Valkyrie

My friend Jeremiah works at the Taco Bell on Gateway in Springfield. A year or two ago, he was working when the band The Cruxshadows came in on their way from one concert to another and the Eugene/Springfield area was a stop along the way to get something to eat. He was retelling us the story, very excited as to have met them. but then, he also, said he was so awestruck at the time that it didn't even occur to him to possibly inquire about if he could get an autograph for his then girlfriend. They were her favorite band, afterall. He had tried to show them to me while we were in the car one day, but it was on his PSP and I wasn't really paying all that much attention.

A few weeks later, I asked him again what the name of the band was that he was talking about and what would be the best song or couple songs to listen to as an introduction to their music. So he told me and I then downloaded my first two Cruxshadows songs, Dragonfly and Deception. After that, I was hooked I then downloaded the highest rated album at the time on itunes, Dreamcypher, which also was their latest album at the time. It was actually awhile ago when that came out, I believe 2007. They did release an EP Quicksilver which, along with the other songs and the album mentioned above became some of my favorite songs to run to. I would run in the rain listening toWindbringer  and Winterborn--The sacrifice as I pounded the pavement during one of my wet and/or rainy Oregon runs, as well as Defender and contemplated the world and characters of the story that was in my head (I will probably post about this on another blog at some point in the near future).

Anyway, I am very excited to read today that they have previewed a track from their upcoming album on the 4th of July. So far there only seems to be postings of the recording of the live stream, but they're surprisingly decent and I'm just glad to get a taste of what they've been working on since Quicksilver, especially after the theft of a bunch of their equipment in early 2010 upon returning to the states after completing their European Tour.





I haven't listened to their entire discography, but they have some amazing older tracks to. And of course I'm partial to the Skinny Puppy remix of "Edge of the World". But Jackel head and Monsters, and Marilyn My Bitterness are great tracks as well as the Clan of Xymox remix of Citadel/Never Surrender, which is probably my all time favorite running song! It's like an anthem as I push myself through a run or any workout: "I will never Surrender! I will never Surrender!"

And then, not to mention, the bodies of the women in the group, inspire me to get up do a TurboFire video right now. Just gorgeous, strong and powerful. Just lovely.

Day 2 Update

Today wasn't bad at all. I began Day 1 of ChaLean Extreme as well as my C25K plan. I feel fantastic. It's been awhile since I've felt this good. I've also began doing more and more research into food addiction. My fiance wants to do a radical change to our plan, which may end up being just what I need. He wants to make a go of going vegetarian for a couple months and then go vegan for another month, and then to try eating mostly raw foods for the remaining month. After that, we will go back to being omnivores, but I'm not sure what our plan will be at that point.

I know that I could do this without going vegetarian, but I think that Carson is looking for something that will have more boundaries for him. I want to support him. At first I was going to argue with him, but then I realized why I was going to argue. It was the voice of an addict that doesn't want to give up their drug. I wanted sugar, and fats and to be able to eat whatever I want. but that philosophy has gotten me nowhere to be honest. So we'll start to research and prepare to begin cutting out meat in August.

Now I will say I am aware that going vegetarian does not guarantee by any means healthy eating or weight loss. You have to still make the right choices for food and to not eat too much of it. It is also important to make sure that you get the right nutrients, proteins and such. Since we'll be able to eat dairy and eggs at first that will be not as difficult as the last two months. Which is where the major research comes in. I am actually feeling alright about this, because it feels like there is something that is telling me that my body needs this. It'll be like a good detox and with the lessons we learn, we will be able to apply to our life as we step forward into married life.

Day 2

Above is my day. I ended up not having such a healthy dinner since my roommate and his fiancee offered to buy us dinner. I did get a small fry and not a medium, and I took it as extra motivation to get my exercise in for the evening no matter what. So it ended up working out to where I was still under my calories for the day when you net out the exercise with my calorie intake.

I am actually pretty proud of myself today. The walk to the store was unplanned. My roommate Jer, wanted to go up there to get something for him and his fiancee, Amber to drink. It's a lot more fun anyway to walk there with friends then to drive. And I got to listen to a couple Astral Projection tracks on Carson's iPod, which are definitely going into my "running music".