )

Hey there everyone. Just thought I'd let you all know that I am back in the US(s)A... I really miss London, though, it was by far my favorite part of the trip! Wales was nice, too, but I really wish we spent more time in London/England. We spent a lot of time in Ireland which I guess was nice enough but I really didn't have any specific interested there. Although Dublin was very beautiful. Unfortunately we didn't get to Scotland but hey that's just reason to go back (ahaha).

Well anyway look for brushes and maybe even some icons coming up in the not too distant future. Oh yes.

Well, this is probably the last thing I'll write before I leave for the United Kingdom!! AHHH! True I have some time tomorrow but I'd rather get it out of the way now so I don't write some half-assed farewell to everyone. Or, whatever. I sound so dramatic! Yeesh.

Well, as you know, I'll be back on August 3rd. I probably won't be able to call any of you, mostly because it costs a lot, I won't have that much time, and I'm not bringing my cell phone because it won't work over there anyway. You are more than welcome to call my cell and leave me a message or something. If you want, I don't care. ;D You can even tell me how The Dark Knight was because I won't be around for the premier (and I wanted to make a Goth/Loli Harley too! Oh well, saving money = good).

I promise that I'll take a lot of pictures to share with you all! I have over 3 gigs of memory, which is over 1000 pictures, so there! I'll take good notes so I can let you know how everything goes when I get back. I promise to hang out with you all when I get back! BAKE ME A CAKE (I'm only kidding ;D)!!!

So that's all. I'm nervous and excited!! I leave tomorrow afternoon at 5 but I leave my house at 2, if anyone wants to come by and say goodbye (lol who does that? ;D). I can't wait to see you all when I get back, too! I have so much to look forward to this year! SENIOR YEAR. Ahahaha. HA! >D

Well, that's all I wanted to say. You have until 1 PM tomorrow afternoon to send me your addresses or emails if you want me to send you a postcard/e-card, if you don't send it by then I won't print it and take it with me!! So get them in! xD I love you guys lots, and I'll see you when I get back!

... What was the point in writing this? xD haha I'm so melodramatic.