Cowboys from Hell Solo!!!

I recorded this tonight because I went out to see some friend of a friend who plays guitar. I was going to use it to show what I can do to hopefully get a band started but he didn't show. My family doesn't really know how I play on the electric so this is for them also to see what I can do. It's not entirely there yet but its getting closer.

Me playing Cowboys from Hell solo.

Pantera playing so you can compare.

I also need to add that 'Dimebag' Darrel was murdered on stage in 2004 and the rock world lost one of the greatest, most innovative guitarists the world has ever known. It's truly a tragedy and when I attempt to cover his songs I am mindful of the impact he has made on myself and other aspiring guitarists around the world.

S9W

Here is some more stuff from Chino's band. Its some really great instrumental stuff. The drums are electronic but he switches to the acoustic later. I was there when they preformed this sitting right next to the camera. The bassist actually moved to the states right after I left Korea. He was in Champagne, IL first then I think he went to music school in California or something. Watching this really takes me back. I really miss those guys. 네가 보고싶어!

Chino!!!

So... I know you have all heard me talking about my Korean friend Chino... Well, he just sent me this link today of one of the concerts he played for TV. Please watch it. I can't even begin to explain all the positive things in this guys character. A true friend that helped me with anything and pushed me to play more guitar.

Sleep Issues

Alright... For a combination of my family's nagging and re-filling my 'focus' prescription, I'm updating this page. Although a lot of time has passed, there are only a few things I really feel compelled to write. Eat it up!

Computer issues were resolved after a couple complaints to the Better Business Bureau, but more have presented themselves... I just hope this won't take until next year to resolve. When everything (without going into detail) is fixed I'll be able to record some tracks and send them out to whoever wants them so keep checking up on me about that.

My shrink/pusher-man, Dr. Kean, sent me to a sleep study. They found out that on top of me being completely messed up, I was experiencing what they call 'hypnagogic hallucinations' and 'sleep paralysis'. Well, what this means really is that I am inexplicably exhausted all the time. This type of sleep disorder occasionally occurs with people who work hard for 18+ hours a day in jobs of a physical nature. I just thought they were really vivid nightmares. Here is how it breaks down... In normal sleep there are certain phases that your body goes through before reaching that yummy REM sleep stage where you get all the good rest & restorative benefits of unconsciousness. So, I hit the pillow and my body says, "why am I going through all these phases again?" and I jump the queue and go straight for the REM stage. I guess I'm even impatient in my sleep! In this half-sleep/half-awake stage that I get caught up in, I get paralyzed from the neck down with pins-and-needles sensations all over my body. My brain is forcing itself into dream land during this time so I basically am helplessly frozen in a dream that always turns bad. Nobody likes to feel helpless and that is why its always a nightmare for me. I see people and hear voices that aren't there and stuff set in whichever environment I tried to sleep in with vivid clarity. I guess you could drop some acid and have the same effect but that would be foolish. Fortunately this does nothing but suck with no short/long term effects and my perceived 3 hours like this is really only a couple seconds. Interesting?

I have been getting in trouble for waking up late and stuff even with six different alarms to wake me up but this should help my case for any kind of UCMJ action pending.

I'm tired of writing for now. I'll finish this tomorrow. My apologies for ending so abruptly.

Why You Shouldn't Treat Yourself To A $4100 Computer

Four thousand, one hundred dollars. This is what I spent prior to leaving Iraq on a computer system that can beat up your computer and take its lunch money. Of course I expect you, dear reader, to be unable to fathom the reasons why I would spend so much on something that doesn't kiss me on the cheek and tuck me into bed at night. It is likely that 2.83 Ghz quad core processors, 64 GB solid state and 300 GB Raptor drives, 4GB of DDR3 1600 random access memory, ATI video cards set up in Crossfire for a combined total of 4GB of video memory, sound cards that would quite literally 'blow your mind' if given the chance, and frame rates so high they make Cheech and Chong look sober might not be your thing. I assure you that this kind of thing is my thing. Needless to say that if you understood that last run-on sentence, that we share similar interests. Welcome to the ever-growing fold, nerd.

I thought (and no, it didn't hurt), in my logic, that when you spend as much as I did on anything (with the exception of a car, or a house) that it would work flawlessly. I mean, this isn't a toy from the dollar store or anything made in Taiwan. Those things you can count are of shoddy workmanship at best with materials that might give you lockjaw. You can't possibly think they hold any value other than sentimental under unique circumstances. You spent a single dollar bill on it, not 4,100 single dollar bills. Without going into too much detail of why I have failed as a consumer and without flying off the handle into a prolonged dissertation about capitalist America and the pros and cons of the Laissez-faire economic theory, I will attempt to explain the headache I've had with this purchase.

In talking to the customer service of the guys (and girls for the sake of political correctness, which I abhor) at ibuypower.com, I have been made aware, first-hand, of how we are all slaves to the system. 'The Book' or 'The Man' has us all by the proverbial balls and he is squeezing. And when it comes to corporations, there are no exceptions to the rules. No small business 'Hey, this guy spent a lot here, why not throw in a free key chain/sticker/coupon for a free whatever?' But in relation to my dilemma it reads that when I have a product that is defective and must ship it back to whatever company I bought it from, I may be covered for the shipping cost, but not packaging. If, when you receive a product in the mail and the box it came in is 'jacked up' you assume the financial responsibility of re-packaging the goods for shipping. Harsh...

I am just kinda cheesed off that I need to spend more money than I already have trying to make reparations for something that is of no fault of mine. On top of it all, FedEx doesn't carry a box big enough to fit the dimensions of my computer tower and as it stands I now have to troubleshoot my own system and send two busted parts back to be replaced individually. No packaging cost inclusive in this deal either, just the cost to mail them. Either I pay a deposit to get the new components first then mail the old ones back or I mail the old ones and wait for them to be received before the new parts get sent to me. No guarantees that when I replace them the computer will work. Just a lot of extra money out of my pocket.

In closing I will address the title of this unnecessarily prolonged thesis. Computers are very finicky pieces of equipment and when you ship one, even though insured, you take a risk. Do yourself a favor... build your own computer if you know how. You wont have to deal with all the nonsense that undoubtedly accompanies any dealings with big companies and postal services. You might actually learn something new and tangible in the process.

Also it might be worth noting that I am not a commie and that I support free-enterprise. It just occasionally presents frustrating situations. Please don't label me in that weirdo PETA/Greenpeace/Hippie/Anarchist/Emo category. I am however in the awesome category.

I'm back!!! Watch out!!!

So yeah, like the title says... I'm back in a country that does not suck so bad. I got back about a week ago and have been trying to get situated in my new room as well as trying to wrap my head around the restored pseudo-freedom I obtained through relocation. I have been kind of neglecting my family because of this but do not worry my dear family members and estranged friends, I will be in contact with you all soon.

I've only got a crappy pay-as-you-go cell phone for now, but come the 22nd I'll be getting this bad boy - http://www.android.com/, this is the OS, don't know what phone comes with it but I know I want it. I recently purchased the new Zune 120GB player, and it rocks way too much. The marketplace features a vast collection of songs, videos, and pod casts. For $14.99 (the cost of a CD) per month you can download all the music you want... catch is, when you don't pay the music stops working. I think it's a good deal though considering that I love music and must keep myself updated on the 'good stuff' (very opinion driven as to what that means). There I go on another tangent of mine... but I digress...

It is great to be back, and although it is not painful in any way to talk about my 15 months in Iraq, it is very boring, and this blog of mine is not going to address any part of those 15 months specifically, save the occasional mentioning of a pleasant anecdote of my times there. Trust me when I say that there were not many pleasant happenings in a place I and others came to know as 'Satan's A**hole.' Sound great doesn't it? No, the purpose of this blog is to inform of the here, now, and future shenanigans that Joseph Michael Gollaher will undoubtedly be wrapped up in. With this blogs purpose defined, and with its familial orientation, I will hereby abstain from the use of profanity, lewd remarks, and utilize censorship as best I can to provide an entertaining, informative, and very biased view into what makes me tick, and, like I said before, and insight into the shenanigans that will surely ensue that are worthy of notation.

So please, sit back in your comfy (or not so comfy) computer chair and try to enjoy my perspective and self-proclaimed wit and awesome story telling ability in this and many other posts that will follow. Go ahead... grab a drink (Dr. Pepper is my preference) and scroll along as I recount the events of my life and prepare thyself to mentally enter the paradigm that I live with today and watch me grow (hopefully in a positive way) as the days of our lives fly by.

Do me a favor though... A personal favor...

Enjoy yourself.

If you don't I will be personally offended and the ramifications of offending me are definitely to great for you to bear. I am sure of this.