Blog Maintenance / MLB.TV

Well, I'm just popping in here today to give you a quickie post today.

I took the opportunity today to do a little "behind the scenes" work on my blog, and if you look at the sidebar you will notice a couple of things.

First off. I did that poll on whether or not I should create a Picture Fiction Archive, and the result spoke a clear language indeed. 18 people voted. 15 of those wanted the archives while 3 couldn't care less. No one said they didn't want an archive. So today I added the "archives" link to the sidebar under the PFC logo picture. All future PFC stories will be collected on that post (which for now hopefully appears below this one).

Second. I updated my blogroll, since that has fallen way behind. I've started reading so many new excellent blogs lately, and I've not taken the time to honor them by adding them to my blogroll. This has now been fixed, and you should now all be included there. If I missed you, let me know and I'll fix it ASAP!

Third little thing. I've been contemplating doing more "music" posts to share my excellent taste in music with you all (yes, I do consider myself lucky enough to have a very refined taste in music). But, while making many boring posts speaking of how freakin' great a particular artist, group or song is would be boring in itself, I came up with this little idea.

I added a "playlist" to the sidebar. You will find that there is only one song available today - and that is Savatage's "Morphine Child". What I aim to do here is add a new song every now and then, mention it in that days blog post, and if you want to you can take the opportunity to listen to the new song. The playlist will grow, but as I get (say) 30 songs or so on there, I will probably start taking the oldest one's out - unless I decide to repost them. Feel free to offer your opinions on the music I've chosen for you at any time.

I chose that song today because Savatage is one of my all-time favorite bands, and that song is one (of so many) of their best songs. Taken off their latest album, and quite possibly (sadly) their last album. It's a 10 minute masterpiece which during it's second half is absolutely mindblowing.

Give it an ear, will ya?

MLB.TV! Yes, I decided to pay for a yearly subscription to the MLB.TV today. Grapefruit league started the other day, and I saw that MLB.TV would show quite a few of these games. I couldn't live any longer without some baseball, so I decided to sign up right now and get the best of pre-season training.

Today, the Braves were playing the Dodgers and I was particularly looking forward to seeing Jair Jurrjens in action. He was slated to start the game, and is a young prospect that was acquired in the Edgar Renteria trade at the start of the off-season.

Jurrjens had a couple of good innings, although a little shaky in the middle of the first when he issued a walk and allowed the Dodgers a one run lead. I still think this guy can be something special. Buddy Carlyle got the win, and was very impressive in the two innings he pitched. He sure showed more than I expect from him, which is a good thing.

The offense was looking good. Chipper Jones and Mark Teixeira are going to be a lethal 3-4 punch in the middle of the order, and quite a few opposing teams are going to have some problems facing up to these two guys. Jeff Francour will likely bat behind them, and he looks like he will continue to improve his game... so the middle of the line-up is looking really good.

Only thing I wasn't too happy about - and judging anything from just one pre-season game is futile anyway - was Brandon Jones. Now, I have been of the opinion that he and Matt Diaz should platoon in left field, just like Diaz and Willie Harris did last season. But, after Brandon missed a routine fly ball, and didn't even seem to hustle after the ball after he dropped it, made me think he might benefit from at least beginning the season in Triple A ball.

Sadly, Andruw Jones was not included in the Dodgers line-up. I was kind of looking forward to seeing him play (even if it would have been in the wrong jersey).

Anyway... I've got plenty of good baseball ahead of me. Now I can barely wait for the regular season to begin.

The Braves really are going to win it this year!

When The Crowds Are Gone

Something funny happened today... I thought I'd share it with you. Nothing revolutionary, but something that made me, my cousin and his woman laugh for a long, long time. I sure hope their two daughter's (13 and 11) didn't fully understand what was so funny.

She - my cousin's girlfriend of 15 years - said to me.

"Yes, R.E.H.! Do it! Often, and hard!"

I was standing right behind my cousin Andy. He didn't see me, and I was out for revenge. See - my cousin has this compulsive desire to tickle people all the time, so I had put my hand out right by his ribcage along his side. I was ready to put on the pressure to make him jump high and squeal like a pig.

She being the victim of his abrupt tickling was pleased to witness the suffering I was ready to inflict on him - and this is what she referred to... that I tickle him often and hard so it really gets him good. Not that I do her - often and hard.

My cousin turned around and was like "What? What did you just say", and then she too realized what she'd just said to me.

Anyway - it was hilarious, and I guess you had to be there. I think my stomach is still cramped up from that fit of laughter.

Well... now that that is out of the way - let's move on to the more serious tone I'd thought I'd share in my post today.

I love music. I love lyrics in music, but no other song in history has hit home like the one I present to you today. I want to share this one with you because the lyrics are so much me it is almost scary.

As you may or may not know, I had dreams when I was younger. I was going to be a star - writing, directing and starring in my own movies. Many thought I had a career going there too - many would compliment and support my talents. As the "Rubicon Heart" story will unfold you will see not only the demise of my heart, but of my desire to be all that (maybe) I could be.

The lyrics of this song "When The Crowds Are Gone" by Savatage, depict this very very well. The section (bridge) that begins "I never wanted to know, never wanted to see..." is something I could've written myself - right out of my heart.

Savatage is possibly the best band that ever existed... from my point of view. This song is just one of many they have done that hit very close to home with me. Maybe I am similar in nature to Jon Oliva (front man of Savatage), which is why I feel so close to their music and the lyrics in particular.

If you remember the "Oh, Holy Night" I posted on Christmas with Michael Crawford singing - that was performed with Trans-Siberian Orchestra - which many of you might be familiar with, especially in Christmas times. TSO is originally a side-project to the band Savatage and was started by Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neill... the inspiration was a song by Savatage called "Sarajevo: Christmas Eve" (which was also put on TSO's first album).

Well, read the lyrics - listen to the song. And, you'll learn something more about this crazy blogger who goes by the name of R.E.H.

*****

SAVATAGE - "WHEN THE CROWDS ARE GONE"

I don't know where the years have gone
Memories can only last so long
Like faded photographs, forgotten songs
And the things I never knew
When the skin is thin, the heart shows through
Please believe me what I tell you is true

Where's the lights, turn 'em on again
One more night to believe and then
Another note for my requiem
A memory to carry on
The story's over when the crowds have gone

All my friends have been crucified
Made life a long suicide true
Guess we never figured out the rules
But I'm still alive, my fingers feel
Gonna play on till the final reel's through
And read the credits from a different view

Where's the lights, turn 'em on again
One more night to believe and then
Another note for my requiem
A memory to carry on
The story's over when the crowds have gone
When the crowds are gone

When the crowds are gone
And I'm all alone
Playing the saddest song
Now that the lights are gone
Turn them on again
One more time for me my friend
Turn 'em on again

I never wanted to know
Never wanted to see
I wasted my time
Till time wasted me
Never wanted to go
Always wanted to stay
'Cause the persons I am
Are the parts that I play
So I plot and I plan
Hope and I scheme
To the lure of a night
Filled with unfinished dreams
I'm holding on tight
To a world gone astray
As they charge me for years
I can no longer pay

Turn 'em on again (repeat)

I never wanted to know
Never wanted to see
I wasted my time
Till time wasted me
I Never wanted to go
Always wanted to stay
'Cause the persons I am
Are the parts that I play
The parts I play

And the light
Turn then off my friend
And the ghosts
Well just let them in
Cause in the dark
It's easier to see