Happy Saturday Normalinauts!

I have found a ‘Threadless-like’ company that has come up and is trying to do something very similar it seems. It’s V2W (Vote 2 Wear, I believe), and with a format seemingly identical to the NakedNoMore trend setter before them, it should be a home for artists and designers to show their stuff, and to have it considered for final production. And how do the pieces get considered for printing (on shirts usually) ? By the power of voting!

Now isn’t that a novel idea? I mean, especially in light of our recent surge of seriousness here at the NR, where we’ve been scrambling to decipher what options our vote will have in the upcoming elections in less then a yea, and figuring out which candidates are best, or at least the most likely nominees… but for those decisions, since we’re in a Republic, we don’t actually get direct say all the time. So everyone scrambling for Obama, Clinton, Kerri, Huckabee, and Ron Paul to make it through the party primers and primaries, really are sitting on their hands. Oddly enough this country is touted in the public eye (ask most people on the street) as a Democracy, which we’re not, we’re a Republic, slight difference and it was done on purpose.

But if you really want a taste of Democracy, just like you had it in High School when you were voting for class leaders or for Prom themes, then here’s your chance to do just that!

Currently, I have 2 designs up on V2W that have been ‘approved’. The contest sections that they were submitted for haven’t opened up yet, but just the same, here’s the picks:

Don’t Lose Your Head

HelloMotor

Now Like I said, I don’t think these are up and running just yet. But there’s a good chance that they will be in a week or so, as for now they are ‘approved’ and no longer ‘pending approval’… I think the ‘Battle’-ing as it is coined on the V2W website, will begin on our around January 16th. It really does cost nothing to vote or sign-up and since I’ve joined the site, I haven’t had any Spam or Junk (yet) so hopefully they’ll keep that up. But remember the best part, you get to decide what stuff gets made and what stuff doesn’t — that direct sort of voice being heard isn’t too common these days ^__^ so let’s go experience it together shall we! And besides, should my designs win, I get some money, and right now I need money. . . thank you!

–Aleister

Atreyu - Bleeding Mascara

Actually, if you wish to get technical, I’m very middenedly-buzzed off of Trader Joe’s 2 Buck Chuck! Sadly, I would have preferred a Merlot or Pinot, but this 25 proof grape juice, Sauvignon will have to do… by the way, this is entirely April’s fault.

And on we go to the Saturday embedded video post. I’m not saying this as some sort of homage or even copying in format of Ellis’ 4AM, because I really don’t know if this stunt will repeat itself anytime soon. But while we’re all here, and I have a captive audience, I will abuse it. And by abuse, I mean subject you to at least one video.

April found this video, as it is from a band that she at one time had a single album from, and has since lost it, or misplaced it, or simply had an extremely difficult time finding it ever again. While showing me the band in question, we had a discussion about what ‘type’ of music they would be categorized as in relation to the era in which they could’ve likely hit airwaves or mainstream media. Darkwave/Newwave seems to be the best fit, and in the search April found a connection between this weird musical troupe and one of my favorite movies of the 80’s/horror genre in general, which is Manhunter(!).

The band, Shriekback, did do at least one piece on the official OST for Manhunter, but it was not the video which will be posted below. And here is where you, hopefully far less drunk, Normalinauts, come into play: the following song from the band Skriekback, was hailed as their lead single from their album Oil&Gold, and both April and I are at least somewhat convinced that we’ve heard the damned thing in a film somewhere… yet Youube seems to be of no hope or help. So do you brave Normalinauts remember this song? Do you know where you might have heard it (aside from here of course)? Let us know!

Click-y Here For the Official Song In Question

SHRIEKBACK - NEMISIS

Help us please, where has this song been featured???

Thank you, I will continue to drink now,

–Aleister

Shriekback - Nemesis

Megalo Life has ended, as I’ve been talking about here on the Normality for a little bit. And just to retouch on the subject once more, if for no other reason than because the entire series and especially the readership was something very near and dear to my heart, I wanted to point out and say another heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been posting in the official comments for the series. At the current count, there are 5 full pages of comments, which means about 75 comments, 90+% of which are very endearing and lovely thanks, well wishes and pleads for the series to continue. So to everyone who’s taken the time out of their busy real-world lives to show their support for the series, to say thanks or merely to wish me, April, Salem and Wednesday well in the coming new adventures elsewhere, thank you very, very, very much.

For anyone who wants to check out the comments, or simply let me throw the final strip/episode in front of your eyes once more click here.

Otherwise, it is Monday, and that means more normal posts for old Normality Restored and all you Normalinauts out there in the digital wastes of the interwbez. I’m not sure but I expect that Kilian will be back to posting shortly bringing his own thoughts on life, love, lit and things geek-y or real life. In the meantime and especially for anyone who’s been wondering what will happen with the NR strip, fear not, we’re working on it. And not only are we working on it, it’s set to be something completely new and special. And by special we don’t mean ‘window licking’ special, but I suppose that you’ll have to wait and see and come to your own conclusions when we start rolling it out. But rest assured, we are actually working on it right this very instant, through the wondrous miracle of g-chat communication!

Hope all Normalinauts are well! What the heck did you guys do this weekend anyway?

–Aleister

Metal Fingers - Special Herbs 9 + 0

A longer post awaits you, faithful Normalinauts, later on this evening. For now, I will simply give to you but a teaser of the great Normality that awaits you in the future….

Believe me, dear readers, when I say to you that never, in the history of the written word, has there existed a greater tale of epic adventure, excessive greed, unrestrained passion, and mediocre web comics!

Saturday I was, as usual, at the bookmines toiling away in the dark recesses where only goblins and damaged remainders dwell…

Sunday, brought me to four solid hours where I actually sat down and worked on one of my novels…I had to stop several times and administer self-inflicted pain to convince myself I was not in some dream-like alien world…

My bruises are proof of my hours of hard work.

And I will have many more such nights in the next three weeks, because I am under a serious deadline. No, as of yet I have no publishing deal. There is what you might call a “contest” that I am entering, but the final day for submission is the end of this month. I have, I think, 30 or so pages left to finish novel #1. Then I have to cram as much editing time as I can into the remaining days. Suffice it to say, the next few weeks are of much importance to me and my continuing attempt to actually make some money with this whole writing thing.