Yeah, so. I guess a lot has been going on in my life for the very small number of people who read this; now you can read it here!

So, come July I'm moving in with my girlfriend officially in our new apartment! That's pretty exciting but scary. As an American in Sweden I'm having a bitch of a time with the fact that I can't even work until I get my status worked out--and I'm broke as shit. This is actually a really major problem that I'm having and I'm not really sure how to work it out. I'm hoping that maybe I might be able to use my linguistic nature to help me. There are some international schools and stuff like that where I might be able to get a job. But I'm really worried about this summer.

I've been on a bit of an artistic hold since I finished my record. I'm going to get the thing released via a very small label from California called Black Goat Records; I'm actually pretty excited about that. However, it's not much of a label and I hope that this will be a bit of a groundwork for bigger material in the future. I think I'm going to head in a very different direction with the second record, musically. Do something a little more influenced by Balkan and Middle-Eastern music. It should be really interesting; I'm excited.

School makes me want to fucking cry and it really sucks ass. But things are great with the new girlfriend and I'm staying in Sweden for the upcoming time period, as it seems. Things are a little crazy, stressful and hectic, but we love each other and we're so happy we don't even realize how miserable we are..

Yeah, so anyway, if anyone needs any webdesign or something; I'll do it for a nominal price.

Aw, well apparently the pool has dwindled to the point that my updates are completely unnoticed by anyone except by a random guy who added me to his 'worst shit I've ever seen' collection. I was.. flattered? Oh wait.

Anyway, so I'm writing now and I hope someone reads this or I'm just going to feel ridiculously useless. I've actually been working my ass off lately on new music and concepts. I haven't been writing like I wanted to, but the fiction bug has died with the end of a wonderful consistent discussion relationship with my bestest of best friends, Josh. With him gone, I just can't seem to pull myself back into the fiction mood. I've also, of course, got a girlfriend around and a ton of work to do.. so what little creativity I can muster all manages to get filtered into music these days.

That all, of course, leads me to discuss this Æthereal project that I'm posting music from. Sure, it's death metal and a lot of people aren't into death metal but.. well, I'd say give it a listen anyway. I like it a lot and that's saying something as I'm my hardest critic (aside from my girlfriend who can be really mean about my music.. haha). I've been enjoying writing for it and if I ever get signed with anything it's going to be Æthereal. I'd rather it was a real band but I don't know if that'll ever happen (though I dearly hope it will). But some of my best writing (at least musically) has gone into this project so I'd love to get some feedback on it.

Anyway, you metal kids should all take a look at my stuff and tell me what you think. I'm going to head to bed as my totally hot ass girlfriend is waiting for me and the candle is burning low.

Good night, loves.
/Phil

Oh damn, I've been away a long time. A long, long time. I did however, do something recently that I like pretty well. It's a poem and song. If you want to take a listen check it out here: [link] and you can listen to it here: [link] you will hopefully like it. I think it's interesting (and it's not that heavy, frankly).

Hej allihoppa-

So, I guess I am feeling obliged to write a journal about what I think is going to be my "New Year's Resolution," though it's really not one because I hate those things. It's more of a statement of intention. I intend, this year, to write a lot. I don't expect or intend to be published, I don't expect or intend to write anything stellar or artistic--I do intend, however, to practice. I love to write. It is sometimes very difficult and while certain individuals have it easier than others, it is precisely because I'm a competent writer with very little practice other than reading that makes me feel like it would be a waste of 'talent' (shall we say) to NOT do this.

I don't think that I will ever be a rockstar writer, or heck, even a published author. But Vonnegut once told a group at the University of Wisconsin to "go home, write your best work, labor at it, and when you're finished.. throw it away, because you've already succeeded." Internal motivation is the name of the game, here. If I can't write music, I'll write stories.. they're practically one in the same already.

At least it's not a pegging. Heh.

Three Things You Want To Do Before You Die:
1.) Tour -- preferably with Iron Maiden
2.) Get my PhD
3.) Get hitched

Three Names You Go By:
1.) Phil
2.) ...Phil
3.) Metal Phil

Three Screen Names You Have Had:
1.) MetalPhil
2.) CommieGuru
3.) NovembersDirge

Three Physical Things You Like About Yourself:
1.) My hair
2.) My brain (it's a physical thing)
3.) Y'know..

Three Parts Of Your Heritage:
1.) Danish - Jensen.. friggin' Vikings
2.) English/Irish - Not quite sure.. probably English planted in Ireland due to protestantism.
3.) "Bohemian," which is what my grandma calls it. Now known as Czech.

Three Things That Scare You:
1.) Demon possession
2.) The American right
3.) Dying alone

Three Of Your Everyday Essentials:
1.) Internet
2.) Food
3.) Sleep

Three Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1.) V Neck
2.) Jeans
3.) Green button up shirt

Three Of Your Favorite Bands/Musical Artists:
1.) Opeth
2.) Iron Maiden
3.) Nobuo Uematsu

Three Of Your Favorite Songs:
1.) Isolation Years or Beneath the Mire [Opeth]
2.) The Prophecy [Iron Maiden]
3.) In The White [Katatonia]

Three Things You Want In A Relationship:
1.) Deep emotional connection
2.) Beautiful conversation
3.) Hot sex

Two Truths And A Lie (in no particular order):
1.) Change is always around the corner.
2.) I've never had what I'm looking for.
3.) There is no motivation to be had.

Three Physical Things About The Opposite Sex That Appeal To You:
1.) Short
2.) Dark hair
3.) Bubble butts

Three Of Your Favorite Hobbies:
1.) Guitar/Song Writing
2.) Svenska!
3.) General nerdiness

Three Things You Want To Do Really Badly Right Now:
1.) Play guitar.. oh god.
2.) Get a day to myself.
3.) Hang out with a hot Slovakian girl.

Three Careers You're Considering/You've Considered:
1.) Media Watchdog Blogger
2.) Sociology PhD
3.) Professional Musician or the music industry

Three Places You Want To Go On Vacation:
1.) Finland
2.) England
3.) Berlin

Three Names You Like:
1.) Eva
2.) Judith
3.) Björn

Three Ways That You Are Stereotypically A Girl:
1.) I like emotional conversations
2.) I have long hair
3.) Most of my friends are female

Three Ways That You Are Stereotypically A Boy:
1.) I'm lazy
2.) I listen to metal
3.) I hate cleaning

Your top 3 favorite actors and actresses:
1.) Scarlett Johansson
2.) Gary Oldman
3.) Johnny Depp

Your top 3 favorite fictional characters, (from Comics, Books, T.V. shows, ETC.)
1.) Simkin from The Darksword Trilogy
2.) Gandalf the Grey from The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings
3.) Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore from Harry Potter

Tagging others...