Yes, this is what the new album is going to look like. Please note that a limited edition version is available. I, of course must have it! I was also pleased to discover that May 3 is in fact a worldwide release date! Yippee! I most certainly hope that this means that the Unbreakable tour will be coming to the US! The samples have now been fixed to play on windows media player and moved to the official site, so I was finally able to listen to them. I guess my previous rant paid off. From the sound of them, this promises to be one of their best works yet. The only thing I feel bad about is that this man will no longer be a part of the band.
On a more amusing note, I was talking to a new friend the other day when I discovered that she thought that Matthias Jabs was my husband! After I placed myself back in my chair, I informed her who exactly he was, since she obviously had no clue. Oh, but it was nice just for that tiny moment in time to be his wife.
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Friday, March 26, 2004
One Nation, Under God
I'm getting really sick of hearing about this! It seems that there are some who would like to see those words removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. As much as I hate to admit it, they are right. Putting aside the whole issue of seperation of church and state, there is one other very significant reason that those words should not be included. They were not in the pledge as it was written originally. The words were added in 1954. Why not just go back to the way that it was written in the first place and have done with it? I know that some of you are saying, "Lady Starlight is anti-god!" but this is not the case. I just happen to think that if we are truly to have religious freedom and seperation of church and state, we should not be invoking God in a pledge to our flag. Freedom of religion does imply the freedom not to worship as well. We should all learn to respect each other's beliefs and quit trying to force ours down other people's throats. One can have a strong sense of duty towards one's country without having a belief in God. *End of Rant*
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Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Translation: All Is Well!
Sometimes, if only for a brief moment in time, it seems that everything is right in the world. These moments come unexpectedly and seldom last for very long. I experienced such a moment today. Things at work were not looking good at all as I prepared to load my truck at work today. I had 59 (ARGH!) letters requiring signatures and several giant sized packages to deliver. It goes without saying that I was not a happy camper. The prospect of spending an exceptionally long day driving with that uncomfortable new seat was looming over my head like a dark storm cloud. I was certain that my supervisor had blown off everything that I said during yesterday's temper tantrum. That is just the way that things usually work in our office. I mentally prepared to launch tantrum number two. So, you can imagine my surprise when upon opening the door of my vehicle I see my old friend, the short person's seat, restored to his rightful place in my truck. I had been successful in geting what I wanted by using but a single temper tantrum! For that tiny instant it seemed that despite all of the gloom and doom that faced me, all was right in the world. The shrimp had been victorious! I wanted to do the "Happy Dance." I didn't, so I offer these guys to do it for me. Enjoy their performance!
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Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Lady Starlight Goes Postal! At work...How appropriate!
Every now and then (about once a month, actually), I feel the need to take a temper tantrum at work. I leave it to you to figure out why this is the chosen time interval. Suffice it to say that I feel it is my God given right as a female to do so. I felt such a need today. I suppose that hormones could be partially responsible, but I prefer to think that my tantrum was 100% justified. Allow me to explain... Standing a mere fraction of an inch over five feet, I am quite short. So short, in fact, that most clothing designed for "petites" is still to long for me. My jeans are all frayed at the bottom from dragging on the ground. Therefore, it stands to reason that anything designed for your average sized adult is going to be quite uncomfortable for me. I now take you to the parking lot of the post office. For four days I had been stuck driving one of those lovely loaner vehicles while mine was having routine maintainence done. These vehicles all have the new lumbar support seats installed in them. Most employees find these new seats quite comfortable, but most employees are not little runts like me! For me these new seats are sheer torture. First of all, the so called support cushion hits me in the wrong place, causing me to wiggle and squirm all day long in the hope of finding a comfortable position. But the main problem with these new seats is that they are at least an inch longer and higher than the old ones. The result of this is that even with the seat all the way forward, I can barely get my foot on the accelerator. Stretch those legs! OUCH! Charleyhorse! Two years ago, while doing said routine maintainence, they put one of those seats in my vehicle. I pitched a fit back then, and got them to put one of the old style seats back into my vehicle. I was quite relieved when I was told that I would be getting my own vehicle back today. My joy was short lived. As I approach my beloved 926, I see it! They've put one of those awful new seats in my vehicle...AGAIN! Hence, my temper tantrum. I was justified, I tell you! I really think that all of the shrimps like me in the world should band together and form our own organization, The International Society of Short People! We can use these song lyrics as our motto: Don't tell me I'm small, An inch too short. I might not be your size, but I'm sure great And definitely underpaid!
Since he is the author of the lyrics that we will be using as our motto. I think it only fitting that this man be our "poster boy."
Klaus Meine! Mmmm... Short and sweet!
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Saturday, March 20, 2004
My Brain Is Fried!
How did this happen? Who is responsible? I'll let you guess. (No, it's not you, moody bitch. At least not this time!) I suppose I'm mostly responsible for this myself, but I did have a bit of help. Recall that back in January I received an e-mail which very clearly stated that the release date for Unbreakable was to be in April. With April drawing ever so near, I decided to check the official site to see if the exact release date was available. It was. May 3, 2004! Excuse me, but did I miss something here? Did they make the first week of May a part of April without informing me? That really wasn't very nice of them. But all is not lost. I see a link that promises me the opportunity to listen to some samples from the album. I quiver in anticipation as I click on the link. I am taken to (Are you ready for this?) a page on Amazon.com, the freaking German site! Now, I ask myself, "Why would anyone link visitors from the English version of the website to a German web page?" Unless... oh, please say it isn't so...that May 3 release date is only good for Germany. ARRRGH! I try to console myself by listening to the samples. Please note the word "try." I am able to decipher enough of the page to figure out how to play the samples. The files won't open. It seems that they are in some weird format that can only be opened by a program that I lost in a system crash a while back, Real One player. I saved them to my machine anyway. I suppose I'll download that program sometime before May 3, but it is such a time consuming project when all you've got is a miserable dial-up connection! If you would like to experience this frustration for yourself Klick Hier! Oops, the second part of my brain fry is rearing its ugly little head. I've been surfing WAY too many German websites recently! The words are floating around in my head, whether I know what they mean or not! Perhaps a piece of silly but beautiful fluff will help me to clear my mind.
No, Rudolf did not forget to put on his pants for this picture. Those are not boxers. They're the ugliest damned pair of pants that I've ever seen! They really should be thrown into the incinerator along with Klaus' striped zebra shirt!
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Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
This one has to win the prize for stupid holidays. It started out as a simple church holiday, the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It has now gone totally out of control. The greeting card people just had to get in on this one.They could never let a holiday, no matter how insignificant, go by without creating multitudes of cards for it. They will continue to do so for as long as people are stupid enough to send them But, the main activity that occurs on St. Patrick's Day is this I'm not quite certain how this tradition began. Unless... Perhaps after chasing all of those nasty snakes out of Ireland, St. Patrick felt the need to have a few good stiff drinks! I know that I most certainly would. But, really... GREEN BEER! EWWWWWW!
They say that everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. I wouldn't be too sure about that. I don't feel any more Irish today than I do on any other given day. How Irish is that? NOT AT ALL! Why on earth would I want to associate myself with the people who gave us riverdance? Still, I suppose that I shall wear my bright green sweater in honor of the occasion. Perhaps I'll even stop at Mickey D's and have one of those shamrock shakes. They are a lot more appetizing than green beer, and they won't give you a hangover. I'll even make this guy my official smiley of the day.
He's green, isn't he?
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Monday, March 15, 2004
Guitar World Magazine Names Top 100 Metal Guitarists and I'm just a tiny bit pissed!
Before I set into this rant, I would like to dedicate it to the man who is probably wanting to express the same feelings. Unfortunately for him to do so would make it appear that he was slighting his friends. Such a shame, since what I read in this article was downright insulting to him! And so, Matthias, this rant is for you!
The Rant
Coming in at number 50 on the aforementioned list is the combination of Rudolf Schenker and Uli Jon Roth. Excuse me, Joe Bosso, Alan di Perna, Dan Epstein, Martin Popoff & Jon Wiederhorn, but did I misread something here? Did you really say Uli Jon Roth and not Matthias Jabs? Please tell me that I'm mistaken. What is this you say? The Schenker/Roth combo is just so much more "raw and volatile." You even go so far as to refer to the Schenker/Jabs combo as being "slicked-up!" What a pile of What, exactly do you mean by the term "slicked-up?" Could you possibly be saying that Matthias' style is just too polished and refined for him to be considered to be one of the best "metal" guitarists...that he's just too damned good to make the list? That just doesn't make good sense, does it? Wait a second. Let me go back to the names of the people who compiled this list. All men, I see. Could it be that it would bring you pain to admit that a man can be both drop dead gorgeous and one of the best at what he does? And they say that women are bitchy!
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Friday, March 12, 2004
Glad To See You're Back
It has been so long since you visited here, Miss Moody Bitch, that I thought that you had lost interest in my boring life. This made me so sad. But I see now that I was mistaken. So, in honor of your return, I'm posting my plans for this summer. I'm quite certain you shall enjoy reading about them!
Since it seems that a US tour for The Scorpions is not in the making for at least the early part of this summer and I unfortunately do not have the three thousand dollars and ability to say "Please, help me. I'm lost!" in German that I would need to see them on their home turf, I feel the need to find another way to amuse myself. After a bit of thought, it occured to me that seeing not one, but two, Moody Blues shows would be an excellent way compensate for the void left by the lack of US Scorpions tour dates! John Lodge is nearly as lovely as Matthias and Klaus, with the added plus of the fact that he gives great hugs! Pittsburgh and Atlantic City are definitely do-able. I can scrounge up the money for these shows somehow. I most certainly could use another John hug! The Music Whore will, of course be accompanying me to these shows. (No, you silly little twit, we are not the same person!) And now, for your viewing pleasure, I give you a photo of the lovely John Lodge from the "December" tour!
*Grumble, Grumble* I can just hear you now... I'm "stealing" those pictures again!
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Thursday, March 11, 2004
Sometimes Fate Can Be So Cruel!
Oh, why in a fit of frustration did I ever post those tour dates? I knew that one of them was in the Netherlands, and that I have a friend who lives there. Needless to say, he's got tickets for the upcoming show. I want to be happy for him. Really I do, but I just can't seem to manage it. I've been waiting for two years to see them. He's only first heard their music a few weeks ago. It's just so damned unfair. So far there are no scheduled US tour dates. I don't want to be, but I'm angry. If they do come here, the show will probably be at that horrible Post Gazette Pavillion. There's no chance of me getting to meet them there. No stage door to wait by for hours and in the middle of nowhere, that's how that place is. No small wonder that I hate it. I try to console myself by thinking that were I to actually meet Matthias Jabs, I would probably swoon into his arms. Wait, that wouldn't be so bad. I'd just feel like a fool.
A Pretty Picture From The Last US Tour To Console Me
Dammit, Matthias, get my cigarettes out of your pocket!!!
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Monday, March 08, 2004
Matthias Jabs At Home
I came across this picture of Matthias at home during my searches. Unfortunately the full sized version is long gone, but even at this tiny size you've gotta love it! He just sits there so casually amid the squallor, smoking a cigarette, as if he could care less about the mess surrounding him. What are all of those papers on the floor, anyway? My son has a theory that they're scores for guitar solos that didn't quite make it. Whatever they are, all I have to say is Matthias, my darling, you're such a slob! I LOVE YOU!!!
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Friday, March 05, 2004
Farewell, My Friend
I am sitting here with tears in my eyes because of something that many people would think is just plain silly. To fully understand what I am feeling, you must first understand one thing, I love dogs. With that in mind, I shall tell you about my friend, Sassie. Sassie is a dalmatian, but not your ordinary kind. Her spots are brown instead of black. We met about six years ago when I first got the route that I currently deliver. She was but a pup back then. Before her owners told me her name, I called her "Brown Sugar" because of her unusual spots and sweet disposition. Every day when the weather is good, she waits for me near the mailbox to get her treat. She was waiting for me today, but something was terribly wrong. Her back legs were being dragged along behind her. Her back paws were bloody. Upset by this, I found her owner. This is what he told me. Sometime during the winter, Sassie's legs became paralyzed. He knew not why. He waited, in the hopes that it would get better, but it did not. It got worse. Sassie was losing control of other bodily functions as well. Disheartened, he took her to the vet, where he was told that surgery to possibly correct her problem would cost four thousand dollars! This man has a family to feed, spending that amount of money on a dog, no matter how much she is loved is just not within the realm of possibility. Sassie is scheduled to be put down next Friday. When I heard this I put my arms around my beloved pup and cried. I wished that I could do something, but knew that I could not. I told Sassie that I loved her and that when she got to where she was going to tell my Layla that I still loved her and missed her. Her owner tried to coax poor Sassie to come to the house, but she would not budge until after I pulled away. She, too, wanted to be with a friend just a little while longer. I can only hope that the weather remains good until next Friday, so that we may have just a little more time together.
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Thursday, March 04, 2004
The Frustration Continues...
A little bit of background before I begin... It has been nearly two years since it happened. I will never forget. I heard that The Scorpions were going to be in Pittsburgh...Star Lake Amphitheater...Post Gazette Pavillion...whatever they were calling that crappy venue at the time. I was excited. No one wanted to go with me, but I didn't care. I would make the trek to that god-forsaken place alone. But, alas, it was not to be. I found out about the show too late. It was sold out. I vowed that this would never happen to me again. I promptly visited the official site and signed up for the newsletter. I would be well informed as to tour dates, I was assured. I never dreamed how well informed I would actually be...
Here is the current list of dates for the Unbreakable tour.
June, 4 2004 - Halberstadt, Germany June, 11 2004 - Sölvesborg, Sweden June, 12 2004 - Lichtenvoorde, Holland
There is nowhere near enough money socked away in my credit union account for me to flit off to Europe to see them. Hence my frustration. C'mon, guys, aren't the words US Tour in your vocabulary? Pretty please...
And now for something pretty to look at, because I need it!
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Tuesday, March 02, 2004
My Rant For Today
I'm still feeling a bit hung up on the fact that my oldest son has just turned eighteen. But more so than that, I am disturbed by one ridiculous, sexist law that remains on the books in this country. Even though the US armed forces have been all volunteer for many years now, upon a man's eighteenth birthday, he must register with the selective service. The same is not true for women. Well, excuse me! What has happened to all of those no discrimination based on gender laws on this one? I realize that the draft is non-existent, but that is not my point. Why shouldn't young women have to register as well? What happened to all of those cries for equal rights on this one? Does not equal responsibility come with equal rights? Everyone or no one, I say. No one is my preferred option. Since we are all issued social security numbers along with our birth certificates these days, couldn't they just as easily track down perspective draftees this way? It really makes no sense. But then, does any thing done by the government ever make any sense? I can, in all honesty, tell the army that they really do not want my son. They might think that they do, but I know him much better than they do. He's got a big mouth, a hot temper, and an aversion to following orders. All of these are traits that I am proud to say that he inherited from his mother. All of these are also traits which would cause him to spend most of a military career in the brig! I suppose that were the draft reinstated and he was unfortunate enough to be drafted, I would personally have to buy him a one way ticket to Canada for the protection of everyone's best interests!
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Monday, March 01, 2004
I Am So Depressed!
Why could this be? There are several reasons. The first one could be that e-mail I got from the "List of Torture" the other day. I had opened it hopefully. Maybe it contained an exact release date for Unbreakable! Perhaps Ralph had changed his mind and decided to remain with the band. Failing that, perhaps it was announcing that the official site had been updated with info on the dreaded new bass player whose name I cannot remember. None of this was what awaited me in my inbox. Oh, no! It was an announcement of the first concert of the Unbreakable tour. June 4, 2004...You guessed it! In Germany!!! ARRRGH! Not surprising, but really, Wolfgang my dear, this is the English mailing list! Contrary to what some people believe, most Americans are not rich. I most certainly am not. As much as I would love to be there for that concert on June 4, I just do not have the financial means to get there. When you have some info on American tour dates, preferably on the east coast, mail me. All of that is depressing enough, but it is not the main reason for my depression. The real reason is that I now am mother to an adult child! (Nice little oxymoron, isn't it?) Yes, now he not only looms over me from a foot above. He can vote, buy cigarettes, get drafted, everything but buy himself a beer! Say it ain't so! My baby cannot really be a grown man.
