Relevant

Relevant

Doubt Creeps in…

The Rain falls harder tonight

Trying to keep inspired…

Is there someone out there that really cares

I Crack the window…

Cool air seeps in

The Scent of Moonlight Strikes my Senses…

I let you in

Candles lit…

But the coolness covers your fire

I step slowly around the room…

You Mirror me in white

Our Eyes Lock, but do you see…

I Reach out, but find only Phantoms

The Floor Cracks…

I Fall through

Falling…

This Blackness, with Crooked Green Light

I stop Struggling…

It wraps me Tighter

But it can not hold me…

For I have Wings of Fire

And Blood Electric…

I Rise softly now

Leaving only Tears that fall below me…

DarkJade-

PICTURE CREDIT – Brush In Hand

A Homage To Kimbra

A Homage To Kimbra

She enters the room, unassuming… Her band set in readiness.

From beneath her dark bangs, glisten her blue eyes as they softly glimpse at each of her mates.

Seeing that they are ready, she approaches the microphones, one was never enough, she now uses two…

Her eyes close, as she enters that place… Where she’s hidden her song, safely between her heart, and soul.

She lets out her first breath, bringing life to the tune, which soon reaches her lips, and unleashes melody and tone…

Her body starts to move immediately, as the song courses through her very blood, and the vibrations of rhythm raise her slightly above ground.

The band starts to groove, as her voice guides them on their way…

Their time together is intimate, and pure… Much like the cry of a new born babe.

Meanwhile in the dark, the masses who are actually before her, wave their hands in the air, holding up sources of light, closing their eyes, and mouthing, or singing along.

Kimbra then opens her eyes, and starts to prowl around the stage from one side to the next… Reaching out to her fans, while reaching into her soul…

She connects with the one’s that Love, and Admire her… And leaves them wanting more.

She Appreciates them… Cares for them, and often pinches herself when alone, to remind herself that this is indeed happening… She is indeed Touring, and Sharing, and Celebrating, and Singing, and Moving… And Connecting with People who Truly Love, and Dig her.

In the end she can not help but smile… As her bangs fall over her eyes again, and she peaks from beneath them to see if she has left her fans satisfied…

And then another song begins.

 

 

Dark River

 

Dark River

This Dark River runs through me

It will not go away

It Latches to Displeasures…

Troubles and Dismay

This Dark River casts me out…

From Happiness, Pleasures, Love

But mostly when I Sleep…

This Dark River pushes and shoves

The disappointments we Feel are no more constant than the rain…

Which passes through, it will not stay

The Loneliness that comes…

Deep within the night

Disappears with morning…

Sunrise’s First Light

Mortality’s not an easy thing, when taken all at once…

Best hold things closely in your Heart

Than watch them Fade away

This Dark River sometimes reaches my neck…

Clinches its Fists

Threatens my Breaths…

But like the tides

Of Ocean Filled Skies…

It pulls away

Leaving Sand Plucked Shells of life…

Filling jars of Hope, Joy and Beauty throughout the Day

DarkJade-

PICTURE CREDITS – Synopsis, Jay Gidwitz, Dark River

Letting It Go

Letting It Go

It’s interesting… Being someone whose wanted to be a Film Maker the majority of his life, and also someone that Loves Music (Not that most people don’t)

Over the years I’ve had numerous Ideas if not for Complete Films, and or Music Videos… Than for just Scenes from a Movie, that has yet to be made. If that makes sense, Lol

But in the last 17 Months, I have for the first time been full blown pursuing Writing Books for a Living, and yet Movie, and Music Video Concepts still come to me.

Like today when Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’ song came on My Pandora Radio Station… And suddenly, I had an idea for a Video for the Song.

Now don’t get me wrong, not only does this song already have a Video, which was Posted November 8th… But that Video already has over 150,000,000 Hits… And I have to say, earlier today it was 149-somethen million, and checking now, it’s almost gone up a million today alone… So, yeah, her Video’s doing just fine.

But that’s not it… I came up with a Meaningful Concept, that I Would Love to Film, and Get done.

But as the Title of this Post indicates, I Need to just “Let It Go”.

Ok, so that sounds silly, as I’m sure lots of people have ideas about lots of things, that they’re just not able to pull off…

And yet it still Fascinates me that even with that being the case, I actually get to experience being Passionate About said idea for a bit either way.

I really do feel that My Concept would be Awesome. Meaningful… Beautiful really.

And Though Rihanna is Beautiful, and has an Extremely Powerful Presence, she wouldn’t actually be in the Video that I conceived.

I just thought I’d Write a Post about this, because maybe some of you Fellow Artists know what I mean… Having an Idea/Concept come to you, that you feel absolutely Passionate about, even though the likelihood of you actually doing anything with it, isn’t all that good.

Passion is Amazing to me… Imagination is one of the Greatest Experiences of My Life, and I’m glad that mine never went anywhere upon entering the ‘Adult’ World, Lol

So though I’m not currently Pursuing Film, I Do Hope that My Writing Brings Forth some Vivid Images for My Readers… That’s the Hope anyway.

DarkJade, Signing Off

Have A Great Weekend

*I Leave you with the Actual Rihanna – Diamonds Video, which is Absolutely Nothing like the Concept I have, Lol

The Bear Necessities

Ok, so as I ‘Trudge’ My way through Applying some of My Friend’s Grammar, and Line Editing Notes to My “Chess With Agatha” Manuscript… I find myself constantly changing which Pandora Station that I listen to…

I ended up landing on My “Arabian Nights Radio” (Check it out if you like Animated Movies Etc.), and This Song Came on, and made me feel a bit better about what I’m doing, Lol… And I don’t know why (Though I have always Liked this Song, Lol)

DarkJade-

Ego In A New Light… Ayn Rand’s “Anthem”

“He lived in the dark ages of future. In a loveless world he dared to love the woman of his choice. In an age that had lost all trace of science and civilization he had the courage to seek and find knowledge. But these were not the crimes for which he would be hunted. He was marked for death because he had committed the unpardonable sin: he had stood forth from the mindless human herd. He was a man alone.” TAKEN FROM THE BACK COVER OF THE CENTENNIAL EDITION OF THIS BOOK

Ego In A New Light… Ayn Rand’s “Anthem”

I’m the first to admit that I don’t read all that much… I never have. I’ve always heard that the best Writers, or at least Most Writers, are also ‘avid’ readers.

But for me, Math, and Creative Writing were my best areas in school.

A’s and B’s in Math, and B+’s in Creative Writing.

D’s and C’s in Grammar, Lol.

My mind just worked a certain way.

That said, though I’ve averaged over 1,000 words a day in the last 17 months in what has been the beginning of my pursuit of being a Writer for a living, I just don’t read very much.

Either I get sleepy when I try, or I feel like “You should be Writing, not Reading”… And so it’s gone, Lol

However, for Christmas, a very good friend of mine sent me a copy of Ayn Rand’s “Anthem”.

The “Centennial Edition” to be precise.

Which includes both her Original 1938, England Published Version in the back of the book with her notes on it showing some changes she had made in the style of it (Not the Content/Or meaning). But the Edited/Style updated version is the main version in the front of the book.

That said, my friend, knowing that I’m not all that much of a Reader, but also knowing that I have some Familiarity with Ayn Rand, primarily from my upbringing, and most recently from seeing the New “Atlas Shrugged” Film (Part I, I haven’t seen Part II yet).

Sent me Ayn Rand’s “Anthem”, because she knew that it was one of her Shorter Books, and thus I might end up reading it.

My History With Ayn Rand;

Though limited, I do have some history in regards to Ayn Rand.

I’ve never before read any of her books (Until now), but My Boss, and Mom’s Boyfriend of 30+ years, is indeed an Avid Reader, and had read many of her books years ago.

In fact, “The Fountain Head” was a major influence on him in college, which lead him to switching his Major in Art (I believe it was Art), to Majoring in Architecture. (I believe the main character in The Fountainhead is an Architect)

30+ Years Later, he’s one of the Best, most Interesting Architects I’ve ever been exposed to.

Moving on… My Mom and her Boyfriend actually met one another at was called a “Workshop”… This Workshop was run by a Psychologist, who not only Practiced Counseling, but also ran Workshops based on the work of a man named ‘Nathaniel Branden‘.

And Nathaniel Branden actually was in a relationship with Ayn Rand many years back.

And so you see, I definitely had my exposure in regards to Ayn Rand.

All indirectly… And yet, exposure none the less.

My Opinion/Review of “Anthem”;

My Friend was right… Due to it’s length, who had Written it, and who had Given me the book, these things lead to me actually making the time to read it.

Some of the Introduction a couple weeks ago, and the rest of the Introduction, the Author’s Forward, and the Newer Edited Version of the Story Late Yesterday Afternoon/Last Night.

The Central Message;

Now like I say, I’m not much of a Reader (Though I am an Avid Film Watcher), and this is my First Ever Book Review… But I’d say the Central Message in this book is based on Ayn Rand’s Philosophy of Objectivism.

“

Objectivism is a philosophy created by Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand (1905–1982). Objectivism’s central tenets are that reality exists independent of consciousness, that human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception through the process of concept formation and inductive logic, that the proper moral purpose of one’s life is the pursuit of one’s own happiness (or rational self-interest), that the only social system consistent with this morality is full respect for individual rights embodied in laissez-fairecapitalism, and that the role of art in human life is to transform humans’ metaphysical ideas by selective reproduction of reality into a physical form—a work of art—that one can comprehend and to which one can respond emotionally.^{[citation needed]}

Rand characterized Objectivism as “a philosophy for living on earth”, grounded in reality, and aimed at defining human nature and the nature of the world in which we live.^[1]”

ala WIKIPEDIA

And in Ayn Rand’s own words;

My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.

—Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged^[2]

also ala WIKIPEDIA

Alright, so this story takes place in a Dark Dystopian Future, where Men (And Woman)  follow a ‘We’ Philosophy, as opposed to an ‘I’ Philosophy.

Where all things are based on a ‘Collective’ mentality. Meaning all that we do, is for the Greater Good of our Fellow Man/Woman, and is not based on our Individual Needs, and/or Wants.

And all of our Decisions, including what field of work we go into, and who we ‘Mate’ with, are supplied by an Appointed Council.

Basically.

I don’t want to get all that technical, but I think you get the gist.

For me Star Trek’s ‘The Borg’ come to mind… But that’s mainly because this book was Written in 1937, and thus this Fundamental Idea has been used in many ways in Stories, and/or Television and Film.

Plot;

A Man Called “Equality 7-2521″ (Nope, People don’t even get to have True Names), considers himself cursed, because as he goes through the early part of his life, he can not seem to control his ‘Own Personal Interests/Passions’ Etc.

And so the basic Plot is about how he suffers because he is different, and slowly, piece by piece, starts to more and more figure out ways to Express Himself as an Individual (As Opposed to one of the Collective)… And when I say “Express” himself, I don’t mean Publicly Initially, I mean Privately. And when I say Privately, I mean when he is Alone, which is supposed to be ‘Never’, but he finds/makes a way.

Characters;

To me the main Character, initially, is Quite Tormented Internally… Partly because he can not Pursue his Own Individual Interests/Passions Etc… Partially because he feels he is Cursed, and is Ashamed of himself that he does not only think of his Brothers/Sisters, and instead thinks about what Makes ‘Him’, as an Individual, Happy.

The Girl… The Girl, or as he comes to call her “The Golden One”, appears to have some Inner Strength inside her as well, and is Instantly Drawn to him.

Ego;

I have come to find out that Ayn Rand generally has Cut and Dry/Working Titles for her Books, and then Changes them for the Sake of Publishing. The main part of this seems to be that her Working Titles “Give Too Much Away”, and thus she Creates Names that are not as Obvious, and also wants them to be more Intriguing… So to speak. Her reason, she wants people to figure out the meanings of the Books for their selves.

A Noble/Admirable thing I think/feel.

And so, the Initial Title of “Anthem”, was actually “Ego”… On that note, I’d highly recommend Reading Both the ‘Introduction’, and ‘Author’s Forward’, prior to Reading this Book. This is where she explains these things, and I found it very insightful going forward into the Reading of the Story.

Now the Funny thing about the word “Ego”, in my opinion… Is in my experience of the word Ego, it is, and/or has been, primarily used, and/or thought of in a Derogatory Light…

In such statements as “He has a Huge Ego… So watch out”… Or, “That Guys Ego is out of control”.

Now this is in my, American, mostly Southern California, experience of the word.

Here’s what Webster thinks of the Word;

1 : the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world

3 : the one of the three divisions of the psyche in psychoanalytic theory that serves as the organized conscious mediator between the person and reality especially by functioning both in the perception of and adaptation to reality — compare

Hmm… A bit different than the Common Use of the word… Or at least in My Experience.

But Ego is a word that I had already, in my own life, come to realize ‘Isn’t’ a Derogatory Term in its ‘Purist’ Sense…

It basically has something to do with an ‘Individual’s’ Sense of Self, and Self Worth I believe.

That said, Ayn Rand’s use of the Word, I believe, has more to do with its ‘True’ Meaning, not what we, or at least I, have been most often exposed to.

And this is True with many Words. It’s funny how Words so often Mean One Thing to one person, and something Completely Different to another. I think this is even more evident, when the people speaking are each from different countries. But that’s just my opinion.

My Overall Opinion of The Book;

In the end, something in addition to the Fundamental Message in the Book, which is basically the ‘Importance Of The ‘I”, and the Potentially Destructive/Devastating Nature of the ‘We’ way of thinking…

At least what I found Truly Fascinating, was the Process that the Main Character goes through in ‘Breaking’ down one Philosophy (Which he’s known all of his life), and basically ‘Creating/Building’ a Whole New Philosophy, and Way of Being/Living, pretty much wholly based on a Human’s Innate Primal Instincts, in all respects… Be it Love, Survival, Time Alone, Internal Thoughts Etc.

I think if I had been brought up in a ‘Less’ Freedom of Speech/Thought Etc. kind of Environment, this Book would have had an even More Profound Impact one me.

But because I was not, what it did for me is 1) Gave Me Further Appreciation For Ayn Rand, A Writer/Person Who Literally Breeds The Importance of “Free Will” 2) Reminded me of the Simplicities of Life, that we often take for granted, often by no fault of our own… 3) A Sense of Appreciation of, like I say, The Breaking Down of One Belief System, and Building, From Scratch, of Another 4) As a Writer, it also Reminded me of some of the Fundamental Essences of ‘Sci-Fi’ Writing, that you can find in such Films as “Logan’s Run”, “Planet Of The Apes” (The old one’s), and even “Journey To The Center Of The Earth”… Touching on such Fundamental (And I’m using this word a lot)… Lets switch up to ‘Rudimentary’… Primal, Basic things, that really Give One’s Insides a Tussle… So to speak, Lol

It’s a Good Book… Very Basic (Meaning Simplistic In Form)… Very Primal… Very, yes here I go again, ‘Fundamental’… And I feel, Very Important… And I Highly Recommend it.

Keep in mind, if you’re like me, or even if you’re not… It’s only 105 Pages (At least in this Edition).

And it gets you thinking… And it gets you wanting to Write Your Own Stuff… And it might even Inspire you to Read More of other People’s Stuff, which it has for me.

Nuff Said

Thanks For Listening/Reading

Would Love to Hear Your Thoughts

DarkJade-

Waiting For The Frost

Waiting For The Frost

The Silence Grows

As I sit behind the fall…

Waiting for a Time that may not come

Deafening Time Takes its place…

Still I do not mind

As I Sit in this haze…

Admiring the Stars beyond the Water

Perspective kicks in…

And I am Awake

More Awake than ever before…

Perhaps it’s not so bad being in this Limbo of the Heart

Perhaps it’s the only Pure thing I shall ever know…

Still this Black Coat grows heavy

And the Yearning…

It never goes

Still…

I am Inclined to Believe

There’s something More…

DarkJade-

PICTURE CREDIT – Waterfall Of Light

DarkJade Watch – Pink (Try/Live)

DarkJade Watch – Pink (Try/Live)

It’s Pretty Much Impossible Not To Be A Pink Fan…

Even Though She’s @#@! and #@$#$@! she just keeps making Good Music

Just Heard This Song for the First Time Today on Pandora… Then Checked Out The Video… Then Found a Live Performance of it that she Just Did on The American Music Awards

Pretty Damn Cool, about to Download This one

Enjoy

DarkJade-

 

Pink “Try” (Live Performance)

 

Welcome Winter, We Are Ready For You

Welcome Winter, We Are Ready For You

Some Tunes To Coast You Through A Northern Morning

Athair Ar Neamh (Enya)

Nocturne (SubtractiveLAD/Where The Sun Meets The Sky)

Iceblink (Pass Into Silence)

DarkJade-

PICTURE CREDIT – Winter, Frost, Snow, Trees

DarkJade Watch – Ellie Goulding (Acoustic)

DarkJade Watch – Ellie Goulding (Acoustic)

On Occasion I’ll Come Across a Video, or Live Performance that Really Grabs me… So I thought I would Start a New Series Called “DarkJade Watch“, where I Share My Findings with My Readers/Followers/Friends

Here’s a Couple Videos/Performances I Came Across Yesterday, that were Uploaded to YouTube September 27th, and September 12th

Enjoy

DarkJade-

 

 

Ellie Goulding – “Anything Could Happen (Acoustic) – A Very Moving Song I think… And Amazing Rendition DJ-

 

 

Ellie Goulding – “Lights” (Acoustic) -  Those that aren’t too Familiar with her, May still Know This Song which was a Great Hit of Hers… I really Like the Original, but I Thought This Rendition was Very Cool DJ-

 

 

DarkJade-